ABC News:
The owner of a small German computer company has fired three non-smoking workers because they were threatening to disturb the peace after they requested a smoke-free environment.
The manager of the 10-person IT company in Buesum, named Thomas J., told the Hamburger Morgenpost newspaper he had fired the trio because their non-smoking was causing disruptions.
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There is always risk in being a "troublemaker".
I just need an address and phone number and I'm applying!
A good friend of mine has never smoked a day in her life. She is constantly taking time off because she's about 100 pounds overweight and has back, neck, hip, foot, ankle and knee problems. She has respiratory problems, too, probably from carrying around more weight than her lungs were designed to handle. Her obese husband has diabetes and a heart problem. He never smoked, either. I seldom talk to her without her mentioning doctors appointments, therapy, or prescription medicines. And yet I see a strong movement not to demand that Americans lose weight, but instead to accept fatness as a normal way of life and a God-given protected right.
My older brother puffed through 3 packs a day but worked at his last job 7 days a week for 19 years with no sick days taken until he became ill and died 2 months after his 65th birthday. He not only didn't cost insurance companies extra over the years, he died without ever receiving a single Social Security check.
I'm not surprised that 3 non-smokers would demand that everyone else accommodate them, my only shock would be if I discovered they weren't the most recent three hires.
Several years ago the federal courts ruled that if smoking was allowed in any building , eating places, or other public places there must be a non smoking area. So why can't no smoking places obey the law and provide smoking areas.?
"There's nothing so pure as a reformed whore", as the poet Robert Burns put it. Self righteous SOBs! Another thing, the Czechoslovakian government contracted the international accounting and consulting firm KPMG a number of years ago, to do a study on the effects of smoking on health care costs in that country. They wanted to show that smoking contributed significantly to health care costs and use that information to support changes in smoking laws. The study however proved conclusively that smokers required less health care over their lives because they died earlier. And for this same reason smokers were the recipients of other social benefits such as pensions.government assistance etc. for a shorter period of time than non-smokers. In other words it would cost the government more if the number of smokers were reduced. Needless to say the Czech government was quite upset and rejected the study. I used to carry the piece from the newspaper in my wallet, and shove it the face of non-smokers who were preaching, to remind them about the additional costs that come with a perfect world. That would be just before I told them in no uncertain terms to @x#^&*%@.
what would i do without my nanny gov't to save me from the rational crowd? i would have to think rationally. my head hurts.
Well it's his business and his right. The headline almost gave the impression they were fired for refusing to smoke. BUT nonetheless, if you own a business and that's how you want to run it; then good for him.
This made my day. I couldn't work for this guy cuz I quit three years ago. After a lifetime of being hassled by non-smokers. The self righteous bastards still piss me off.
horaah! nonsmoking zealots are like jesus crispies. do as i say. until they start regulating butter and cell phones they can all shut the fuck up.
YEAH SOME ONE WHO ACTUALLY GETS IT.
I smoke and have worked with many non smokers - I am always curtiosy regarding my smoking- 'Do you mind' other wise I go freez my ass of outside.
But here is something I have noticed.
Smokes actually take off less time for frivolous reason (we're always coughing anyway)
We are better at time management - so we have a minute to catch a smoke.Best Food servers are Smokers (multi task to save time)
I had a boss say to me "you don't look good with that cigarette hanging out of your mouth'- I responded- both my hands are working for your right now'I was on the computer working away (I worked in a warehouse adn was allowed to smoke at my desk- since I had no co- worker around me). I had non smoking co workers who called off because they sprained their eyelash!
Productivity is key to business, regardless of smoking (or non smoking ) habits. As for the Health insurance costs- one the don't over ride my rights and freedoms: two- many non smokers have chronic health problems too - ones they use to get out of working, and Three- stop worrying we'll be long dead before those healthy Alheimers Patients you'll have to cover for possibly decades. Honestly smokers hare helping out the insurance co in the long run. I'm choosing heart & lung diease, cancer over alzheimrs, parkinsons etc. Hoping for one good heart attack or one quick cancer (both run in my family- along w/ alzheimers. I'm hedging my bet)
I'd like to know how it is that they can build a building that can accomodate a roaring fireplace yet not kill off the inhabitants with the smoke from that, yet can't figure out how
to sufficiently ventilate a building so that someone can smoke a cigarette indoors without someone siccing an attorney on em.
Health nazis on the march...achTUNG, baby...
speaking of, didn't Hitler have this thing about
smoking, too? WHAT a bunch of a-holes. I think the manager was right. I think if you smoke, you
should seek to practice a certain amount of courtesy among people that choose not to smoke,
and vice versa. If you walk into a bar and everyone else is smoking, and you're not, and you go on this Carrie Nation trip, you're not right, in my view. Conversely, if no one else is
puffin', and you blaze up, same deal. I've
never worked in an office where they let you smoke at your desk, maybe they're hiring? LOL
What's the pay like?
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First Posted: 01-12-08 05:19 PM | Updated: 03-28-08 02:45 AM