Yesterday I did try and upload a picture of the Minneapolis City Hall, but was not able to. However, this morning, I was able to 'sneak' in a picture of the Minneapolis City Council Chamber. The city, with a population of about 380,000 (St. Paul, our other Twin City has 240,000)is divided into 13 Wards and each ward is represented by a full-time City Council member. They are compensated pretty well and make about $68,000 a year (or thereabouts).

We also have a Mayor who works alongside the Council. Since we have a 'weak' Mayor, strong Council format, all Mayoral initiatives have to be passed by the City Council. In other words, to get anything done here, it is imperative that the Mayor and Council get along. Fortunately, there are 12 democrats one one Green party member (more left leaning and liberal than even the democrats) on the Council and this allows our democratic Mayor to work fairly well with them.

As I mentioned in my blog yesterday, the Cities are agog with sports mania and during my walk through the skyways of Minneapolis (a post for another day), I saw many folks with team jerseys and other paraphernalia - most probably set to go to the game at the Metrodome. The dome is only four blocks from here and my bus goes directly past it. I am hoping that the bus I catch at 3:46 p.m. will make its way through the hordes headed for the dome at that time. On second thoughts, I don't think that should be problem as most Minnesotans are pretty docile folks - a somber value that they have hung on to from their Scandinavian heritage. I guess the Swedes are wilder than the Norwegians - but only by teeny-tiny bit. You could never tell - unless your were a native like Garrison Keillor.

Until tomorrow when I hope to update this blog with the good news that the Twins won their one playoff game (who thought that after 162 games that Minnesota and Detroit would be tied with the exact number of wins and losses)! And for those of you (I guess I have only one follower) interested in American football - Minnesota Vikings beat their hated next state rivals, the Green Bay Packers 30-23 at the dome last night!

Until then!