10/30/06 Grif.Net - Odds Facts about Minnesota

[Dr Bob Griffin]

[I grew up on the near north side of Minneapolis. Used to call it a
neighborhood; not it is a ghetto. But found there are some "Things You Need
to Know about Minnesota" if visiting or even talking to a Minnesota native
like me.]

Minnesota gets its name from the Sioux Indian word "Mah-nee-soo-tah,"
meaning "No, really, they eat fish soaked in lye."

The state song of Minnesota is "Someday the Vikings Will... Aw, never mind."

The Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, covers 9.5 million square
feet and has enough space to hold 185,000 idiot teenagers yapping away on
cell phones.

Cartoonist Charles M. Shultz was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was the
only artist to accurately depict the perfectly circular heads of Minnesota
natives.

The Hormel Company of Austin, Minnesota, produces 6 million cans of Spam a
year, even though no one actually eats it.

Water skis were invented in 1922 in Lake City, Minnesota, by Ralph
Samuelson. Sadly, he drowned shortly afterwards, as the motorboat hadn't
been invented yet.

Pelican Rapids is home to a 16-foot-tall concrete pelican, which subsists on
a diet of 4-foot-long concrete fish.

In 1973, Olivia, Minnesota, erected a 25-foot-tall fiberglass corn cob to
celebrate its rich, agricultural heritage. Then in 1974 it was eaten by a
50-foot statue of Babe the Blue Ox.

Frank C. Mars, founder of the Mars Candy Co. was born in Newport, Minnesota.
His 3 Musketeers candy bar originally contained three bars in one wrapper,
each filled with a different flavor nougat: chocolate, Spam, and lutefisk.

The first fully automatic pop-up toaster was invented in Minneapolis,
Minnesota, in 1926. Minnesota's stringent bread-control laws currently only
allow residents to own semi-automatic toasters.

Tonka Trucks continue to be manufactured in Minnetonka, Minnesota, despite
the thousands of GI Joe dolls killed by them annually in rollover accidents.
No airbags, no seat belts. These things are DEATHTRAPS, I tell ya!

Author Laura Ingalls Wilder was born in Walnut Creek, Minnesota, and was
famous for writing the Little House series of books, as well as inventing
the "Spam Diet" - which consists of looking at a plate of Spam until you
lose your appetite. Much like the "Lutefisk Diet."

The snowmobile was invented in Roseau, Minnesota, so as to allow families a
means of attending Independence Day picnics.

Minnesotans are almost indistinguishable from Wisconsinites. The only way to
tell them apart is to ask if they voted for Mondale in '84.

~~
Dr Bob, www.grif.net
1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given