Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Possibly the two stupidest lawsuits ever

My friend Charlie pointed me to Groklaw, which has the continuing story on "the stupidest lawsuit since the world began." Ten French women started a carpool, because they can commute faster, more cheaply and more conveniently than riding the buses of French company Transports Schiocchet Excursions. So the bus company has sued them for "losses," claiming illegal competition, and they even demand that the women's cars be confiscated. The lawsuit was thrown out two years ago, but Transports Schiocchet Excursions is pursuing it in another court.

Today I found this via Yahoo! News:

Tokyo Governor Sued for Insulting French
A group of teachers and translators in Japan on Wednesday sued Tokyo's outspoken nationalist governor for allegedly calling French a "failed international language," a news report said.

Twenty-one people filed the lawsuit at the Tokyo District Court, demanding that Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara pay a total of 10.5 million yen ($94,600) compensation for insulting the French language in remarks last October, national broadcaster NHK said.

In their suit, the plaintiffs accused Ishihara of saying: "French is a failed international language because it cannot be used to count numbers." ...
So they're basically suing over hurt feelings.

Which of these do you all think is the more idiotic?

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

The second lawsuit is the stupidest.

I think English as become the international language because America, who has become a superpower politically, militarily, technologically and scientifically, speaks English. Had Germans colonized America, the German language would have become the world's language.

Let the Japanese official bashes the French language ---freedom of speak.

The French bus company is suing because in France transportation systems are heavily regulated ---and his 'competitor' escapes that. Public safety and insurance issues are at stake. The French believe that the French government should regulate eveything. Perry Eidelbus maybe has a different view.

Ciao,

Chris. F. Masse
from the French Riviera

Thursday, July 14, 2005 8:34:00 AM  
Blogger Perry Eidelbus said...

Somehow I have the feeling our French friend Chris Masse disagrees with his own government on regulating transportation?

Saturday, July 16, 2005 2:28:00 AM  

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