Tilt-a-Whirl!

Eighty-five years ago, Herbert W. Sellner introduced the world to the Tilt-a-Whirl from his hometown of Faribault, MN. Only his second invention, the Tilt-a-Whirl was popular enough to spark the founding of Sellner Manufacturing Company, which remained a family business until just this year when it was sold to Larson International, Inc.


The amusement park favorite that twists and spins debuted at the 1927 Minnesota State Fair and now there is an estimated 600-700 rides in operation.


According to Wikipedia, "the ride is commonly known for making riders experience nausea."


You're welcome.

Love,

Minnesota.

Franklin Clarence Mars

As June comes to an end, we want to remind you that there are only five more days to celebrate National Candy Month with your favorite confections and pre-wrapped sweets.

When Franklin Clarence Mars made his Milky Way candy bar popular circa 1926, it was a 5-cent indulgence. He had founded Mar-O-Bar Co. in Minneapolis in 1920 and went on to give us other such checkout-line staples as Snickers, M&Ms, and Extra gum. In 2005, Americans consumed more than 200 million Milky Ways. Kudos, Mr. Mars. Kudos.


You're welcome.

Love,

Minnesota.

Food on a stick

Corn dog or pronto pup? Corn dog? Pronto pup? At the Minnesota State Fair, you don't have to choose. Unless your appetite is already committed to the cornmealy goodness of the corn dog or the fried flouriness of the pronto pup, you can have both. And then you can have a third hotdog-on-a-stick when you've determined your personal preference.

It sounds strange to spend an entire day moving between smelly animal barns where cows are periodically born and roads lined with food stands to delight any palate, but we sure do. In fact, we have the largest daily attendance of any state fair in the nation. Why?

Food on a stick. Not just cotton candy and corn dogs but also alligator, camel, candy bars, fruit, pie, macaroni and cheese, pizza, pork chops, s'mores, waffles, and so much more.

Chocolate-covered cheese cake on a stick?

You're welcome.

Love,

Minnesota.

Hubert Horatio Humphrey

Born 100 years ago in South Dakota, Hubert Horatio Humphrey is one of Minnesota's most cherished adopted sons. He served the public as Mayor of Minneapolis, United States Senator from Minnesota, and Vice President of the United States.

"To those who say, my friends, to those who say, that we are rushing this issue of civil rights, I say to them we are 172 years (too) late! To those who say, this civil rights program is an infringement on states' rights, I say this: the time has arrived in America for the Democratic Party to get out of the shadow of states' rights and walk forthrightly into the bright sunshine of human rights!"

photo courtesy of harbour-square.com

Thank you, Mr. Humphrey, for choosing our state in which to do your good work. To the rest of this great country...

You're welcome.

Love,

Minnesota.

Silence

Minnesota is home to the quietest place on Earth. Orfield Labs is a research facility in south Minneapolis that shares space with Sound 80 recording studios. Sound 80 isn't as heavily used for recording as it was in the past, when albums such as Bob Dylan's Blood on The Tracks were recorded. Today, the building is home to an anechoic chamber, used for research on various sound pressure level affected devices. Guinness Book of World Records cites the facility as "the quietest place on Earth," and home of the first ever digital recording studio. I've been in there, and let me tell you, negative sound pressure levels are weird. Ever hear your heart beat...from inside of you?

photo courtesy of Tate Carlson at metromag.com

So the next time you are faced with an awkward/eerie/peaceful quiet, remember that Minnesota has taught the world about perfect silence.

You're welcome.

Love,

Minnesota.

Frozen Pizza

Yes indeed, Minnesota is home to the invention that enables your laziness, the frozen pizza! Rose Totino is most often cited as the creator of this staple of the college student's diet. Though origin dates vary, it is believed that they were first available in the mid- to late-1950s.

photo courtesy of misstightwad.com

So the next time your drunk friend or lazy spouse opens your freezer door and reaches for that oh so convenient and unhealthy meal, make sure to say...

You're welcome.

Love,

Minnesota.

1991 World Series, Game 7

Ranked by espn.com as the greatest World Series of all time, the 1991 contest for national baseball supremacy had many memorable moments. For most Minnesotans, Game 7 of the series is the greatest sports event in state history. Jack Morris. 10 Innings. Zero Runs. Black. Jack.

photo courtesy of minnesota.publicradio.org

If you have access the MLB Network (which ranked this game 2nd in MLB history) you can watch this very game with commentary provided by Jack Morris and John Smoltz. Greatest World Series and Game 7* of all time?

You're welcome.

Love,

Minnesota.

*No apologies to Bill Mazeroski and the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates

Hotdish

While it's difficult to pinpoint the geographic origins of the culinary phenomenon known as "hotdish," it is clear that Minnesota has been the location most often identified with this creamy, crunchy, starchy, meaty agglomeration of food stuffs.

photo courtesy of allfreechickencasserolerecipes.com

Note that the above photo and corresponding recipe "actually contains a vegetable." What would church basement potluck gatherings do without us?

You're welcome.

Love,

Minnesota.

Mississippi River

The Mighty Mississippi River starts its 2,320 mile long and 1,475 foot vertical descent to the Gulf of Mexico in northern Minnesota. What would you do without us, rest of the USA?

photo courtesy of babasteve

You're welcome.

Love,

Minnesota.

World's Best Donuts

Grand Marais, Minnesota, is home to the World's Best Donuts. It's not just some sort of pastry hubris, it's fact.

photo courtesy of joeresa

You're welcome.

Love,

Minnesota.

Zubaz

Zubaz were created in 1988 by two Minnesota bodybuilders. They were originally designed to be comfortable for use while weightlifting. Fortunately, they turned into a worldwide fashion phenomenon in the early 1990s. What a time to be alive...

photo courtesy of zubaz.com

You're welcome.

Love,

Minnesota.

Today's post idea submitted by @ElDeBiers

College Basketball

On February 9, 1895, Hamline hosted the first intercollegiate basketball game in history, when the Minnesota State School of Agriculture (now the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota) defeated Hamline by a score of 9–3.

image courtesy of xxsportsradio.com

Let's pretend that the above photo is of the actual Hamline College Porkers basketball team from 1895. I have no reason to believe that it is or isn't. The Porkers? Regardless...

You're welcome.

Love,

Minnesota.

The Trashmen

The Trashmen are a rock and roll band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1962.



You're welcome.

Love,

Minnesota.

Richard Dean Anderson

Born January 23, 1950 in Minneapolis, MN.

You're welcome.

Love,

Minnesota.

Miracle on Ice

With twelve of twenty players and the head coach hailing from the North Star state, we're taking credit for this one:

image courtesy of The Associated Press

You're welcome.

Love,

Minnesota.

SPAM

image courtesy of baltimoresun.com

You're welcome.

Love,

Minnesota.