No More Summers (post #30)

A recent op-ed article by LZ Granderson of ESPN makes a great argument in favor of ending summer vacation as we know it and go to year round school. He points out how much knowledge is lost over the summer months and how much more competitive America could be in almost every way internationally with a year round education program. The American school year is approximately 180 days long while other countries have a 220 day year. What do students do with their summer any way? Play video games? Watch TV? Get in trouble? Granderson may be oversimplifying things but it is difficult to argue against greater student success from more days of classroom instruction. The irony here is that it looks like budget issues may make California shorten the school year further at a time when the world economy requires we must be as competitive as possible. Seniors, you are almost done and don't need to worry about losing your last summer, what do you think? Would school be more effective in preparing you for your future if there was more of it? Are there other issues you would attempt to change first? How would you make your high school educational experience more valuable?

Wal-Mart Good for Galt? (#9; due Wednesday)

A Sacramento Superior Court (using judicial review) recently ruled that the city of Galt can continue to move forward with the construction of a 133,000 square foot Wal-Mart. The court
ruled that the environmental documents necessary for such a project do not need to be revisited. There still are other hurdles the company and city need to overcome before Wal-Mart becomes official but estimates now put ground breaking sometime around spring 2012.

Naturally, there are many trade-offs and opportunity costs associated with the establishment of a Wal-Mart in Galt. How will it impact pollution, traffic and property values? Will other local businesses suffer? Will the tax revenue that Wal-Mart brings in be worth the costs? How many jobs will this create and will they be good jobs?

On another level, we see the role of local government: our federal system allows for local decisions to be made by local governments, in this case the Galt City Council. Is the Council making a wise decision?

What are your thoughts on the very real possibility that Wal-Mart may soon be part of the Galt scene?