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Quite possibly the best disability ever...


Necromagus

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Don't know if this should go in the music forum, but...

Man gets sick benefits for heavy metal addiction

 

 

 

A Swedish heavy metal fan has had his musical preferences officially classified as a disability. The results of a psychological analysis enable the metal lover to supplement his income with state benefits.

 

 

 

Roger Tullgren, 42, from HÃÆÃâÃâässleholm in southern Sweden has just started working part time as a dishwasher at a local restaurant.

 

 

 

Because heavy metal dominates so many aspects of his life, the Employment Service has agreed to pay part of Tullgren's salary. His new boss meanwhile has given him a special dispensation to play loud music at work.

 

 

 

"I have been trying for ten years to get this classified as a handicap," Tullgren told The Local.

 

 

 

"I spoke to three psychologists and they finally agreed that I needed this to avoid being discriminated against."

 

 

 

Roger Tullgren first developed an interest in heavy metal when his older brother came home with a Black Sabbath album in 1971.

 

 

 

Since then little else has mattered for the 42-year-old, who has long black hair, a collection of tattoos and wears skull and crossbones jewelry.

 

 

 

The ageing rocker claims to have attended almost three hundred shows last year, often skipping work in the process.

 

 

 

Eventually his last employer tired of his absences and Tullgren was left jobless and reliant on welfare handouts.

 

 

 

But his sessions with the occupational psychologists led to a solution of sorts: Tullgren signed a piece of paper on which his heavy metal lifestyle was classified as a disability, an assessment that entitles him to a wage supplement from the job centre.

 

 

 

"I signed a form saying: 'Roger feels compelled to show his heavy metal style. This puts him in a difficult situation on the labour market. Therefore he needs extra financial help'. So now I can turn up at a job interview dressed in my normal clothes and just hand the interviewers this piece of paper," he said.

 

 

 

The manager at his new workplace allows him to go to concerts as long as he makes up for lost time at a later point. He is also allowed to dress as he likes and listen to heavy metal while washing up.

 

 

 

"But not too loud when there are guests," he said.

 

 

 

The Local spoke to an occupational psychologist in Stockolm, who admitted to being baffled by the decision.

 

 

 

"I think it's extremely strange. Unless there is an underlying diagnosis it is absolutely unbelievable that the job centre would pay pay out.

 

 

 

"If somebody has a gambling addiction, we don't send them down to the racetrack. We try to cure the addiction, not encourage it," he said.

 

 

 

Henrietta Stein, deputy employment director for the SkÃÆÃâÃâÃÂ¥ne region, is also puzzled by the move; "an interest in music" is not usually sufficient to qualify for wage benefits.

 

 

 

"Certain cases are confidential but in general there is always a medical reason that is well-documented," she said.

 

 

 

Tullgren currently plays bass and guitar in two rock bands and says that he tends to get a lot of positive reactions for daring to be himself.

 

 

 

"Some might say that I should grow up and learn to listen to other types of music but I can't. Heavy metal is my lifestyle," he said.

Now where's my check? :uhh:
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The world is getting a little bit crazier by the day. This isn't 'real', right?

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No, it's not the Heavy Metal Disability. It's that he can't hear anything form listening to it. :-w
Did you actually read the article? He gets to play the music while he works, wear clothes that fit the music and time off to go to concerts. Doesn't sound like he's gone deaf to me.
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You guys, this is no laughing matter. I can think of nothing worse than being an aging, greasy, metal-form of the "hippy".

 

 

 

Seriously. I'd rather have cancer.

The popularity of any given religion today depends on the victories of the wars they fought in the past.

- Me!

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The world is getting a little bit crazier by the day. This isn't 'real', right?

 

 

 

cant be real, heavy metal isnt real music

Doctor of Dental Surgery-2014

Medical Doctor-2018?

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon-2024?

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The world is getting a little bit crazier by the day. This isn't 'real', right?

 

 

 

cant be real, heavy metal isnt real music

 

 

 

It is now. But we can all point fingers at Scandinavia because they did it. :-$

 

 

 

Damn you Lordi. <.<

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The little girl who couldn't feel pain was better.

 

 

 

Dammit Viktor every time i visit a thread you already speak exactly what was on my mind... i was just about to say nearly the same thing <.<

 

 

 

anywhoo, i found that story rather entertaining. addicted to heavy metal, spending thousands a year, disturbing customers, and losing s job? sounds just like a smoking addict! in that case, lets give all smoking addicts the same treatment and help pay their salary -.-

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tip it would pay me $500.00 to keep my clothes ON :( :lol:
But then again, you fail to realize that 101% of the people in this universe hate you. Yes, humankind's hatred against you goes beyond mathematical possibilities.
That tears it. I'm starting an animal rebellion using my mind powers. Those PETA bastards will never see it coming until the porcupines are half way up their asses.
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The little girl who couldn't feel pain was better.

 

 

 

no that is much worse. if you cannot feel pain then you will not know if you are injured or need tending to, and therefore you could die from something horrible without even knowing you had it because you cant feel what it does

Never take life too seriously, nobody gets out alive.

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The little girl who couldn't feel pain was better.

 

 

 

no that is much worse. if you cannot feel pain then you will not know if you are injured or need tending to, and therefore you could die from something horrible without even knowing you had it because you cant feel what it does

 

 

 

would make dying easier though...

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The world is getting a little bit crazier by the day. This isn't 'real', right?

 

 

 

cant be real, heavy metal isnt real music

 

 

 

It is now. But we can all point fingers at Scandinavia because they did it. :-$

 

 

 

Damn you Lordi. <.<

 

Lordi = NOT Heavy Metal... at all.

Ghost: I am prejudice towards ignorance, so that would explain why I appear to be so.

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You guys, this is no laughing matter. I can think of nothing worse than being an aging, greasy, metal-form of the "hippy".

 

 

 

Seriously. I'd rather have cancer.

Yah that's true, although I wouldn't rather have cancer. :|
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