November 20, 2003 - Oleg Timofeyev plays and discusses a Russian seven-string guitar with MPR’s Mindy Ratner. Timofeyev learned the instrument so he could play medieval music, never dreaming the he would ever perform 20th century Russian music. Later he discovered the work of Georgian-born composer Matvei Pavlov-Azancheev, who created a body of work for the Russian seven-string guitar while imprisoned in a Soviet labor camp during Stalin’s regime.
November 14, 2003 - The U.S. Department of State's Richard Boucher is in the Twin Cities speaking about Iraq, terrorism, and foreign policy. The State Department spokesman led a town hall meeting in St. Paul yesterday. He told the audience that the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq does not mean they won't be found eventually or that the original invasion decision was wrong. Several of Boucher's comments provoked some heckling from the audience. I spoke with Boucher this afternoon about the U-S approach to Iraq. He said the Bush administration is accelerating the process of turning authority over to a new Iraqi government.
October 31, 2003 - Charlie Weaver, Governor Pawlenty's chief of staff, is stepping down to become the head of the Minnesota Business Partnership, an association of chief executives from Minnesota's 100 largest companies. Weaver says the opportunity was one he couldn't pass up.
October 31, 2003 - Cellist Matt Haimovitz talks with MPR’s John Birge on performing classical music in alternative venues. Haimovitz, known for being well-versed in Bach, has recently been focused on contemporary work. He is performing a Halloween concert at the 400 Bar in Minneapolis.
October 30, 2003 -
October 27, 2003 - The traveling exhibit that debuted over the weekend at the Science Museum of Minnesota isn't for the squeamish. CSI: Crime Scene Insects explores the world of forensic entomology, or the use of insect evidence to help solve crimes. The exhibit takes visitors through the history of forensic entomology, which dates back to 13th century China. It features two mock crime scenes where visitors can collect evidence to demonstrate how criminal investigators use insects to uncover critical details of a crime. Forensic entomologist M. Lee Goff is the exhibit's curator. He's a professor of forensic sciences at Chaminade University in Honolulu, and he also serves as a consultant for the television series "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation." Goff says that insects are nature's ultimate eyewitnesses.
October 21, 2003 - It's called fly-over land. The patchwork view you get when you fly over the middle of the country is responsible for much of middle America's distinguishing characteristic -- mile after mile of squares, land framed by straight roads intersected by towns. It's land intimately described by author Andro Linklater in his book, "Measuring America: How an Untamed Wilderness Shaped the United States and Fulfilled the Promise of Democracy." Linklater's book is a detailed history of America through the lens of the biggest land surveys ever, a survey of land from Ohio to the Pacific Ocean, from Canada to the Mexican border. Linklatter argues that by measuring, surveying and parceling the frontier, Americans in the 18th and 19th century shaped America physically, culturally and emotionally.
October 2, 2003 - MPR’s Dave Molpus interviews Betty McCollum, member of the U.S. House representing Minnesota's 4th Congressional District, about legislation in Congress to normalize trade with Laos. The U.S. suspended trade relations because of political and religious suppression by the Lao government dating to the mid-1970s.
September 30, 2003 - The Minnesota Twins used strong pitching and good fielding to take the first game of their playoff series with the New York Yankees. The Twins' 3-1 victory in New York was their first victory over the Yankees in more than two years, and it got them off to a good start in their best-of-five first round series. MPR's William Wilcoxen joins All Things Considered host David Molpus to share details.
September 29, 2003 - All Things Considered’s David Molpus talks with MPR’s Laura McCallum, who is traveling with Governor Tim Pawlenty delegation on a trade mission in Canada. Pawlenty is trying to push Minnesota to pursue research partnerships and business opportunities with Quebec. The governor met with Montreal Premier Jean Charest.