eHarmony sued for "discrimination"

[smileyeagle1021]

I don't...i use the cup holder.

ditto, especially with hot drinks, because common sense dictates whether or not the hot drink is superheated to the point that it will cause second and third degree burns, hot water will be less than pleasant if it spills in the lap. Yes in the McDonalds case they should not have heated the coffee as hot as they did, but that doesn't change the fact had the lady used common sense and used a cup holder to prevent that type of spill it would have been a moot point.

[Cat]

Well, from what I heard from McDonlads is the reason the java is so hot is people buy it, drive to work, and want it hot whilst at work.

[Boozy]

The first time I had a cup of McDonald's coffee was a few years before this woman's lawsuit.

As with every hot beverage, my first sip was small and cautious. It scalded the skin off the roof of my mouth. Literally removed the skin.

I complained to my mom, who said something like, "Everyone knows McDonald's coffee is ridiculously hot. You have to take the top off and let it sit for 15 minutes."

Well, I didn't know that, and there had to be more than a few others who didn't either. So the day I heard this woman had won (settled? I can't remember) her lawsuit, I was thrilled.

I've spilled hot, fresh coffee all over the front of my shirt before, and it never caused burn injuries like this woman suffered.

[DrT]

I never drunk cofee at McDonald.
One because hot cofee is an aberration, since too hot a temperature will denature all the taste
Two because face it: it's crap.
Three because I have an expresso machine

Sorry for the interruption, do carry on ;p

[linguist]

the stella liebeck case is often brought up as an example of a frivolous lawsuit by people who haven't looked into the actual facts of the case, so here are the actual facts of the case.

the biggest misconception is that she was driving with the coffee between her legs. this is not true. from the site (emphasis mine on the cupholder point):

79-year old Stella Liebeck was not driving in a car when she was injured. In fact, she was not driving at all. She had gone with her grandson, Chris, to take her son, Jim, to the airport. On the way home, Chris pulled into a McDonald's drive-thru for breakfast. He parked the car so she could add cream and sugar to her coffee. Here's what happened next: Because the car had no cup holders and a slanted dash, Stella testified that she put the cup between her knees and removed the lid. As she did so, the slick styrofoam cup flipped backwards, dumping the scalding liquid into her lap and saturated the cotton sweatsuit which she was wearing. Her grandson, Chris, jumped out to help but the near boiling coffee was already searing her skin. By the time Chris was able to bring his grandmother to the emergency room, she had third degree burns across her groin, thighs, genitalia and buttocks.

add to this the fact that most people are unaware that mcdonald's had 700 other claims for coffee scaldings over the previous 10 years and did nothing to warn customers or reduce the temperature, and ms. liebeck had quite a justified case against the company for negligence.

[Greenday]

the biggest misconception is that she was driving with the coffee between her legs. this is not true. from the site (emphasis mine on the cupholder point)

So putting the cup between her knees, now creating a perfect setup for the coffee cup to spin, makes it not her fault she spilled her coffee on herself?

[linguist]

So putting the cup between her knees, now creating a perfect setup for the coffee cup to spin, makes it not her fault she spilled her coffee on herself?

no one ever said she wasn't at least partially to blame; in fact, the courts found her 20% responsible and reduced her damages accordingly. however, the biggest problem still lies in that mcdonald's was knowingly keeping the coffee at an unsafe temperature, as was testified by their quality control manager and another corporate witness who discussed the 700 previous scalding claims filed against the company.

a few degrees cooler would have made the difference between a trip to the dry cleaner and a trip to the hospital, an ordeal that almost killed ms. liebeck.

[Boozy]

So putting the cup between her knees, now creating a perfect setup for the coffee cup to spin, makes it not her fault she spilled her coffee on herself?

The spilled coffee was her fault.

The 3rd degree burns were McDonald's fault.

[Flyndaran]

The spilled coffee was her fault.

The 3rd degree burns were McDonald's fault.

Excellent concise post. I applaud.

[AFPheonix]

You also have to remember that once upon a time, we didn't have 300 cupholders in each vehicle that we have now. Sometimes, that's where you put your cup if it didn't wedge well between the passenger seat and the emergency brake handle.

[Flyndaran]

You also have to remember that once upon a time, we didn't have 300 cupholders in each vehicle that we have now. Sometimes, that's where you put your cup if it didn't wedge well between the passenger seat and the emergency brake handle.

I'm 34 and easily remember cars without such wonderful devices. Is every other poster so much younger as to not have experienced such a "wonder"?
How about such a dinosaurian age as before personal computers, or at least when not every hobo had one?

Do I need to start a, "You know you're getting old when..." thread?

[AFPheonix]

I'm only 28, but that's exactly the kind of car I drove through high school and college. I just think some people posting are forgetting that we didn't have the creature comforts then that we do now, even in very basic models of cars. Sometimes between your legs was the only place to put your cup.

[Flyndaran]

I'm only 28, but that's exactly the kind of car I drove through high school and college. I just think some people posting are forgetting that we didn't have the creature comforts then that we do now, even in very basic models of cars. Sometimes between your legs was the only place to put your cup.

Or that not everyone needs, or even wants, the latest greatest material object when a previous version suits their needs adequately.

I don't want an ipod, HD tv, etc. I don't go anywhere I need portable high tech or able to contain every song I've heard in my life. I don't have high definition eyes, so basic tvs are peachy keen for me... etc.

[Rapscallion]

http://www.newsday.com/business/la-f...,5078446.story

Looks like the site is up and running. www.compatiblepartners.net

I tried changing it to M seeking W, and it immediately redirected me to eharmony.

Rapscallion