I went to the public library this lovely Saturday afternoon in Southern California, and as I walked past two rows of computers (about 10 per row), all I saw were young children and teenagers sitting in front of the screens....looking hypnotic and zoned out.

When I gazed at their computer screens as I passed, the teenagers seemed to all be on MySpace, and the children were playing computer games (which all looked, from a glance, rather violent).

Instead of being on the computer, doing absolutely nothing of any value, these kids should be mowing their parents' lawns, washing their parents' cars, cleaning their parents' houses, and working at the local McDonalds and Dairy Queen.

When I was a child, I had chores....chores that many of today's middle- and upper-middle class parents pay illegals to do. I also worked at Pizza Hut as a busperson....something that restaurants now hire illegals to do.

Many many of today's kids waste their time zoned out on the computer or in front of the TV. A huge labor force of yesteryear (teenagers) has all but disappeared. Now we have to rely on peasant Mexicans to do the work that American teenagers use to do.

I say to all parents out there....if you have children above the age of 10, FIRE your Mexican gardner, housekeeper and car washer. Pay your kids to do this work instead. Don't hand everything to your children on a silver platter without making them work for it.

If your child is over 16, get him or her to apply for a job at the local fast food place. It's time BETTER SPENT than being a zombie on the computer or in front of the TV.

Just my two cents.