Around the MPRNewsQ blogs

Posted at 9:03 AM on November 6, 2009 by Julia Schrenkler

First, grab the knowledge weekday cheat-sheets. The Daily Digest from Polinaut and News Cut's Five at 8 are a newsie's version of a racing form: the good, the notable, the interesting. Perhaps the knowledge will somehow pay off during your day. Dig into these blog entries from our other MPRNewsQ blogs:

* For the Friday weather forecast, Updraft's Paul Huttner goes out on a limb.
* Paul Tosto of MinnEcon reports on the jobless aid, housing credit extensions today
* On State of the Arts, Euan Kerr introduces you to a man who had a man who stares at goats stare at him. Clearly, he lived to tell.

Considering classical: Finding the right piano teacher

Posted at 2:58 PM on November 5, 2009 by Julia Schrenkler

Considering the topic of arts education, Classical MPR shares the North Dakota's Piano Teacher of the Year's thoughts on how to find the right piano teacher:

Choosing a piano teacher can be a bit like finding the right lawyer, plumber or hairdresser -- professional experience is important, as well as a good fit.

Sharon Westbrook, the award recipient, outlines 12 steps you should take to find that best "fit."

* Review more features on Classical MPR

Election analysis

Posted at 10:33 AM on November 4, 2009 by Julia Schrenkler

Today we have These updates are shared within News Cut's Five at 8 series:

Midday (11 a.m. - 1 p.m.) - First hour: Political analysts Tom Horner and Todd Rapp analyze the election results.

Second hour: A new documentary from American Abroad, called "Taking on the Taliban."

Talk of the Nation (1-3 p.m. ) - First hour: NPR political editor Ken Rudin talks about yesterday's election and tries to say something a thousand other pundits haven't already said.

Be sure to comment online on various Polinaut posts or kick off your own analysis in the Minnesota Politics group on Gather.com

Election day resources

Posted at 9:22 AM on November 3, 2009 by Julia Schrenkler

MPRNewsQ shares its online resources with Minnesota voters:

* Find your polling place

* Check our instant runoff voting FAQ

* Review MPR's Political Coverage Collection

* If you have problems voting, contact MPR News and share your experience

* Follow MPRPolitics and MPR Political Reporter Tom Scheck on Twitter

Examining the impact of preschool

Posted at 6:05 AM on November 2, 2009 by Julia Schrenkler

The program description from Early Lessons caught my eye:

The Perry Preschool Project is one of the most famous education experiments of the last 50 years. The study asked a question: Can preschool boost the IQ scores of poor African-American children and prevent them from failing in school? The surprising results are now challenging widely-held notions about what helps people succeed - in school, and in life.

Did it work? What value have you - or your children - gained from preschool? Join our online discussion to share your opinion or experiences.

* Explore the Early Lessons documentary from American RadioWorks : Download the radio program, listen online, or read the transcript.
* MPR NewsQ Commentary: If white kids were on the other side of the achievement gap, by Daniel Jett
* The Education Achievement Gap Idea Generator, hosted by MPR's Public Insight Journalism team

Remembering the Uptown Bar

Posted at 1:44 PM on November 1, 2009 by Julia Schrenkler

If you're wondering why a bar is important, you may want to spend a little time with The Current's "Last Call at the Uptown" documentary series. Places to eat and drink have long centered neighborhoods, but some can create more than a landing spot... they become part of an identity. Everyone wants to belong in a place other than home and to belong:

"I have many memories of the Uptown, but thinking of it as a neighborhood bar sparks a memory from the early 1990s. I was there with several friends, including someone who had just moved to Minneapolis from rural Wisconsin. When she ordered a "wine cooler" the bartender asked what suburb we were from. We were MORTIFIED that he thought we were suburbanites rather than regulars! I think he would have kicked us out if she had ordered a Zima!!" - Posted by Jodi on Last Call at the Uptown Bar: The neighborhood bar

Whether you went to the Uptown to hear the music, to perform on stage, or just plain didn't go and want to see what the fuss is about, watch and listen to the documentaries.

* Last Call at the Uptown: Seeing Music at the Uptown
* Last Call at the Uptown: Performing at the Uptown
* Last Call at the Uptown: The Neighborhood Bar

Comment on MinnEcon: A Post-it recovery?

Posted at 3:30 PM on October 29, 2009 by Julia Schrenkler

Can our economic future be read in a Post-It? Perhaps not, but I'd like to know if you think an economic recovery can be found in business picking up. From
A Post-it recovery?:

The Post-It is probably the best known product among 3M's Consumer and Office segment, which took a bit hit in the recession's depths. 3M's year-end report notes that in the last quarter of 2008, "the combination of massive office worker layoffs, coupled with across-the-board declines in office retail foot traffic, had a dramatic and negative impact on sales."

[Commerical Printer Gerald] Myking says his shop was looking at a loss for the year and now the numbers project a profit. Despite that, he not convinced the economy will roar back.

Comment on the blog post, or expand on the larger story and tell MPR News: "I'll believe the recession's over..." or "I'm feeling a recovery now because..."

In The Loop seeks your ghost-story-style news

Posted at 11:06 AM on October 28, 2009 by Julia Schrenkler

In The Loop's Jeff Horwich and Sanden Totten have an open call for your news stories. The challenge? Share it "ghost-story-style" and soon:

Seen something in the news lately, or in your own life, that's worthy of a good ghost story? Write it up ghost-story-style, or turn it into a fun poem, and send us the text here. Or leave it for us yourself on our ITL voicemail line: 651-228-4886. We need 'em pretty quick -- end-of-day Thursday at the latest.

Thursday as in tomorrow, October 29th, 2009. Get creative and fast! You can also use their online contact form to send in your text.

Tracking the economy in Minnesota

Posted at 2:33 PM on October 27, 2009 by Julia Schrenkler

Today on News Cut I see that the Twin Cities real estate market is now among country's hottest. How's that for good news? After reading that piece I checked out Paul Tosto on MinnEcon, MPR's blog about Minnesota's Economy. There I found three entries that were hopeful, informative, and helpful - in that order, to boot:

* Work. Found.
* MinnEcon@Work: The Coffee Guru
* Some tough love for job applicants

Are these positive indicators? Comment on each post and I'll double back to read your perspective.

More:
Participate on MinnEcon! Finish this sentence: It's a good time to______.

Your perspective: Are you willing to fly?

Posted at 8:38 AM on October 26, 2009 by Julia Schrenkler

Today's Question on MPRNewsQ asks: Have recent incidents involving air travel made you reluctant to fly?

In our gather.com online discussion this angle surfaced with a few people offering their thoughts:

"OMG. I think I don't want to fly for awhile." - Annmarie B.

"What would I expect from the airline if this had happened to me? I'm not sure, but this signifies shocking negligence on the part of the pilots. What if the fuel dropped too low? What if they'd run into dangerous weather that they otherwise would have not encountered? There's so many 'what ifs.' Of course, these things didn't happen, but it's scary to think about and I'm an eager flyer. For those who fly reluctantly, this would probably put them on the train home." - Susan Budig

"Now from the perspective flying just a few times a year, I see a bit how the whole flight experience would be disconcerting to many and stories like this would make it even more so. as Susan says, they'd likely choose the next train home. Would I? no. I continued to fly soon after 9/11, and all through that fall and winter. not being defiant, just choosing to go on with my life that way." - Kerry Dexter

"I have to admit that I generally do trust the airlines. The successful, enjoyable flights far outnumber the problem ones. Plus, I love visiting overseas and pretty much don't do boats/ships." - Diana Raabe

Consider your own experiences and share your perspective.

Read these items from MPR's News Cut:
* Pilots' story may surface on Monday [10/26/2009]
* The Northwest jokes
* Pilots of Flight 188 had plenty of chance to rest
* Flight 188 pilot denies he was asleep
* The 'what if' scenario
* Sleeping seen as more likely explanation for Flight 188
* Flight 188: Making it add up
* Tales from the flight deck

Participate:
* Answer Today's Question
* Join our online discussion