For Men

If you are a sell-side analyst, you will be wearing a suit everyday. That means you need to invest in good-quality suits in a variety of colors. When building your suit wardrobe, start with a solid gray and a solid navy and then add a gray or navy muted pinstripe, said Jessica Cadmus, a former Goldman Sachs employee who founded Wardrobe Whisperer, a personal shopping/stylist consultancy.

She recommends a two-button suit with double vent, notched lapel and straight but tailored leg. Don’t worry about buying an Armani suit — you’ll be fine with something from JCrew or Banana Republic if that’s what you can afford in the beginning.

“Worry about buying an Armani”? Why should I ever waste my money?

Plain-front pants are ideal. “For God’s sake, don’t be the guy who shows up with pleated pants,” said an associate at a hedge fund.

OMG! the world will end with pleated pants!

When choosing a shirt, make sure to pick out dress shirts, that is, shirts without buttons on the collars. Shirts with buttons on the collar are called sport shirts and are considerably less formal.

The solution? Buy cheap sport shirts and remove the buttons. I bet this saves $$.

You should steer clear of French cuff shirts, cuff links and monograms, which are best left to vice presidents and above, said the hedge fund associate.

After you’ve chosen a shirt, make sure your tie and collar are proportional. Big tie knots like the Windsor should be worn with spread collars, and smaller knots like the Half-Windsor or Four-in-Hand should be worn with point collars. Bigger knots are preferred, said a first-year hedge fund analyst in New York City.

Seriously, people look at the size of tie knot?

When you’re low on the food chain, your goal is to blend in. That means choosing a basic blue, red or gold tie. Avoid the novelty ties until you advance, said Ron Ferguson, a concierge at Brooks Brothers. Once you do, you can wear ties with a golf-club or yacht-pattern, depending on your interests.

See the nice people at ComputerGear.com

Apparently brown goes with everything. As an added bonus, shit looks nicer with brown.

A pair of lace-up oxfords in brown and black, as well as pair of loafers in brown and black, will work. Make sure to match the belt to the shoes.

Its nice to know that uncomfortable shoes are the key.

Pireneo Exotic Moccasin ($2300)

At a firm like Goldman, Ferragamo shoes are a sign of “arriving,” so don’t pick up a pair until you’re at least a managing director, a source told Business Insider.

An anonymous source for dress code in Goldman Sachs?

Peon place if you will

You may be tempted to dress casually on Fridays when you see some of the senior executives stroll in wearing polo shirts and khakis. Don’t do it, said an associate at a hedge fund: “They are making a magnitude more than you are, and are headed to their summer home after work Friday where such attire is appropriate. You are going back to Murray Hill“.

Now this is important. Be sure to get your little hovel in Murray Hill, not Curry Hill. While Curry Hill is a little closer to work, Curry Hill residents have that odor of curry to their clothes which as we know, is a definite no-no.

The so-called “gunners,” or competitive, overly-ambitious coworkers, may try to pull it off, but it makes them look foolish, the associate said.

Because we all know that relaxed and comfortable is foolish.

Finally, choose your accessories wisely. A good watch is a status symbol, so

Associates

Vice Presidents

MDs

TAG Heuer 'Carrera' Automatic Tachymeter Watch ($4100). (Wait for the sale!)

EXTRA-FLAT Baloon bleu de Cartier WATCH, EXTRA-LARGE MODEL ($32,550)

Patek Star Caliber 2000G ($More than you can afford)

As a sidenote, what is with the high-watch websites with crappy last millennium web design fashion sense. Flash-sites yech!

“Wear a good-looking and professional watch, but nothing too nice or you risk having a nicer watch than your boss or client,” said a first-year hedge fund analyst. “You’d think this wouldn’t be an issue, but you would be amazed how many guys show up on the first day of their internship wearing a $5,0000 [sic] Cartier or Montblanc watch.”

For Women

Women will require the same basic suiting options: a skirt, jacket, pants and if you’re a lucky, a matching dress.

Burka with optional accessories ($2000)

Hmmm…. what are the vegas odds here? Or does this mean that most women will look like shit and only the lucky ones will be able to find something that actual matches and looks good?

When choosing a skirt, make sure it’s not too short — even brands that claim to be for professionals can offer skirts that just don’t provide enough coverage.

too much leg!

I suggest the always fashionable burka?

It may not be the most flattering look, but keep the skirt slightly above your knees to avoid any Hilton/Lohan/insert-starlet-here wardrobe malfunctions. Don’t think about rocking a red suit or dress until you’re at the MD level.

An important thing to keep in mind is caring for the suit. It sounds counterintuitive, but you should avoid dry cleaning, Ferguson said. He recommends dry cleaning only once or twice a year because too many chemicals will damage the material and wear the suit out faster. Instead, hang up the suit carefully so as to allow it to air out, which is really all it needs, Ferguson said.

When you do dry clean, make sure to send both pieces together so as to maintain the consistency of the color.

Just be sure to get your proper dose of PERC (Tetrachloroethylene) dry cleaning agent and stay away from the new “wet cleaning” methods coming from those hippies on the West Coast.

If you’re not sure whether to wear pantyhose, look at the women around you. Some ultra-conservative firms will implicitly require hose, so even if it’s a hot, sweaty summer day, you should stock up if the women who work there are wearing them.

Now this is important as well. Do not “sock” the other women. “stock up”. Some suggestions from 3wishes:

Heels sold separately!

Fishnet works best to bring some warmth to the holidays!

Shoes can lead to your downfall if you don’t pick them well. You’ll naturally want to avoid stilettos, but you should also invest in very comfortable heels.

Ok must be slightly less than 5 inches.

“You’re going to be literally running around the firm and through the streets,” said one analyst at a bulge-bracket bank. “You’re going to need to keep up with the men, and they don’t want you to complain. Get yourself a pair of heels you can stand in all day.”

To do that, you might consider some brands that partner with sneaker technology to result in shoes that are more comfortable than the average heel. Those could be a worthy investment, the analyst said (she purchased Cole Haan’s Nike air heel in six different colors).

David Yurman Cable-wrapped ($4300)

When choosing jewelry, you can’t go wrong with a pearl necklace. Diamonds are generally considered more fashionable, Cadmus said. Just as Ferragamo marks the arrival for men, so too does David Yurman jewelry for women, so don’t wear that ubiquitous ring until you can afford it.

List $1795 - yours for only $702!

You should also think carefully before choosing a handbag. Do not walk in with a Louis Vuitton or Birkin bag. Instead, stick to a nondescript, minimalist yet good-quality leather purse like a Furla.

Now listen up, that high-powered brain needs to spend significant time contemplating… handbags. World hunger, make room for world handbags!

For Everyone

Must be at least a MD before they come out of the closet!

The top yearly earners only should wear this, otherwise it looks "gunner"

The bottom line is to blend in with your surroundings and realize you’ll have a chance to purchase flashier items as you move up the ranks.

Bling, bling, bling.

“You have to know your place,” said a second-year associate at an investment bank. “You do not want to be ostentatious or call attention to yourself. Do not upstage your boss.”

Be sure that the prenup was never signed!

Because goodness knows, high school ain’t over until they say it is over!

So I ordered, A few days later…

For over a month now I have been paying for everything with coin! No bills, no credit cards. The only exceptions have been my transit card and online transactions, including the coin purchase. $100 dinner, all in coin! $180 drug prescription – all in coin! Babysitting? coin!

Instead of carrying a wallet I now carry a money bag! People have asked about the weight. A $1 coin weighs about 8g so a $1000 weighs about 17.6 pounds. $50 dollars weighs about a pound. This must be horrible! Actually, no:

1. I carry my laptop with me anyhow so an extra pound is not horrible.
2. It is easy to control spending, carrying the extra weight means I just take exactly what I am willing to spend and no more. Really easy to stay in budget when all you have is coin!

The reactions have been all over the place:

• “Are these quarters?”
• “Are they collectables?”
• “Are they gold?” ( Uncirculated $1 coins are shiny )
• “What? Fine.” (And then dumps them in the drop safe)
• “Are they real?”
• “Do I have to take them to the bank?”
• “I love them, you are taking Caltrain, right?” (Coffee house)
• “We don’t pass them out as change.” (Safeway)
• “Sounds like a good idea but don’t you have to spend time converting them to bills?” (Safeway manager – apparently the idea of using money as money is a new concept)
• “I am going to give them to my wife” (A waiter who bought up the $100 in $1 coins that we paid for dinner with)
• “My company gives them out as a sign of good luck during the New Years.”
• “I am going to give these to my kids in the Christmas stockings”

Clearly, the Mint has a ways to go in the educational department, if cashiers are uncertain if the $1 coin is even money!

This program is a great deal for consumers. This is a cash advance through the U.S. government! WTF? Yeap! Lets look at a “traditional” cash advance:

1. Go to bank
2. Present credit card
3. Ask for $1000 in cash.
4. Get $1000 in cash
5. Pay credit card bill of $1000 + super cash advance high rate of interest (25%).

Now a U.S. Mint cash advance:

1. Go to U.S. Mint website.
2. Enter Credit card information
3. Ask for $1000 in coin
4. Get $1000 in coin (5-7 days later)
5. Pay credit card bill of $1000 + low purchase interest rate ( 0% if you pay in full )
6. Get cash back from credit card company for “purchase”

This is also a great deal for the U.S. Government as well:

The intended purpose of the Circulating $1 Coin Direct Ship program is to make $1 coins readily available to the public, at no additional cost, so they can be easily introduced into circulation—particularly by using them for retail transactions, vending, and mass transit. Increased circulation of $1 coins saves the Nation money. The immediate bank deposit of $1 coins ordered through this program does not result in their introduction into circulation and, therefore, does not comply with the intended purpose of the program.

According to the Bureau of Printing and Engraving, $1 bills last only 42 months in circulation:

A $1 coin will last 25 years, 7 times longer than a $1 bill. This lifespan difference would mean that replacing the $1 bill with the $1 coin would save the U.S. government $500 million, however:

The Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) stated potential [ANNUAL] savings of up to $500 million in a report issued in September 2002, which was calculated on the premise that the U.S. government cease production of the paper dollar bill. However, the Native American $1 Coin Act of 1997 and the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005, which authorize both the Native American $1 Coin and the Presidential $1 Coin, do not call for the elimination of the paper dollar which is produced by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Consequently, dollar coins and dollar notes co-circulate in the marketplace.

(Update: ANNUAL was confirmed with a tweet from us mint)

Unfortunately, Safeway is not helping. My local Safeway is just sending the $1 coin back to the bank. This is my letter to them.

The US Mint is trying to increase the circulation of the $1 Coin through the $1 Coin Direct program. ( http://catalog.usmint.gov/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&identifier=8100 )

On this page, the U.S. Mint states:
“The intended purpose of the Circulating $1 Coin Direct Ship program is to make $1 coins readily available to the public, at no additional cost, so they can be easily introduced into circulation—particularly by using them for retail transactions, vending, and mass transit. Increased circulation of $1 coins saves the Nation money.” ($500 million according to https://answers.usmint.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/164 )

I have spent numerous $1 coins at my local Safeway and other retailers. However, I recently discovered that my local Safeway is taking the $1 Coin OUT OF CIRCULATION by continuously not using the $1 Coin for change. I urge Safeway to change this policy. I furthermore urge that the automatic change dispenser be altered so as to issue $1 coins in addition to the quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies.

Please help save our government money and use the $1 coin as currency!

One final note, do NOT help out the U.S. Mint by destroying $1 bills, it looks to be illegal (18 U.S.C. § 333 : US Code – Section 333: Mutilation of national bank obligations):

Whoever mutilates, cuts, defaces, disfigures, or perforates, or
unites or cements together, or does any other thing to any bank
bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt issued by any national
banking association, or Federal Reserve bank, or the Federal
Reserve System, with intent to render such bank bill, draft, note,
or other evidence of debt unfit to be reissued, shall be fined
under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

Mis-ism	Real meaning	where
sever instead of server
fist instead of first
“Mint just announced its $170 million acquisition by Inuit this week!”	Eskimos are savvy	@vatortv
“We have to go back to understanding the browser is a malicious environment. We lost site of that.”	Yes, browsers are used to visit sites but I didn’t expect them to lose sight of those sites!	HTML5 security article
Such suites should demand a complete discovery, something that wastes 1000′s of man-hours of the firm’s time	Perhaps a different hotel suite should be used? Oh you meant [law]suits!	copyright discussion
This checksum will be compared server-side to make sure that all post data sent to the API server made it there in tact	Tactful data is good, but maybe ping.fm was talking about intact data?	ping.fm dev documentation
How do I get users to ‘sing up’	maybe you would rather they sign up?	ping.fm dev group
Product Manger	Is this a position for managing the Three Wise Men? Or did the person mean they were a Product Manager?	Too many resumes
We are suing Cisco because they have the best routers.	Perhaps you should be using Cisco routers rather than suing?

I will add to this post as I come across new entries!

“Other potential benefits are also intriguing: a probable economic windfall for several cities along the route . . .”
and
“There will be as many as 24 passenger stations along the way . . .”

The train could more easily meet speed requirements if it stopped less. CA should do some land use planning first, then plan the train.

How would a station affect speed? Every train has to slow down to say “Hi”?

Stations have nothing to do with speed. Stations are INFRASTRUCTURE.

Station STOPS affect speed. Station STOPS are an OPERATIONAL decision and can be solved with a schedule change.

How come no one talks about having fewer freeway exits as a way to make freeways go faster? Because its stupid, drivers don’t get on and off at every freeway ramp. Yet somehow people think that a train has to behave like a stupid driver who takes every freeway exit! How come people think a train has to stop at every station?

News flash!

Trains can skip stations! If a train doesn’t stop a station the existence or (non-existence) of a station is irrelevant!

California High-Speed Rail Authority puts out this BULLSHIT as an excuse to avoid building a system that could actually serve dual purposes as both a long-distance system and a higher-speed adjunct to commuter rail.

“We can’t build more stations because that would slow down the train!”

This shinkansen train doesn’t look to be at all affected by the station:

Update 1:

Questions and astonishment from the email thread:

I’m not a train engineer, but I imagine money is spent on building a station with the expectation that some of the trains stop – because people live or work there.

I would hope so myself!

If there are stations for which trains stop infrequently, is that good planning?

Yes it is good planning. Stations can be built at relatively low cost. At the lowest end just a long enough siding, a asphalt boarding area, a parking lot and a place for taxis/buses. Even for HSR there is no reason a low frequency stop has to have even a building. Sure the HSR trains might require a high platform but that can be easily handled with a portable “step-up” carried on the train.

If I lived, or had a business near that station, I sure would want as many stops as possible.

well of course you would — and I want a pony. Wishes don’t mean you get.

Communities around those stations will use the existence of the station as marketing to attract development, but should it be happening at all 24 stops?

How is this a bad thing? Communities promoting passenger rail is bad?

Might there be some type of express/local arrangement, where a slower local (on a separate track) can feed the HSR? That doesn’t come through on the article.

You don’t need a separate track for anything except the station area. The station siding just needs to be long enough to allow for acceleration/deacceleration off of the main line. ( about 9 miles on the acceleration, less on the deacceleration ) Unless we are talking very impacted ROW the extra track is minor. The siding track is only necessary when the OPERATIONAL issues dictate that a train stopped at a station needs to be passed.

It probably doesn’t come through in the article because this is another operational issue that is decided after system is built. Running a train slower that system maximum because it is a “local” only matters when a higher speed express wants to pass. If there is nothing coming up behind it, a train can run at 40mph on the main high-speed line or it can stay stopped for 10 minutes blocking the main-line track.

How many stops do you think a typical train will make?

The system being proposed can run a train every 3 minutes / direction. 20 trains per hour going the direction you want as a passenger. If a passenger is going from one low traffic station to another they might have to transfer but at least they get service from a station close to their house. Why are we going to make them drive a long distance when the tracks are next to them. So what if only one train stops per day? This is just like Amtrak today!

Just make sure that the entire end-to-end trip time does not exceed a policy maximum.

How is it decided which stations to stop at?

By the people setting the schedule — same as today. Don’t get this question at all.

you’ve GOT to be kidding! Train Stations & Bus Stops have EVERYTHING to do with speed! Did you see: Muni floats plan to pull hundreds of S.F. stops

Really?
So the VTA 522 Rapid is slowed down by the existence of a bus stop on a curb? Did not notice that at all! Better go out and remove all those sign posts along El Camino Real for Route 22. That will definitely make the 522 go faster.

Update 2:

that bus is the transit agency’s version of BRT.
Not only have they eliminated stops (one mile length between most stop), it doesn’t even have a schedule after it leaves its origin at set time, meaning it doesn’t have to ‘wait’….

Amtrak buses doing something similar – on many runs, they will only stop if a passenger gets off, but not to pick up.

I think it important to recognize the differences between bus types – local, inter-city, BRT, and train types: commuter rail, heavy rail, LRT….speed is always an important factor – to some types more than others. Intercity trains are expected to go faster than commuter rail; commuter rail faster than heavy rail (though there can be express and local subway lines, of course), all both faster than LRT.

Can you imagine a ‘smoke break’ for HSR???

And ?

Once again — how is the *existence* of a bus stop going to affect a bus’s schedule if the bus doesn’t stop at the stop?

How is the existence of a train station going to affect a given train’s speed and schedule if the train doesn’t stop?

I am completely baffled.

I am completely astonished that the NYC subway routes are impacted by stations where the train doesn’t stop.

I really do not understand how the “6-express” subway runs slower because of the existence of the “Elder Ave” stop ( which the 6-Express skips ). Perhaps someone else can help explain this?

I have no idea what a “smoke stop” has to do with station planning. Maybe you can enlighten me?

Update 3 [ 15 June 2009 23:13:00 ]:

An intelligent question from twitter:

Is there a (federal) law requiring trains to slow below a certain speed in stations irrespective of stopping?

No Federal Law. A train can go through at whatever speed it wants to. Certainly, some sort of warning system may desirable. The only exception is “holdout” stations. Holdout stations are stations where passengers cross active tracks to board. California Ave USED in Palo Alto, Ca to be holdout station.

Mike Arrington over at TechCrunch gets a cheap laugh at a proposal to “ban black cars” by the California Air Resources Board.

Of course the vast majority of the comments piled on with silly comments about the “left coast” and “nutty environmentalists”, but apparently no one bothered to actually read the proposal or understand the problem.

Except that isn’t at all what the proposal actually is.

Briefly, dark colors absorb heat. And take a long time to radiate. Go down to LA in July some time. 95+ degrees. In stop and go traffic, without an airconditioner, the car will never cool off.

And if anybody bothered to actually read the presentation it says:

data indicates 20-25%
more likely achievable range for dark
colors for automobiles ( page 8 )

By 2016, all colors must meet the 20%
reflectivity requirement” (page 9)

And the benefits are:

Reduced interior temperatures can reduce a/c capacity and likelihood of a/c use
Smaller a/c or less operation results in less
fuel used ( page 4 )

So in other words, by 2016 the paints must meet a reflectivity standard that is *less* than what is possible for dark colors (except for jet black). If a Jet Black paint can meet the standards, the paint is o.k.

So ARB made sure to set an achievable goal that would not “ban” a color. But Mike needs his cheap shot and nothing was going to stand in his way.

“A singing doll that has a toilet” — apparently the doll gets inspiration from certain …ehem… daily activities. (6 Dec 2008)

Look dad, there is frosting on the grass!

Frosting the snowman….

- The kids … got to love them!

Do SUV buyers go to dealers and look for the car with the LEAST fuel efficiency?

Car salesperson: Hi, can I help you?

SUV buyer: Yes, I am looking for a vehicle that gets less than 11mpg. The Honda dealer across the street has a truck that gets 12mpg and I am looking for something that gets even lower mpg. Can you help me?

Car salesperson: Well of course! With this F-6705 we include a trailer hitch and matching trailer of concrete. We guarantee that that your mpg will be 4 mpg or lower!

SUV buyer: Dang! Where do I sign!

The reality is that if a consumer could buy a F150 that got 50mpg, they would buy it!

Since when is wasting money a optional “feature”?

Separate out the desire for big vehicles from the NON-desire to spend money on gas!

—– Original Message —-
From: “TEIKOKU OIL CO. LTD, JAPAN”
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2008 10:10:09 PM
Subject: PAYMENTS COLLECTION AGENT NEEDED

TEIKOKU OIL CO. LTD, JAPAN
31-10, Hatagaya1-chome,
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-8565,
Japan.

This is an Official mail from The Group President/CEO Officer of I here by
write to publicize this piece of certainty information reaching you in good
and expected period of good time. Member, Group Partner who specifically
deals on oil and steel and more also Imports and Exports, Suppliment of
Products into Canada,Mexico/America and Europe.

With Loyalty as a matter of fact dedicate an appropriate individual/
prospected representative that would rather work with me as Reliable to
establish mode of Draft receipt from company’s product consumers in the
mentioned region as well as making Payments through you to us.

Note that, as our agent, you will receive ten percent(10%) of whatever
amount you receive for the company and the balance will be paid into an
account we will avail to you. If you are interested, I would appreciate
you forwarding to us the informations below;

(1)Full Names: Walker Bush
(2)Full Residential Or Office Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave , Washington DC
(3)Zip/Postal Code: 20500
(4)Country: US
(5)Tele/cell numbers: 202-456-1111
(6)Occupation: Oil businessman
(7)Sex: M
(8)Age: 60

You are to send these informations to us via this email address;
job_inquiring@teikokuoil.net

Respectfully,
Mr Masatoshi Sugioka
Chairman (C.E.O).

I figure he will need a new job and since scamming is right up George’s alley — it should be a natural fit.

So a canvasser goes to a woman’s door in Washington, Pennsylvania. Knocks. Woman answers. Knocker asks who she’s planning to vote for. She isn’t sure, has to ask her husband who she’s voting for. Husband is off in another room watching some game. Canvasser hears him yell back, “We’re votin’ for the n***er!”

Woman turns back to canvasser, and says brightly and matter of factly: “We’re voting for the n***er.”

In this economy, racism is officially a luxury. How is John McCain going to win if he can’t win those voters?