AP: Online casino strikes again, buying naughty kids' Christmas gifts

[rainbow4321]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D877OJA00.html


An online casino that bought a cheese sandwich said to bear the Virgin Mary's image and a plate that supposedly came from the Titanic has struck again — this time paying a man $5,300 for his naughty children's Christmas gifts.

The Pasadena man said last week that he decided to auction the three Nintendo DS game systems because his sons, ages 9, 11, and 15, had misbehaved. The family's decision made national headlines, intriguing GoldenPalace.com, casino spokesman Monty Kerr said.

"Everybody knows Santa doesn't come to naughty kids," Kerr said Sunday. The man, speaking on condition of anonymity, said his family will use the money to buy a new heating system for his Pasadena church. He said he was shocked by the attention his story received.

"When doing what is normal and standard in childrearing by teaching your children good, honest family values and giving them a sense of accountability becomes a newsworthy item, what does that say about America today?" he said.

[Piperay]

1. Giving the money to his church

instead of pocketing it, that's a switch. I guess the guy got some flack for not just donating the items so now he is going to donate the money.

[Flammable Materials]

2. Another publicity whore.

"When doing what is normal and standard in childrearing by teaching your children good, honest family values and giving them a sense of accountability becomes a newsworthy item, what does that say about America today?" he said.

If all he wanted was just to set an example for his kids, he shouldn't have advertised what he was doing on eBay. He should have just sold them and been done with it.

[GarySeven]

3. It's just barely possible that someone else reported it to the press

and not the father. People put weird stuff up for sale all the time and it makes news without a press agent, like the woman who put her virginity up for sale.

BTW - what does the expression "tit for tat" mean? What is "tat" and where is the forum where I can exchange it for the other?

[Flammable Materials]

4. I'm sure he went to the trouble of describing it in his listing. n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Probably from "tip for tap"

ie blow for blow. Also possibly from the Dutch dit vor dat (this for that), like Latin quid pro quo. Maybe even the French tant pour tant.

However, "tat" can also mean "worthless rags"; so literally, someone does seem to get the good side of the deal.

[GarySeven]

11. That would explain why whenever I try to to exchange "tat" ....

at the nudie bar, all I get is a dirty look.

[Boosterman]

5. Actually if I remember correctly

this guy called a local newspaper and told them about it but didnt give his name. However, he also originally planned to give the money to his church. Maybe someone can search and find the threads and link it for you.

[rainbow4321]

6. Still makes no sense...

Looks like he just wanted media attention...so was he protecting himself by not giving out his name??? And when his kids go back to school and are asked what they got for Xmas do they now get to lie in order to keep from being embarrassed by this fool?

Why not take the toys back to the store, get the $$ back..then take the kids/money to the church and have the kids hand over the $$ themselves. This all could have been done within a couple hours max.

I feel so bad for these kids...I hope the next time this father so much as gives another person a mean look that someone tells him that he gets to skip his next Xmas <and his birthday, as well>.

[Boosterman]

7. I dont know how i feel about this one

I know different kids need different types of discipline. It varies according to the kid. He probably shouldnt have made that threat, but once he did he had to follow through on it. The only rationale I can see behind calling the newspaper that would make him look good was he wanted to send a message to bratty kids. Maybe to up the bid on his Ebay sale? It wasnt like he profited financially from it. There are plenty of other explanations possible though and most of them make him look bad.

[genieroze]

8. Wow a casino, what values. eom

[Chico Man]

10. I should have sold him my asparagus that looked like an alien

Seriously, two alien eyes appeared after wrapping the asparagus in bacon and grilling it. This was before the "ET Cereal" hit Ebay too..

Another missed opportunity.