All Things Considered for November 17, 2009 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

Dr. Jon Hallberg on the new recommendations for mammogram screenings
The news that a government task force has changed its recommendations for breast cancer screening has caused some confused reaction from women. Dr. Jon Hallberg stopped by All Things Considered to give his clinical reaction to the change.4:50 p.m.
Visiting the land of invented languages
Linguist Arika Okrent speaks many languages, including several such as Klingon and Esperanto, which someone sat down and invented from scratch. In her new book "In the Land of Invented Languages," Okrent explores nine centuries of linguistic invention, and the belief that a better language could lead to a better world.4:54 p.m.
Health officials keep quiet about vaccine supplies
The distribution process for the H1N1 flu vaccine in Minnesota has been shrouded in secrecy to this point. Some Minnesota clinics have withheld information from the public about their vaccine supplies. And the state Health Department has deliberately kept quiet about which clinics and hospitals have received doses.5:20 p.m.
Petters, on witness stand, denies knowing of fraud
A Minnesota businessman accused of orchestrating a massive Ponzi scheme testified Tuesday that he did not knowingly participate in the fraud and may have "trusted some people far too much."5:25 p.m.
Wisconsin mine may hold key to controversial Minnesota project
A closed Wisconsin mine is playing a prominent role in the ongoing debate over mining for metals like copper and nickel, a debate that's currently raging in Northern Minnesota.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

Watchdog Says Fed Paid Too Much In AIG Bailout
The Federal Reserve could have paid less to banks that made risky deals with insurance giant AIG, a government watchdog reports. Treasury officials say the Fed was acting to avert a crisis and that it needs better financial regulatory tools.
U.S., China Pledge To Address Economic Imbalances
In the run-up to the financial crisis, the U.S. and China reinforced each other's bad habits. President Obama and his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, on Tuesday agreed to address the imbalances that helped bring about the financial crisis. But change won't come easily.
Marines Welcome Replacements To The Afghan Fight
Marines from "America's Battalion," the 2/8, are returning home this month from Afghanistan after a six-month deployment. But before they go, they are passing along vital knowledge of the enemy and the terrain of Helmand province to the Marines replacing them.
Story Specialists: Doctors Who Write
The history of literature is filled with authors who also performed surgery or scribbled prescriptions. Lynn Neary speaks with two doctors who are also fiction writers — Abraham Verghese and Terrence Holt — about the link between medicine and writing literature.
Marketers Sink Teeth Into 'New Moon'
New Moon, the latest movie in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight vampire saga, is sucking in marketers, who are using the franchise's characters to sell everything from bottled water to late-model luxury cars.
In New England, Hard Cider Stages A Comeback
Apple growers in New England are looking to hard cider as a way to beat dropping prices and foreign competition. The fermented cider was the drink of choice for the nation's founding fathers. One New Hampshire orchard is out to turn the region into the Napa Valley of hard cider.
A Conservative Read On Palin's 'Going Rogue'
Sarah Palin may be the Republican party's next big hope, but commentator Rod Dreher says her new book, Going Rogue, does little to bolster her image. She may be the perkiest small-town American in the spotlight, but Palin is selling her personality, not a platform.
Obama, Hu Pledge Cooperation
President Obama met with his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, for wide-ranging talks on the challenges facing their two countries. The two discussed how they can pursue a more balanced economic strategy, cooperate on curbing greenhouse gas emissions and the spread of nuclear weapons.
Human Rights Official Decries China's Secret Jails
Human Rights Watch is calling attention to what it says are "severe rights abuses" in a network of secret detention centers in China, known as "black jails." Brad Adams, the group's Asia director, tells NPR there is no due process for the detainees, who say they were jailed for filing grievances with the government.
Game Over For New England Retailer
Bowl & Board succumbed to the recession this fall after 43 years in business. But the end was somewhat anticlimactic. After liquidation specialists swarmed through the store taking inventory, owner Mark Giarrusso prepared for the store's final sale.