So maybe this explains why Tampa was passed over for this year's Republican National Convention.

The Minneapolis Saint Paul 2008 Host Committee has put out a media kit bragging on some of the unheralded charms of its state and region that the packet promises an elephant won't forget. Consider:

-- The state ranks third in "patent intensity," with Minnesotans bringing us such innovations as the Pacemaker, Post-it Notes, Rollerblades, Cheerios and Spam.

-- This ain't just the "Land of 10,000 Lakes." By gosh, they have 11,850 of them, ya know, with more coastline than Florida, California and Hawaii combined.

-- Want entertainment? Well, the number of Minnesotans who make their living as performance artists is three times greater than the national average, not including the influx they are about to receive.

-- Bill Varian, Times Staff Writer