Minnesota’s big controversy for years has been the need to construct a new baseball stadium in the Twin Cities. Everyone hates the Metrodome, or the “Big Inflatable Toilet” as they call it. As a result the state has come up with an idea to impose a 3 cent per $20 sales tax on all sales in Hennepin County. Hennepin County includes cities like Minneapolis, Edina, Bloomington, Robbinsdale and others. You know, probably the biggest money drawers in the entire state.

I live in Hennepin county, but will probably never attend a Twins game. Yeah, I’m not much of a Minnesotan, I pretty much despise all of the professional sports teams here. But regardless of my personal opinions of pro sports in Minnesota, I still don’t have a problem with building a new baseball stadium. I see it as a big help for the local economy. I’d pay the 3 cents per $20 bucks. My problem with this issue is that this tax is being imposed on us, we don’t get to vote on it. I would vote yes, however I really don’t appreciate having no choice. I think that’s the main problem most opponents of this idea share with me, it’s not about the money, it’s the principle of the whole thing.

The Metrodome was designed for football. It’s rectangular shape provides excellent sightlines for a Vikings game, but leaves only about 6,000 worthwhile seats for a Twins game. Even I can recognize that as a problem. As you probably know I’m a big racing fan, and part of going out to the Sunday afternoon races or Saturday night races is being outside. I’m sure the same goes for baseball. We’re couped up indoors all day long at our jobs, so we’re paying the big bucks for tickets so we can get outside and breathe the fresh air while we enjoy the sport we love. There’s a huge long list of other reasons the Metrodome is not a good place for baseball, but my favorite is the excuse that the big ceiling fans or air conditioners blowing on the balls prevents home runs from happening. I’m not sure whether to believe that one or not. Maybe the Twins just aren’t very good, eh?

You know I really think it says something about Minneapolis when we’re able to fund the construction of the ugliest art museum in the universe all from private local donations, but can’t seem to generate the funds for a simple outdoor baseball stadium without forcing everyone to pay for it. One way or another Minnesota will get their stadium. Then after a few years they’ll hate it and want another one again. You know, one that’s indoors, away from the cold.

My day went okay, typical Monday of course. Seemingly double the workload since I took Friday afternoon off. The weather has really sucked lately, it actually snowed over the weekend. Yep, it’s been in the 30s and 40s around here lately, really crummy.

The weather Sunday was really strange, I’d be working at my desk and look up to see the sun poking through the big puffy clouds, then I’d look down for a few minutes, look up again and it would be snowing really hard. Another few minutes later I’d look up and it would be sunny again. It kept going back and forth like that all day long. The green grass and blossoming trees had me all excited, but then good old Minnesota came back to remind us that winter is just around the corner again. It never goes away!

See you next time.