I don't like this trend of believing that kids just come out of the womb with their own personalities, independent of any environmental factors. That just is not possible. Though, yes, obviously there are internal, genetic factors that make up a person, I believe parenting makes up a huge part of how a person turns out.

The problem is, many people think parenting is frienship and that discipline starts around age 5. I've seen the gaggles of kids at Nordstrom, screaming up a storm, running around, throwing things and the parents just sit by and watch. They think this is good parenting because the kid is happy. Sometimes, to raise a good person, you have to make kids unhappy sometimes. You have to be willing to be unliked. Loving a child and discipling them is not the same thing.

You do not just "get what you get" with children. You are responsible for them, and if your 13 year old is doing drugs, sorry, it IS your fault.

What is it about soccer that brings out the xenophobe in Americans? Case in point, the "THEY can keep their game" in the previous letter. Who is "they?" I'm an American and I follow soccer quite closely, and there is no shortage of fans filling the pubs where I catch important matches. It's absurd that many Americans get so crazy about the Olympics, but turn their noses up at a sport that is rooted in rabid nationalism. There wasn't anything more moving than hearing the American national anthem play as the camera panned on the pained faces of our undervalued players before the match with Italy.

As far as the stretchers, I think it's a move to deter players from wasting time on the field after injuries, whether they are real or not. Without the stretchers, a player would just hang out, sprawled on the field, stopping play. The stretcher says "Get up or get out."

Italy did not steal the game from Australia. The ref called it. Calls sometimes go against teams. Spain had to wait four years to shake off the bad calls from the South Korea game that eliminated them from the 2002 World Cup. That's the way the the biscotti crumbles. That's why soccer is so exciting. You need physical stamina and skill, but any game can go either way.

There is a simple solution to the people who don't like the way soccer is played. Don't watch it. Watch golf.

I'm really tired of hearing people who watch soccer for a month every four years talking about what needs to be done so that the game will be more fair. I suppose these are people who were raised playing school sports that revered all the teams in a tournament and not just a winner. Life is full of injustice. Maybe Italy didn't deserve to win because of whatever reason you can come up with. But they won. They did. Get over it.

I myself love the penalty kicks. The amount of pressure on a player's shoulders is bigger than at any moment of the game. Those who think a goalie has no chance against a PK should have watched the England-Portugal game. It is about skill. It is about handling pressure and keeping nerves in check. It is many things, but arbitrary is not one of them.

In addition, players know that in order to avoid PKs, you have to score. And if you want to score, well, you have to be better than the other team. Case in point, the Germany game. Italy has never been great at penalty kicks and they knew that against the vicious PK-takers that the Germans are, they're World Cup hopes would go down the tubes if overtime ended with an even score. And what did they do, they made two goals in the last minute and a half. And still, somehow, Italy-haters - it seems there are many - say that Italy didn't deserve to win. I suppose France did, because they made so many beautiful goals during the tournament. Oh wait, they didn't.

As far as the charge against Materazzi being a racist, I'm sure the Sicialian-born player has been on the receiving end of racism, too. That doesn't make it right if he did say something to Zidane, but for pete's sake, it's the World Cup! The ultimate revenge would have been for Zidane to raise that trophy amid ticker tape and fireworks. And the same people who condemn Materazzi for being racist and attacking the racism problem in Italy, are the same ones who go on and on about the supremacy of the "white" soccer powers. The Italians cheat. The Argentines dive. The Spanish are racist. The Brazilians have too much ego. But the Brits and Germans? PERFECTION. Give me a break.

Congratulations, Italia.

Dear Angelina:

Just because you had your baby in Africa, doesn't make you African. Or even bi-racial. And your British accent in Tomb Raider was so great, I cannot wait to see your rendition of Marianne's French-accented English. It's going to be great!

Also, please refrain from using blackface. And if you need a weave, I can give you the number of a good salon in Queens.

Signed,

Appalled with your audaciousness.