Oh . . . and about the cold weather

Sure, politics and civic involvement helped make Minnesota a place with a pretty good quality of life, but as with most things, we can't underestimate the impact of circumstances beyond our control.

Those much maligned Minnesota winters *do* have a positive impact on Minnesota's success. Think about it . . . if you want to get through a long cold winter, you better be someone who can plan ahead a bit, put in a little hard work, deal with some adversity, and give and get a little help from your neighbors.

Those who wander into Minnesota and don't have these qualities, eventually moves on to warmer climes, leaving us with a population that is probably a little better organized, a little harder working, a little friendlier and a little more willing to contribute to the common good than most states.

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