Author: Matthew Clemente

Sunday Funday: “Britney Spears vs Somali pirates?”

/ Matthew Clemente / Leave a comment

Sunday Funday: “Britney Spears vs Somali pirates?”

There was a story this week about how Britney Spears’ songs are being played to deter Somali pirates attacks, and two “words” came to mind: Sunday Funday.  CNN’s Fareed Zakaria discussed this important development on his Sunday show Fareed Zakaria GPS. Here is how the segment began:

The U.N. has released a report suggesting that piracy off the coast of Somalia has dropped to the lowest level in seven years. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon credited the decline to improving international policing and prosecution as well as better security and information sharing.

One Scottish merchant Navy officer reported last week that there might be additional reasons for the drop – Britney Spears. The officer told a U.K. paper that blasting songs like Britney Spears’ “Hit Me Baby One More Time” and “Oops, I Did It Again,” is effective in deterring approaching pirates.

For more public policy related video/audio, be sure to check out the SLACE Archive.

Sunday Funday: “Britney Spears vs Somali pirates?”

/ Matthew Clemente / Leave a comment

Sunday Funday: “Britney Spears vs Somali pirates?”

There was a story this week about how Britney Spears’ songs are being played to deter Somali pirates attacks, and two “words” came to mind: Sunday Funday.  CNN’s Fareed Zakaria discussed this important development on his Sunday show Fareed Zakaria GPS. Here is how the segment began: 

The U.N. has released a report suggesting that piracy off the coast of Somalia has dropped to the lowest level in seven years. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon credited the decline to improving international policing and prosecution as well as better security and information sharing.

One Scottish merchant Navy officer reported last week that there might be additional reasons for the drop – Britney Spears. The officer told a U.K. paper that blasting songs like Britney Spears’ “Hit Me Baby One More Time” and “Oops, I Did It Again,” is effective in deterring approaching pirates.

“Genetics and Education”

/ Matthew Clemente / 2 Comments

“Genetics and Education”

In a recent book, G is for Genes: The Impact of Genetics on Education and Achievement, Robert Plomin and Kathryn Asbury explore the science of genetics and the potential impact of genetics on education policy.  Plomin and Asbury argue against the taboo (*eugenics*) surrounding use of genetics to inform education.  G is for Genes is the basis of  recent BBC Moral Maze debate.  

 

Here is a description of the podcast: 

For centuries philosophers and theologians have wrestled with the question of nature versus nurture. Increasingly and for some controversially, the science of behavioural genetics is starting to come up with some of the answers. The argument is perhaps at its most sensitive when applied to education. When it was revealed that Education Secretary, Michael Gove’s outgoing special advisor, Dominic Cummings, called for education policy to incorporate the science behind genes and cognitive development he broke a modern taboo and there was a predictable outcry. In a wide ranging paper Mr Cummings cited the work of Professor Robert Plomin who’s about to publish a book with psychologist Dr Kathryn Asbury which calls for “genetically sensitive” schooling. It’s based on a study of how genes and environment have shaped the development of over 10,000 twins who were studied from birth to early adulthood. The scientists say their work is about probability not prophecy and can be used to personalise education and create better outcomes for all, but fears of genetic determinism are deeply ingrained. How should we use genetics in education? Science is a very long way from knowing exactly which genes influence individual differences in learning but as knowledge in this field advances that time will surely come. We already use genetics to screen for various medical conditions, so why not for learning abilities? And what happens if, or when, the science of genetics becomes so powerful that we can identify different populations that are endowed with different genetic make-ups that we believe are more or less desirable? Is that just a scientific inevitability that we have to come to terms with, or does it open the door to eugenics? How should we use the science of genetics?

Stemming the School to Prison Pipeline

/ Matthew Clemente / Leave a comment

Stemming the School to Prison Pipeline

One of the consequences of “zero tolerance” school discipline is what critics call a “school to prison pipeline.” Under zero-tolerance polices, when students who commit even minor misdemeanors school officials are rqeuired to contact the police.  However, the Broward County, Florida school district, one of the largest school districts in the United States, recently announced that it will be ending zero-tolerance and handling minor crimes in house.  

Here is how the podcast began: 

In Florida, one of the nation’s largest school districts has overhauled its discipline policies with a single purpose in mind — to reduce the number of children going into the juvenile justice system.

It’s a move away from so-called “zero tolerance” policies that require schools to refer even minor misdemeanors to the police. Critics call it a “school to prison pipeline.”

Civil rights and education activists say the policy can be a model for the nation.

Under a new program adopted by the Broward County School District, non-violent misdemeanors — even those that involve alcohol, marijuana or drug paraphernalia — will now be handled by the schools instead of the police.

Smart Takes on the NSA Scandal

/ Matthew Clemente / Leave a comment

Smart Takes on the NSA Scandal

The first half of this last Sunday’s Fareed Zarakia GPS discussed the fall out from the NSA spying scandal. 

First, Fareed gave his “take” on the issue. 

Next, he interviewed Former German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg who made news by stating, “Well, everyone spies on each other.  That’s a fact.  And, at the moment, we hear interesting voices (inaudible) tries to deny that we don’t do it and they do it.  Everybody does it.”  This is essentially the point Dave Kailer made more than a week earlier on the SLACE Forum. 

Finally, Fareed spoke with Former NSA and CIA chief Michael Hayden. Hayden also made news by stating, “If the president says he didn’t know, he didn’t know. I just take that at face value.”

Here is a description of the show: 

On GPS this Sunday: The revelations over alleged tapping of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cell phone by the U.S. National Security Agency have strained relations between the two nations. But how serious are the current tensions? Fareed speaks with former German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg.

Next, the American side of the story. Who would have given the NSA permission to spy on leaders of ally countries? Former NSA and CIA chief Michael Hayden gives his take.

“[O]ccasionally, what you have is political guidance kind of being placed on top of your operational planning,” Hayden says. “I had political guidance while I was director of NSA.  I had targets. I had legitimate needs. But I was told, frankly, back off. That target is too sensitive. I don’t want you doing that at this time, for this purpose.”