Today I Learnt...

Nah, they just funnel their money through not-for-profit companies who have a special legal status about paying taxes.

No charity involved.
 
Yesterday, I learned that it's possible to spend more time on the train from Frankfurt airport to Cologne than you spend on the plane from Dubai to Frankfurt. Train before mine took out a suicidal person, a few hours of "We don't know when the police will be done and the railway line re-opened." ensued and then the train driver ran out of legal working hours.
 
... and then the train driver ran out of legal working hours.

That is something I had a discussion about with my dad the other day. It's so very German that the laws in this regard are simply not made for anything out of the ordinary happening ever. Sure, it's all for the protection of the workers, but how would it kill the train driver in this example to exceed the legal working hours just this once (or "up to 3 times a year" or something)...
This goes so far that for a place my dad does consulting at, they actually require their personnel if they ever find themselves in a traffic jam for work and thus exceed their maximum working hours, they have to stop at the next possible hotel/whatever and check in there for at least 11 hours before being allowed to go any further. Theoretically even if their actual destination is like 30 minutes away... (they'll probably break the rules in that particular case, but still, pretty idiotic imo).
 
That is something I had a discussion about with my dad the other day. It's so very German that the laws in this regard are simply not made for anything out of the ordinary happening ever. Sure, it's all for the protection of the workers, but how would it kill the train driver in this example to exceed the legal working hours just this once (or "up to 3 times a year" or something)...
This goes so far that for a place my dad does consulting at, they actually require their personnel if they ever find themselves in a traffic jam for work and thus exceed their maximum working hours, they have to stop at the next possible hotel/whatever and check in there for at least 11 hours before being allowed to go any further. Theoretically even if their actual destination is like 30 minutes away... (they'll probably break the rules in that particular case, but still, pretty idiotic imo).

truck drivers have the same limitations...
a while ago a driver got home, on the limit of his working hours, and had to wait for x hours before being allowed to drive again
but that evening a storm started brewing, and he got in his cab to drive the truck inside a garage

in first instance he was fined for that, didn't wait long enough before getting back behind the wheel
but iiirc the sanctioning officer got overruled...good!
 
That is something I had a discussion about with my dad the other day. It's so very German that the laws in this regard are simply not made for anything out of the ordinary happening ever. Sure, it's all for the protection of the workers, but how would it kill the train driver in this example to exceed the legal working hours just this once (or "up to 3 times a year" or something)...
When operating heavy machninery and/or piloting a mass transport vehicle, it's not so much about the protetion of the workers as it is about the protection of the general public, so tired workers don't make mistakes that may kill people. I'd be with you in most cases, but in this case, the regulations make a lot of sense.
 
When operating heavy machninery and/or piloting a mass transport vehicle, it's not so much about the protetion of the workers as it is about the protection of the general public, so tired workers don't make mistakes that may kill people. I'd be with you in most cases, but in this case, the regulations make a lot of sense.

Huh, somehow did not think of that at all. You're right of course...
Now then let's get mad at the Bahn for not managing to exchange the driver right on time and causing more of a delay :p
 
When operating heavy machninery and/or piloting a mass transport vehicle, it's not so much about the protetion of the workers as it is about the protection of the general public, so tired workers don't make mistakes that may kill people. I'd be with you in most cases, but in this case, the regulations make a lot of sense.
That. :yes: We were to be re-routed via the old tracks along the Rhine, which means another 2+ hours of driving the train after leaving Frankfurt airport.

Huh, somehow did not think of that at all. You're right of course...
Now then let's get mad at the Bahn for not managing to exchange the driver right on time and causing more of a delay :p
Sort of. They had their work cut out with the complete closure of the high-speed line and the various storms yesterday. It was annoying, but understandable, that many of the drivers (as well as trains) were not where they were supposed to be. Annoying, too, that I got stuck right in the middle of it this time.

On the upside, apparently nobody flipped out at the staff on the train and twice, the lead conductor thanked everyone for making his job that little bit easier.
 
this surprises you?
most doors are like that as well...
 
Exactly, the moment you lift one of those IKEA things up or tap on it or something, you know it's made of cardboard :dunno: It is rather obvious, but it doesn't mean much. You wouldn't sit on the damn thing anyway, right? So it might just as well be made of cardboard :p
 
as long as the legs are bolted on firmly
that cardbord table probably can stand sex better than a full oak table
 
No they fucking can't.

Lost a perfectly good ikea coffee table that way....
 
Go on......
 
Just ask for the video if you want a visual that will haunt you for years. :D
 
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