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Emperor Fluffzorz

PostPosted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 4:55 pm


I posted this in one of the other guilds I belong to, similar in nature to this one, and I figured it would be a good idea to throw this out to you guys as well. Have at it, children.

So, I was having a discussion with one of my more politically-minded friends about the flaws of the American government, and somehow we wound up on the legal system. He recited a couple of cases to me. Judas. ********. Iscariot. I could not believe this crap.

Firstly he fires off a tale of a case in which two idiots climbed a fence into an LRT (light rail transit) yard in the middle of the night (which was illegal according to the large, brightly coloured signs on said fence) and climbed up on top of one of the trains. They stuck their heads into some power lines (for the trains to follow and draw power from) upon standing up and caught 20,000 volts. They then proceeded to sue the city for $30,000,000. The allegations? Injury, mental anguish, trauma, etc. - the usual American the-coffee-was-hot-type lawsuit package. The justification? "There were no signs on the power lines, they weren't clearly labeled and visible". The sad fact is, the case may well be won. Firstly, they were trespassing on city-owned property and therefore commiting a bloody *crime*, and secondly, there were bloody warning signs EVERYWHERE!

The second tale is a classic - the man that falls through a skylight trying to break into a house to steal things, lands on a knife, and sues the owner for seven million dollars despite the fact he was injured commiting a crime.

Then there's this latest one - The Borat Lawsuit. For the sake of finishing this post before I go to work, I'll let you read through that little gem on your own. Again, liberal use of the coffee-is-hot this-suit-is-bullshit-and-we-know-it-but-we're-still-gonna-take-a-swing-at-you-style trauma and anguish package.

The question on my mind is this - who the hell is running the American legal system, a retarded ******** iguana? How the hell can these people completely fail at seeing how the American "justice" system works? It was *originally* supposed to be based on logic and common sense, but now, no, no, ******** that, whoever can fire off the most technicalities and get the most expensive lawyer can do whatever the hell they please, logical or (more commonly) not. Why do those with the capacity to make the big decisions not see the obvious failure that the American legal system has now become, why do they not do something about it, and where the *hell* did all remnants of common sense in America suddenly disappear to?
PostPosted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 5:35 pm


I'll just say one thing of the coffee-being-too-hot-case you keep mentioning: from what I understand that woman had third degree burns from the coffee. That was what I heard, though I doubt something that hot could stay a liquid and/or not manage to melt the cup.

Half Baked SF
Captain


Wendigo

Shadowy Powerhouse

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PostPosted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 9:23 pm


I still find the idea that she got third degree burns a bit hard to swallow. Boiling water hurts, yes, but unless you were in prolonged contact with it, I wouldn't expect it to even blister.

But according to this there were photographs of her skin grafts and everything, so I just don't know.

Let's use the fat people who eat junk food instead, that's sure not in question.

Anyway, the Borat lawsuit's pretty much a sham, given that they were perfectly willing to utter those words, drunk or sober, just not to have them broadcast in their hometown. But Scare Tactics...I knew that was a lawsuit waiting to happen.
PostPosted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 9:53 pm


Wendigo
I still find the idea that she got third degree burns a bit hard to swallow. Boiling water hurts, yes, but unless you were in prolonged contact with it, I wouldn't expect it to even blister.

But according to this there were photographs of her skin grafts and everything, so I just don't know.

Let's use the fat people who eat junk food instead, that's sure not in question.

Anyway, the Borat lawsuit's pretty much a sham, given that they were perfectly willing to utter those words, drunk or sober, just not to have them broadcast in their hometown. But Scare Tactics...I knew that was a lawsuit waiting to happen.


Mmm... I'm just using that case as a descriptive term for all these questionable ones. Anyway, not here to debate specifics. As I said, this is more about how the American legal system went from a fair and just means of maintaining order to a means of making money for whoever can quote the most lines and rules and hold the most technicalities.

Emperor Fluffzorz


[.Parade.of.Underpants.]

PostPosted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 10:24 am


Well the problem is that we, as a nation, are pussys. We have become so adapt to lawers, and courts and lawsuits, that you can sue anyone for anything. If I were to go up to a man in the street and punch him in the nose, more times than not he will sue me for assault. That's how it is all over the country, if you dont like something you can sue it and make a few hundred grand. Money, money, money, that's what makes western civilization crumble. It's all capitalism's fault.
PostPosted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:33 pm


The problem here is that people think litigation is an adequate substitute for accountability. This problem will not disappear until people realize that the judiciary is not their toy.

Lykus


linaloki

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PostPosted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:59 pm


There are many problems with our judicial system. One, a trial by your peers? Most people's peers seem to be quite lacking in intelligence and tend to sway towards emotions instead of facts. It should be a trial by intelligent peers...

The coffee-too-hot thing? Yeah. She got burned. But you know what? She didn't deserve any money beyond hospital bills or whatnot. Because she had the coffee OPEN AND IN HER LAP WHILE DRIVING HER CAR. She gets no sympathy from me.

Corporation lawsuits are especially bad. People can sue for the dumbest things. Kameryn informed me that some Hispanic person sued Applebee's for being racist when they sang this Hispanic their little Happy Birthday thing. And thusly, Applebee's, at least where Kam lives, cannot sing the little Happy Birthday thing anymore. And don't even get me started on the Winebago incedent... Ugh.

Also, the injured while commiting crime crap? That's bullshit. Let's say I'm commiting grand theft. I'm stealing hugely expensive s**t from a store. On the way out, one of these two things happens:

1) I ignore the "Wet Floor" cone in my haste to get out of the store, slip, fall, and break my arm. I sue the store.

2) I successfully make it towards the door when suddenly a guard tackles me hard, smashing us through a glass door/window, and successfully making me land on my arm, breaking and cutting it. I sue the store.

Guess what? Story 1 gets me money. Story 2 gets nothing. Because in story 2, the guard was doing his job and preventing crime. In story 1, I was injured do to "hazardous conditions" in the ******** hate our judicial system when it comes to lawsuits...
PostPosted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 1:17 pm


[.Parade.of.Underpants.]
Well the problem is that we, as a nation, are pussys. We have become so adapt to lawers, and courts and lawsuits, that you can sue anyone for anything. If I were to go up to a man in the street and punch him in the nose, more times than not he will sue me for assault. That's how it is all over the country, if you dont like something you can sue it and make a few hundred grand. Money, money, money, that's what makes western civilization crumble. It's all capitalism's fault.

If someone punched me in the nose, I would use as much force as necessary to make sure that he stops then I would sue him for assault and battery 3nodding

My Conscience


My Conscience

PostPosted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 1:22 pm


Quote:
linaloki
There are many problems with our judicial system. One, a trial by your peers? Most people's peers seem to be quite lacking in intelligence and tend to sway towards emotions instead of facts. It should be a trial by intelligent peers...

Intelligence is relative.

Quote:
The coffee-too-hot thing? Yeah. She got burned. But you know what? She didn't deserve any money beyond hospital bills or whatnot. Because she had the coffee OPEN AND IN HER LAP WHILE DRIVING HER CAR. She gets no sympathy from me.

Exactly.

Quote:

Corporation lawsuits are especially bad. People can sue for the dumbest things. Kameryn informed me that some Hispanic person sued Applebee's for being racist when they sang this Hispanic their little Happy Birthday thing. And thusly, Applebee's, at least where Kam lives, cannot sing the little Happy Birthday thing anymore. And don't even get me started on the Winebago incedent... Ugh.

Also, the injured while commiting crime crap? That's bullshit. Let's say I'm commiting grand theft. I'm stealing hugely expensive s**t from a store. On the way out, one of these two things happens:

1) I ignore the "Wet Floor" cone in my haste to get out of the store, slip, fall, and break my arm. I sue the store.

2) I successfully make it towards the door when suddenly a guard tackles me hard, smashing us through a glass door/window, and successfully making me land on my arm, breaking and cutting it. I sue the store.

Guess what? Story 1 gets me money. Story 2 gets nothing. Because in story 2, the guard was doing his job and preventing crime. In story 1, I was injured do to "hazardous conditions" in the ******** hate our judicial system when it comes to lawsuits...

Don't forget, if I break into someone’s house and they have a dog without a beware of dog sign, I could sue if the dog attacks me xd

On a more serious note, how should the legal system work? How do we judge what is intelligence? How do we judge what is common sense?
PostPosted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 3:14 am


People that nailed it spot-on:

Fluffzorz
Undies
Lykus
Loki

And MC, common sense is DON'T BREAK THE ******** LAW!

Sorry about that, but it seemed rather necessary. If I break the law, I expect to get busted for it, not escape from punishment by blaming something else. Essentially, it all comes down to Mr. Obesity not checking his appetite, or Ms. Hot Coffee not reading the label on the ******** CUP. When it comes to labels, if it's labeled (coffee, etc.), and you disregard, too bad, so sad, you're a moron. When it comes to legal matters...if you break the law, too ********' bad. Ignorance is no excuse.

Cougar Draven


Emperor Fluffzorz

PostPosted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 7:11 pm


Cougar Draven
People that nailed it spot-on:

Fluffzorz
Undies
Lykus
Loki

And MC, common sense is DON'T BREAK THE ******** LAW!

Sorry about that, but it seemed rather necessary. If I break the law, I expect to get busted for it, not escape from punishment by blaming something else. Essentially, it all comes down to Mr. Obesity not checking his appetite, or Ms. Hot Coffee not reading the label on the ******** CUP. When it comes to labels, if it's labeled (coffee, etc.), and you disregard, too bad, so sad, you're a moron. When it comes to legal matters...if you break the law, too ********' bad. Ignorance is no excuse.


Er... it's not so much not noticing the label and reading it as it is seeing it, ignoring it and then taking out anger on your own stupidity and making a fow grand while you're at it. They know they're idiots. They just prefer pinning the blame on others before themselves.

Now, I must find a story from another person to supplement. TO MY FRIENDS LIST!

Ah, there it is. Huh, three threads down in Malachi's quasi-communism thing.

Malachi
Then there is me. Last August I had an illicit sexual relationship with my neighbor, another guy. When his parents got home, he told them I raped him, when all that happened was me blowing him and a bit of kissing. His parents, being good, practicing Catholics immediately believed him, disregarding the fact that he was a pathological liar, and filed a police report. He was one month younger than me, so they made it seem like I had raped a little kid, and he also has some sort of obscure mental disability. It's nothing you could possibly notice by just being around him and it is not something that affect his judgment, but they weren't going to tell the police that.
PostPosted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 8:15 pm


Emperor Fluffzorz
Cougar Draven
People that nailed it spot-on:

Fluffzorz
Undies
Lykus
Loki

And MC, common sense is DON'T BREAK THE ******** LAW!

Sorry about that, but it seemed rather necessary. If I break the law, I expect to get busted for it, not escape from punishment by blaming something else. Essentially, it all comes down to Mr. Obesity not checking his appetite, or Ms. Hot Coffee not reading the label on the ******** CUP. When it comes to labels, if it's labeled (coffee, etc.), and you disregard, too bad, so sad, you're a moron. When it comes to legal matters...if you break the law, too ********' bad. Ignorance is no excuse.


Er... it's not so much not noticing the label and reading it as it is seeing it, ignoring it and then taking out anger on your own stupidity and making a fow grand while you're at it. They know they're idiots. They just prefer pinning the blame on others before themselves.

Now, I must find a story from another person to supplement. TO MY FRIENDS LIST!

Ah, there it is. Huh, three threads down in Malachi's quasi-communism thing.

Malachi
Then there is me. Last August I had an illicit sexual relationship with my neighbor, another guy. When his parents got home, he told them I raped him, when all that happened was me blowing him and a bit of kissing. His parents, being good, practicing Catholics immediately believed him, disregarding the fact that he was a pathological liar, and filed a police report. He was one month younger than me, so they made it seem like I had raped a little kid, and he also has some sort of obscure mental disability. It's nothing you could possibly notice by just being around him and it is not something that affect his judgment, but they weren't going to tell the police that.


Yeah, I saw that. And I said to that what I'll say now, and it's what I say to each thing. The more we allow frivolous lawsuits, the more stupid people get.

Cougar Draven


My Conscience

PostPosted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 11:30 pm


Cougar Draven
People that nailed it spot-on:

Fluffzorz
Undies
Lykus
Loki

And MC, common sense is DON'T BREAK THE ******** LAW!

Sorry about that, but it seemed rather necessary. If I break the law, I expect to get busted for it, not escape from punishment by blaming something else. Essentially, it all comes down to Mr. Obesity not checking his appetite, or Ms. Hot Coffee not reading the label on the ******** CUP. When it comes to labels, if it's labeled (coffee, etc.), and you disregard, too bad, so sad, you're a moron. When it comes to legal matters...if you break the law, too ********' bad. Ignorance is no excuse.

Dude... I am agreeing with you. If you are referring to the questions I asked to you, those were generic statements for you to explain rather than a support of the opposing side. Kind of like me asking pro-lifers (which I am one) how they feel personhood is afforded in society. Also, and I quote, "Don't break the ******** law!" To what are you referring?
PostPosted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 7:50 am


My Conscience
linaloki
There are many problems with our judicial system. One, a trial by your peers? Most people's peers seem to be quite lacking in intelligence and tend to sway towards emotions instead of facts. It should be a trial by intelligent peers...

Intelligence is relative.


However, it can be standardized as it within one subject. Make them take some sort of test. Below a 75? Bye bye.

My Conscience
On a more serious note, how should the legal system work? How do we judge what is intelligence? How do we judge what is common sense?


It's not really intelligence and common sense that need to be judged... except for on some judges. Our criminal law system is about as good as it'll get. Yeah, there's corruption and violence inherent in the system. (Sorry... the violence thing isn't really true, but I had to say it! gonk ) But that's about as good as it can get, and we can only hope for less corruption.

When it comes to lawsuits, however. We can judge the circumstances and faults. If I am commiting a crime and am injured, I am at fault. The injury would not have arisen had I not already been breaking the law. Which is illegal. So, sorry, it's my fault, no money for me. Also, such as in the Winebago case, if you don't know it... Man is driving a Winebago. Presses Cruise Control. Goes into back to make sandwhich. It crashes. He sues because he thought it was like Auto Pilot. He gets a new Winebago and much money in cash.

... That story pisses me off every time. Sure, I could judge his stupidity, but that's subjective. To do this objectively, we hafta judge a few things.

1) Did the car come with a manual explaining certain features?
2) Was the car company at fault for the accident?

The answer to one, not quite important but nice to have, was probably yes. But the answer to number two is the big problem. Is there any logical way that the company that made the Winebago is at fault for his decision to leave the wheel of his car after using a feature he was not researched or positive on the uses of? No. All blame is to be placed on him, as he made the decision. The car company did not label the button Auto Pilot. Nothing they did besides having the feature which comes standard in most all cars nowadays perpetuated the accident. All blame rests on his stupid stupid decision.

Which is another reason why I don't think the Mickey Dees lady should've gotten as much money as she did. It was her own damn fault. And, as a note, they didn't have the labels on the cups back then. That was the lawsuit that forced McDonalds to put, "Warning! We figure you don't like ice in your coffee, so this might have some warmth to it! An unfortunate side effect of using boiling water is that sometimes IT CAN BE ******** HOT!" on the coffee cups.

linaloki

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Annoth_Razur

PostPosted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 8:01 am


heh, I still find it hilarious because iteminds meofthe McDonald's lawsuit. When aare people simplygoing to own up to their own stupidity rather than blame someone else and gain a quick buck in the process.Trulyorlegal system needsto be looked at to prevent such idiocy. Not onlyis it a nuisance but its basically an abuse of the system. How stupidwould it look if I get intoa car accident while im speeding down the highway at 90mph and then blamethe car manufacturers for making it go so fast.
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