php is not handling submitted data [AJAX / jQuery submission]
<div id="content">
  <h2>Some Content</h2>
  <p>Lorem ipsum dolor...</p>
</div>
<div id="comments">
  <h2>Reader Comments</h2>
</div>
<div id="leaveComment">
  <h2>Leave a Comment</h2>
  <div class="row"><label>Your Name:</label><input type="text"></div>
  <div class="row"><label>Comment:</label><textarea cols="10" rows="5"></textarea>      </div>
  <button id="add">Add</button>
</div>

//add click handler for button
        $("#add").click(function() {

          //define ajax config object
          var ajaxOpts = {
            type: "post",
            url: "addComment.php",
            data: "&author=" + $("#leaveComment").find("input").val() + "&comment=" + $("#leaveComment").find("textarea").val(),
            success: function(data) {

              //create a container for the new comment
              var div = $("<div>").addClass("row").appendTo("#comments");

              //add author name and comment to container
              $("<label>").text($("#leaveComment").find("input").val()).appendTo(div);
              $("<div>").addClass("comment").text($("#leaveComment").find("textarea").val()).appendTo(div);
            }
          };
          //alert("clicked!");
          $.ajax(ajaxOpts);
        });

<?php

  //db variables

 $database = "the name of my database";
 $hostname = "localhost";
 $username = "username";
 $password = "password";

  //make connection
  $server = mysql_connect($hostname, $username, $password);
  $connection = mysql_select_db($database, $server);

  //get POST data
  $name = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST["author"]);
  $comment = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST["comment"]);

  //add new comment to database
  mysql_query("INSERT INTO comments VALUES(' $name ',' $comment ')");

?>