I'm not a native Minnesotan. Growing up in New Hampshire meant being around mountains and lakes, though we never got credit for this from the arrogant people in the Rockies. And they're at it again. Last night, as recorded by Radioblogger, Governors Tim Pawlenty and Bill Owens exchanged barbs over the design of our respective state quarters. Owens started it.

Owens started the two-bit battle when he was asked at the unveiling of Colorado's design if there were any states' quarters which he did not like. He did not hesitate for long.

"I think Minnesota left something to be desired," he told a number of reporters at the State Capitol. "It has lakes and canoes and big mosquitoes on it."

In reality, the Minnesota quarter has a lake, the blue sky, a boat with fishermen, the outline of the state, the state bird (a loon) and the slogan "Land of 10,000 Lakes."

Later, in a separate interview, Owens went further calling the mosquito the "Minnesota state bird" ...

"Minnesota state bird," Governor? That's a new one. I never have heard that before. Sort of like calling Ward Churchill "Colorado state non-Indian", eh?

Duane at Radioblogger is running a poll to determine who has the better-looking coin. Now let me ask you: if you have to insert the words "Colorful Colorado" on your quarter, chances are you have an inferiority complex. Their coin says "Hey, we've got mountains and trees!" Minnesota's coin says "we're a place you can fish with friends in a boat on a lake with loons." There are no signs of people on the CO coin. The Minnesota coin has the shape of the state, which is unusual. Colorado is a rectangle. And everyone knows you can't fit a rectangular state in a round coin, right?

Hie thee to the poll, and vote as often as possible.