Bakk (left) and Thissen

One-party rule doesn't amount to much if you can't agree among yourselves.

A minimum-wage hike that once looked like a sure deal is no longer likely to happen this session because DFLers in the House and Senate can't agree on how much to raise it.

THE BACKSTORY: House, Senate approve minimum wage increase, but disagree on how much is too much

The bill passed by the House would've ultimately raised the rate to $9.50, while the Senate's would've more modestly pegged it at $7.75 per hour. But today, Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, D-Cook, said it appears that gulf will be unbridgeable.

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Gruenhagen logic: There's been no warming trend over the last 16 years (according to CPAC), therefore climate change is a myth.

Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen, R-Glencoe, is anti-gay and gets his "facts" from materials distributed at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Other than that, we're sure he's exactly the sort of elected leader Minnesota needs.

SEE ALSO: MNGOP Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen: Gov't is paying minority men to impregnate women [VIDEO]

During a recent rant on the House floor, Gruenhagen characterized climate change as "just a complete United Nations fraud and lie" and "utter nonsense." He went on to suggest there isn't any environmental problem the free hand of the unfettered capitalist marketplace isn't capable of solving on its own.

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Kluwe is taking his talents to the Bay Area.

Chris Kluwe's NFL career didn't end when he was released by the Minnesota Vikings.

SEE ALSO: New Vikings punter Jeff Locke gave Chris Kluwe props for helping defeat marriage amendment

Kluwe, 31, has inked a one-year deal to become the Oakland Raiders' punter. He'll be taking a pay cut -- his contract is for the league's minimum salary.

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"The ribbons depict the multitude of the always fresh, exciting, and new experiences at Mall of America, which is the magic of the brand," a press release says.

After more than 20 years, Mall of America officials have decided it's time for a logo makeover.

SEE ALSO: Vikings' new jersey design leaked [IMAGE]

Yesterday, a press release unveiled the Megamall's new logo (visible above) and tagline -- "Always New."

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Luke Russert on Twitter

The photo that launched 1,000 140-character jokes.

Yesterday, photos of Michele Bachmann wearing Google Glass at a House GOP meeting circulated, and the resulting cascade of jokes pushed the internet to the brink of full-scale meltdown.

SEE ALSO: Jim Graves will run again next year, setting up rematch with Bachmann

For your LOLing pleasure, we've ranked the 10 funniest zingers we saw in response to Bachmann's new high-tech look. Check them out below the jump.

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Harteau suggested the officer driving the SUV wasn't at fault for the fatal accident.

During a news conference this afternoon, Minneapolis Police Department Chief Janeé Harteau said the police SUV involved in a fatal accident with a motorcycle last Friday afternoon was traveling 16 to 17 miles per hour as it entered the intersection of West 26th Street and Blaisdell Avenue.

THE BACKSTORY:
-- Terrence Franklin shot multiple times by MPD, but it's unclear whether he fired a shot himself
-- MPD, witnesses differ on accounts of motorcycle accident that killed Ivan Romero [PHOTOS]

Harteau said the MPD determined the SUV's speed using GPS data and equipment installed inside the squad.

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Thirteen Of Clubs via Flickr Creative Commons

Not a top 10 bike city my ass!

This week, Walk Score used Bike Score data to put together its ranking of the 10 Most Bikeable Large U.S. Cities.

SEE ALSO: Portland douses some Haterade on Mpls after regaining Bicycling.com's Best Bike City honor

Minneapolis, you might recall, clocked in with the second-highest Bike Score in the county last December (only Boulder ranked higher). Nonetheless, Walk Score left the City of Lakes out of its top 10. So what the hell gives?

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Photo courtesy of Sam Dei Lune -- click to enlarge

An as-of-yet-unknown number of homes have been lost in the north-central Minnesota blaze.

As of this morning, wildfires that started yesterday in north-central Minnesota covered over 8,000 acres of land and forced the closure of roads in an area including Park Rapids, Menagha, and Red Lake.

SEE ALSO: Nicolas Hutchinson, Uptown fire victim, left with clothes he's wearing, phone and computer [INTERVIEW]

There are mixed reports about how successful firefighters have been in containing the blazes. The AP reports that a 3,000 to 4,000 acre fire near Menagha was "zero percent contained" as of 6 a.m. this morning, but other reports say the fire died down overnight.

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photo by Tony Nelson for City Pages

Governor Mark Dayton signs marriage equality into law on Tuesday.

Minnesotans United is the lobbying group responsible for all those "Vote No" bumper stickers and yard signs in the fall.

After the amendment was defeated, the campaign transformed into "Vote Yes," and MN United became the force behind the blue-and-orange "Support the Freedom to Marry"shirts that crowded the Capitol as first the House, then the Senate voted to pass a marriage equality bill that Governor Mark Dayton signed into law late Tuesday afternoon.

Now the group is setting its sights on a third goal: Making sure that the legislators who stuck their necks out for the bill don't get booted out of office.

See Also:
- Mark Dayton signs gay marriage bill into law
- Slideshow: Marriage Equality Bill Signing: History in the Making
- From November: Watch the moment MN United found out they beat the marriage amendment [VIDEO]


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