Slashdot Mirror


Rats 'Cripple' NZ Web Access

An anonymous reader writes "Drat! It was the rat! Telephone, mobile and Internet access in New Zealand was disrupted over four hours after rats were found gnawing through cables. More than 100,000 customers were affected and even the country's stock exchange came to a standstill. Powerless to take action against the rats, Telecom New Zealand is seeking compensation from the electricity company it says is responsible for knocking out another pipeline which eliminated backup services. Nothing like a backup plan."

30 of 305 comments (clear)

  1. Secret Plan by Adrilla · · Score: 4, Funny

    The real story is that the RIAA paid these rats to take down the lines, and if they have to take out some phone services to cut down on piracy, then so be it. Those sneaky sunsabitches, I'm watchin you RIAA/MPAA.

    --

    "Plans are for fools! Oglethorpe, the plutonian (Aqua Teen Hunger Force)
    1. Re:Secret Plan by the+real+darkskye · · Score: 3, Funny

      We'd all have had a lot less spam today!

      --
      Music is everybody's possession.
      It's only publishers who think that people own it.
      Fuck Beta
      ~John Lenno
  2. Nothing like a backup plan... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    And that's nothing like a backup plan...

    Plans? We don't need no stinking plans!

  3. Suing the power company by katana · · Score: 5, Funny

    Of course they're suing the power company. Lawyers won't sue the rats because of professional courtesy.

  4. What I want to know is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    who ratted the out?

  5. It's Always The Stinking Rats... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yeah, blame the rats and the electric company for everyting. While you're at it, find the two-legged rats who couldn't bother to put in a redundant backup plan.

  6. They Were Lucky This Time by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Thank god the sheep didn't rise up against their internet access or they'd have been in real trouble.

    1. Re:They Were Lucky This Time by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Flamebait? C'mon! Sheep outnumber humans in New Zealand 11:1! If they ever rose up, they'd have a real problem on their hands.

      I've been to New Zealand. It's a beautiful country. The Southern Alps, the hot springs, the Maori culture. Seriously, I recommend everyone visits. Just keep an eye on the sheep, though, that's all I'm saying.

  7. Unpunished? by venicebeach · · Score: 4, Funny

    But the rodents will go unpunished

    What?? How can they let them go unpunished? They need to at least go out and punish a few in a highly public manner to send the rest a message, kind of like when there is a shark attack and they go hunting for "the" shark that did it.... We can't let the rats get away with this!!

  8. Re:Rats by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    dude you are some weird son of a bitch if you memorize the history of rats in New Zealand.

  9. I hear over in Australia by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    A dingo ate their cable.

  10. Rats? Puerto Rico by ArmorFiend · · Score: 2, Funny

    Any other Puerto Rico players in the house thinking "man, and I thought having my 3 tobacco eaten by rats was bad, but internet, oh yeah".

  11. Re:Rats by Eradicator2k3 · · Score: 5, Funny

    "There are three types of wild rats in New Zealand"

    Because the domesticated rats are much more considerate....plus they're easier to milk.

    --
    Mr. T pitied this fool on 27 July 1992.
  12. That's being unkind by lheal · · Score: 4, Funny

    to the rats.

    Actually, I love lawyers. They taste like chicken.

    --
    Raise your children as if you were teaching them to raise your grandchildren, because you are.
  13. Obligatory Lawyer Joke by KennyP · · Score: 1, Funny

    Didn't know they could chew through anything other than their client's money..........

    Visualize Whirled P.'s

  14. This just proves that old addage about backhoes by Almost-Retired · · Score: 3, Funny

    being the absolute best at finding cables, beating any other method by at least 2 orders of magnitude.

    Like the most recent joke says "when lost, bury a short piece of cat5, then ask the backhoe operator the way home".

    He will come and find the cat5, it would be a violation of Murphy's Law to do otherwise.

    --
    Cheers, Gene
    "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
    soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
    -Ed Howdershelt (Author)

  15. Re:Quadruple independent redundancy. by Bane1998 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I keep telling this to my fiance. I need at least four prostitutes to back her up. I don't know what bothers her more, the idea of being 'backed up' or being 'redundant'.

  16. Not my problem! by Bananatree3 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I run all of my data over cat5 cables, and I can rely on them ALWAYS to keep the rats away.

  17. Had a bad feeling about this by quokkapox · · Score: 2, Funny

    I *knew* we shouldn't have used Room 101 for the server room!

    --
    it's a blue bright blue Saturday hey hey
  18. Re:Quadruple independent redundancy. by CyricZ · · Score: 2, Funny

    I keep telling this to my fiance. I need at least four prostitutes to back her up. I don't know what bothers her more, the idea of being 'backed up' or being 'redundant'.

    Why would you need four male prostitutes? You really don't have to resort to paying male whores to pleasure your woman. There are drugs out there, called penis drugs, that will make your erections actually erect. They might just cost less than these four male prostitutes you have hired (unless you got really cheap ones).

    --
    Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
  19. NIMH by sremick · · Score: 3, Funny

    Damn... tapping into the farmer's electricity wasn't enough. Now those smart bastards want high-speed internet access.

  20. Ben by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Ben, the two of us need look no more
    We both found what we were looking for
    With a friend to call my own
    I'll never be alone
    And you my friend will see
    You've got a friend in me
    (You've got a friend in me)

    Ben, you're always running here and there
    (Here and there)
    You feel you're not wanted anywhere
    (Anywhere)
    If you ever look behind
    And don't like what you find
    There's something you should know
    You've got a place to go
    (You've got a place to go)

    I used to say, "I" and "me"
    Now it's "us", now it's "we"
    (I used to say, "I" and "me")
    (Now it's "us", now it's "we")

    Ben, most people would turn you away
    I don't listen to a word they say
    They don't see you as I do
    I wish they would try to
    I'm sure they'd think again
    If they had a friend like Ben
    (A friend)
    Like Ben
    (Like Ben)
    Like Ben

  21. Re:Outage by nomadic · · Score: 4, Funny

    This happened on Monday. Today is Friday.

    With the lines down there was no way to communicate the outage to the outside world.

  22. Re:Monopoly by bmgoau · · Score: 2, Funny

    And all the while we Australians sat and watched as the new zealand civilisation crumbled in the darkness

    Phase one of our takeover is complete....

    Now it is time for the invasion!

    Go rats, destroy the new zealanders, and there will be limitless piles of cheese for all!

  23. Eerr... by EvilCabbage · · Score: 4, Funny

    "They are also fat and delicious." The Maori people, or the rats?

  24. Re:US Navy Destroyers by Ripping+Silk · · Score: 1, Funny

    And funnily enough... these destroyers are not allowed in New Zealand waters... a sense of dark irony is evident...

    --
    this is not a flawless plan.. this is inspiration
  25. Re:Rats by pipingguy · · Score: 4, Funny


    Hey, I'm a piper - need any help?

    Paul
    Piping Design Central

  26. yeah its tough being a tight arsed monopoly by webname · · Score: 2, Funny

    bloody cabling is so crappy here i cant get dsl
    serves em right
    go rats- umm thats the furry ones i mean not the 2 legged ones :)

  27. The French by Aussie · · Score: 3, Funny

    It was French rats, with scuba gear.

  28. Re:US Navy Destroyers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Having serverd my time in the U.S. Navy. Going somewhere where there few if no other fellow sailors sounds like a vacation paradise. One drunk sailor in the pub is just enough for me.