All Things Considered for June 2, 2011 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

What message would you give the class of 2011, if you had only six words to say it?
It's graduation season. Commencement speakers are doing their best to inspire graduates, but some of their speeches seem a little long. Today's Question: What message would you give the class of 2011, if you had only six words to say it?3:28 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.4:44 p.m.
GOP legislative leaders rule out mediator
GOP legislative leaders say they are ruling out Gov. Mark Dayton's suggestion that they bring in an outside mediator to help bridge the divide on the state's budget. Dayton made the proposal earlier today.5:20 p.m.
Tornado donations keep coming; long-term planning gets rolling
The General Mills Foundation has pledged $125,000 to tornado relief efforts in north Minneapolis. That's on top of about $700,000 collected so far by other philanthropic organizations. The money and the volunteers who've helped clean up after the storm are part of the immediate response to the disaster. Community leaders are already starting to think about the next phase of recovery.5:24 p.m.
UND at forefront of unmanned flight as industry set to grow
The University of North Dakota hopes to train unmanned aircraft crews from Customs and Border Protection, the Coast Guard and the Air Force.5:50 p.m.
Minn. officials watching for signs of European E. coli outbreak
Minnesota health officials say they are watching closely for any signs of the lethal strain of E. coli that has killed 18 people and sickened more than 1,500 in Europe.5:54 p.m.
What message would you give the class of 2011, if you had only six words to say it?
It's graduation season. Commencement speakers are doing their best to inspire graduates, but some of their speeches seem a little long. Today's Question: What message would you give the class of 2011, if you had only six words to say it?6:28 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

Rare Form Of E. Coli To Blame For Outbreak
The E. coli story is boiling up, with the CDC saying the outbreak is being caused by a rare strain of the bacteria. The Russians have seized on it as an opportunity for some nationalist chest-thumping, imposing a complete ban on European Union raw vegetables The Germans admit they have no idea of the source. At least 18 people are dead.
Scientists Probe Why E. Coli Strain Is So Virulent
Medical researchers are wondering whether the bacterium's method of attack is especially deadly or if it simply has spread to a lot of people. It's somewhat uncharted territory because the variant has never caused an outbreak from contaminated food before.
New Data Point To No Quick Fix For Economy
Fewer jobs were created in the private sector than expected and there's been a slowdown in manufacturing growth, reports said this week. The news has left the stock market jittery, but experts don't expect this will cause the economy to slide into another recession.
Clinton 'Concerned' Over Google Hacking
Internet giant Google is involved in another incident with China. The company reported Wednesday that "hundreds" of its Gmail accounts have been compromised by hackers based in China. Google said the attack targeted senior government officials and military personnel from the United States and other countries, Chinese political activists, and journalists. Robert Siegel talks to NPR's Tom Gjelten about why this happened — and how the U.S. government will respond.
Geithner Meets With GOP Freshmen
Tuesday's show vote in the House against raising the debt ceiling may not have been what rattled Wall Street, and the financial markets are somewhat accustomed to partisan shenanigans on Capitol Hill. The question now is whether the infusion of GOP freshmen, who so strongly oppose spending, will take this year's showdown beyond the brink. Thursday, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner talked to the freshmen. NPR's Andrea Seabrook talks to Michele Norris.
Looking For Early Signs Of Autism In Brain Waves
Scientists hope to diagnose autistic children while they are still infants by probing unusual electrical signals in their brains using electroencephalography. EEG is also providing hints about precisely how autism affects the brain and which therapies are likely to help children with autism spectrum disorders.
L.A. Works To Get Mental Help For Young Offenders
It used to be that troubled kids who ran afoul of the law just ended up in juvenile hall, where they found little help for their psychological problems. But slowly that attitude has been changing. In Los Angeles, the changes in efforts to identify and treat troubled youth are fitful and imperfect, but promising.
Summer Sounds: Little League
Steve Proffitt is sure it's summer when he hears the sound of a Little League game. This was underlined not long ago when he took a ball to the chin when his son was playing.
Letters: Kurt Vonnegut; Hamza al-Khateeb
Robert Siegel and Michele Norris read letters from listeners.
Honoring — And Poking Fun At — Book Trailers
Thursday night, the best and worst in book trailers will be honored in the second annual Moby Awards. Trailers are a regular feature of book marketing these days. And the Moby Awards are a send-up of this relatively new literary phenomenon. Robert Siegel talks with Dennis Johnson, publisher of Melville House publishing and creator of the Moby Awards.