The Off Topic Topic

[DGuller]

I just found out that my cousin got approved for temporary asylum in the UK and plans to renounce her US citizenship 

Congrats to your cousin.  She must be making a lot of money. 

[derspiess]

I just found out that my cousin got approved for temporary asylum in the UK and plans to renounce her US citizenship 

Congrats to your cousin.  She must be making a lot of money. 

No idea how much money had anything to do with it, but she lost a custody battle recently (some of it due to her own bungling) and she's pissed off at the entire US over it.  I think she's lost her mind & have become a bit less sympathetic to her side of the custody battle.

I posted that article a few months ago about a guy in Florida who was being prosecuted for zip-tying his daughter in her room to keep her from sneaking out at night.  Well, that was her daughter and ex-husband. 

[Tonitrus]

Yeah, nice they're reaching out to gaming, some real characters in there too.
Though the plot does look a bit by the book. But meh.

Looks like there's plenty of video game references no one under the age of 30 is going to get.

That's the whole point.

Indeed.  Those are for the parents who have to suffer taking their kids to it.

And if kids latch onto it, and it starts a new Q-Bert revolution....well, marketing win-win.

[CountDeMoney]

I just found out that my cousin got approved for temporary asylum in the UK and plans to renounce her US citizenship 

Sweet.  Normally, people wait until after the election.

[Malthus]

I just found out that my cousin got approved for temporary asylum in the UK and plans to renounce her US citizenship 

Congrats to your cousin.  She must be making a lot of money. 

No idea how much money had anything to do with it, but she lost a custody battle recently (some of it due to her own bungling) and she's pissed off at the entire US over it.  I think she's lost her mind & have become a bit less sympathetic to her side of the custody battle.

I posted that article a few months ago about a guy in Florida who was being prosecuted for zip-tying his daughter in her room to keep her from sneaking out at night.  Well, that was her daughter and ex-husband.

Good lord. 

What was the outcome of that case?

I find it very hard to imagine how zip-tying one's kid could be considered acceptable.

[Josephus]

I loved Q-Bert.

[Neil]

Opinions on the french revolution are complicated. I appreciate the nationalism and democracy that sprung from it, but not the centralization. A crucial factor is that by means of the revolution France was at the cutting edge of western thought, which is their proper place.

The French Revolution is kind of dirty, but then Napoleon saves it by virtue of his dash, elan and grandeur. He keeps the best ideas while making it fun for the whole family.

The guy who centralized most of Europe under his rule?  I would have thought that you would hate Napoleon, and cheer for the plucky, aristocratic Duke of Wellington.

Besides, the centralization of state power made modern civilization possible.

[mongers]

I just found out that my cousin got approved for temporary asylum in the UK and plans to renounce her US citizenship 

That's weird how would you get asylum status with regard to the US ?

[FunkMonk]

I just found out that my cousin got approved for temporary asylum in the UK and plans to renounce her US citizenship 

Sweet.  Normally, people wait until after the election.

If Barak Obama is not re-elected I will renounce my Costco membership. 

[Neil]

I just found out that my cousin got approved for temporary asylum in the UK and plans to renounce her US citizenship 

That's weird how would you get asylum status with regard to the US ?

Your life is always in danger from gun wielding darkies.  Isn't that the excuse people use from Africa?

[derspiess]

What was the outcome of that case?

I find it very hard to imagine how zip-tying one's kid could be considered acceptable.

He was convicted and served a a little jail time.  In the meantime, he and his team of lawyers (he's an attorney himself) waged a pretty effective scorched earth campaign against her to try to get her to drop the abuse charges. 

When he sued to get custody of the kids, she made a couple stupid mistakes and ended up with a contempt of court charge and ended up having to serve some jail time herself.

The inside 'info' I have is highly biased, so much to my mom's dismay I'm skeptical of most of it.  Here's an article from a year ago that goes into some details: http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2011/jul/08/attorney-Jon-Parrish-zip-tie-daughter-custody-case/

I feel bad for my cousin being in that situation, and we knew many years ago that her now ex-husband was a jerk, but from what I've seen she contributed to a lot of her own problems.  The sad thing is she doesn't seem to realize it.

[derspiess]

That's weird how would you get asylum status with regard to the US ?

She made contact with some people who apparently think the U.S. family court system is fundamentally flawed to the point of being some great human rights issue.  One of them is a guy named Keith Harmon Snow. 

Pretty bizarre.

[PDH]

Spicey's family hates Amerika 

[Ideologue]

That's weird how would you get asylum status with regard to the US ?

She made contact with some people who apparently think the U.S. family court system is fundamentally flawed to the point of being some great human rights issue.

Interesting.

[MadImmortalMan]

It is.

Some dude set himself on fire in New Hampshire a couple years ago over it.