tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81537821642551749492024-03-05T12:14:02.308+08:00Pathos, Ethos, LogosThis blog revolves around intriguing issues in business. It covers a wide range of topics which includes Management, Tourism, Marketing, Electronic Gadgets, Banking and Finance and the latest business news. It includes entertaining and mind-boggling photos from various websites as well.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger786125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-19268251697207416692013-07-10T16:59:00.001+08:002013-07-10T16:59:43.082+08:00taiwan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPeVyCphWnOHpY5WXY0DAUKpuKrNZwwabfqOerSUZ5GHW4-WDsXYMSTipdzfm-9AR4oFA8Fw7mYxl0xABrGl3tHokpDlT7iQa5C0Lldb8RHd8sBqKjl_KojxVy_7qx0veJcyDwPIKrtY/s1600/P1070882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPeVyCphWnOHpY5WXY0DAUKpuKrNZwwabfqOerSUZ5GHW4-WDsXYMSTipdzfm-9AR4oFA8Fw7mYxl0xABrGl3tHokpDlT7iQa5C0Lldb8RHd8sBqKjl_KojxVy_7qx0veJcyDwPIKrtY/s320/P1070882.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60KTRjlo7SX86vr5n3floniRMdPOiMbvSu3sQ-_sHns5G3qWiAG2xil6lQ0dAGpMFExAxEEWvVJpWzVPgViQxZ6z0y7k50rRo-3MTcdWR1GksiLj9CafP6M7mXsb1hPYKfl9-BhTb2fs/s1600/P1070921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60KTRjlo7SX86vr5n3floniRMdPOiMbvSu3sQ-_sHns5G3qWiAG2xil6lQ0dAGpMFExAxEEWvVJpWzVPgViQxZ6z0y7k50rRo-3MTcdWR1GksiLj9CafP6M7mXsb1hPYKfl9-BhTb2fs/s320/P1070921.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-67574524383618220122013-06-07T17:54:00.001+08:002013-06-07T17:54:41.081+08:00Stunning WorksTake a look at some of these images. They are sculptures or paintings but they look so exquisite. Almost like a photograph!<br />
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<a href="http://www.helnwein.com/werke/leinwand/bild_3468.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #0077ee; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Gottfried Helnwein</a> - Oil and acrylic on canvas</h2>
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<img alt="Gottfried Helnwein - Oil and acrylic on canvas" src="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr02/2013/6/4/14/enhanced-buzz-20567-1370371218-22.jpg" /></div>
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<a href="http://diegokoi.deviantart.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #0077ee; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Diego Fazio</a> - Charcoal pencil</h2>
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<img alt="Diego Fazio - Charcoal pencil" src="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr06/2013/5/12/21/enhanced-buzz-20674-1368407061-0.jpg" /></div>
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<a href="http://omarortiz.wordpress.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #0077ee; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Omar Ortiz</a> - Oil on linen</h2>
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<img alt="Omar Ortiz - Oil on linen" src="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr01/2013/6/3/13/enhanced-buzz-21733-1370281264-2.jpg" /></div>
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<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/hnigatu/works-of-art-you-wont-believe-arent-photographs" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #0077ee; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Paul Cadden</a> - Small drawing pencil on paper</h2>
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<img alt="Paul Cadden - Small drawing pencil on paper" src="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr06/2013/6/3/16/enhanced-buzz-31427-1370292077-0.jpg" /></div>
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<a href="http://www.gregorythielker.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #0077ee; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Gregory Thielker</a> - Oil on canvas</h2>
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<img alt="Gregory Thielker - Oil on canvas" src="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr03/2013/6/3/14/enhanced-buzz-4514-1370284419-9.jpg" /></div>
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<a href="http://alyssamonks.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #0077ee; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Alyssa Monks</a> - Oil on linen</h2>
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<img alt="Alyssa Monks - Oil on linen" src="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr06/2013/6/3/14/enhanced-buzz-9134-1370285410-8.jpg" /></div>
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Credits -<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/hnigatu/works-of-art-you-wont-believe-arent-photographs">buzzfeed</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-76299822504230803972013-06-05T12:43:00.001+08:002013-06-05T12:43:23.779+08:00CFA Level 1 June Examination 2013Recently, I just completed my CFA Exam Level 1.<br />
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I was studying a little during my last semester at school but the real studying only starts on 5 May 2013. That meant that I only had less than a month to truly study.<br />
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During my school term, I managed to finish Volume 1 of the CFA books. It was then that I realised that it was clearly impossible for me to go through all the materials. I will never make it.<br />
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Hence, I did a backward induction form of studying. What I did was that I went to do the practice questions for all 18 readings instead. I tried the questions and then I referred back to the answers for clarifications of my doubts. I find that a lot more effective. In fact, if you merely study the materials, you might think that you understood the content but in actual fact, you don't.<br />
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Hence, doing the practice questions actually help you revise and help you learn at the same time. Perhaps, its different for me because I'm a finance student so I already knew all the concepts. It was pretty much a refresher course for me. I have learnt all the content in school before so nothing was new to me. The only problem is that some topics like Economics and Accounting are the modules I took in Year 1. Hence, I don't remember much in terms of the details. However, the general concepts are still clear to me.<br />
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So on the day of the CFA Exam, there are 2 sessions at Singapore Expo, 9am to 12 noon for the first exam and 2pm to 5pm for the 2nd. Basically the doors are open for you to enter at 8am and 1pm respectively. The latest however is 830am and 130pm. I will recommend that you don't enter so early because you can't do anything until the exam starts anyway. You can take the extra time to just look through your Summary notes one last time, take a deep breathe and enter the exam hall.<br />
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Another thing to note is that you are only allowed to bring in your passport, calculator, pencils, erasers, sharpener and batteries. You cannot bring in anything else like your passport or even water bottle.<br />
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Remember to bring your lunch as well because the queues are insane. Mainly because its a Saturday so there are a lot of events happening at Expo so naturally the crowd is massive.<br />
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I think the exam results should be out by the end of July 2013. In the meantime, I shall go enjoy myself before I start work in July :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-51285996989948792742013-06-04T10:23:00.002+08:002013-06-04T10:25:18.001+08:00Monsters University<br />
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<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2a/Monsters_University_poster_3.jpg/220px-Monsters_University_poster_3.jpg" /></div>
I'm so excited to catch the Monsters University. I have always had a liking towards cartoon movies. They just brings me back to my childhood and teach me to just take a step back in life sometimes, just to enjoy myself :)<br />
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As we all know, University has always been the place many fears. Because of the challenging examinations, hard work and tonnes of assignments waiting to crush you. However, its going to be really funny watching how a place so stressful like the University can be turned into a place of joy, where friendships are forged and tears are shed.<br />
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In this movie, the monsters that we are all so familiar with are going to be learning how to scare people, which is kinda cute to be honest. They are so harmless to us but they are really trying so hard to scare humans. Maybe the next time I see something creepy, I won't be as scared anymore!<br />
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I think the highlight of this movie is really watching how Mike make new friends at the University. He is really excited to begin on this new journey in an attempt to major in scaring. However, things do not always go as planned and I guess we will witness a lot of twists and obstacles that he will facing along the way.<br />
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<img src="http://cdn.blog.nuffnang.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/MU-2.jpg" /><br />
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This is somewhat similar to what's happening to us in the real life as well. Typically, right at the start, we always have very high expectations and hopes. However, obstacles are bound to appear in an attempt to trip us up. It's really important to get back on your feet and move on whenever that happens. I guess there will be alot of that shown in this movie. Hence, I can't wait to catch this hilarious movie!<br />
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<img src="http://cdn.blog.nuffnang.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/MU-3.jpg" /><br />
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Furthermore, the previous works include Wall-e, Finding Nemo, UP. I guess this just goes to show that this movie will not disappoint because none of the previous works have ever disappointed me!<br />
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Check out the Official Trailer for Monsters University here!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/r0PWAh-uCcE" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"Catch Disney•Pixar’s “Monsters University”in Singapore cinemas this <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1844740948" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">20 June 2013</span></span>! For more updates, like the <a href="http://nuffnang.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bbdb95e507d37a010d2d141f3&id=75db060d24&e=d918a87490" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Official Walt Disney Studios Singapore Facebook Page</a>, follow <a href="http://nuffnang.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bbdb95e507d37a010d2d141f3&id=a8c973b7c3&e=d918a87490" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">@disneystudiosSG</a>and subscribe to the <a href="http://nuffnang.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bbdb95e507d37a010d2d141f3&id=486a911686&e=d918a87490" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Official Disney Studios Singapore YouTube Channel</a>!”</em><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Credits -nuffnang images</em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-3138006152047852592013-05-31T09:13:00.000+08:002013-06-04T13:15:21.408+08:00NTU Results<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8HRLfrC7M2qUq-Fg-daGga1cJLLTPv3qtcAj7tHcevB6X4A3EQ3LZkYuEU-xaIBqYHYeGC6uO9k6ejm06bDySm5PpNMsdzcPdDQgzkROZ5y6eYjMjlhCTt1lsB8qgT-e4drpYgsLRni8/s1600/NBS+Year+3+Semester+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8HRLfrC7M2qUq-Fg-daGga1cJLLTPv3qtcAj7tHcevB6X4A3EQ3LZkYuEU-xaIBqYHYeGC6uO9k6ejm06bDySm5PpNMsdzcPdDQgzkROZ5y6eYjMjlhCTt1lsB8qgT-e4drpYgsLRni8/s1600/NBS+Year+3+Semester+2.png" /></a></div>
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For the last semester, finally got my results. Thank god !!!<br />
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Really satisfied with my results to be honest. I remembered getting a perfect score for Year 1 as well but as I moved to Year 2. My GPA slipped in the first semester and it again slipped in the 2nd semester. Fortunately I was able to go on exchange in Year 3 Sem 1. I was a little afraid that I will be slipping for my final semester because I was too relaxed during my exchange.<br />
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Thankfully, I got my momentum back and managed to reap in the As for my final semester. Talk about ending with a BANG!<br />
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So for the last time the review of the modules and tips for the juniors.<br />
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BF307 Derivative Securities: It was rumoured for a long time that this is the toughest module in Finance. Truth be told, the concepts are definitely more complicated. However, if you take time to slowly understand it, then it actually appears to be very logical.<br />
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For a breakdown, I got ...<br />
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Mid Terms (25%) : 42.5/50<br />
Assignments (10%): 9%<br />
Quiz (10%): 10/10<br />
Class Participation (5%): 5%<br />
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For the final examination, it was pretty easy to be honest. If you are clear about the concepts, the questions are very easy to tackle. However, it is important to be consistent in this module. Practice Practice Practice! Don't be lazy and you will do well.<br />
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For my FYP (AB329), my team did a topic on the Macroeconomy and the Stock Market Liquidity. There were really tonnes of hard work involved. We started roughly 11 months ago. We had to pick up new skills like dealing with SAS to help us resolve the data given by our Professor. Having said that, we could not have come so far without the help of our Professor Chen. He really went the extra mile to assist us in our research and whenever we have any queries, he's always there for us. He responds to our email within 1 hour and he is always free when we want to schedule an appointment for a discussion. Every discussion was extremely fruitful and all our doubts are always clarified in each meeting.<br />
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Though this project, I really learnt that working in a team is very important especially for such a massive project with tonnes of data to churn. Therefore, it was especially meaningful that we scored an A for our FYP.<br />
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Yeah, and with that I have finally graduated.<br />
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To be perfectly honest, I didn't expect to do so well for University because I knew that there were a lot of competitors in NBS. Everyone is so smart and many came from top Junior Colleges like Raffles and Hwa Chong. It was definitely a little scary having to go up against them. However, I now know that I can compete with the best of the best. This experience definitely boosted my confidence but I will always remember that I have come a long way to achieve these results. Therefore, I have to constantly remind myself to stay grounded and not get ahead of myself :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-26579808882929122992013-05-16T11:30:00.003+08:002013-05-16T11:31:28.038+08:00Ma Maison & Jones the GrocerWent to Ma Maison yesterday for Dinner followed by chilling at Jones the Grocer with my friends.<br />
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Talked about our future expectations about the workforce. Really a great catch-up session. Looking forward to the next one for sure :)<br />
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<img height="640" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/936728_10151655656586499_947450416_n.jpg" width="480" /><br />
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<img height="480" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/969876_10151655655321499_1550959764_n.jpg" width="640" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-1662653833465435662013-05-14T11:50:00.002+08:002013-05-14T11:50:22.849+08:00Birthday Celebration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Celebrated my birthday with Wei Qi and Pearly this year. We first went to watch Ironman 3 which was really awesome. I knew nothing about the plot so I guess it was really interesting to go with the flow. The people who can turn their bodies molten is kinda scary. I think I got scared during one of the scene. My friend said the whole row shook when I jumped LOL!</div>
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Then after that we went over to Orchard Central for the Kiseki buffet. The people who reserved got to go in first :) (ME! LOL)</div>
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Then, followed by people who didn't reserve. Initially I thought we were going to stay there from 6pm till 1030pm. But turns out we were full by 9pm. So we decided to leave right after we are done. Afterall, buffets are sunk cost. So its okay that we leave early :)</div>
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Below are some of the pictures we took that day :) Enjoy ~</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhSA_f5JOkqQLSTSge3Ama02xBy_PrONipXX9yr6oan7eRYEEDRxfxDoI4SX3IcvyfXJgh1-m-uJJB0UOW4vPBHuuW9XZkRHCpeqNrT8y_giSul8MHRWhyphenhyphenj1OS9v7hXVXEhoNfx40si4/s1600/IMG_1151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhSA_f5JOkqQLSTSge3Ama02xBy_PrONipXX9yr6oan7eRYEEDRxfxDoI4SX3IcvyfXJgh1-m-uJJB0UOW4vPBHuuW9XZkRHCpeqNrT8y_giSul8MHRWhyphenhyphenj1OS9v7hXVXEhoNfx40si4/s640/IMG_1151.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijn26yB-9jIhtussVJOQMPgc9_zggNkFSqqSSztRq4B8w6h0vMvYeaFlUHZLuwfEI8Mv0zjkq5fZ2_2neI8zkvHNSDjnhsxDiE09M2OBAQV2VQNMq2CYiFVtYNPHztSJilJR8E7QBU1hU/s1600/IMG_1152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijn26yB-9jIhtussVJOQMPgc9_zggNkFSqqSSztRq4B8w6h0vMvYeaFlUHZLuwfEI8Mv0zjkq5fZ2_2neI8zkvHNSDjnhsxDiE09M2OBAQV2VQNMq2CYiFVtYNPHztSJilJR8E7QBU1hU/s640/IMG_1152.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-39643573419322675842013-05-12T14:37:00.003+08:002013-05-12T14:37:32.936+08:00Kai and His Girlfriend, Ellen<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GTEDgV-Wcc0" width="560"></iframe>
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Haha he's the cutest thing in the world.<br />
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Kids are the most innocent thing on Earth man.<br />
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Credits -theellenshowUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-45945200069906014842013-05-09T21:52:00.002+08:002013-05-09T21:52:57.606+08:00GraduationIt feels so surreal because I just finished my last exam at NTU and I have unofficially graduated. Now is just waiting for my convocation sometime in July. Actually, I don't even know when's the date at the moment. But I think the school will inform us soon enough.<br />
<br />
Looking back at the 3 years, I think its really fantastic. I remembered when I first entered Nanyang Business School (NBS), I was really scared because I knew that I was no longer sheltered. What do I mean by sheltered? Well, all along, I came from neighbourhood schools all along. Since young, I was always looking at those people from Raffles and Hwa Chong in awe. Hence, now that I'm at NBS, its sort of the convergence point for all the elites. Naturally, I'm a little intimidated.<br />
<br />
But nevertheless, having talked to them, I realised that they were not as elitist as I once thought. In fact, everyone was really down to earth and nice to chat with. I think the things that count the most with me are really the small chats along the corridors, discussions in the tutorial rooms, project meetings both in school and outside. These little bonds we shared are probably the things I will remember 20 years down the road.<br />
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Following graduation, I will be joining Keppel Corporation as their Management Associate in July 2013. To be honest, I'm really excited because I feel that I can finally have my own career. I have always been extremely career-minded. Having watched so many TV dramas and shows, I really want to be successful in my career and make a name for myself in the end. I have always admired the lawyers, doctors in the drama shows because they always seem to be able to make a huge impact on the society and they are supposedly the prestigious and coveted careers to be pursued.<br />
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Nonetheless, I'm really happy with where I'm heading after graduation. I believe the first step is key and I really hope to make the best out of it.<br />
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Yeah, so I will continue to blog about my life from now on :) To keep my readers updated about myself and also to remind myself of how far I have come as I progress in my career. I think I will be very emo when I read this post 10 years into my career hahahaha.<br />
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Yeah, till the next post :) Bye Bye. Thank you for reading.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-8965137688157016452013-05-08T22:22:00.001+08:002013-05-08T22:22:31.202+08:00Mother's Day<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_FlOrBJTa8Q" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
At first, when I was watching the video, I thought it was just for laugh. But towards the middle, I realised that there were many important messages. Things that we missed out about our mum.<br />
<br />
1. She scrimps and saves so that you can have the best<br />
2. While you are living your life, she sacrifices hers.<br />
3. Even when in pain she nvr complains.<br />
4. She devotes all her time to you but you never have any for her.<br />
5. You don't ever listen to her but she gives you her undivided attention.<br />
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Its surprisingly touching. Definitely pulled some of my heart strings. I really have to be nicer to my parents man.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-90849143153137904882013-04-30T10:32:00.000+08:002013-04-30T10:32:20.326+08:00Guocoleisure ValuationFrom UOB Kayhian's Report<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">The valuation report for Guoco Group has been released yesterday. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />We have extracted the valuation reports for the assets of GuocoLeisure,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />Based on the valuation report, the fair value of Guocoleisure’s UK hotel assets and Molakai development properties as at 31 Jan 2013 is S$1.9b, which is S$300m (13%) below our SOTP valuation. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />We are currently reviewing our recommendation and target price.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-83889317912831134992013-04-14T16:47:00.002+08:002013-04-14T16:47:51.446+08:00Savour 2013I was looking through the website of SAVOUR.<br />
<br />
Really wanted to go man :( So sad this year couldn't go.<br />
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Next year is a must go !!!<br />
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<img src="http://www.savour.sg/uploads/files_1364828145/margot_beef_-_website_thumbdetails.jpg" /><br />
<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, helveticaneueroman, Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">Biltong Cured Beef Fillet with Bone Marrow Dressing</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, helveticaneueroman, Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<img src="http://www.savour.sg/timthumb.php?q=100&w=500&src=http://www.savour.sg/uploads/files_1364823385/JAAN_-_55_Smoked_Organic_Egg,_Smoked_Rattes,_Autumn_Mushrooms,_Chorizo_Iberico_and_Buckwheat_-_website.jpg" /><br />
<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, helveticaneueroman, Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">55' Smoked Organic Egg</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, helveticaneueroman, Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, helveticaneueroman, Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<img src="http://www.savour.sg/timthumb.php?q=100&w=500&src=http://www.savour.sg/uploads/files_1364827785/Savour_Dessert_-website-landscape-01.jpg" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, helveticaneueroman, Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">Apricot Paper, Pink Guava Sorbet, Raspberry Gelee </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, helveticaneueroman, Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, helveticaneueroman, Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<img src="http://www.savour.sg/timthumb.php?q=100&w=500&src=http://www.savour.sg/uploads/files_1364890406/causa_-website.jpg" /><br />
<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, helveticaneueroman, Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">Causa </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, helveticaneueroman, Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<img src="http://www.savour.sg/uploads/files_1364827061/Hokkaido_Scallop,_Cod_Brandade,_Verjus,_Scallion_-website_thumbdetails.jpg" /><br />
<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, helveticaneueroman, Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">Hokkaido Scallop, Cod Brandade, Verjus, Scallion</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, helveticaneueroman, Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<img src="http://www.savour.sg/timthumb.php?q=100&w=500&src=http://www.savour.sg/uploads/files_1364893261/beef_-website_landscape-01.jpg" /><br />
<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, helveticaneueroman, Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">Slow Cooked Beef 'Cottage Pie', Hot Smoked Potato</span><br />
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<img src="http://www.savour.sg/timthumb.php?q=100&w=500&src=http://www.savour.sg/uploads/files_1360061996/Cod-01.jpg" /><br />
<span style="background-color: #ff9900; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, helveticaneueroman, Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">Cod with Egg of Quail</span><br />
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Credits -<a href="http://www.savour.sg/gourmet/menus">savour</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-69560193112401695262013-04-12T08:53:00.001+08:002013-04-13T20:15:20.899+08:00Psy GentlemanPsy's followup music video following Gangnam Style is coming up<br />
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After performing the song live for the first time at his ‘<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">HAPPENING</strong>‘ concert, <strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.allkpop.com/tag/psy" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(252, 215, 0); -webkit-transition: all 0.5s ease; background-color: transparent; color: #d80001; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.5s ease; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Psy</a> </strong>has released the music video for his latest song “<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.allkpop.com/tag/gentleman" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(252, 215, 0); -webkit-transition: all 0.5s ease; background-color: transparent; color: #d80001; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.5s ease; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Gentleman</a></strong>”!</div>
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The MV received a lot of hype before its release for featuring the <a href="http://www.allkpop.com/2013/04/infinity-challenge-members-snap-a-photo-from-psys-new-music-video-set" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(252, 215, 0); -webkit-transition: all 0.5s ease; background-color: transparent; color: #d80001; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.5s ease; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">‘<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Infinity Challenge</strong>‘ members</a>and <a href="http://www.allkpop.com/2013/04/ga-in-and-psy-spotted-filming-music-video-for-gentleman" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(252, 215, 0); -webkit-transition: all 0.5s ease; background-color: transparent; color: #d80001; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.5s ease; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Brown Eyed Girls</strong>‘ <strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ga In</strong></a>.</div>
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Watch out for them and the ‘<a href="http://www.allkpop.com/2013/04/will-psys-new-choreography-include-a-butt-dance" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(252, 215, 0); -webkit-transition: all 0.5s ease; background-color: transparent; color: #d80001; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.5s ease; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">butt dance</a>‘ in the “Gentleman” MV below!</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ASO_zypdnsQ" width="560"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-87833339931903286642013-04-05T20:57:00.001+08:002013-04-05T20:57:17.712+08:00UNITED STATES NON FARM PAYROLLS<img alt="United States Non Farm Payrolls" src="http://www.tradingeconomics.com/charts/united-states-non-farm-payrolls.png?s=nfp+tch" /><br />
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<img alt="United States Non Farm Payrolls" src="http://www.tradingeconomics.com/charts/united-states-non-farm-payrolls.png?s=nfp+tch" /><br />
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<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_ctl00_LabelShortDescription">Non Farm Payrolls in the United States decreased to 88 Thousand in March of 2013 from 268 Thousand in February of 2013. Non Farm Payrolls in the United States is reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Historically, from 1939 until 2013, the United States Non Farm Payrolls averaged 118.09 Thousand reaching an all time high of 1114 Thousand in September of 1983 and a record low of -1966 Thousand in September of 1945. Nonfarm payrolls is an employment report released monthly, usually on the first Friday of every month, and heavily affects the US dollar, the bond market and the stock market. Current Employment Statistics (CES) program from the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, surveys about 141,000 businesses and government agencies, representing approximately 486,000 individual work sites, in order to provide detailed industry data on employment, hours, and earnings of workers on nonfarm payrolls. This page includes a chart with historical data for the United States Non Farm Payrolls.</span></h2>
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<span>I think we are probably heading downhill........</span></div>
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Credits - <a href="http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/non-farm-payrolls">trading economics</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-13048803875269525582013-04-01T22:17:00.001+08:002013-04-01T22:17:18.699+08:00Friendship<br />
Look at the friendship between these 2<br />
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<img alt="Cute Alert: Boy and His Dog …" src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Fx22aIfixe7syjUZfueF_A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD02MTI7cT04NTt3PTYxMg--/http://l.yimg.com/os/590/2013/02/14/boy-dog-3-jpg_042008.jpg" /><br />
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<img alt="Cute Alert: Boy and His Dog …" src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/EVn5OMBdSUvAGbAuKYSdxA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD02MTI7cT04NTt3PTYxMg--/http://l.yimg.com/os/590/2013/02/14/boy-dog-11-jpg_042017.jpg" /><br />
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<img alt="Cute Alert: Boy and His Dog …" src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/vcKVjU8KvhYP_.jeNwdDFw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD02MTI7cT04NTt3PTYxMg--/http://l.yimg.com/os/590/2013/02/14/boy-dog-1-jpg_042008.jpg" /><br />
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<img alt="Cute Alert: Boy and His Dog …" src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/81CB1AtB3dIc5pT8ZROcOQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD02MTI7cT04NTt3PTYxMg--/http://l.yimg.com/os/590/2013/02/14/boy-dog-9-jpg_042017.jpg" /><br />
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<img alt="Cute Alert: Boy and His Dog …" src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/xU51iHMgy4Q2gzWHM33ppw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD02MTI7cT04NTt3PTYxMg--/http://l.yimg.com/os/590/2013/02/14/boy-dog-7-jpg_042015.jpg" /><br />
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<img alt="Cute Alert: Boy and His Dog …" src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/PxU6IlhOz7jnO1av33di9Q--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD02MTI7cT04NTt3PTYxMg--/http://l.yimg.com/os/590/2013/02/14/boy-dog-5-jpg_042005.jpg" /><br />
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<img alt="Cute Alert: Boy and His Dog …" src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/ubxwKjA2I4Gmho6u9ai8Xw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD02MTI7cT04NTt3PTYxMg--/http://l.yimg.com/os/590/2013/02/14/boy-dog-4-jpg_042008.jpg" /><br />
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Credits -<a href="http://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com/photos/cute-alert-boy-and-his-dog-are-inseparable-1360815869-slideshow/cute-alert-boy-and-his-dog-are-inseparable-photo--689021658.html">yahoo</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-75514501710081956422013-04-01T21:52:00.000+08:002013-04-01T21:52:21.720+08:00Stock PortfolioHi all, its been a long time since I blogged but I'm back!<br />
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To kick it off, I have decided to post my stock portfolio here chronologically. I have recently started trading because I thought why not ? It's about time for me to make my entrance into the stock markets.<br />
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<i><b><u>Portfolio Breakdown (2013)</u></b></i><br />
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<span style="color: red;">Red</span>: Sold already<br />
<span style="color: blue;">Blue</span>: Still holding at the moment<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Bought 2,000 Frasers Centrepoint Trust at $1.915. </span><br />
<span style="color: red;">Sold 2,000 Frasers Centrepoint Trust at $2.04 (Received $100 in dividends)</span><br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Return: 9.14%</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">Bought 3,000 Mapletree Greater China Commercial Trust at $1.025</span><br />
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<span style="color: red;">Bought 20,000 Call Options on HSI with Strike Price 22,400 at $0.085</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">Sold 20,000 Call Options on HSI with Strike Price 22,400 at $0.100</span><br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Return: 17.65%</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">Bought 10,000 Call Options on HSI with Strike Price 22,600 at $0.072</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">Bought 20,000 Call Options on HSI with Strike Price 22,400 at $0.069</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">Bought 2,000 Guocoleisure at $0.875</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-33880656499787455802013-03-30T11:19:00.003+08:002013-03-30T11:19:16.607+08:00Some Great Advice<br />
<div id="yui_3_8_1_1_1364610057428_1064" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">
<strong id="yui_3_8_1_1_1364610057428_1070">Helping people isn't the enemy of productivity, it enhances it.</strong></div>
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When most people get to work and see an inbox full of 300 unopened emails, they feel exasperated and put upon. The approach Grant takes, and advises, is to frame it differently. </div>
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You don't get much done when thinking about "answering 300 emails." It's much easier when you think about how it will help the recipient. So each time you send off an email, you feel good about yourself, and the work is of higher quality. </div>
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It works better than putting energy and time into figuring out whom to ignore. Deciding whether or not to help out is often an unnecessary mental lag. Short favors cost little but pay off in the long run. </div>
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<strong>Even a basic reminder of how an activity helps other vastly improves performance.</strong></div>
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One of Grant's earliest studies was at a call center that looked for donations for scholarships. A 10-minute talk from a student to call center workers on how one of the scholarships had completely changed his life had an incredible impact on performance.</div>
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A month later, workers still used the same script, but were on the phone 142 percent longer and bringing in 171 percent more revenue. Even letters from grateful people significantly increased fundraising. </div>
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The workers didn't specifically recognize this motivation, many actually discounted it, but the results speak for themselves, and held up after the study was repeated five times.</div>
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In a later study, Grant put up two different signs at a hand-washing station at a hospital. One focused on how doctors or nurses could catch diseases if they were lax. Another reminded them that patients could. The latter increased soap and hand sanitizer use by 45 percent. </div>
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Credit -<a href="http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/googles-favorite-psychologist-great-advice-020850562.html">yahoo</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-60740261586779388902012-08-24T11:07:00.000+08:002012-08-25T22:00:19.336+08:00Current StatusHi guys,<br />
<br />
Just a quick update to my personal life.<br />
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Currently, I'm a final year student at Nanyang Business School and I'm currently on exchange at Singapore Management University.<br />
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<img src="http://www.transitioning.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/SMU_logo.jpg" />
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<br />
I must say the experience thus far has been really awesome. The first week has been pretty chill where all the Professor merely briefed us about the project outlines and course outlines to give us a sense of what we should expect in the course. Also, I managed to finish forming all my groups for all my modules and I must say I really enjoy the company of these group mates. I can already forsee that its going to be an awesome experience, genuinely.<br />
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Also, I'm currently interning in the Treasury department at Temasek Holdings. Its definitely exciting to work during school and in fact, this is the first time I'm doing this so I'm definitely looking forward to how I'm going to juggle effectively between school and work life. To be honest, never in a million years have I ever dreamt that I could get into such a prestigious organisation like Temasek Holdings. Its really another milestone in my life since my internship at American Express. But this just goes to show that I can go on to achieve great things if I try hard enough and that anything is possible with hard work.<br />
<br />
<br />
There's always the debate saying that hard work can only bring you so far, but I am always very against that idea per se. I think hard work can bring you very far and consistent hard work can help achieve a breakthrough in your capacity. I strongly believe that if one is serious about working hard, he/she will succeed one day. It doesn't matter how long it takes, so long as you get there one day. You can't be impatient with these kind of things. You must be willing to endure the seemingly endless journey ahead and make yourself believe that you will make it at the end of the day.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://martinleesg.s3.amazonaws.com/code/uploads/temasek-logo.jpg" />
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I'm also working on my Final Year Project over at NTU. It seems to be flowing very smoothly and we already got the whole picture on what we are working on, so I think it should be fine at the moment :)<br />
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At the same time, I'm busy with full time interviews for my graduation job as well. Hopefully, I will be able to be offered a job soon so that I can focus on my other priorities :)<br />
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It seems like I have many things on my plate and I must say THERE REALLY IS !!!!!!<br />
<br />
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Having said that, I think its a challenge in my final year and I think if I survive through this, I will definitely be a lot, a lot, a lot stronger and I'm definitely looking forward to this challenging, yet rewarding experience up ahead.<br />
<br />
<br />
On a side note, I just received notice that I got into the Dean's list for the 2nd year running!!! So I'm really happy about it. I'm really proud about it because I have really worked hard for it and to be able to receive this recognition is really a feeling like no other. But of course this is no time to be complacent, its my final year so I must give it my best shot as this will be the end of the first phase of my education life, before MBA that is. So yeah, that's about it for the updates, I will update again as I go through half of my semester at SMU :) Good Luck to everyone out there in whatever you do too :)<br />
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<br />
Cheers,<br />
<br />
Aaron Bay MingdeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-48309807308290316182012-08-12T15:10:00.003+08:002012-08-12T15:10:19.535+08:00This brought tears to my eyes<br />
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The man pictured lulling his arthritic dog to sleep in Lake Superior has revealed that his dog Schoep saved him from the brink of suicide.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">John Unger, 49, adopted the dog with his ex-fiancée 19 years ago, but after the relationship ended, Mr Unger fought a desperate despair.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 10px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The companionship of his trusty rescue dog gave Mr Unger the courage to go on, saying : '</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">I don’t think I’d be here if I didn’t have Schoep with me.</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"> I just want to do whatever I can for this dog.'</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The water soothes the animal's pain, Mr Unger said, allowing him to sleep.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Mr Unger's good friend Hannah Stonehouse Hudson, who is a professional </span><a href="http://www.stonehousephotoblog.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #003580; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">photographer</span></a><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">, captured the heartbreaking moment between the man and his aging rescue dog in Wisconsin when Mr Unger thought his best friend was at the end of his life.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 10px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">But thanks to the generosity of strangers, the MailOnline can reveal that thousands of dollars have been donated to Schoep's medical care, allowing the pair more time together than they ever imagined.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;"><span style="font-size: 10px;"><br /><br />Read more: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2186763/He-saved-MY-life--I-just-want-help-return-Owner-sick-dog-picture-touched-nations-hearts-reveals-loyal-companion-stopped-suicide.html#ixzz23JV0fvfw" style="color: #003399; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2186763/He-saved-MY-life--I-just-want-help-return-Owner-sick-dog-picture-touched-nations-hearts-reveals-loyal-companion-stopped-suicide.html#ixzz23JV0fvfw</a></span>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">‘Schoep falls asleep every night when he is carried into the lake. The buoyancy of the water soothes his arthritic bones. Lake Superior is very warm right now, so the temp of the water is perfect,' the photographer explained.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The story behind the special relationship behind this man, who works as a caretaker on a farm outside of Bayfield, and his dog is just as touching as the moment on the Lake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Mr Unger, 49, adopted Schoep, who is named after a famous brand of Wisconsin ice cream, when he was just a puppy and it was love at first sight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">He and his ex-</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">fiancée </span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">had been searching for a rescue dog for a year, going to dozens of humane societies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'We wanted every single dog,' Mr Unger said to the MailOnline. 'We just hadn't found the right one.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">His then-</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">fiancée </span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">they spotted the pup at the Ozaukee Animal Shelter 19 years ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'We fell in love with her immediately,' Mr Unger told the MailOnline. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Schoep was in a cage with another dog, possibly his mother, crouched in the back quietly staring at the corner with his back to Mr Unger.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'I knew - that's him,' Mr Unger said.</span></div>
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Couple: John Unger, 49, adopted the dog with his ex-fiancée 19 years ago, but after the relationship ended, Mr Unger fought a desperate despair</div>
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<img alt="Saved: The companionship of his trusty rescue dog gave Mr Unger the courage to go on, saying : 'I don¿t think I¿d be here if I didn¿t have Schoep with me. I just want to do whatever I can for this dog'" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/08/10/article-2186763-147C8362000005DC-486_306x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="306" /></div>
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Saved: The companionship of his trusty rescue dog gave Mr Unger the courage to go on, saying : 'I don’t think I’d be here if I didn’t have Schoep with me. I just want to do whatever I can for this dog'</div>
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<img alt="Together" class="blkBorder" height="357" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/08/10/article-2186763-147C8358000005DC-860_634x357.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
Together: Thanks to the generosity of strangers, the MailOnline can reveal that thousands of dollars have been donated to Schoep's medical care, allowing the pair more time together than they ever imagined</div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">At the time Schoep was named Tramp by the shelter staff and showed signs of abuse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'He didn't even know what toys were,' Mr Unger said. 'I really wanted this dog because I wanted him to enjoy life.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The couple worked hard to establish the trust of the dog and eventually brought out its 'full potential'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Though Mr Unger's relationship with Schoep has clearly stood the test of time, the relationship with his fiancée did not, and when the woman moved to Colorado over a decade ago, he retained custody of the dog.</span></div>
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<img alt="Capturing the moment: Hannah Stonehouse Hudson is friends with Mr Unger and spent hours capturing the perfect shot though she says it came naturally and was not posed" class="blkBorder" height="362" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/08/10/article-2186373-1478EB85000005DC-721_306x362.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="306" /><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
Capturing the moment: Hannah Stonehouse Hudson is friends with Mr Unger and spent hours capturing the perfect shot though she says it came naturally and was not posed</div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Lucky that he did, considering he told the </span><a href="http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/239104/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #003580; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Deluth News Tribune</span></a><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"> that one night, while in the depths of depression in the wake of the breakup, Mr Unger contemplated suicide.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'To be honest with you, I don’t think I’d be here if I didn’t have Schoep with me (that night). He just snapped me out of it. I don’t know how to explain it. He just snapped me out of it. … I just want to do whatever I can for this dog because he basically saved my ass,' he said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Now that Schoep is in pain with his arthritis, it is Mr Unger's time to return the favor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'In this photo, people have said they see everything from pure love to hope for the world. They see peace, kindness, the relationship between man and dog,' Ms Stonehouse Hudson told </span><a href="http://www.twincities.com/ci_21254327/photo-man-and-his-dog-lake-superior-goes" rel="nofollow" style="color: #003580; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The Pioneer Press</span></a><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'Two women, both whose husbands died from cancer, said they never thought they'd see love again, but this photo showed them love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'People are leaving me messages, crying and opening up about dogs they've lost, spouses they've lost.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Mr Unger told the MailOnline that the photograph was four years in the making, as Ms Hudson and Mr Unger couldn't find the time for a portrait session.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">But recently, Mr Unger got some devastating news. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.4em;">'To be honest with you, I don’t think I’d be here if I didn’t have Schoep with me.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.4em;">John Unger</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'About two weeks ago I took Schoep in for a check up because he was limping,' Mr Unger said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The doctor recommend pain medication, but said that it may be temporary or not help at all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Then, Mr Unger said, the doctor told him, ' "If there isn't any improvement, we should probably..." a good vet wont say "put him down," but he said at that point I may start to want to think about it.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Faced with the possibility of losing his best friend, he called up Ms Hudson for an impromptu session.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">She met the pair at sunset on Lake Superior, because Schoep's cataracts prevent him from seeing in sunlight.</span></div>
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<img alt="Unger" class="blkBorder" height="511" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/08/10/article-2186373-1478F421000005DC-504_634x511.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
Compassion: Mr Unger adopted Schoep, who is named after a famous brand of Wisconsin ice cream, when he was just a puppy, and now that the dog has developed arthritis, he has trouble getting to sleep</div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'She couldn't believe he fell asleep in my arms,' Mr Unger said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Ms Hudson watched the man and his dog float around the lake for maybe five minutes before Schoep began to get cold and shake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Mr Unger said he had to take him out of the water to let him warm up and was worried she hadn't had the chance to snap an image.</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">AT FIRST SIGHT: JOHN AND SCHOEP</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">John Unger, 49, adopted Schoep, who is named after a famous brand of Wisconsin ice cream, when he was just a puppy and it was love at first sight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">He and his ex-</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">fiancée </span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">had been searching for a rescue dog for a year, going to dozens of humane societies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'We wanted every single dog,' Mr Unger said to the MailOnline. 'We just hadn't found the right one.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">His then-</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">fiancée </span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">they spotted the pup at the Ozaukee Animal Shelter 19 years ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'We fell in love with her immediately,' Mr Unger told the MailOnline.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Schoep was in a cage with another dog, possibly his mother, crouched in the back quietly staring at the corner with his back to Mr Unger.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'I knew - that's him,' Mr Unger said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">At the time Schoep was named Tramp by the shelter staff and showed signs of abuse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'He didn't even know what toys were,' Mr Unger said. 'I really wanted this dog because I wanted him to enjoy life.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The couple worked hard to establish the trust of the dog and eventually brought out its 'full potential'. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'I didn't think she even took one picture,' he said. 'But then she told me she got what she wanted.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Mr Unger doesn't know how his ex-</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">fiancée </span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">feels about the image going viral, or that it might be time to say goodbye to Schoep, but he is hoping that his love for Schoep might open the door to more romance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'Women are also asking me if John is single!' Ms Hudson said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The ladies are in luck because not only is Mr Unger single, but he is looking for a relationship.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'Boy, is it tough to meet women up here,' he told The Deluth News Tribune.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'So this might open up a new road.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Mr Unger, who does not have a cell phone, said that while he got his first computer in February and is still confused by the internet, he has begun to explore online dating.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The most exciting thing to come out of the photograph, however, is the </span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">generous donations</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;"> that people who have been touched by the photograph have been offering.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'A woman from Virginia basically paid for the latest laser therapy on his joints,' he said to </span><a href="http://animaltracks.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/08/10/13201367-in-loving-arms-man-floats-his-sick-dog-to-sleep-becomes-internet-sensation" rel="nofollow" style="color: #003580; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">MSNBC</span></a><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">. 'She paid for a full treatment, and I don’t know how much it is, but I know I couldn’t have done that.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">He wept as he described how much strangers' kindness has helped him and his best friend. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'People from all over are doing this. I can’t believe it. So much has come in already in donations that I don’t have to worry about anything at the vet anymore.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">He said that Schoep has already had two treatments and will get his third this afternoon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'I have seen improvements in Schoep's ability to walk,' he told the MailOnline. 'He's walking faster. He's holding his head higher.'</span></div>
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Healing: Since the funds came gushing in, the clinic was able to treat Schoep with joint laser treatments, which reduce pain and swelling while healing the animal's limbs</div>
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<img alt="All Better: " class="blkBorder" height="476" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/08/11/article-2186763-147EC606000005DC-793_634x476.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
All Better: Schoep will need these treatments every few weeks 'forever,' the vet said, but he should be able to spend his golden years pain-free</div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">A spokeswoman from the clinic told the MailOnline that 19 people have made considerable donations to Schoep, amounting to nearly two thousand dollars in funds to help pay for his treatment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Schoep's veterinarian, Erik Haukaas, said he was 'overwhelmed' by the generosity of strangers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'John is a great guy but he doesn't have a whole lot of money. He does the best can to care for the dog,' Dr Haukass told the MailOnline.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">He said that before the donations, all Mr Unger could afford was basic pain medication for his dog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'He's failing. He's slowing down. Most dogs don't live near this long,' he said. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'And then the picture came out and everyone wants to help.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.4em;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">'Schoep is doing very well. I don't think John has to worry about Schoep for quite a while.'</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Veterinarian Erik Haukass</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Since the funds came gushing in, the clinic was able to treat Schoep with joint laser treatments, which reduce pain and swelling while healing the animal's limbs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Each session costs $200.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'It's like putting oil on a rusty joint,' he explained.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Schoep will need these treatments every few weeks 'forever,' the vet said, but he should be able to spend his golden years pain-free.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'Schoep is doing very well. I don't think John has to worry about Schoep for quite a while,' he said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">People interested in helping can call the Bay Area Animal Hospital at 715-682-8865 with a credit card number or mail a check to 3601 E Hwy 2 Ashland, WI 54806. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">All donations go right into Schoep's account at the clinic.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><br /><br />Read more: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2186763/He-saved-MY-life--I-just-want-help-return-Owner-sick-dog-picture-touched-nations-hearts-reveals-loyal-companion-stopped-suicide.html#ixzz23JUtDXQb" style="color: #003399; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2186763/He-saved-MY-life--I-just-want-help-return-Owner-sick-dog-picture-touched-nations-hearts-reveals-loyal-companion-stopped-suicide.html#ixzz23JUtDXQb</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-24258549445230427492012-08-06T11:26:00.000+08:002012-08-06T11:26:12.409+08:00How Google's Marissa Mayer Prevents BurnoutMany entrepreneurs don't even think twice when it comes to working around the clock. Marissa Mayer, Google's 20th employee and current vice president of location and local services, is no exception. When Google was a young company, she worked 130 hours per week and often slept at her desk.
"For my first five years at Google, I pulled an all-nighter every week," Mayer said in a recent talk at New York's 92Y cultural center. "It was a lot of hard work."
Hard work, she says, has been the key to Google's success, as well as her own.
For young companies that demand so much of their employees, hard work can spiral into burnout. Learning to prevent it--for yourself and your employees--is essential to your success as a business owner.<br />
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Here are three steps to get started:
Step 1. Watch for signs of resentment.
"Burnout is about resentment," Mayer told the audience at 92Y. "[Preventing it is] about knowing yourself well enough to know what it is you're giving up that makes you resentful."
Her assessment is right on target. "The question is whether you can replenish your energy when you get tired," says Michael Leiter, professor of psychology at Acadia University in Nova Scotia. If you can't restore your energy or resolve your values conflict with your work, you feel exhausted, cynical, and discouraged--the hallmarks of burnout.
Related: 3 Postures to Boost Productivity Now<br />
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Step 2. Find your rhythm.
Mayer's theory is that you need to figure out what your "rhythm" is, meaning the activity that matters so much to you resentment sets in when you can't do it. In Leiter's words, it's the activity that restores your energy. That might mean sleeping eight hours a night, practicing yoga daily, or getting out in nature once a week. Whatever it is, it's essential to your satisfaction, so don't skip it.
"People--particularly entrepreneurs--can put in huge amounts of energy and time," Leiter says. "Overwork doesn't burn people out per se, but it's doing that without knowing the things that replenish you."
Related: A Secret to Creative Problem Solving<br />
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Step 3. Grant employees one must-have freedom.
When Mayer suspects an employee might burn out, she asks them to find their rhythm. They've come back with, "I need to be home for Tuesday night dinners," or "I need to be on time for my daughter's soccer games." She grants those needs--no exceptions.
"You can't have everything you want," Mayer cautions. "But you can have the things that really matter to you. That empowers you to work really hard for a long period of time on something that you're passionate about."<br />
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Credits -<a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/223723">entrepreneur</a><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-24345346754393538532012-08-04T23:29:00.000+08:002012-08-04T23:29:10.659+08:00Immortality by 2024?<br />
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Russian media magnate Dmitry Itskov is heading "Avatar," a tremendously ambitious and far-reaching multidisciplinary research project that aims to achieve immortality in humans within the next three decades. He plans to do it by housing human brains in progressively more disembodied vehicles, first transplanting them into robots and then, by the year 2045, by reverse-engineering the human brain and effectively "downloading" human consciousness onto a computer chip.</div>
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Fact or fiction?</h2>
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When speculating on seemingly unobtainable goals such as this, one must be careful not to believe that improbable technological advances automatically become more likely simply by looking further away in the future. This is the cognitive trap that, for instance, has seen many leading IT experts predict the development of a human-level artificial intelligence at roughly twenty years in the future for at least the past five decades.</div>
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Looking at Avatar's proposed timeline, Itskov's project seems to suffer from the same fallacy. Certainly, if we borrow Carl Sagan's rule that "extraordinary claims demand extraordinary proof," the project comes up short for the time being; it does, however, have the merit of basing most of its steps on technology that is either in the works or of general interest. And with the rate of technological change continuing to accelerate, the project's goals may be within reach, although not necessarily within the project's aggressive timeline.</div>
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The roadmap to immortality</h2>
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<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/avatar-project-2045/23454/pictures#2" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="The Avatar project roadmap (Image: 2045.com)" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/2045_avatar_project.jpg" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="530" /></a></div>
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The first of the proposed steps, to be completed before the end of the decade, would be to create an android "avatar" controlled entirely by a brain-computer interface. The system would at first be of interest to physically challenged people, but might also enable people to work in hazardous environments or perform dangerous rescue operations.</div>
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As futuristic as this vision may seem, Itskov is not the only person to share it. DARPA allotted US$7 million of next year's budget to the development of interfaces enabling a soldier to guide a semi-autonomous bipedal machine and allow it to act as the soldier's surrogate. Other researchers have reported being able to exert basic control over the movement of a humanoid robot <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/go/6676/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">using brainwaves alone</a>, and many are working on refining this technology.</div>
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The second step would be the creation of an autonomous life support system for the human brain, which could then be integrated into the previously developed "avatar" by 2025. If the efforts are successful, immobile patients with an intact brain would be able to regain the ability to move via their new synthetic bodies, and a varied range of bio-electronic devices might become possible, creating superimpositions of electronic and biological systems.</div>
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Not a great deal of research is going into this at the moment – in fact, the closest match would have to be the research of Dr. Robert J. White who, back in the 70s, managed to perform several head transplants in monkeys. Building an artificial environment in which a brain could not only survive, but also continue working to full effect, is sure to prove a much harder task.</div>
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By 2035, Itskov hopes to be able to reverse-engineer the human brain and find a means of "downloading" its consciousness to a synthetic version. Coupled with the previous advancements, this would allow humans to achieve cybernetic immortality. It would also lead to the creation of a human-like artificial intelligence, and even provide opportunities for ordinary people to restore or enhance their own brains, for instance by manipulating memories.</div>
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While there is no current research going into transferring your consciousness into a silicon chip, there is plenty of interest among neuroscientists in better understanding the inner workings of the brain. Although we are just scratching the surface, recent advancements – such as a <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/robotic-whole-cell-patch-clamping/22442/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">robotic arm</a> that can analyze the electricity patterns of single neurons – are certainly steps in the right direction.</div>
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The fourth and final step is also the most science-fictiony. By the year 2045, Itskov would like to see "substance-independent minds" uploaded not onto a computer chip, but into bodies of different compositions. A holographic body could walk through walls or move at the speed of light, while a body made of nanorobots would be able to take on a number of different forms at will. "Humanity, for the first time in its history, will make a fully managed evolutionary transition and eventually become a new species," he writes.</div>
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Funding and support</h2>
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<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/avatar-project-2045/23454/pictures#1" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="The Dalai Lama has expressed support for the Avatar initiative (Photo: 2045.com)" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/2045_avatar_project-0.jpg" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="530" /></a></div>
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Itskov says he has invested plenty of his own money to kick start the necessary research, hiring 30 scientists to reach this goal, organizing meetings, with plans to establish offices in San Francisco later this summer. He is also working on building a social network to raise awareness in his initiative, and on a "business incubator" for the creation of commercial applications - mostly in the medical field - that would capitalize on the research and fund further development. In other words, as crazy as this sounds, Itskov is absolutely serious about this, and the wheels are turning on this project.</div>
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Of course, the sheer pace of scientific inquiry required to make this project succeed will require very large - perhaps prohibitive - amounts of capital. To address this, Itskov recently addressed a letter to billionaires in the <em>Forbes</em> richest list in an appeal for funds, but he is also looking for government support.</div>
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Surprisingly, the Russian Ministry of Education and Science announced its support of the initiative, and has scheduled talks to discuss a specialized research and development center. Oddly enough, the initiative has also received the support and blessing of the Dalai Lama.</div>
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The video below is a short presentation detailing the steps and goals of the "Avatar" project.</div>
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Source: <a href="http://2045.com/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">2045 Initiative</a></div>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/01hbkh4hXEk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-69589508074308261122012-07-24T19:30:00.000+08:002012-07-24T19:30:03.467+08:00Marrissa Mayer's Secret Weapon<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Everyone agrees that one of Marissa Mayer’s most urgent tasks at Yahoo will be hiring great managers and product people. Yahoo’s talent pool has been reduced to puddles, as the best techies have gone elsewhere and promising newcomers have come down with colorblindness when it comes to purple. Some people wonder whether even Mayer can lure back the brains.</span><br />
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It turns out, though, that the new CEO has a unique advantage in fulfilling this quest. For the past decade, she has been the doyen of a collection of some of the most talented young engineers and product managers in all of technology. These are the hand-selected prime talents of an accelerated leadership program at Google called <a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en/jobs/students/tech/fulltime/uscanada/associate-product-manager-new-grad-north-america-locations-1/index.html" style="color: #007ca5; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Associate Product Manager</a> (APM).</div>
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Mayer invented this program, led it and never gave it up. It was a key part of her tenure at Google. And now she may reap some benefits.</div>
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Don’t be fooled by the modest title, prefixed by that timid word “associate.” The most coveted entry post at Google is spelled APM. This is an incubation system for tech rock stars. “The APM program is one of our core values — I’d like to think of one of them as the eventual CEO of the company,” Google’s Executive Chair Eric Schmidt once told me.</div>
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Consider the first APM, a fresh Stanford grad named Brian Rakowski. He became a key leader of the team that built the Chrome browser and now is the VP of the Chrome operation. The second was Wesley Chan, who made Google Toolbar a success, then launched Google Analytics and Google Voice. He’s now picking winners for Google Ventures. Another early APM was Bret Taylor, who earned his bones by launching Google Maps. He left Google and co-founded Friendfeed, then become the Chief Technical Officer of Facebook.</div>
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Though not all APMs achieve such glory, they are generally recognized as elite. At any given time at Google, there are over 40 APMs active in the two-year program. And since Google has been hiring them since the early 2000s there are over 300 who have been through the program.</div>
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And the glue to the whole shebang was Marissa Mayer, who was the APM boss, mentor, den mother and role model.</div>
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Mayer thought up the program in early 2002. Google had been struggling to find PMs who could work within the peculiar company culture — team leaders who would not be bosses but work consensually with the wizards who produce code. Ideally, a Google product manger would understand the technical issues and sway the team to his or her viewpoint by strong data-backed arguments, and more than a bit of canny psychology. But experienced PMs from places like Microsoft, or those with MBAs, didn’t understand the Google way, and tried to force their views on teams.</div>
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So Mayer came up with an idea: Google would hire computer science majors who just graduated or had been in the workplace fewer than 18 months. The ideal applicants must have technical talent, but not be total programming geeks — APMs had to have social finesse and business sense. Essentially they would be in-house entrepreneurs. They would undergo a multi-interview hiring process that made the Harvard admissions regimen look like community college. The chosen ones were thrown into deep water, heading real, important product teams. (As the first APM, Rakowski was asked to launch a nascent project called Gmail. By the way, I hear Rakowski is taking over the program now that Mayer is gone.) “We give them way too much responsibility,” Mayer once told me, “to see if they can handle it.” Also, Google had APMs perform tasks for top management, like note-taking at high-level executive meetings or drawing up white papers on ambitious potential products.</div>
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The program has a been massive success, with APMs filling key roles in dozens of key Google products, ranging from apps to search to ads. The program has been so successful that Google has created a variation for leaders of non-product teams. These are called Marketing APMs. Though not quite as prestigious as APMs, these Googlers are not exactly chopped liver. For instance, Kevin Systrom was an MAPM — before he left Google and founded Instagram.</div>
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The one constant in the program has been Mayer. Her staff ran the program, and continued to do so, even after she moved from heading search products to local services in 2011. You didn’t get to be an APM unless you connected with her; she was the last interview in a long series, and she’d typically make ultimate decision. (“Tell me about a product you love,” she’d ask candidates. There was no right answer. But not describing the choice <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">with passion</em> was the wrong answer.)</div>
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<a href="http://www.wired.com/business/2012/07/marissas-secret-weapon-for-recruiting-new-yahoo-talent/marissa-airport/" rel="attachment wp-att-55513" style="color: #007ca5; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-55513" height="225" src="http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/business/2012/07/marissa-airport-300x225.jpg" style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="marissa airport" width="300" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="background-color: black; color: #dddddd; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: -5px; padding: 10px;">
Marissa Mayer (third from right) leading APMs on a trip in 2007. <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Photo: Steven Levy</em></div>
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Once you become an APM, Mayer was available as mentor and counselor. She made time in her insanely busy schedule to meet. She worked behind the scenes to address any issues that arose.</div>
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Halfway through the two-year program, Mayer herself would lead the group on a summer trip to visit international Google outposts. (<a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2007/11/03/google-goes-globe-trotting.html" style="color: #007ca5; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">I accompanied the trip</a> in 2007; we went to Tokyo, Beijing, Bangalore, and Tel Aviv. This year, one of the cities included Jakarta.) It would be a bonding experience for each year’s group of APMs — bonding with each other and to Mayer.</div>
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Many, if not most, of the APMs keep in touch with Mayer after they graduate from the program, meeting with her periodically for a career check, and consulting with her when they considered a move. This occurs even after APMs leave Google. (It’s not surprising that a high percentage of APMs go elsewhere. APMs are chosen for their ambition and independence. Those traits are often at odds with working at a big company.)</div>
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In short, Marissa Mayer has developed a deep connection to over three hundred of most talented tech people in Silicon Valley. They may still be at Google, they may have moved to companies like Facebook or Dropbox, or they may have started their own budding enterprises like <a href="http://www.wired.com/business/2012/04/ff_abtesting/" style="color: #007ca5; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Optimizely</a>. But in some sense they are all Marissa’s acolytes.</div>
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It would be not be surprising if some of these baccalaureate APMs wind up at Yahoo. In addition, former APMs all have their <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">own</em> networks, and can tip off Mayer to promising hires. Naturally, one of the first e-mails that Mayer sent after accepting her new job was a blast to the entire APM network, informing them of her move and assuring them that she will still be in touch. She reminded them that they are all part of a very special family.</div>
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And Mayer would presumably be happy to welcome some of these family members to her new home at Yahoo.</div>
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Credits -<a href="http://wired.com/">wired.com</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-21415731009181931162012-07-15T16:22:00.003+08:002012-07-15T16:22:51.728+08:00Robert TimmsRobert Timms is having a 1 for 1 so we went there for dinner ytd.<br />
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The food was really good but thank god for the 1 for 1 deal otherwise it would be very expensive.<br />
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One main course is more than 20 bucks.<br />
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<img src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/548197_10151098848771499_1606771064_n.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-68670856518838995522012-07-09T21:37:00.002+08:002012-07-09T21:37:49.909+08:00China, India Grapple With Growth Challenges<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">China and India are both dealing with economic slowdowns but are on completely different footings to tackle the challenge. Beijing has a range of fiscal and monetary options to revive growth, while New Delhi must make tough political decisions to stem its decline.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">China is better positioned to handle a shock than it was in 2008. It relies less on trade for growth: In 2008, China's net exports amounted to 7.7% of GDP; in 2011 the share had dropped to 2.6%. Beijing reported on Monday that inflation declined to 2.2% in June, compared with a year ago. With government debt at an estimated 22% of GDP, China has plenty of levers to pull to stimulate its economy in the face of declining demand.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">"China is in a very comfortable position compared to the rest of the world," said Luis Kuijs, project director at the Fung Global Institute, a Hong Kong think tank. "It's more a matter of choice of what policy measures it will take to stimulate the economy, rather than whether it will be able to."</span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">A large portion of China's economy is in the hands of its state-owned companies. That means the government can more easily get its economic decisions carried out—though it does present long-term problems for China as it tries to shift to an economy based on more innovation, competition and private enterprise.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">The Chinese government recently has stepped in with stimulus measures. To boost demand for commodities and construction among other industries, the government approved two steel plants and several energy projects. On the monetary front, the central bank has cut interest rates twice in the past few weeks—the first such moves since December 2008—and in May reduced the level of reserves banks are required to hold. China has plenty of room for additional monetary moves.</span>
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"India's hands are tied, and because of that it's much more exposed to the global slowdown," said Frederic Neumann, co-head of Asian economic research for HSBC. "It has no fiscal ammo left to pump-prime the economy, so it has to endure a slowdown and take it on the chin."</div>
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India's main challenge is to stimulate business investment, which is drying up amid wariness among both domestic and foreign companies about shifting tax policies and regulations. The country's currency, the rupee, has tumbled against the dollar in the past year, partly due to growing investor concerns about India's high current-account deficit, which is roughly 4% of GDP. The rupee's fall has driven up real import costs for Indian companies and made foreign-currency loans more expensive to service.</div>
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The Reserve Bank of India in April cut interest rates for the first time in three years to fuel business lending. But when industry was looking for more last month, the central bank said it couldn't cut rates further with inflation uncomfortably high at 7.6%.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153782164255174949.post-66172625229977567572012-07-03T20:24:00.004+08:002012-07-03T20:33:14.665+08:00Self-Motivation SpiritOkay, before I start this entry. I must say its really random but I was inspired by my long-time neighbour who is one year older than me.<br />
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I have not talked to him for a very long time because he's quite a far neighbour, he stays one storey below me.<br />
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So cutting to the chase, I saw him today in the lift and had a small chat. He told me that he's currently working in Logistics right now and that he's going to Uni next year. He mentioned that he should have studied hard last time because for him to go Uni at age 24, its very straining especially when he's working part-time as well.<br />
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What caught on to me was the tenacity he had, not the lateness of him going to the University per se. When I heard that he's going to the University next year, I was thinking oh wow, this guy actually is really determined. In the past, he used to be from the Normal Technical stream which is technically the worse class and he was extremely playful. But seeing the person he has become today and his perseverance to go to Uni even though he has to work, I can't help but be inspired by him.<br />
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Many a times, I hear people complaining about school and work. To be honest, I'm kinda sick of it and I think they are really lacking the resilience. People give up so easily these days and I don't see the hunger in them anymore.<br />
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There's no drive in them and there's no ambition at all. They are just getting by as the days pass, happy with being just the average.<br />
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However, personally, I don't just wish to be above average, I want to be the best and I work towards being the best.<br />
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Coming from a neighbourhood school background, I constantly live in the shadow of the elite students and since young I always thought to myself that they are of a different league and that there's no way I will be the best like them.<br />
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However, as I progress to Junior College, I got to be the first in my level and that was the first moment where I actually thought to myself, "Hey you know what? I can be the best!"<br />
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As I went to University, I knew it was going to be tough especially in Nanyang Business School where you get all the students coming from Raffles Junior College and Hwa Chong JC. Of course it was intimidating going head to head with these top students.<br />
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Nevertheless I fought hard and again I managed to achieve first in my level and I'm near the top student in Nanyang Business School right now. On hindsight, I'm quite disappointed with the level of the Raffles & Hwa Chong students. I mean no offence to them but I had way higher expectations of them. Perhaps its partly due to the marketing of their schools. But I'm certainly no where near impressed with these students at all. They lack the drive and ambition. I don't see them aiming high or even aiming at all.<br />
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And today, I see my neighbour even at this age, still striving to be a better person even with so much commitments. These are the people that give me goosebumps, those people that work hard for things.<br />
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They fight for everything and they give it their all each and every time.<br />
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I hope to work with such people as I enter the workforce and together, we will conquer that corporate ladder!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0