From the Ground Up
No-till farming is still a hard sell in California — despite worldwide acceptance and cleaner air
At first glance, the concept of no-till farming seems a quaint relic of the past, a footnote in a history book, perhaps. Farmers in California’s central farmlands have been using large disks and tills to rip and turn their soil for almost a century. But no-till could have substantial human health benefits for Central Valley residents, as well as financial gains for farmers, according to some agricultural experts at UC Davis and across the country.
Jerry Brown Proposes Record $123 Billion California Budget
California Governor Jerry Brown proposed a $123 billion general-fund spending plan for the next fiscal year, a 6 percent increase over the current budget and the largest ever as state coffers overflow with surging tax revenue.
The Endangered Blue-Collar Worker
While policymakers focus on the need for more grads with bachelor’s degrees, middle-skill jobs go unfilled
Douglas Stricker of Folsom, 58, knows all about the need for skilled laborers. In 1992, he launched Golden Development, a company that built storage tanks and other structures for refineries and chemical companies. He had a crew of between 20 and 40 workers but never could find enough reliable welders — even in jobs that paid up to $30 an hour.
Return of the Single Female Homebuyer
For decades, single women played an important role in the U.S. housing market, buying more homes than single men. But after the housing crisis, lenders made it harder to qualify for mortgages, and the percentage of single female buyers dropped from 21 percent of purchasers in 2009 to 15 percent this year. Now, they may be poised to make a comeback.
Buzzwords: Authenticity
Don't fake it
There’s a whole lot of buzz lately about authenticity: authentic leadership styles, authentic brands, authentic values, authentic marketing and advertising … and on and on. By definition, something is authentic if it is genuine, real, of unquestionable origin, not faked or copied, verifiable and trustworthy.
This Business School Will Change the World, if It Can Survive
While other B-schools work to expand their reach and shed their old boys’ club stigma (with some success—Bloomberg data show that the share of women in business schools has increased six percentage points since 2007), Presidio resembles the school they say they’re trying to become. Its current MBA class is 56 percent female, and ninety percent of Presidio graduates work in sustainability posts, according to Presidio’s president, William Shutkin.
Sacramento’s Cultural Plan
A thriving art scene needs streamlined support
Like most major cities, Sacramento has scores of arts organization that run the gamut of cultural offerings. Given that, how does it effectively synergize all of its cultural assets in a way that really advances the city’s ultimate goals?
Digital Hiring
Don't sink too much cash into online job sites
I’m overseeing the hire of a new leadership position. We want to post the position online, but there are so many options, including up-sells to “featured posting” and the like. How do I write a compelling job description that will attract top-notch potential employees, and how do I best use my dollars — some of these sites are expensive!
Data-Driven
While big data can answer questions we haven’t even thought to ask, the hidden costs add up
Big data can have real benefits, but it can also undercut common sense, frustrate employees, alarm customers and come with some hidden costs