Guest guest Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 McDonald pays up Hindu veggie groups in US CHIDANAND RAJGHATTA TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ TUESDAY, JULY 12, 2005 09:25:53 PM ] WASHINGTON: Several Hindu and vegetarian groups in the United States had a happy surprise in the mail last week. Healthy cheques for sums ranging from $50,000 to $1.4 million -- part of the $10 million court-ordered settlement in the case involving their beef against McDonald's. Some four years after Seattle-based Indian-American lawyer Harish Bharti sued the fast food giant for misleading customers by claiming their French fries were vegetarian, McDonald's mailed out the cheques, in addition to the apology it issued in March 2002. The money, McDonald's said, will go "to Hindu, vegetarian and other groups whose charitable and educational activities are closely linked to the concerns of these consumers (having dietary restrictions)." Among the groups that benefited from the class-action bonanza are International/American Gita Society, which got $50,000; Hinduism Today Endowment, $250,000; Supporting Excellence in Education, $900,000; Council of Hindu Temples of North America $200,000; SSV Temple, $50,000; and Hindu Students Council, $500,000. Vegetarian groups that were awarded include Vegetarian Resource Group ($1.4 milion), ADAF Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group ($600,000), Preventive Medicine Research Institute ($550,000), North American Vegetarian Society ($1 million) Vegetarian Vision, Inc.,($250,000); and American Vegan Society, $500,000. They are among the 24 groups selected to receive compensation from over 250 groups that were initially considered under the terms of the settlement. Also among the beneficiaries were Jewish, Muslim and Sikh groups which joined the lawsuit claiming that the fries were not kosher/halal etc. "It was quite a surprise," said Paramacharya Palaniswami of the Hindu Monastery in Kaui, Hawaii, which received a check for $ 254,773.19 drawn on Chicago's Banco Popular. "I guess we will be inspired to do more things for vegetarianism." As a first step, the monastery plans to place the amount in an endowment for publication of its Hinduism Today magazine. None of the principle will be touched, so that it will be a perpetual source for funding outright 1,000 or more free subscriptions a year forever, or subsidize a larger number, the Paramacharya told TNN in an interview from Hawaii. He also said the "the supersized endowment will educate Americans, especially youth, about the merits of a veggie lifestyle, which has been a Hindu ideal for 6,000 years." The victorious groups have however asked customers to take note of the fact that McDonald's made no changes in their fries, which still have beef-flavoring. Under the terms of the settlement, McDonald's is only required to make a better disclosure, not change the way its fries are made. "Sure, the oil is vegetable. But make no mistake about it. There is meat in those luscious Golden Arches french fries," Paramacharya Palaniswami said. Attorney Harish Bharti did not return calls seeking comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 Inspite of being a hardcore veggy, I have eaten Mcdonald's fries many times unknowingly. Am I going to accumulate negative karmas? I will never eat them again in this life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sephiroth Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 Inspite of being a hardcore veggy, I have eaten Mcdonald's fries many times unknowingly. Am I going to accumulate negative karmas? I think sins done without knowing it is forgivable. BTW, have you try reading ingredience in chocolate bars and some candy in shops? You will find some of them have some "amazing" ingredience inside. I remember once, I was working late with two of my colleques, both are Hindus. One is a guy and another was a skinny girl. Anyway, I brought this sweet called "SUGUS" (you have heard of it) and was eating it one by one when the Hindu guy told us something surprising. "Did you know that SUGUS has beef gelatine in them?" he said. I was like "huh?" and read the ingredience. And it stated right there that there was beef gelatine inside SUGUS. So what to do? I swallow the whole pack of the SUGUS I had (didn't want to waste it but it turn the skinny Hindus girl pale) and promised myself I'm going to read the ingredience before buying any snacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 when i was in Malaysia i got some chips for watching a movie...when i took few pieces of it i felt the taste was weard...when i checked the ingredians it had chicken in it....yuck...had to waste the whole packet.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sephiroth Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 Anyway, this is a good example how people nowadays must be careful of what you buy and eat. A lot of things comes in form of mix ingredience. Better bring food from home. But, me being an Asura, I eat meat (Sea food, chicken and eggs, reducing chicken meat slowly now) so no problem. Also, I wish Indians could open more, cheaper Vegetarian restaurants, especially overseas. Vegetarian foods are clean, health and Westerners as well as Easterns will love them ... hmm, an Asuran promoting Vegetarianism ... this is Kaliyuga indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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