Two stories from the front page of Thursday's Strib:

[dflprincess]

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/70396007.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU

HCMC to reduce charity care, cut jobs

The strapped hospital is cutting nonemergency care to uninsured patients outside the county.
Facing a crippling loss of state health care funds, Hennepin County Medical Center plans to stop seeing uninsured, nonemergency patients from other counties, cut 150 to 200 jobs and close two clinics on its downtown campus.

The state's biggest safety net hospital, and one of its premier teaching institutions, faces a 2010 budget that is "not sustainable,'' officials said Wednesday. The changes, which would take place in 2010, were approved Wednesday by the hospital's board and go to the county board next month for final approval.

HCMC officials have warned for months that the hospital, which sees 140,000 patients a year in its emergency department alone, cannot continue to absorb losses in state funding and still continue to care for the flood of uninsured patients who show up at their door.
The hospital, which suffered a $12 million cut in state funding last winter, has become an emblem of the cost pressures facing Minnesota's health care system, with two rounds of layoffs this year that eliminated 200 positions. It has also cut overtime, frozen nonunion salaries, delayed building a new outpatient center and brought in consultants to raise productivity.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/70537057.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU

MINNEAPOLIS - One day after being told by the Minnesota Vikings that extending the lease at the Metrodome was not an option, the team's landlord made the offer anyway and infuriated the only major tenant left in the stadium.

The Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission passed a plan Thursday to offer a two-year extension on the lease, which is set to expire in 2011. It calls for the Vikings to get revenue from any postseason games at the Metrodome, but it also threatens to reinstate a $4 million annual rent if the team does not sign the extension.

The Vikings sent a scathing letter to the commission on Wednesday denouncing the plan, which the team calls a "sneak attack" that "sends the wrong message to those aimed at keeping the team in the state of Minnesota."

You'd think the Vikings' owners would have the sense to be ashamed of themselves after this but I doubt they will.

Anyone want to make bets on what our taxes will be raised to pay for first?

[loveable liberal]

1. If the Vikes need help packing, I'm available....

Disingenuous pr***s. They knew the 4 million was in the contract, they just needed something to bit** about. Show me a super bowl ring or get out. They could play at the new gopher stadium, but they know that stadiums arent where the money is.

See ya Vikes, thanks for all the superbowl wins.....um... oh yea... YOU DONT HAVE ANY!!

[question everything]

2. Like the gladiators in ancient Rome

provide food and entertainment so that the citizens will not think about how miserable they are, and not demand that their "leaders" do something constructive.