*facepalms*

SNARK_MODE=ON

RENO, Nev. - A couple who authorities say were so obsessed with the Internet and video games that they left their babies starving and suffering other health problems have pleaded guilty to child neglect.

..

Michael Straw, 25, and Iana Straw, 23, pleaded guilty Friday to two counts each of child neglect. Each faces a maximum 12-year prison sentence.

Viloria said the Reno couple were too distracted by online video games, mainly the fantasy role-playing "Dungeons & Dragons" series, to give their children proper care.

"They had food; they just chose not to give it to their kids because they were too busy playing video games," Viloria told the Reno Gazette-Journal.

Police said hospital staff had to shave the head of the girl because her hair was matted with cat urine. The 10-pound girl also had a mouth infection, dry skin and severe dehydration.

Her brother had to be treated for starvation and a genital infection. His lack of muscle development caused him difficulty in walking, investigators said.

I had to bold part of that. They don't mention the pet(s) in the story.

Okay, you read that. Here. Have some schaudenfreude:

[Poll #1022545]

No, they don't have an LJ. but she certainly has something at MySpace. Oh look. Four cats. Wow.

Each of them needs a one-way ticket at least five hundred miles outside the country - and no way back unless they find a job and work their way back home. In opposite directions. I don't see an internet problem as much as a couple of children who missed the part about growing up.

And gee thanks, for taking two innocent kids (and the four cats) with you.

*facepalms*

SNARK_MODE=ON

RENO, Nev. - A couple who authorities say were so obsessed with the Internet and video games that they left their babies starving and suffering other health problems have pleaded guilty to child neglect.

..

Michael Straw, 25, and Iana Straw, 23, pleaded guilty Friday to two counts each of child neglect. Each faces a maximum 12-year prison sentence.

Viloria said the Reno couple were too distracted by online video games, mainly the fantasy role-playing "Dungeons & Dragons" series, to give their children proper care.

"They had food; they just chose not to give it to their kids because they were too busy playing video games," Viloria told the Reno Gazette-Journal.

Police said hospital staff had to shave the head of the girl because her hair was matted with cat urine. The 10-pound girl also had a mouth infection, dry skin and severe dehydration.

Her brother had to be treated for starvation and a genital infection. His lack of muscle development caused him difficulty in walking, investigators said.

I had to bold part of that. They don't mention the pet(s) in the story.

Okay, you read that. Here. Have some schaudenfreude:

[Poll #1022545]

No, they don't have an LJ. but she certainly has something at MySpace. Oh look. Four cats. Wow.

Each of them needs a one-way ticket at least five hundred miles outside the country - and no way back unless they find a job and work their way back home. In opposite directions. I don't see an internet problem as much as a couple of children who missed the part about growing up.

And gee thanks, for taking two innocent kids (and the four cats) with you.

*facepalms*

SNARK_MODE=ON

RENO, Nev. - A couple who authorities say were so obsessed with the Internet and video games that they left their babies starving and suffering other health problems have pleaded guilty to child neglect.

..

Michael Straw, 25, and Iana Straw, 23, pleaded guilty Friday to two counts each of child neglect. Each faces a maximum 12-year prison sentence.

Viloria said the Reno couple were too distracted by online video games, mainly the fantasy role-playing "Dungeons & Dragons" series, to give their children proper care.

"They had food; they just chose not to give it to their kids because they were too busy playing video games," Viloria told the Reno Gazette-Journal.

Police said hospital staff had to shave the head of the girl because her hair was matted with cat urine. The 10-pound girl also had a mouth infection, dry skin and severe dehydration.

Her brother had to be treated for starvation and a genital infection. His lack of muscle development caused him difficulty in walking, investigators said.

I had to bold part of that. They don't mention the pet(s) in the story.

Okay, you read that. Here. Have some schaudenfreude:

[Poll #1022545]

No, they don't have an LJ. but she certainly has something at MySpace. Oh look. Four cats. Wow.

Each of them needs a one-way ticket at least five hundred miles outside the country - and no way back unless they find a job and work their way back home. In opposite directions. I don't see an internet problem as much as a couple of children who missed the part about growing up.

And gee thanks, for taking two innocent kids (and the four cats) with you.

Adoption Update

Really ought to get something in on here, as it is pertinent.

We met with the founder of our agency Friday. Alone. If that wasn't an indicator she was going to have to let us down easy, I don't know what would have been. Val is from the Orinda office - if she and I want to chat, it takes a couple of days to set it up. She's busy, I'm busy and the geography is 500 miles at best. She's down in Pasadena, and I really could believe it if it was just to talk to me, Jim and a few other couples.

This is what it is. We have to finish the China adoption, and be done with it for six months before starting another one.

With the current wait, the earliest we could assume our referral window will open will be this time next year. The earliest. Realistically speaking, we could go as long as February of 2009...and then wait another six months to begin the next one.

I'll put it in writing now. I am firm on adopting two children - FIRM. No, this is not like adopting two kittens so they'll have someone to play with and they really aren't that much more work in twos...this is my lifelong experience with only children and the very specific miseries I've seen all of them go through. Add to that? We're older. The kids need someone besides us as family, with the ties only family can grant you. Both of us have siblings we'd like to use for dunk tank fodder, but there's something about having that contact, that person with that much backstory, that I don't think anything else will replace it.

The kids will have lost enough, just being who they are when we take over.

We'll have to wait two more years to begin the second adoption. At best.

If I'm TRULY lucky, I'll be finishing adding kids to our family the year I turn 50.

Somehow, there are some really neat things to this.

One, I can get the travel one would do as a retiree NOW - still young and able-bodied enough to truly enjoy it.

Two, instead of running away from my family as a retiree, I'll still be in the midst of mine as they will be of marriageable age, or finishing college.

It is what it is.

Our only other option was to ditch the China program and begin all over again. That thought didn't even cross our minds. We're committed to our Chinese daughter - whoever she turns out to be.

And I'm not the only one doing this. I just need to add people to the circle like me -

I have plenty of friends in all age groups - I don't fear this.

I have. To wait.

The challenge now is to make the time productive.

*sighs*

Switzerland trip is back on the front burner, tentative dates around September 8 through the 15th. Mark your calendars.

Adoption Update

Really ought to get something in on here, as it is pertinent.

We met with the founder of our agency Friday. Alone. If that wasn't an indicator she was going to have to let us down easy, I don't know what would have been. Val is from the Orinda office - if she and I want to chat, it takes a couple of days to set it up. She's busy, I'm busy and the geography is 500 miles at best. She's down in Pasadena, and I really could believe it if it was just to talk to me, Jim and a few other couples.

This is what it is. We have to finish the China adoption, and be done with it for six months before starting another one.

With the current wait, the earliest we could assume our referral window will open will be this time next year. The earliest. Realistically speaking, we could go as long as February of 2009...and then wait another six months to begin the next one.

I'll put it in writing now. I am firm on adopting two children - FIRM. No, this is not like adopting two kittens so they'll have someone to play with and they really aren't that much more work in twos...this is my lifelong experience with only children and the very specific miseries I've seen all of them go through. Add to that? We're older. The kids need someone besides us as family, with the ties only family can grant you. Both of us have siblings we'd like to use for dunk tank fodder, but there's something about having that contact, that person with that much backstory, that I don't think anything else will replace it.

The kids will have lost enough, just being who they are when we take over.

We'll have to wait two more years to begin the second adoption. At best.

If I'm TRULY lucky, I'll be finishing adding kids to our family the year I turn 50.

Somehow, there are some really neat things to this.

One, I can get the travel one would do as a retiree NOW - still young and able-bodied enough to truly enjoy it.

Two, instead of running away from my family as a retiree, I'll still be in the midst of mine as they will be of marriageable age, or finishing college.

It is what it is.

Our only other option was to ditch the China program and begin all over again. That thought didn't even cross our minds. We're committed to our Chinese daughter - whoever she turns out to be.

And I'm not the only one doing this. I just need to add people to the circle like me -

I have plenty of friends in all age groups - I don't fear this.

I have. To wait.

The challenge now is to make the time productive.

*sighs*

Switzerland trip is back on the front burner, tentative dates around September 8 through the 15th. Mark your calendars.

Adoption Update

Really ought to get something in on here, as it is pertinent.

We met with the founder of our agency Friday. Alone. If that wasn't an indicator she was going to have to let us down easy, I don't know what would have been. Val is from the Orinda office - if she and I want to chat, it takes a couple of days to set it up. She's busy, I'm busy and the geography is 500 miles at best. She's down in Pasadena, and I really could believe it if it was just to talk to me, Jim and a few other couples.

This is what it is. We have to finish the China adoption, and be done with it for six months before starting another one.

With the current wait, the earliest we could assume our referral window will open will be this time next year. The earliest. Realistically speaking, we could go as long as February of 2009...and then wait another six months to begin the next one.

I'll put it in writing now. I am firm on adopting two children - FIRM. No, this is not like adopting two kittens so they'll have someone to play with and they really aren't that much more work in twos...this is my lifelong experience with only children and the very specific miseries I've seen all of them go through. Add to that? We're older. The kids need someone besides us as family, with the ties only family can grant you. Both of us have siblings we'd like to use for dunk tank fodder, but there's something about having that contact, that person with that much backstory, that I don't think anything else will replace it.

The kids will have lost enough, just being who they are when we take over.

We'll have to wait two more years to begin the second adoption. At best.

If I'm TRULY lucky, I'll be finishing adding kids to our family the year I turn 50.

Somehow, there are some really neat things to this.

One, I can get the travel one would do as a retiree NOW - still young and able-bodied enough to truly enjoy it.

Two, instead of running away from my family as a retiree, I'll still be in the midst of mine as they will be of marriageable age, or finishing college.

It is what it is.

Our only other option was to ditch the China program and begin all over again. That thought didn't even cross our minds. We're committed to our Chinese daughter - whoever she turns out to be.

And I'm not the only one doing this. I just need to add people to the circle like me -

I have plenty of friends in all age groups - I don't fear this.

I have. To wait.

The challenge now is to make the time productive.

*sighs*

Switzerland trip is back on the front burner, tentative dates around September 8 through the 15th. Mark your calendars.