Silly/Odd News Stories from around the World

[SaintessHeart]

It’s Not Greek ATMs Running Out of Cash. It’s Germany’s

European travelers have contended for weeks with the possibility that Greece’s dwindling finances might lead to empty ATMs. They should have concerned themselves instead with Germany.

While cash machines in Athens are still operating without any trouble, striking couriers in Berlin this week stopped filling ATMs, leading to a crunch for those trying to make withdrawals. And the open-ended labor dispute with a local security company means there’s no end in sight.

“That all depends on how the company reacts,” said Andreas Splanemann, a spokesman for the Ver.di union representing the security personnel. “There are now a lot of cash machines that are empty.”

Berlin’s strike is the latest in a series of walkouts that have riled a nation more accustomed to mocking the labor strife which has so often beset neighboring France. A strike by train drivers that began Tuesday is paralyzing travel and clogging highways throughout Germany. That action follows a March walkout by pilots at Deutsche Lufthansa AG that led to flight cancellations for 220,000 people.

“It’s really annoying, especially if you’re pressed for time,” Batgerel Militz, a Berlin student, said as she unsuccessfully tried to withdraw cash at two banks. She finally got lucky at the third -- just in time to catch her delayed train. “Probably because of the train strike,” she said with a laugh.

Joking aside, Germany is seeking to curb the influence of smaller unions by drafting a law that would limit companies’ labor representation to one union per group of employees. The measure is currently winding its way through the Bundestag, the country’s lower house of parliament.
Travel Crippled

In the case of the passenger train strike, which is set to run through May 10, the walkout was called by the GDL union, which represents 19,000 train drivers, switch-yard engineers and conductors. The GDL is far smaller than the larger EVG, which has about 213,000 members staffing Germany’s rail network. The Lufthansa strike crippled travel because it was called by pilots.

“They can strike more readily if they do so with solely their own goals in mind,” said Stefan Heinz, an academic specializing in labor politics at Berlin’s Free University. “They can get more out of it for their group.”

While Germans still strike less than the French, those who’ve walked out recently in Germany often hold posts that have a wider ripple effect across society.
Lost Work

Between 2005 and 2013, Germany lost an average of just 16 work days annually per 1,000 employees due to labor action, according to the Hans Boeckler Foundation, the Confederation of German Trade Unions’ research arm. That compares with 139 days in France and 135 in Denmark. The 150,000 total work days that Germany lost in 2013, the most recent year for which data is available, was the highest in six years.

State-owned Deutsche Bahn AG said just one-third of long-distance trains were operating Tuesday due to the walkout. The rail strike, which is also crippling freight traffic and is set to be the longest in German history, may cost Europe’s largest economy about 500 million euros ($554 million) according to the DIHK industry association.

“Given the short time-to-market and rail’s major importance in transporting goods, the strike will reduce growth in the second quarter,” Joerg Zeuner, chief economist at German development bank KfW, said in a statement.
Stranded

With unemployment at a record low since reunification, the strikes aren’t about protecting jobs as such. Deutsche Bahn is wrestling with the union over pay, working hours and which employees the union may represent.

Traude Fluder, a Hamburg resident heading to Leipzig with six girlfriends, found herself caught in the crossfire -- stranded in Berlin after checking the railway’s emergency schedule Monday night and calling her travel agent to make sure her train would be operating. By Tuesday morning, things had changed.

“They told us it would be running and now we’re stuck in Berlin,” Fluder said near Deutsche Bahn’s information center at the German capital’s main station, where long lines had formed. “We are very disappointed.”

Hopefully, she didn’t need to withdraw cash. The walkout of 150 of Prosegur SA’s 350 security couriers in the Berlin area has meant that ATMs across the capital are running on empty.

“Prosegur is working with absolute high intensity on individual emergency plans,” the company said in a statement. “We still can’t rule out that cash machines in the region Berlin - Potsdam - Frankfurt Oder remain unfilled.”

CUT THEIR BEER SUBSIDIES. Bloody couriers, this isn't Greece!

[Xellos-_^]

Hopefully, she didn’t need to withdraw cash. The walkout of 150 of Prosegur SA’s 350 security couriers in the Berlin area has meant that ATMs across the capital are running on empty.

get the management people out of their offices and start delivering. And if i manage those banks i would start switching to a different company.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

get the management people out of their offices and start delivering. And if i manage those banks i would start switching to a different company.

Different contractors you mean.

Bomba called in to remove metal ring from man's scrotum

KUALA LUMPUR: Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) had more than their hands full after a man turned up at their emergency ward with a metal ring stuck around his scrotum.

Doctors had to call in the Fire and Rescue Department to assist them in removing the ring from the man's private parts.

KL Fire and Rescue Department operations director Azizan Ismail said officers received a call from HKL, requesting assistance to remove a ring stuck to a man's scrotum at about 3.45pm.

Officers arrived at about 4.20pm to give assistance and had to resort to industrial tools like pliers, and even a tongue depressor to hold his manhood in place as the delicate but awkard removal process proceeded.

"We tried to talk to him during the procedure but he was too embarrassed to speak. In my 29 years as a fireman, I've never seen such a situation before," said the officer who aided the operation.

The man was seen grimacing on the hospital bed as officers cut through the metal ring.

Officers successfully removed the ring at about 5pm.

[ganbaru]

Texas Governor Deploys State Guard To Stave Off Obama Takeover
http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolit...obama-takeover

Another former Republican politician was a bit more pointed.

"Your letter pandering to idiots ... has left me livid," former state Rep. Todd Smith wrote Abbott. "I am horrified that I have to choose between the possibility that my Governor actually believes this stuff and the possibility that my Governor doesn't have the backbone to stand up to those who do."

Look like Texas lastly elected governor might be even dumber than G.W.B. or Rick Perry.

[OH&S]

ebola-turns-patients-blue-eye-green

I never once thought all those anime with infected people having the colours of their eye change were steeped in realism.

[erneiz_hyde]

Originally Posted by OH&S

ebola-turns-patients-blue-eye-green

I never once thought all those anime with infected people having the colours of their eye change were steeped in realism.

ALZ-113!?

[JokerD]

Eurostar passenger's artillery shell prompts evacuation

Whoever can think that bringing a artillery shell into a passenger train would be OK.
At least it's defused...

[SaintessHeart]

Woman fired for uninstalling app on company phone that tracked her 24 hrs a day

A California woman has sued her former employer, which fired her shortly after she disabled a GPS tracking feature on her company iPhone. The app was used to monitor employees even on their personal time, the lawsuit alleged.

Myrna Arias has claimed that her boss, John Stubits, at money transfer service Intermex in Bakersfield boasted about monitoring employees' locations while they were not on the job, according to the lawsuit filed in Kern County Superior Court.

Arias, a sales executive for the company, said she was "scolded" and subsequently fired -- even though she "met all quotas during her time with Intermex -- after she uninstalled Xora, a mandatory job-management app that was applied to company phones.

"After researching the app and speaking with a trainer from Xora, Plaintiff and her co-workers asked whether Intermex would be monitoring their movements while off duty," the suit says.

"Stubits admitted that employees would be monitored while off duty and bragged that he knew how fast she was driving at specific moments ever since she installed the app on her phone. Plaintiff expressed that she had no problem with the app's GPS function during work hours, but she objected to the monitoring of her location during non-work hours and complained to Stubits that this was an invasion of her privacy. She likened the app to a prisoner's ankle bracelet and informed Stubits that his actions were illegal. Stubits replied that she should tolerate the illegal intrusion…."

The suit alleged invasion of privacy, retaliation, and unfair business practices, among other accusations.

"This intrusion would be highly offensive to a reasonable person," the lawsuit claimed.

Arias' attorney told Ars Technica that the mandatory app was intrusive in its constant monitoring.

"The app had a 'clock in/out' feature which did not stop GPS monitoring, that function remained on," Gail Glick said.

"This is the problem about which Ms. Arias complained. Management never made mention of mileage. They would tell her co-workers and her of their driving speed, roads taken, and time spent at customer locations. Her manager made it clear that he was using the program to continuously monitor her, during company as well as personal time."

Arias is seeking damages in excess of $500,000. Intermex did not immediately respond to Ars Technica for comment.

[Mr Hat and Clogs]

^ lol, thats shady as hell.

I don't get why you'd get 'damages' for shit like that though, that has never made sense to me. The guy should be charged and fined/jailed (since it sounds like a criminal act - stalking?), paying off the lady shouldn't factor into it (which would be a civil thing?).

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Mr Hat and Clogs

^ lol, thats shady as hell.

I don't get why you'd get 'damages' for shit like that though, that has never made sense to me. The guy should be charged and fined/jailed (since it sounds like a criminal act - stalking?), paying off the lady shouldn't factor into it (which would be a civil thing?).

Shoukd be claimabke as working hours. And also, the tracking for personal entertainment and sharing of private information about how fast she is driving IS illegal.

[sneaker]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

It’s Not Greek ATMs Running Out of Cash. It’s Germany’s
[...]
CUT THEIR BEER SUBSIDIES. Bloody couriers, this isn't Greece!

The bit about France is so true it hurts.

And gone are the good old days before privatization when the train drivers weren't allowed to strike at all. Now only some of them keep up the work and lots of trains are canceled. Can't wait till they are replaced by robots.

[ganbaru]

Washington state couple hit by patrol car fined $112 each
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0NP20V20150504

[RRW]

CASSELBERRY, Fla. — There is another text messaging scandal inside the Casselberry Police Department.

After the former chief resigned following a Channel 9 investigation, Karla Ray has learned that an officer is accused of sending a text with a racial slur to his supervisor.

The text message, reportedly also sent to three other officers, had a version of the N-word that ends in "a."

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/...ssage-s/nmF42/

[SaintessHeart]

Sweden's New Defense Strategy Against Russian Submarines Is A Gay Dancing Sailor

Oh my. Fck no please.

Can the Russians please nuke Sweden off the map please.

[risingstar3110]

Originally Posted by RRW

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/...ssage-s/nmF42/

What's a non-story....

Focus on an offensive word in a joke using a meme that was taken out of context. If it was a meme picture of Fuko with the word "F*k me..." on it, won't be surprised if it will be called as "promoting pedophilia"

[Irenicus]

Wait, this wasn't the Onion?

Aw shit nigga.

Murder a "nigga," get paid leave and promotion. Say aw shit nigga, get reprimand. K.

[Mr Hat and Clogs]

PC overreaction at its finest I guess.

[AnimeFan188]

Nigerian Restaurant Shut Down for Serving Human Flesh:

"A hotel restaurant in Anambra, Nigeria has been shuttered by authorities for
serving human flesh. According to the BBC, suspicious residents told police of rumors
that the restaurant was cooking human meat for customers. Police then raided the
restaurant, where they discovered fresh human heads that were still bleeding. The
blood was in the process of being drained into a plastic bag.

In addition to the illegal meat, authorities discovered automatic weapons, grenades,
and cell phones. Ten people were arrested in conjunction with the crimes."

See:

http://www.eater.com/2015/5/15/86134...ng-human-flesh

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by AnimeFan188

Nigerian Restaurant Shut Down for Serving Human Flesh:

"A hotel restaurant in Anambra, Nigeria has been shuttered by authorities for
serving human flesh. According to the BBC, suspicious residents told police of rumors
that the restaurant was cooking human meat for customers. Police then raided the
restaurant, where they discovered fresh human heads that were still bleeding. The
blood was in the process of being drained into a plastic bag.

In addition to the illegal meat, authorities discovered automatic weapons, grenades,
and cell phones. Ten people were arrested in conjunction with the crimes."

See:

http://www.eater.com/2015/5/15/86134...ng-human-flesh

taste like chicken Pork

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

taste like chicken Pork

Sweeney Todd's meatpies?