Five at 8 – 2/11/10: Dylan and Baez

1) Bootleg White House tapes. PBS has the broadcast rights, apparently, for the big civil rights music concert at the White House on Tuesday night. But some audio has made its way to the little people. Here’s Bob Dylan:

Here’s a question for you baby boomers. Back when it was 1968, did you imagine Bob Dylan and Joan Baez playing a gig at the White House?

Meanwhile, Dylan’s art show is opening in London. It consists of drawings he made between 1989 and 1993.

2) A coin-operated dog-washing machine is about to make its debut in Rochester.

3) NPR is launching an investigation series into confidential informants. They’re a vital crime fighting tool but what happens if those informants go astray?

4) Where is (Michele) Bachmann Country? Deep blue Democratic states, according to an analysis by Eric Ostermeier at the Smart Politics blog:

In what the Bachmann camp must find to be a delicious twist, a Smart Politics analysis finds that not only is the vast majority of such out of state money coming from the most Democratic states in the country, but that, even on a per capita basis, the nation’s bluest states are giving 33 percent more money to Bachmann’s campaign than the nation’s reddest states.

5) Why you don’t write off kids. Tiffany Moe of Detroit Lakes:

Four years ago, Moe was an angry, depressed 14-year-old. Bouncing between foster families and skipping class, she sought refuge in pain pills, cutting her arms, using pot and drinking heavily.

“I couldn’t get up without pills and go to sleep without pills,” she said.

She has a new outlook now, the West Central Tribune reports. She also has a new leg.

Bonus: How to cover a snowstorm:

TODAY’S QUESTION

In a tradition with roots going back to 1857, Minnesota’s governor delivers an annual speech on the state of the state. Gov. Tim Pawlenty delivers his final State of the State address today at the State Capitol. How would you describe the state of the state?

WHAT WE’RE DOING

Gov. Pawlenty gives his State of the State address at 10:30. You can watch it here.

Midmorning (9-11 a.m.) – First hour: The Iraq war transformed a group of idealistic Army Rangers, and journalist David Finkel has chronicled their story in a book that won critical acclaim last year.

Second hour: Liberal pastor Jim Wallis says the economic downturn is an opportunity to re-weave the moral fiber of the country. In his latest book he says he sees a fundamental shift in values.

Midday (11 a.m. – 1 p.m.) – Both hours: Live coverage of Gov. Pawlenty’s final “State of the State” address, followed by reaction from the GOP and DFL legislative leaders.

Talk of the Nation (1-3 p.m.) – First hour: The music of the civil

rights movement.

Second hour: Twelve new trends that will change the way you get news. Guest: Ken Doctor. He was a speaker at MPR’s Future of News conference a few months ago.

All Things Considered (3-6:30 p.m.) – MPR’s Tim Pugmire is covering Gov. Pawlenty’s State of the State address today.

Minnesota’s National Guard has always been good at recruiting soldiers and it’s been working hard to increase the diversity of the guard. This past summer for a period of time, the Guard had waiting lines for recruits and so they tightened the requirements, which can make it harder for minority applicants to succeed. Those requirements have now been relaxes, but how does a diverse Guard serve the country better? What is the guard doing to remain a relevant option for potential recruits? How do they ‘sell’ this experience during a time of war? How does the increased troop deployment in Afghanistan change people’s willingness to sign up? MPR’s Mark Zdechlik will have the story. It’s part of the MPR series, Red Bulls: Beyond Deployment.

NPR considers “A View From a Bridge.” It’s Arthur Miller’s American twist on Greek tragedy, and it’s being revived on stage. The story that premiered in 1955 now stars

Liev Schreiber, Scarlett Johansson, and has become a Broadway hit once again.