http://mcaputo.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Michael Caputo en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:49:09 GMT 2009-12-29T20:49:09Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977875806 Dale Petrie always thought his card company wouldn't mess with his terms or interest rate as long as he paid his bill on time. "I thought it would be based on behavior," said the 38-year-old St. Paul . . . Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:42:44 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977875806 Michael Caputo 2009-10-29T13:42:44Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977791699 We told you last week about the .3 percent decrease in Minnesota’s unemployment numbers. That's the good news. But check this out: The number of job vacancies decreased by 40 percent from the . . . Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:54:25 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977791699 Michael Caputo 2009-08-28T20:54:25Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977790185 States set their own unemployment benefit rate, and Minnesota's has been among the most generous. The maximum weekly benefit you can get in the Gopher State is $566. That's fifth in the nation, . . . Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:10:40 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977790185 Michael Caputo 2009-08-27T18:10:40Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977789182 Public Insight Editor Andrew Haeg has a new post that explores unemployment for older workers. Unemployment has afflicted younger workers more than any other cohort. If you leave . . . Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:19:32 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977789182 Michael Caputo 2009-08-26T22:19:32Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977788618 Much remains unknown about the performance of the so-called American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, commonly referred to as the federal stimulus effort. So when Rep. Betty McCollum held a hearing . . . Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:41:28 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977788618 Michael Caputo 2009-08-26T14:41:28Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977787701 Numbers this month show that the U.S. economy is more productive. But what’s the toll of that productivity? Stephanie Massey of Mound has some idea. Her husband, who works for a large financial . . . Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:13:53 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977787701 Michael Caputo 2009-08-25T20:13:53Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977787186 Public Insight Editor Andrew Haeg files a post on the trip that has been this summer vacation season.     Just like everyone, we here at MinnEcon are loathe to admit that . . . Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:29:33 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977787186 Michael Caputo 2009-08-25T13:29:33Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977786008 How could the direction of health care reform affect the pay and satisfaction of physicians and other clinicians, like nurse practitioners, in Minnesota? Well, if the current proposal stands, and . . . Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:06:45 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977786008 Michael Caputo 2009-08-24T18:06:45Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977783299 Public Insight Editor Andrew Haeg posts on a story missed as the media focused on Favre.     Minnesota was visited by two ineluctable forces on Wednesday: tornadoes and Favre . . . Fri, 21 Aug 2009 22:28:45 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977783299 Michael Caputo 2009-08-21T22:28:45Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977781932 Public Insight Editor Andrew Haeg posts on the new jobless numbers and how one man is navigating his unemployment.     The news on the state’s unemployment front today was . . . Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:12:07 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977781932 Michael Caputo 2009-08-20T22:12:07Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977781373 In just nine months, Amanda Halbersma, a Public Insight Network source, went from buying a foreclosed home to worrying about the possibility of foreclosure with that very same house. Several years . . . Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:59:06 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977781373 Michael Caputo 2009-08-20T15:59:06Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977779852 A post from MPR Public Insight Editor Andrew Haeg on the consequences of easy credit. On Thursday, Congress will enact new legislation that protects consumers from a range of common lending . . . Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:43:28 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977779852 Michael Caputo 2009-08-19T15:43:28Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977778266 Public Insight Analyst Paul Tosto may be away for a few weeks, but he's still on the job. He posted on layoffs at a Fridley military contractor. Layoffs became official Monday at the BAE Systems . . . Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:57:10 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977778266 Michael Caputo 2009-08-18T13:57:10Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977777498 While MPR's Paul Tosto is away, colleague Andrew Haeg and myself will fill in. Andrew's latest post looks at the health care handcuffs. One aspect of the health care debate that’s gotten . . . Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:51:24 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977777498 Michael Caputo 2009-08-17T21:51:24Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977777180 When economic times are good, people tend to function on auto-pilot. Who needs deep introspection when salaries are rising and profits are rolling in? But hard economic times can force people to re-engage, . . . Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:45:28 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977777180 Michael Caputo 2009-08-17T17:45:28Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977701400 A Harvard led-study released today linked high medical costs to about two-thirds of those filing for bankruptcy . ( Read the full study here ) MPR's Lorna Benson reports that this . . . Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:22:22 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977701400 Michael Caputo 2009-06-04T15:22:22Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977689367 Realtors in the Public Insight Network say selling houses under $200,000 is a snap. Laura Fulayter, a Realtor from Minneapolis, said she sees multiple offers on homes in the first-time buyers’ . . . Fri, 22 May 2009 19:52:25 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977689367 Michael Caputo 2009-05-22T19:52:25Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977687418 North Memorial Health Care in Robbinsdale announced that it will either cut the hours or the positions of 170 people. The news comes a few weeks after Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) and Park . . . Wed, 20 May 2009 15:41:12 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977687418 Michael Caputo 2009-05-20T15:41:12Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977685719 A few weeks ago, Karin Patrick, a source in our Public Insight Network, warned that people who don’t apply for unemployment benefits when their hours are cut stand to lose when they are laid off. . . . Mon, 18 May 2009 18:03:49 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977685719 Michael Caputo 2009-05-18T18:03:49Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977645548 The unemployment rate in Minnesota has topped 8 percent. But it's twice that percentage for people who have disabilities. Minnesota Public Radio reporter Nikki Tundel gives a very human look at . . . Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:45:10 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977645548 Michael Caputo 2009-04-03T15:45:10Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977639189 Just five months ago, Greta Gramig moved to the north side of Fargo for a job as a professor in plant science. She's about a mile east of North Dakota State university and three blocks west of the . . . Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:14:29 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977639189 Michael Caputo 2009-03-27T20:14:29Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977639080 Noreen Thomas knows how to cope with flooding. She has lived for 18 years near the Red River, about 10 miles north of the Fargo-Moorhead area, and she told Minnesota Public Radio News that this is her . . . Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:43:49 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977639080 Michael Caputo 2009-03-27T18:43:49Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977622054 Okay, money doesn't buy happiness. And accumulating stuff shouldn't make us whole. But there are some possessions that have value greater than the pricetag. And yet, in a recession, when the . . . Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:48:27 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977622054 Michael Caputo 2009-03-12T17:48:27Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977607753 As if paying for college was not rough enough... now that plastic in your pocket is getting into the act. Philip Novak of Minneapolis thought it made sense to put about $8,000 on his credit card. The . . . Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:06:19 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977607753 Michael Caputo 2009-02-26T18:06:19Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977601136 Erin Lund doesn't feel that bad about paying medical bills late. The nurse from Duluth said she can't muster up the guilt when insurance costs are rising. So those health care bills go to the . . . Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:18:18 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977601136 Michael Caputo 2009-02-20T20:18:18Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977490858 It's not much of a surprise that when it comes to health reporting, cancer remains at the top of the agenda. When 2008 ends, more than 1.4 million people in the U.S. are expected to be . . . Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:29:14 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977490858 Michael Caputo 2008-10-28T15:29:14Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977487553 Most college graduates walk out not only with the sheepskin but with loans to pay for that education. But how has that changed as the economy has tanked and jobs are getting scarcer? We at Minnesota . . . Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:46:10 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977487553 Michael Caputo 2008-10-24T15:46:10Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977479777 You know that ol' marriage of employer and employee around health care? Well, it's showing signs of tension. That relationship has gotten complicated as the economy has tanked. And that union's . . . Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:04:51 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977479777 Michael Caputo 2008-10-16T21:04:51Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977446078 What happens when you ask Minnesotans to weigh in on an issue like the reopening of the I-35W Bridge? You get some pretty good stories.   For a few years now, Minnesota Public Radio news has . . . Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:15:39 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977446078 Michael Caputo 2008-09-11T14:15:39Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977424969 A colleague of mine said the other day that she tells her significant other to slow down when he's driving. The reason: To avoid an expensive speeding ticket. Now sure, from time to time we are . . . Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:54:03 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977424969 Michael Caputo 2008-08-19T14:54:03Z