Rand Corp

UCLA Law School and the Rand Corp. launched an alliance Friday to study secrecy in the nation's civil justice system. Attorneys and legal scholars spent the day at a conference at the law school debating just how much secrecy there is and whether any of it is justified. "This subject could not be more timely," said UCLA Law School Dean Michael Schill. "Transparency in our civil justice system is incredibly important for its legitimacy."

Small businesses often get special treatment when it comes to government regulations and policies. They may be exempt from rules facing larger companies, get more time to obey new regulations or qualify for help to meet regulatory requirements. Small companies need these breaks, the thinking goes, because they have less money and fewer employees to use to comply with government rules. And those compliance costs often have been shown to be higher per employee at small businesses.

In a study that argues for the city of Los Angeles to build more parks in underserved areas, the Rand Corp. says that parks are used mostly by those who live nearby. And those who go to the parks generally are not getting the kind of workout health officials say everyone needs. The most common activity, the study found, was sitting. "Nevertheless, most have engaged in light or moderate physical activity just to get there, since most park users walk to the park," according to the study.

A nuclear explosion at the Port of Long Beach would have catastrophic consequences for the United States, killing 60,000 people immediately, exposing 150,000 more to hazardous radiation and causing 10 times the economic loss resulting from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, according to a long-awaited study released Tuesday. Two years in the making, the detailed analysis by the Rand Corp.'

The U.S. could triple the amount of energy produced from renewable sources by 2025 to 18% from the present 6% with little effect on total energy costs, a Rand Corp. study found. Under the best-case scenario, boosting the use of corn-based ethanol, hydroelectric power and other renewables to 18% could reduce overall spending on energy by 3%, or $40 billion, according to the study, which was released Monday. In the worst case, energy costs would jump by 6%, or $75 billion.

Healthcare for illegal immigrants between the ages of 18 and 64 cost American taxpayers $1.1 billion in 2000 -- or about $11 per household -- according to a study released Tuesday by the Rand Corp. The research, published in the November/December edition of the journal Health Affairs, put the cost in Los Angeles County that year at $204 million.

Re "Education and the arts," editorial, Sept. 11 The Rand study on arts learning is about investing in the kind of arts education that teaches the young how to see, hear and find meaning in works of art. These skills enable people to discover what the arts have to offer, a discovery that often leads to lifelong arts involvement. Drawing more Americans to the arts is a desirable goal of public policy because the arts enrich people's lives, foster personal growth in ways that benefit society and contribute uniquely to public life.

More toll lanes, one-way streets, pricier parking and bus-only lanes are the best short-term fixes to keep traffic moving in the Southland, according to a study released today by the Rand Corp. There are few ideas in the study that haven't been floated before by a variety of interest groups -- "floated" being the key word. But Rand researchers say that with little room to build or expand roads in Southern California, the only real option is a coordinated effort to better manage traffic.

Re "Should we tax pot?" Opinion, Dec. 4 Patt Morrison tells us that a Rand Corp. researcher estimates that if pot were legal, 60% to 70% of the population would smoke it regularly, as its addictive potential has supposedly been underestimated. Yet pot is legal or decriminalized in some countries -- the Netherlands, for example -- and rates of regular use in these countries are lower than in the U.S., where pot is illegal. Was Morrison high when she wrote this column? Jonathan Taylor La Habra :: Morrison's witty musings miss the key issue behind changing marijuana laws.

After wading through stacks of economic and educational studies used to drum up arts funding, Rand Corp. researchers say the numbers don't make a persuasive case and that arts advocates would do better to emphasize intrinsic benefits that make people cherish the arts.