My wife is a social worker.

Accusations of child abuse must be investigated. Otherwise, children will be hurt. While most anonymous claims don't lead to anything more than a visit, some do uncover serious abuse and/or neglect. The policy that most states have regarding the mandatory investigation of all credible abuse reports is to make sure everyone is treated fairly and that no children slip through the cracks. The rationale behind these policies is similar to the rationale behind policies of mandatory investigation and arrest in domestic violence cases. Better safe than sorry. Unfortunately, bad parents do exist and sometimes it’s in the best interest of society for the government to take action on behalf of the defenseless. More often than not, that action results in better parents and happier, healthier children.

Its easy to beat up on Social Workers. No one wants them to interfere in their families and lives. However, their job is to act in the best interest of their clients, which are the children in this case. Social workers that are employed by state agencies are college-educated (many at the graduate level), licensed, and well trained. They are professionals, not nosey busybodies that enjoy interfering in people's lives. Occasionally, social workers make mistakes, as do doctors, lawyers, and engineers. However, that doesn't condemn the entire profession or the need in our society for social work.

I understand that it must be upsetting to go through what the LW has. However, it doesn't sound like the social worker did anything wrong or out of the ordinary. Certainly, the LW can see the need for investigation, the need to be very careful when child abuse is alleged. The person in the wrong here is the accuser, not the social worker.

Cary, you've done a real disservice to the profession of social work with your response. I am very disappointed.

I understand what you are saying about Evel Knievel. I too jumped my Huffy over everything I could manage. (I somehow only managed to break a toe.) The entire X Games entity owes him a big debt.

However, what I didn't realize at the time or until just this weekend, is that he was an hypocritical and ego-maniacal thug. He was supposedly a devout Christian, but was also an alcoholic and serial philanderer. He constantly lied about his own achievements and downplayed the achievements of other motorcycle jumpers. At the high of his popularity, he beat a man (a promoter) with a baseball bat while another held him, allegedly for writing something untrue about him. He did a year in prison for that.

Evel was certainly brave and exciting to watch, but he was no role model for young boys. Of course, one could say the same about Ty Cobb, Pete Rose, Barry Bonds, and other major athletes of just about any era.

He died of kidney failure. He did survive a liver transplant at some point.

He was supposedly a devout Christian, but was also an alcoholic and serial philanderer. He constantly lied about his own achievements and downplayed the achievements of other motorcycle jumpers. At the high of his popularity, he beat a man (a promoter) with a baseball bat while another held him, allegedly for writing something untrue about him. He did a year in prison for that.

Evel was certainly brave and exciting to watch, but he was not a nice guy or even a decent person.

"Without the Nativity, we become a sort of lecture series and coffee club, with not very good coffee and sort of aimless lectures."

No, without the Nativity, you'd be Jewish...

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

Happy Hanukkah!

Is this a book review, or a book advertisement? How about being critical?

Venter is a brilliant guy and very innovative. Certainly, his work is an important step for mankind and biology.

However, the idea that entrepreneurship can allow science to advance at a more rapid rate than government funding is bullshit. The examples cited here all have one thing in common, investors can reap a profit from the research. Most real science research is aimed at understanding things at a fundamental level, not on making money. Furthermore, most scientific research will never lead to profits for anyone. How would environmental research move forward using this model, for example? (I don't imagine GE is going to be sponsoring research on the global redistribution of PCBs any time soon.)

The the purpose of government funding is to free scientists from the demands of profit and industry and let them focus on facts. Politics and profits will pollute the scientific endeavor. Beware those arguing that we should replace the current model of NSF and NIH funding for basic science with a market driven profit model. That would be the death of science research, at least in the United States.

Great, you are an open minded person and a good parent.

But, what's the movie actually about?

I didn't listen to Romney's speech, mainly because I don't give a damn what he says about anything. However, I'm glad that even "believers" are beginning to realize that the politics and right wing religion are a dangerous combination and that the strict separation of church and state is best for our country.

Make no mistake, if left to their own devices, these folks would change the constitution to make christianity the national religion, restrict other religions, allow religious classes in public schools, and permit the spending of federal tax dollars on religious activities. These people believe they speak for God and they are not afraid to force the rest of us to live by their rules.

"Was the agency's destruction of two video recordings of harsh interrogations by the CIA a coverup?"

Gee, you think there was a coverup? Is is possible the CIA was hiding something from us? Well, duh!

The only question with an unknown answer is whether or not anyone will be held accountable for this crime. My bet is on no.