MPR News Reflections and observations on the news

By Bob Collins

bcollins@mpr.org • @newscut

Bob Collins retired from Minnesota Public Radio in 2019 after 12 years of writing NewsCut and pointing out to complainants that posts weren’t news stories. A son of Massachusetts, he was a news editor 1992-1998, created the MPR News regional website in 1999, invented the popular Select A Candidate, started several blogs, and every day lamented that his Minnesota Fantasy Legislature project never caught on.

Surveys and trivia

Why kids cheat

Bob Collins November 30, 2008, 6:06 PM Nov 30, 2008

2

A survey says 64 percent of students have cheated on a test and 30 percent have stolen from a store in the last year.

Left hand: Meet right hand

Bob Collins November 30, 2008, 11:51 AM Nov 30, 2008

1

Many of the business practices members of Congress criticize are the ones they encouraged in the first place.

The hardest working person in the news business

Bob Collins November 30, 2008, 9:58 AM Nov 30, 2008

16

It’s not who you think.

Guns in Mumbai

Bob Collins November 30, 2008, 8:30 AM Nov 30, 2008

1

A prominent Indian blogger has brought his handgun out of hiding.

How Mumbai changed the media landscape… again

Bob Collins November 29, 2008, 9:30 AM Nov 29, 2008

1

Has Twitter made mainstream journalism irrelevant? No.

The face of the Mumbai attacks

Bob Collins November 28, 2008, 10:16 PM Nov 28, 2008

The story behind the picture that raced around the world.

Whatever happened to Stephon Marbury?

Bob Collins November 28, 2008, 4:32 PM Nov 28, 2008

A warmer climate and better pizza couldn’t save the ex-Timberwolf from himself.

Poverty: It’s not just for the cities anymore

Bob Collins November 28, 2008, 2:06 PM Nov 28, 2008

A new report says poverty can now be found among a more diverse set of communities.

You are the editor

Bob Collins November 28, 2008, 9:07 AM Nov 28, 2008

16

The Mumbai story lacks the ‘elusive Minnesota connection.’ Maybe that’s why it’s getting second-rate attention.

Latest Mumbai coverage

Bob Collins November 27, 2008, 7:59 PM Nov 27, 2008

1

Two social networking sites offer an on-the-ground picture.

Happy Thanksgiving

Bob Collins November 27, 2008, 8:36 AM Nov 27, 2008

1

Enjoy the day.

Mumbai attacks

Bob Collins November 26, 2008, 3:05 PM Nov 26, 2008

4

British and U.S. nationals are being targeted.

The laser threat

Bob Collins November 26, 2008, 2:46 PM Nov 26, 2008

3

If laser pointers are a threat to planeloads of people, why hasn’t someone tried to ban them?

Farewell, Woolworth’s

Bob Collins November 26, 2008, 1:46 PM Nov 26, 2008

7

Who even knew there still was a Woolworth’s?

Obama’s news conference

Bob Collins November 26, 2008, 9:46 AM Nov 26, 2008

The president-elect tackles the question of whether you can have ‘change’ with familiar faces.