DOES ANYONE KNOW...

...Why children's toys are so anal-retentively fastened to the packaging? Twist ties, staples, and other heavy-duty, NASA-reentry-grade materials make it painful and time-consuming to get the just-unwrapped birthday gift into the hands of the crazed 3-year-old...if it's safe enough for her to play with, why can't she remove it from the package?

...If there's any way to replace the battery of a cordless (rechargeable) electric lawn mower? After a year or more of non-use, my B+D won't hold a charge or turn-over. Just trying to keep my carbon footprint small in case the Al Gore convention draft thing really happens...

...How do you find out about suddenly discontinued consumer products, short of actually writing a letter to the (former) manufacturer, asking why they no longer make Reynolds Foil Hot Bags (for instance)? I'm thinking there must be (or should be...) a website.

I'll take anything from rock-solid answers to vaporous theorizing on any or all of these. There is no prize.