MPR News Reflections and observations on the news

By Bob Collins

bcollins@mpr.org • @newscut

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.

Debunking the Facebook-syphilis connection

Bob Collins March 25, 2010, 1:57 PM Mar 25, 2010

And poor reporting causes Internet sensations.

Health care backlash

Bob Collins March 25, 2010, 12:46 PM Mar 25, 2010

7

Minnesota GOP lawmakers want a constitutional amendment that would prevent federal laws from taking effect until the Legislature approves it.

Live-blogging Midday: Is the health care law constitutional?

Bob Collins March 25, 2010, 11:05 AM Mar 25, 2010

22

Two legal experts debate.

Surveys and trivia

‘Miss me’ wars

Bob Collins March 25, 2010, 10:18 AM Mar 25, 2010

8

Texas fires another shot in the billboard battle.

Five by 8 – 3/25/10: The stench of death threats

Bob Collins March 25, 2010, 7:28 AM Mar 25, 2010

5

Distractions or disturbances, the constitutional health care question, the dud flood, a nickname for Target Field, and the Wilhelm Scream rides again.

Final word on the Census letter

Bob Collins March 12, 2010, 6:22 AM Mar 12, 2010

3

Census officials reveal how they calculate the cost of knocking on your door.

Gun bill fails at Capitol

Bob Collins March 10, 2010, 5:43 PM Mar 10, 2010

5

It’s difficult to establish a link between the gun show ‘loophole’ and guns used in crimes because there’s no mechanism in the state for tracking a gun’s origin.

Kennedy’s tirade

Bob Collins March 10, 2010, 5:11 PM Mar 10, 2010

2

Talking about ending a war isn’t as newsworthy as actually ending one.

Fresh Eye on the Radio: Forget what you know about medicine

Bob Collins March 10, 2010, 4:44 PM Mar 10, 2010

This has not been a good week for the conventional wisdom of medicine.

The Census Bureau’s response

Bob Collins March 10, 2010, 12:50 PM Mar 10, 2010

9

Another take on why sending a letter out in advance of the mailing of the Census makes sense.

The medium is the message

Bob Collins March 10, 2010, 11:49 AM Mar 10, 2010

3

Should the Internet win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Women of the air

Bob Collins March 10, 2010, 10:56 AM Mar 10, 2010

Remembering the WASPs.

Five by 8 – 3/10/10: And a comedian shall lead them

Bob Collins March 10, 2010, 7:19 AM Mar 10, 2010

4

The most intellectual discussions on American issues are increasingly coming from The Comedy Channel.

Gone exploring

Bob Collins March 10, 2010, 6:17 AM Mar 10, 2010

Bob Collins is on vacation

Who owns your name?

Bob Collins March 9, 2010, 5:11 PM Mar 9, 2010

Today’s news discussion with The Current’s Mary Lucia