October 20, 2003 - A Twin Cities speech by Al Franken, author of "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right". He spoke at an event sponsored by Ruminator Books in St. Paul.
December 4, 2003 - Harold Kushner, Rabbi Laureate of Temple Israel in the Boston suburb of Natick, Massachusetts, is probably best known for his 1981 international best seller, "When Bad Things Happen to Good People." But he's also written a number of other popular books, including "Living a Life that Matters," "Who Needs God," and "After the Darkest Hour the Sun will Shine Again: A Parent's Guide to Coping With the Loss of a Child." His latest book takes a somewhat different approach. It explains why the well known 23rd Psalm, "The Lord is My Shepherd," has proved so helpful to so many in times of distress. Rabbi Harold Kushner spoke last month at Wayzata Community Church at an event sponsered by Bookcase of Wayzata. He explained that he took a different approach to writing his latest book.
January 23, 2004 - A Twin Cities speech by Abigail Thernstrom, author of "No Excuses: Closing the Racial Gap in Learning". Thernstrom says this is the central civil rights issue of our time. She spoke Thursday at the Center of the American Experiment.
February 18, 2004 - A speech by William Ouchi, education researcher, professor of management at UCLA, and author of "Making Schools Work: A Revolutionary Plan to Get Your Children the Education They Need." He spoke recently at a Minnesota Meeting event in Minneapolis.
February 23, 2004 - Midday presents former President Jimmy Carter speaking at the annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum at St. Olaf College in Northfield. Carter gives the keynote address and says Americans aren't doing enough to help people in developing countries.
February 27, 2004 - A Great Conversations event focusing on the loss of life, loss of innocence, and the jarring blow to Americans' sense of security following the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Pauline Boss, University of Minnesota Family Social Science professor and author of "Ambiguous Loss: Learning to Live with Unresolved Grief," talks with Gail Sheehy, a cultural observer and best-selling journalist, and author of "Middletown, America: One Town's Passage from Trauma To Hope." The event was sponsored by the University of Minnesota's College of Continuing Education.
March 11, 2004 - Music is the subject when Minnesota author Bill Holm takes the stage at the College of St. Benedict. In books and essays like "Box Elder Bug Variations" and "Playing the Black Piano", Holm has often explored the places where language and music intersect. The Wednesday evening event is at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph.
March 11, 2004 - A literary view with Bill Holm. Music is the subject when Minnesota author Bill Holm takes the stage at the College of St. Benedict. In books and essays like "Box Elder Bug Variations" and "Playing the Black Piano", Holm has often explored the places where language and music intersect. The Wednesday evening event is at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph.
March 16, 2004 - Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced his stadium plans Monday afternoon. The governor's stadium advisory commission recommended the state build new ballparks for both the Minnesota Twins and the Vikings.
March 25, 2004 - Midday presents excerpts from debate on bill to amend the constitution to define marriage. On March 24th, the Minnesota State House voted on a proposal that would let voters decide if the Minnesota constitution should ban same-sex marriage. The vote was 88-44 in favor of proposal.