Suing Nutella

A good article for the budding lawyers among you.  Is this just another sign that there is too much litigation going on in the U.S. (and perhaps the West as a whole)?  Is the woman suing just in it for the money or is this the only way to keep big companies honest, especially when it regards children?  There are probably few ads without any deception, but when does it go beyond the limit and become illegal or liable for action in court?  Is this the case here?  After all, it seems that the ads only „implied“ that it was healthy…  

Clink on the link below since it was too long to fit in the required box.

http://www.litigationandtrial.com/2011/02/articles/attorney/consumer-protection/inevitable-consumer-class-action-lawsuit-filed-against-nutellas-healthy-false-advertising/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LitigationAndTrial+(Litigation+and+Trial+-+Max+Kennerly)

The new masculinity

Looking at the images in beer commercials among other things, this author wonders what the ideal image of men is these days (for themselves –not necessarily in the eyes of women) and what it says about our society.  Do you agree that the image of men that is being promoted is one of the slacker or the lout: unsophisticated, insensitive and immature?  Is that what men are actually turning into?  What should we consider as a “real man”?  Or is gender identity something that we should get beyond and thus treat the term “man” as only referring to biology/anatomy?

English becomes compulsory for Slovak third graders

This law had a bit of trouble going through, and it seems like there were two main problems.  First, it no longer allows parents (or students) to have a choice about which language they will start with.  Secondly, there is a fear that there are not enough English teachers available to make this work.  As far as the former goes, we all know that English is the international language these days, but is it the most important second language for everyone everywhere?  Couldn’t a case be made for German or Russian or even Hungarian here in Slovakia (at least as options)?  As far as the second problem goes, why do you think there is a shortage of English teachers and what can be done to get more people to join the profession?

Make your neighborhood your family

Here’s an article by the same publication that gave us the one on Bhutan.  A part of their happiness series I guess.  Be sure to read both pages!  Anyway, what do you think of the diagnosis of the problem (families no longer work because of a lack of community support) and its solution (creating a community in a purposeful and perhaps somewhat artificial fashion)?  Could this work in Slovakia or does it depend on culture and/or income level?   Is it realistic to try to do something like this in the modern age of mobility and virtual reality?  What has your experience of neighborhood (tightly knit or otherwise) and neighbors been like?