Recently, I have received emails from the school regarding things like Goldman Sachs coming to NTU on the 10th August and Temasek Holdings having the first round of selection cum networking session on the 28 August.
It makes me think for a while. Is this for real? Goldman and Temasek. In the past, I would not have taken these emails seriously because all that was on my mind was purely academic matters.
However, I guess the moment is finally here, we really have to start giving thoughts about our careers in the future right now, this moment. It is the time when we are going to make serious and groundbreaking decisions, and also the time when we are going to fight like we never fought before for a spot in one of the prestigious companies.
As I update my resume with my latest internship at Mercer as well as my academic results, I felt that I can really see the light beaming with hopes.
Its bright, exciting and I can feel its warmth. There are so many things going for me right now.
I am in a University, and I did well for the first year and I'm going to make tonnes of new friends at these networking sessions and hopefully enter the Banking & Finance Club.
Also, year 2 will be an important year because we will be fighting for internship opportunities at the prestigious companies.
It will really be a huge opportunity and a major morale boost if I am able to secure some internship interviews at those companies.
Oh well, I am going to prepare to submit my application to Goldman Sachs and Temasek Holdings.
I am filled with so much excitement now, I can feel that my life is going to change really soon.
Best of luck to me :)
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Hermione, my inspiration
Tomorrow is the day it all ends.
Yes, I'm heading down to Marina Square after work to catch the finale of Harry Potter, Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows.
It has been a long 10 years and Harry Potter is definitely part of my childhood. It will be the movie that I will remember for life, the movie that I will look back on in years to come.
Hermione, the girl who scored straight As in all her exams, the girl who is able to study many, many subjects at once and able to go for classes simultaneously.
She made me realise that no matter how much work I have, it is insignificant in comparison to hers. If I really aspire to be like her, I cannot be defeated by a miserable amount of work, I should see them as a challenge and overcome them.
She taught me to be consistent, to study daily and not during the last minute. She taught me to be rebellious at times and not to stick by the book all the time. She taught me to stick out for my friends when they need me. She taught me that it is possible to get straight As even though I'm taking up many modules.
She inspired me that nothing is impossible and the fact that she is in an Ivy League in the real life inspires me even further.
To be able to act in movies and at the same time study in her real life and obtain a spot in the Ivy League, it is definitely quite a feat.
So far, for the first year of my University stinct, I have managed to perform up to expectations, at least to hers.
I will continue to work hard, so that I will not let Hermione down.
Once again, I will like to attribute my success to her, for being such an inspiration and such a beauty of course.
Thank you Hermione.
Yes, I'm heading down to Marina Square after work to catch the finale of Harry Potter, Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows.
It has been a long 10 years and Harry Potter is definitely part of my childhood. It will be the movie that I will remember for life, the movie that I will look back on in years to come.
Hermione, the girl who scored straight As in all her exams, the girl who is able to study many, many subjects at once and able to go for classes simultaneously.
She made me realise that no matter how much work I have, it is insignificant in comparison to hers. If I really aspire to be like her, I cannot be defeated by a miserable amount of work, I should see them as a challenge and overcome them.
She taught me to be consistent, to study daily and not during the last minute. She taught me to be rebellious at times and not to stick by the book all the time. She taught me to stick out for my friends when they need me. She taught me that it is possible to get straight As even though I'm taking up many modules.
She inspired me that nothing is impossible and the fact that she is in an Ivy League in the real life inspires me even further.
To be able to act in movies and at the same time study in her real life and obtain a spot in the Ivy League, it is definitely quite a feat.
So far, for the first year of my University stinct, I have managed to perform up to expectations, at least to hers.
I will continue to work hard, so that I will not let Hermione down.
Once again, I will like to attribute my success to her, for being such an inspiration and such a beauty of course.
Thank you Hermione.
Friday, July 15, 2011
SNSD transform
\\\SNSD transformed a simple pamphlet into a photospread with their beauty.
All the ladies are sporting dark makeup and very big hairstyles along with their facial expressions, poses, and outfits all showing off their charms.
Seohyun, who was recently chosen as having the best facial cross line, showed off a funky and poofy hairstyle. From these photos, you couldn’t tell that these girls are actually innocent young girls.
They really know how to transform into any image.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Element of Surprise
I have heard this term for a plethora number of times as the commentators analyse the games in Starcraft II tournaments.
Recently, I have decided to blog about this topic because I heard this term during the Transformers movie (spoiler alert).
OptimusPrime told Sam that they need to bring an element of surprise to the decepticons.
When he said that, it strikes me immediately, the term "element of surprise" that is.
To me, it is a powerful weapon, and it is most effective when your opponent is completely unprepared for it.
That's the whole point of the element of surprise, to shock your opponent, to maximise the impact of this surprise on your opponent.
In the game Starcraft II, I have seen the Korean Pros doing it time and again. They hide structures and units just to take their opponents by surprise and it works especially well against the higher level professionals.
Why is this so? Well, this is simply because the high level pros will scout the base of their opponents consistently to make sure they know what's going on. Subsequently, they will prepare builds that will counter that specific build their opponents are going.
However, it is because of this over-analysis that caused them to die to surprise attacks.
Reason: They were totally unprepared for it because they prepared for something else, something they had scouted.
In application to the real business world, I feel that the top corporations and banks are actually so well-versed in the industry because they research and anaylse excessively, in hope that they will be able to grasp what's going on.
However, just like the financial crisis, it came as a shock, the collapse of Lehman Brothers. They just were not prepared for it. And the impact of the collapse of Lehman Brother took the world by shock and it almost obliterated the entire banking industry and resulted in collateral damage to other key industries as well.
So the point here is that, the element of surprise can really be powerful, especially at the higher levels where people start to over-analyse.
The moral of the story? Do not over-analyse. Have an open mind, be flexible. It's not easy, but do try okay?
However, if they ask you something completely different or on an entirely off-track topic, you get so caught off-guard that you falter and screw up so badly.
Recently, I have decided to blog about this topic because I heard this term during the Transformers movie (spoiler alert).
OptimusPrime told Sam that they need to bring an element of surprise to the decepticons.
When he said that, it strikes me immediately, the term "element of surprise" that is.
To me, it is a powerful weapon, and it is most effective when your opponent is completely unprepared for it.
That's the whole point of the element of surprise, to shock your opponent, to maximise the impact of this surprise on your opponent.
In the game Starcraft II, I have seen the Korean Pros doing it time and again. They hide structures and units just to take their opponents by surprise and it works especially well against the higher level professionals.
Why is this so? Well, this is simply because the high level pros will scout the base of their opponents consistently to make sure they know what's going on. Subsequently, they will prepare builds that will counter that specific build their opponents are going.
However, it is because of this over-analysis that caused them to die to surprise attacks.
Reason: They were totally unprepared for it because they prepared for something else, something they had scouted.
In application to the real business world, I feel that the top corporations and banks are actually so well-versed in the industry because they research and anaylse excessively, in hope that they will be able to grasp what's going on.
However, just like the financial crisis, it came as a shock, the collapse of Lehman Brothers. They just were not prepared for it. And the impact of the collapse of Lehman Brother took the world by shock and it almost obliterated the entire banking industry and resulted in collateral damage to other key industries as well.
So the point here is that, the element of surprise can really be powerful, especially at the higher levels where people start to over-analyse.
The moral of the story? Do not over-analyse. Have an open mind, be flexible. It's not easy, but do try okay?
However, if they ask you something completely different or on an entirely off-track topic, you get so caught off-guard that you falter and screw up so badly.
It's like an interview, sometimes you over-prepare and you think that you will be able to tackle any questions that come your way, anything about the company or the industry, no problem for you.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Investment banking team of the week: Morgan Stanley
The US bank and Goldman Sachs priced the deal on Wednesday, selling stock at €13.90, a 1.7% discount to the last price before announcement of €14.14.
The deal is Morgan Stanley’s fourth equity capital markets transaction involving the Spanish travel software company in 15 months. It also worked on the company's maiden eurobond issue this week, raising €750m through a five-year bond issue along with seven other banks.
The transaction moved Morgan Stanley up a spot in the equity capital markets rankings, with the US bank now ranked third having started the week ranked fourth.
Amadeus IT Holding’s share price fell to a low of €13.80 in early trading that morning, but quickly recovered, and was trading above €14.40 this morning. Private equity firms BC Partners and Cinven were the selling shareholders.
The Morgan Stanley team on the transaction is understood to include Emmanuel Gueroult, co-head of Europe, Middle East and Africa ECM, Javier de Busturia, Head of ECM for Iberia and Central and Eastern Europe, and Martin Thorneycroft, head of EMEA equity syndicate.
Amadeus IT Holding listed in April last year at a share price of €11, in a deal led by Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan, in one of the year's most successful flotations.
Since then, BC Partners and Cinven have sold large blocks of stock on three occasions. First, in October last year, they sold $856m at €13.50, in a deal led by the three banks which brought the company to market.
A second deal followed in April this year, with Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs selling $875m of stock at €13.70. The most recent deal is the third.
Credits -investmentnews
Saturday, July 9, 2011
NASA Envisions Alien Worlds
Out of the Dust, a Planet is Born
In this artist's conception, a possible newfound planet spins through a clearing, detected around the star CoKu Tau 4 by the Spitzer Space Telescope, in a nearby star's dusty, planet-forming disc. The possible planet is theorized to be at least as massive as Jupiter, and may have a similar appearance to what the giant planets in our own solar system looked like billions of years ago.
NASA/JPL-Caltech
This Planet Smells Funny
Giant planet GJ 436b in the constellation Leo is missing something--and that something is swamp gas. To the surprise of astronomers who have been studying the Neptune-sized planet using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, GJ 436b has very little methane--an ingredient common to many planets in our own solar system. This artist's concept shows the unusual, methane-free world partially eclipsed by its star.Models of planetary atmospheres indicate that any world with the common mix of hydrogen, carbon and oxygen, and a temperature up to 1,000 Kelvin (1,340 degrees Fahrenheit) should have a large amount of methane and a small amount of carbon monoxide. But at about 800 Kelvin (or 980 degrees Fahrenheit), GJ 436b it does not. The finding demonstrates the diversity of exoplanets and the need for further study.
Giant planet GJ 436b in the constellation Leo is missing something--and that something is swamp gas. To the surprise of astronomers who have been studying the Neptune-sized planet using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, GJ 436b has very little methane--an ingredient common to many planets in our own solar system. This artist's concept shows the unusual, methane-free world partially eclipsed by its star.Models of planetary atmospheres indicate that any world with the common mix of hydrogen, carbon and oxygen, and a temperature up to 1,000 Kelvin (1,340 degrees Fahrenheit) should have a large amount of methane and a small amount of carbon monoxide. But at about 800 Kelvin (or 980 degrees Fahrenheit), GJ 436b it does not. The finding demonstrates the diversity of exoplanets and the need for further study.
ESA/C.Carreau
Steaming Hot Planet
This artist's impression shows a gas-giant exoplanet transiting across the face of its star. Infrared analysis by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope of this type of system provided the breakthrough.The planet, HD 189733b, lies 63 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula. It was discovered in 2005 as it transited its parent star, dimming the star's light by some three percent.
This artist's impression shows a gas-giant exoplanet transiting across the face of its star. Infrared analysis by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope of this type of system provided the breakthrough.The planet, HD 189733b, lies 63 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula. It was discovered in 2005 as it transited its parent star, dimming the star's light by some three percent.
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Harvard-Smithsonian CfA
Fantastic Four Galaxies with Planet
This artist's concept shows what the night sky might look like from a hypothetical planet around a star tossed out of an ongoing four-way collision between big galaxies (yellow blobs). NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope spotted this "quadruple merger" of galaxies within a larger cluster of galaxies located nearly 5 billion light-years away.Though the galaxies appear intact, gravitational disturbances have caused them to stretch and twist, flinging billions of stars into space, nearly three times as many stars as are in our Milky Way galaxy. The tossed stars are visible in the large plume emanating from the central, largest galaxy. If any of these stars have planets, their night skies would be filled with the monstrous merger, along with other galaxies in the cluster (smaller, bluish blobs).This cosmic smash-up is the largest known merger between galaxies of a similar size. While three of the galaxies are about the size of our Milky Way galaxy, the fourth (center of image) is three times as big. All four of the galaxies, as well as most other galaxies in the huge cluster, are blob-shaped ellipticals instead of spirals like the Milky Way.Ultimately, in about one hundred million years or so, the four galaxies will unite into one. About half of the stars kicked out during the merger will fall back and join the new galaxy, making it one of the biggest galaxies in the universe.
This artist's concept shows what the night sky might look like from a hypothetical planet around a star tossed out of an ongoing four-way collision between big galaxies (yellow blobs). NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope spotted this "quadruple merger" of galaxies within a larger cluster of galaxies located nearly 5 billion light-years away.Though the galaxies appear intact, gravitational disturbances have caused them to stretch and twist, flinging billions of stars into space, nearly three times as many stars as are in our Milky Way galaxy. The tossed stars are visible in the large plume emanating from the central, largest galaxy. If any of these stars have planets, their night skies would be filled with the monstrous merger, along with other galaxies in the cluster (smaller, bluish blobs).This cosmic smash-up is the largest known merger between galaxies of a similar size. While three of the galaxies are about the size of our Milky Way galaxy, the fourth (center of image) is three times as big. All four of the galaxies, as well as most other galaxies in the huge cluster, are blob-shaped ellipticals instead of spirals like the Milky Way.Ultimately, in about one hundred million years or so, the four galaxies will unite into one. About half of the stars kicked out during the merger will fall back and join the new galaxy, making it one of the biggest galaxies in the universe.
NASA/ESA/G.Bacon(STScI)
Exoplanet HR 8799b
This is an artistic illustration of the giant planet HR 8799b.The planet was first discovered in 2007 at the Gemini North observatory. It was identified in the NICMOS archival data in a follow-up search of NICMOS archival data to see if Hubble had also serendipitously imaged it.The planet is young and hot, at a temperature of 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. It is slightly larger than Jupiter and may be at least seven times more massive. Analysis of the NICMOS data suggests the planet has water vapor in its atmosphere and is only partially cloud covered. It is not known if the planet has rings or moons, but circumplanetary debris is common among the outer planets of our solar system.
This is an artistic illustration of the giant planet HR 8799b.The planet was first discovered in 2007 at the Gemini North observatory. It was identified in the NICMOS archival data in a follow-up search of NICMOS archival data to see if Hubble had also serendipitously imaged it.The planet is young and hot, at a temperature of 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. It is slightly larger than Jupiter and may be at least seven times more massive. Analysis of the NICMOS data suggests the planet has water vapor in its atmosphere and is only partially cloud covered. It is not known if the planet has rings or moons, but circumplanetary debris is common among the outer planets of our solar system.
NASA/JPL
Chemical Soups Around Cool Stars
This artist's conception shows a young, hypothetical planet around a cool star. A soupy mix of potentially life-forming chemicals can be seen pooling around the base of the jagged rocks. Observations from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope hint that planets around cool stars - the so-called M-dwarfs and brown dwarfs that are widespread throughout our galaxy - might possess a different mix of life-forming, or prebiotic, chemicals than our young Earth.
This artist's conception shows a young, hypothetical planet around a cool star. A soupy mix of potentially life-forming chemicals can be seen pooling around the base of the jagged rocks. Observations from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope hint that planets around cool stars - the so-called M-dwarfs and brown dwarfs that are widespread throughout our galaxy - might possess a different mix of life-forming, or prebiotic, chemicals than our young Earth.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Cell phone banking could lift Africa's farmers
You might have a few dollars in your wallet, but chances are most of the money you spend is through your credit or debit card. The cashless system we’ve grown accustomed to across North America, offers consumers instant access to products and services – giving us the freedom to buy whatever we want whenever we want it. Much of the developing world still relies solely on cash and barter transactions.
But now entrepreneurs in Africa are pioneering a remote electronic money network for the continent’s “unbanked” rural people, allowing customers to use their cell phones like a debit card. Investing in this social entrepreneurship could bring prosperity to markets that need it most.
Over the past decade, cell phone use has increased fivefold in Africa. Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet project traveled across sub-Saharan Africa over the last year, and has found that nearly everyone, from remote villagers in Ethiopia and Uganda to poor farmers in Niger, has a cell phone.
\Farmers are using their phones to gain access to information and other things they didn’t have before. They can check crop prices before investing time in long trips to city markets, for example, giving them the option to wait until prices increase. Agricultural extension agents and development agencies use cell phones to inform farmers about changes in weather that could affect crops.
The cashless system has several benefits. First, money stored electronically is less likely to be stolen or misused. Second, electronic transactions can be instant – lowering transaction costs – whereas in-person cash transactions often mean investing time and money in transportation. Electronic money can benefit more marginalized people who often have to rely on middlemen to help them access markets.
The investment needed to firmly establish mobile banking in Zambia is large, and even more is needed for it to go international. But the models are there. The technology is there. The expertise is there and growing daily.
And according to Mr. Quinn, “There is no better place or time to be an entrepreneur in an emerging mobile payments industry.”
Credits -csmonitor
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