Health

This segment originally aired on January 30, 2012.

For more than a year, Tom Hall talked with the writer and journalist Dudley Clendinen, a former national correspondent and editorial writer for the New York Times and the author of four books. Dudley was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Today, we revisit the first episode of "The Lines Between Us," Maryland Morning's year-long multimedia study of inequality in the Baltimore region. We start with an essay from senior producer Lawrence Lanahan. Lawrence came up with the idea for this series; he explains why he feels … a sustained conversation about inequality in our region is necessary.

Then, a personal story from Pikesville resident Sheldon Caplis. In 1964, a family secret came to light and forever shaped his approach to race relations.

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel have been playing in the sand again--that is to say, the sands of Mars. We talk with one of the researchers about what they've discovered about the moving sand dunes of the Martian landscape
 
Then, Baltimore native Laurel Snyder talks about her novel for kids called "Bigger Than a Breadbox," about a girl who misses Charm City when her family moves away. 

This segment originally aired on October 9, 2012

The holidays are an emotional time, with expectations running high for many and low for others, bringing on feelings of anxiety, disappointment, even depression. Beyond the holidays, human expectations often present hazards. If too high, they can be overwhelming or oppressive. Keeping expectations low, commonly advised, can be problematic, too. Columbia-based psychologist Brad Sachs has some advice on establishing realistic expectations for ourselves and others, and responding well when we, or they, fail to meet them. Original airdate 12/6/12

Midday on Health contributor Dr. John Cmar gives an insider’s tour of how a hospital works. Original airdate 12/3/12

A report out from the United Health Foundation ranks Maryland 19th out of the 50 states in terms of overall health. We talk with a United medical officer about the report, and with Health Secretary Joshua Sharfstein about the challenges Maryland faces, in areas including obesity, infant mortality, and violent crime.

The state plans to build a new 120-bed jail to house juvenile offenders charged as adults in Baltimore; that's scaled down from an original 180-bed plan. Advocates would like to see it scaled down to zero. We'll look into whether there's a path in Annapolis to stopping construction and devoting resources to programs like rec centers and school construction.

In the wake of the Connecticut elementary school massacre, once again the cry goes up: "We need to talk about mental health!" But...how do we talk about it?