unbelievable.
You forgot about the most important thing in the USA--American Idol....
I've never seen American Idol. Or any other reality show, for that matter. I'm kinda proud about that.
I shaved my head one summer. Apparently from the pictures I've seen, somebody neglected to tell Britney that you have to shave your head EVERY DAY.
By the way, what they say about most of your body heat escaping through your scalp? It's true.
The county where I live is trying to get housing developers to pay a fee to help build new schools as well. They don't want to, of course. It's not their problem.
I've seen an astounding amount of new developments without child or family friendly facilities for even working parents. Many have no amusement areas, such as playgrounds, at all. the answer usually is that the insurance is too costly. Children grow up without playgrounds. At least here in NYC there is a last bastion of childhood, a neighborhood playground. Of course they are minus "real" monkey bars like the ones where I hung from the top by my legs, or the seesaws that we jumped off of so our partner could come crashing down and hurt themselves or actually their backside and of course their pride 
We have a park and a playground -- and we live in a development on a mountain ridge. In the state, er, commonwealth immediately south of New York.
We also have bears and cougars that love to frolic on our back porches, but so far, I haven't heard of them visiting the playground.
I have a cousin who lives in Loudon County, Va. in a sprawling development with nice lakes and fountains, but not one playground on the converted farmland.
Oh, and rightwing prof, I forgot to mention...the only bears and cougars in the area probably are members of teams bearing those names. My cousin hasn't reported any wildlife other than her dog and cats, and of course her own twins, a boy and a girl.
The bears and cougars in Virginia are to be found further west, in the same mountain chain in which we live. I doubt there ever were many of either in Loudon County (and it's funny how the realtor neglected to mention either critter, much less on the back porch, when we were here looking for a house).
NC is becoming more retirement populated than Florida.
Many young couples from NY and NJ are moving there because they can buy a mini-mansion for the price of a NY studio apartment and pay less property tax.
Reporting the state of education in this country actualy draws light to the problems in this country. Makes me think twice about my complaints in my 104 year old school building with peeling paint and loose tiles.
Commenting by HaloScan
