Dear Readers: I’m headed to Minneapolis this week. Please email (philg@mit.edu) with a subject line of “Meet on Wednesday” if you want to get together on Wednesday evening. Perhaps we can meet at one of the coffee shops in George Floyd Square? It’s definitely safe after dark, right? Google AI:
George Floyd Square’s safety after dark is a complex issue with no single consensus, and opinions on it vary significantly among residents, business owners, and activists. … the area was often self-policed as an “autonomous zone,” and some residents reported that police and ambulances avoided the area, leading to increased crime, including fatal shootings and gang activity. Some nearby residents at the time reported feeling unsafe and experiencing ongoing trauma. … Police data from early 2025 indicated only a few isolated incidents of robbery, burglary, and gunfire over several months, suggesting a reduction in the previous levels of violent crime.
Robbery and gunfire only on Tuesdays and Thursdays and, therefore, at least “mostly peaceful”?
We are informed that the twin pillars of the Minnesota economy are marijuana (“hemp”) and harvesting federal welfare dollars (see below), but it is my comparatively boring life as a software expert witness that brings me to the city.
I am reading this on the morning of Thursday December 4, wishing I read my RSS feed more frequently. Long time reader, would have enjoyed meeting you. Hope you found a pleasant place to hang out, There are spots in the neighborhoods. Downtown has been pretty dead ever since the Year of the Black Death.