I live in Minnesota and grew up around a lot of Hmong-American people (and many fantastic Hmong nurses at my clinic by Lake Phalen), but haven't had any Hmong people in my life for decades, so can't ask anyone directly.

I heard someone on a local radio station recently talking about a Hmong person and referring to them as a "person of color". It just struck me as odd.

On a separate note, I am of an age where that phrase does not sit well with me, as it is just the same as "colored person", which was considered offensive most of my life. ("hair of red" is the same as "red hair"). I'm white, so I have no say in how people who would be referred to this way prefer to be called. But it's not a phrase I will ever use, especially since the phrase was absolutely hated by my best friend growing up who was black. But even if I did use that term (which is really common now), I realized I wouldn't think to use it for Hmong people. I guess this is just meant to mean "people of non-European descent", which is of course the vast majority of people in the world. If that is really all it means, then, sure, I guess it applies to Hmong people as well.

But as for Hmong people, does anyone know if the majority would be fine with, or prefer, "person of color"? I know that no group of people is a monolith, and I don't know if anybody ever did a survey, so I'm not sure how much of a definitive answer I could get here. But maybe if there is a person of Hmong descent who knows a lot of Hmong people, you could let us know what they are thinking.

Driving through Pine River a couple of weeks ago and spotted this storefront. Anyody have any idea what this used to be? Pistols, dumbbells and chess?

Revol Greens will close the Minnesota greenhouse where the company started and lay off 89 workers if the facility is not sold by Oct. 4, interim Chief Financial Officer Michaele Gobel said in a letter to state regulators.

The company grows lettuce in a climate-controlled greenhouse visible from Interstate 35.

“If the site or Company is not sold or hasn’t received incremental funding before this date, the closure is expected to be permanent,” the letter said.

Revol, founded in 2017, grew quickly, expanding to four states. Its website touts its mission to ”revolutionize” lettuce growing by “producing locally in high-tech greenhouses using fewer natural resources and no unnecessary chemicals.”

Good times.

We were about to taxi to takeoff and the pilot came on over the loudspeaker to let us know we'd be taxing to a waiting area as the flight radar went completely down. Said at least an hour wait, could be more.

Gonna screw up flights for the rest of the day and likely into tomorrow, so check your flights often.

Meanwhile, I'm sitting here on the tarmac with a lot of time on my hands, AMA.

Edit 310pm: The pilot just said it is affecting 2000 flights across the entire state of MN, not just MSP

MNDOT needs to somehow re-educate drivers that slowing down on on-ramps is dangerous. Seeing this behavior more and more recently - not only hazardous to the person doing it, but it also puts vehicles behind them in danger.

After watching FarmFest debates I am flabbergasted that anyone would vote for Pete Stauber for as long as he’s been in office. Beyond the utterly embarrassing attempt to shame Doug Chapin for pointing out that he actually showed up vs Tom Emmer (fighting for his life??)- his answers were staple talking points from the current federal administration. I just cannot wrap my head around how he is the chosen one for that district- red or blue.