Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Xcel neighbors buoyed by convention news
  Some local businesses in the shadow of the Xcel Energy Center's are seeing dollar signs in their futures.7:20 a.m.
• Convention planner shares lessons from '88
  Georgia Democratic Party Chairman Bobby Kahn spoke with Cathy Wurzer about his experiences organizing the 1988 Democratic convention in Atlanta.7:23 a.m.
• Poll shows slight shift in gay marriage opinions
  A new Minnesota Public Radio/St. Paul Pioneer Press poll shows a majority of Minnesotans are still opposed to legalizing gay marriage, but the opposition appears to be softening.7:46 a.m.
• Wisconsin marriage vote splits state
  Polls indicate the fate of Wisconsin's proposed ban on same-sex marriage rests upon voters' interpretation of the bill. MPR's Cathy Wurzer discussed the issue with JR Ross, editor of the political news service WisPolitics.7:48 a.m.
• Ballot question would set aside money for roads and transit
  Minnesota voters will be asked whether the state Constitution should be amended to require that all of the sales taxes collected on motor vehicles be spent on roads, bridges and transit.7:53 a.m.
• Arts critic turns eye on own profession
  The fall arts season brings a flurry of arts reviews. MPR's Cathy Wurzer talked with Morning Edition arts commentator Dominic Papatola about the role critics play in art patrons' decisions.8:24 a.m.
• Harvest looks healthy despite summer drought
  Minnesota farmers are reaping an average harvest despite a scorching summer. MPR's Cathy Wurzer discussed this fall's harvest with Doug Holen of the University of Minnesota Extension Service.8:35 a.m.
• Gubernatorial candidates play it safe in debate
  Moderators pressed the group to offer specific proposals for future road funding, education reform and the environment. But Mike Hatch and Tim Pawlenty mostly demurred.8:51 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Coffee: A Little Really Does Go a Long Way
  For people who love coffee, it's more than just a drink. The morning cup is part ritual, part pick-me-up. But what most people don't know is that a small amount of caffeine can give many people the lift they want, without producing jitters.
• In the Hands Of A Master, The Ukulele Is No Toy
  Think the ukulele is just a cheap, plastic toy to be played under a palm tree? One listen to Jake Shimabukuro and you'll change your mind. The Hawaiian-born virtuoso visits NPR to show what the tiny instrument can do.
• U.S. Military Questions Iraqi Government's Resolve
  The U.S. military says it can't leave Iraq until there's a stronger government in place. But over the past few weeks, U.S. commanders have repeatedly expressed frustration with the Iraqi government. They say Iraq's government hasn't been able to provide essential services, weed out corruption or rein in brutal militias.
• U.S. Terrorism Strategy Troubles Muslim World
  Questions surround U.S. efforts to win the hearts and minds of the Muslim world after a National Intelligence Estimate reports that the war in Iraq appears to have become a rallying point for the global Jihadist movement.
• Florida Incumbent Shaw Faces Strong Challenge
  Clay Shaw has represented the Fort Lauderdale area in Congress since 1981. This year, he's facing stiff competition from Democratic challenger Ron Klein, who's trying to play up Shaw's ties to President Bush. Klein is also attacking Shaw's record on Medicare.
• Map Thief Sentenced in Federal Court
  E. Forbes Smiley is one of the nation's foremost experts on antique maps. He was given access to some of the rarest collections at Harvard, Yale, and Chicago's Newberry Library. But the scholar was also a thief. He was sentenced Wednesday for crimes that came to light when Smiley was stopped after leaving a Yale library with nearly $900,000 worth of rare maps.
• Rice to Sudan: Cooperation or Confrontation?
  Two years ago, the Bush administration first used the word genocide to describe the conflict in Darfur, Sudan. Now Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says Sudan has a final choice: cooperation or confrontation.
• Sluggish Parents and Their Full-Throttle Offspring
  It's a question that must pop into every parent's head sooner or later: Why has evolution given children so much energy -- and their parents so little? An evolutionary biologist at UC Irvine offers a pretty believable explanation.
• Dow Nears a Record
  The Dow Jones industrial average finished just shy of reaching an all-time high Wednesday. McDonald's and Altria were among the stocks leading the way forward.
• HP Executives Testify Before Congress About Spying
  Hewlett-Packard's Chief Executive Officer Mark Hurd and its former chairwoman, Patricia Dunn, are expected to testify before a Congressional subcommittee Thursday. The House Energy and Commerce subcommittee is investigating HP's spying on board members.

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