Popular kid toys are electronic...taking over as babysitters

Parents, you're off the hook. The toy companies have finally met your biggest demand: take over as parents. We all understand you want your spa time, a night with the guys, and a general vegetative state in front of the TV or your computer. And the toy industry has jumped right in to help you accomplish those goals. Even better, they're teaching your kids to follow in those selfish, house-slippered footsteps you're leaving behind (or still standing in).

The most popular toys for kids under 7 are electronic. They're based on real devices such as cell phones and lap tops. "Six of the nine best-selling toys for 5- to 7-year-olds on Amazon.com were tech gadgets." Proponents of this trend espouse the myriad of studies showing an increase in hand-eye coordination as proof that electronic gadgets are helping to create a more intelligent youth. But here's a novel idea - combine intelligence and motor-skill developing activities....wait for it....here it comes...
WITH OTHER HUMAN BEINGS!!!

Why is it so difficult for a parent to sit down with their child every day and do something creative? Make a scrap book. Collect baseball cards. (Hell, playing baseball ain't bad either!) Enjoy a coloring book. Take a bike-ride. Walk a dog. Study math, reading, or writing. Learn about all the wildlife in your backyard (you know - birds, bugs, bees, etc). Draw something. Call Grandma. Play a board game.

American society needs to move farther from technological babysitting and closer to social interaction. We are now seeing the results of our disconnect from each other, especially in children. They are growing up to believe in virtual realities as opposed to the one actually surrounding them. They're language skills are disastrous, both written and verbal. They feel alone if their cell phone isn't always in their hands so Jane and Bobby can send them the latest gossip.

Parents need to parent.

Since I anticipate the topic of gun control to be a major issue in the upcoming election season, I thought I'd offer a reference to an interesting piece by Dave Kopel regarding Japan's strict gun control laws and the common suggestion that a nation like the U.S. adopt similar litigation. This opinion piece offers a keen insight on Japan's culture and history, and why something that may work for one country may not necessarily work for another. Don't be lazy, read the entire article!

The article can be found here:

Japan Gun Control and People Control

A brief blurb on Dave Kopel:

Dave Kopel

Saudi gang rape VICTIM sentenced to 200 lashings and six month in jail

Ah, what strange bedfellows kept by the U.S. govermnent. In our "War on Terror", we've decided to work with a nation which refuses democracy, is run by a corrupt family monarchy, believes in the supremacy of Islamic rule, treats women as something less valuable than oil, and...oh yeah...sentences rape VICTIMS to prison sentences and torture! And lest we forget, they also sponsor terrorism and two-thirds of the 9/11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. So is Osama bin Laden.

In the case of 19-year-old woman, she was gang raped by 6 men with weapons. The Saudi government believes it was her fault and is punishing her for riding in a vehicle with an unrelated male. For that heinous crime, she has been sentenced to 200 lashings and six months in jail. Her original sentence was 90 lashings, but it was increased after she contacted the media. The sentences for the men who raped her have been increased to between two and nine years.

EVERY SINGLE TIME the United States maintains a relationship with nations like Saudi Arabia, it comes back to haunt us. Harken back to the Shah was setup in Iran. Great plan of convenience. Anyone remember the weapon-selling vacations Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney used to take to Iraq and give rockets to Saddam Hussein? That worked out well. Or the wonderful guns we sold to Osama bin Laden with the help of the first President Bush? Fine example of foresight that was!

I would be fine if we cut off our relationship with Saudi Arabia tomorrow. The price of gasoline may skyrocket, but at least we'd be slightly more honorable in our dealings.

The power of the people has shown itself once again, and I don't mean in a corrupt and uneducated way like when Bush took the Oval Office. This time, the forces of good have prevailed and New York's Governor Spitzer has declared that he will rescind his effort to give driver licenses to illegal aliens.

N.Y. Governor abandons driver's licenses for illegal immigrants

I want to thank all of you who joined me in contacting the Governor's office, even if you don't live in New York. I don't either. But it was the national attention that forced this good result so everyone gets a little credit.

Congratulations!

Question planted at debate by Clinton campaign

There's a reason the Clinton's are the foundation of the Democratic party. They know how to orchestrate an event to an almost Rovian (new word - you like it?) degree. One of the "senior staff" tried to plant a question at an event with a student from the local college. They wanted her to ask about Clinton's energy policy.

When asked about the plant, Sen. John Edwards said, "that's what George Bush does." He's absolutely right. It would be hypocritical for Democrats to defend the Clinton camp after attacking Bush for the same behavior. It's dishonorable and unworthy of a President.

Governor Spitzer may rescind driver licenses for illegals

The Governor of New York needs your feedback! Eliot Spitzer is considering rescinding his proposal to give driver licenses to illegal aliens. So make sure you contact his office and let them know that you support America and don't support licenses for illegal aliens.

Click here to contact the Governor (e-mail, phone, fax, or mail)

Censorship or Responsible Decision?

Target pulls 'Manhunt 2' from store shelves for excessive violence

I'm very happy to see that Target has made a responsible decision to remove the 'Manhunt 2' video game from their shelves. I suppose I will continue to wonder what goes through the mind of these corporate executives as they decide, "Let's sell a video game laden with content that could give someone a 25-to-life sentence and market it to children!" But at least in this extreme case, enough was enough.

As any of our listeners and readers know, I'm a strong opponent of censorship. I believe in open information, net neutrality, the whole ball of wax. And I also believe in capitalism and market correction. The market, not the government, should dictate social norms. We have no one but ourselves to blame when things go badly. So it makes me very happy to see a marriage of these two concepts in Target's decision.