Chat Thread 42: The Answer To Life, The Universe and Everyth

[dtlux1]

Render will you be my Valentine and send me Kinder eggs?

I remember how happy I was when I got a Kinder Egg in Canada just because they aren't allowed in the US. The egg actually tasted good, and I got a cool panther toy in it. Everyone bought a Kinder Egg just because they could only get them there.

I really wish I could get them, the toys are fun and the chocolate tastes great. Too bad the one petition to allow them in the US failed.

[Douglas Collier]

So, do any of you have valentines, or are we all hopeless?

[JeffCvt]

I was serious in my last post when I said I've never had a girlfriend. So no matter what, remember this people: you will never be as hopeless as me.

[Douglas Collier]

Are you sure about that? I can count the number of dates I've been on on my Housepets universe paws!

[Render]

Render will you be my Valentine and send me Kinder eggs?

Is the import allowed or are they fully banned?

[Amazee Dayzee]

You know that you are bored when before class, you wanna go to the cemetery and clean the snow OFF of your grandfather / great-grandfather / great-grandmother / granduncle / grandaunts grave (Its one big grave).

[RandomGeekNamedBrent]

Render will you be my Valentine and send me Kinder eggs?

Is the import allowed or are they fully banned?

I believe it's just illegal to sell them.

though I'm confused. Apparently the law that bans them has been in place since the 30s, but I know for a fact Wonderballs were sold with toys inside in the late 90s. shouldn't they have been caught before airing commercials? weird.

[dtlux1]

Render will you be my Valentine and send me Kinder eggs?

Is the import allowed or are they fully banned?

I believe it's just illegal to sell them.

though I'm confused. Apparently the law that bans them has been in place since the 30s, but I know for a fact Wonderballs were sold with toys inside in the late 90s. shouldn't they have been caught before airing commercials? weird.

Well, there is a way around the law. I know there is a US version of the egg, believe it is called Choco Surprise, and the capsule is not fully concealed by the chocolate, which makes them legal. The capsules are also slightly larger than a Kinder Egg. The biggest reason the Kinder Egg is banned is because it has a 3+ label on it, and chocolate is meant for all ages.

Also, it seems to be the import of them as well. Read the bottom paragraph under that section.

I was serious in my last post when I said I've never had a girlfriend. So no matter what, remember this people: you will never be as hopeless as me.

I have never had one either, but I have a few years before I am as hopeless as you.

[Bucky-Roo]

Time for another year celebrating Valentines day by myself!
If you need me, I'll be in my room with ice cream and netflix.

[Mickey the Luxray]

For a little bit I was worried I'd have to spend my valentine's at the computer, eating myself sick, alone.

Thankfully, I can now take comfort that I'll spend my Valentine's at the computer, eating myself sick, cackling like a maniac at my interest's drawings.

[RandomGeekNamedBrent]

Also, it seems to be the import of them as well. Read the bottom paragraph under that section.

Yeah, though I don't think that covers sending them in the mail. I think Render could send us all Kinder eggs and we wouldn't be breaking laws. Though I could be wrong.

I was serious in my last post when I said I've never had a girlfriend. So no matter what, remember this people: you will never be as hopeless as me.

I have never had one either, but I have a few years before I am as hopeless as you.

I sort of had one, but it was so awkward and unrelationshippy that I don;t really count it. she didn't have facebook or email so I could only talk to her on the phone, which meant I had to take time away from the internet to talk to her. plus I couldn't drive so we could only go places with my parents driving us.

[GameCobra]

I was serious in my last post when I said I've never had a girlfriend. So no matter what, remember this people: you will never be as hopeless as me.

Depends if you are willing to have a girlfriend or not. But if you were, then yes ~ hopeless

My problem is I had a really nice girl that liked me since Grade 8. My issue is I don't have any idea what my future is going to be like. Would've been nice to know that I could've supported someone in life, but that's not the case for me. After working where i'm at, i'm certain I made the right choice, but at the same time I wished I tried harder when I was young.

[JeffCvt]

Are you sure about that? I can count the number of dates I've been on on my Housepets universe paws!

That still means you have been on at least one date. That's one more than I've ever been on.

I have never had one either, but I have a few years before I am as hopeless as you.

Don't become as bad as me. You end up spending so much time online that you're promoted to a mod/admin to every forum/group you regularly visit (True story).

I sort of had one, but it was so awkward and unrelationshippy that I don;t really count it. she didn't have facebook or email so I could only talk to her on the phone, which meant I had to take time away from the internet to talk to her. plus I couldn't drive so we could only go places with my parents driving us.

But see, that was still something. Something is always better than nothing.

Depends if you are willing to have a girlfriend or not. But if you were, then yes ~ hopeless

I would like to have a girlfriend very much. I can only imagine how nice it would be.

[Douglas Collier]

Ok, Jeff, I think you won. Well, at least you can take consolation in the fact that a few of us don't have significant others.

[GameCobra]

I would like to have a girlfriend very much. I can only imagine how nice it would be.

Then i'm sure you will get one. =P

Ok, Jeff, I think you won. Well, at least you can take consolation in the fact that a few of us don't have significant others.

I don't believe in the idea that people searching for love won't find anyone. It's a matter of choice and decision in real life. You just gotta know what you are capable of. =)

[Douglas Collier]

I would like to have a girlfriend very much. I can only imagine how nice it would be.

Then i'm sure you will get one. =P

Ok, Jeff, I think you won. Well, at least you can take consolation in the fact that a few of us don't have significant others.

I don't believe in the idea that people searching for love won't find anyone. It's a matter of choice and decision in real life. You just gotta know what you are capable of. =)

Yet - some of us don't have significant others yet. I'm positive there are people out there for us. ^^

[Jacey]

Well I also will be alone this year. Which it hurts a bit more than normal. I guess that is because of my ex rather implied through words and actions that I bored her and wasn't enough.
Oh well, I have to work that day anyways. So that should be... fun.

[Whozjama]

I also join the single folks in celebrating Singles. Awareness. Day., also know as S.A.D.!

*stuffs face with chocolate to hold back the feels

[hypernovatic]

I'm spending Valentine's Day at three of my friends' birthday party. (It's one big party for all three.) SO, I'll be playing a ton of video games.

[Deske]

I've never had a girlfriend or boyfriend either. Such relationships just don't really appeal to me.
I did get some kinder chocolate for Christmas. America, why do you ruined all the fun.

[Amazee Dayzee]

I have a boyfriend and my sisters both have girlfriends. I guess we both should consider ourselves lucky though one of my sister's girlfriend moved to Indiana.

[The Blue Fox]

Yeah, I never had an official real life boyfriend or girlfriend either.
Closest I think I got was way back towards the end of primary school. There was this black-ish chick called Aisha...
Now back then I was a really immature little bundle of fun who had a weird fetish for tickling people's feet.
And I was too mentally immature to really keep it much of a secret, I guess, coz Aisha knew, and whenever the teacher asked for volunteers to tidy some stuff away into storage, she would always volunteer herself and me to do it...
But she only did it to get us away from the class to somewhere more quiet and private, and instead of doing any actual tidying, we would sit down in a corner and she would let me tickle her feet.
She wasn't ticklish so I could go nuts and it wouldn't affect her at all.
The only reason I can think of for her to sacrifice herself for me like that would be that she liked me. And I guess I liked her too. But again, I was too mentally immature to really catch on and maybe do something other than tickle her...something maybe she likes to do.
She went off to a different secondary school than me and we instantly lost contact with each other so I had to grow outta my weird feet tickling fetish REAL fast.

Since then there were a bunch of hot girls in secondary school I chased after like a slobbering mangy cur and probably claimed were my girlfriends when they actually weren't, but, looking back, none of them were really any good for me, and I was still too mentally immature for a serious relationship anyway.

I was a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to mental maturity. In fact, it took quite a bit of a wake-up call, and a bit of time for my mind to process that wake-up call, before I became the awesome blue fox I am today.

I still have a few mental kinks to work out...such as the fact that I still occasionally post something on the internet before thinking about what I'm posting and I always end up saying completely the wrong thing and end up looking like a complete and utter idiot when that happens and feeling like a complete and utter idiot afterwards when I realize what I said...but I'm sure I'll figure out how to iron them out in due time.

[Cesco]

Kinder Surprise is banned in the US? A symbol of childhood can't be enjoyed there? Just because of the surprises inside, which created collectors of them? That's really sad...

[Deske]

Kinder Surprise is banned in the US? A symbol of childhood can't be enjoyed there? Just because of the surprises inside, which created collectors of them? That's really sad...

American children who are young don't understand that you DON'T SWALLOW THE TOY INSIDE OF THE EGG! YOU CANNOT INGEST PLASTIC! At least, that's what I think and honestly, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if that's why they're banned.

[Liam]

The Lyttle Lytton Contest is one of the funniest things I came across in a while!

No matter if we talk about the wonders of science;

"The mega beasts were united by only one thing: their size." What Killed The Mega Beasts?, Discovery Channel documentary

Or the latest plotlines over at Marvel comics;

"Tune your ear to the frequency of despair, and cross-reference by the longitude and latitude of a heart in agony." Amazing Spider-Man #544

This site has to offer something for everyone.

Like some sage advice for exposition in fanfic:

"Knuckles resembles a human, but with differences. Knuckles is neither male nor female, though referred to as a "he." Three-quarter-inch-thick dark-violet-colored (FFA000E0) fur covers his entire body. He is only 25 1/3 inches tall, 4 inches wide, and 2.5 inches deep." Legend of the 10 Elemental Masters

And, of course, tips to start your own ever-lucrative Young Adult franchise:

"Madison was a shy, awkward, inwardly beautiful teenaged girl just like you." Brandon Specktor

[Cesco]

Kinder Surprise is banned in the US? A symbol of childhood can't be enjoyed there? Just because of the surprises inside, which created collectors of them? That's really sad...

American children who are young don't understand that you DON'T SWALLOW THE TOY INSIDE OF THE EGG! YOU CANNOT INGEST PLASTIC! At least, that's what I think and honestly, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if that's why they're banned.

Well, that's valid for any small object in the hands of any under 3-years old child, as they mouthing. Parents should just realize to don't allow them to reach them... The real reason of the banning is the presence of inedible parts inside a comestible product, and not that they're potentially ingestible by babies (that's used as justification of the ban), this despite it's done on purpose and it's obviously removable... The toy is secured inside a capsule shaped plastic shell which is usually hard to open for a baby, figure out to ingest. Cases of ingestion of these toys happened and still happen, but both the real and the believed reasons of this banning sound dumb, frankly.

[dtlux1]

Kinder Surprise is banned in the US? A symbol of childhood can't be enjoyed there? Just because of the surprises inside, which created collectors of them? That's really sad...

American children who are young don't understand that you DON'T SWALLOW THE TOY INSIDE OF THE EGG! YOU CANNOT INGEST PLASTIC! At least, that's what I think and honestly, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if that's why they're banned.

Well, that's valid for any small object in the hands of any under 3-years old child, as they mouthing. Parents should just realize to don't allow them to reach them... The real reason of the banning is the presence of inedible parts inside a comestible product, and not that they're potentially ingestible by babies (that's used as justification of the ban), this despite it's done on purpose and it's obviously removable... The toy is secured inside a capsule shaped plastic shell which is usually hard to open for a baby, figure out to ingest. Cases of ingestion of these toys happened and still happen, but both the real and the believed reasons of this banning sound dumb, frankly.

I didn't even know what a Kinder Egg was until about 3 years ago, after 12 years of my life. I wish I could taste that chocolate again, it was some of the best I have ever had. I still have my Kinder Capsule and I guard it in a very safe place, as I love it, and I probably won't get to taste the best chocolate I have ever had for a while, if at all in the future. I love them so much, and this is after only having 1 egg.

Apparently the UK tried to ban them because some children died, and the reason they were not banned was because, "If we started to ban all toys with small parts, then there wouldn't be many toys left."

I really want a Kinder Egg so bad right now, I still have the wrapper from the one I had. My mouth is watering and I can't get the thing I want.

[The Blue Fox]

I remember having a few Kinder eggs in my childhood too. I was smart enough not to eat the toy inside.

I actually ate one with my real life friend pretty recently too. Got a little toy motorbike. Oh the nostalgia.

I guess they think American children are just dumb enough to try and find out if the toy is edible too.

Hmmm...edible toys...toys made of food...that could be a fun idea.

[JeffCvt]

It is NOT that United States thinks our kids are dumber than the rest of the world and would try to eat the toys. Young children just don't know any better in general, regardless of the country they were born in. I have not looked into the ban on Kinder eggs and cannot say I know that much about it, but I do know for a fact it's not because someone thinks American children are dumber than the the rest of the world.

[Deske]

Did a bit of Googling. America has had a ban on nearly all if not ALL edible food products containing non-edible pieces in them, since 1938. We've been banning fun since before Kinder Surprise was even a thing.

Quoted:
"There are two reasons why these delicious treats are illegal in the U.S. One reason is the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) claims that the toys are a choking hazard for small children. All of the toys are relatively small, and some contain even tinier pieces that need to be put together. Kinder Eggs have a warning on the package, in several languages, that they are only suitable for ages three and up, which should be enough to un-ban them.

Aside from children potentially choking on the toys, the real reason Kinder Eggs are banned is the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938. This Act prohibits the embedding of non-food items completely enclosed inside food items, unless the non-edible part has a functioning value. For example a lollipop or popsicle stick is not edible but is a useful handle. This Act was originally put into place to prevent the addition of hazardous items to processed food and has never been changed."

Source: Link Broken. Fun. Retrieved from Yahoo! Answers though, but there was a source. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt, it's a 4 year old Q/A, link could be older.

Der Spiegel: Kinder surprise eggs are illegal in the United States

IB Times: Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs brought corporate battles gun debates

[Liam]

I had an interesting talk with my professor on the subject.

Historically American society always had a strong anti-authoritarian streak (well, anti-centralised authority because of the whole British monarchy trouble). Many fields were less regulated than elsewhere, such as the legal profession. America became a litigious society because an entire industry of business-minded lawyers emerged that encouraged people to sue each other over any trifle, as lawsuits that would've been thrown out as frivolous in other countries got to court no problem in America.

Foreign companies became wary and thus modified or plain refrained selling products on the American market before federal-level consumer protection and food safety acts took off in the US.

It's no coincidence the above quoted law stems from the 30s. America was plagued throughout the 20s and 30s by major food scandals. At the time socialism flirted with mainstream respectability stateside and big-name proponents like Upton Sinclair acted as whistleblowers who shed light on the horrible conditions of e.g. meat production. They largely got their demands passed that the state has a duty to protect greater society, which led to the founding of the first national regulatory institutions for consumer products.

So it's wasn't hard for them to go overboard on certain subjects like Kinder Surprise eggs in these uproarious times.

[dtlux1]

Quoted:
"There are two reasons why these delicious treats are illegal in the U.S. One reason is the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) claims that the toys are a choking hazard for small children. All of the toys are relatively small, and some contain even tinier pieces that need to be put together. Kinder Eggs have a warning on the package, in several languages, that they are only suitable for ages three and up, which should be enough to un-ban them.

I actually think I saw somewhere that the 3+ is the main reason they were banned, as food like chocolate should be able to be enjoyed by all ages.

I have had a really big craving to have a Kinder Egg since they have been mentioned here. The people who can have a Kinder Egg are lucky.

This Act prohibits the embedding of non-food items completely enclosed inside food items, unless the non-edible part has a functioning value.

And this would be why the Choco Surprise eggs I mentioned would be legal, the egg doesn't cover the capsule all the way, there is a crack in between the two halves.



Now if only I could get those at any gas station in the middle of summer as I did in Canada. I also think the toys in a Kinder Egg are much better than the ones in Choco Surprise, as those are meant for smaller children. They do have super hero versions though, I should look into where to get one.

[Amazee Dayzee]

The Wonder Ball when it first came out had small figurines inside of them like the Kinder Eggs but competitors and consumers campaigned to get them removed because they were a choking hazard. When it was re-released 4 years later, it had candy instead. 4 years after that, they discontinued it.

[JeffCvt]

So here's a question I've been wondering about:

What country do yall's live in and what's unique about your particular area/city? As most of you probably know, I live in the United States. What you all may not know is that I live right where the Union/Confederacy (North/South) split was during our civil war on the eastern coast. I technically live in the south, and if you go to the right parts of the county, it shows. But if you go North for 20 or 30 minutes, you pretty much lose a lot of the back roads and small(er) towns and all of the rednecks disappear. Now that I'm older and I notice it, it's really quite interesting to see the transition.

[Radio Blue Heart]

Forget Valentine's Day! Its Friday the 13th!

[dtlux1]

So here's a question I've been wondering about:

What country do yall's live in and what's unique about your particular area/city? As most of you probably know, I live in the United States. What you all may not know is that I live right where the Union/Confederacy (North/South) split was during our civil war on the eastern coast. I technically live in the south, and if you go to the right parts of the county, it shows. But if you go North for 20 or 30 minutes, you pretty much lose a lot of the back roads and small(er) towns and all of the rednecks disappear. Now that I'm older and I notice it, it's really quite interesting to see the transition.

I live in Pittsburgh PA. It is nice here, and there are many things to do. The history is great, and I go to Kennywood every year. I am not into sports, but we do have good sports teams. All of them Black and Gold. I like it here.

Forget Valentine's Day! Its Friday the 13th!

I love Friday the 13th, it is my lucky day.

[Douglas Collier]

I live where Rick purports to have graduated on the back cover of Book 2.

[Deske]

Currently in the small town of Perry, Oklahoma. The lack of light pollution makes looking at the night sky a really nice experience.
As for Kansas? I don't actually know many facts about it. We lost the first Super Bowl and we lost the latest World Series. But we did win Super Bowl 4. I should probably learn more about my state.

[RandomGeekNamedBrent]

I don;t know many facts about Virginia that aren;t common knowledge. But in Norfolk there's a law that says spitting on a seagull is not tolerated.

[Sleet]

St. Louis is competitive for the #1 spot in zoos, baseball, crime and meth.