The college admissions scam, much of which involves parents of USC students, serves as a blaring signal that college is not about education. It is about status. The majority of us do not have anyone to help buy our admission, let alone our education. I am one of the millions of Americans who will graduate with massive debt. By the time I earn my master’s degree in a year and a half, my student loans will amount to about $80,000.
A new statewide poll indicates that Californians are very worried about housing affordability — so much so that many are contemplating leaving the state.
California’s 4.2 percent unemployment rate is at a 10-year low. Wages are accelerating at their fastest pace in nearly a decade. But prospective home buyers continue to see sticker shock, with median prices still hovering in the $530,000 range. The affordability problem must be addressed and fast if California is to remain a place where middle class people can live.
We all have biases. We need to stop pretending that we don’t act on our perceptions. Most of us prejudge, even if those prejudices are unintentional. The good news is that studies also reveal that as people become aware of their unconscious biases, and are reminded of them regularly, they can correct themselves.
Any new path on California water must bring Delta community and fishing interests to the table. We have solutions to offer. We live with the impacts of state water management decisions from loss of recreation to degradation of water quality to collapsing fisheries.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call in his State of the State speech to restrain health care costs in California is rooted in some eye popping numbers. The cost of healthcare for a family of four reached $28,000 in 2018. If nothing is done, it will soon be $30,000 and more. This is clearly unsustainable. The governor can take the lead on two issues right now.