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

Billboard mystery partly revealed

Bob Collins February 9, 2010, 11:41 AM Feb 9, 2010

57

Local businesspeople responsible for “Miss me?” billboard in Wyoming.

Five at 8 – 2/9/10: Trying to make sense

Bob Collins February 9, 2010, 7:28 AM Feb 9, 2010

11

Faith in Haiti, suing because of neighbors who smoke, cyberbullying, killer karaoke, and why doesn’t political coverage make sense?

When a judge is gay

Bob Collins February 8, 2010, 8:23 PM Feb 8, 2010

11

Does it matter that the judge in the California case on whether the state’s ban on same-sex marriage is constitutional is gay?

Economy · Politics

Emotional barriers in U.S. history

Bob Collins February 8, 2010, 3:56 PM Feb 8, 2010

1

The Dow has closed below 10,000 for the first time in months. How does the first year of Obama stack up with his predecessors Wall Street-wise?

Third-hand smoke

Bob Collins February 8, 2010, 3:06 PM Feb 8, 2010

5

A researcher claims people who smoke in their homes create a health hazard on their carpet.

Murtha dies at 77

Bob Collins February 8, 2010, 1:57 PM Feb 8, 2010

2

The Pennsylvania congressman became a national name when an Ohio Republican suggested he was a ‘coward.’

Super Bowl as management tool

Bob Collins February 8, 2010, 1:09 PM Feb 8, 2010

Is there a real-world business lesson to be gleaned from the Saints’ decision to start the second half with an on-side kick?

Cue the baseball fever

Bob Collins February 8, 2010, 12:59 PM Feb 8, 2010

1

The first sign of baseball leaves Minnesota this week.

Surveys and trivia

The mystery billboard

Bob Collins February 8, 2010, 10:40 AM Feb 8, 2010

107

A billboard on I-35 in Wyoming, Minnesota is becoming an Internet sensation.

Five at 8 – 2/8/10: A kid on the streets

Bob Collins February 8, 2010, 7:17 AM Feb 8, 2010

2

Homeless teens in Minnesota, a history of PTSD, how Jay got on the couch with Dave, the cancer risk tease, and another Golden Snowball Challenge round.

On Bourbon St.

Bob Collins February 7, 2010, 6:37 PM Feb 7, 2010

1

Super Bowl Web cam from New Orleans. Almost as interesting as the Super Bowl commercials this year.

Tempest in a Tea Party

Bob Collins February 7, 2010, 9:06 AM Feb 7, 2010

Sarah Palin gave a speech to the Tea Party convention on Saturday and the day-after analysis is focusing on allegations she read notes written on her hand.

Weather Service wins latest Golden Snowball Challenge round

Bob Collins February 6, 2010, 7:17 PM Feb 6, 2010

7

Meanwhile, another round is nearly underway with a new storm approaching.

Five at 8 – 2/5/10: The drinking study

Bob Collins February 5, 2010, 7:09 AM Feb 5, 2010

3

How Minnesota stacks up boozewise, Super Bowl ads, Shackleton’s whiskey, Salinger’s secretary, and a failure of the common-sense gene.

Marines under the gun over PTSD

Bob Collins February 4, 2010, 5:24 PM Feb 4, 2010

A whistleblower criticizes the Marines’ treatment of soldiers with PTSD and gets blackballed for it.