Looking for a mid-size domestic car recommendation

Maybe you would be interested in the facts of the case. Most of what you know, including the amount involved, is wrong.

Indeed the result is cooler coffee at McDonald's, albeit at a much higher price. You, the consumer ALWAYS pays for the doings of the shark lawyers. Either the retail price goes up or the company like, Johns Manville and Corning, go bankrupt and go out of business. Their thousands of employees end up loosing their jobs. Come to think of it, that is one way to create more jobs in NC, vote for Kerry/Edwards. If Edwards gets to be VP there will be one less shark there to rob the people that create the jobs there. LOL

Art wrote:

You mean the way Warren Buffit did? ;)

mike hunt

Bill Turner wrote:

I just read the entire article at the site you listed above. It didn't change my mind one bit. This was a stupid lawsuit.

You could replace "hot coffee" in that article with almost any consumer product that is dangerous if missused, anything from a circular saw to a chain saw to a lawnmower. I own a chain saw that can cause much more damage in much less time than spilled McDonald's coffee. If I mess up and cut my leg off should Stihl be liable simply because their product has the capacity to cause harm?

This is the stupidest legal theory I've ever seen, but it is, unfortunately, being applied to many products these days. In another 20 years we won't be able to buy a knife that is sharp enough to cut a sandwich, power tools, etc., because the risk to anyone who makes them will simply outweight the business benefit of selling them.

Matt

I like the Buffit response. Though one does wonder why the Exxon Valdez spill was counted as adding to the GDP the year that happened (or why Exxon hasn't paid yet for the cleanup).

Wealth transfer in some circumstances works. (read a bit on the Plague's effect on the British economy and the effects of war mobilization in some countries, I won't mention the US but...).

I'm just saying that every toxic cloud has a silver lining (even if it is only shiny lead....

_________________________________________________________

Except that nobody "hoards" money except a few hermits up in the hills. Money is always invested, one way or the other.

_________________________________________________________

Warren Buffet did not "create" any wealth, he merely moved it from someone else's pocket to his own. He is richer, they are poorer. The net wealth of the nation is the same.

You're equating money with wealth. In the common vernacular they are often interchanged, but when discussing economic theory they are two different things.

If there were no shark lawyers, McDonalds would still be burning people, wouldn't they? People would still be needing surgery, permanent scars would be created every day, etc, etc.

Serves 'em right. Don't shed too many tears over "innocent" employees would could have and should have stepped in and demanded their products be made safe. When was the last time you heard a union calling a strike in order to make a product safer?

LOL here too. :-)

And how hot is the coffee you make in your house? God forbid I stopped over had a mug and spilled it on myself and had to sue your homeowners for it.

Why? Did his 'work' not effect the GNP? Does he not pay those people that work for him? Are all of those working in the jobs that now exist, because of his products being sold and serviced, not compensated? Or do they not count because they work in air conditioned facilities and therefore do not work up a 'perspire?'

mike hunt

Bill Turner wrote:

I don't believe the workers in McDonald's restaurants are unionized. ;)

mike hunt

Bill Turner wrote:

product safer?

Yeah - just last week, I put my hand on a glowing burner on the stove, and lo and behold, it burned my hand. No one told me!!! Bastards!!! 8^)

Bill Putney (to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with "x")

The legal standard for inherently dangerous goods like guns and power saws is different than that for ordinary goods.

That could change as we evolve more to the "Utopian" society. Some gun mfgrs. have been hit in recent years with some pretty stupid lawsuits considering what guns are intended to do.

Bill Putney (to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with "x")

_________________________________________________________

All the money he "paid" his workers ultimately came from someone else's pocket and created nothing of any value except to Warren. The net wealth of the nation was not increased one penny.

By comparison, a worker who performs a useful service (installs your satellite dish) or actually makes something (assembles a car) has increased the net wealth of the nation.

I'm sure you will see no difference at all. :-)

_________________________________________________________

Try as I might, I can not find any point to your post. Try again.

_________________________________________________________

Does a worker have to belong to a union to be dissatisfied with the safety of his product? Did any worker at McDonalds ever raise the question of possible injury because the coffee was too hot? Or did they just go with the flow because they were afraid to rock the boat?

_________________________________________________________

In that example, one could argue that society is better off, while the shopkeeper is less well off.

Far more likely, however, is the shopkeeper keeps his money either in a savings account, invested in stocks or bonds or in some kind of commercial account. All of which make society better off.