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NPR News Investigation: Post Mortem

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Did you know, in some places, you don’t need a medical degree to run a coroner’s office? I didn’t either.

If you haven’t listened to NPR’s fantastic reporting — with PBS’s “Frontline” and ProPublica — on the problems with death investigation in America, do take some time to explore the series. It’s another of public broadcasting’s in-depth looks at routine local government dysfunction perpetuated by incompetence, politics, public ignorance, corruption, and other seemingly endemic ills that wreak havoc on people’s lives yet get next to no mainstream media attention.

To fix any problem, the public must first know the facts, and this series does a fantastic job of bringing the ones surrounding medical investigations to the surface. It’s up to the public to demand that local leaders step up and make changes to improve these systems.

 

Totally Cool Thing Alert: Monday Edition

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The National Geographic recently published a map of American last names — it’s basically a tag cloud that shows the most common surnames in each region of the country. In the northeast, there are quite a few O’Briens, don’t ya know (hey, Conan!), while Garcias are more dominant in south Florida. (The Sunshine state also boasts a few Fitzpatricks, but not enough, alas, to throw off the ranks in either region.)

Find out where you fit in — the map is interactive and online.

Frontline: “Are We Safer?”

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PBS’s “Frontline” magazine series could not be more timely in exploring whether all the money the U.S. is spending on anti-terrorism programs is actually making Americans safer. If lawmakers are serious about cutting the budget deficit and examining “what works” in government, it is only fair that they scrutinize the homeland security budget as much as health care’s. The program airs tonight, but you can view the segment here and below.

Watch the full episode. See more FRONTLINE.

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