All Things Considered for February 5, 2009 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

Art Hounds: Week of Feb. 5
"Art Hounds" is a new weekly feature from MPR News. Call it an insider's view of what's exciting in local arts.4:45 p.m.
Franken asks Minn. court to put him in Senate
Lawyers for Democrat Al Franken tried to convince the Minnesota Supreme Court today that it should require the governor and secretary of state to issue Franken an election certificate. The certificate would allow Franken to take a seat in the U.S. Senate.5:19 p.m.
Hutchinson deals with layoffs at largest employer
The south-central Minnesota community of Hutchinson is working aggressively to support more than 1,000 people who were laid off at the city's biggest employer, Hutchinson Technology Inc.5:23 p.m.
Professor teaches students the art of living
This weekend the Minneapolis College of Art and Design is celebrating one of its most cherished teachers, Kinji Akagawa. Over the past four decades Akagawa has taught students not just how to make art, but how to live their lives.5:50 p.m.
Slideshow: Postcards from Antarctica
A team from the Twin Cities spent January mapping one of the planet's last frontiers: the dry valleys of Antarctica.6:27 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

Treasury Debates What To Spend, Whom To Save
A small group is meeting at the Treasury Department — largely in secret — to rewrite the rules of how the government will save the banking system. It is deciding how to spend more than $300 billion — the remainder of the $700 billion in bailout funds.
Mon Dieu! Comics On Display At The Louvre
Paris' Louvre Museum, which bills itself as the world's largest fine arts collection, is experiencing an aesthetic revolution this winter: For the first time ever, it's exhibiting comic strips.
'Fanboys' To Men: The Road Movie Geeks Out
A long time ago — back in 1999, to be precise — a posse of die-hard Star Wars fans road-trip across the country to steal an advance print of The Phantom Menace.
Justice Ginsburg Has Cancer Surgery
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has had a cancerous tumor removed from her pancreas. The 75-year-old justice is expected to remain in the hospital for seven to 10 days. She was treated for colon cancer in 1999.
Auto Suppliers Latest To Seek Federal Bailout
Auto parts suppliers are following the lead of Detroit's Big Three automakers and seeking billions of dollars in federal loans. The request, made this week to the Treasury Department, is a sign of how broadly the recession has infected the nation's automotive industry.
Iraqi Prime Minister's Party Tops Election Results
Initial results of Iraq's provincial elections indicate a strong showing for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Dawa Party, winning pluralities in nine of the 14 provinces where voting occurred. Sunni parties fared well in provinces where Sunnis boycotted the last vote in 2005.
Letters: Executive Pay Cap, 'Che,' Economy Song
Listeners respond to Robert Siegel's interview with compensation consultant Steven Hall about the cap on executive pay, the controversy over director Steven Soderbergh's portrayal of Che Guevera, and music for the economic crisis.
Sen. Alexander On Stimulus Compromise
Senate lawmakers are working to forge a compromise on President Obama's economic stimulus plan. Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee talks about what GOP lawmakers want to make the measure more palatable.
Community Organizers Making Progress In D.C.
Community organizers are banding together to make headway in Washington. With Barack Obama — a former community organizer — as president, they hope to have a greater voice in politics and policy. Early meetings with legislators on Capitol Hill have been encouraging.
Mysterious New York City Smell Is Fenugreek
Every since 2005, New Yorkers have occasionally experienced the smell of maple syrup wafting over their neighborhood. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Thursday the mystery was solved: fenugreek seeds being processed by a food-manufacturing company in New Jersey.