First, this article had far too little information and lots of rage against the defendent. Since he clearly did it that's fine I guess. The problem is that I, unlike some others, know very little about the facts of the case. It wasn't closely followed here in NJ. The only reason why I knew of this case at all was that the headlines this morning explain Reiser's sentencing deal in exchange for showing police to his dead wife's body.

Secondly, the author should have done more legwork in interviewing friends, family and acquaintances who could have shed light on Reiser's conduct and the victim's life. Writing an article that basically vents your disgust at a pathetic, murderous person isn't much to hang your hat onto.

You wrote:

"Another big part of the problem with the whole trend with these toys is that it feeds the "lazy parent" tendencies to let someone or something else do the real work of providing a stimulating environment that is the true basis of holistic learning. "

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LOL! I love that comment. You hit hard but you're right!

BTW- I have kiddie gadgets and crap too in my home but I know that they do very little besides give me a chance to take a shower in peace. There are educational toys available (I go to Discount School Supply) that can help students with special needs but these are not really what you find in the target/walmart shelves and they may have limited effectiveness for "typical" children.

I haven't stopped laughing! Great stuff!

"Wrong." Really? It's wrong to mock people who do stupid things for stupid reasons? That would pretty much kill most reality shows and a good share of what passes for entertainment on television these days.

As for just mocking the girls, I think most people assume (perhaps wrongly) that the guys didn't plan on having babies and probably aren't too psyched by the outcome. One can justifiably argue that they should have used condoms, a fair critique, but then many males refuse to take responsibility for birth control. I can't mock them, they're young too but I don't feel sorry for them either. I feel sorry for the children these young women will raise.

What about a single-payer system that would allow for control of costs? This is the most effective model, not just legislation for universla healthcare. As we've seen in Mass., there will always be some for whom the premiums are too high.

I get your point but there's another side to it which other posters have spelled out well. These toys are a slippery slope and parents, many of them, think these toys are good for children. Mostly they're not doing what they say they are doing, which is helping children to learn.

Any education professional will tell you that the younger the child, the more direct the learning experience should be. Hence, pushing buttons for feedback is really not as good as getting feedback from a parent or from operating in the environment. These toys tend to do two things: allow the child to work alone and to be more passive. Neither is an optimal learning environment.

I believe it may be too crude to air on TV. What a jackass. I want to slap him. The nerve of this hack criticizing Obama for taking on one of the biggest challenges facing the black community. Thanks Jesse!

And what's your investment in that battle? Just curious...

The battle you clearly feel you have no stake in or you wouldn't ask.

The black community has faced destruction from within for far too long. Lamenting what Big Gov won't do for you isn't going to fix the problem. It's going to take an honest assessment of ourselves, our strengths and weaknesses. Obama did that, publicly. I knew there would be some flack but I'm still shocked to hear one of those voices being Jesse jackson. It's disgraceful for a lot of reasons but mostly because he knows damn well that what Obama says is true.

Frankly, it sounds like you didn't even listen to Obama's speech. He addressed a number of big issues like investment in jobs and education (my big issue), but he took it further. He also spoke to the need for personal accountability, instilling strong values in our children, and of course, black fathers reclaiming their roles as parents and role models. Perhaps that seems unimportant to you. I think it is one of the most critical issues facing the black community today and I applaud Obama for bringing it to the fore. More black leaders need to do that.

I'm disappointed but resigned to the whole FISA cave-in. Basically because I'm pretty sure that there aren't too many Americans paying attention to or caring that much about FISA right now.

Oh really? Whose responsibility is it that the vast majority of black children are born out of wedlock (and into poverty)? That's a choice and bad one at that. But the values are all wrong and women think they can/should have babies regardless of either ability to support the child or suitability of the man for fatherhood.

I teach in Philly and the graduation rate for black males is about 38%. I know that the schools aren't as glorious as the ones in Lower Merion but really, why do so many just not seem to care? Let's see: a culture defined by "street", parents that lead chaotic lives, parents that don't support the educational system.

What really gets me though is that it wasn't always this way. I grew up in West Philly, attended public schools and whenever I drive by there (very rarely) I think, "wow, things have changed." It's not the community it used to be. The answer is simply not going to be handouts. Education is key, job training is key, different priorities and values will be key as well.