Only in America...

[kamome]

The lawsuit - filed in New York State Supreme Court in the Bronx - says that McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's and Kentucky Fried Chicken misled customers by enticing them with greasy, salty and sugary food.

I think what they're getting at is that these companies engaged in a fraud on the public, i.e., that the companies knew or had reason to know that their food was dangerous, portrayed it as healthy, the plaintiffs justifiably and actually relied on the fraud, and suffered damages as a result. What I'd like to know is: when did fast food restaurants ever portray their food as healthy? They sometimes claim that they're using vegetable oil in their food, but I'm not quite sure where the intentional fraud is.

[canman]

When will people in North America start to take the blame for their won short comings. Why do we feel we must always blame everybody else. Its a little off topic, but I was just watching the news about how a lot of doctors in the US are being forced out of their clinics due to the rise in malpractice suits. It seems these days people use law suits like they are playing the lottery, and just waiting to win the jackpot. The odds seem to be a lot better.

[Crispy]

kamone: Well, they keep associating McDonalds food with the Olympics, suggesting that Olympic athletes would eat the stuff.

[kamome]

kamone: Well, they keep associating McDonalds food with the Olympics, suggesting that Olympic athletes would eat the stuff.

Official sponsorship of the Olympics is not the same thing as deceiving the public into thinking that athletes eat their food for good health.

When will people in North America start to take the blame for their won short comings. Why do we feel we must always blame everybody else. Its a little off topic, but I was just watching the news about how a lot of doctors in the US are being forced out of their clinics due to the rise in malpractice suits. It seems these days people use law suits like they are playing the lottery, and just waiting to win the jackpot. The odds seem to be a lot better.

Yes, this suit against fast food companies is pretty self-serving. But I disagree with your comment that people view lawsuits like they do the lottery. In the plaintiffs' minds, they have been "injured" and they're trying to get compensated for it. I don't think it's necessarily a ploy to bilk corporations out of their money. On the other hand, the attorneys who took this case are really pushing the envelope on socially progressive litigation. You could say that's a good thing, if it keeps corporations from scewing over the average consumer.

[mercutio]

I've actually been following this one for a while. I believe the premise they are going on is that they are riding the coat tails of the class action suit against tobbaco companies. They are saying that like the cigarette makers were selling a product that they knew was harmful, the fastfood companies sell a product that they know will make you fat, which in turn damages your health..... ergo they are selling a product that is harmful.

as sick as that logic is they might actually be able to pull it off because of the cigarette precident.

I wish people would just take responsibility for their own actions!!!! I smoke, drink like a fish, chase women and eat enough to kill a horse.... everything i like is harmful to my health but damnit I'm not going to blame anyone but myself because *I* am the one deciding to do all those (good) things

[Crispy]

I don't see how this can compare to the cigarette stuff. To my knowledge, no McDonalds execs have testified in front of congress that hamburgers do not cause obesity and its related health problems. Besides, tobacco is in a class by itself while fast food is just another food, there are lots of other foods people can choose to get fat on.

[Ketou]

...there are lots of other foods people can choose to get fat on.

Exactly. And that I feel reinforces Mercutio's point. People are responsible for their own actions. The fact that you can sue somebody for having a product on the market when it was YOU that abused it, you that decided that you would rather have Muck Donalds, ChuckDuck(KFC)etc for ten or more meals a week because you were too f*cking lazy to pepare something more nutricious, is insane.
The American civil legal model is warped. Whats worse is that many other countries are starting to go down the same path.
A robber who comes into your home and trips on your kids roller skate can sue you for damages. But of if you see him lying there,with those dollar signs in his eyes,the best thing you can do is shoot him. Because hey who's going to convict you for defending your home!

[gaijinzilla]

I ate at McD's yesterday for lunch..how can I get in on this lawsuit action?!?!? I can feel my arteries clogging up right now

I was wondering if anyone (i.e. F*CKED GAIJIN) living over here in japan has ever tried to intiate a lawsuit regarding the hazards posed by natto ?:lol:

[gaijinzilla]

natto SHOULD be classified as a weapon of mass destruction