All Things Considered

Alan Cheuse reviews a collection of short fiction from authors in South Asia, The Lotus Singers. The stories are from writers in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh — among other countries.

If the voices on Serengeti's songs often sound like they don't they belong to a rapper, that's the idea. More than any MC working, Serengeti (born David Cohn) writes story songs, in which he assumes the identities of the characters he creates. Sometimes these characters recur — like Kenny, the middle-aged sports enthusiast and rabid Brian Dennehy fan, whom Serengeti dreamed up on his 2006 album, Dennehy.

Part 6 of a 6-part series

The economic upheaval of the past several years has had a big impact on the nation's politics — from the president down to the precinct level.

In Florida's Miami-Dade County, it's changed the whole tone of local government.

Carlos Gimenez has been a fixture here for many years — as a member of the Board of County Commissioners, and before that as city manager and fire chief in the City of Miami.

But now he suddenly finds himself in a new job.

Behind the current Federal Aviation Administration shutdown, there is a labor dispute — one that brings out the lobbying forces of the airline industry and the unions. And some of the talent that involves is truly impressive, even by K Street standards.

Los Angeles County supervisors are refusing to turn over subpoenaed records involving the deaths of youngsters under supervision by the Department of Children and Family Services. The state auditor, who is also looking at child deaths in Alameda, Fresno and Sacramento, says L.A. county's refusal is a crime. The Legislature ordered an investigation into the L.A. deaths earlier this year after a Los Angeles Times report found that more than 70 children have died since 2008 of abuse or neglect after coming under the purview of county social workers.