All Things Considered for February 4, 2010 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

Art Hounds
Each week Minnesota Public Radio News asks three people from the Minnesota arts scene to be "Art Hounds." Their job is to step outside their own work and hunt down something exciting that's going on in local arts.4:44 p.m.
What are the effects of the retracted autism study?
The doctor behind a controversial study which linked the Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine to autism has been called "a dishonest, irresponsible doctor" by the General Medical Council, a British review board, and journal that originally published the study in 1998 has now retracted it.4:49 p.m.
Dems open session with borrowing plan, health care cuts
DFL leaders marked the opening of the 2010 session by unveiling a $1 billion bonding bill that they want to pass quickly. They also advanced a plan to provide health care coverage to the poor.5:19 p.m.
MPR lawsuit third against Central Corridor project
Minnesota Public Radio filed suit Thursday against the Metropolitan Council over the Central Corridor light rail project, claiming the Met Council is not living up to the noise mitigation agreement the two parties reached in April 2009.5:24 p.m.
Kline optimistic Red Bulls will receive overdue pay soon
Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., is optimistic that 2,500 Minnesota soldiers who have been waiting three years for $10 million in bonus pay will receive their overdue compensation soon.5:38 p.m.
New 3M plan: little pollution, much resistance
Residents in Cottage Grove are once again at odds with 3M over waste chemical concerns--even though the company's new enterprise would produce little change in pollution levels.5:53 p.m.
What are the effects of the retracted autism study?
The doctor behind a controversial study which linked the Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine to autism has been called "a dishonest, irresponsible doctor" by the General Medical Council, a British review board, and journal that originally published the study in 1998 has now retracted it.6:20 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

'Let The West Get Used To A Tough China'
In a role reversal, China is flexing its political and economic muscle against the United States by threatening sanctions against American companies involved in selling arms to Taiwan. China is pushing back on a raft of other contentious issues, from sanctions against Iran to President Obama's plan to meet with the Dalai Lama.
Harold Ford Jr. Challenges Democratic Brass In N.Y.
The Democratic establishment backs Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's re-election bid this fall. But she's held the seat just a year, and constituents say they don't know her well yet. Now, former Tennessee Rep. Harold Ford Jr., who recently moved to New York, looks poised to upset his party's primary.
Behind The Weather: Strongest El Nino In A Decade
Heavy rains in California, record snowfalls in the mid-Atlantic and fires in Indonesia are all being attributed to the phenomenon. Government meteorologists say the effects of the most powerful El Nino since 1997-98 will very likely persist for another month or two.
Gay Dating Commercial Fuels Super Bowl Ad Wars
Last week, CBS turned down a commercial produced by a new gay dating site called ManCrunch.com. The ad raises questions about not just what networks want in Super Bowl advertisements, but what potential advertisers really want from the Super Bowl.
Is Iran More Susceptible To International Sanctions?
High inflation has forced Iran's government to enact an emergency currency reform, and new geopolitical factors could make an international sanctions regime more effective. One example: A less hospitable environment in the emirate of Dubai, long an important trading center for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and its affiliated businesses.
Author Reveals Flaws In The History Of Childbirth
In her book Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth from the Garden of Eden to the Sperm Bank, Randi Hutter Epstein describes doctors who made great medical advances, but who had surprising flaws. Dr. J. Marion Sims, who is credited with curing vaginal fistulas, practiced on slave women, "stitching them up over and over and over again."
Celebrating 40 Years Of 'Soul Train'
For years, millions of kids across the country knew that if it was Saturday morning, it was time for Soul Train. It gave white kids who didn't know or live near anyone black an opportunity to see young black culture up close. For black kids who didn't see themselves reflected in the mainstream media, Soul Train was a revelation.
U.S. To Probe Prius Brake Problems
The U.S. Transportation Department said Thursday it has received more than 100 complaints from owners of the 2010 Toyota Prius and has opened an investigation into possible brake problems with the model. That's more bad news for Toyota, which has recalled more than 5 million vehicles of various models to repair problems with sudden acceleration.
Training Begins For Toyota Mechanics
Training sessions got under way in Connecticut on Thursday for Toyota mechanics who need to know how to repair the cars' accelerator pedals. Toyota ran three shifts of training at Gateway Community College in hopes of teaching as many mechanics as possible in the wake of problems with sudden acceleration that have led to more than 5 million Toyota vehicles being recalled.
Compensation Czar: Contracts Mandate AIG Bonuses
Kenneth Feinberg, the Obama administration's compensation czar, says though he is personally "not pleased" with insurance giant AIG's decision to award $100 million in bonuses to it financial products division, the contracts for the awards were entered into when the economic climate was different. The division was largely responsible for the company's risky investments that forced a U.S. government bailout.