CFO who used to be a trader misses his old LOTUS123 models. He wants an Excel model that does actual/actual, actual/360, 30/360 calculations…input annual rate, semi, quarterly…some nonesens about zero discount factors, macauley duration, etc.
Sounds mind-numbingly dull; there must already be stuff out there we can use freely and modify to our own purpose, CFO agrees. But not sure where?
If not I have to grind thu, but as Bartelby said, “I would prefer not to”.
http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred-addin/
Not sure exactly what you want to do. The link above has historical rates, but to make a model you’d have to time series regress the crap out of them. There’s other problems with rates being serially correlated and hetersekdastic, and lognormally distributed. But non of that may matter depending on what you want to do.
How’s working in Korea and the job market there? I’m half Korean, and have always wondered if there’s an oppertunity there, or if my being American with some heritage is valueable? Where are you from, and how’d you end up there?
Thanks. I’m not sure what the guy really wants either, actually.
For KR you need to come in via a US or multinational firm. I work for a US based venture capital-esque joint that has operations all over Asia, and got myself transfered over here. There are very few oportunites here for non-native Koreans (unless a person wants to teach English for $40k and just hang out and party most of the time). Lots of people do that in their 20s. Even if you are Gyopo and speak fluent Korean you face some discrimination and such for not being a “real Korean”, it’s a very homogeneous society and if you don’t fit in your an outcast. A high eduction, Korean heritage, contacts, plus fluent English/Korean might open some doors at Samsung…I hear that is a trip. If I quit this gig I’ll probably move to Singapore cause there ain’t nothing unless you have ties to the few foreign companies set up here.
But it’s a blast, was out too late last night. Every night is party night in Seoul. Very social place. I don’t think Westerners know much about KR and are always shocked when I try to explain to them: Koreans party like you can’t even believe! Makes Vegas and Shanghai look dull. They know no limits. Including age; 40s, 50s Samsungers are still out every night getting wasted and getting chicks (who aren’t their wives). It’s a crazy place yet quite civilzed as well, in that they don’t have the drugs and violence problem of the US or dangerous elements of say the Philippines. Very healthy eating, superb subway. Good lifestyle. Sort of rambling due to hangover, back to work!
Sounds pretty crazy. I actually don’t speak a lick of korean… grew up in a small town full of white people, I was the closest thing they had to a black person, lol. I’m pretty white washed. I look in the mirror and see Zack Morris.
I was just wondering, I think that if I were single I’d try to explore doing something like that. I dont really like asian girls, but they seem to dig my exotic/mysterious WTF are you look. So I’d consider trying moving there for fun.
Let me know if you ever figure out what your boss wants, and keep slaying those material lil’ hello kitty loving skanks.
Why don’t you just make your own Excel file? All that stuff seems pretty straightforward.
After reading this, I have a strange urge to take a trip to the orient
If you give me money, I can build it for you.
Yeah, but you have to work at Sumsung.
Apparently Samsung in KR is the equivilent to being on the Yankees in the States
I read that in South Korea, job applicants view companies in tiers. So all the best applicants try to work for companies 1-5, then 6-10, etc. Some people get really upset if they don’t get the tier they want.
^ It’s more like the other way around though. Best firms go and hire the top X% of the most renowned programs and the riffraff can just see what’s left in other firms. That’s why high school is so important over there, and in some instances even more demanding than undergrad. Shitty HS negates the possibility of getting into a solid program, which then screws someone’s chances of getting into a sweet gig at one of those firms.
^That’s basically the US
…unofficially it is like that the world over
photo I uploaded from a previous discussion about voting on Asian geekness. I believe that the overwhelming vote was for Koreans. Can’t recall why I was googling Korean actresses but this little lady is forever imprinted on my mind.
Actually, all these Korean cultural elements seems to make sense when compared to one another. They seem to be obsessed with some sort of idealized image. 95% on tests is not good, as it is not 100%. Working for not-Samsung is not good enough as it’s not Samsung. If your face is not perfectly proportioned, get plastic surgery. If pop star is not pretty enough, put on tons of makeup and/or plastic surgery until they look like a computer character. Legs not long enough… then get leg extension surgery (yikes!).
I’m not Korean but from what I noticed, you are either fully Korean or not Korean, if you are a BSD then of course you get the respect. They take their racial purity very seriously. Keep that in mind before moving from small-white town not a lick of Korean. This is not a put down just something you should consider.
Damn you ohai!! Spent the last hour looking up leg extensions on the internet. Remember seeing it on Gattaca but didn’t think people actually did it. It’s actually quite fascinating. Found this crazy sight http://www.makemetaller.org.
The things people will do.
Ha. I haven’t used LOTUS 123 since I was a little kid.
Wow this thread exploded.
Yes, it’s a society of classes. You are born into a class here and maybe you can goto a good school and get into Samsung and “level up”. People think a lot about this kind of stuff here. Level ups are nearly impossible though and require a lifetime of work and no “slip ups”. It’s a very social place, there is nobody operating outside of society (individuals like me). The individual doesn’t really exist in KR.
But once you are a director/chairman (or whatever high title) you don’t actually do work in KR, just hanging out, play golf, bang chicks, drink. It’s funny, all the directors still work their butt off in the US, I always wonder what was the point in making director then? When does the party start? 
The positive of all this that I have observed; people aren’t as afraid. They know what their life holds, it’s all been mapped out for them. They have a sort of calmness to them, they know their place in life and they play their role. I’m certain this sounds insane to the Western way of thinking where people are all “self made”, but there is a lot less fear and uncertainty in this society, and that’s kinda cool. Japan is similar people tell me.
Are you saying you are into her look or you think she is a nerd?
The reality in Seoul is that chicks are just plain hot and there are millions of them; I recommend it for any guy who has the chance to spend a year here for kicks. Hotter than China, hotter than Philippines, and way hotter than US/CA. When people try to argue about this it is just pointless, there is no comparison. Everyone is thin, perfect skin, fit, and very well groomed/mannered. Even a 4-5 here would be an 8 in the USA. I attribute this to generations kimchi eating plus the competitive environment (if you are fat or dumb you die on the streets in KR). Koreans believe that beauty is “obtained”. Similar to the saying we have “there is no such thing as an ugly woman, just a lazy one”.
And yes they look great without makeup and before plastic surgery too! However there is a sort of clumsy naive goofiness to the Korean look/behavior that is hard to explain, it doesn’t translate to the West that’s for sure. I think it’s hot, but it’s weird too.
I don’t even know what the hell it is…