Bank Intern Dies After Working 72 Hours Straight

The death of an intern working at the London offices of Bank of America Merrill Lynch (August 2013) has prompted calls for city firms to take more responsibility for the ambitious graduates who push themselves to the limit to secure jobs at the world’s top banks.

Attracted to the glamour world of finance in London, New York, Hong Kong  and Singapore by the prospect of securing a full-time job and hefty wage, they often face 20-hour days in some of the most adrenaline-soaked offices on earth. But serious concerns about interns working long hours and even through the night were raised on this Ausgust after the death of Moritz Erhardt, 21, who was found dead late last week at his London accommodation towards the end of a seven-week internship.

The German intern allegedly worked for 72 hours without sleep in the Bank of America’s investment banking division. The cause of his death was unknown pending post-mortem tests.

Some criticis condemned the culture at investment banks  : Calling it  “slavery in the city” this exploitation of youth is unacceptable.  But interns doubted it would possible to change the culture, saying they were never explicitly told to work such long hours but imposed this on themselves in their desperation for a job. “People push themselves because they want an offer with the bank and the chance of a great career and great money,” said one former intern from a major U.S. bank who secured a job after the summer. “This is a golden path.”

So friends are we still aiming for these bank jobs ??? Worth it?

Chinese student vandalises 3,500-year-old Egyptian relic !!

The Chinese tourist/ student who defaced a 3,500-year-old Luxor temple relic unapologetically posted, "What's the big deal about writing just a few words?"

He had scratched the Chinese words, 'Ding Jinhao was here' and the vandalism was uncovered by a Weibo microblog user who visited the Egyptian temple on May 6 and posted it online.  Netizens hunted down the perpetrator, 15-year-old Ding Jinhao, a middle school student in Nanjing. They also hacked his school's website to shame him.

According to a report, they also hacked his school's website, forcing users to click on a sign parodying Ding's graffiti on the ancient sandstone relic on the banks of the Nile River, before entering.

"We want to apologise to the Egyptian people and to people who have paid attention to this case across China," Ding's mother said in Modern Express, a China newspaper.  They also said their son had "cried all night" after learning of the cyber attacks, which prompted them to issue the apology. However, what their son has posted online does not seem apologetic.

Mr Wang Yang, one of China's four vice premiers, condemned behaviours "talking loudly in public places, jay-walking, spitting and wilfully carving characters on items in scenic zones". He also lamented that  some Chinese tourists overseas are harming the country's image.

Thank God the damage to the temple has since been successfully removed by curators. What you guys think, do you vandalize too when you are abroad ?

Have you been confessing online?

This is the favourite pastime of  many  university students now!!! Many are going to  certain Facebook pages to anonymously reveal  EVERYTHING…. !!!!! NUS, NTU & SMU all have their own sites now!!!

Anonymity  is the issue here,  it gives all the courage to bare their inner most secrets & obsessions , vent out their anger or declare their love…. You have to read some of these, it’s really quite interesting!!!

The flip side is, some of these entries are a tag too much, some could be fabricated as well. It’s the page  administrators job to filter with some discretion I guess. It’s not easy- They probably need to establish some sort of guidelines. Still everyone should engage  it with discretion.

Young person’s Mental Health Problems

What Are The Warning Signs

The teen years can be tough for both parent and child. Adolescents are under stress to be liked, do well in school, get along with their family and make important life decisions. Most of these pressures are unavoidable and worrying about them is natural. Most of us have periods where we are feeling extremely sad, hopeless or worthless-  these could be warning signs of a mental health problem.

Mental health problems are real, painful and can be severe. They can lead to school failure, loss of friends, or family conflict. Some of the signs that may point to a possible problem are listed below. If you are a Parent or other caregiver of a teenager, pay attention if your teen:

Is troubled by feeling:  very angry most of the time, cries a lot or overreacts to things; feel  worthless or guilty a lot;  anxious or worried a lot more than other young people; grief for a long time after a loss or death;  extremely fearful-has unexplained fears or more fears than most kids;  constantly concerned about physical problems or appearance;   frightened that his or her mind is controlled or is out of control.

Experiences big changes, for example:  does much worse in school;  loses interest in things usually enjoyed;  has unexplained changes in sleeping or eating habits;  avoids friends or family and wants to be alone all the time;  daydreams too much and can't get things done;  feels life is too hard to handle or talks about suicide; hears voices that cannot be explained.

Is limited by: poor concentration; can't make decisions;  inability to sit still or focus attention; worry about being harmed, hurting others, or about doing something "bad";  the need to wash, clean things, or perform certain routines dozens of times a day; thoughts that race almost too fast to follow;  persistent nightmares.

Behaves in ways that cause problems, for-example:  uses alcohol or other drugs;  eats large amounts of food and then forces vomiting, abuses laxatives, or takes enemas to avoid weight-'gain; continues to diet or exercise obsessively although bone-thin;  often hurts other people, destroys property, or breaks the law;  does things that can be life threatening.

To find help, discuss  concerns with your  teacher, school counselor or others such as a family doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker or religious counselor .

Do you know of anyone who has commited,or even Prevented Suicide ???

Suicide is a serious problem among young people now especially students. It's so sad if it's someone you know! These day a far greater number of youths attempt suicide each year.

Suicide attempts are not easy to count because many may not be treated in a hospital or may not be recorded as self-inflicted injuries.  Survey data from 2005 (States) show that 17 percent of high school students had seriously thought about suicide, 13 percent had made plans to attempt suicide, and more than 8 percent had made a suicide attempt during the year before the survey.

Risk Factors

Most youths who attempt suicide are experiencing a psychological problem such as depression or bipolar disorder, a substance abuse problem, or both. A teen's experiences and history also can increase the chance that he will attempt suicide. For instance, he has a greater risk of attempting suicide if his family has a history of suicide, if he has previously harmed himself or attempted suicide, or if he has run away. A young person also may attempt suicide in response to an extremely stressful event, loss, or conflict with another person & in local contacts pressure from school.

Warning Signs:

•Feels overwhelmingly hopeless, guilty, or ashamed.

•Shows little interest in favorite activities or the future.

•Becomes suddenly cheerful after a period of depression (perhaps feeling that she's found a "solution" to her problems).

A suicide of a schoolmate, friend, or even a celebrity receiving media coverage can encourage suicidal impulses in your child. Suicides sometimes occur in clusters, in which one suicide influences other people already at risk for suicide.

To all my friends if you are depressed over something, please go talk to someone. If you dont want to, Start a blog & vent it all out  , you'll feel better after- I can assure you! God Bless!!!!

Forget planking and milking, we have porting now!

Undergraduates at Durham University in north west England upped the ante with their near neighbours in Newcastle, after a recent video showing students pouring milk over their heads received more than 500,000 views on You Tube.

Dubbed 'porting', the students are filmed walking into a supermarket, past the fridges containing milk to the alcohol section, where they pick up bottles of the fortified wine before emptying the contents over their heads outside.

Students are filmed 'porting' while standing in the snow on a level crossing, riding a bicycle, fishing in a river and standing on the steps of Subway, eating a sandwich.

The spokesman for 'Porting Durham' was reported saying :  It’s all about “one-upmanship” Durham’s online student tabloid, The Tab, apparently described it as a "cracking effort from Durham’s finest".Durham students also said (non-pompously, of course):  "We figure if you’re going to do something you might as well do it properly. "Don’t cry over spilt milk Newcastle – do it the Durham way #portingDurham".

To maximise the effect of pouring red wine over their heads, the students wear smart dress white shirts. The spokesman added: “We commend Newcastle in their valiant effort and inspiring us to go one further. "We were approached by a high street washing powder brand, and it all fell into place. What better thing to do than pour fortified wine over crisp white shirts?”

Will this new fad take off?