June 8, 2012 4:12 pm
Source: www.ft.com
California low on college graduates - Vacaville Reporter
The state will need 2.3 million more college degrees and certificates than it is likely to produce by 2025, the 13-page report by California Competes said.
If legislators and higher-education leaders fail to act quickly, the group said, California will lose its economic and educational luster.
"We have to change business as usual in higher education," said Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, one of the organization's board members. "This is about our future."
Other organizations, most notably the Public Policy Institute of California, also have highlighted the state's deficit of trained workers in recent years. Business leaders say the shortfall will force companies to move to other states or countries.
"The Silicon Valley is a knowledge-based economy," said Dennis Cima, senior vice president of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a coalition of South Bay businesses. "If we don't have college-educated people here in the Silicon Valley, then companies will go where the people are."
California Competes recommended changes, including improved decision-making at California's 72 community-college districts and determining which college degrees will be most valuable in the future. The state also needs an independent agency to guide California's higher-education decisions, the organization
said.The state is on track to grant 3.2 million bachelor's and associate's degrees and vocational certificates in the next 13 years, researchers concluded, but 5.5 million will be needed by then. More jobs than ever require a college education, and California Competes said schools need to do a better job teaching critical-thinking and communication skills.
Several daunting obstacles stand in the way of improving the numbers. An alarming number of high school graduates are not ready for college math or English, and budget cuts have made it difficult to get classes at community colleges and California State University campuses.
The California Competes report is another reminder that the Legislature and governor need to show stronger-than-ever leadership on higher-education issues, said Steve Boilard, higher-education chief for the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office.
"Too often people use a tight fiscal environment as an excuse not to make changes," he said. "This is exactly when you have to do things differently."
A recurring theme in reports on California's higher-education shortcomings is the state's lack of goals and failure to coordinate its 112 community colleges, 23 CSU campuses and 10 Univer-sity of California schools. Besides proposing a new coordinating body, Thursday's release called on lawmakers to create a higher-education vision.
Although colleges and universities rarely hear good news these days, California has reason for optimism, said Lande Ajose, California Competes' deputy director. State leaders understand the problems better than ever, she said, and are rethinking California's higher-education system.
"Even in the past six months, people are acknowledging that we have to move forward," Ajose said. "People aren't just waiting for the next big financial boom."
Source: www.thereporter.com
Romney's California neighbours outraged over noise at candidate's beach house as $12million home gets major renovation - Daily Mail
|
A full-scale construction project is underway at Mitt Romney’s $12million lavish beach house - and it's ticking off his new neighbours.
The likely Republican nominee’s vacation home in the La Jolla neighbourhood of San Diego, California, will eventually feature a car elevator and its own lobbyist to add to its incredible ocean view.
But until then, it's a cacophony of hammers and drilling, and those who live nearby have had enough.
Tear it down: Mitt Romney's 75-year-old beach house just isn't big enough. He plans to level it and replace it with a mansion two and a half times the size, featuring a car elevator
An elderly woman who lives next door to the home at 311 Dunemere Drive told The New York Times that her car has repeatedly been boxed in due to the construction.
Neighbours told the paper that as many as six gay couples reportedly live within a three-block radius, which may cause some tension at the next block party.
One couple, Michael Duddy and his partner James Geiger jovially suggested to neighbours that they hang a gay pride flag from the pine tree on their property 'so that Romney’s motorcade has to drive under it.'
Irritated: Michael Duddy and his partner James Geiger disagree with Romney's stance on same-sex unions
Mark Quint, who lives several houses away, told the Times that he's tired of seeing the modest beach houses levelled to make room for sprawling properties.
He told the paper that he fears the 'nightmare of construction.'
The house came under scrutiny back in March, when Romney's political foes made public the plans for the construction project and began wielding them as another claim that the super-rich former Massachusetts governor is out-of-touch with Americans.
Ironically, in 2004 when Romney was governor of Massachusetts, he took a shot at Sen John Kerry, the Democratic presidential contender, over the size of his house.
He told a conference of governors: 'There's a senator of my state who wants to be elected president and I don't know why he'd want to do that, because he'd have to move into a small house,' Romney joked.
Romney, whose wealth is estimated at $250million, is in the process of tearing down the 76-year-old home and replace it with a building more than two and a half times the size.
The plans call for a 3,600-square-foot basement that is - by itself - bigger than the existing home.
Included in blueprints, obtained by Politico.com, are a split-level four-car garage with an elevator for the vehicles.
Romney defended the garage as a way to fit more vehicles into a compact space.
Opposition: Romney's house came under scrutiny in March, when political foes made public the plans for the construction and used them as another claim that he is out-of-touch with Americans
The Romneys will keep the home's outdoor lap pool and add a shower and a 'water feature' (it's unclear what, exactly, this is.)
And to make sure the construction permits and paperwork are shepherded through the San Diego bureaucracy, the project comes with a lobbyist.
Romney has paid $21,500 to San Diego lawyer Matthew A. Peterson to be his liaison to city government and answer questions that city officials might have.
The La Jolla beach house is one of three homes that Romney currently owns.
Headache: Critics have seized on the plans for a 'car elevator' as yet another sign that Romney is too wealthy to identify with most Americans
He has a six-bedroom, three story summer home that sits on Lake Winnipesaukee in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, which he bought for $3million in 1997.
With a guest house and a 5,400-square-foot main home, the estate is worth an estimated $10million today, according to the real estate blog Zillow.
In 2010, he picked up a two-bedroom townhouse in the Boston suburb of Belmont.
At a mere $895,000 for 2,100 square feet, the Romneys reportedly keep it to maintain their residency in Massachusetts.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
Furniture In Fashion, The Cheapest Online Furniture Store In The UK - YAHOO!
Being launched in 2001, Furniture In Fashion has now become the cheapest online furniture store in the UK. Within a period of just 11 years, the company has gained huge success and reached the skies.
(PRWEB UK) 8 June 2012
Furniture In Fashion, a furniture store, located in Bolton, United Kingdom is now renowned as the cheapest online furniture store in the UK. With its more than 14000 stylish yet functional furniture products, the company has maintained its high quality and standard. As per the managing director of the company there are number of factors that contribute towards the success and achievement of the company. Some of them include high quality material, unique designs, functionality, varied features, strength, durability and versatility of all the products.There are more than 14000 furniture products ranging from shoe cabinets, sofas, coffee tables, TV stands to dining table, sideboards, dining chairs to beds, bedside cabinets, mattresses, lamp tables to bathroom sets, vanities, bins, toilet seats and other accessories. Every type of furniture for your living room, kitchen, dining room, bedroom, kids room or family room in available in a number of varieties. Whatever your needs are, you are sure to get every desired piece of furniture for your home at Furniture In Fashion. Either shop online or visit the store and get a chance to save some extras. For example, they provide 5% off on orders over £750 or 10% off on orders over £1500 or 15% off on orders over £3000. As such, there are many provisions which help their customers save or win some extras. Furniture In Fashion also offers its customers with various discounts and gift coupons.
There are many benefits associated with having a website and online shopping. Without taking much efforts of travelling through any furniture store, you can just order it online. It’s as simple as that. If you are highly busy with your schedule either with your job, business or household works, then online shopping is the best option for you. By just sitting at home and ordering the product, you can get the delivery of product within the specified period time, without any delay. When they introduce some product in the store, within no matter of time you get to see the same on the website. Every product that is available in the store is also available on the Furniture In Fashion website to provide the online customers with the newest and latest trends. When you browse through the http://www.furnitureinfashion.net website, you will come across the various products that it offers. This site maintains the list of each and every product that is available in the store.
Furniture In Fashion is a well established company in the United Kingdom, dealing with different types of furniture. Most of the products are manufactured by the company itself, in their workshop and many are sourced for different parts of the world, in order to provide their consumers with variety. For more information about the company you can visit their website and go through it. You will definitely get details about the company’s policies, timings, payment modes, store, sales, their suppliers and many more things.
Luke Patel
FurnitureinFashion
01204 792700
Email Information
Source: news.yahoo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment