Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Osmo Vanska composes a musical 'bridge'
  The Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra is premiering a new work by Minnesota Orchestra conductor Osmo Vanska, called "The Bridge." It's inspired in part by the collapse of the I-35W bridge last summer.4:49 p.m.
• Double Dutchers jump for fun and sport
  A lot of people jump rope, but they may not require two ropes, but if they're going to Double Dutch, it's a must.5:45 p.m.
• Steven C works his piano
  St. Paul musician Steven Anderson, or Steven C., as his stage name goes, has built a thriving behind-the-scenes career in the "New Age" music industry as a producer and pianist. Now he's stepping out of the shadows with a new CD.5:48 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• For Webb, 'Time to Fight' Could Lead to New Job
  Before he became Virginia's junior Senator, Jim Webb was a Marine, a Republican, Secretary of the Navy, and a best-selling author. He became a Democrat because of his disgust over the handling of Iraq. Robert Siegel talks with Webb about Webb's book, and about Washington chatter over his potential as a vice-presidential candidate.
• Aid Efforts Stymied by China, Myanmar Tragedies
  Two catastrophes have struck this month — the cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in China. As the death tolls in these two countries mount, so does the need for aid. But Myanmar has been reluctant to let relief workers into the country, and China says it will accept foreign aid on its own timetable. But how do people give if they want to help the victims?
• Obama's Cash Machine, Built in Silicon Valley
  For Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, Barack Obama's youth and relatively short resume is a plus. That's the premise of a feature article by Joshua Green, author of an article in The Atlantic titled "The Amazing Money Machine: How Silicon Valley Made Barack Obama This Year's Hottest Start-Up."
• Robert Mondavi, Wine Trailblazer, Dies at 94
  Robert Mondavi, the man who put California wines along side the European greats, has died at the age of 94. Mondavi bought his first winery in 1966, and championed the use of cold fermentation, stainless steel tanks, and French oak barrels.
• Gay Marriage May Affect the 2008 Election
  The last time a state Supreme Court ruled gay marriage legal, it was Massachusetts in 2003. The fallout helped Republicans boost turnout in 2004 and hold the White House. Times have changed since then, but it remains to be seen how big the issue could be for Republicans in 2008.
• Photographer Feels Weight of His Myanmar Images
  Will Baxter, a photojournalist for World Pictures Network, has provided an eyewitness account of the devastation he's seen in Myanmar. Noah Adams talks with Baxter about how his images have left lasting impressions. Baxter's photographs have been featured in The New York Times and Newsweek.
• An Open Letter to Hillary Clinton — or Not
  NPR Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr describes a letter of advice he would write to Hillary Clinton — if he was going to write a letter to her, which he's not.
• Paralympian Pistorius Can Vie for Olympics
  Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, 21, is eligible to compete in the Beijing Olympics, an international sports arbitration panel has ruled. Pistorius had both his legs amputated below the knee as an infant; he runs competitively on legs made of carbon fiber. Noah Adams talks to Wall Street Journal sportswriter Stefan Fatsis.
• Iraq Prompts President Bush to Give Up Golf
  President Bush doesn't play as much golf as he used to. In an interview with Politico this week, Mr. Bush said he gave up the game because of the war in Iraq. The president said he didn't want families of dead soldiers to see him enjoying himself on the links. Noah Adams talks with Don Van Natta of The New York Times, author of First Off the Tee, a book about the history of golf and the presidency.
• A Writer in Europe: Olshan's 'The Conversion'
  Book reviewer Alan Cheuse examines The Conversion, the eighth novel by Joseph Olshan. Set in present-day Italy, Olshan bring us the story of a young expatriate writer in France and Italy and his apprenticeship in art and life.
• Letters: China Coverage; Race and Obama
  Noah Adams reads listeners' responses to yesterday's program. We have received hundreds of messages about our coverage from southwest China, where Monday's earthquake is believed to have killed tens of thousands of people. There's also mixed reaction to our interview on the racism experienced by people working for the Barack Obama campaign.
• Is the Economy Looking Better?
  A few weeks ago, most economists were convinced that the United States was in a recession, or at least headed for one. But now some say they're not so sure. Some key economic indicators suggest that growth hasn't slowed as much as the doomsayers predicted. Are these numbers just a blip? Or has the impact of the sub-prime mortgage crisis on the economy been exaggerated?
• Search for Victims Turns Up a Quake Survivor
  Four days after a powerful earthquake struck China's Sichuan province, survivors are still being located, freed from rubble by rescue teams. Days after the quake, a search party found and rescued a survivor in a devastated village in Sichuan. But getting the man out of a collapsed factory was no simple matter.
• Families Search for Living in Dujiangyan
  About 20 miles from the epicenter of the earthquake, Dujiangyan, China, has gone from a booming metropolis of more than a half-million to a teeming tent city. Residents are still looking for family members — or trying to let them know they are alive.
• Internment Camp Survivor Gets Honorary Degree
  Along with more than 400 other Japanese-American students, Ruby Inouye never finished her degree at the University of Washington in Seattle because she was sent to an internment camp in Idaho during World War II. The university is awarding honorary degrees 66 years later.

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