It's pretty quiet Monday and Tuesday at the Capitol because legislators are taking a break for Tuesday night's precinct caucuses.

If you've never heard of caucuses or have no idea what happens at them you're probably in the majority. As a rule, very few people attend them, which is too bad, given that they have the potential to de-emphasize a lot of the things people hate about politics...things like dominance of big money and special interests, back-room deals, and the lack of choice between the two major parties. When people don't attend them, they tend to be dominated by small groups that are organized well enough to get their people out to them.

The caucuses are community meetings in each of Minnesota's 4,111 precincts. You have to decide whether you're a Democrat or Republican and choose which party you want to caucus (or meet) with. You'll spend the evening talking about and voting on the issues and/or candidates you think are most important. Eventually you'll vote to send some delegates on in the process, which is designed to end with the endorsement at the state party convention this summer. I say designed to end, because several candidates say they won't abide by the endorsement and will instead compete in the September primary election. That in turn weakens the endorsement process and the caucus system.

That's our civics lesson for the day. Now on to the news. It's dominated not by politics, but by Kirby Puckett's health. Here's the latest from the Associted Press:

PHOENIX (AP) - A nursing supervisor says Hall of Fame outfielder Kirby Puckett is in critical condition after having surgery for a stroke. The 44-year-old former Minnesota star, who led the Twins to two championships before his career was cut short by glaucoma, was stricken Sunday at his Arizona home. A statement from the Twins at their spring training camp in Fort Myers, Florida, says Puckett had surgery at Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn and was later moved to St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. The nursing supervisor at St. Joseph's, who declined to give her full name, did not provide details of Puckett's situation.

On the subject of sports the Pioneer Press takes a look at whether the numbers add up on that Vikings stadium proposal:

"They're claiming public benefits that are very questionable,'' said Art Rolnick, an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis. "This notion that there will be a new increase is specious.'' Zygi Wilf, the team's lead owner, stands by the complex's projected impact. "I'm very conservative in the way I analyze my deals,'' he said. "Our numbers reflect that.''

Although things are generally quiet at the Capitol, there are a couple of press conferences Monday. A group of DFL lawmakers will announce a lobbying reform proposal. Some House DFLers talk about a plan to reduce class sizes. And later in the week the governor gives his State of the State speech.

In the meantime, I'm going to try to find a theater that's showing "Crash."