Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Minnesota Vikings head into off-season
  The Minnesota Vikings' season has ended. The team's slim shot at getting into the playoffs ended Sunday afternoon when the Washington Redskins beat the Dallas Cowboys. Moments later, Vikings quarterback Tavaris Jackson fumbled in overtime, leading to a 22-19 loss to the Denver Broncos.7:20 a.m.
• The Sober Guy brings drunk drivers home
  Two young entrepreneurs in Fargo have started a new business to help drunk drivers get home safely. The business, called Sober Guy, is generating interest around the country.7:25 a.m.
• Monday Markets
  Minnesota Public Radio Chief Economics Correspondent Chris Farrell discusses the latest economic news.7:50 a.m.
• Kids knit to make amends
  Two dozen teenagers at the Hennepin County Home School are knitting caps and scarves to donate to children who need them.7:55 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• France Set to Ban Smoking in Social Outlets
  Starting New Year's Day, France bans smoking in bars, restaurants, nightclubs and cafes. It's a move with widespread public support, though some worry that a way of life may be lost, especially in small villages far from Paris where the cafe is often the only place for social interaction.
• Interstate 10: Southerners Discuss Political Issues
  Voters who live and work along Interstate 10, a transcontinental highway, share thoughts about the economy, security, health care, and immigration ahead of the presidential election. Interstate 10 runs across the southern U.S., from California to Florida.
• The 2007 Economy in Review
  2007 was a year when oil prices soared, home sales plunged and the U.S. dollar took a dive. But it was also a year when the U.S. economy performed well — at least until the last quarter — and the stock markets' major indexes are set to finish the year higher.
• New Year's Eve Ball Goes Green
  The brightly lit crystal ball that descends in New York's Times Square in the moments before the New Year goes green just in time for its 100th anniversary. The famous New Year's Eve ball will have its lights replaced with more than 9,000 energy efficient bulbs.
• Eartha Kitt Still Sizzling
  Entertainment legend Eartha Kitt's career follows a challenging childhood that included picking cotton in her native South Carolina and joining the Katherine Dunham Dance Troupe. At 80 she still enjoys performing and goes to the gym regularly, but beyond that she's a homebody.
• McCain Depending on New Hampshire
  Presidential hopeful John McCain canvasses New Hampshire while rivals battle in Iowa. McCain, a Republican senator from Arizona, is drawing crowds in New Hampshire, which votes Jan. 8. The Granite State made him a contender in 2000, and he needs New Hampshire to keep his recent surge alive.
• Voting Season Nears Without Frontrunner
  All eyes are on Iowa. On Jan. 3, caucus goers open the 2008 presidential voting season. Polls indicate the Democratic and Republican races are too close to call.
• iPhone Cited as Year's Best Innovation
  Tech guru Mario Armstrong claims the iPhone as the year's best technology innovation. The iPhone's touch-screen technology, visual voicemail, and integration of the digital camera, iTune software brought new energy to the design of cell phones.
• Lost, Stolen Personal Data Quadruples
  The loss or theft of Social Security numbers, credit card numbers and other personal data reaches new levels in 2007, according to the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center. It says 79 million personal records were compromised in 2007 — nearly four times the number of cases for 2006.
• Taliban, Opium in Afghanistan Difficult to Contain
  William Wood, U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, evaluates U.S. operations in Afghanistan, increasing public support for the Taliban, and poppy eradication. His assessment comes after the discovery of stocks of opium worth $500 million.
• Protesters Dispute Kibaki Victory in Kenya Election
  Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki takes the oath of office for a second term amid protests. Kibaki claims a dramatic, come-from-behind victory over challenger Raila Odinga in the tightest presidential race in Kenya's history. Fewer than 300,000 votes separated the two candidates.
• Pakistan to Decide Whether to Delay Election
  The chaos following the assassination of Pakistan's opposition leader Benazir Bhutto may mean the parliamentary elections she planned to contest will be postponed. Government officials are due to decide Tuesday whether to go ahead with the vote now scheduled for next week.
• Caterer Wants Trash Turned Into Art
  Ari Derfel, a Berkeley caterer, saved every piece of garbage he generated in 2007. It was a way to show how much garbage he creates — as it turns out: a whopping 96 cubic feet. Now he'd like to see a sculptor turn his trash into art.
• AOL to End Netscape's Security Updates
  AOL will no longer release security and other updates for the Internet browser Netscape Navigator as of Feb. 1, effectively ending support. Netscape Navigator helped popularize the Web, but as surfers switched to Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Netscape's market share dwindled.
• Rock Snot Hitches Ride on Fishing Gear
  For at least a decade, nasty carpets of an invasive algae species have been fouling up pristine fishing streams in the western United States. But this year, the giant, gooey wads appeared on the East Coast, and traveling fishermen are the culprits.

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