MPR News Reflections and observations on the news

Archives for December 2007

Requiem for a meter reader

Bob Collins December 13, 2007, 4:02 PM Dec 13, 2007

1

To a list that includes buggywhip factories, elevator operators and righthanded sluggers in Twins uniforms, we can add another vanishing species in these parts.

How the glitch stole Christmas

Bob Collins December 13, 2007, 12:00 PM Dec 13, 2007

13

Technology is a wonderful thing — most of the time. But sometimes it’s what takes Christmas presents away from kids in the poorest county in Minnesota.

Led Zeppelin tests the ‘net

Bob Collins December 13, 2007, 10:00 AM Dec 13, 2007

1

The rock band’s concert ignites yet another argument over digital rights.

Swastikas in St. Cloud

Bob Collins December 13, 2007, 7:02 AM Dec 13, 2007

One part of the mystery has been solved.

Is Minnesota’s sentencing system broken?

Bob Collins December 12, 2007, 3:03 PM Dec 12, 2007

2

In the rush to crack down on drugs, have we missed a bigger criminal threat?

The point of no return

Bob Collins December 12, 2007, 12:42 PM Dec 12, 2007

3

Scientists, who have struggled to give us a sense of urgency on global warming issues, have now given us a new tipping point: hopelessness.

Word of the year

Bob Collins December 12, 2007, 10:15 AM Dec 12, 2007

It’ll make you scream ‘W00t!’

In God, and guns, they trust

Bob Collins December 11, 2007, 5:05 PM Dec 11, 2007

4

Are the Colorado church shootings a wake-up call to Minnesota churches?

Timewasters: Street View

Bob Collins December 11, 2007, 3:30 PM Dec 11, 2007

If no work got done today, it’s probably because of Google’s Street View.

The pocket economy

Bob Collins December 11, 2007, 1:15 PM Dec 11, 2007

2

Pointyheads are great for the big picture, but sometimes the truth is best uncovered by the worker bees among us.

The blogging president

Bob Collins December 11, 2007, 12:15 PM Dec 11, 2007

Being a president is easy. Blogging is hard.

Killing in the church

Bob Collins December 11, 2007, 8:39 AM Dec 11, 2007

2

The Colorado shootings start new debates on a half-dozen or so different issues.

Leonid Hurwicz explained

Bob Collins December 10, 2007, 4:50 PM Dec 10, 2007

6

An explanation of Nobel Prize-winning theory for those of us who didn’t pay attention in school.

Goodbye CompUSA

Bob Collins December 10, 2007, 3:54 PM Dec 10, 2007

1

And with it sinks the concept of a computer store.

On the set in Iowa

Bob Collins December 10, 2007, 10:45 AM Dec 10, 2007

For all the attention on politics in Iowa, there’s little discussion about Iowa.