text:
Atlanta attorney and school choice activist Glenn Delk says the solution to Georgia's education problems is not more money.
Instead, Delk writes:
Georgians are once again being inundated with calls from members of the government education blob, school board members, superintendents, teachers' unions, etc. to demand that Gov. Nathan Deal, state senators and representatives eliminate the so-called "austerity cuts" and spend more money on our k-12 system.
On this blog, former Atlanta School Board member and unsuccessful candidate for state school superintendent Joe Martin, wrote, "The state is systematically starving our schools – and jeopardizing our future – under the pretense that it doesn't have the needed funds, while the wave of tax exemptions and cuts never ceases."
I wonder if Mr. Martin would admit that our public schools are not on a starvation diet, if he knew Georgians are actually spending a million dollars to graduate one student from high school ready to handle college-level work. Rather than "starving" k-12 education, Georgians have continued to pour ever-increasing amounts of their hard-earned money into the current system, while failing to demand quality results for the billions they've spent.
Student enrollment in Georgia increased 16 percent from 2000-2009, while per-pupil funding, excluding facilities, increased nearly 50 percent, to $9,649 in 2009. Unfortunately, the traditional k-12 system of public education, which the Georgia Supreme Court recently held was a monopoly, has failed to deliver solid academic achievement in exchange for our tax dollars. According to both the College Board and the ACT, barely 20 percent of Georgia's high school graduates are college-ready in the four major academic subjects; only 5 percent of black graduates are college-ready.
However, a 2010 report by a Chicago-based think tank, the Heartland Institute, concludes that Georgia's taxpayers spend $220,000 to pay for the k-12 education of every high school graduate. In other words, to turn out one white high school graduate ready to attend UGA or Georgia Tech without needing remedial education and compete with the rest of the world for jobs, Georgians spend $1 million per student; and $4 million for one qualified black high school graduate.
Given the reality of the 21st century worldwide competition for jobs, as well as the current fiscal reality in the U.S., Georgia cannot afford the current system, both for costs and quality reasons, much less increase spending as Mr. Martin advocates. Stanley Litow, president of the IBM Foundation, in a recent AJC guest editorial, said, in referring to our current public education system, "Business as usual not an option."
He's exactly right, given a January survey by the Harvard Business School of its alumni who believe that the United States faces "a deepening competitiveness problem caused by structural changes," with the poor quality of our k-12 education system one of America's major weaknesses.
Finally, Jim Clifton, chairman of the polling firm, Gallup, in his recent book, "The Coming Jobs War," spelled out why neither Georgia nor the United States can afford to accept Mr. Martin's advice to continue spending more money on the current governmental monopoly and accept inferior results.
As Mr. Clifton puts it:
"The primary will of the world is no longer about peace or freedom or even democracy; it is not about having a family, and it is neither about God nor about owning a home or land. The will of the world is first and foremost to have a good job. Everything else comes after that . The coming world war is an all-out global war for good jobs . This is America's war for everything ."
If Mr. Litow, Harvard alumni and Mr. Clifton are right, we cannot win this all-out world war for jobs without major structural changes to our current system of public education in Georgia. The current factory model of one-size-fits all must be replaced by new schools for Georgia, managed or run by traditional school districts, charter management organizations, private schools and charities free of the current regulatory structure.
Instead of appropriating more funds for the current system, Gov. Deal and the Legislature should make it clear that Georgia intends to win the worldwide war for jobs by dramatically improving the quality of our graduates. To do so, they must pass a very short, simple bill, which:
–Lets traditional school districts choose to compete with private and charter schools on a level playing field by removing all regulations on schools operating under this new system, except those imposed on private schools.
–Simplifies funding for these new schools, making funding transparent by placing a simple per-pupil allocation of $9500 per student, on the students' back, which follows them to any school they choose, regardless of zip code or who's operating it.
–Eliminates the concept of failing schools and the state's attempt to fix them
–Instead judges these new schools on only 3 metrics – what percent of 9th graders graduate, how many graduates are college-ready, and how many either graduate from college within six years, or are employed. If the schools fail to deliver on these simple, concrete metrics, parents will leave and the schools will be forced to change or shut down due to lack of customers
To win the coming all-out world war for jobs, Georgia must quit doing business as usual, must quit throwing more money at a dysfunctional, ineffective government monopoly, and allow parents, school leaders and teachers to compete with the world on a level playing field. Our school leaders, teachers and students can compete with the best in the world if we simply recognize governmental monopolies don't work, whether for airlines, healthcare, computers or education. Our political leaders need to acknowledge they don't know how to run schools and free our teachers, school leaders and parents to choose.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
January 24th, 2012
11:49 am
We have spent a couple of decades with more government help, more government money and more government rules. We have greatly, and for the first time in our history, federalized the education of children with more money and more involvement from Washington. the school districts spending the most money often perform the worst. How has that worked?
It's time we let parents make these choices and stop pumping good money after bad and let parents makes more choices about their children.
January 24th, 2012
11:57 am
Wow, I'd be curious to see the specifics on the price differentials on educating white and black students. What went into those computations?
I am highly suspicious of people who think school choice will solve everything. Kids in poverty won't suddenly be more school-ready if we have more charters, and special ed kids will still exist. Successful charter schools (which are not the majority of charters) kick out students not up to snuff. Our challenge in education is figuring out how to educate those students.
There is some waste in education, but it's hard to read this and know that in my husband's classroom, he literally can't fit any more desks to accommdate the no-class-size-limit huge class he has, and that his pay has been frozen and he's been furloughed. If there's waste, the average teacher isn't enjoying it.
January 24th, 2012
12:04 pm
On January 13th's post, "Coming out in the classroom", I commented:
"If activist liberals continue to go down this road and make parents and students of all religious faiths feel offended by teaching that the tenets of their faith are wrong and intolerant, the religous faithful will abandon the public schools and home school or create church schools. You may at first think, "Good riddance!", but you need to think again. It very likely will destroy the public school ideal; that we can commonly teach our multiculural society reading, writing, mathematics and about our democratic Constitution,without teaching the controversial religious ideas that can be discussed at home or church. The fewer children who attend public school, the less willing citizens are to contribute tax money and they will lose public support. Actually, this is already happening. The curriculum of a public school should be limited to commonly agreed upon objectives that help us see what we have in common and remains respectful of the diversity of religious opinion in our society."
How does this apply here? The people with money are abandoning the public schools for a variety of reasons; "politically correct" indoctrination, inclusion classes that allow disruptive students to disrupt the learning of the willing students, NCLB, which aims instruction at the lowest performing students and tends to ignore the more able students, and the flight of good teachers because of lack of public and administrative support. When their kids and grandkids go to private or religious schools, taxpayers lose interest in their local public schools.
January 24th, 2012
12:10 pm
I wonder, will this apply to special needs students also? They usually have smaller classes and their teachers have to be specially trained? So, will the private schools have to take these students?
If a student is a discipline problem, will the private schools have to take and keep that student, or will the private school get to keep the money after they ship the kid back to public school?
And just how will the "quality" of the education received in these private schools be assessed? Will they have to take the same tests or are we going to take a wait and see attitude? What books will they be using? What about sports, especially for girls? Will the schools be "outfitted" with the latest computers, software programs, equipment and qualified teachers? Or is this just a ploy to undermine the salaries of the teachers? What about the parent's involvement?
There's a lot more to all of this than the two gentlemen think. I wouldn't start school-jumping just yet.
January 24th, 2012
12:15 pm
Second thought. Why won't money "fix" the schools? Money seems to "fix" everything else.
-More money for bankers and financiers, even as they run our economy into the ditch.
-More money for the military and their hardware needs, seems to "fix" what ails them.
-More money for the top 1-2% of wage earners; tax breaks that the rest of us do not get. That is suppose to "fix" the economy, but never does, despite what the GOP spouts off.
-More money for roads and more roads . . . that always "fixes" something, even if it isn't the road.
But then again, as I look at my comments, I see a pattern. Money always seems to "fix" the problems that the men have. Their salaries, their toys, their investments, etc. When it comes to things the women want, like a good education for the kids, a decent salary that goes with a hard-earned college education and decent healthcare, money just doesn't seem to "fix" those problems. I wonder why?
January 24th, 2012
12:23 pm
Make schools voluntary!
January 24th, 2012
12:29 pm
Maureen, what is the name of that 2010 Heartland Institute study? I'm not clear how the costs move from 220k to 1mil/4mil for qualified students. Just curious as there are usually more people qualified to attend a college than admitted. Admissions decisions are about multiple factors as well as readiness. Even an open university may limit enrollment when they run out of space.
On school choice,
How often does someone voluntarily give up power? The layers of educational bureaucracy are not jumping from control to pure choice. The closest you might get is choice within an existing school district. That allows the adults to maintain most of their power.
January 24th, 2012
12:38 pm
Mark Twain's comments about lies and statistics are appropriate here. Since Mr. Delk is a lawyer, he is obviously a great proponent of the idea that if he can't convince us with facts, he'll buffalo us with … with … the … elimination of a bull. All Mr. Delk did was state his conclusion and make up what "information" he needed to back it up. Same old; same old. Not even worth the recycled electrons Maureen used
January 24th, 2012
12:46 pm
The problem isn't money. We're spending money by the truckload. The problem is rotten schools, out of control lawyers (meaning no discipline) and yes, bad teachers. The City of Atlanta spends almost as much money per child on "education" as the annual tuition for the private Walker School in Marietta. Anybody here think the taxpayers are getting their money's worth there?
So long as the educrats' mantra is "More money, less accountability, tenure forever," they're going to be treated as what they are: leeches, doing more harm than good.
January 24th, 2012
12:55 pm
It's always amazed me how "think-tanks" keep operating. They don't produce anything, so they basically con people into giving them money (that goes for both left and right). Good work if you can get it, I guess.
January 24th, 2012
12:58 pm
Delk is right. Money hasn't fixed it. I'm sure Delk is MORE than aware of the amount of money spent trying to cover up THE largest cheating scandal in United States educational history.
The amount of money spent appeasing SACS which only got involved AFTER on of Beverly Hall's chief enables was removed from the board chairmanship.
Not to mention DeKalb's troubles, Clayton's troubles, and all the allegations coming from Barge's neck of the woods.
Of course the LACK of money coming these days isn't fixing anything either.
Maybe choice won't work any better, but at least you have CHOICE, with choice.
January 24th, 2012
1:22 pm
January 24th, 2012
1:25 pm
AHS: and just how do you "know" that the Walker School is any better than the average public school in the metro area? Do they take any test documenting their "advanced" student prep? How do any of us "know" that the kids are learning what is being taught" Are their teachers any better than the average teacher? Or are you just assuming that because it is a private school, it has to be better?
January 24th, 2012
1:26 pm
Some things never change. We will be having
similar conversations regarding this same basic
topic ten years from now.
January 24th, 2012
1:34 pm
People, people….There are just some kids, and their parents, who do not and will not ever value an education. They are perfectly happy sitting on the couch, drinking sodas and eating candy bars. The get free rent, food stamps, free cell phones, tax refunds on money not received from a job they don't have. The parents set a miserable example, the kids don't know any better and until they are removed from that environment, they will never improve nor want to improve.
January 24th, 2012
1:39 pm
I appreciate some of Delk's comments that there is waste in the public school system and we need to change that but a couple of his statments are problematic. Let's look at this one:
"–Instead judges these new schools on only 3 metrics – what percent of 9th graders graduate, how many graduates are college-ready, and how many either graduate from college within six years, or are employed."
Delk advocates that we wait until kids are the in the ninth grade before we judge whether a school or a system is performing well. That is much, much, muuuuuuch too late for the student. The key to successfully intervening in a life is intervening early and not wait until high school.
Here's another problematic one: "–Eliminates the concept of failing schools and the state's attempt to fix them"
Why would we eliminate the concept of teh failing school? As consumers we shop for the best buy for our money. We need to look at the product to determine if it is good enough to buy it. We parents do it all the time. We first look for the very best public schools and then buy the best home we can afford in order to go to that school. If we don't have a measurement, how will we have enough information to make a choice?
I like the idea of the money following on the child's back wherever the child goes.
I believe in healthy competition, meaning, I think charter schools and private schools provide necessary options where public schools are failing. They remind the public schools that they cannot be a monopoly and when public schools know tht students can leave and take their money with them — they are more likely to work harder to ensure they're meeting the children's needs.
Delk makes some good points but I wouldn't buy into his plan. It just has too many big flaws.
January 24th, 2012
1:44 pm
I agree with 008. It doesnt matter. Those who want to succeed will find a way. Those who dont want to succed will find a way.
Best of luck to all of them.
January 24th, 2012
1:48 pm
There are several private schools in the metro area that take special needs….and I have seen test results that they do better jobs. Most private schools I am familiar with….test students and list college choices for graduates. Rockerbabe…I have seen the Walker Schools tests scores, graduation rates,scholarship info……all part of public records….it is impressive. Having taught in public schools I am deeply concerned about the continuation of said schools. Some do a great job, but many do not. Parents ought to have a right to take their share of the money and educate their children.
January 24th, 2012
1:49 pm
Delks comment is a thinly-veiled way to say that we should not have government regulating schools. He says "Our political leaders need to acknowledge they don't know how to run schools and free our teachers, school leaders and parents to choose."
Schools need the government regulations. We need good regulations. Without regulations, look what happened to Wall Street, the biggest financial disaster in America since the 30s and that depression was also caused by a lack of regulations.
Without regulations we would have children working in pencil factories 12 hours a day six days a week. Regulations provided what many of us consider non-negotiables today such as child labor and safety laws. In china, where there are much fewer regulations, little five year olds are in "schools" where they make fireworks all day. We don't have that now because we require all children, and rightly so, to go to school and we provide a means to get them there. I agree with that.
Education made us a strong nation. We were "born" from educated and learned individuals, not a bunch of crazy, undereducated war-mongering dictators. Education for all citizens is the only means for maintaining a democracy.
January 24th, 2012
1:51 pm
Some things never change. We will be having similar conversations regarding this same basic
topic ten years from now.
And most likely twenty and thirty years from now. It's the same argument which has been going on since I was a kid, or longer, and that's been a long time ago.
January 24th, 2012
1:55 pm
"There is some waste in education, but it's hard to read this and know that in my husband's classroom, he literally can't fit any more desks to accommdate the no-class-size-limit huge class he has, and that his pay has been frozen and he's been furloughed. If there's waste, the average teacher isn't enjoying it."
Very well said. The waste is not at the student and teacher level. The waste is at the top. We need complete transparency at the top. I advocate that the whole school board and administration gets out of their offices and instead works at whatever school is being closed. They can move their offices there to save on the rent and they will be much closer where we can keep an eye on them. Later, if we need that school property again, we can kick out the bureaucrats and send them to the next school they plan to close.
My kid is in an overcrowded classroom, a slap-dash, beat up, unsafe trailer. It breaks my heart.
January 24th, 2012
1:56 pm
how can someone even address all the money that is "thrown" at schools without a concerted effort to recognize how much funding NCLB has demanded/required, especially with regard to special education? I'm not erasing my chalkboard (yes, I sitll have one in my classroom) with dollar bills. Check into that, Mr.Delk, and then we can have a discussion about funding and money.
January 24th, 2012
1:58 pm
"Parents ought to have a right to take their share of the money and educate their children."
Exactly. Spend the tax dollars where they want to put them in school. That is healthy competition.
Very well said.
January 24th, 2012
2:02 pm
"….the kids don't know any better and until they are removed from that environment, they will never improve nor want to improve."
Yes, they need to experience a different environment and taking them to a public school provides that environment. They see how other people live because they are exposed to it in a school setting.
Children are not destined to grow up exactly like their parents, even when the parents are scum bags. I'm living proof. There are so many other stories out there of children who overcame their upbringing. We can't give in to the easy way and just give up hope. All children, all human beings, are worth the effort.
January 24th, 2012
2:09 pm
You all act as if Private Schools are 1000times better than public schools…if that were so, why is it that the private schools have not expanded to take on more high performance students.
If there is waste in public schools and there is then why KEEP VOTING for SPLOST money only to complain that it dd not go towhere it was supposed to or the boards overspent….
January 24th, 2012
2:10 pm
Tell the Buckhead parents 'money doesn't make a difference."
January 24th, 2012
2:19 pm
Frankie, they don't expand because they don't have to. Money talks. If private schools don't have a large enough endowment to offer financial aid to "high performance students" who can't afford to attend, those students most likely don't attend.
January 24th, 2012
2:21 pm
Maybe instead of always focusing on "We need more money", schools need to be focusing on "what" is being taught and "how" it is being taught. My 10 year old neighbor came over because she needed help with homework. She had to complete a worksheet with questions about the Great Depression. I was shocked to see that each question had the PAGE NUMBER listed to where the answer could be found in her social studies book. Huh??? Sediously, if this is "how" children are being taught, it's no wonder they are failing…..and no amount of money is going to change that!
Shouldn't the students be responsible for READING thier textbooks and for finding the answers to homework questions. They shouldn't be told where to look for the answers. That doesn't improve reading skills or knowledge retention. That doesn't teach them to be responsible and to be independent. They are missing out on the greater learning experience because they are not encouraged to figure it out for themselves. So until we get back to teaching students how to be self sufficient and more responsible, throwing more money into education won't solve the problem.
January 24th, 2012
2:22 pm
Regulation makes several good points.
January 24th, 2012
2:30 pm
Mr. Delk,
I spent last week touring private schools for children with special needs. Their tuition STARTS at 20,000 a year and many are higher than that. Even with tuition at that level, these schools rely on donations and annual campaigns to fill the gap. How do you address this? No traditional private school will educate these students and certainly not at 9500 dollars a year.
Our public school system is not spending 9500 dollars a year on my child. They are spending 20,000 on one and less on others.
How does your plan address this?
January 24th, 2012
2:31 pm
So what taxes are yu talking abuot taking to the school of your choice, ad valorem, state taxes, property taxes…
let's see two cars =$500 ad valorem; state taxes = $1500 – $2000; property taxes = $3000….
I think I have enough for maybe two months of private school….
Trust me I understand, but don't you think that as the economy get worse the private schools will raise their tuition, llok at the colleges. they cannot even justify why theri tuition has gone up when they have in some cases a waiting list of students and they are willing to take out a loan to get into school.
Do I need to now take out a loan for private school or just fix the problem right in front of me…
January 24th, 2012
2:35 pm
Delk is a long time advocate for vouchers and private schools. This means simply that he is not opposed to tax money being spent on education but that he simply wants as much as he can get diverted into the hands of wealthy private individuals, like himself, and private schools with a mere shell of public education left for the great unwashed. He is a smart lawyer and knows his statistics are contrived and misleading. Most annoying is the patronizing attitude reflected in the article which assumes most of us are too dumb to see through his distortions.
January 24th, 2012
2:37 pm
I will take the $9,500 per child and put my girls back in Catholic School. It will make it affordable. It is night and day with the discipline. Plus my kids don't have science teachers who don't believe in Evolution at Catholic School.
I know of several people who pay $16,000 to $25,000 per year to have their Special needs children at St. Francis, Sophia Academey, Howard School, Schenek School, The Speech School etc. The feel that their child would have never gotten the services in public school. This includes kids with Autism and a rash of other severe issues.
Even in the Catholic School my oldest one graduated 8th grade from more than 1/2 the class had ADD or ADHD. It is just that they had parents who had them properly medicated so they could learn and function in school without distruption. The diognoses weren't for an SSI check for Mama to blow.
January 24th, 2012
2:49 pm
People who want to cast a negative opinion on public schools always bring up Atlanta, Clayton, and Dekalb. They are only 3 of the 180 school systems in Georgia. Many more systems are producing great results than those that are not. Why not give some positive opinions of public schools and talk about what a great job they are doing? Do not base your opinion of public schools on what is happening in a few.
Evidently, Mr. Delk doesn't know anything about school finance, public schools, or the mission of public schools. Everyone isn't going to college. If we produce a plumber, electrician, mechanic, or beautician, we are helping society just as much as if we produce an accountant or lawyer. Since Mr. Delk only put a value on college students, evidently he doesn't value these other professions. Let's see how much he values a plumber when he has a broken water pipe or an electrician when he has a "blown circuit".
January 24th, 2012
2:55 pm
Since Mr. Delk only put a value on college students, evidently he doesn't value these other professions.
That in a nutshell is a large part of the problem, in my opinion. They try to force all students into a "one size fits all" track to college. That's fine for those for whom that is a good route but what about the others. Are we to write them off before they ever turn 18?
January 24th, 2012
2:57 pm
When public schools have "choice" regarding the admission of students into their programs and are not mandated to accept EVERY child, even those that don't want an education, maybe we will have a level playing field to compete with private schools.
January 24th, 2012
3:03 pm
here's an idea- let's close the public schools and make them all charter schools, private schools, etc. I'm sure a slew of highly qualified, dedicated teachers will line up at the doors to teach in these bastions of unfettered learning not held back by gluttonous government spending and beauracracy! Sound good? Here's the catch- the kids haven't changed, nor have their needs and abilities. And the money we save on schools will have to be spent on prisons to hold the exponentially growing population they'll have once there's no school for those who can't afford to pay. Wait, this sounds like Medieval Europe doesn't it?
Yes there are problems with public schools, but there always have been. Private schools and charter schools aren't all perfect either.
They get to be selective about their students so they set themselves up to succeed. They suffer from poor leadership and governance at times, and will do unbelievable things to get a prosperous donor. It's not a perfect system either. There's also less accountability for teachers there- I have two godsons in private schools who have had horrible teachers and the parents can't get rid of them unless the school agrees.
BTW: We have no teacher unions in Georgia!!! We have professional organizations that can lobby on our behalf, but let's face it even that didn't help much during the budget slashing in recent years. They cannot threaten or call for a strike, and have NO negotiating power in our contracts, pay, etc. If Delk is so smart, he should know that.
January 24th, 2012
3:03 pm
@ old timer…sorry for the duplicated name, not trying to take your moniker!
January 24th, 2012
3:05 pm
@Rockerbabe Actually, I just picked Walker at random, but since you asked, last year:
"The Walker School… does not report its average scores, reporting instead scores by the middle 50 percent of their averages. It reported that 98 percent of its test takers scored between a 1630-1970 in 2011, slightly down from the 99 percent of scores that reported a 1670-1970 in 2010."
From: http://www.mdjonline.com/view/full_story/15541614/article-Private-schools-top-national-SAT-score–local-public-schools?instance=home_news_bullets
According to the same article, every Walker student takes the SAT (and ACT).
The highest average SAT for any school in ACS: 1482 at Grady High School. Most others are in the 1100-1200 range (http://georgiataxcreditscholarship.org/georgia-sat-scores/georgia-2010-sat-scores.html).
Still glad you asked?
January 24th, 2012
3:11 pm
Mr. Delk lives in Buckhead. This is his ploy to fund private schools with public money. Same old, same old.
But he did do some mighty fine gymnastics to come up with his $1 million and $5 million figures.
January 24th, 2012
3:13 pm
So how many of those kids at the Walker School qualify for free and reduced lunch?
That's what the SAT measures you know, income.
January 24th, 2012
3:22 pm
Better question is, how many teachers at Walker were at the tops of their classes coming out of high school or college? Public schools are little more than employment programs for the slugs who don't have the brains to major in anything more difficult than Education. When you've got a lot of dumb teachers on one end, it's no surprise to get a lot of ignorant students on the other.
January 24th, 2012
3:39 pm
"People who want to cast a negative opinion on public schools always bring up Atlanta, Clayton, and Dekalb. They are only 3 of the 180 school systems in Georgia. Many more systems are producing great results than those that are not. Why not give some positive opinions of public schools and talk about what a great job they are doing?"
You mean like Dougherty? (sp?) Or Fulton which just shut down an award winning charter school, and has SUCH well behaved students at schools like Westlake?
January 24th, 2012
3:56 pm
Here is an idea: why don't we look at systems around the world that are actually working? Finland, Canada, and South Korea are three worth looking at more closely. In all three, teaching is the key. Teachers are highly educated, well trained, respected, compensated above average, and held to high standards. Would anyone, anyone at all be able to say that is even remotely true in Georgia? Next, the cultures share a deep committment to education. Sadly, our culture has a deeper committment to new stadium for the Falcons or the latest Kardashian rumor than education. Finally, students are held to high standards which are judged beyond standardized tests designed for the lowest level of politically acceptable failure rates. Until, we are willing to undergo a societal shift, little will change. Certainly in Georgia with our dismal current leadership the outlook is not bright.
January 24th, 2012
3:59 pm
Glenn Delk represents charter schools. If you read any of his position papers, he really wants vouchers. He hates APS. He distorts the truth about APS. I'll stop there.
January 24th, 2012
4:00 pm
If we have plenty of money then why have I been furloughed 10 days this year, 8 days last year, and 6 days the year before that? Why do I have to beg for copy paper, markers, pencils, staples, tape? According to the way the bookkeeper acts, these are like gold being sold on the black market. Why does the internet and phones at my school go down anytime it rains? Why does the roof leak when it rains? Why do the students and I sweat in the classroom because they keep the air on at 80, by the way, can't open the windows because that is a safety hazard. Why are we now freezing because we have no heat? If there is waste, it isn't in the classroom, because we have to beg and plead for every little thing. Then I come on here and see all the negativity ALL the time, and how everything is painted with a broad brush. I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!!!! I and many other teachers put blood, sweat, and tears into our jobs everyday for our students because we care and we care A LOT. I believe I am done reading this blog, I am about to be done with this state. I think I will find me another job, because I can do what I teach, and I do it very well and can make a lot more money than hanging around here being browbeaten to death all the time. Doing it for the kids is about not enough anymore. Thank you and have a nice day.
January 24th, 2012
4:02 pm
Sadly, our culture has a deeper committment to new stadium for the Falcons
Given what I've read in various AJC blogs about that, the average rank and file person is opposed to public money being spent on Arthur a new stadium. Arthur does, however, have friends in high places, who know which side their bread is buttered on. I'm guessing Arthur will eventually get what he wants, and the people be damned.
January 24th, 2012
4:08 pm
Once again another fine blog for substantive dialogue. My apologizes in advance for the length but so much to respond to this just the first in my series:
Fericita @01/24 11:57 am – It's high time we deal with concrete fact in evidence. Public charter schools are no more pre-disposed to rid themselves of underperforming students than traditional public schools are. In fact I would argue you that many public charters for varying reasons tend to hold on to that under achieving (i.e. Not up to snuff in your vernacular) student. After all the metric dance of FTE head count (justifying funding) & standardized test scores (justifying existence) is the same for ALL public institutions.
Rockerbabe @01/24 12:10 pm – I would venture to say private institutions will continue to shy away from special education (ie. Special needs) students in large part. I don't see laws compelling them to take on the challenge on the horizon therefore, I see the responsibility continuing to rest on the plate of public institutions.
As per Mr. Delk's proposal the per pupil allocation would follow the student so private institutions could only benefit from the funding infusion to the extend the student remains at the institution. This would be an improvement over the current model wherein if you opt out of the traditional public model you're in large part on you on as a parent and the district still artificially holds on to funding from tax receipts regardless to the matriculation of the student.
As for all the questions you ask in assessment of private schools, I think they are legit questions but again I don't see any public policy changes on the horizon that seek to compel such institutions to provide answers.
MannyT @ 01/24 2:29 pm – Conceptually the idea of providing for greater choice within existing traditional public school districts as already fallen flat on its face!! The legislature passed a law to provide for that two years ago, which was ever so cleverly side-stepped by every major public school district within the Atlanta metro area. As told to me by one legislator, the crafting of such laws are purposely vague where they could stand to be more prescriptive to appease local district lobbyist and grease the rails for passage.
January 24th, 2012
4:12 pm
@APS westside parent
Sort of makes you wonder why the furious five used him as their attorney, doesn't it?


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1Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, UK
2Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
3European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecast, Reading, UK
4Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, IPSL, CNRS/UPMC, Paris, France
Abstract. The European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) provides an aerosol re-analysis starting from year 2003 for the Monitoring Atmospheric Composition and Climate (MACC) project. The re-analysis assimilates total aerosol optical depth retrieved by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to correct for model departures from observed aerosols. The re-analysis therefore combines satellite retrievals with the full spatial coverage of a numerical model. Re-analysed products are used here to estimate the shortwave direct and first indirect radiative forcing of anthropogenic aerosols over the period 2003–2010, using methods previously applied to satellite retrievals of aerosols and clouds. The best estimate of globally-averaged, all-sky direct radiative forcing is −0.5 Wm−2. Accounting for uncertainties in the aerosol anthropogenic fraction, aerosol absorption, and cloudy-sky effects, results in the direct radiative forcing being bounded by −0.8 and 0 Wm−2. Further accounting for differences between the present-day natural and pre-industrial aerosols provides a direct radiative forcing estimate in the range −0.5 to 0 Wm−2, with a best estimate of −0.3 Wm−2. The best estimate of globally-averaged, all-sky first indirect radiative forcing is −0.4 Wm−2. Accounting for uncertainties in the aerosol anthropogenic fraction, cloud albedo, and cloud droplet number concentration susceptibility to aerosol changes, lower and upper bounds of the first indirect radiative forcing are −2.1 Wm−2 and −0.1 Wm−2 In order to decrease uncertainty ranges, better observational constraints on aerosol absorption and susceptibility of cloud droplet number concentrations to aerosol changes are required.
Citation: Bellouin, N., Quaas, J., Morcrette, J.-J., and Boucher, O.: Estimates of aerosol radiative forcing from the MACC re-analysis, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 12, 20073-20111, doi:10.5194/acpd-12-20073-2012, 2012.

subset: commoncrawl


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John Boehner has invited Pope Francis to address Congress.
Pope Francis is fresh from turning down an invitation from Noah's marketing department to meet with the film's star, Russell Crowe, in an effort to boost pre-release interest among Catholics (I suspect, though we aren't usually the target audience for "Biblical" films, or for that matter, "Christian Rock" which can only be called "Rock" in the loosest sense of the term and if you consider Nickleback to be a legitimate inspiration for any musical movement).
Anyway, Pope Francis has already turned down one remarkable offer to be used as a pawn in a complex marketing strategy, so it only makes sense that the most attention whorish body in America outside of Hollywood would also make overtures for his attention. Yes, America, Congress has invited Pope Francis to speak, clearly believing they will not all shrivel and die in his presence as their demons leave them to pursue other activities, like lobbying.
Boehner, a Catholic himself, sent a letter to the Vatican requesting that the pope visit the Capitol.
"The Holy Father's pastoral message challenges people of all faiths, ideologies and political parties," Boehner wrote. "His address as a visiting head of state before a joint meeting of the House and Senate would honor our nation in keeping with the best traditions of our democratic institutions. It would also offer an excellent opportunity for the American people as well as the nations of the world to hear his message in full."
Pope Francis has been much-discussed in political circles for his comments that capitalism and the wealthy have left behind the poor. Boehner referred to those comments in his statement, making the case for why the pope should see fit to address Congress by noting that Americans value the pope's message of human dignity, freedom and social justice.
"Many in the United States believe these principles are undermined by 'crony capitalism' and the ongoing centralization of political power in the institutions of our federal government, which threaten to disrupt the delicate balance between the twin virtues of subsidiarity and solidarity. They have embraced Pope Francis' reminder that we cannot meet our responsibility to the poor with a welfare mentality based on business calculations. We can meet it only with personal charity on the one hand and sound, inclusive policies on the other," Boehner said in the statement.
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, also a Catholic, said in a statement that she was pleased with Boehner's invitation.
The Vatican has not dismissed the invitation out of hand, possibly because they're still wondering why it came in the first place.


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Our Focus Remains on Research, Education and Support
The Kennedy's Disease Association has worked to educate others about this lesser-known disease and to support clinical research efforts. We distributed information to more than 10,000 neurologists to help them recognize clinical signs and symptoms of Kennedy's Disease.
Will my child be born with this DNA defect?
It takes an enormous amount of money to fund research…more than any of us can afford alone, but together, we are capable of great accomplishments. We are searching for available foundation grants, but the process is lengthy. We need researchers to continue their work, and it is only the KDA that makes funding this disease a priority.
Kennedy's Disease Knows No Boundaries...
It is passed on from generation to generation in families worldwide. Males generally inherit the disease symptoms and females are the carriers. The defect is in the 'X' Chromosome that makes testosterone almost a poison to his body.
What is Kennedy's Disease?
Kennedy's Disease (spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy) is an adult-onset "X" linked inherited disease with symptoms usually beginning to appear between the ages of 30 and 50. However, onset has also been reported as early as in the teens and as late as the 60s.
|Awareness Campaigns
Kennedy's Disease Brochures
The Kennedy's Disease Association has developed a comprehensive easy to read brochure on Kennedy's Disease. The brochure explains what is Kennedy's Disease, how it is contracted, how to join the KDA and much more. Many people have found this guide helpful and have given a copy to their doctor.
Brochure's Front Side - - - Brochure's Back Side
Mailers Were Sent To Neurologists
In the spring of 2005, over 10,000 neurologists received a cover letter and brochures from the KDA that included the following:
Inform Others
The information is for your use. You may copy, paste, print or email these pages to your friends, family, coworkers or anyone else you would like to inform about Kennedy's Disease (Spinal Bulbar Muscular Atrophy) and the KDA. (Brochures, Educative Materials, Letters, etc. will be added over time.)
(*) The brochure was created in Adobe format so you can easily view it and print it. Print as many copies as you wish and distribute them freely. (You will need the adobe viewer to open it) If the file does not open automatically for you, you can download the viewer here.
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Monthly Archive for December, 2013
Flashback! Last Week's Concerts
We look back at the best nightlife images from the previous week in the Bay Area, courtesy of our friends at FilterlessCo. [Read More]
The Ultimate Music Lovers' Gift Guide for 2013
How to shop for the music lover in your life? We've got you covered with this year's noteworthy boxed sets, reissues, compilations, books, movies and other curiosities. [Read More]
Rock photographer Jim Marshall to receive Grammy recognition
Jim Marshall, the San Francisco photographer who captured some of the most iconic moments in rock and roll history, will receive a trustees award at the Grammys next month, the Recording Academy announced today. He will be honored at a special ceremony the night before the 56th Annual Grammy Awards next month, along with Italian […] [Read More]
20 movie scenes that rock
As if to prove there's nothing a little pop music can't make better, here are 20 classic movie scenes that wouldn't be the same without the soundtrack. Did we forget your favorite scene? Let us know in the comments. • [Read More]
Kings of Leon, Queens of the Stone Age and Lorde reign over Live 105′s NSSN concert
Check out the action from Live 105′s annual Not So Silent Night holiday concert, which took place at Oakland's Oracle Arena over the weekend, featuring Arcade Fire, Kings of Leon, Lorde, Queens of the Stone Age, Vampire Weekend, Arctic Monkeys, Alt-J, Phoenix and others. [Read More]
Jay-Z ranks his solo albums from best to worst
For his 44th birthday yesterday, Jay-Z not only went vegan but gave his fans a present in the form of a personalized buying guide to his 12 solo albums, ranked from best to worst (with some brief NSFW commentary on each). Think he got it right? 1. Reasonable Doubt (Classic) 2. The Blueprint (Classic) 3. […] [Read More]
Watch: Video mashes up 2013′s biggest pop hits in one song
Here it is, the moment you may not have been aware you were waiting for. YouTube user kimaginati0n (nee Daniel Kim) has put together a clip that mashes up every single pop earworm from the past year into one five-minute-plus-change medley. It's all here: Daft Punk's "Get Lucky," Baauer's "Harlem Shake," Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines," […] [Read More]
Flashback! Last Week's Concerts
We look back at the best nightlife images from the previous week in the Bay Area, courtesy of our friends at FilterlessCo. [Read More]
Concerts: Lady Gaga, Skrillex and Kraftwerk announce Bay Area dates
• Lady Gaga announced this morning that she is hitting the road in support of "Artpop" next year (hey, the album needs all the support it can get) and will bring her artRave: The Artpop Ball to the SAP Center at San Jose on June 3. Tickets go on sale Monday at LiveNation. • Kraftwerk is […] [Read More]


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ATHLETIC DIRECTOR - Allen Cooper
ATHLETIC SECRETARY - Debbie Robinson
ATHLETIC TRAINER - Jessica Couch
BASEBALL COACH - Shawn Lyons
BOYS BASKETBALL COACH - Adam Barton
GIRLS - BOYS CROSS-COUNTRY COACH - Daniel Weimer
FOOTBALL COACH - Kyle Ralph
BOYS & GIRLS GOLF COACH - Gregg Greene
BOYS SOCCER COACH - Bobby Holden
BOYS - GIRLS SWIMMING COACH - Steve Maxwell
BOYS & GIRLS TENNIS COACH - Chris Hardin
BOYS TRACK & FIELD COACH - Daniel Weimer
WRESTLING COACH - Chad Red
GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH - Brian Kehrt
GIRLS GYMNASTICS COACH - Jenny Musselman
GIRLS SOCCER COACH - Gina Fannin
GIRLS SOFTBALL COACH - Ed Marcum
GIRLS TRACK & FIELD COACH - Chuck Myers
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL COACH - Kelli Whitaker
Home » Girls' Basketball News
GBB: Dragons power past Greenwood
February 1, 2014By Andrew Smith of New Palestine High School
New Palestine picked up a big girls basketball road win Saturday afternoon, beating Greenwood 55-47.
The Dragons had tremendous balance, led by 12 points each from Raegan McMurray and Emma Laughlin. Five players scored at least seven points. The Dragons shot a season-best 57 percent from the floor (15-28), including 70 percent (7-10) in the second half. They were also 21-32 from the line. The Dragons held Greenwood to 38 percent shooting (14-36) and outrebounded the Woodmen 24-17.
NP fell behind 7-2 early, but rallied to tie the game by the end of the first quarter, and built a 23-19 lead late in the second quarter.
The Dragons opened the third with back-to-back 3-pointers by Haley Stratman and Natalie Kehrt -- sandwiched around a free throw -- to go ahead 29-22. Carly Hackler later drilled a 3-pointer to key a 7-0 run that pushed the lead to double-digits, at 39-28, early in the fourth. Greenwood never got closer than six the rest of the way, as the Dragons hit 14-of-20 free throws in the fourth quarter. Fourteen of the Dragons' final 16 points came from the line.
McMurray had a strong outing, with 12 points, five assists and five rebounds. Laughlin added 12 points and two boards. Stratman scored nine points and added two rebounds. Kehrt scored seven points and grabbed four boards. Freshman Mary Crumlin had a career high with seven points. Carly Hackler added five points and two assists off the bench, while Katlyn Keele grabbed six rebounds.
Holly Hoopingarner led Greenwood with 18 points.
The Dragons are now 9-9 on the season. They close the regular season at home Wednesday against Connersville.
Greenwood won the JV game 31-22.


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Retail coupon roundup
The Salt Lake Tribune
Published: August 31, 2012 12:48PM
Updated: August 31, 2012 12:48PM
Go HERE for a roundup of printable coupons good at major retail stores such as Kohl's, Express, Famous Footwear, Bath & Body Works and many more.
Thanks MySLCMommy.com!
© Copyright 2014 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Customer Reviews for Office Levolor Cordless
"So easy a caveman could do it"
By customer
Don't be frightened by the prospect of installing blinds. As long as you measure properly, and drill a few straight pilot holes, it's 15 minutes and done per window. Blindsgalore delivered these blinds on time and at a price that was lower than big-box stores.View this product
"Great blind!"
By customer
Very pleased! Color, construction, all great. Lower score for ease of installation only because it is very large, 118" width, so more challenging, but otherwise easy. Ordered valance which did not come with blind, but customer service quickly corrected. Great value!!!View this product


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Lavender And Peppermint For Hives
Author: Barbara Moline
Skill: Reiki Practitioner
Location: FL, United States
Posted: 10-19-2010
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Word Length: 227
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Keywords: hives, itching, rash, itch
I recently broke out with hives on my elbows and on ribcage under my arms and I could not get any relief from the usual antihistamines. I went to the Dr. and he gave me a steroid shot and Prednisone to take for one week. I got immediate relief and I thought we even found the reason for the breakout during that week. As soon as the meds were gone, the hives returned. All of what I thought was the activators had been removed from my surroundings.
Yesterday I was going crazy trying everything. I applied YL Wintergreen oil directly to the rash and that provided relief but I had to reapply and nothing was dissapearing. By afternoon I decided to try YL Lavender and Peppermint oil. I used 3 drops of each oil to each elbow then used what was left on my hands to apply to each side of my body. Instant cooling and relief. I applied them 2 more times and slept all night with no irritation. This morning when I woke up the hives are almost gone, no irritation. I applied the oils to keep the regimen going until they are completly gone, but this worked and I wanted to share it with everyone. There is nothing worse than hives with no relief!
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Testimonials about essential oils are an effective way to learn and share. With this kind of knowledge, we can each take control of our own health. The statements on this website have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products and techniques mentioned here are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. However, when you give the body what it needs then the body can heal itself as God intended it to. Please use extra caution when using the oils on animals, as some of them are very sensitive.


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This cheap gold fund could gain 50%
The yellow metal is on the rebound, but investing in miners -- whose shares have been punished -- could be the most lucrative way to play this trend.
Gold is on the rise. The commodity has seen a dramatic surge over the past two months since hitting bottom in late June.
Investing in the metal itself or in a fund like SPDR Gold Trust Shares (GLD) are both great ways to play this trend.
But considering the historic lows that we've seen in gold producers, even bigger gains could be made by investing in gold miners.
One of the easiest ways to do this is through the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX). Right now, GDX is the cheapest it's been since 2008.
David Einhorn, the billionaire fund manager, is one of the biggest GDX shareholders. His hedge fund Greenlight Capital currently owns 8.8 million shares, making him the fund's fifth-largest institutional shareholder.
In November 2011, this is what Einhorn had to say about gold miners:
"With gold at today's price, the mining companies have the potential to generate double-digit cash flow returns and offer attractive risk-adjusted returns even if gold does not advance further."At the time, GDX was trading at nearly $60 a share and the price of gold was between $1,700 and $1,800 per ounce. Today GDX is trading around $28, and the price of gold is nearly $1,400 per ounce.
These numbers point out the huge disconnect we've seen between the price of gold and the mining companies that produce it.
The five largest holdings in the GDX fund make up 45% of the total portfolio. They are Goldcorp (GG), Barrick Gold (ABX), Newmont Mining (NEM), Silver Wheaton (SLW) and Randgold Resources (GOLD).
My estimate of a 50% gain is based on a return to $45 share prices from today's price near $30. This is still well below the 52-week high of $55.
In the meantime, GDX offers a yield of 2%, and its annual expense ratio is a reasonable 0.5%.
Risks to consider: In the past, some gold miners have allocated their capital poorly, spending too much on acquisitions when gold prices are high. Also, should gold prices decline dramatically, miners could suffer a permanent loss of capital.
Action to take: An exchange-traded fund like GDX is a conservative way to play gold miners -- an inherently risky sector. Although this investment is certainly more speculative, today's low prices have ironed out some of the risk. Set a tight stop-loss at the recent low of $24 with a target of $45 per share.
StreetAuthority LLC does not hold positions in any securities mentioned in this article.
More from StreetAuthority:
If you want to but gold, buy physical gold. If you want to buy stocks, buy stocks.
Uncouple the miners and their product in your thinking. The smart ones hedge their production anyway... they might as well be selling widgets.
Good management, healthy balance sheets, making their revenue, etc, etc... that's what drives stocks over the long term... including miners.
Yes CL also agree...More often then not, there are disconnects in the price of Yellow, compared to different Gold mining companies and the price of their stock/equity...
Learning to follow the cycles in Gold and than the cycles or fundamentals of a particular miner are usually key to whether you make profits or not..
With recent beat downs on Gold or stagnation the last 18m-24m, and then decoupled miners struggling to get or make profits...To say it has been trying, is almost and understatement.
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Pee, Pee and more Pee! This site contains photos of Adara Michaels and friends doing one of the world's most interesting fetishes; peeing. Pissing across America in some of the most unusual places, Adara's unique talents scored her an eleven page spread in the 30th Anniversary edition of Penthouse Magazine dubbing her the first ever Pee Queen of America!
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Does Scottish Labour need a make-over?
How important are party logos? asks TOM HARRIS
Much excitement earlier today when the Scottish Conservatives unveiled their new logo – a kind of Union flag-coloured saltire, with blue being rather more prominent than the red.
I think it's rather effective, to be honest.
And the thought occurred (not for the first time, it has to be said): should Scottish Labour get itself a new logo?
It's such an obvious move that I don't doubt that those at the top of the party have at least already considered it. Who knows? The unveiling might be closer than we think.
Obviously logos are, to an extent, superficial; a good logo is no substitute for values, policies and leadership. But at the same time, good policies, values and leadership might be made that more effective with a corporate identity that interests and even engages the target audience.
"Corporate" logos have taken on huge importance in the last 25 years or so. Time was when a party's logo didn't really matter, or was rarely even used on local literature. The SNP's familiar… what do you call it…. twirly thing is one of the best known political symbols in the land; they were mad to try to re-design it back in 1991 and wise to revert to the familiar… er, twirly thing.
The Scottish Parliament's "logo" is a great example of why competitions should never be used to identify corporate designs. They seem like a great idea at the time to the chief executive, chairman or Presiding Officer of the organisation in question: "This will involve ordinary people, make them feel part of the new venture, democratise our image, etc." And it will also be cheap. David Steel made the mistake of launching such a competition among design students, and the result is the rather clumsy, amateurish and cheap-looking "marque", with inelegant swathes of dark blue all over the place and a St Andrew's flag dropped unsubtly in the middle of it.
So here's the thing: if you want a professional, attractive, adaptable and instantly recognisable logo, pay an agency to come up with one. Which is what the Scottish Tories seem to have done.
Labour, under Neil Kinnock and the guidance of our then Director of Communications, Peter Mandelson, ditched the short-lived "flag" logo which had been used extensively during the disastrous 1983 campaign and in 1986 came up instead with the now well-established (though since evolved) "rose" logo. In Scotland there was the inevitable whinging about the rose being a symbol of England, an argument quickly destroyed by anyone who had spent more than five minutes reading about international socialism.
But having established the rose as our logo in the minds of most voters, do we want to risk changing it now?
To be honest, I'm not sure. There's a case for establishing a strong separate identity for the party that was given unprecedented autonomy in last year's party reforms. If we're to do it, now would be as good a time as any.
So, what do you think? Does Scottish Labour need a new corporate identity? If so, what should its essential characteristics and elements be?
Tom Harris is the MP for Glasgow South and is a Shadow Environment Minister. Follow him on Twitter at @TomHarrisMP.
13 Responses to Does Scottish Labour need a make-over?
Nothing to stop Scottish labour taking the same kind of logo as the rose, red rose with a yellow background? or a thistle with a yellow background or lion rampant instead?
I think a red thistle design based on the red rose might give the right sort of impression – allied but separate, and definitely Scottish, as it were.
I'm not sure a new logo is NEEDED, as such, but I can't help thinking it might be a good idea, whether it's needed or not.
The Labour for Independence group uses this image:
Cheap admin shot there…expect better than that. There's a lot more of us than you'd think.
Besides, 'we' have been using that logo for ages now. Go find your own logo….
I'm very happy with Johann Lamont as leader an I don't think we need a make-over.
For the Conservative Party, being seen as such is toxic in Scotland. I herd that CFS were going to change their name to something like the "Progressive unionists" or something.
The truth is, the only way the Tories can change their fortunes in Scotland is to change name – a different logo will just make them even more unrecognisable.
Glad you are very happy with Johann Lamont as leader, Andrew.
If Labour was to create a new logo straight after the Conservatives changed theirs, I'm sure that would go down well. Logos shouldn't be changed just because someone else changes theres – change for the sake of change is rather pointless.
Saying that, I think the change you speak of isn't just about changing a logo. It is my, and quite a few others' beliefs, that Scottish Labour needs to undergo some major changes if it is to win in 2016. Thankfully, some of those changes are starting to happen. We need to keep this process going however and ensure that Labour is at the forefront of progressive policy for many years to come.
I can agree Tom, with what your saying, mostly. However if my memory is correct the Rose of Scotland is White, not Red. Red Rose will always be associated with England.
As for the Tories, well what can I say, their new logo is, shall I say it, a little suspect? "Double cross" was my instant reaction? As they say, if the hat fits…..
You have to admire the self awareness of a party which brands itself with a double cross.
What are her virtues? I am struggling with that.


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The Yoni; from the Sanskrit for "Sacred Place." The beautiful Vulva, Pussy, Cunt…whatever you call it (To be clear, the "vagina" is only a one part of the Vulva... http://bit.ly/1hcrnRg, http://bit.ly/1isY4rf), no matter what it looks like (http://labialibrary.tumblr.com/), it is beautiful, and should be worshiped. Slowly. With your eyes, with your mind, with your heart, your fingers, and, yes, . . . your tongue.
I am a Yogi and a follower of Tantra, which teaches, among MANY other things, that the female is a Goddess, and that her Yoni should be seen from a perspective of love and respect.
For me personally, it all starts above the neck. An intelligent yet mischievous woman is the greatest turn-on of all. If we can't have a level of somewhat intellectual, informed and humorous conversation, the rest probably won't matter. I don't care about "model beauty," but I do need a woman whose face and eyes I can stare into for hours. And lips I love kissing. I've come to be far more into actual skin-on-skin contact and a lot of foreplay. Although it takes as much will-power as I can muster, the LAST area I'll get to is "down there."
Having said all of that, I'm also a guy...with a fairly active libido, and I DO love pussy. To me, there is nothing more beautiful than a smooth vulva, longing to be teased, touched and licked....for hours. That is not a brag or boast, I'm NOT saying "I'm the BEST!" I'm not a player; there has to be a mutual attraction. But, when you've found a woman who is equally into that sort of exploration and adventure, it's magic, and never gets old.
But, hey, shaved or trimmed, any pussy is a thing of beauty, in own right. As you will see as you explore this blog, I'm not into hairy women. And I do love breasts, small or medium (but not melons or implants) and, especially, nipples (mmmmm, nipples). I prefer slim/fit and medium-sized women, but too overweight has never done it for me. Sorry.
Thank you for reading this far, and for the free personal catharsis.
This site is dedicated to those playful women who share their nude bodies and beautiful Yonis with us, and the world. Thank you, Ladies!
This blog contains Adult Content; 18+; NSFW. If you are under 18, please leave now.
All photos are found on the web and therefore considered to be public domain. Should you see a photo that belongs to you and you want it removed please email me a link to it, and it will be removed, ASAP.


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Yesterday, I had a vision of my grandmother and I sitting down in her favorite hotel in Chtaura, a town in the Bekaa Valley, eating frog legs with garlic and cilantro.
I wanted to relive that moment; what better way than to find some frog legs and prepare them?
In Beirut, one can go down to the local market and find them, fresh or frozen: no biggie.
I called the most upscale market in Dallas; the reply was not promising: " …we can get them, not too often, it is hard…sometimes…maybe…".
So I went sniffing around my neighborhood, full of so many ethnic markets they basically cover every country in Asia and Africa. I found them at the Thai grocer, imported from Taiwan, frozen.
The recipe is from: Chef Simon
Time required: 15 minutes
Servings: 3 legs per person
- 12 frog legs
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 4 cloves of garlic, mashed with a dash of salt
- 1 cup of clarified butter
- 1/2 bunch of cilantro, washed and leaves chopped fine (can use parsley)
- Clean the frog legs and chop off the end (opposite side of the legs)
- Heat the clarified butter in a skillet
- Dredge the frog legs in flour
- Sauté in the hot butter, flipping them until golden on both sides
- Add the garlic and spread delicately all over the legs
- Add the chopped cilantro and do the same
- Cover the skillet and cook an additional 5 minutes
- Serve hot. Eat with your fingers.
NOTE: Apparently in Europe some people get grossed out by the French eating frog legs. Are you?


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Women's hockey hosts Skate for the Cure vs. RIT
The Nittany Lion women's hockey team hosts RIT Friday (Jan. 31) at 7 p.m. and Saturday (Feb. 1) at 2 p.m. for a crucial series at Pegula Ice Arena. Saturday's contest is Skate for the Cure as Penn State pinks out Pegula with donations from a silent auction being donated to the WBCA Pink Zone and THON. Admission is free to the event with a free post-game skate.
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text: False TMCnet Videos Free eNewsletter Back to TMCnet Video Video Search Result for : Facebook First 1 2 3 4 Last Weemo Debuts WebRTC Compatable Cloud-Based Video API Service 06/25/2013 Imagination Technologies Drives Video and VoIP Integration in Mobile Apps and Social Media 07/20/2012 Kana Discusses Their Evolving Customer Service Solutions 07/18/2012 Lexity Details Their E-Commerce Marketing Apps for SMB 07/18/2012 Metaswitch Tips for Carrier Success 07/17/2012 Social Scene: Social Media Strays into Sports 06/20/2012 Social Scene: Episode 1 06/08/2012 Jack Jachner with Alcatel Lucent discusses his companies open touch collaboration products 05/09/2012 Google and Facebook gone in 5 years? 05/02/2012 Social Media in the Classroom: Valuable Tool or Distraction? 05/18/2011 Facebook launches deals program, rivals Groupon 04/26/2011 Facebook vs. Twitter: The Race for Professional Members 04/12/2011 First 1 2 3 4 Last Technology Marketing Corp. 1997-2009 Copyright | Privacy Policy


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Next, you'll be asked to connect with Twitter. Rest assured, we will never send a tweet from your account
without your permission.
We will send you an email with an invite soon.
RT @LockerGnome: TLDR: Do You Need Anti-Virus for Android? http://t.co/jokq0OLP
How to Develop for Android, iOS, and Other Mobile Devices:
How do you decide which anti-virus software is the best?
TLDR makes me want to sing! Or sound like a fax machine.
Check out TLDR to see why @DianaPirillo is dressed like this!
What do I think bacon candles smell like? Watch TLDR to see!
Get 22 GB of free cloud storage here: (Windows, OS X, Android, iOS, Linux). I'm at 1.4 TB. :)
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without your permission.
We will send you an email with an invite soon.
Lets hope there are some good engineers & designers in the bunch! HP sacks over 500 WebOS employees http://j.mp/qFNB74
"@stephaneleviet: 6 million jobs posted on Facebook by over 20k happy @work4labs customers! Wow! #socialrecruiting"
All day battery life delivered by @postmates :-)
RT @techreview: Tesla is set to announce a way to make recharging its electric vehicles faster than filling up a gas tank.
The return of Secret Sqrrl
Easing immigration friction for qualified entrepreneurs is such an obvious job creation move
RT @chrisfralic: The best article I've ever read on the US Healthcare Cost problem: The $2.7 Trillion Medical Bill, via @nytimes
More eCommerce companies need to think about RPM rather solely GMV. AMZN has 600M ways to prove the point
Repetition changes behavior, thus eBay built PayPal. Starbucks may turn @square into a consumer company
RT @SAI: Why Mobile Payments Are Set To Explode
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Warning: Hide the Button Batteries
They can be deadly to children.
An 18-month-old girl has her 3-year-old sister Bailey to thank after surviving swallowing a toxic lithium battery, reports KCTV.
Bailey saw her sister swallow the button battery, and knew something wasn't right. "She went back to bedroom and told my husband what happened, 'Daddy, Daddy, she swallowed a penny!," mom Sarah said.
The battery got stuck in Shelby's esophagus. After only a short time, the outer coating had completely eroded.
Doctors at Children's Mercy Hospital removed the battery before it caused serious injuries.
Earlier this year, we told you about 2-year-old Elaina Redding who bled to death three weeks after swallowing a button-sized battery.
Pediatrician Dr. Cara Natterson says ingested batteries can be extremely dangerous for three different reasons:
• The battery itself can block the airway or the intestinal tract
• Batteries contain alkali, which can corrode tissues
• The voltage generated by the battery can cause a burn.
The National Capital Poison Center said more than 3,000 people of all ages in the United States each year unintentionally swallow miniature disc or "button" batteries. Ten percent of kids who swallow button batteries die, according to the poison center. That's because batteries lodged in the esophagus can cause severe burns in just two hours. Within six hours, the battery can eat through the esophagus or the organ it is lodged against, and within eight to 10 hours, it can cause death.
Symptoms in children include refusing to take fluids, an increase in salivation, vomiting, and abdominal tenderness. But in one study, nine of 25 patients had no symptoms at all. That's why officials say do not wait for symptoms to develop before getting an X-ray. If the battery remains in the esophagus, it must be removed immediately.
Experts warn not to give your child ipecac if he or she has swallowed a battery.
This story reminds us that common household items -- like batteries -- can pose very real risks. Remember to keep batteries out of the reach of young children. If you have an older child, remind him never to put a battery in his mouth under any circumstances.
|Dr. Cara Natterson, a graduate of Harvard University and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and author of "Your Toddler: Head To Toe," is a pediatrician and mother of 2. Her latest book is "Dangerous or Safe?"
The Constitution gives every American the inalienable right to make a damn fool of himself.
Let me not be understood as saying that there are no bad laws, nor that grievances may not arise for the redress of which no legal provisions have been made. I mean to say no such thing. But I do mean to say that although bad laws, if they exist, should be repealed as soon as possible, still, while they continue in force, for the sake of example they should be religiously observed.
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Art - FL Laker Fan - I think there's a split vote on that —- that I'm either dedicated or something is wrong with me. Maybe I'll run a poll in the chat about it. Jon K - As far as Jurassic Park, I think nothing is funnier than seeing the T-Rex chew up that lawyer while he was on the john. LOL
Jon K just gave you a new thread idea, or I guess it gave me the idea.
Let me not be understood as saying that there are no bad laws, nor that grievances may not arise for the redress of which no legal provisions have been made. I mean to say no such thing. But I do mean to say that although bad laws, if they exist, should be repealed as soon as possible, still, while they continue in force, for the sake of example they should be religiously observed.
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The mini stays well in the case and the stand seems to be a good design. With wear and tear, the edges are likely to get nicked, but it has a good texture and does all the jobs needed.
The price is great compared to other iPad cases. It is very well made and looks like it will hold up for a long time. I'm very happy with my purchase.
This worked well for my IPad Mini. The color is great and it fits well.
The items must arrive at our warehouse within 30 days of purchase. You must return items in their original condition to qualify for a full refund. We will issue a partial refund of up to 70 percent if returned items have been opened, used, or returned late. More details
Our standard shipping method is ground shipping. We also offer expedited shipping for most items. Your final shipping cost and estimated delivery timeframe will be available at checkout.
Standard shipping details
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* For your safety, some orders go through our loss prevention department. If we select your order for this process, we will immediately notify you that there may be up to a 3-day delay on your order.
** Most Oversize orders are delivered within 1-4 weeks. Some orders may take 6 weeks to be delivered.


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Wells Fargo is blaming printer error on the distribution of thousands of bank statements to new customers containing the account information of other customers.
The new customers receiving the sensitive information were in Florida and South Carolina. The information included names, addresses, transaction details and balance information, according to published reports.
Spokeswoman Aimee Worsley said PINs were not included, but Social Security numbers may have appeared since some customers use direct deposit for paychecks and government checks, and issuers often use the number to verify payees.
Wells Fargo, which didn't disclose how many customers were affected, said it is treating the incident as an "information security breach" and said customers are being offered a free year of identity theft protection. The bank believes the risk that customers' data will be compromised is low.
ConsumerWorld.org founder Edgar Dworsky, however, told Time magazine's Moneyland website that someone gaining the information could use it to make a fake check or mount a phishing attack to get a PIN, Social Security number or other critical information.
A Wells Fargo spokesman, Josh Dunn, told The Post and Courier in Charleston, S.C., that a malfunctioning printer in Charlotte apparently put multiple customers' account and transaction information on pages, or even single pages, of one statement.
October 21st, 2011
4:41 pm
October 21st, 2011
4:42 pm
October 21st, 2011
4:48 pm
Yes they DO !!!!! Just found out this week that they will take funds from your acct 5 days before a bill is due if using online bill pay…… Wish Wachovia hadnt merged with them….. Looking for a new bank now.
October 21st, 2011
5:00 pm
"Wells Fargo is blaming printer error…"
Printer error. Right.
Sounds like doubletalk for "our ninth grade dropout/affirmative action hire pushed the wrong button on her computer keyboard and sent your account statement to another customer, have a nice day".
October 21st, 2011
5:04 pm
tried this bank as a local resource in addition to my internet bank account – HATED IT! Went into a Bank of America for a friend earlier this week to make a deposit – the greeter and tellers were so overly nice, then I realized why – they are raising all fees on all of us working stiffs – NO THANKS! I will stick with my no fee internet bank.
October 21st, 2011
5:42 pm
Delta Community Credit Union baby- FREE Checking, Free Debit Card, No minimum balances, Part of shared branch network, can go into any credit union and do my Delta stuff and atm's all over the country for free..
wish i had know this when i was 18
October 21st, 2011
5:43 pm
Was a very happy Wachovia customer who got forced into Wells Fargo. We are currently looking at our options on a Credit Union. So many to choose from. Can't wait to get away from Wells Effup! They are the WORST!
October 21st, 2011
5:50 pm
don't like well fargo. they are just awful.
October 21st, 2011
6:00 pm
I was a Wachovia customer who got stuck with Wells Fargo. Actually, I was a First Union customer first. Wachovia sucked compared to FU. Anyway, I probably average a $10,000 balance in my checking account at any given time. I got SOOO sick of Wells I opened a new account at Suntrust today. Hopefully Suntrust won't suck too.
October 21st, 2011
6:38 pm
The service at Wells Fargo is the worst I have ever received from any business. The lines just keep getting longer, the flustered employees are putting up with a lot of irate customers at my soon to be ex-branch.
Last week I started the process and am switching to a credit union.
October 21st, 2011
6:57 pm
Here are the reason I left Suntrust.
1. They are in the process of rolling out a fee for using a debit card.
2. My money market balance was less than 5-K and they charged me a monthly $15.00 fee to maintain it.
October 21st, 2011
7:29 pm
I'm right there with WatchOverYa same experience same banks. Down hill all the way. Wells Fargo should be back running the pony express.
October 21st, 2011
8:17 pm
I love Delta Community Credit Union. Been with them over a year now. I've had SunTrust over 25 years. No more since they were among the first and the highest to raise our debit card fees.
October 21st, 2011
8:26 pm
Was a happy Wachovia customer until Wells Fargo took over. Now at Delta Community Credit Union. Absolutely love it.
October 21st, 2011
8:30 pm
Printer error – bunch of crap. The printer will only print what and how from a computer program. Some stupid computer programmer made the mistake. I worked at AMEX as a computer programmer. Colleague made a sorting mistake in a computer program and Delta Air's $10 million dollar check went to a corner mom and pop liquor store. He was fired within hours. Had to put up with Wells Fargo on the West Coast since 1980s. The have sucked for over 30 years.
October 21st, 2011
8:32 pm
Yes, I agree with the Shekema @ 5:00 pm who cited that this is the kind of stuff that happens to your company when you starting bringing in clueless, unqualified Affirmative-Action hires.
Apparently, you can be a complete incompetent and spend the whole day "keeping it real" on company time while all the bank's customers get their private financial data compromised.
October 21st, 2011
9:22 pm
[...] Wells Fargo is blaming printer error on the distribution of thousands of bank statements to new customers containing the account information of other customers. The new customers receiving the sensitive information were in Florida and South Carolina. The information included names, addresses … – Bing News [...]
October 21st, 2011
9:55 pm
[...] Wells Fargo misprints account information [...]
October 22nd, 2011
9:38 am
It doesn't matter if it was a computer error or not. Someone had to approve the program that is in place and testing should have found this error. Whoever approved this should be fired and each customer should be compensatd $10000.00. If this were required I bet there would not be anymore computer issues and a bank excutive blaming a faceless machine that only works as it is programed. It is not as if the computer said one day,"I'm going to screw Wells Fargo" and just did this. It doesn't happen that way.
October 22nd, 2011
9:54 am
I do hate Wells Fargo – but I hate Chase even more…
cash & barter are the new economy
October 22nd, 2011
1:52 pm
I have never had a problem with Bank of America. They have been great. And the whole outrage at debit card fees is over-stated. There are ways to avoid having to pay those fees; it's not on every type of account.
October 24th, 2011
2:36 am
Loved Wachovia, including the 24/7 telephone customer service line. Now when I call that line for info, they are often clueless & rude. After I phoned tonite to ask about the account info on my statement that did not match my balance, the Wells Fargo customer rep told me that the acct. no. I was providing (which was actually my correct no.,) did not match what was on record for me. I repeated it 3 times and he still insisted I had no acct. w/that number. I had to call back and speak with another representative (onw who wasn't smoking crack …) just to inquire about the discrepancy in my statement and this rep. did find my account in the system. That's when I learned about the Wells Fargo so called printer error. So…now looking for a credit union. Can't trust these idiots with your personal information or financial security.
October 24th, 2011
8:37 am
just got hit with a $15 service fee…..ugh..heading to the Credit Union NOW!!! Bye Wells Fargo.
October 27th, 2011
1:22 pm
My husband and I have been long-time customers of Wachovia. Never had a problem. then Wells Fargo comes along, and both of us have had nothing but trouble with our accounts. Misplaced payments, double billing, you name it, we've been through it. Physcially went to a branch twice. Tried talking to different customer service reps. Nothing accomplished. Seems the left hand doesn't know what the right is doing.
It's been stressful for over 4 month trying to get our accounts rectified. Big bummer dealing with them
Unfortuanately, we have equity accounts with them, and are forced to deal with them. It stinks to high heaven.


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Washington » Five years ago, some protesters tied tea bags to their hats, others chucked tea into rivers and the yellow Don't Tread on Me flag found new life. The tea-party movement was born.
Last week, conservative activists gathered in Washington for an anniversary celebration, praising their progress in knocking out old-guard Republicans and forcing spending cuts.
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But while the party was heralding its first five years, questions remain whether it will be around for its 10th anniversary. Polls have shown a drop in support, and GOP elders are trying to tamp down tea-party candidates they fear could foil Republican attempts to retake the Senate.
"We're always going to have very strong conservatives that are actively involved, but their success is going to wax and wane with the circumstances," says Quin Monson, director of Brigham Young University's Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy. "There is some element of the tea party that is not going to go away but there are people who will tire if they don't succeed."
The height of the tea party came in 2010, when conservative candidates — like Mike Lee of Utah — harnessed the anger over government largesse to propel themselves to Congress. Fears over the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, then helped fuel rallies and pack town-hall meetings.
"They had a clear, identifiable opponent to help them mobilize," Monson says.
But Obamacare passed and is now being implemented, and while the dissatisfaction with the federal government is still high, the rallies have dissipated somewhat and the tea party isn't enjoying the same clout it once had. Sen. Orrin Hatch's re-election in Utah in 2012, for example, poured a little water on firebrand efforts to oust long-standing members of Congress.
A Gallup poll in December showed for the first time since the movement started that a slim majority of Americans now view the tea party unfavorably, and the number of people who identify themselves as within the tea-party fold is at one of its lowest points yet. Some 22 percent of Americans say they support the tea party while some 24 percent consider themselves opponents of the effort.
Staying the course » But it hardly felt like stalling momentum for the conservative movement during the recent bash in Washington. Some of the cause's big stars wowed the crowd with speeches designed to whip up anger at Democrats and even Republicans.
President Barack Obama's push for stimulus spending in 2009 may have spawned the modern-day incarnation of the tea party, and his health-care reform effort solidified a base of tea-party voters, but those at the five-year anniversary gathering said their fight is still getting started.
"I've got good news for you, though, and bad news," Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., told the raucous crowd on Thursday. "The good news is your government is open; the bad news is your government's open and still borrowing over a million dollars every minute."
As he has in recent speeches, Utah's Lee said that there are a growing number of members of Congress who are working to push the tea-party agenda, and now the effort needs to transition into a movement for something, not just against anything coming out of Washington. He likened the tea party to the original Boston revolt in 1773 that ended with a new government formed in Philadelphia, noting that the modern tea party needs to transition, too.
"We will continue to protest against the kind of national government we don't want," Lee said. "But it's time for us also to move our eyes and our hearts and our hands toward Philadelphia."
The tea-party movement can claim some credit for moving the needle in the politics of Washington. While the 16-day government shutdown last October didn't succeed in killing funding for Obamacare, Congress' most ardent conservatives were able to push fellow Republicans — for a time — into doing their bidding.
Lee and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz were the architects of that plan and Lee doesn't regret it.
"It is always worth it to do the right thing," he said at the time.
There are plenty of Utahns who agree, though not as many as there once were.
Fading fervor » In October 2010, some 56 percent of Utahns held a favorable opinion of the tea party while just 37 opposed it, according to the Utah Voter Polls conducted by Monson's center. The support began dropping after 2011 and by last November only 34 percent of voters in the poll said they favored the tea party. Sixty percent had an unfavorable opinion.
The same trend was seen among the movement's active supporters. In late 2010, 26 percent of Utah voters identified with the tea party. By last November, that had declined to just 10 percent.Next Page >
Copyright 2014 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Jerry Jones doesn't believe his stadium's chances at hosting another Super Bowl won't be hurt by the seating debacle at last year's game. Read »
A family of four became the one millionth fans (plus some) to tour Cowboys Stadium, earning special recognition. Read »
Jerry Jones responded to Justin Tuck's comments, that Cowboys Stadium is "crappy," in a radio appearance on Friday. Read »
If you're going to the game Sunday night, the Dallas Cowboys want you to be very, very loud. Read »
Cowboys Stadium in Arlington will celebrate a milestone this weekend as the one millionth stadium tour ticket is expected to be sold. Read »
Jerry Jones is still open to selling the naming rights to Cowboys Stadium, but he won't sell to just any old corporation. Read »
Cowboys play at 3:15 p.m., World Series Game 4 starts at 7:05 p.m. Traffic could be awful. Read »
Some early morning rainstorms forced the Cowboys to move their Wednesday practice from Valley Ranch to Cowboys Stadium. Read »
The Dallas Cowboys improve to 2-1 with an 18-16 win over the Washington Redskins... See Full Gallery »
The T will be adding some stops before dropping Cowboys fans at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Read »
Get the latest news about the 5-Time World Champion Dallas Cowboys


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2012 Maxima SV Sport by USADT89 on 04/25/2012. Trim: 2012 Nissan Maxima SV, Owned less than 1 year.
Pros: Beautiful automobile, inside and out. It's got all the bells and whistles for any driver. I got the SV Sports and Technology Package and I love it! The car is extremely quick and agile. The 290 HP is effortless and the CVT tranny is the best in the business. Going to add a K&N air charger to bump it up over 300 HP.
Cons: Had the car for about a month and a half when a stain developed in the headliner right below the satellite antenna hub. It was leaking water from a bad seal. Dealership fixed no questions asked and replaced it with a brand new headliner. Good as new.
Overall review: Best automobile I ever owned both is looks and performance. Well worth taking a look at if you have the money.
Review ID: #558399 Is this review offensive?
Test Driver
2012 Nissan Maxima by carfreakfromla on 07/03/2012. Trim: 2012 Nissan Maxima S.
Pros: Good power, handles great, love the CVT, looks good
Cons: Gas mileage
Overall review: I love this car. The car handles great but also rides well and it also has some kick to it. I love the CVT tranmission, i dont understand why people hate it so much, its a lot better than a regular transmission. The only problem is the gas mileage. 26 hwy isnt really that good compared to its competitors. Otherwise, its a great car.
Review ID: #561373 Is this review offensive?
Great car by CaptainROFL737 on 04/21/2012. Trim: 2012 Nissan Maxima, Owned less than 1 year.
Pros: Very fast! It has almost 300 HP and is a great reliable car. Very comfortable inside as well. We've had it for 21/2 months and it still has the new car smell. It's an amazing looking car. You do attract people's attention with the beauty and power of this car.
Cons: Nothing
Overall review: I'd suggest it to anyone who has the money
Review ID: #558202 Is this review offensive?
Maximize Your Drive! by Craig from Doylestwon, PA on 05/07/2012. Trim: 2012 Nissan Maxima SV, Owned 1 year.
Pros: The combination of all the convenience and comfort bells and whistles, along with excellent acceleration and very good handling for a big car make this a great vehicle to own and drive. The car is very comforatble on long trips and also has the tenacity to take on corners and two lane road passing with applomb. I have the SV wit the 19" wheels and stiffened frame and this model can keep up with the German imports and Infiniti's. Exterior styling is still great looking even four years into the model.
Cons: Road harshness can be trransmitted to the interior from choppy pavement, man-hole covers and expansion joints.
Overall review: This car is a great buy and a hybrid between hauling four adults and having a fun driving experience. However, it does not feel like there is any compromise when you are on the open road.
Review ID: #558940 Is this review offensive?
Infiniti in Disguise by Al on 05/06/2012. Trim: 2012 Nissan Maxima SV, Owned less than 1 year.
Pros: The lease was up on my 2010 Maxima SV so I leased a 2012 SV with Premium Package. In just 2 model years there has been a huge improvement in refinement, and retuning of the CVT. I drive in "sport" mode and it feels like any other well-behaved automatic. I love the engine, it has THRUST in droves. The steering and brakes are responsive and it has a smooth ride. All controls operate smoothly and have a high quality feeling. The two-tone ivory/black interior is upscale and very appealing. Everyone comments on the car, and it drives with a very substantial and solid feel.
Cons: The only negative is the panoramic roof which is very noisy over about 40mph when open, and no deflector is available. Nissan should offer a deflector or make the regular sunroof an option on the Premium.
Overall review: A very well-built, well finished, nicely appointed sporty car that handles well and does everything that most drivers would ask for. It may not be a sports car but it is fun to drive, responsive and agile, and has an expensive feel to it.
Review ID: #558886 Is this review offensive?
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