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As a Minnesotan I feel as though I am letting myself down by not knowing what to call residents of lesser known cities throughout the state. In fact, I don't even know what I am. That's probably not that bad because only Minnesotans know of the existence of such an uncharted city as Mahtomedi, and on more than one occasion I've found myself explaining in frustration that it's just Saint Paul. It's torture to hear non-natives attempt to pronounce, much less spell, the name of my beloved hometown. But to resume, this leads me to the extremity of my ignorance on such a delicate subject: I don't even know what to call people from Saint Paul. Grant it, I've noticed that a large enough percentage of our undereducated American populace isn't aware of its existence (and those who are blessed with that knowledge describe it in scathing terms as nothing more than old abandoned railroad freight yards and industrial warehouses), but I, who look upon our capital with sentimentality and blind love, don't even know what to call myself when people feel reluctant to acknowledge that there is such a thing as a Mahtomedite...is it Saint Pauler, Saint Paulite, or Saint Paulan? And I'm scared to even think about Minneapolis, much less start throwing words out there. Back to Mahtomedi, this all stems from an argument I overheard on whether we are Mahtomedians or Mahtomedites. Someone pointed out that Mahtomedian has too many vowels, but the fact remains that one of the largest and best known cities in the country is Chicago, and residents thereof are more frequently called Chicagoans than Chicagoites. Though to be completely honest, the names Mahtomedi and Chicago have only two similarities: first, they are both derived from Native American words (and that's a pretty broad term since there are lots of Native American languages...it would be like saying that Edinburgh and Kiev, as European cities, are exactly alike), and secondly and more importantly, they both end with vowels, and if I'm a Mahtomedite because my city ends with the letter I, we might as well call ChiTown a transplanted Chicagoat. And this isn't getting into what you call inhabitants of White Bear Township. Minnesotans??

Hm, well, that wasn't exactly the point I was trying to make....

I don't agree 100% with the article either; anything of that length is sure to leave a lot of room for conflicting opinions. There were parts that irritated me, for instance: "The reality is that the Islamic State is Islamic. Very Islamic. Yes, it has attracted psychopaths and adventure seekers, drawn largely from the disaffected populations of the Middle East and Europe. But the religion preached by its most ardent followers derives from coherent and even learned interpretations of Islam." It occurred to me that this was equivalent to saying that the modern day Catholic wants to eradicate Protestants. Maybe it bothered me because I have a friend who is a practicing Muslim. I'm quite sure that he's not radical in his religious beliefs; in fact, I would be just as astonished to find out that he joined ISIS as I would be to discover that anyone in this discussion did. As horrible as this sounds, I've stereotyped Muslims, and to me he seems like your "average" Muslim: a normal person who has a religion of preference. I was irked by what I took to be the overall sentiment of the article until I reached the very end, when Wood actually did express his opinion of Muslims, quote, "I suspect that most Muslims appreciated Obama’s sentiment [that the Islamic State is 'not Islamic']."

I think you would do well to read the article from The Atlantic that ChiTown and Levi already shared...in case you missed it, here it is again. "What ISIS Really Wants" Maybe you have already though and disagree that they're attempting to draw us into the fight to bring about the apocalypse?

Craig, your posts very rarely fail to put a smile on my face.

I guess you're right.... Wait, no, hold on a minute. What about sports? I think it's just that crazy people do crazy things about the things they're passionate about. Since most people are "religious" in one way or another, it so happens that a large percent of these idiots are religious wackos. And like I said, they're using it as an excuse. I guess that's what makes them wackos in the end. Believe me, I know. Maybe not everyone, but if you'd stop and think about how good these people must feel about themselves, what else could it be? (And why else would they do it, anyway?)

Neither. There will always be bad people (I'm too much of a pessimist to believe we can ever be a truly utopian society). The thing is, certain bad people use their religion as an excuse since it makes them feel good. That's all.

I take it you're being sarcastic. I also have a very hard time agreeing with Glunn. Think, for instance, of all the innocent people who would literally be locked in there...women who are victims of crazed, maniacal religious nuts whose end goal is to kill any and all "infidels." We don't need to make life any harder for them...it's bad enough as it is. In fact, I'm not sure it could get worse, but my point is, we don't need to help the bastards. I personally find the "Let them escape while the getting's good" comment to be rather callous.

Somehow you made that feel personal. Sorry for my overblown stereotype...and if you're nice and respectful and at least make attempts at speaking your rudimentary French rather than heading to the local Starbucks and expecting everyone to speak English, then I think your qualms about going should be far and few between. I also doubt that anyone will think that you went over to check them out, and if someone does...well, it won't exactly be a Twins message board, but they will be random. They won't know you personally, and you won't need to take it personally.

Hm, you have a point. As a heartless person I maybe shouldn't be offering advice, but my take on it is that a sudden halt in tourism can be pretty hurtful on certain economies. Again, taken from my profoundly deep observations on life, Parisians can be a pretty snooty bunch (I know, mass stereotyping...I'm a horrible person, right), so if they disapprove of tourists during this time, believe me, you'll know it. And that could ruin a vacation...who enjoys feeling awkward? But then, I've noticed that you lay little store on other people's opinions of you (haters to the left, right?). I'd say go by all means. Life must begin afresh at one point or another, even in Paris. But like I said, I haven't any heart...you might not want to listen to that. But, knowing who I am, you probably won't want to anyway.

http://stateofmind13.com/2015/11/14/from-beirut-this-is-paris-in-a-world-that-doesnt-care-about-arab-lives/

Hm, I'd have to disagree. Any coward knows there will be consequences in one way or another, but does it stop them? No. And Muslims aren't afraid of death, anyway. They have 72 virgins with a reset button to look forward to in afterlife. I hope those 72 virgins are heavily armed or, at the very least, are karate black belts.

No anchovies?

Check the laundry.

Now the question is, are you the real Vanimal? Do YOU remember what shirt Miss Vanimal was wearing yesterday?

Clever Miss Van. You don't use Pinterest to say "So this is what you've been up to"....

Well, what the heck! You only live once...I'm serious! Might as well make the best of it. You can lose all the weight you ever wanted to and then some from the grave. Now I feel like I need a video of the doc in Annie Hall telling Alvy not to worry and just enjoy life while we're here because Brooklyn apparently isn't expanding as fast as the universe....

Now this has sparked my curiosity. A current poster with a second account? A lurker with too much time on their hands (like, something to do with the name Vanimal)? Or Miss Vanimal herself? Please say it's so...

I couldn't and wouldn't eat pizza every day, and I'm still in my teens. Maybe it's a girl thing? My family has it every blasted week, and I don't want to see it (much less taste it) for ten whole years once I fly the coop. Then I'll sit down and have a whole one complete with anchovies. Though wait...did you mention metabolisms slowing down? Heck, I guess a decade's a pretty long time. I won't be able to eat whatever, whenever without gaining a pound anymore. That must be the worst fact of growing old. Maybe I'll just have to adopt the "look delicious or eat delicious" mentality.

Lol...I once had a margarita sundae and it was fine (though my sister almost gagged and couldn't finish hers. Must be an over 21 thing). My mom was all disapproval, but it wasn't an alcoholic BEVERAGE. I lived. It was perfectly legal, and if it wasn't, it wouldn't have been the first time I broke the law. But don't jump to any conclusions...there's no denying I'm a good girl. Too good, almost. Tomorrow is National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day. I may need to have pizza tomorrow...WITH anchovies. Hmm. You know, for all the national such-in-such days, there aren't that many. I mean, there has to be a fair amount of discrimination in choosing what lasts and what doesn't, and who decides? I wonder if they would be open to a National Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich with Mustard, Chevre, and Apple Slices Day. I wonder if I'll get a warning for that....

Jimmer, you said you wanted an answer. I gave you an answer. You don't appreciate the answer because it's not the answer you wanted. You didn't want an answer; you wanted an answer stating that the mods are biased (and yes, there's an -ed at the end of that word). I give up. It's like arguing with my little brothers. http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view5/2486515/hand-washing-o.gif

Alrighty then, since the mod didn't give you the expected breakdown of your post, I will. Sarcastic, yes. Personal jabs, actually yes. You're taking jabs at the previous two posters for giving Ryan more credit than Sixel was willing to give. You're saying that because they can see a little more good out of what Ryan has done, they must think that he can do no wrong (quote: "Just trust Ryan"). And negative? Yes. So Mike's post was negative (check) and sarcastic (check). The next two were sarcastic (check) and took personal jabs (check). Two checks per post. The final (yours) was negative (check), sarcastic (check), AND took personal jabs, however subtle. Check. You made a mountain out of a mole's hill, and apparently that was the straw that broke the camel's back. Now you're making the Sahara Desert out of a grain of sand with this thread. I suppose since I'm not a moderator I should stay out of it, but like I said, you seem to appreciate my advice, friendly or not. Though of course it's friendly...I'm a friendly person. I get along with people. <said in my best Trump impersonation> Oh, and a gentle reminder...there's always the report button for next time.

Well THANK YOU for bringing me into this discussion, sir. I hope that means you'll be open to a little more friendly advice; you obviously take it seriously, and I'd like to help. Twins Daily is supposed to be a professional website, and it's the moderators duty to keep it professional. Excessive bashing of the front office isn't exactly professional. Neither are personal jabs, but you're angry with a moderator who apparently only removes front office bashing while thinking that only personal attacks should be deleted. Seems just a little conflicting.... And by the way, sure, different points of view are encouraged, but if I remember correctly, excessive sarcasm isn't allowed either, and your (or whoever's) post certainly fit the bill. I'm sure the mod who did it wrote to you; every time I've had a post deleted, the respective moderator has followed up with a thoughtful PM letting me know why. And concerning shots taken at a specific poster...well, everyone knows that this certain member is pretty negative. If I remember correctly, their member title is something along the line of "wants to be more positive," and the comment policy states that "casting in a negative light everything someone says and does" is not permitted, so...you get my point. Oh and hey, if you had a problem with one of those posts, there's always the report button.

Not exactly what you're looking for, but it may be of interest. Click on "Forums" and scroll down to the bottom of the page, and you can see the record for most online (along with total posts, total members, and newest member...the names can be interesting at times).