Hot in Minnesota

Dang Global Warming!

This weekend is my cousin Josh's wedding in Ohio. We're driving (starting early Friday morning) and I figured since I'll be driving through 5 states to get there, and there are 5 days of the week till I get there - I could share some useless information about each state with y'all to make you feel smarter. I know that most of this information will be stuff you could find on Wikipedia or google somewhere, but I could also get a hell of a good look at a T-Bone steak by sticking my head up a bull's ass, but I'd rather take the butcher's word for it. Shut up Richard.

Today's first state is my state of Minnesota. 12th largest state, and 32nd state admitted to the Union. Capital is St. Paul, the Largest City being Minneapolis (which also gets the shout in Escapade by Janet Jackson). It is the "land of 10,000 lakes" but the name "Minnesota" actually comes from the Dakota Name for the Minnesota River, mnisota (or Mni) meaning "water". The Greek word for "city" is polis so combine the two and you get Minneapolis. Cool huh? Another interesting fact is with all of the lakes and rivers, Minnesota has more shoreline than California, Florida, and Hawaii combined..... how many actually knew that? There are actually 11,842 lakes that are over 10 acres in size. There are also 6,564 natural rivers and streams that make up over 69,000 miles - including the origins of the mighty Mississippi that begins at Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota.

The first European visitors to Minnesota were the Swedish and the Norwegian Vikings in the 14th century. There is still an abundance of Norwegian and Swedish people living in the area. Not all of Minnesota came to the Modern US through the Louisiana Purchase, St. Paul area and northeast of there was granted to the US by the Treaty of Paris at the end of the American Revolution. Minnesota was the first to contribute troops to the Union effort of the American Civil War with about 22,000 Minnesotans serving.

Other Useless facts:

• In 1882, the first developments of hydroelectric power in the US began with the building of a hydroelectric power plant at St. Anthony Falls.
• Rochester is the 3rd largest city in Minnesota (as of 2000 census). Minnesota is 88.1% White (non-Hispanic), 25% Roman Catholic, and 45% Protestant.
• There is no tax on clothing in Minnesota.
• Popular Minnesota entertainers include Bob Dylan (born in Hibbing, MN), Soul Asylum, and of course Prince.
• Ice fishing and hunting are very popular creating one of the heavier concern for environmentalism in the US.
• Minnesota is currently ranked 6th for states in Education as one of the "Smartest States"
• In 2004, 77.2% of eligible Minnesotans voted in the US Presidential Election... the most of any US State.
• Minnesota has voted for a democratic president ever since 1976 including being most of the only electoral votes cast for Minnesotan Native Walter Mondale when he was defeated by Reagan in 1984.
• Minnesota ushered in the era of voting for popular TV figures for governor by electing Jesse Ventura in 1998.
• The Twins are currently 1 game back in the Wild Card race after a disappointing weekend at the Metrodome.

State Bird - Common Loon
State Butterfly - Monarch
State Beverage - Milk (how is it NOT beer?)
State Fish - Walleye (shocker!)
State flower - Pink and White Showy Lady Slipper..... what the?!?!?
State Tree - Norway Pine
State Muffin - Blueberry

My drive begins in Rochester and takes me south on Hwy 63 to get to Iowa.... more on that tomorrow.

Song of the Day - Gotta listen to some Prince today with all of this Minnesota talk. Or for the non-pop fans, you could try some Garrison Keillor (no, not Mr. Garrison).

Movie of the Day - The movie Fargowas filmed here even though Fargo is technically in North Dakota. Grumpy Old Men and Grumpier Old Men were both filmed here. "I've been to Hawaii".....

Webpage of the Day - Will the Vikings play better without Dante and Tice? Most people around here seem to think so.... only time will tell.

TGIF - again

IBM's Uncle Sam comes to town next Monday.... so this weekend here in Rochester will be spent painting hallways that have been declared safe for him to walk down, they will dust off the plastic plants in the lobby (it's done once a year), and they will give an extra vacation day to any employees that they feel might have an "issue" or two with the CEO. Sam Palmisano makes a trip to Rochester about once a year (or maybe every 15 months) to say hello and this weekend comes in honor of Rochester IBM's 50th Anniversary celebration. It's good for morale to see the head honcho at an event such as this. Our 2nd in command for my division is also coming to town for the event. I still think it's funny how parts of IBM Rochester are physically falling apart (hope it doesn't rain a lot as the lower hallways always have some fun puddles during heavy rain season) but they focus all of the manual labor efforts on the hallways they have marked as his path. His trip is very choreographed while in Rochester and it's actually amusing to watch all of the managers huddle around him making him very unapproachable by the lower tier (such as myself)....

I still plan on running this company someday... but I hope to eliminate the political hoopla that happens when he comes to town. It's the same thing when the President comes to town - roads are blocked, traffic at the airport is delayed. The price of stardom I guess.

Miami Vice opens this weekend. I remember the original TV series, but other than it having Don Johnson, I can't tell you anything about it. I didn't watch a lot of "dramas" in the 80s.... just comedies and whatever cartoons I could find.

Baseball talk (mom and dad - you can skip to next chunk): Twins swept the White Sox and erased a 9.5 game deficit in jus t13 days. That's incredible! Now they set their sights on the Detroit Tigers (another sweep this weekend puts them only 5 games back. And Harold Reynolds was fired from ESPN's Baseball Tonight.... supposedly for "sexual harassment" which he denies but isn't fighting to keep his job. It'll be interesting as he was probably the main reason to watch Baseball Tonight (unless Gammons was on). I defend ESPN on their right to a "zero tolerance" for sexual harassment - good for them... but Reynolds is a key analyst in the world of baseball.

It'll be hot hot hot this weekend in most of the Mid-West...... 95+ today and the next 3 days here in Rochester. Winter is coming soon (I hope).

Song of the Day - Buster Poindexter wins today with the classic 80s song Hot Hot Hot that is on every 80s compilation CD that I own I think.

Video of the Day - There is a new Bunnies re-enactment (in 30 seconds). Office Space and it's one of my new favorites.

Webpage of the Day - The 10 least important Star Wars Action Figures..... we still have 3 of them in our collection. You try playing Star Wars as a kid and instead of R2-D2, you have to use an R5-D4.... it sucks. I'm scarred for life now!!

Messed Up Verdict

Somebody please explain our messed up legal system in this country. Andrea Yates has admitted to drowning her 5 children - yet yesterday was found NOT GUILTY (WHAT THE !?!?!?) by reason of insanity. What happened to being held accountable for your actions in life? So now she goes to a state mental hospital and after treatment, would be eligible for release. I agree that she is insane - to kill your 5 children one-by-one in a bathtub, you have to be insane to do that. But treatment should not be an option. I have 9 speeding tickets..... I think next time I get pulled over, I deserve some treatment rather than getting another ticket. How come treatment is not an option for me? Sorry, this really sets me off. I'm just thankful that someday she will have to answer to my Creator in Heaven and I would hate to have to explain that one to God. In this mentality, OJ should admit to the murders - but declare that he was insane at the time. Then we could finally close the book that the glove DID in fact fit.

I watched the reading of the verdict which had the camera focused on her. The AP article read "Yates stared wide-eyed in court Wednesday as the verdict was read. She then bowed her head and wept quietly". She never did such thing in the video that I saw. Her lawyers showed more emotion than she did. Inside, she probably realized that she has a chance to start over. Glad our judicial system allows for forgiveness over killing your 5 kids. I did read a comment that made me chuckle at it's irony.... it read: for any parent that has the fear of facing legal repercussions due to spanking your child - looks like killing them is a better option for avoiding jail time. Ironic but at the moment, it feels like it's true.

The State's Forensic Psychiatrist said Yates knew her actions were wrong and showed it in multiple ways: waiting until her husband left for work to kill them, covering the bodies with a sheet and calling 911 soon after the crime. How is that "insane"? Sorry, this whole thing pisses me off.

Anyway - I golfed fairly well last night. Still not what I'm capable of, but that is the joy of golf. I was doing well till I 4-putted one green (two different putts rimmed out), then my confidence was shot from there.

I also thought this article was nuts - the worlds' longest race is 3100 miles long, lasts for 2 months straight... and the runner/walkers never leave one city block in Queens. I can't even imagine how one trains for this. It's a form of meditation which I think is interesting to use such a rigorous physical exercise as a form of meditation but "to each his or her own".

Song of the Day - I have Jesus Christ Superstar on the brain today for some reason. Good music! Good movie too!

Video of the Day - IT'S PICO!!! In a Roscoe's commercial! Click on the TV to begin.

Hasselhoff Update of the Day - This guy just can't stay out of the news.... this time he's not allowed to board a plane for being trashed at Heathrow. Poor guy, his fame is getting to him.... DON'T HASSEL THE HOFF!!!!