I was not a day care kid, and I was bitten and I bit. I'm notsure I "remember" the events, or just the stories of the events as they were told to me (over and over again).

My two daughters both went through a biting phase and both came out of it sweet, well-tempered,non-sociopathic kids.

Young creatures with new teeth bite. Puppies, kittens, lion cubs, kids. They don't know what to do with new teeth, they don't know that biting (or anything else they do) can hurt other people. Theydon't know that if they do it once, it will probably feel the same the next time they do it. They bite to show aggression, but also affection, too much energy, frustration, boredom, anxiety or curiosity.

Our job as parents andcaregiver is to teach them not to bite (or any other anti-social behavior). The most effective way is to make the conequences of biting unpleasant, while sumultaneously giving them a mor appropriate way to express whatever it is they're trying to say with biting. What those consequences or alternatives are will be different for each kid. (That's the tricky part, as always). But the results should be immediate and consistent. Waaaay easier to say than to o, but isn't everything?

I suppose it depends on yoiur definition of "good enough" taste.

I think if you put a farm fresh organic heirloom tomato next to an industrally produced, shipped-across-three-time-zones, square "tomato", blindfolded testers would taste the difference.

I started buying local, organic milk and eggs this spring, and I noticed a *huge* difference in taste. Ditto for strawberries (my daughter said "I can taste the sunshine!"). Apples and maple syrup I've been buying local/organic for years: there's no comparison. Now that summer is bringing in the veggies, I'll be bringing more local goodies to the table, and I can't wait to taste local tomatoes and zukes.

As for "cheaper", with gas going up again, how "cheap" can it be do ship produce from Mexico or California to the Northeast? I really think we need to take a good, long, hard look at the agro industry (meat, dairy and produce). We've been pretty pound-foolish for a long time. I think with a few smart nudges, local-grown produce could be as affordable as factory-farmed goods. And we'll all enjoy our better-tasting veggies more.

How many times was Al Gore eliberately misquoted, improperly paraphrased and outright slandered by the press during his campaign?"Liberal bias" my a**.

We should make a huge deal out of these miscommunications. We can not let these things pass. We can not let Limbaugh, Sabage, O"Reilly, and crew spend the next 15 mos saying Obama wants all Iraqis dead.

Some idiot on my local news station gave away the ending of "The Sixth Sense" the day itwas released. He said something along the lines of "Bruce Willis' character dies in the first scene, but don't worry, he's still the main character...". So, I had no idea he had stolen the wonderful, startling denouement for me as I later sat in the theatre. I could have punched him. That stupid review profoundly changed my experience, and alienatd my from the community of viewers. I missed out on seeing things as the director meant me to experience them. (I mean, I got over it without therapy or medication, it's only a movie, but damn it!)

I'm sure that's what many Potter fans are feeling about these early reviews. But, it's easy to look away. It's easier to not read salon's article than it is to flip to the last page of the novel when you hold it in your hands. (How many of us will do just that? How many of us will fight with ourselves and do it anyway?)

I think because the act of reading is so intensely personal (instead of cummunal, ilke watching a play or a movie), that it's less of a crime to know the ending in advance. Since you're creating the world in your head as you read, you're invested even if you know the couple will get married, or the hero will die, or whatever. And though Rowling and Scholastic have created a marketing gold mine about hyping the mysteries of the ending, Harry Potter is not a mystery thriller. The joy in reading the series has been following Harry on his journey, though we've always known the destination.

So, I'm ok with the "spoiler" reviews. I can choose to look away when I want to, or not read them at all. No one's going to shout the ending to me unawares, like that (now hopefully former) movie reviewer.

I don't think Europe has all the answers, nor do I think women are disadvantaged by part-time pay, as there are plenty of PT men in similar situations. I was a full-time professor before I had kids. Now I adjunct. The difference in pay is jaw-dropping. But I am happy with my choice for now.

There is no satisfctory answer to moms and work. I have friends who are stay-at-home-moms, moms who work out of the house full-time, moms who work part-time (like me), moms who work from home part or full-time .... none of it is easy. On my good days, I can say that I have the best of both worlds: satisfying, meaningful (to me) work and minimal day care for my kids. On bad days ... I feel like I suck as a mom and at my job, because I can't give either one my all.

I do think, though, that universal health care coverage, as well as a true family leave policy, will go a looooong way to making PT work a more effective option for those of us who are raising children.