All Things Considered for April 27, 2009 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Monday, April 27, 2009

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

CEO pay proposal is deja vu for Sabo
With public money being used to bail out troubled companies, more attention is being paid to how much those companies pay their CEOs. Congress has already imposed pay caps as part of the bank bailout, and a new bill would expand executive pay limits across the private sector.4:50 p.m.
State working on next generation of standardized tests
This is the last week for schools to administer the MCA-II standardized tests. In a few years, they'll start giving the MCA-III.4:54 p.m.
Is Minnesota prepared for a flu outbreak?
Many Minnesota health care providers activated some of their pandemic flu procedures today. There are no confirmed cases of swine flu in Minnesota yet. But local health officials say it's likely that Minnesota will detect at least some cases in the coming days or weeks.5:15 p.m.
Ellison says arrest was deliberate action
Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison acknowledged today that his arrest along with four other members of Congress was a deliberate action designed to draw attention to recent developments in Darfur.5:21 p.m.
Director Duncan Jones takes philosophy to the moon
Film director Duncan Jones had some very specific goals as he approached his first feature film. He wanted to work with character actor Sam Rockwell, he wanted to make a science fiction film and he wanted to blend in some philosophy.5:51 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

From Chef Jose Andres, A Family Favorite For $10
NPR's "How Low Can You Go" family supper challenge asks celebrity chefs to cook a meal for four for less than $10. Jose Andres, who owns several Washington, D.C., restaurants and hosts the Made In Spain PBS show, makes a family favorite: Moorish-style chickpea and spinach stew.
A Green Challenge: Make Renewables Reliable
Bringing renewable energies like wind and solar power onto the electric grid is the first step toward making the grid both green and smart, but engineers and power companies must also find solutions to the challenges of renewable energies, which don't produce consistent, reliable power.
In Mexico City, The Infection Is Fear
Swine flu has descended on Mexico City. But more alarming than the illness itself is the pandemic of fear it is causing. Commentator Daniel Hernandez has caught the latter.
U.S. Monitors Swine Flu Outbreak
The World Health Organization has raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 4. President Obama has said the government is closely monitoring the new swine flu virus, and while it's cause for concern, it's not a cause for alarm.
Illnesses Prompt Swine Flu Concerns
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, a few people get swine flu every year in the U.S. In past outbreaks, swine flu has caused severe illness like pneumonia and respiratory failure. These severe illnesses are occurring in Mexico, prompting the heightened concern over the new swine flu strain.
Expert: More Virus Cases Likely To Be Identified
Officials have begun tracking the swine flu virus to find out why the virus is affecting more people and spreading more freely in Mexico. Dr. William Schaffner, chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, says it's unclear why the virus is so much worse in Mexico than it is in the United States.
University Uses Game To Teach Money Skills
The University of Miami is hosting a campus tournament of a new game called Budgetball. The game purports to teach students about budgeting and fiscal responsibility through an athletic contest.
Beyond The Kitchen Table: Sorting Finances Online
Several free financial planning services on the Web help financial slackers and diligent planners make sense of how they're spending their precious dollars. Professional financial planners say such programs are useful tools, but they don't do the heavy lifting.
GM To Cut Pontiac, Jobs
General Motors announced Monday a sweeping survival plan that would make the government the majority shareholder in the company. GM also plans to kill the Pontiac brand, slash its dealer network by half and eliminate more than 20,000.
Remembering GM At Its Zenith
GM is ingrained in American popular. Songs about its cars ranged from "(In My) Merry Oldsmobile" to "Little GTO" and "Little Red Corvette." In its heyday, GM sponsored Route 66 a show that celebrated its coolest car, the Corvette.