Minnesota

The Land of 10,000 lakes. The Gopher State. The Siberia of the United States. A cold state of the Upper Midwest/Great Lakes region bounded by Wisconsin, Iowa and the Dakotas. Its location in the Upper Midwest makes it similar to Wisconsin and, unfortunately, Michigan. Minnesota is frequently considered one of the best, most progressive states in the country. Its 5 million residents (21st in population) are blessed with a good economy, good education and some of the country’s best schools, high literacy, and good healthcare with generally healthy people (Rochester is home to the Mayo Clinic), but embraces liberal politics it considers “progressive.” As a result, it is the most tax burdened state in the country--Minnesota never met a tax it didn't like. The capital is Saint Paul and the largest city is its twin, Minneapolis (370,000), to the west. The Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro Area has about 3-million people and is 60% of the state’s population. Minneapolis is a college town and home to the University of Minnesota. The Mall of America is located in nearby Bloomington. Other population centers include include Duluth and Rochester Minnesota is much like its regional states and notorious for its long and brutal winters, numerous lakes and plenty of opportunities to get out an enjoy nature. Many Minnesotans like to do ice sculptures, sled, ski, ice fishing, and go snowmobiling during the long winter. Many “downstate” Minnesotans in the Twin Cities region have vacations homes in the north that they frequent in the summer. Its 5 million residents are descendants of Nordic Europeans with funny, northern accents that resemble a dialect heard in Michigan, Wisconsin and Canada. Minnesotans are conservative by nature, but politically liberal. It is a major “blue” state and frequently supports Democrats in national elections. The stereotypical Minneosta demeanor is called “Minnesota nice” to connote a sort of smiling stubbornness, forced politeness, false humility or passive hostility, but not necessarily haughty. For example, they use word “different” to refer to inferiority. Minnesotans know their state is considered among the progressive in the country, but don’t usually boast about it. Minnesota is the HQ to several large, well known companies like Northwest Airlines (Eagan), Target, 3M, Best Buy and General Mills. It is the birthplace of Judy Garland, Hubert Humphrey, Laura Ingalls-Wilder, Ernest Hemingway, Garrison Keillor, Jessie “the body” Ventura (who was also Governor at one point), Jessica Biel, that idiot Al Franken, Winona Ryder, and Vince Vaughn.