Missing: Madeline McCann

[.neko.]

I think that was her point too.

[Asthaloth]

Meh, seeing as the likes of J.K rowling and wayne rooney are footing the bill, I don't think it matters that much.

[Paul]

To be honest, I think that instead of spending £2,500,000 for just the safe return of Maddie McCann, the money could be better spent funding an organisation such as Missing Children or various other charities. I think the sum is proportionally too large for just one child.

[Paulisacretin]

You can't be serious? 2.5 Million? Now, as much as I do want this poor girl found, I do think that is a little lame.

I wish my life was worth £2,500,000.


£2,500,000 is around $5,000,000.

Because everyone has a billion gazillion pounds lying in their bank, JUST IN CASE someone in their family gets kidnapped.

I think its horrible that they should have to provide an reward at all, people should just give information without expecting large amounts of cash or other rewards in return.

This is a bit off-topic but I was wondering why you have to write all your posts in that font. It's unnecessary, makes your points harder to read, doesn't distinguish you in any positive way, and is generally a pain. Sure, you won't stop it, but I'd just like to point it out. I'll write all my posts like this in future.

[Paul]

You can't be serious? 2.5 Million? Now, as much as I do want this poor girl found, I do think that is a little lame.

I wish my life was worth £2,500,000.


£2,500,000 is around $5,000,000.

Because everyone has a billion gazillion pounds lying in their bank, JUST IN CASE someone in their family gets kidnapped.

I think its horrible that they should have to provide an reward at all, people should just give information without expecting large amounts of cash or other rewards in return.

This is a bit off-topic but I was wondering why you have to write all your posts in that font. It's unnecessary, makes your points harder to read, doesn't distinguish you in any positive way, and is generally a pain. Sure, you won't stop it, but I'd just like to point it out. I'll write all my posts like this in future.

It is completely up to her if she wants to use size 10 italics on the forum. Stop whining and get over it.

[Harmonize]

This is a bit off-topic but I was wondering why you have to write all your posts in that font. It's unnecessary, makes your points harder to read, doesn't distinguish you in any positive way, and is generally a pain. Sure, you won't stop it, but I'd just like to point it out. I'll write all my posts like this in future.

I dont have to, I just choose to.

Would this please your highness?

[Rakumel]

It's a horrible shame, this whole story. I feel I have to stick up for the parents here.

They were on holiday, the family, and as parents do, they need a bit of time away from their children in order to have a relationship of their own. I think its fair that they didn't want a complete stranger looking after their children, so they didn't take that option.

So then I want to know, if they didn't want a stranger looking after their kids, why didn't they ask a family member or a trusted friend to watch their children for them? Were they that isolated? If the parents wanted to take a vacation by themselves, they could've arranged a seperate trip for the children to go to grandma's or something.

Did the parents run off to some nightclub a few minutes away? Did they come home drunk every time they left their children alone? No. Not at all. They simply went to a restaurant seconds away from where they were staying, and had a clear view of the hotel. They checked on their children every 30 minutes, and weren't out for very long at all, just to eat something and go.

Doesn't matter. Have you ever looked after a four-year-old? They're WAY more clever than most people give them credit for. 30 minutes may not seem like a long time to you or me, but to them it's an eternity. If they don't have plenty to keep them busy and aren't supervised, they'll start "playing" with whatever's around - even if that something happens to be a lighter or an electric socket - or climbing up on things, or stuff like that. That's more than enough time for one to wander off or hide someplace where their parents can't see them (they frequently do this - they think it's funny to give mom, dad, or any other authority figure a little scare by hiding, and they're darned good at it). Or, sadly, in this case, for a child to get abducted.

Some time ago here in Memphis, a little baby died from overheating in a locked car on a hot summer day. The parent was only gone for a few minutes, had every intention of coming right back to his beloved child and going on with his day. He was otherwise a responsible, upstanding person. The car was probably within full view of the store he went in. But all that got shot to you-know-where because he made ONE stupid decision. Everyone felt bad for him and for the child. No one called him a ruthless killer or anything; most understood that it was a tragic mistake. But the fact still remains that "just a few minutes" is all it takes for something to happen to a child.

I'm sorry this happened, but leaving children THAT young, by themselves, anyplace for that length of time is incredibly irresponsible. And it's very sad that these two parents had to learn that the hard way. What really knocked me for a loop was that they were doctors. You'd think they'd know better.

[Runevalkyrie]

This is the final warning for this thread I am not happy that a good majority of the posts in this thread have been off-topic and offensive. It ends now otherwise strikes will be awarded and this thread will be locked

[littleboy6326]

I'm sorry this happened, but leaving children THAT young, by themselves, anyplace for that length of time is incredibly irresponsible. And it's very sad that these two parents had to learn that the hard way. What really knocked me for a loop was that they were doctors. You'd think they'd know better.

That is what I was trying to say. It is a shame they had to learn the hard way-- but for some people, that's the only way they will learn.

I also agree on the point about forming a charity or organisation, instead of spending 2.5 Million on one child... What about all those other children?

By the fires of Muspel, they could donate it to the NSPCC!

[Paulisacretin]

Yeah, I'm not going to have an aneurism, I'll just carry on not reading her posts like I do now. The thing is, just as she's free to write in a ridiculous way, I'm free to complain about it. McDonalds are free to pay workers in foreign countries whatever wages they want, so get over it? Yeah? Don't complain about it because it's completely up to them?

Fingers crossed the girl is found at some point. But I think people can take a lot of positive points from the whole event - It emphasises the need for parent's to protect their children. Complacency is what caused this whole situation, and I'd be willing to bet a lot of people are going to be a lot more careful from now on. At least for a while.

[littleboy6326]

Yeah, I'm not going to have an aneurism, I'll just carry on not reading her posts like I do now. The thing is, just as she's free to write in a ridiculous way, I'm free to complain about it. McDonalds are free to pay workers in foreign countries whatever wages they want, so get over it? Yeah? Don't complain about it because it's completely up to them?

Fingers crossed the girl is found at some point. But I think people can take a lot of positive points from the whole event - It emphasises the need for parent's to protect their children. Complacency is what caused this whole situation, and I'd be willing to bet a lot of people are going to be a lot more careful from now on. At least for a while.

The problem is, where would you draw the line between protection, and overprotection?

No one where I live seems to care too much about this girl. It happens, and most people have grown to accept that... However, my family are a bit more careful whilst travelling abroad, and I imagine most others would be too; but how much protection is considered too much protection?

[Paul]

Yeah, I'm not going to have an aneurism, I'll just carry on not reading her posts like I do now. The thing is, just as she's free to write in a ridiculous way, I'm free to complain about it. McDonalds are free to pay workers in foreign countries whatever wages they want, so get over it? Yeah? Don't complain about it because it's completely up to them?

McDonald's? What? How is that even relevant? You have one vivid imagination. I thought we were talking about fonts.

[Igg]

You shouldn't really be having conversations about either on this thread so SHUT UP.

[Paulisacretin]

Phenomenal powers of observation there.

The problem is, where would you draw the line between protection, and overprotection?

No one where I live seems to care too much about this girl. It happens, and most people have grown to accept that... However, my family are a bit more careful whilst travelling abroad, and I imagine most others would be too; but how much protection is considered too much protection?

Well, more than leaving three children with a combined age of 7 alone in a room that the public could potentially access, at night, only checking on them once every half an hour while you're in a restaurant down the road.

I think a nice example would be that when you get a hotel room somewhere, they always recommend leaving your posessions in the safe. So if you wouldn't leave your bulging wallet lying on your bed when you're out, why would you leave your children?

The idea of the child-slave market and all that is abhorrent, but it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Yes, parent's shouldnt have to worry about their children being abducted, just as women shouldn't have to worry about walking the streets alone at night, or I should be able to carry a laptop covered in diamonds through Compton without worrying about being robbed - BUT - we live in a world where we MUST worry about these things because they happen. Every day.

(not the laptop through compton bit i dont imagine)

So I would say keeping your children in sight or with a trusted adult at all times, especially when they aren't even teenagers IS within the bounds of sensible protection.

You shouldn't really be having conversations about either on this thread so SHUT UP.

What? So, in this example scenario:

"LATEST NEWS: Half of the North Pole has split of and is heading south. Imminent melting likely to lower sea levels by 75cm in the next 6 months"

In a thread about that, we wouldn't be allowed to talk about global warming?

person 1: Gosh, looks like that piece of ice is going to melt.
person 2: I agree, I think that it will melt
person 3: I can see that our planet's geographical makeup is changing
person 4: See what global warming is doing?
BANNED
person 2: So yeah, ice melts at 0°C eh?
person 3: Yeah it does
Person 1: Yep.

[May]

Bambam, Igg was talking about your comment regarding Harmonize's font choices and your right to complain when then went into something about McDonalds. Then Paul commented on it.

Those two posts were clearly off topic, unnecessary, and disrespectful to the forum staff as Rune already posted a warning regarding the need for everyone to stay on topic.

Back to the actual topic...I feel very sorry for that little girl and her family. The parents did what many parents do, and unfortunately, something tragic happened. That's how life goes these days. We can't do the things we were able to do 20 years ago. There are too many people with bad intentions now, and I feel bad that this family is now a victim of not only the person who abducted their daughter, but of the people who feel that the blame must rest with the parents.