All Things Considered for November 23, 2010 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

Wind power surplus blamed for spike in rural electricity costs
The cost of electricity is up sharply for many rural Minnesota customers, partly because many utilities are losing money on electricity generated from wind.3:50 p.m.
Raising awareness about food assistance
To raise awareness about the issue of food insecurity, this week a Minneapolis man is living on the amount of money an individual receives in what used to be known as food stamps.3:54 p.m.
Your guide to a local-food Thanksgiving
A list of co-ops, local farms and grocers where you can find local ingredients for your Thanksgiving meal.4:45 p.m.
What air travelers can expect at MSP over the holiday
We're heading into the peak travel season in the US with unprecedented security measures at scores of airports around the nation -- including the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.4:49 p.m.
Organ 'chain' donors, recipients meet for first time
Five kidney donors and their five organ recipients gathered at a Minneapolis hospital Tuesday for their first face-to-face meeting, four months after participating in a unique chain of transplant surgeries known as a paired donor exchange.4:54 p.m.
Board orders recount, chills further legal action
"I don't want you guys coming and challenging this in court. I want to do it right," Justice Paul Anderson told attorneys for Democrat Mark Dayton and Republican Tom Emmer. The recount is scheduled to begin Monday and finish by mid-December.5:20 p.m.
Explainer: Could Emmer's possible 'overvote' claim swing the election?
Republican Tom Emmer suggested Tuesday that there could be an overvote big enough to change the results in the governor's race. An overvote happens when there are more votes than the total number of voters.5:24 p.m.
Wind power surplus blamed for spike in rural electricity costs
The cost of electricity is up sharply for many rural Minnesota customers, partly because many utilities are losing money on electricity generated from wind.5:50 p.m.
Raising awareness about food assistance
To raise awareness about the issue of food insecurity, this week a Minneapolis man is living on the amount of money an individual receives in what used to be known as food stamps.5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

Civil Rights, Judicial Bias Surround Texas Drug Case
A Texas state judge refused to back away from a drug case even after the local prosecutor and the state attorney general's office agreed to drop charges. Almost three years later, a now-fired high school basketball coach and his brother have watched their lives fall apart.
Pyongyang Fires On South Korean Island
In a major escalation of tensions, North Korea fired dozens of artillery shells at a South Korean island, killing at least two and sending residents to bomb shelters. The hostile action came shortly after North Korea unveiled a secret new nuclear facility. But it remained unclear why the North fired.
Insight Into The Ongoing Korean Conflict
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks to Evans Revere, senior director of the Albright Stonebridge Group, about the ongoing conflict between North and South Korea. Revere is a former State Department analyst on North Korea, and former president of the Korea Society.
Tuning In To The Brain's 'Cocktail Party Effect'
Scientists are beginning to understand how the human brain accomplishes a remarkable trick. It's known as the cocktail party effect, and it's the ability to focus on the voice of one person in a room full of people who are just as loud.
Promise Of Jobs Lures Many To For-Profit Schools
Many for-profit colleges and universities sell their services based on a near-promise: Our degrees will get you a job. But there is no reliable way of measuring success rates when it comes to employment. That doesn't stop students from piling up huge debt in the hopes of getting a dream job.
Book Review: 'All Is Forgotten, Nothing Is Lost'
A career as a poet is rarely embarked upon, and never lightly. Now Lan Samantha Chang, director of the prestigious Iowa Writers' Workshop, has published a novel focused the lives of poets.
Letters: Less Play On Snow Days
Listeners react to our story about an Ohio school district that will be the first in that state to try "e-days" -- where students will go online for lessons when school is closed because of inclement weather. NPR's Melissa Block and Mary Louise Kelly read from listeners' e-mails.
'Ancient' Apple 1 Sells For $213,000
In 1976, it was the only personal computer to come with a fully assembled motherboard. Only about 50 of the 200 that were built are known to still exist.
A Violinist's Tribute To A Nobel Laureate
NPR's Melissa Block talks to violinist Lynn Chang, who will be playing at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony on Dec. 10, honoring Chinese writer and human rights activist Liu Xiaobo. Chang also teaches at the Boston Conservatory. The Chinese government will not allow Xiaobo to attend the ceremony, and Chang -- who still has family in China -- says he had to have a day to consider the possible personal and professional repercussions if he accepted the invitation to play at the ceremony. He also says Xiaobo's absence there dictated his choice of music.
Pill Cuts HIV Infection Risk Significantly, For A Price
A large study shows that men who took the pill Truvada nearly every day cut their risk of HIV infection by 73 percent. But those who took their pills half the time just cut their risk by 50 percent.