Joshua Mendelsohn

This update of a previous report provides findings on economic activity supported by total Army spending in congressional districts for fiscal years 2014 through 2017. Using input/output models, researchers estimated that the Army directly spent approximately $80.1 million in the median congressional district and $1.3 billion in the median state in fiscal year 2017, translating into approximately 3,800 jobs per district and 48,000 jobs per state.

2020 Wall Street Journal Holiday Gift Books Selection Today the salary cap is an NBA institution, something fans take for granted as part of the fabric of the league or an obstacle to their favorite team’s chances to win a championship. In the early 1980s, however, a salary cap was unheard of. The Cap is a first-of-its-kind depiction of the high-stakes negotiations over the proposed NBA salary cap in 1982–83 and all of the twists and turns through the decades that led the NBA and its players to a novel settlement. From lawsuits filed by its biggest stars to attacks from rival leagues to a messy and unsatisfying relationship with television to a general atmosphere of labor unrest in professional sports, the NBA was undeniably at a crossroads by the early 1980s. With the league led by ascendant David Stern and the players union led by the vastly underappreciated Larry Fleisher, these negotiations occurred amid a tumultuous landscape complete with meddling (and sometimes incompetent) owners and players’ growing influence. The Cap is a compelling story that involves notable players, colorful owners, visionary league and union officials, and a sport trying to solidify a bright future despite a turbulent past and present.

RAND Corporation researchers developed an approach for analyzing social media data to derive insights about chemical incidents and conducted a proof of concept of that approach by applying it to the case of chemical weapons use in Syria (2017?2018). The procedure, a four-step process, showed promise. They recommend that the Defense Threat Reduction Agency initiate three activities to further the development of the procedure.

Hurricanes Irma and Maria stressed and destroyed significant areas of Puerto Rico's natural resources, many of which were already strained by anthropogenic effects. This report presents information on the benefits of these resources, hurricane damage, and 25 recommended courses of action for restoring natural resources, managing solid waste, renewing parks, and improving economic opportunities.

2020 Wall Street Journal Holiday Gift Books Selection Today the salary cap is an NBA institution, something fans take for granted as part of the fabric of the league or an obstacle to their favorite team’s chances to win a championship. In the early 1980s, however, a salary cap was unheard of. The Cap is a first-of-its-kind depiction of the high-stakes negotiations over the proposed NBA salary cap in 1982–83 and all of the twists and turns through the decades that led the NBA and its players to a novel settlement. From lawsuits filed by its biggest stars to attacks from rival leagues to a messy and unsatisfying relationship with television to a general atmosphere of labor unrest in professional sports, the NBA was undeniably at a crossroads by the early 1980s. With the league led by ascendant David Stern and the players union led by the vastly underappreciated Larry Fleisher, these negotiations occurred amid a tumultuous landscape complete with meddling (and sometimes incompetent) owners and players’ growing influence. The Cap is a compelling story that involves notable players, colorful owners, visionary league and union officials, and a sport trying to solidify a bright future despite a turbulent past and present.

Russia employs a sophisticated social media campaign against former Soviet states that includes news tweets, nonattributed comments on web pages, troll and bot social media accounts, and fake hashtag and Twitter campaigns. Nowhere is this threat more tangible than in Ukraine. Researchers analyzed social media data and conducted interviews with regional and security experts to understand the critical ingredients to countering this campaign.

The U. S. Army has introduced the global landpower network (GLN) concept as a means to integrate, sustain, and advance the Army's considerable ongoing efforts to meet U. S. national security guidance emphasizing the importance of working closely with partner nations to achieve U. S. strategic objectives. This report develops the GLN concept further.