Bob Collins
Seven years ago, Joshua Bell — icongnito — played for tips at a Washington subway station. Today, he was back. Read more →
MPR News Reflections and observations on the news
Archives for September 2014
The FCC says it will consider a petition to ban the mention of the name on the nation’s airwaves. It has the authority to do so — the First Amendment does not extend equally to broadcasters because it’s regulated by the government. Read more →
In Devils Lake, N.D., school administrators figured a 24-year-old movie would resonate with the kids when it comes to how to dress properly. Read more →
Sooner or late, some department store buyer is going to learn not to deploy children’s clothing that assigns gender roles. Target is the latest retailer to fall into the minefield with some pajamas.
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How on earth did Omar Gonzalez jump a White House fence, dash across the lawn, run through the front door and into the East Room without being stopped? Where were the guards? And why did the Secret Service lie to us? And, while we’re on the subject, why was the Secret Service asleep at the switch in a 2011 shooting attack on the White House? Read more →
Some good has come out of the commuting headache. We’ve come to know of the writing of Amy Mytnik of Shakopee, whose letter to the editor in the Star Tribune today is an instant classic. Read more →
Football and religion are at it again.
In last night’s game, Kansas City Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah knelt in prayer after picking off a pass from the over-the-hill Tom Brady and scoring a touchdown.
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Need a reason to pore through the scholarly articles of Swedish scientists? Of course you don’t. But here’s one anyway. Read more →
George Verley, 80, the former head of Union Gospel Mission, died Friday of liver cancer.
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Makenzie Schultz and her husband, Steven, of Toddville, Iowa, are the toast of the Internet today because of a little decency they extended when they went out to eat over the weekend and had a lousy meal. Read more →
It’s worth pausing to recall just how long Ron Gardenhire has been on the Minnesota scene.
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Them that had, still has, Forbes reports. Read more →
In Round Hill, Virginia, Spencer Bergman worked hard all summer selling lemonade at his stand. He wanted a dog. But a thief wanted the money. Read more →
We can’t imagine there’s a more jaw-dropping video today than this quadcopter video of the protests in Hong Kong.
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Controllers in Farmington, Minn., are picking up the slack from the fire at an air-traffic-control facility outside of Chicago. Read more →