PeleBRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA


Posted:
When I find the article online, I will link to it but for now I wanted to share something that I read in a paper...

A German Hotel, and I won't even attempt to spell it from memory, is going to charge customers by the pound...not the currency, the weight.

Essentially the hotel is charging about 70cents/pound for each person. A person weighing about 100 pounds will then be charged $70/night while a customer weighing 200 pounds will be charged $140/night.

Their validation is that skinny people live longer and will be able to return more so this is a "reward".

I feel it is a fantastically flawed system.
A person can be very thin and be ill, be a smoker, a drinker, eat fast foods, etc and not be healthy at all.

What of height and body differences? I know that my friend who is 6'7" and is slender weighs over 200 because he is so tall.
What about body builders/weight lifters who tend to weigh more due to muscle density but (when not using steriods) tend to be fairly healthy people.

What do you think about it?
How long do ya think it'll last?
Anyone ganna go?

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK


MedusaSILVER Member
veteran
1,433 posts
Location: 8 days at Cloudbreak, 6 in Perth, Australia


Posted:
That's hilarious.

I totally agree this is the most ludicrous thing. I am thin but as you said Pele (some thin people are extremely unhealthy) I am one of the most unhealthiest people I know. And one of my friends is the healthiest person I know, eats good things, doesn't smoke, doesn't drink or do drugs and is fit as an ox, she will definitely outlive me, but yet she is a larger person.

Can they not be sued for being prejudice?

colemanSILVER Member
big and good and broken
7,330 posts
Location: lunn dunn, yoo kay, United Kingdom


Posted:
surely if its germany, they'll be charging by the kilo...? wink



it is hard to argue against the fact more and more people are overweight and that overweight and obesity are the biggest factors contributing to a reduction in average life expectancy in the western world today.



example



in germany, i think the problem is particularly bad: "The annual cost of obesity in Germany has been estimated at US$10 billion. In 1999 it was estimated that 47% of Germans were overweight and 11% were obese."



i can't deny though that that hotel's policy is seriously weird and, as you say pele, that cahrging system is flawed on so many points it would take forever to list them.



overweight people are already fairly stigmatised in germany - this cannot serve to help.





cole. x

"i see you at 'dis cafe.
i come to 'dis cafe quite a lot myself.
they do porridge."
- tim westwood


BirgitBRONZE Member
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much
4,145 posts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)


Posted:
Which hotel is it? And where did you find it?

I'm inclined to believe it's a rumor for now...

But by the way, did you know that in COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, on the way to being one of the top 3 killers) thin people are more likely to die? So it's not all true ubblol

I think if it's true they're probably trying to only get skinny customers so that they can save money on the meals ubblol If not, well, people can always pick a different hotel!

How are overweight people in Germany stigmatised, Cole, and is it worse there than in other countries? Just wondering cause I've never felt discriminated against there... there's a lack of decent clothing, but then it's the same here.

"vices are like genitals - most are ugly to behold, and yet we find that our own are dear to us."
(G.W. Dahlquist)

Owner of Dragosani's left half


Neon_ShaolinGOLD Member
hehe, 'Member' huhuh
6,120 posts
Location: Behind you. With Jam


Posted:
Don't forget the smackheads...

"I used to want to change the world, now I just wanna leave the room with a little dignity..." - Lotus Weinstock


simian110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY
3,149 posts
Location: London


Posted:
The life expectancy reasoning does seem quite odd. It would seem more logical if it was paying for general maintenance, as heavier people break more beds, chairs, etc.

"Switching between different kinds of chuu chuu sometimes gives this "urgh wtf?" effect because it's giving people the phi phenomenon."


UCOFSILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales


Posted:
using more water to shower?

more soap? umm

SymBRONZE Member
Geek-enviro-hippy priest
1,858 posts
Location: Diss, Norfolk, United Kingdom


Posted:
I think it's a great idea - they will get a lot more money from it now.

Not because it's a good business idea to charge by the weight, but because people will talk about it. It's a really stupid thing to do, so you say "have you heard about so-and-so...", I have now heard about a hotel I wouldn't have heard of before, so next time I go there I'll think about them.

They are very clever indeed - they only need to keep it up for a week or two smile

There's too many home fires burning and not enough trees


onewheeldaveGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,252 posts
Location: sheffield, United Kingdom


Posted:
I think, in general, this could be an increasing issue of the near future.

If the number of really overweight people continues to increase, the fact that, say, twenty stone individuals use twice as much space and resources as ten stone individuals is likely to become a major point.

ie buses/transport seating arrangements won't work too well if 50% of the passengers are 20+ stone. Given the current focus on resourse usage amongst westerners, it could be an issue that 20+ stone individuals consume so much more, whether it's food or medical treatment.

"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."

--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32


Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


EeraBRONZE Member
old hand
1,107 posts
Location: In a test pit, Mackay, Australia


Posted:
Perhaps they'll attack customers with callipers as they walk through the door.

I once got away with not paying for 2kg excess baggage on an airline by arguaing that the person they had just booked in weighed a hell of a lot more than me and they weren't charging him for excess gut.

Though I've heard now that some airlines are considering putting a sircharge on heavy people to make up for fuel consumption.

There is a slight possibility that I am not actually right all of the time.


BansheeCatBRONZE Member
veteran
1,247 posts
Location: lost, Canada


Posted:
its just a promotional ploy, and appears to be working ;-)

"God *was* my co-pilot, but then we crashed, and I had to eat him..."


BirgitBRONZE Member
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much
4,145 posts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)


Posted:
Apparently buses and trams have been adjusted to allow for more space between aisles already.

Also some airlines charge people for 2 seats if they take up more than one. Which I think is fair enough - I'm not exactly skinny but fit well into 1 seat, so if you're big enough to "spill over" and really make the person next to you uncomfortable then you should pay extra (plus thinking of fuel consumption). On the other hand, shouldn't extra-tall people who sit next to me all the time putting their knees right where I *should* be having mine because there's no space pay for 2 seats, too, or be forced to book business class? I think that would be just as fair. And as someone pointed out, taller = heavier, too.

"vices are like genitals - most are ugly to behold, and yet we find that our own are dear to us."
(G.W. Dahlquist)

Owner of Dragosani's left half


BirgitBRONZE Member
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much
4,145 posts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)


Posted:
Nah, cause so far we don't know the name of the place yet ubblol

"vices are like genitals - most are ugly to behold, and yet we find that our own are dear to us."
(G.W. Dahlquist)

Owner of Dragosani's left half


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
It won't make any money because only light people will stay there...

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


SymBRONZE Member
Geek-enviro-hippy priest
1,858 posts
Location: Diss, Norfolk, United Kingdom


Posted:
We dont' know the name, but we're talking about it - thats the point. I'm sure the place tha pele heard it from knew it's name.

I maintain, it's marketing wink

There's too many home fires burning and not enough trees


BirgitBRONZE Member
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much
4,145 posts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)


Posted:
Or a good joke.

"vices are like genitals - most are ugly to behold, and yet we find that our own are dear to us."
(G.W. Dahlquist)

Owner of Dragosani's left half


PeleBRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA


Posted:
I read it in a paper on my lunch, in the international business news section. Because my German is faulty at very best I can't remember the name...but it was in a legitimate paper (though that really doesn't mean much I understand).

Will post more later, as I am already late to run!

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK


colemanSILVER Member
big and good and broken
7,330 posts
Location: lunn dunn, yoo kay, United Kingdom


Posted:
 Written by: Birgit


How are overweight people in Germany stigmatised, Cole, and is it worse there than in other countries? Just wondering cause I've never felt discriminated against there... there's a lack of decent clothing, but then it's the same here.



to be honest, this is not a first hand opinion - i have just read several statements to that effect in the press.

the overall picture i got was that being overweight or even obese is treated as something to laugh about or poke fun at, rather than as a health problem that requires treatment.

the problem was mentioned most often with regard to children, where obesity was said to go largely untreated due to the social stigmas attached shrug

like you say, i think the case is similar throughout europe as i can recognise very similar attitudes here in the uk.

one story that particularly sticks out in my head was the story of a guy that got teased so much *by his own family* that he locked himself in his room after eating a meal of beans, cabbage and sausage and subsequently died from methane poisoning umm ubblol

i know that's not funny at all, but it kind of is...

good to hear first-hand that the stigma is not as bad as the press like to make out but undeniably, the number of overweight people is rising and it is a problem that is largely ignored...


cole. x

"i see you at 'dis cafe.
i come to 'dis cafe quite a lot myself.
they do porridge."
- tim westwood


NYCNYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA


Posted:
This sounds like another one of those stories that Pele made up just to get attention.

wink kiss

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]


BirgitBRONZE Member
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much
4,145 posts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)


Posted:
I can't really see how it's ignored... it's all over the news on a weekly basis. The only problem I see is that in general people seem to believe they can stop children from being obese by not selling fizzy drinks at schools... (as if it's the bubbles that make them unhealthy! How about "drinks containing extra sugar"!)

At the same time the government issues warnings whenever the weather's nice ("Danger of UV") instead of saying "go out and play and do sports but wear sunscreen", and apparently 40% of children don't want to play outside because they're scared of terrorism (Radio 1). Oh, and any sign of a small child moving too much on their chair in school is considered attention deficite syndrome, and not lack of time and opportunity to run.

To go off the rant, sure children are made fun of, but that's the same around the world, and for things like glasses, being ginger, lisping, being too skinny, not having brand-clothes etc. I wouldn't say Germany's particularly bad. I've certainly not heard of cabbage-guy... eek

One interesting thing I wanted to point out... maybe it's different in England, but in Scotland the health tv ads discriminate quite a bit between obese and anorexic people. The anorexic ad is about a skinny pencil-drawn girl that says something along the lines of "I'm really insecure and I have a big problem, and people laugh at me and that makes everything worse" and ask for help and understanding. The obese people eat their friends' leftover food ("Choose not to be a dust bin"), can't see their bits when showering ("Choose to see the Full Monty") and sit in front of the telly all night eating crisps ("Choose not to become your old man"), start diets "tomorrow" ("Don't cheat yourself" or something like that). All indicating that fat people are lazy and disgusting while people with other eating disorders need understanding. How fair's that? Both types of eating disorder have just as much to do with being insecure and not feeling socially accepted, but if there was an anorexic girl in a shower instead of a fat man and the line was "Choose to have breasts instead" I'm sure that would cause quite some uproar.

I'm overweight AND chronically ill, and I go out juggling/spinning 3 times a week, I sing in a choir, I do extra-work for the science communication team I'm in aside of my PhD, I give tutoring, I don't watch TV AND I have friends whose leftover food I don't usually eat... maybe it's time to change the picture a bit wink

"vices are like genitals - most are ugly to behold, and yet we find that our own are dear to us."
(G.W. Dahlquist)

Owner of Dragosani's left half


colemanSILVER Member
big and good and broken
7,330 posts
Location: lunn dunn, yoo kay, United Kingdom


Posted:
maybe not ignored - more marginalised due to the stigmas attached.

it is seen a lifestyle choice rather than as a serious health problem and as such, is often made fun of and not treated with the importance it deserves.

"sure children are made fun of, but that's the same around the world, and for things like glasses, being ginger, lisping, being too skinny, not having brand-clothes etc. I wouldn't say Germany's particularly bad."

i was actually referring to adults' attitudes, not the children's - like i said, my view was that the problem is not so much treated as a problem but rather it is treated as something that will sort itself out with minimum effort from parents/the people afflicted by it.


cole. x

p.s. ubblol

"In 2004 Bloomburg News Service reported how an obese man who was teased by his relatives for his excessive flatulence shut himself up in his room after a meal of corned beef, beans and cabbage. The next day he was found dead and was declared to have died as a consequence of breathing in methane produced by his own body. Three of his rescuers were taken ill and one was hospitalised."

"i see you at 'dis cafe.
i come to 'dis cafe quite a lot myself.
they do porridge."
- tim westwood



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