News Cut: July 6, 2009 Archive

Five at 8 - 7/6/09

Posted at 7:31 AM on July 6, 2009 by Bob Collins (4 Comments)

The Monday Morning Rouser:

1 The Independent (UK) tackles one of the longest-running conspiracy theories -- that man never really landed on the moon. Credit NASA -- the people who sent the astronauts there (or didn't) -- for its page "The Moon Hoax" on its Web site.

2 "What's up with Minnesota politics, anyway?" the New York Times' David Carr asks. He knows the answer since he used to live and work here. Not that much. I mean, geez, David, it's not like our governor has to resign because he had a thing for high-priced call girl, and then was replaced by a lieutenant governor who, on his first day in office, admitted to at least one marital affair. Carr answers his question, of course. It's populism. What's the matter with it?

3 From the "Support Our Troops" file: More female veterans are becoming homeless. It's still a relatively small number, but it's doubled over the last 10 years according to the Veterans' Administration report. One of every 10 homeless vets under 45 is a woman.

From the "Unclear on the concept file:" Woman who started a running club for homeless vets gets shut down.... by a homeless shelter.

4 A Chicago area woman sued a bank because the ATM didn't tell her she'd be charged a $3 fee. The bank settled and now other people who used the same ATM could get $1,000 apiece.

5 Rick Reilly at ESPN says what this economy needs is more sports in the nation's offices.

If there's one thing games teach us, it's to buck up, dig in and hold on. That's what we cherish about sports -- the faith that no matter how bad things suck, eventually you're going to win. How else do you explain Cubs fans?

Bonus: The joy and pain of running the family funeral home business. (Mankato Free Press)

WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON

Midmorning (9 a.m. -11 a.m.) - First hour: What is your role in health care's future? Second hour: Novelist David Rhodes released three highly acclaimed novels when he was in his 20s, and then was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident. He joins Midmorning to discuss his first novel in more than 30 years, and the long road back to writing.

Midday (11 a.m. - 1 p.m.) - President Obama is in Russia and St. John's University's Nick Hayes is in the studio in the first hour. The tentative second hour is Gov. Tim Pawlenty's address to the Aspen Ideas Festival.

Talk of the Nation (1-3 p.m.) - First hour: What we've learned about Sonia Sotomayor. Second hour: Broadcast news people who have been telling us way too much about the death of Michael Jackson, now ask whether we've been told way too much about the death of Michael Jackson.

All Things Considered (3-6:30 p.m.) - A few years ago, when my lawnmower was having a crisis, I bought a "small engine repair" book and opened 'er up. Following the instructions, I cleaned it all up and put it back together, trying not to pay attention to the extra parts that were left over. "Look at this," I said to my wife as I pulled the starter cord, "maybe I'll do this for a living."

Boom.

I rolled it down to the edge of the driveway and stuck a "free" sign on it. I say this because this evening MPR's Marty Moylan will report on the recession fueling the do-it-yourselfer in all of us. This weekend, I rebuilt a deck, by the way. So far, she's still standing.

Also on today's show, MPR's Jess Mador tells us about a new law that allows homeowners behind on their payments to postpone the sheriff's sale by five months. The aim is to give them five more months to get current and save the home. Will this help or just delay the inevitable?

NPR's Joe Shapiro reports on people with Alzheimer's who have no insurance.

TODAY'S QUESTION

What's your summer vacation? Mine's Oshkosh, which is coming up in a couple of weeks.

AND FINALLY...

The ESPN's "My Wish" series will make you feel small for lamenting having to go back to work on a Monday.

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Mailbag: Flag follow-up

Posted at 11:13 AM on July 6, 2009 by Bob Collins

Following up on Friday's post about improper wearing, displaying, and eating off of the American flag, reader Al Nowatzki of St. Paul sent this picture along.

The bridge reconsidered

Posted at 5:32 PM on July 6, 2009 by Bob Collins (2 Comments)

(MPR photo by Bill Alkofer)

If you didn't know the obvious significance of the new I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, would you pay much attention to driving across it? Does it strike you as an award-winning design or is it just another slab of pavement across the road?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and engineers. The American Public Works Association has given the bridge an award in its Disaster or Emergency Construction and Repair category. The group cited the 11 months it took to build the bridge (who knew the Twin Cities would adapt to life without it so easily?), the eco-friendly materials, and some construction techniques that "set the standard" for bridge work.

Let's just say it didn't win in the bathing suit competition. I mentioned on Mary Lucia's show on The Current on Monday that for all its design and construction innovation, it doesn't set the spine to tingling.

"Come on, guys! It's kind of gorgeous," listener Laura Brown said. "Have you seen it from, say, the Stone Arch Bridge at night? Muah, it's lovely; a good addition to our night-time light pollution."

"We have a tendency to build bland bridges and so it's kind of nice when we get an attractive bridge every now and again," historian Denis Gardner told MPR's Tom Crann when the bridge opened last fall. He acknowledged, though, that the bridge was the chance "to do something unique and we didn't do that."

The bridge is not entirely new to awards. The Associated General Contractors named it "most significant construction project of 2008" last March. The Construction Innovation Forum nominated it for a "Nova Award" for the 300+ sensors in the bridge that monitor its condition, the use of LED lighting, and the eco-friendly cement which removes pollutants from the air when ultraviolet rays from the sun hit it.

But for sheer beauty -- especially since you can walk across it -- try St. Paul's Wabasha bridge. It has a different look and feel from a vehicle, walking, or from the river. And for "spine tingling," walk down the stairs that allow you to see the river below. Now that's a bathing suit! Or at least a good case of vertigo.

(Image above from Teresa Boardman via flickr.com / Creative Commons)

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