The Off Topic Topic

[Ed Anger]

(USA Today) -- For years, Labor Day wasn't just a day off from work. It meant it was time to watch the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon.

It was time to watch Jerry Lewis in action.

Now, it's truly the end of an era. The MDA announced today it is ending the tradition. No more telethon.

In a note on its MDA website, the group said "the new realities of television viewing and philanthropic giving" make it the right time to pull the plug. There will be no broadcast this year.

[Admiral Yi]

Boner is to the telethon as Speesh is to the Pro Bowl.

[Ed Anger]

Boner is to the telethon as Speesh is to the Pro Bowl.

the Service Merchandise catalog arrived right before labor day and I'd compile my Christmas list while the telethon played in the background.

[Sheilbh]

Only six months after P.D. James, Ruth Rendell has died
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/may/02/ruth-rendell-and-pd-james-giants-of-detective-fiction

[Josquius]

I frequently see the following spam message these days:

"Hello if you need financing for your home, for your company, for the purchase of cars, buy the bike, to create your own business, for your personal needs, certainly. You can contact this lady aline sanchez, his E-mail address: [email protected]. It gives loans to serious persons ranging from 2 000 to 100 000 000 dollars with a nominal 2% interest rate, regardless of the amount, she is a business woman she my help with a loan of 30,000,000. Two of my cousins have also benefit from this loan, please. Contact for that it also helps you to get your loan here is his email address: [email protected]"

With a random change the name and address.
I wonder what the scam is there

[Liep]

I frequently see the following spam message these days:

"Hello if you need financing for your home, for your company, for the purchase of cars, buy the bike, to create your own business, for your personal needs, certainly. You can contact this lady aline sanchez, his E-mail address: [email protected]. It gives loans to serious persons ranging from 2 000 to 100 000 000 dollars with a nominal 2% interest rate, regardless of the amount, she is a business woman she my help with a loan of 30,000,000. Two of my cousins have also benefit from this loan, please. Contact for that it also helps you to get your loan here is his email address: [email protected]"

With a random change the name and address.
I wonder what the scam is there

Possibly they make you give them your credit card information so that they "can transfer the loan".

[Admiral Yi]

Or a small up front finder's fee.

[Zanza]

German train drivers will strike for six days starting on Tuesday. I wonder if this is the time to replace them all with computers. If we can make cars drive by themselves, that should be even simpler with trains.

[Syt]

What's their excuse this time? And is it again the small union?

[Admiral Yi]

Maybe they're pissed off barbers are making so much fucking money now.

[Zanza]

What's their excuse this time? And is it again the small union?

Yes, it's the small union again, but the big union also considers to strike for other reasons.
The small union wants 5% more cash, 1 hour less work. The company only offer 4.7% and 1000 Euro one-time.
Apparently the main issue now is whether the guys driving switch engines should get the same wage groups as the normal train drivers or not.

[Zanza]

Maybe they're pissed off barbers are making so much fucking money now.

Train drivers apparently make between 2500 and 3400 Euro gross a month plus "several hundred" depending on various factors. Not paid well, but also not terrible. Most likely better than most barbers. And considerably more than subway or bus drivers. 

[The Larch]

Not well paid? How much is well paid for you?

[Grey Fox]

75k Euro.

[Ideologue]

That's bank, even sliced by those European taxes that don't even manage to fund credible militaries.

Of course, Zanza's simply stealth bragging with that little aside.