August 2012

Health Care Costs

commentary
What Will Change Most About Our Routine Physicals Over the Next Decade?
Don't forget—an American's odds of living a long and healthy life still depend more on his zip code than his genetic code. That won't change until we make healthcare more affordable, writes Dr. Arthur Kellermann.
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Aug 31, 2012
Zócalo Public Square
Arthur L. Kellermann

Tobacco and Smoking

commentary
Parents: That Summer Job Could Be Teaching Your Youngster to Smoke
Workplaces across the world that rely on a teenage workforce, like supermarkets and fast food restaurants, need to do a better job protecting young people from starting to smoke, writes Rajeev Ramchand.
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Aug 30, 2012
The RAND Blog
Rajeev Ramchand @RRamchand
Health Care Workforce

blog
Addressing the Geriatrician Shortage May Help Reduce Costs Without Compromising Quality
Greater use of geriatricians in the hospital setting could reduce health care costs while maintaining quality of care, but there are fewer than four certified geriatricians in the United States per 10,000 individuals 75 years of age or older.
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Aug 30, 2012
Melony E. Sorbero
Prescription Drug Benefits

blog
When Patients Don't Take Their Medicine: What Role Do Doctors Play in Promoting Prescription Adherence?
A new paradigm that clarifies joint provider–patient responsibility may be needed to better guide communication about medication adherence, write Douglas S. Bell and David M. Adamson.
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Aug 29, 2012
Douglas S. Bell, David M. Adamson
Hurricanes

commentary
Has the Gulf Coast Learned Katrina's Lessons in Time for Isaac?
Seven years after Hurricane Katrina, it's clear that New Orleans and other cities along the Gulf Coast are applying what they learned then in preparation for Hurricane Isaac, write Gary Cecchine and Jordan R. Fischbach.
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Aug 29, 2012
U.S. News & World Report
Gary Cecchine @GaryCecchine, Jordan R. Fischbach
Global Security

commentary
Taking Syria Seriously
The US needs a more activist, assertive policy toward Syria aimed at ending the conflict in such a way that bolsters regional stability and facilitates a peaceful democratic transition, write F. Stephen Larrabee and Wasif Syed.
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Aug 27, 2012
Project Syndicate
F. Stephen Larrabee, Wasif Syed
Nation Building

commentary
A Year After the Fall of Tripoli, Libya Still Fragile
The countries that helped topple Moammar Gadhafi a year ago have a special obligation to ensure the new Libyan government gets all the help it needs to respond to these new threats effectively, writes Christopher Chivvis.
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Aug 23, 2012
CNN
Christopher S. Chivvis
International Diplomacy

commentary
Gate Crashing the Opposition: Why Washington Should Leave Regime Change to the Iranians
Emphasizing human rights will demonstrate to the Iranian people that the U.S. cares for their future. Threats of military action and war will only convince the Iranian opposition that America is a hostile power that supports regime change for its own narrow purposes, write James Dobbins and Alireza Nader.
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Aug 23, 2012
Foreign Affairs
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins, Alireza Nader
commentary
The Virtues of a '9 to 5' Job
People who do shift work should be vigilant about their risk factors. At the same time, their employers—and the government—can do more to offer education and targeted screening programs to prevent or forestall disease, writes Christian van Stolk.
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Aug 23, 2012
The RAND Blog
Christian Van Stolk
Al Qaida

commentary
Drone Strikes Keep Pressure on al-Qaida
Recently declassified correspondence seized in the bin Laden raid shows that the relentless pressure from the drone campaign on al-Qaida in Pakistan led bin Laden to advise al-Qaida operatives to leave Pakistan's Tribal Areas as no longer safe, writes Patrick B. Johnston.
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Aug 22, 2012
Providence Journal
Patrick B. Johnston
South Korea

commentary
Beijing Unflustered by Cool Ties With Seoul
In light of deeply-rooted policy differences, so clearly on display in China’s treatment of South Korea over the past two years, no amount of tweaking around the margins of policy, inspired by internet polling, is likely to lead to dramatic improvements in the bilateral relationship.
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Aug 20, 2012
YaleGlobal
Scott W. Harold
Russia

commentary
What Pussy Riot Teaches Us
The global attention drawn by Pussy Riot shows what is possible in an interconnected world, writes Olga Oliker. Opposition movements in Russia and elsewhere may take note and think about how to better harness such possibilities in the future.
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Aug 20, 2012
CNN
Olga Oliker
commentary
How Does Arab Spring Compare to Third Wave Transitions?
The changes underway in the Arab world may lead to various possible destinations that differ both from their points of departure and from liberal democracy, write Laurel Miller and Jeffrey Martini.
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Aug 17, 2012
Democracy Digest
Laurel E. Miller, Jeffrey Martini
European Union

commentary
Abandoning the Euro Would Devastate Greece
Greece is best off doing whatever it takes to remain on the rescue program prescribed by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, while tackling on its own the structural constraints to growth, writes Charles Ries.
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Aug 17, 2012
U.S. News & World Report
Charles P. Ries @charles_ries
Education Policy

commentary
School Principals Respond to Performance-Based Evaluation System
It's fair to say the program turned out to be an important step for the district in the context of its overall reform plan considering how important high-quality school leadership is for improving teaching and learning, write Laura Hamilton and John Engberg.
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Aug 15, 2012
The RAND Blog
Laura S. Hamilton, John Engberg
Diet and Eating Habits

blog
Strategies Used to Control Alcohol Abuse May Be Useful in Curbing Obesity
Policies that regulate how alcohol is displayed, packaged, and sold long have been used to help curb alcohol abuse and its associated health risks. Could some of those same policies help control obesity if applied to food?
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Aug 15, 2012