Particularly if it is done well. Giada and her producers are smart to emphasize the visual beauty of the food and the chef since we can only imagine what the food tastes like at the time. At least Giada knows her stuff and is well-trained unlike Nigella (lick my fingers as I cook...nasty) Lawson. There's nothing professional about Nigella.

Giada is a trained chef who actually (gasp!) worked as a chef before hitting the TV circuit. Frankly, I find most of her recipes easy and she always gives good cooking tips, most likely because she knows how to cook for real.

Why the bitterness about her figure and her face? She's gorgeous, quite naturally I might add. I love her, I love her food, she's given me more than a few meals for the family and every one a hit.

The only chef I like better than Giada is Lidia. I worship her.

Where to start? Well, you're way off base for one. I guess you conflate HAVING lots of children with CARING for lots of children. As a teacher, I can assure you it's not the same thing at all.

One of the steps many parents got through when their child clearly show major developmental differences is denial. Many, many parents simply won't believe it, think they know best and that the doctors are wrong. I also think this mom really does know something is wrong (severely delayed speech is a clue) and that is why she avoids the doctor.

In my experience, hard reality will need to smack this lady in the head. If you feel like telling her that her child is really, really off of where he should be, go ahead. It probably won't work because she seems to have a ready stream of excuses and answers for her son's behavior.

I sympathize with the letter writer and I wish you luck. It really hurts to see someone make such a big mistake and let them go ahead and do it. I think you've already done your part by trying to gently suggest an evaluation. Don't push.

When mom is tussling with a totally out of control 7 yr old, she'll run to the professionals and then be ready to accept the obvious and get the help her child needs. Yes, he will lose a lot of needed intervention time, but mom and dad will pay the price in sleepless nights and lost joy of raising their child. I can't tell you how many parents go through this. However, most wise up faster because schools and districts will push them to face facts. This mom's wakeup call will come later but it's not your fault or your job. Good luck.

Aside from my general agreement with this man's disgust for Bush and (sadly) the U.S., I laughed and laughed at the sight. It's not good news anywhere thanks to the economic crisis and rampant political corruption scandals. However, my shoe-throwing friend had me cheering wildly. I hope his civil liberties aren't going to be totally threatened in the new (allegedly) democratic state of Iraq but I'm not holding my breath.

If Barack Obama doesn't do something dramatic to stop the bleeding of jobs and prop up the economy, he won't get anything else done. This is THE problem we have to deal with. IMO, all other issues run a distant second.

This just confirms what's been obvious for years. Listening to him will make your head explode.

That pretty much sums it up, right? No need to deconstruct the origins. Many people, male and female, have a selfish, entitled perspective that leads them to behave very poorly. While I expect some of that behavior to continue past adolescence, it should be rare. The change should come with maturity but we live in a culture that delays any sense of responsibility to well past 25. I say give them all a wide berth and feel lucky you did. You can be miserable all by yourself, you don't need the help.

I'll see the movie. Sounds wonderful, especially the music.

Yes, it's plain old prostitution. Her parents must be so proud or doesn't this girl tell her parents about her new "friend" ?

I didn't vote for him either. I wanted someone smart, disciplined and with the the right set of priorities and values. I'm amazed at the sheer range of criticism by a few posters despite the fact that the man isn't even in office yet.

-Obama says he will bring the troops home. It will happen. What evidence is there that he won't? Anyone?

-Obama is suggesting that he won't rescind the Buh tax cuts right away but instead, let them die on their own. I wonder why he might do this now during a period of deep economic instability? On this point, I agree with him. After all, Obama will be demanding hundreds of billions from Congress. Leverage is nice to have in your pocket and this is a powerful incentive for the GOP to stand down on another stimulus package.

-The same can essentially be said for not taxing big oil profits. The little there is now. Why not use this as a carrot for the short term and get more accomplished?

Now that's the truly radical concept: getting something concrete done to alter the disastrous path our country is on economically, militarily and as a functioning society.

The top brass that clearly knew of, could stop, and yet fully sanctioned the behavior of subordinates at Abu Ghraib should be prosecuted and jailed also. However, Graner deserves his time. They all deserve time for what they did.