# Re: "Boondock Banking" in Lake Lillian **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [March 16, 2012, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959 "2012-03-16T13:31:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/1 "2012-03-16T13:31:13Z")
Regardless of what the esteemed citizens of rural Minnesota say, having been born and raised in the Twin Cities, I can assure you that the entire state, like the rest of the American Midwest, is a true \*\*\*\*hole. If there’s a bright center to this Universe, Minnesota is the dump farthest from it. (Though I will state that Wisconsin actually makes Minnesota look good—something I never believed I’d say until I went and lived there for a year and a half. If you moved the entire population of Minnesota to Wisconsin, you’d raise the IQ of both states.) * * * LINK TO COLUMN: [Why are rebate checks drawn on obscure banks in the middle of nowhere? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/721/why-are-rebate-checks-drawn-on-obscure-banks-in-the-middle-of-nowhere) ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/2 "2012-03-16T14:33:46Z")
So are you saying the dirt in Minnesota is smarter than the dirt in Wisconsin? ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/3 "2012-03-16T15:31:08Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > So are you saying the dirt in Minnesota is smarter than the dirt in Wisconsin? I think Minnesota dirt is overall smarter, but Wisconsin dirt is better lookin’. ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/4 "2012-03-16T15:31:44Z")
Minnesota is ranked as the [most](http://www.statemaster.com/graph/hea_phy_exe-health-physical-exercise) physically active, [fourth](http://www.statemaster.com/graph/hea_hea_ind-health-index) healthiest, [sixth](http://www.statemaster.com/graph/edu_bes_edu_ind-education-best-educated-index) most educated, [ninth](http://www.statemaster.com/graph/eco_gdp_percap-product-current-dollars-per-capita) richest state in the country. Put it all together and you get the [second](http://www.statemaster.com/graph/lif_bes_sta_to_liv-lifestyle-best-states-to-live) best state in which to live. You could do far worse. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/5 "2012-03-17T00:05:50Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Regardless of what the esteemed citizens of rural Minnesota say, having been born and raised in the Twin Cities, I can assure you that the entire state, like the rest of the American Midwest, is a true \*\*\*\*hole. If there’s a bright center to this Universe, Minnesota is the dump farthest from it. (Though I will state that Wisconsin actually makes Minnesota look good—something I never believed I’d say until I went and lived there for a year and a half. If you moved the entire population of Minnesota to Wisconsin, you’d raise the IQ of both states.) So, you’re suggesting that electing Jesse Ventura your governor is somehow a step up from living in Wisconsin? Awesome, dude. ---
**Author:** ![SuperAbe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@SuperAbe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperAbe)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/6 "2012-03-17T01:34:15Z")
[…here](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/721/why-are-rebate-checks-drawn-on-obscure-banks-in-the-middle-of-nowhere). Not that the OP is actually commenting on it… ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/7 "2012-03-17T04:28:48Z")
Having lived all over the country, I can confidently say that there are few large cities as livable as the Twin Cities. The closest I’ve come is the smallish town where I live now. Everywhere else has been a shithole by comparison. In fact, were Minnesota not so damn cold in the winter, I’d love to go back there to live. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/8 "2012-03-17T13:04:00Z")
Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Boards, **terentii** , we’re glad to have you with us. For future info: when you start a thread, it’s helpful to other readers to provide a link to the column you’re commenting on. There’s zillions of 'em in the archives, so the link helps keep us all on the same page and avoids searching time. No prob, I’ve edited in the link for you, and you’ll know for next time. And, as I say, welcome! ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/9 "2012-03-17T13:57:23Z")
And I thought it was “Boondock Bonking”. ---
**Author:** ![Notassmartasithought](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c0e974/32.png) [@Notassmartasithought](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Notassmartasithought)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/10 "2012-03-20T04:43:37Z")
I grew up in Minnesota, in fact just a mile or so north of Dundas. I don’t want this fine small town to be dismissed. In my day it was the home to a great bar which happily hosted both farmers and college students. That’s the definition of hospitality in my book, and for a bar, greatness. Dundas is also home to a very fine limestone ruin of a 19th century flour mill along the Cannon River, and the Dundas Dukes, usually a power in the Cannon Valley League town baseball circuit. And by now far more than 422 fine residents! ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/11 "2012-03-20T11:17:10Z")
I looked up Lake Lillian in my DeLorme MN atlas, and found it. (p38 D4) What is insteresting is the index also lists lake Wobegon - p97 F11 (the atlas has 96 pages :)) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Labor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Labor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labor)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/12 "2012-03-20T12:23:30Z")
I just want to know one thing… Did anyone ever go to Lake Lillian and take a yak ride? I would think of it as quite an adventure. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/13 "2012-03-20T20:03:46Z")
Our family would camp at Kandiyohi Lake a couple of times a year when I was growing up, and what I recall of Lake Lillian (minor grocery runs, generally) was that it was a fine little town. Don’t remember any yaks (or llamas either, but it was a long time ago). **Notassmartasithought** , as an small-town, small-college alum - I never had (or even heard of) trouble between townies and college students. Probably happened somewhere, but “Minnesota nice” tends to rule the day, as long as no one is being too much of an idiot. Of course, hard core drinking/partying was done in the “college” bar - but if you just wanted a quiet night with your friends, the American Legion was more than happy to serve you. ---
**Author:** ![qazwart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5fc32e/32.png) [@qazwart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qazwart)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/14 "2012-03-21T00:30:13Z")
> [@Trom](#): > > Minnesota is ranked as the [most](http://www.statemaster.com/graph/hea_phy_exe-health-physical-exercise) physically active, [fourth](http://www.statemaster.com/graph/hea_hea_ind-health-index) healthiest, [sixth](http://www.statemaster.com/graph/edu_bes_edu_ind-education-best-educated-index) most educated, [ninth](http://www.statemaster.com/graph/eco_gdp_percap-product-current-dollars-per-capita) richest state in the country. Put it all together and you get the [second](http://www.statemaster.com/graph/lif_bes_sta_to_liv-lifestyle-best-states-to-live) best state in which to live. You could do far worse. The guy who figured out these statistics certainly didn’t compile them while living in Minnesota in February. Of course, there’s the famous saying of Garrison Keillor’s: \*"When I was a kid and complained about the cold, my Dad would say, “you should be thankful for it, kid. It keeps out the riff-raff.” \* ---
**Author:** ![Notassmartasithought](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c0e974/32.png) [@Notassmartasithought](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Notassmartasithought)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/15 "2012-03-21T02:19:11Z")
Of course, there’s the famous saying of Garrison Keillor’s: ``` "When I was a kid and complained about the cold, my Dad would say, "you should be thankful for it, kid. It keeps out the riff-raff." ``` I’m not at all sure that’s a Keillor quote. If so, he should know better, and be criticized for it. But I heard it long before Keillor, and was always unhappy about it. The “riff-raff” were almost always Blacks from Chicago and Hispanics. One of the unhappy dark sides of “Minnesota Nice.” Even our racism is somehow forgivable. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/16 "2012-03-21T14:46:52Z")
“Riffraff” is a generic term for “undesireables”. There’s nothing inherently racial about it. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/17 "2012-03-21T19:03:08Z")
Heck, I remember a bit on _Night Court_ where bailiff Roz Russel (played by Marsha Warfield who was, and I assume still is, black) was showing someone around the courtroom, filled as usual with various prostitutes, drunks, vagrants, etc. “And here we have the riff,” gestures to left side of the gallery, “and the raff,” indicating the right side. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-boondock-banking-in-lake-lillian/615959/18 "2012-03-21T19:04:48Z")
> [@Notassmartasithought](#): > > I’m not at all sure that’s a Keillor quote. If so, he should know better, and be criticized for it. But I heard it long before Keillor, and was always unhappy about it. The “riff-raff” were almost always Blacks from Chicago and Hispanics. One of the unhappy dark sides of “Minnesota Nice.” Even our racism is somehow forgivable. I’ve no idea if that was a Keillor quote or not; I try not to listen to anything that idiot says. Regardless: > [@](#): > > Originally posted by **Merriam-Webster** > Origin of RIFFRAFF > Middle English ryffe raffe, from rif and raf every single one, from Anglo-French rif e raf altogether > First Known Use: 15th century As you can see, it had very little to do with Minnesota nice or Minnesota mean or Minnesota racist. Growing up in Minnesota, we used similar phrasing to mean that it kept out people who were too weak to put up with the cold. It had nothing to do with “Blacks from Chicago” (why only Chicago?) or Hispanics. Racism definitely exists in Minnesota, but not in that quote.