All Things Considered for February 22, 2013 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Friday, February 22, 2013

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

The Cube Critics make their Oscar picks for best picture and best director
Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr and Stephanie Curtis welcome Star Tribune film critic Colin Covert to discuss the Oscar's best-picture and best-director nominations in this week's Cube Critics.3:53 p.m.
Mayo vs. Vikings stadium: state aid requests compared
The Mayo Clinic's request for taxpayer help to become what it calls a Destination Medical Center is drawing comparisons to the Vikings' bid for a new football stadium.5:16 p.m.
The Cube Critics make their Oscar picks for best picture and best director
Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr and Stephanie Curtis welcome Star Tribune film critic Colin Covert to discuss the Oscar's best-picture and best-director nominations in this week's Cube Critics.6:24 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

Boston Grapples With The Threat Of Storms And Rising Water
Superstorm Sandy was a wake-up call for the Eastern Seaboard — especially Boston, where flooding rivers can meet a surging ocean, all in Boston Harbor. So what's a city to do? Retreat from the water or better shield buildings from flooding.
This Year's Flu Vaccine Falters In Protecting Elderly
This year's flu shot looks like it's unusually poor at protecting the elderly. The flu vaccine's only about 27 percent effective overall for those ages 65 and older and just 9 percent effective against the flu strain causing the most illness, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Melissa Block talks to Rob Stein.
FBI Raids The Scooter Store; Will TSA Crack Down On 'Wheelchair Miracles'?
The Scooter Store says it's fully cooperating. Investigators wanted to see its billing records. Questions have been raised about the money Medicare has to spend on power chairs. Meanwhile, at airports there's a growing problem: travelers who abuse wheelchair rules to get around long lines.
Week In Politics: Automatic Budget Cuts Deadline Nears
Melissa Block talks to regular political commentators E.J. Dionne of The Washington Post and Brookings Institution, and David Brooks of The New York Times. They discuss the automatic budget cuts scheduled for March 1.
Pistorius Granted Bail After Prosecution Is Criticized For Sloppy Case
A South African magistrate on Friday approved bail for Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius in the run-up to his trial on charges of premeditated murder in the killing of his girlfriend.
DOJ Joins Whistleblower Case Against Lance Armstrong
Melissa Block talks to Mike Pesca about the Daytona 500 and the Justice Department joining a whistleblower lawsuit against Lance Armstrong.
Penn State Officials Take Booze Out Of 'State Patty's Day' Mix
Bar owners near the university agreed to not sell alcohol Saturday for what's become known as "State Patty's Day." Local officials say the unofficial St. Patrick's Day celebration brings unwanted and unruly behavior into downtown State College, Pa.
Directors of 'Argo,' 'Zero Dark Thirty' Take Different Approaches Turning History Into Film
Melissa Block hears from the directors of two films up for Best Picture at the Academy Awards on Sunday — Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty and Ben Affleck for Argo. They have the opposite approaches to putting history in a fiction film.
Music's New 'Real Ambassadors'
Last year, the State Department launched a program that brings international artists to Main Street America. The groups are trying to open ears in the U.S. — and send a message back home.
What's The Sequester? And How Did We Get Here?
They've been everywhere this week: dire warnings about threats posed by across-the-board federal spending cuts. But what's the real story? Here are the answers to four burning questions about the cuts known as "the sequester."