I like to hang out with my sister Julie and her partner Chris because they often consider topics that you can't delve into with most people. For instance, last night we learned that Chris will always cover for Julie if she gets mixed up with the law, unless she somehow wanders into the areas of child abuse, serial killing (one murder is okay), or treason.

Treason got a big laugh because it's so old world that lots of us don't worry about it.  She might as well have said, "I'd leave Julie if she ever became a tosher (someone who scratched a living by scavenging Victorian sewers) or a mudlark (someone who scratched a living by scavenging river banks at low tide)." We asked Chris to give us an example of a treasonous act for which she'd turn Julie in and she said, "I'll know it when I see it."  

So, what's the difference between plain old treason and high treason? In the past, regular treason was committing a crime against a social superior, like a wife killing a husband, or a slave killing a master. High treason was a crime against the crown. But we don't have a king in our country, so high treason and treason become the same thing and killing your boss gets bumped down to just murder. And remember, one murder is okay.