Bob Collins
Football is deeply American and reflects our values and likes. And that’s the problem. We love us a good war or two. Read more →
MPR News Reflections and observations on the news
War
The Ice Bucket Challenge, you’ve probably heard, has caught on in a big way to raise money for ALS research. If someone you know hasn’t posted a video of dumping him/herself with ice water, you probably need more friends. Here’s an offshoot that probably won’t catch on. Ayman al Aloul, a Palestinian journalist, dumped a Read more →
Joshua Ploetz, a Minnesota veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder, has completed his attempt to “paddle off the war” by canoeing down the Mississippi, chronicling his trip on a Facebook page. Read more →
Israeli troops have left Gaza and it appears the 72-hour truce will hold. The troops left messages for the girls at the Beit Hanun High school which was reportedly used as an advanced base during Israel’s military offensive. Caution: Obscenities included in the images.
A Twin Cities federal law enforcement officer is raising money to try to get the family of an Iraqi who served as an interpreter for U.S. forces back together. Read more →
In a POW camp, baseball was the one constant, said a WWII POW who this evening will throw out the first pitch at a minor league baseball game in town. Read more →
A B-25 flying over to Oshkosh for the big aviation convention over the weekend went a little out of its way, picking up Dayton, Ohio, native Dick Cole, 98, who is one of four remaining “Doolittle Raiders.” Read more →
An astronaut’s camera captures death, not tranquility, over Earth. Read more →
In the aftermath of the downing of a Malaysian jetliner over Ukraine yesterday, news organizations were quick to reference Korean Airlines Flight 007, shot down by a then-Soviet Union fighter jet over disputed land in September 1983. Not mentioned quite as often, however, was the time the United States shot down a commercial jetliner. The Read more →
Why did NBC pull a reporter from Gaza as Israel launched its ground offensive against Hamas?
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After the apparent shooting down of a civilian airliner over Ukraine today, many airlines are joining the directive to stay away from Ukraine. Read more →
It probably didn’t get much notice at last night’s All Star game, except, of course, by the people who were at Target Field. But on Twitter last evening, Eileen Smith posted a pretty poignant moment on the Jumbotron. WWII and Korean War vet on the jumbotron at the #ASG. #mlb #hero @twins usher for 14 Read more →
Louis Zamperini won’t get to be at the premier of the movie about his incredible life. He won’t get to fulfill his appointment as next year’s Rose Bowl parade grand marshall. He died this morning at age 97, more proof that life isn’t fair. He was so impressive as a track and field star at Read more →
The developing civil war in Iraq is raising the question anew: “How much of the decision to get involved in Iraq again should involve the fact that the U.S. has already lost more than 4,000 soldiers there?” Read more →
Another city fell today in Iraq. After losing Mosul yesterday, Tikrit went to the Islamists today and Baghdad may not be far behind. The U.S. vision of Iraq is lost. Read more →