Libertarian ping
Posted on 01/29/2005 2:42:15 AM PST by freepatriot32
NEW YORK - McDonald's has so far prevailed in the lawsuits that have asserted it is partly to blame for its customers' bulging waistlines.
But a new lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco insists the burger giant has failed in its promise to move to a healthier cooking oil, and it is being brought not by fry-eaters but by Kathy Fettke, a "personal coach" and infomercial pitchwoman who "is living her dream by helping others live their dreams."
Fettke, who has also worked as a television host and actor--she played a bridesmaid in Flubber--is married to the similarly employed Rich Fettke, who bills himself as the "best-selling author of Extreme Success." She is also a holder of one of the International Coaching Federation's first Master Certified Coach credentials, an accrediting organization of which Rich Fettke was once vice president.
Kathy Fettke's lawyer is Stephen Joseph, founder of and counsel to BanTransFats.com, a San Francisco-based organization whose goal is the reduction and elimination of trans fats from all food products. It claimed a major success in suing Kraft Foods (nyse: KFT - news - people ) over trans fats in Oreos. But when Joseph dropped the California suit in May 2003, Kraft said it had been working on ways to remove trans fats from the cookies and already had a reduced-fat version on the market.
In the McDonald's (nyse: MCD - news - people ) case, the plaintiffs are not seeking monetary damages and said, "The lawsuit has nothing to do with obesity. Trans fats cause serious medical health problems other than obesity." Indeed they allege that according to the Harvard School of Public Health, 30,000 or more premature heart disease deaths are caused each year by trans fats. (Harvard did do a study on the effects of trans fats in 1994, but concluded that approximately 30,000 deaths "could be attributable" to the consumption of trans fats.)
McDonald's already announced in 2002 it would shift to a new cooking oil with half the trans fats by February 2003, but said operational difficulties have delayed the changeover. The company said it would not comment on the complaint's specific allegations because it had not seen the lawsuit and that it has reduced trans fatty acid (TFA) levels in its McNuggets and other chicken products.
"In February 2003, we made a broad public statement that the change in our cooking oil was taking longer than anticipated and would be delayed," McDonald's spokeswoman Lisa Howard told USA Today. "We continue to work hard to achieve our ambitious goals for reduction of TFAs in our cooking oil."
The lawsuit accuses McDonald's of profiting from its earlier announcement that it was about to cut trans fats, misleading the public. "McDonald's has made only a token attempt to inform its customers that it had not made the change to the new cooking oil. It has deliberately allowed the public to be misled...Meanwhile, it has been reaping millions of dollars in additional profits from customers who believe that they are getting the new healthier oil. If many of those customers knew that they had been duped, they would not eat at McDonald's," BanTransFats.com said in a statement. It wants the company to take more effective steps to inform its customers about its failure to make the change and that it in fact make the change to new cooking oil as soon as possible. Neither McDonald's nor BanTransFats.com was immediately available for comment.
An earlier lawsuit filed in a federal court in Manhattan by overweight teenagers was dismissed, though it may be re-filed. (See: "Judge To Fat Plaintiffs: Where's The Beef?")
It is not immediately clear how Fettke figures as the plaintiff in the case, but according to the Web site for her "reality radio show," called The Edge, there is little that Fettke is NOT concerned with. The show claims to give listeners "the edge" in their lives "with cutting edge information on how to make more money, create [their] dream career, enjoy optimum health, and become more successful in [their] relationships and overall life fulfillment." Cutting trans fats fits in there somewhere
I use the above trick when I go to fast food joints for lunch. I also throw out a few fries and about 3/4 of of the soda. I also ditch the mayo. I then try to take at least a 20 minute walk during the lunch hour. The 20 minute walk usually alleviates any lingering hunger cravings.
I think the walk thing is good, I should do more of it but I stay as active as I can here on the farm, physically.
Libertarian ping
so many morons put money into the pockets of people like this in order to learn what common sense told them the first time they looked in the mirror and said to themselves "Boy I look like sh!t". By sending these idiots money all they do is encourage them to spew more B.S. They themselves start to believe they have a higher calling. Then get a lawyer involved and we're off to court to save the universe. It must be nice to go thru life without ever really having to earn your keep. (thanx, I feel much better now)
the low carb thick burger from hardees comes that way now you dont even have to special order it
they should be cast in a new movie the stepford family
Quick show of hands please. Those who have consulted a "life coach"?
Try the "Zone Diet" by Sears. It's a more balanced approach. I suspect all of these diets are as effective as your metablism is sensitive to a certain approach to nutrion. Zone worked like a charm for 2 people in my family and the maintenence is easy. 3 years now and out of the 35 fluctuation on maintenance has been within 10 lbs.
Yeah. My mother! ;-)
*grabs chest*Ack ugh unng my heart my heart call 911 i need nitro pills.You have got to be the first person in well over thirty years to say something like that your common sence is likea breath of fresh air plus your in post animation is pretty cool too :-)
Is this issue worthy of its organization? I hope it isn't a 501(c)(3).
Trial lawyers have no shame.
Plus publicity. She'll probably be amongst the idiots in the media fairly soon. Good Morning America anyone?
Dont like oil McDonalds uses? Then dont go there!
Sounds like your doing OK now. Keep up the good work.
I intend to do just that, my life depends on it.
Thanks! I'll have to look into that. My fiance was on Atkins too and had the same complaints. She found that place "Curves" and has had a lot of success there. I just keep the carbs down to a reasonable level now. But bar none the biggest factor for me was eliminating alcohol. I did'nt feel I had a 'problem'(LOL), unless of course you'd call getting *hit-faced and acting a fool a virtue. I had my fill thru my 20's anyway. Another side benefit is that LadyLurkedalot can have a glass of wine or two out at dinner and not worry about who'll drive home.
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