Sometimes, stereotypes exist for a reason.
Things got heated yesterday at a Daimler AG shareholders meeting in Germany, where a fight broke out over lengthy, plump sausages, Bloomberg has reported.
This, despite the fact the lucky shareholders were told they’d be receiving the biggest dividend in the company’s history — 3.25 euros ($3.70) per share. You’d think the windfall would have tempered flare-ups, but you’d be wrong.
Daimler had budgeted for 12,500 bratwursts to feed the 5,500 people at the buffet-style luncheon. If math isn’t your strong suit, that works out to two sausages and a tip for each shareholder.
One shareholder thought he could take off with a pile of the encased meat tubes, and police had to be called after a pissed off (and likely very hungry) female shareholder got into a verbal altercation with him. This is how regional wars begin.
Apparently, there were also big pretzels available at the buffet, the kind you eat with a napkin while holding a little container of mustard in your other hand. At this time, we can’t confirm rumors that the shareholders arrived at the meeting in dirigibles and autogyros.
After the sausage tensions simmered down, Daimler chairman Manfred Bischoff remarked, “Either we need more sausages, or we’ll have to get rid of the sausages entirely.”
Anyone who knows the joy of receiving free sausages can bet there’s now a “don’t invite” notice next to that one shareholder’s name.
[Image: cyclonebill/Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)]
“You’d think the windfall would have tempered flare-ups”
you couldn’t resist, could you?
;)
I forget the company but they put on a big feed during the shareholders meeting, but they had to stop because people were getting crazy like this. As usual a few dicks ruin it for the rest.
Some probably arrived at the meeting riding one of those bicycles with the immense front wheel.
“Yes, I’d like to send this letter to the Prussian Consulate in Siam by aero mail. Am I too late for the 4:30 autogyro?”
Velocipede = giant front wheel and bowler hat.
Back when my dad had an E-class, I’d tell him that the parts had to be flown over from Germany on a zeppelin and ask if Chancellor Bismarck would be over for supper.
A Penny-Farthing!
>This is how regional wars begin.<
You know who else from Germany (sort of) started a regional war?
King Otto I? How far back are we allowed to go?
Well, I was thinking the Visigoths, so I’ll allow Otto.
This is the (brat)wurst shareholder meeting ever.
And the wurst brat showed up!
I’m glad I can ketchup on the news and relish the moment here without spending any cheddar.
Hey, it’s not the shareholders’ fault that Daimler couldn’t cut the mustard.
Man, these Germans dont mess around. The Polizei were called too?
I dont blame the frauleins there… that does look like a juicy length and you know they are up for it… I was over there for Oktoberfest… they want some ‘meat tubes’ on their warm buns…
They should have offered the same amount of sausage, but offered them in different sizes, just like they do their vehicles.
They show a video like the one from a few years ago?
youtu.be/ENNOHx5QzOM
This is the brand that killed Cadillac…
Dammit now I’m hungry for a bratwurst, and it’s only 8:30 in the morning here.
Couldn’t have worked out much better though. Today is the company’s annual spring cookout & we’re having burgers and brats for lunch on the company dime. :)
Sounds like things went from bad to wurst.
It’s comforting to know Germany has its own equivalent of the guy who inevitably swoops in and procures an Everest-sized mound of mudbugs when he’s at the local Chinese buffet.
How do you say “I was gettin a plate for my cuuuuzin” in German?
I too am somewhat pleased that gluttony, greed and social faux pas transcend cultures and borders.
“…gluttony, greed and social faux pas …”
We (USA) didn’t originate them, but we work daily on perfecting them.
self-loathing Americans are annoying, FWIW.
How annoying in comparison to Americans in perpetual denial about our cultural and economic decline?
It was a joke man, lighten up.
He’s insulted me twice in my two days here. Your guess is as good as mine.
WWII was long ago.
We’re really due for the next installment of the trilogy.
Lol, I had to look up mudbugs. You mean “CRAWLDADS.”
-Indiana
CrawFISH in Texas
crayfish to us northerners.
Oh boy !…The Doc tells me to cut down on the fat. I click on TTAC. What do I see !
Ach du Lieber!
HDL!
HDL!
HDL!
Sodden mit fat!
What a shame they didn’t all pull out their Cold Steel tanto knives, and really go at it.
That lead pic looks tasty. Makes me think of a Ross-Ade stadium tailgate in the fall. The team sux but the ambience is great. Life’s small pleasures.
It’s shocking and sad how worked up people get over free food. It happens in an office environment as well. You’ve got people who are spastic that they’re getting free cake on a Friday. Then there are “minders” watching each millimeter of cake very carefully, making sure someone doesn’t take more than the share they’ve established in their mind to be fair.
Not to mention spending several hours before and after talking about the quality and worthiness of said free cake.
Have some dignity.
Now Milton, don’t be greedy, let’s pass it along and make sure everyone gets a piece.
Those people were displaying 76% less visible excitement than the fools round here at my work.
OK but last time I did not receive a piece…
JUST PASS.
Looking up the quote on youtube I found the original stapler clip, I didn’t remember that Milton straight told Peter that he was going to set the place on fire.
“Okay, but that’s the last straw.”
might have been in a deleted scene. there were a few cuts from that film I think should have been left in.
I haven’t seen the cut scene but found the random and surprise nature of the fire to be quite amusing. If he hinted at it in the final cut, I think the film loses something.
Milton very directly mentions setting the building on fire in his ramblings to Peter about the loss of his Swingline. Peter isn’t listening, and says “Yeah that’s great.”
I’ll have to watch it again as I don’t recall this.
What I do recall: PC Load Letter? What the f*** does that mean!?!
Courtesy IMDB
Milton Waddams: [talking on the phone] And I said, I don’t care if they lay me off either, because I told, I told Bill that if they move my desk one more time, then, then I’m, I’m quitting, I’m going to quit. And, and I told Don too, because they’ve moved my desk four times already this year, and I used to be over by the window, and I could see the squirrels, and they were merry, but then, they switched from the Swingline to the Boston stapler, but I kept my Swingline stapler because it didn’t bind up as much, and I kept the staples for the Swingline stapler and it’s not okay because if they take my stapler then I’ll set the building on fire…
He’s talking to Peter, as IIRC Peter is trying to leave the office early to avoid Bill giving him weekend work.
Sir,
You win the interwebs today. That is one of my favorite movies.
Snobs + Sausages = Snausages!
Shocking that’s all they had their minds on, after such a year of trials and travails at VW. And yet, that’s how humans work these days.
Heidi Klum saves child and nanny from drowning, media points out nip slip during rescue.
GAP publishes kids clothes ad showing happy multiracial integrated family, consumers call it racist.
Presidential hopeful talks about genitalia and labels Mexicans as rapists, hair style makes front page.
Yes, but this was the Daimler stockholders. They were probably laughing at the Volkswagen mess, unaware it trashes the reputations of ALL German auto companies.
Indeed, nobody comes away squeaky clean from this one.
When North Carolina finally gets its automotive manufacturing base, we’ll all be reading up on the fight that broke out when investors didn’t get enough Livermush.
The way McCrory and his people are operating, I don’t think we will be seeing that base any time soon.
McCrory is doing a fine job he’s the first governor in a long time that isn’t lining up to go to jail for being a crook. I’ve been very happy with his leadership, we’ve needed this for a long time.
It’s nice not having someone from the “Good ole boys club” “running” operation.
Who in their right mind would slather ketchup on an otherwise delicious looking bratwurst?
That is not ketchup but rather a very delicious curry sauce. It goes perfectly with that style of brat.
If so, I stand corrected. I assume it is like currywurst?
Lil’ Hitler, what’s wrong?
I will need the Polish boy’s sausages.
An interesting twist on Godwin’s Law :-)
Lil’ Hitler, where is the Polish kid.
I don’t know, but I’ll be needing the Czechoslovakian kid’s sausage also.