The vicious cycle every financial paper is reporting is hardly surprising.
That they’ve downgraded forecasts and ratings? Of course they have- they’re just predictions- it’s their job. That people pull their money out and cause banks and growth to falter? Of course they do, they’re scared.
Is it in anyway unexpected that after all the panic reported in the industry people worry and lose faith in the economy? In a way it’s irresponsible reporting- this is when we need investment. How do they expect growth by scaring investors away?
If you think about it, and ignore the doomsayers (who don’t have anymore of a crystal ball then you do) it doesn’t make sense at all to not invest. This is the time to be pumping money in-this is when companies are the cheapest.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Education
What is it that University is supposed to teach you?
A few commonly agreed answers are: how to frame a problem, how to ask the right questions, how to connect different sources of information into a coherent story that leads somewhere new, that contributes.
I think while I have learned these things, however incompletely, having a mixed biology/development background has notably contributed to the way I break down information. My science background taught me to memorize and retain a great deal of facts, as well as state problems and information clearly- but it's the social sciences that have made me think more critically, and care more about balance and sources.
I can see why Americans propagate the liberal arts, it's a shame most universities in other countries are so rigid about syllabi and force you to stick to one subject.
A few commonly agreed answers are: how to frame a problem, how to ask the right questions, how to connect different sources of information into a coherent story that leads somewhere new, that contributes.
I think while I have learned these things, however incompletely, having a mixed biology/development background has notably contributed to the way I break down information. My science background taught me to memorize and retain a great deal of facts, as well as state problems and information clearly- but it's the social sciences that have made me think more critically, and care more about balance and sources.
I can see why Americans propagate the liberal arts, it's a shame most universities in other countries are so rigid about syllabi and force you to stick to one subject.
Last Names
Lots of women these days see no reason to change their last names to their husband's, and end up keeping their own name, or hyphenating it with their husband's.
The first option is perfectly reasonable, but seems rather unromantic, and the second leads to a mouthful of a surname.
Surely it seems more fair to combine their last names, so that both partners change their last names to an amalgamation of the two? After all, a marriage is supposed to be a union.
The first option is perfectly reasonable, but seems rather unromantic, and the second leads to a mouthful of a surname.
Surely it seems more fair to combine their last names, so that both partners change their last names to an amalgamation of the two? After all, a marriage is supposed to be a union.
Restaurant Chains
England's largest cities have a shocking number of food chain restaurants on their 'high streets' as they call them- but these aren't your typical fast food chains, the way America has Arby's and Wendy's. These are chains pretending to be nice/posh restaurants, and charging pretty steep prices, such as Zizzi's and Browns.
I'm not against chains in general, and i don't think 'corporations are evil'. But there's something fundamentally wrong with these places pushing out other medium-priced restaurants, leaving space only for high-end boutiques. Fast food chains aren't much better, but at least they occupy a different bracket from family run restaurants that are being forced to shut down by this variety of food.
Do we really want to eat mass-produced meals? Already, we're starting to dress the same around the globe- but are we going to conform when it comes to food too? It's important to encourage sustainably sourced, locally produced food more than ever now- and while a few of these restaurants profess to do this, it's beginning to seem like a variation of the empty 'fair-trade' labeling Starbucks and other chains around the world now propagate.
I'm not against chains in general, and i don't think 'corporations are evil'. But there's something fundamentally wrong with these places pushing out other medium-priced restaurants, leaving space only for high-end boutiques. Fast food chains aren't much better, but at least they occupy a different bracket from family run restaurants that are being forced to shut down by this variety of food.
Do we really want to eat mass-produced meals? Already, we're starting to dress the same around the globe- but are we going to conform when it comes to food too? It's important to encourage sustainably sourced, locally produced food more than ever now- and while a few of these restaurants profess to do this, it's beginning to seem like a variation of the empty 'fair-trade' labeling Starbucks and other chains around the world now propagate.
Summer Fiction
I’ve been reading a lot of fiction over the holidays: two books that have really stuck with me are ‘Every Last One’ and ‘Skippy Dies’.
Every Last One paints everyday life in suburbia with a comforting warm glow, even while detailing family life and growing pains beautifully- and then in a couple of pages the entire novel twists on itself, suddenly terrifying.
While making you appreciate mundane life and all its bumps and trials a little more, it’s also managed to make me worry about who I let into my life quite a lot more.
Skippy Dies is a tale of growing up, and tragedy, the real world, dreams and the power of young love. It’s a contemporary sketch of society and life, unabashedly dealing with drugs, the first World War, porn, failure, the Big Bang theory, disappointment and blow jobs. It tells one tale from different viewpoints, with a startling prologue. It’s worth reading for its perspective; of its reminder of what growing up really means, and fighting for your dreams.
Every Last One paints everyday life in suburbia with a comforting warm glow, even while detailing family life and growing pains beautifully- and then in a couple of pages the entire novel twists on itself, suddenly terrifying.
While making you appreciate mundane life and all its bumps and trials a little more, it’s also managed to make me worry about who I let into my life quite a lot more.
Skippy Dies is a tale of growing up, and tragedy, the real world, dreams and the power of young love. It’s a contemporary sketch of society and life, unabashedly dealing with drugs, the first World War, porn, failure, the Big Bang theory, disappointment and blow jobs. It tells one tale from different viewpoints, with a startling prologue. It’s worth reading for its perspective; of its reminder of what growing up really means, and fighting for your dreams.
Songs
I've been listening to two songs on repeat-
The first is a cover by Ed Sheeran- only 20, but has been struggling to make a name for himself since he was 14. He's recently broken through with his 'I Don't Need You', which deserves to at the very least be nominated for Best Video
The second is by Tori Amos- she's outdone herself on the soundtrack of the movie 'Great Expectations'. It's such a beautifully haunting song.
The first is a cover by Ed Sheeran- only 20, but has been struggling to make a name for himself since he was 14. He's recently broken through with his 'I Don't Need You', which deserves to at the very least be nominated for Best Video
The second is by Tori Amos- she's outdone herself on the soundtrack of the movie 'Great Expectations'. It's such a beautifully haunting song.
A Fair Price?
Fair-trade, organic farming, sustainably sourced. These are such buzzwords these days- but do they actually ensure the farmer gets a fair price?
The fundamental question is- who decides food prices? Corporations do, but so do consumers. In the end, it's a market, and we can only be charged what we're willing to pay. So how come we all seem to have agreed to pay good money for clothes but not food? At what point did farming becoming synonymous with poverty?
We aren't willing to pay a fair price, but continue to debate the future of food, and sustainable farming techniques. Surely we need to provide the right incentives to motivate farmers that go beyond publishing the merits in journals that a few hundred people world-wide will read (skim)?
The fundamental question is- who decides food prices? Corporations do, but so do consumers. In the end, it's a market, and we can only be charged what we're willing to pay. So how come we all seem to have agreed to pay good money for clothes but not food? At what point did farming becoming synonymous with poverty?
We aren't willing to pay a fair price, but continue to debate the future of food, and sustainable farming techniques. Surely we need to provide the right incentives to motivate farmers that go beyond publishing the merits in journals that a few hundred people world-wide will read (skim)?
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Marketing
I just saw 'Love and Other Drugs'- and while the movie itself was passably decent, there were quite a few important lessons in there about selling.
No one wants to part with their money, they're automatically suspicious when you ask them to, and rightly so- they know you have to meet a quota. So what's to be done?
-Firstly, you have to be their friend. You have to build relationships- and it can't be done in one night. Keep turning up, they need to start recognizing you. Then repeat again.
-Once they do know you, stand out. You have to remembered.
-Make friends with the secretaries, and other gate-keepers- you need access.
-But don't waste too much time- find a key client, a real decision-maker, someone others follow, and convert them. Spend as much time on them as you would on ten clients.
-Be friendly, fun, happy. You need to absolutely confident, and always more relaxed than the other person. How will you convince them if you can't convince yourself?
-Information is key- it's your biggest weapon. You need to know your product backward or forward- but also your client. What do they need and want? Find out, and fill it. If you don't get repeat business and referrals, you're toast.
No one wants to part with their money, they're automatically suspicious when you ask them to, and rightly so- they know you have to meet a quota. So what's to be done?
-Firstly, you have to be their friend. You have to build relationships- and it can't be done in one night. Keep turning up, they need to start recognizing you. Then repeat again.
-Once they do know you, stand out. You have to remembered.
-Make friends with the secretaries, and other gate-keepers- you need access.
-But don't waste too much time- find a key client, a real decision-maker, someone others follow, and convert them. Spend as much time on them as you would on ten clients.
-Be friendly, fun, happy. You need to absolutely confident, and always more relaxed than the other person. How will you convince them if you can't convince yourself?
-Information is key- it's your biggest weapon. You need to know your product backward or forward- but also your client. What do they need and want? Find out, and fill it. If you don't get repeat business and referrals, you're toast.
Organizing the Viewing
A little more on organizing flat viewings, based on the mistakes I made:
-Always call before the viewing, confirm the address, and ask questions that are deal-breakers on the phone. Are you not going to take the flat if there's not enough wardrobe space? Then don't bother going. Taking the underground is expensive and much more exhausting than you'd think.
-Confirm the interview on the day- they're showing tens of people around a week, they will lose track.
-Ask if it's a basement flat on the phone- the ones in the best locations sometimes are buried inside- which is why it seems you can afford it.
-Walk. Central London is tiny. The tube map makes it seem much larger than it is- stations are built minutes away from each other, for some reason I still haven't managed to fathom. ESPECIALLY if it involves switching lines- you'll end up walking the same distance underground anyway.
-Always call before the viewing, confirm the address, and ask questions that are deal-breakers on the phone. Are you not going to take the flat if there's not enough wardrobe space? Then don't bother going. Taking the underground is expensive and much more exhausting than you'd think.
-Confirm the interview on the day- they're showing tens of people around a week, they will lose track.
-Ask if it's a basement flat on the phone- the ones in the best locations sometimes are buried inside- which is why it seems you can afford it.
-Walk. Central London is tiny. The tube map makes it seem much larger than it is- stations are built minutes away from each other, for some reason I still haven't managed to fathom. ESPECIALLY if it involves switching lines- you'll end up walking the same distance underground anyway.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
The World of Flatshare
I can’t believe how hard finding an apartment in London has been. Since I was willing to pay a decent price for the right room, and knew the turnover rate was high at this time of the year, I thought it would be a breeze. However I found myself getting increasingly fussy as I saw more rooms. I ended up e-mailing roughly 300 people, and went for over 20 flat viewings.
On the flipside, the potential flatmates turned out to be fussier than I expected too. I was repeatedly questioned about my background, personal life and interests. Most unexpectedly, I had to undergo multiple rounds of various sorts of interviews- one-on one, panel discussion, group discussions- you name it. I’ve finally managed to find a beautiful flat, but I thought I’d share my experience to save you some of the pain.
First off, I wouldn’t recommend going through an agent if you’re interested in renting a room. You’re small fry to them- they’d much rather be selling bigger properties or at least renting out multi-bedroom apartments. They have a limited choice themselves too of course- why restrict yourself? I was disappointed by every room I saw through an agent- and this is not taking into account their signing fee that ranges from 200 to 400 quid on average.
The flatshare websites are amazing, there’s a surprising amount of choice out there, and numerous way to whittle down your search- smoking, sexual preference, age group, profession, south of the river, and so on. I’d highly recommend flatshare.com- easyroommate.co.uk and moveflat.com are worth considering too.
Nevertheless, finding a flat to share with others is as hard and sticky and uncertain as starting a new relationship- which of course you are doing. Not only are you going to have to live with these people for an extended period of time- you skip the dating phase and move directly to a live-in relationship.
A word of advice- make your profile on these websites as attractive as possible. It’s worth spending a little time and effort as this way interesting offers will come to you, instead of you having to spend hours searching for them. Call the really good places, don't bother e-mailing them- I learnt this the hard way. The best apartments go within hours, so make sure you get in there and schedule a viewing as soon as possible. One of the people I interviewed with showed me his phone- he had 80 people e-mail him within two hours of his putting his ad up, and was only able to set up viewings with the first twenty people to cal him.
Moreover, there are so many things to consider- of course location is key. London is very defined when it comes to areas, so it's fairly easy to decide where you'd like to stay, after doing a bit of research. Pull out the tube map, and try and make sure you don't have to change lines while getting to work, if possible. Clearly, living in zone one means you pay a few hundred a month more, add a few more hundred if you expect your own bathroom. It's hard to recommend an area as it really depends on your life-style- are you willing to spend a thousand pounds to rent a tiny room in Pimlico or Marylebone but live in an absolutely lovely area, or would you rather have a large room in West Hampstead, and pay for the space by commuting to work? Would you rather live in edgy and ‘cool’ Shoreditch, or in fashionable Fulham?
After the obvious considerations of location and price though, there are key details that will make or break your stay. Are bills included or not in the price quoted? Does that include council tax? Who is they landlord? Does the landlady stay in? Reconsider this if they do- remember you’ll be in their home and they have full control. I had a few landladies who seemed perfectly nice on the surface show nastier sides when we came closer to signing the contract. Are they willing to let you share their living room? How much shelf-space will they give you? How long is the lease? Will your name be on it? What’s the notice period? How easily can they through you out? What utilities are included? Is there Internet? Does the shower work? Do they have a washing machine? What’s the storage space like?
Then there's the wholly more complicated issue of flatmates. How many people are you willing to share with? How many people are sharing a bathroom? What are their work timings? What do they do? What are the rules for bringing people over? What sort of lifestyle do they want and expect? Try to meet all the flat mates at least once. Go for as many viewings as you can- it’s hard to get an idea of space and price and quality until you’ve seen a few places.
The pressure game’s important to remember- many people will tell you have to pay now- and unfortunately its true. Until you put a deposit down, they’re going to keep showing the flat to others- and there’s a good chance someone will get there before you. Try not to select the first place you see, but when you do like something, don’t hesitate, make an offer on the spot.
It’s awkward meeting new people- be friendly and polite. Dress nicely; make sure your hair and nails look god. They’ll be assessing your suitability and cleanliness- your appearance counts. It's disturbing how many people told me they were relieved to talk to someone ‘normal’- there’s a lot of weirdos out there, and this is not the time to be opinionated or interesting.
During the interview itself, be as honest as possible. Don't lie about your lifestyle or preferences,they're going to find out anyway. Why waste time and effort finding a place, only to be asked to leave? Try and make them laugh, and find common interests. Neverthless, if its awkward or not working, move on- if you cant spend twenty minutes with them, you don’t want to live them.
Good luck- you'll need it.
On the flipside, the potential flatmates turned out to be fussier than I expected too. I was repeatedly questioned about my background, personal life and interests. Most unexpectedly, I had to undergo multiple rounds of various sorts of interviews- one-on one, panel discussion, group discussions- you name it. I’ve finally managed to find a beautiful flat, but I thought I’d share my experience to save you some of the pain.
First off, I wouldn’t recommend going through an agent if you’re interested in renting a room. You’re small fry to them- they’d much rather be selling bigger properties or at least renting out multi-bedroom apartments. They have a limited choice themselves too of course- why restrict yourself? I was disappointed by every room I saw through an agent- and this is not taking into account their signing fee that ranges from 200 to 400 quid on average.
The flatshare websites are amazing, there’s a surprising amount of choice out there, and numerous way to whittle down your search- smoking, sexual preference, age group, profession, south of the river, and so on. I’d highly recommend flatshare.com- easyroommate.co.uk and moveflat.com are worth considering too.
Nevertheless, finding a flat to share with others is as hard and sticky and uncertain as starting a new relationship- which of course you are doing. Not only are you going to have to live with these people for an extended period of time- you skip the dating phase and move directly to a live-in relationship.
A word of advice- make your profile on these websites as attractive as possible. It’s worth spending a little time and effort as this way interesting offers will come to you, instead of you having to spend hours searching for them. Call the really good places, don't bother e-mailing them- I learnt this the hard way. The best apartments go within hours, so make sure you get in there and schedule a viewing as soon as possible. One of the people I interviewed with showed me his phone- he had 80 people e-mail him within two hours of his putting his ad up, and was only able to set up viewings with the first twenty people to cal him.
Moreover, there are so many things to consider- of course location is key. London is very defined when it comes to areas, so it's fairly easy to decide where you'd like to stay, after doing a bit of research. Pull out the tube map, and try and make sure you don't have to change lines while getting to work, if possible. Clearly, living in zone one means you pay a few hundred a month more, add a few more hundred if you expect your own bathroom. It's hard to recommend an area as it really depends on your life-style- are you willing to spend a thousand pounds to rent a tiny room in Pimlico or Marylebone but live in an absolutely lovely area, or would you rather have a large room in West Hampstead, and pay for the space by commuting to work? Would you rather live in edgy and ‘cool’ Shoreditch, or in fashionable Fulham?
After the obvious considerations of location and price though, there are key details that will make or break your stay. Are bills included or not in the price quoted? Does that include council tax? Who is they landlord? Does the landlady stay in? Reconsider this if they do- remember you’ll be in their home and they have full control. I had a few landladies who seemed perfectly nice on the surface show nastier sides when we came closer to signing the contract. Are they willing to let you share their living room? How much shelf-space will they give you? How long is the lease? Will your name be on it? What’s the notice period? How easily can they through you out? What utilities are included? Is there Internet? Does the shower work? Do they have a washing machine? What’s the storage space like?
Then there's the wholly more complicated issue of flatmates. How many people are you willing to share with? How many people are sharing a bathroom? What are their work timings? What do they do? What are the rules for bringing people over? What sort of lifestyle do they want and expect? Try to meet all the flat mates at least once. Go for as many viewings as you can- it’s hard to get an idea of space and price and quality until you’ve seen a few places.
The pressure game’s important to remember- many people will tell you have to pay now- and unfortunately its true. Until you put a deposit down, they’re going to keep showing the flat to others- and there’s a good chance someone will get there before you. Try not to select the first place you see, but when you do like something, don’t hesitate, make an offer on the spot.
It’s awkward meeting new people- be friendly and polite. Dress nicely; make sure your hair and nails look god. They’ll be assessing your suitability and cleanliness- your appearance counts. It's disturbing how many people told me they were relieved to talk to someone ‘normal’- there’s a lot of weirdos out there, and this is not the time to be opinionated or interesting.
During the interview itself, be as honest as possible. Don't lie about your lifestyle or preferences,they're going to find out anyway. Why waste time and effort finding a place, only to be asked to leave? Try and make them laugh, and find common interests. Neverthless, if its awkward or not working, move on- if you cant spend twenty minutes with them, you don’t want to live them.
Good luck- you'll need it.
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