January 24, 1998 - MPR’s Greta Cunningham interviews Minnesota musician Peter Ostroushko about his new album “Pilgrims on the Heart Road."
January 24, 1998 - The fate of Vikings coach Dennis Green remains uncertain this morning. Green has one year left in his contract--but Green may be planning to quit next week. Vikings president Roger Headrick says Green's chances of staying with the Vikings are "failing" and "declining." At a Super Bowl party yesterday Green says he has "no comment" on the situation. In other football news, Former Minnesota Vikings defensive end Carl Eller, safety Paul Krause and offensive tackle Ron Yary are among the 15 finalists for induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
January 25, 1998 - Heartache and the minefields of dating are explored in Laura Zigman's humorous new novel ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. The premise of the book comes from a true scientific theory--the Coolidge Effect. This theory is based on the premise that bulls will only mate with a cow once--then they're off to seek a new cow. Zigman stumbled upon the theory as she flipped through science journals while nursing her broken heart. She jokes, if you bring things back to the animal kingdom--dating behavior makes sense. Zigman says her main character--Jane Goodall--is autobiographical.
January 25, 1998 - We've all seen sex and violence in recent films...but religion is a topic most filmmakers shy away from. Director Martin Scorsese may be the exception to this rule. In "The Last Temptation of Christ" Scorsese made a controversial film about Jesus and His Apostles. In his latest release--KUNDUN--Scorsese examines the life of the 14th Dalai Lama. Weekend Edition Film Critic Debra Alexander is here to discuss KUNDUN.
January 28, 1998 - MPR’s Bob Potter talks with Robert Lavenda, anthropologist at Saint Cloud State University and an expert on town festivals in Minnesota, about the origins of the carnival legend.
January 29, 1998 - MPR's Mary Stucky reports on folks at the Science Museum of Minnesota hoping to broaden public understanding of what Mozart called the "king of instruments." They'll do this through a special organ festival of concerts, exhibits, and tours sponsored in part by Minnesota Public Radio.
January 30, 1998 - All Things Considered’s Chris Roberts reports on high school students participating in the annual Music Listening Contest. Whiz kids from all over the state gathered at Augsburg College in Minneapolis for the state finals. Roberts looks at how they prepared, what they've learned, and the rigors of the contest itself.
January 30, 1998 - MPR’s Lorna Benson walks around Rice Park with historian Paul Larson, who speaks about how the Winter Carnival is all about fortitude and making the best of what mother nature hurls our way.
February 4, 1998 - Yet another Twins stadium package has emerged at the Capitol. Senator Roy Terwilliger introduced a bill, yesterday, that would fund a 270 million dollar outdoor stadium. The private sector would have to raise a third of the money, the rest of the money would come from the taxes raised by player's salaries. In addition Twins owner Carl Pohlad would turn over the team to a charitable foundation which would sell stock to the public. Lobbyist and former State Senator Kevin Chandler has been following the activity at the Legislature this Session. He says this bill will have a tough road to hoe.
February 4, 1998 - Tracy Moos is the owner of an unusual property that's for sale in Saint Paul. She had a hard time finding a buyer for her work-of-art, a shoe-covered home...but now has two bidders lined up. HOWEVER, she is still holding out for her dream....someone to turn the place into a museum. She bought the house after her husband, Malcolm Moos, the former University of Minnesota president, died. Moos gave me a tour and told me how the building came to be part of an "Outside Art" exhibit in 1996.