“AskMN is a live interactive chat service that allows you [for information and research help] to converse with a librarian in real-time. A librarian will be available 24/7 to answer questions and direct you to various Web sites if needed. A normal session lasts 5-20 minutes.”
What!? This is absolutely nuts. (via east-lake)
In Search of Prairie Chickens | MPR News
Cool story about the resurgence of prairie chickens in Minnesota and the researchers that try to catch them.
Watching this video with the sound off. Kind of surreal, kind of beautiful.
Love this bumper sticker. Maybe STC could partner with the Minnesota Native Plants Society to do a Minnesota themed campaign:
This is a Prairie Parkland.
This is the Eastern Broadleaf Forest.
This is a Tallgrass Aspen Parkland.
This is a Laurentian Mixed Forest.
More on native floura & fauna here and here. I’ve blogged about my disgust for the stereotypical grass lawn before as well.
Stereotypical Minnesotan traits include manners known as “Minnesota nice,” Lutheranism, a strong sense of community and shared culture, and their distinctive brand of North Central American English sprinkled with Scandinavian-sounding words such as uff da. Potlucks, usually with a variety of hotdish casseroles, are popular at community functions, especially church activities. Minnesota’s Scandinavian heritage makes lutefisk a traditional holiday dish. Movies like Fargo, Drop Dead Gorgeous, New in Town, Grumpy Old Men and Grumpier Old Men, the radio show A Prairie Home Companion and the book How to Talk Minnesotan lampoon (and celebrate) Minnesotan culture, speech and mannerisms.
The Minnesota State Fair, advertised as The Great Minnesota Get-Together, is an icon of…
— Minnesota. Pretty much sums us up.
Minnesota contains some of the oldest rocks found on earth, gneiss are some 3.6 billion years old, or 80% as old as the planet.
— Shanai, reading Minnesota’s Wikipedia entry to me before our date tonight. Now I’m all hot and bothered. More on Gneiss.
The Heavy Table has a great summary of the Slow Food event at Ralph Lentz’s farm on Saturday, and beautiful photos to boot!
Hotdish Revolution: You won’t see anything more Minnesotan today. (via HT)
Moorhead, Minnesota (via)
Big Louie, as photographed by futorowoman.
There’s a strange and wonderful story behind that giant beard, that humongous musket:
Big Louie was the brainchild of Vic Davis. Davis was the owner of Cranberry Island in Rainy Lake. In the late 1970’s, the U.S. Park Service wanted to take away his island to make it part of Voyageurs National Park. Davis wasn’t giving it up without a fight. He began by selling small parcels of the land to his friends in order to complicate legal efforts to confiscate the land. Then he ordered a 25-foot replica of himself, dressed in voyageur clothing with a giant musket, and placed it on his island, complete with a picnic area. He named this giant Big Vic, the Protest Colossus.
You’ll have to read on at The Big Stuff Project to find out how Big Vic (not pictured) and Big Louie are related.
And to think there might be such tales behind all of the Minnesota Marvels.
Yesterday was Arts Advocacy Day at the Minnesota State Capital in St. Paul.
The 3 Minute Egg went behind the scenes to capture this touching snapshot at what went down. Fantastic video.
Inside the Fortress of the Mountain Men of Palisade, Minnesota or How I Spent My Weekend - A Flickr Set.
This is a new group dedicated to photographing and cataloging all the marvels, landmarks and roadside attractions Minnesota has to offer.
We are looking for old and new photos. If you have an interest in MN roadside attractions, or have some great pictures you would like to share, consider joining Minnesota Marvels.
Minnesota Love (via sveden)
Water tower for 50 people.
Palisade is a small town in middle of nowhere, Minnesota. There are less then 100 people living there and maybe half of them are hooked up to public water. And you can buy Chapstick at the bar. This is where my girlfriend is from.
