CNBC reports that the Twin Cities will cash in on the Republican National Convention, coming to town Sept. 1-4. But I know at least two prominent St. Paul restaurants that aren't seeing anywhere near the bookings they expected.

TCF Financial Corp. is looking at aggressive growth, despite the crisis in the financial community, with plans to issue $100 million in trust-preferred securities, thereby adding capital to their books, says Finance and Commerce. You go, Bill Cooper.

Library patrons at Seoul National University will soon be using a checkout system from 3M of Maplewood. Self-checkout stations, and self-return stations, along with a detection systems at the door, will be installed at the university's central library and seven branches.

G&K Services of Minnetonka announced a big jump — 40 percent — in its quarterly dividend. It's only two cents, from five cents to seven cents, but percentage-wise that's a big deal. The company says that each day, 1 million workers wear G & K supplied uniforms when they go to work.

Is this a great country, or what? Michael Thompson of Minneapolis, a stay-at-home dad studying to be a police officer, entered a fantasy fishing contest — and won.  The prize: $1 million. That's more than the biggest fantasy football payout, organizers said. Why am I not surprised that this contest was invented by Irwin Jacobs?

Remember when banks handed out toasters to new depositors? Now, if you buy a ticket on Sun Country Airlines, you can win a mobile printer. A mobile printer will print directly from a camera cell phone or digital camera. Prizes go to three lucky winners each week, through October.

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