There was a small news item in last month's issue of this magazine. The Business of Government section reported on a new online program in Missouri that gathers disease data from 50 labs and hospitals and tells the Health Department almost instantly if something resembling an epidemic is loose in the state.

The feds are asking cities and counties to change their .gov ways, but its new rule is getting some kickback.

Overselling a project can have unfortunate consequences, among them earning the distrust of legislators.

When it comes to reducing medical errors, assessing blame is less effective than identifying patterns and steps to correct problems.

It's an American tradition to walk into your child's classroom and find the walls plastered with reams of paper--self-portraits, trees and cows, and fingerpainted masterpieces of all kinds. It's a tradition--but is it also a fire hazard?