Bob Collins
Just because you’re not making minimum wage doesn’t mean you don’t skin in the fight over whether it should be raised.
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MPR News Reflections and observations on the news
By Bob Collins
Bob Collins retired from Minnesota Public Radio in 2019 after 12 years of writing NewsCut and pointing out to complainants that posts weren’t news stories. A son of Massachusetts, he was a news editor 1992-1998, created the MPR News regional website in 1999, invented the popular Select A Candidate, started several blogs, and every day lamented that his Minnesota Fantasy Legislature project never caught on.
If you race the Arrowhead 135, you’re in for trouble; Who is Cory Remsburg; Minnesota’s not-so-super transportation; the Napkin Notes Dad; and farewell, comma! Read more →
The number of people who will pause to watch the State of the Union address tonight is but a fraction of the number of people who will watch a single football game this weekend. America has never quite figured out how to make public policy as interesting as grown men knocking each other senseless on the gridiron.
It’s not for lack of trying. Read more →
At one point does a company (or sports team as the case may be) exploit a soldier to sell a product — beer, for example? Read more →
I’ve been searching in the last few weeks for the perfect photo to describe Minnesota in winter. The frozen-beards, ice-fishing, pond-hockey-playing, ice-cave visiting, bike-riding snapshots have been fascinating — certainly more fascinating than pictures of your car dashboard. But this one is a perfect description.
I wrote this post in February 2008 as Pete Seeger approached 90. With his death, there’ll be plenty of words written today about Seeger’s contribution to America, but — like the comments section in the original post — the ones that matter most are the ones that reveal whether we have yet to grasp what defines a good American.
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A teacher finds out if he made a difference, more scenes from a Minnesota winter, Fargo decides not to prosecute a reporter doing her job, how letting kids risk hurting themselves improved their behavior, and a video for kids who don’t feel like getting an education today. Read more →
It was -24 in International Falls, Minn., this morning when 135 or so people started the Arrowhead 135, the race in which people bicycle, ski, or run there way to Fortune Bay. Read more →
The mayor of the city that is about to be honored by hosting the Winter Olympics says there are no gay people in his city. Read more →
Cold? Sure. But not too cold for the John Beargrease dog teams and their mushers. Read more →
Rocky Abalsamo has died and while you may not know the name, he’s the type of guy against whom all husbands are measured.
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The fragile flatland, Chris Kluwe goes nuclear, should schools host church services, NPR looks at the oil boom, and the difference between hope and no hope is one person who cares. Read more →
We’re pretty well done with Richard Sherman and the Super Bowl is still a week away, a challenge to us to stay interested in football for another week. Read more →
Yes, it’s cold in Minnesota but climate-wise we’re doing OK. Read more →
We interrupt the incessant hand-wringing over the fact it gets cold in January for this reality check: Winter can accomplish some pretty cool things. Read more →