All Things Considered for September 16, 2010 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

Lesbian clergy once expelled, now embraced
Ruth Frost and Phyllis Zillhart, the first lesbian couple ordained without the blessing of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, once were cast out of the church. On Saturday, for only the second time in the country, the Lutheran Church will officially welcome them to its roster of clergy.3:48 p.m.
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.4:45 p.m.
Looking back on a summer road trip with a poem
Todd Boss is a Saint Paul poet. His first collection of poems is called "Yellowrocket". It was released in Europe, Africa and the Middle East over the summer. He sends us this look back at his summer road trip in his poem "Luckenbach."4:46 p.m.
Ask Dr. Hallberg: More about superbugs
Medical analyst Dr. Jon Hallberg talks with MPR's Tom Crann about news of highly drug-resistant bacteria coming to the U.S. from India.4:48 p.m.
In N.D. oil boom, property, environmental challenges
Because only one quarter of landowners also own the mineral rights to their land, local residents say oil rigs can pop up on their land without warning.5:20 p.m.
Who scuttled documentary about Mississippi River pollution?
The University of Minnesota has abruptly canceled the premiere of a film about the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. The film focuses on pollution from farms, golf courses, and other sources in Minnesota and throughout the course of the Mississippi River. Tom Crann talks with environmental reporter Stephanie Hemphill. The film was scheduled to air on Twin Cities Public Television in early October, but the director says she was notified last week that the university's public relations office had cancelled the airdate. Environmental reporter Stephanie Hemphill has been looking into this, and joins me now.5:24 p.m.
Lesbian clergy once expelled, now embraced
Ruth Frost and Phyllis Zillhart, the first lesbian couple ordained without the blessing of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, once were cast out of the church. On Saturday, for only the second time in the country, the Lutheran Church will officially welcome them to its roster of clergy.5:51 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

Whither Small Businesses? The Debate Over Tax Cuts
The Obama administration says only 2 percent of small businesses will see their taxes go up if the Bush tax cuts expire. And while that's technically true, a much higher percentage of small businesses that employ sizable numbers of people would see a tax increase.
Warren Appointment Could Circumvent Senate Vote
Elizabeth Warren is credited with the idea of creating a consumer financial credit agency similar to the consumer product safety commission. That made her a hero to some and a zealot to others. That, in turn, has put the Obama administration in a bind over whether she can be confirmed by the Senate to head the new agency. One option: Postpone the decision on a chairman and make Warren a presidential adviser who doesn't need Senate approval but can still get the commission up and running.
Fooling Umpires Just Part Of The Game
Yankees captain Derek Jeter was awarded a base Wednesday night, when the plate umpire ruled he was hit on the arm by Tampa Bay pitcher Chad Qualls. Turns out, Jeter faked getting hit. The ball actually hit his bat. David Greene talks with Buster Olney, a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine, about the play.
Pope Confronts Criticism On Sex Abuse Scandal
On a flight to Scotland on Thursday to meet with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Pope Benedict XVI said the Catholic Church did not act quickly enough as the clergy sex abuse scandal widened.
Bumpy Road Ahead Amid State Layoffs In Cuba
Cuba's government plans to lay off more than 500,000 workers in the next six months. Private businesses and cooperatives are supposed to absorb many of the displaced workers. But many questions remain about what's expected to be a rough transition.
Campaign Cash Surges From Undisclosed Donors
This year's elections are on track to set a record for campaign spending -- more than the 2008 presidential contest. A big driver is the surge in independent groups. And this year may set another record too -- in money from undisclosed donors pumping money into attack ads.
Is The U.S. Moving Toward Socialism? A Socialist Weighs In
A professor explains what socialists believe these days – and discusses the recent wave of "socialist" talk in political discourse.
Doctor: Be Vigilant, Don't Panic About Superbug
A so-called "superbug" has made its way to the U.S. from India. Known as NDM-1, the germ is immune to many common antibiotics. Melissa Block talks with Dr. David Hooper, chief of the infection control unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, where a patient infected with the bug was treated earlier this year.
On Facebook, Bob Mondello Recommends That You Become A Fan Of 'Catfish'
Critic Bob Mondello takes a shot at reviewing the mysterious movie Catfish, about which it's terribly difficult to say much of anything without giving too much away.
Are Albums Dead? Not In Hip-Hop
Album sales just hit a record low, but hip-hop albums are still around. They're just free now.