Posts Tagged ‘Intel’

Spring is Sprung…

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April 2nd, 2012

Just what we need to change the money climate as well

Spring has sprung in this part of the world and the warmer weather, the change to summer time and last week’s optimism at the stock exchange has put a whole new look on the world. Let’s use this change to transform our dark and dreary thoughts about money and the world’s finances. It’s enough with the gloom and doom.

Nature

I took a walk through town this morning and marveled at nature. She’s optimistic – there are new shoots on the trees. The air is filled with the smell of orange blossoms (meaning money next winter), new little flowers on all the olive trees (meaning more money next winter). Nature’s not giving up and neither should we. I may even fulfill a nagging desire and buy myself a digital camera so that I can email pictures of spring around the world. How is my shaky job? I’m hoping my optimism will keep my job going, although it’s not looking good at the moment.

What I do

I work as a sub-contractor for a contractor who works for Intel. It sounds a bit like a daisy-chain affair but the relationships are very professional. In good times this was a great arrangement and I have had constant work since the mid 90’s. Some years were frantic and I never got to bed at the end of the day, and other years were slack and I had to turn to other means to make money. During the last bad patch I found myself unemployed for some months until work started to trickle in again. Then it took off in earnest and the last 3 years have been hectic. Now it has slowed while Intel seems to be reorganizing and checking out new technology. So I am an odd-job man again.

What the town does

I’m sure I’ll manage, but I’m not so sure about Intel-town. The main Intel plant is situated in a small industrial town. It was a ‘Nothing-Town’ before Intel arrived. Then it took off. Contractors and visitors flooded in, restaurants opened, cabs rushed up and down, sandwich bars appeared, a small shopping center was built, then a larger shopping center, then a major supermarket. Then Intel built a second and larger fab, and the town settled down to its status as the semi-conductor center of the world. Intel launched educational facilities for the children of the town and training programs for the adults and became a responsible and important part of the town. There was talk that maybe Intel would expand or even build a third fab, who knows? With a company like this in town anything is possible.

What now?

At the moment things are quiet down there and everyone is holding their breath while rumors fly that Intel is moving to another country. Normal production continues but there is no new development work. Perhaps they’re working less hours in the production halls where the local men and women work and that’s good news. But there are lay-offs and casualties and that’s bad news. Let’s hope that a touch of spring comes to Intel-Town soon.

Tags: Intel, Optimism, Spring
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What I Did With My Spare Cash

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March 20th, 2012

I visit my investment adviser with $10,000 and ask for advice

Last week I found myself in an unusual situation, in fact a first for me. I received a call for the bank to please drop in and see them. I was puzzled, I am in the black for the first time in years and they want to see me? I needn’t have worried. “You have too much cash lying in your account. We suggest you invest it,” said the clerk with a smile. A smile in the bank was a first for me as well.

Investment adviser

The investment adviser is young and enthusiastic. He suggested that I spread my $10,000 among a few different stocks and he slowly and carefully drew up a list of what he called the “good investments”. I listened eagerly and left the bank an hour later, my head swimming with new information and the proud possessor of stocks, another first for me.

Apple Computers

Already very expensive at almost $600 but there’s no telling where they are going. A new iPad is coming out and they will be out with something new regularly. Great company, great vision and great leadership.

McDonalds

McDonald’s sells food, which is considered to be what investors call a consumer staple. People need to eat no matter how the economy is faring, and during an economic slowdown, some people who used to go to expensive restaurants might go to McDonald’s more frequently. Consumer staples tend to be good investments when the economy is expected to be sluggish, which investors call a countercyclical investment.

Intel Corporation

I chose this one myself from a short list that the adviser suggested. My choice was based on sentimental reasons. Intel sometimes hires me for odd writing jobs, either specs or procedures. I happen to know the manager of the technical writing department and he occasionally throws a crumb in my direction.

A man of property

So finally I am a man of property. Of course, the first thing that happened after my purchase was that the stocks dropped in price but we guys in the stock exchange industry don’t take any notice of daily hiccups. We’re in it for the big one, I say, thinking of Warren Buffett.

Why didn’t you buy…

The next test of my investing acumen came at home when I told my wife what I had bought. “Why didn’t you buy energy stocks,” she asked, “They’re all the rage!” Quoting the bank man I answered her: During the bear market between 2008 and 2010, energy stocks suffered. Shares of Exxon Mobil fell nearly 45% between early 2008 and July 2010. Meanwhile, shares of McDonald’s rose between 2008 and 2010 and rose even further in 2011.

I’ve done my bit

I feel very pleased with myself. I invested my money in the stock exchange and I feel that I am now part of the national economy, a fully fledged citizen. The rest is up to the national economy and the government to make sure that my investment pays off.

Tags: Apple, Intel, investing, McDonalds, Spare cash, stock exchange
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