Google Buys 1,030 IBM Patents

It’s no secret that Google (NSDQ: GOOG) has been in the market to buy some patents for several months now. Now it looks like Google finally found what it’s looking for. The search giant has purchased more than 1,000 patents from the largest U.S. patent-holder of all: IBM.

If there’s any company with patents to spare, it’s surely IBM. Big Blue has topped the list of companies getting the most U.S. patent grants every year for the past 18 years. In 2009, IBM received 4,914 U.S. patents, an all-time record.

The reason Google needs so many patents is to fend off potential attacks by competitors. As Google GC Kent Walker explained in an April blog post, “[O]ne of a company’s best defenses against this kind of litigation is (ironically) to have a formidable patent portfolio, as this helps maintain your freedom to develop new products and services.”

Walker added: “Google is a relatively young company, and although we have a growing number of patents, many of our competitors have larger portfolios given their longer histories.”

SHINEE Juliette

Last month, Korean group SHINee officially debuted in Japan with the release of their single, “Replay“. The single was a success as it was certified Gold by the RIAJ and recently it was announced that SHINee’s follow up single in Japan would be “JULIETTE“.

Earlier today, a teaser for the upcoming single was revealed on EMI Music Japan YouTube channel.

Check out the teaser ahead of the Japanese version release of “JULIETTE” on August 29th.

the leather king.

{via the selby.}

unlikely.

{via studded hearts.}

Basel III Banking Rules Law

 To say the year-old Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act is under attack in Washington is like describing Little Big Horn as an engagement between the cavalry and the Indians.

Efforts by U.S. regulators to require megabanks to maintain more capital have been weak. Internationally, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision has proposed (Basel III) that banks hold 7 percent of common capital as a percentage of their risk-weighted assets, with a possible 2 percent to 3 percent surcharge for the megabanks. But Basel III is not binding on individual nations and its new capital requirements would not go fully into effect until 2019.

The banks deemed too big to fail in 2008 and had to be saved by the massive Troubled Asset Relief Program and unprecedented help from the Federal Reserve have never been forced to slim down. The blind hand of the market charges the big six banks lower interest rates than smaller banks. The message of the market is clear: the government is cannot allow these banks to fail.

The central solution proposed in Dodd-Frank to avoid future bailouts is resolution authority. But no one has come up with a workable resolution plan for massive financial institutions with outlets everywhere. Different countries are promulgating different resolution rules — the U.S. with a "living will" for the banks and other countries with proposals for special bonds or contingent capital.

The best way to curb the risky activities of megabanks would have been to reinstate a new version of the Glass-Steagall Act. From its enactment in 1933 until it was repealed in 1999, Glass-Steagall required that commercial banks, insured by the FDIC, be separate from investment banks and the risky investments those banks make. Instead, Dodd-Frank includes a weakened version of a proposal by former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker requiring banks to separate proprietary trading from commercial activities. Many of us thought it would be impossible to create a proprietary trading definition that does not allow creative Wall Streeters to proceed with business as usual. It looks like we were right.

No one questions the major role derivatives played in the financial meltdown. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission was supposed to come up with regulations on derivatives by July 16. The commission recently announced there would be a delay of six months or so. Why? Certainly because the task is complicated, but also because the commission is dealing with a new Republican House of Representatives that seems dead-set against any kind of regulation at all.

One of the most promising parts of Dodd-Frank was the Consumer Finance Protection Board. Led by Interim Director Elizabeth Warren, the CFPB has been successfully staffed and organized. Now President Baraack Obama has nominated Richard Cordray to be its first director. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans say they will confirm no one until there are "major structural changes" in the agency. The CFPB can make no rules without a confirmed director.

As known, Olivier Rousteing, a key deputy of Christophe Decarnin at Balmain, is confirmed as the house's new designer. He will supervise the design and development of both men's and women's ready-to-wear collections. Resort is the first season in which Rousteing has had control of the collection since Decarnin’s exit earlier in the year. 

 He incorporated not only the brand's rock & roll spirit but also the impeccably elaborate handwork where the fashion house is known for. Elvis in Las Vegas was a reference point for the collection. There were also Native American references, borderline sexy-edgy dresses and many more. He kept the main focus points of the collection (the sharp shoulders) but changed the propertions to give the pieces a new breeze. Also the Americana/biker girl motif had a chill sensibility to it. My favourite ones are definitely the first dress and the jumpsuit! And yours?

 Sources

Vogue

Style

Balmain

Forever 21 is coming to Belgium!

Forever 21 operates a chain of retail clothing stores catering to teenage girls and young women. The fast-growing retailer operates more than 450 stores under the Forever 21. As Forever 21 continues to rocket into the 21st century, competitors are undoubtedly trying to decode the fast-fashion chain's successful formula. But as you know Belgium hasnt always  been the fastest fashionwise, so our first store opens the 30th of July in Brussels City. So thats very exciting news for many fashion minded men and women. I got to know the label from the online shop where I already purchase clothes for many years now. What makes me choose for Forever 21 is that they are delivering the latest trends at very reasonable prices. About 60 percent of production is based in the United States; this allows the company to bring new runway trends to market in a matter of weeks. 

And what does a fashionista wants more?
Click here for some online shopping if you can't wait no longer...

Sources

Forever 21

Oona PR

New Turning Point in Life

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 :)

wispy.

feathers.neutrals.red hair.florals.

another beautiful shoot by colby blount but this time our model was my little sister, maggie...isn't she gorgeous?

{all photography belongs to colby blount.}

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.

cArVeN//spring 2012.

can someone please put these shoes in my life?

{via missmoss.}

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.

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.

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.

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

kingpop.

started off the weekend going to an art gallery walk tonight for artist leann marie zafuto, her work was inspired by fashion editorials and created with mixed media and fashion photography...the pieces below were my favorites from the night//

anthropologie necklace.sheer top.zara trousers.h&m leopard wedges.marc by marc jacobs oversized clutch//

campaigners.

the gorgeous hailee steinfeld for miu miu//

another fall campaign i'm looking forward to...

(via fashiongonerogue.}