2014

Cyber Warfare
commentary
Preventing Cyber Attacks: Sharing Information About Tor
Daniel Gonzales @gonzadan
Dec 17, 2014
The RAND Blog
While Tor has many benefits, it is also used to hide criminal activity online such as the recent cyber attacks against JPMorgan Chase and Sony Pictures. The U.S. government should share the IP addresses of Tor network nodes with U.S. critical infrastructure and financial firms so that future cyber attacks could be prevented.
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Intelligence Collection
commentary
Why the Senate Intelligence Committee and the CIA May Both Be Right
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Dec 12, 2014
U.S. News & World Report
Given that many questions of fact regarding the CIA's program of enhanced interrogation techniques can probably never be conclusively answered, the real issue comes down to a value judgment: whether inflicting physical pain on prisoners is an acceptable means of reducing the risk of terrorist attacks.
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Discriminatory Practices
commentary
'Product of Mexico': Why Have Corporate/Social Responsibility Programs Failed?
Susan L. Marquis @susanlmarquis
Dec 12, 2014
Newsweek
The Fair Food Program has been a leader in using cooperation, visibility, and accountability to meet the needs of workers, growers, and buyers. Can it be a model for addressing these critical issues in Mexico as well?
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Global Security
commentary
The Tortured Roots of Sectarian Violence
Rick Brennan, Jr. @rickbrennanjr
Dec 12, 2014
The Mark News
The recent increase of sectarian terrorism is best understood as a product of the ancient Sunni-Shiite divide, the growth of modern-day extremist groups, the Iranian-Saudi rivalry, and the growing phenomenon of fractured states.
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Police-Community Relations
commentary
Can Big Data Help Build Trust in the Police?
Nelson Lim
Dec 11, 2014
Newsweek
After two controversial grand jury decisions not to indict police in the deaths of unarmed African Americans, a White House task force has 90 days to provide recommendations for promoting accountability among law enforcement agencies to cultivate trust between police and communities. The timeline may seem impossible, but, sadly, these issues are old and the solutions are well known.
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Immigrants and Emigrants
commentary
Prior Removal and Recidivism
Laura J. Hickman, Jennifer S. Wong, Marika Booth, Laura Patton
Dec 11, 2014
The RAND Blog
President Obama's executive action on immigration includes a new program that targets immigration enforcement at those arrested for more serious offenses and those deemed to be risks to national security. Research shows that unauthorized immigrants who have been previously deported are more likely to be rearrested after jail release, so local public safety interests and federal immigration enforcement priorities may well align around immigrants with a record of prior removal.
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Cybercrime
commentary
Did North Korea Hack Sony?
Bruce W. Bennett @bwbennett
Dec 11, 2014
Newsweek
North Korea has tried pressuring Sony Pictures, the White House, and the UN to halt the release of a film that depicts Kim Jong-un in terms Kim would not want the world and especially his elites to see. After failing to stop the film diplomatically, North Korea may have been motivated to escalate its efforts.
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Diet and Eating Habits
commentary
Calorie Labels Won't Fix America's Problem with Away-From-Home Food
Deborah A. Cohen
Dec 10, 2014
The Hill
The FDA's new guidelines for calorie labeling on restaurant menus, retail establishments like convenience stores and movie theaters, and vending machines are a long-due recognition that eating away from home can be hazardous to health. But the new mandate falls far short of providing the necessary fix.
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Education Curriculum
commentary
A Plan for Measuring Hard-to-Measure, 'Soft' Skills
Laura S. Hamilton, Brian M. Stecher
Dec 10, 2014
Education Week
Research increasingly suggests that 'soft' skills are important for college and career success, as well as for promoting civic engagement. So far, these skills are largely unmeasured in schools. But new research may pave the way for change.
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Health Care Quality Measurement
commentary
The Great Patient Experience Survey Myth
Rebecca Anhang Price, Marc N. Elliott
Dec 10, 2014
The Health Care Blog
Patient experience with care is an essential element in any assessment of health care quality. Surveys give patients a voice and provide fair and relevant indicators that complement other metrics of health care quality to inform patients' choices and providers' decisions about how to improve care.
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Global Climate Change
commentary
U.S.-China Global Warming Deal Could Signal Shift on Climate Change
Robert J. Lempert @RobertLempert
Dec 9, 2014
U.S. News & World Report
The U.S.-China agreement on limiting greenhouse gas emissions represents a significant and welcome shift in the international approach to addressing climate change. For the first time, a large developing country has agreed to limit its greenhouse gas emissions -- a crucial step since these countries have become the world’s largest sources.
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Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy
commentary
Measuring Impact: How Australia and the UK Are Tackling Research Assessment
Catriona Manville
Dec 8, 2014
The Guardian
The UK is the first country to attempt to allocate funding based on the wider societal impact of research, and in 2012, a subset of higher education institutions in Australia ran a small-scale pilot exercise to assess impact and understand the potential challenges of the process. What can be learned by comparing the UK and Australian approaches?
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Security Cooperation
commentary
The Greatest Challenge to U.S.-European Security Cooperation Today: The Ukraine Crisis
Ian Bond, William Courtney @courtneywmh, Michael Haltzel, Kenneth Yalowitz
Dec 8, 2014
The National Interest
Germany and America are leading Western policy in addressing the Russia-Ukraine crisis. The basic strategy is to support Ukraine and pressure Moscow to halt aggression, while leaving the door open to diplomacy. Sustaining Western unity is essential, but may not be easy to achieve.
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Developing Countries
commentary
In South Africa, Bold Investments Turn Trash into Treasure
Julia Pollak
Dec 3, 2014
The RAND Blog
South Africa’s landfills are reportedly rapidly reaching capacity—as are those in many developing countries. Surveys show that only about 3 percent of urban South Africans sort and recycle their household waste frequently. Until recycling becomes more widespread, the nation will have to keep building landfills.
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Nuclear Sciences
announcement
RAND Is Accepting Applications for Stanton Nuclear Security Fellowships
Dec 2, 2014
RAND is accepting applications for up to three Stanton Nuclear Security Fellows. The application deadline is February 9, 2015. The program was created to stimulate the development of the next generation of thought leaders on nuclear security.
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