Suing For Too Much Sex!

[Donnageddon]

My my, this thread has gone for a very morose turn.

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by Donnageddon

"is seeing someone with their arm trapped in a printing press entertaining?"

Is it accompanied by a laugh track?

There was a 'grateful for his freedom from the press' joke at the end - just to lighten the mood.

[RickyMaveety]

Yes, Sparrow, I see the article as someone making fun of a person who was actually suffering.

I know there are a lot of people who find people being injured absolutely riotous. America's Funniest Home Videos seem to be mostly about people being injured in one way or another. I don't watch the show, because I don't find it funny in the least.

I also don't care if the entire population of the UK thinks that suing for medical damages is "daft." Of course, understanding that this is a cultural phenomenon in the UK, I will try my best to see the joke and laugh appropriately the next time I am in the UK and see someone injured or killed. It won't be easy for me, but when in Rome ... or London.

I guess it's just that I'm one of those types that doesn't care to attend public executions, or to hunt, or to try to get a good view when there's been an auto accident with fatalities. In the last example, I am much more likely to get out of my car and offer assistance ... but that's my training ... it's sort of automatic.

The fact that the article was written by an American just reminds me that there are a lot of callous and uncaring people in my own country. I am not proud of the fact that they exist ... but there you have it, they do and they do have the right to freedom of speech.

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

I also don't care if the entire population of the UK thinks that suing for medical damages is "daft." Of course, understanding that this is a cultural phenomenon in the UK,...

Rest assured, it isn't.
Actually, nobody has said (or even implied) that it is .

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by C6REW

Blxxdy hell guys,

Aren't we getting just a teeny weenie bit offensive now!

For goodness sake back off. I have already made it clear that we obviously differ.

Of course pain and suffering are not a joke. But you still don't get the fact that here in the UK for most of us, this is funny. The fact that the original article was written by an American means some of you also find the same.

Lighten up a bit and do some serious chilling. For goodness sake don't start trying to make accusations about my character that you have absolutely no idea about. That is rather foolish for a forum that in general is for people who perhaps have a little more understanding and intelligence.

Go have a beer and if you are ever near Devizes, Wiltshire which is just down the road from Stonehenge, let me know and we can have a beer together.

Hopefully this will be the end of the matter, which makes me realise I best not put any jokes on mobile read in the future as I obviously do not understand the cultural differences between us. But hey that's life.

Best regards

Chris

Originally Posted by Sparrow

As a general instance of a (so-called) daft lawsuit, this story might be considered funny (especially in the UK where we're still quite prudish about sex and sex workers).
If you think of the article as a specific instance of someone who is actually suffering, then it's not funny.

But then, is seeing someone with their arm trapped in a printing press entertaining? I watched it all the way through with a sort of gruesome fascination. Public executions attract enthusiastic crowds around the world. Sarah Palin enjoys shooting moose. Killing fish is a very popular hobby. Maybe, as a species, we just aren't as enlightened as we like to pretend we are (I know I'm not, but don't tell anyone ).

No one said it or even implied it?? Really??

The last time I remember someone telling me to "chill out" about something like this was in the 90s when I went to a party. A couple of men there thought it would be ever so funny to hold a kitten down on a lit barbeque. When I made a big deal about it and took the kitten away from them, I heard something to the effect of "oh, chill out, boys will be boys" or some such garbage. I took the kitten to the vet, and paid about $5,000 in medical costs for it. I never spoke to any of those people again, and don't plan to.

Now, C6REW thinks the story about the woman is funny. You apparently think the lawsuit was daft (unless I am missing what you were saying). I would just really love for one of you to tell me what part of it is funny??

I'm glad that laughing at someone else's pain is not a cultural phenomenon ... even though C6REW would have me believe that it is true of "most" of the people in the UK. It's probably true of a lot of the people here in the US as well, it was certainly true of those stupid jerks at that party.

And, no, C6REW, I don't think I would like spending time socially with people like that. So, you go ahead and drink any number of beers in Wiltshire with like minded people.

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

No one said it or even implied it?? Really??

Nope.

"As a general instance of a (so-called) daft lawsuit, this story might be considered funny (especially in the UK where we're still quite prudish about sex and sex workers)."

Does not imply:

"the entire population of the UK thinks that suing for medical damages is "daft." "

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Nope.

"As a general instance of a (so-called) daft lawsuit, this story might be considered funny (especially in the UK where we're still quite prudish about sex and sex workers)."

Does not imply:

"the entire population of the UK thinks that suing for medical damages is "daft." "

OK .... that answers that question. So, ..... why?? Assume for a minute that you are not living in a country with a good socialized medical system. You pay into an insurance fund to cover your injuries, and then when you have an injury, they won't cover it.

You have three choices. One is to do nothing about the injury. The other is to pay the doctors what amounts to a year worth of your earnings. The last is to file suit.

So .... what exactly is daft about the lawsuit?? To me, the only thing that is daft is that the US doesn't have some kind of universal health care system.

I suppose I also think that it's pretty damn daft that the poor woman had to file suit, since her idiot employer should have covered the damages.

So ... could you please clarify? Is it simply because the woman was a sex worker?? Is that really the entire point of the "joke" ... that this woman had a degrading job??

[Patricia]

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

I also don't care if the entire population of the UK thinks that suing for medical damages is "daft." Of course, understanding that this is a cultural phenomenon in the UK, I will try my best to see the joke and laugh appropriately the next time I am in the UK and see someone injured or killed. It won't be easy for me, but when in Rome ... or London.

Believe me, Ricky, they don't believe this. It is just not true. Perhaps a small number of men in Devizes think that industrial injuries are amusing. Even that is probably over-generalising.
It is NOT a cultural phenomenon in the UK. And it is noticeable that there has not been a rush of UK members agreeing with the original poster. That tells us something.
Personally, I entirely agree with you.

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

So .... what exactly is daft about the lawsuit??

I don't think it is daft. I wrote 'so called' to try to indicate that law suits reported as silly in the press often have valid foundations.

I was originally going to mention a BBC radio programme called 'Law in Action'; they often discuss topical legal issues and explain why 'daft' lawsuits are actually often perfectly reasonable.
I didn't include the comment, because I thought dragging in a BBC radio prog would be too parochial - but it may have made it clearer that I believe 'daft' lawsuits are often perceived as such due to misreporting, and aren't daft at all.

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by Patricia

Believe me, Ricky, they don't believe this. It is just not true. Perhaps a small number of men in Devizes think that industrial injuries are amusing. Even that is probably over-generalising.
It is NOT a cultural phenomenon in the UK. And it is noticeable that there has not been a rush of UK members agreeing with the original poster. That tells us something.
Personally, I entirely agree with you.

Well, that's nice to know ... that's really nice to know. There are some things that, to me ... and it's good to know that I'm not the only one out there, are simply not funny.

I suppose it would be funny if the woman was not actually injured. And, I must admit I find those suits where burglar is robbing house, trips over something in the dark, and then tries to sue the homeowner for the "dangerous condition" they encountered while trying to commit the crime rather funny. Even given that they may have actually been injured, in those cases the irony is simply too much to bear.

But, woman in degrading job being shafted by her employer after a work related injury. Nothing ironic about that. Nothing frivolous about it either.

Honestly, the lack of universal health coverage in this country is deplorable. I can't afford insurance .... the last quote I got for medical coverage was for $5,000 in premiums ... every month. Wheeee.

But, if I was paying the premiums, had an injury and the company refused to cover me?? Trust me, I'd be dragging their asses to court faster than you could blink.

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by Patricia

And it is noticeable that there has not been a rush of UK members agreeing with the original poster. That tells us something.
Personally, I entirely agree with you.

I think that's a bit hard on the OP.

This story seems to be in the same category of weirdness as the Bobbit story from a few years back (although there the injured party was male).
That gave rise to quite a lot of widespread amusement at the time (although I didn't think it funny personally), I remember women's programmes on TV making jokes about it.
Lots of people find these type of stories amusing or intriguing.

[C6REW]

Hi Ricky,

Not sure that you have entered into the spirit of my post. I have tried my best to explain that it would in general be accepted as amusement. Please don't go on about injury etc. I fully understand that. Just learn to back off once someone has explained that they did not originally understand our cultural differences.

I am somewhat bemused by your continuing slur on my character which is founded on ONE thread. I would have thought that this is the mind of a very immature person, but I cannot possibly make that as a factual statement as I don't know you and feel obliged to suggest that we should end this nonsense right now.

Unless of course you are keen to keep this sort of discussion going. Perhaps that is what this about?

I must say it does remind me a little of school debates where the whole point was to keep the conversation heated and going for as long as possible!

So how about we call a truce and just let this one die a death. I have learnt not to post a joke on this forum again. And hopefully you have learnt that we are different. However, whatever you decide to do, please don't attempt to slur my character again. It is unfitting for this type of forum.

Hi Patricia,

Where in South Wales? Lived there for 13 years and learnt the lingo! You will find that some people have decided it is not worth getting into a debate like this. For what it is worth I have received a number of calls from people who know me and are shocked at the statements that have been made.

You may also be suprised to hear that on the other forums where I have posted this story, which are UK based, a good number of people have found the story amusing. Of course, they have not had the benefit of hearing how difficult these type of claims are in the US. We who have followed this thread can now see that the amusement is short lived and very regional. If I had realised this at the time I would most certainly not have put the article on this forum.

I have a reputation of being a kind and generous person who means no one any harm. To have this sort of thread go very sour is not good. As important, is for people not to judge others by something as trivial as the inclusion of an article in a forum. However bad the original story now appears to the average person from the US.

This reminds me of 'The Plague Dogs' by Richard Adams. The dogs escape from the hospital where they are being experimented on. The warden who was on duty on that night is in front of his boss. He thinks to himself, 'oh I wish life was like a game of chess and I could knock the King over and start again'!

But hey, I am a wiser person for the inclusion of this thread, so something has been gained.

Best regards

Chris

[zelda_pinwheel]

hi chris,
that is a very wise and mature reaction. i think you'll find that overall we do like a good joke around here ; but in this case you have hit on a rather touchy and complex subject. i'm glad you'd prefer to take this thread as a lesson and move on rather than keep a heated discussion going ; it's really appreciable to see everyone making an effort to maintain the pleasant ambiance on mobileread.

please do take a look around some of the other posts ; the lounge is full of silly threads for relaxing a bit (and you can get an idea of the tone of humour which is more appreciated here by reading a few of them) and there are also some really knowledgeable and helpful people on this forum for all your technical questions.

i hope your next joke will be more widely appreciated.

[RickyMaveety]

No problem. I hope the next joke you post (or article you link to) is actually something that is generally funny. This one just wasn't, and it's nice to know that you are able to see it from a different perspective.

I will happily withdraw any statements that you felt were a slur on your character ... although, I still feel quite free to pound the author of that article into the ground until all you can see is the top of his head.

[C6REW]

Hi Zelda and Ricky,

Good to be back on an even keel.

Now Ricky about that drink!

Regards

Chris