Oprah thinks Iowa is "getting better"
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 7:42PM 
I don't know the specifics but I'm guessing that I'm not in the target demographic for O, The Oprah Magazine. However, I caught a tweet today that announced that Oprah (or more likely one of her staffers) had decided Iowa (the state) was in fact 1 of the 100 "people, places, ideas, and stuff [the magazine is] loving more than ever."
Iowa clocks in at #32 and is one of three geographic places on the list (we rank behind formerly looted, ransacked and hurricane-devastated Oak Street in New Orleans and ahead of the hydrogen-bombed Bikini Atoll).
32. Iowa
Legalizing gay marriage in 2009 + producing artisanal charcuterie (try La Quercia's organic prosciutto) + University of Iowa football landing among the top 25 college teams for the fifth time this decade + ranking second on MainStreet.com 's Happiness Index = one seriously happening Hawkeye State.
Don't get me wrong, it's great for our state to get publicity. I agree that Iowa has improved and I'm in a somewhat unique position to see that since we moved back here last summer after five years living out-of-state. However, I do question their formula they provide above. The legalization of gay marriage is certainly worthy of such a determination (and, in my opinion, should be celebrated) but I question the other three.
Item 2 - Apparrently, we now produce "artisanal charcuterie". I admit, I had no idea what "charcuterie" is but according to the interwebs it's the "branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products". I've never tried La Quercia's prosciutto (nor do I have any idea where in Iowa "La Quercia" is located) but I bet it doesn't hold a candle to Mr. Porkchop on RAGBRAI.
Item 3 - Hawkeye Football. Really? I get it, Hawkeye football is good. I'm not a fan but that's neither here nor there. Quoting their ranking doesn't make a lot of sense since it's the judgement of external sports media (and coaches secretaries). Collegiate sports are divisive in this state; the Hawkeyes are no more the Iowa's team than are the Cyclones and it doesn't make sense to use either.
Item 4 - Mainstreet.com's Happiness Index. I s'pose it's a good thing that this website's subjective combination of "Non-mortgage debt as a % of Annual Income", "unemployment rate" and "foreclosure rate" for our state is more favorable than it is for 48 other states, it doesn't mean anything to me as Iowan.
As I said, cheers to Oprah for recognizing Iowa (although being on the same plain as a hurricane ravaged neighborhood and an American bomb testing location makes me worry about what she formerly thought of us) but next time dig a bit deeper and showcase our true accomplishments.
Des Moines, iowa, twitter
Reader Comments (4)
Geoffrey - I agree with you, getting featured for a term (cooking style) no one seems to know anything about doesn't make sense. I like the Hawkeye reference actually, mainly because that program has come together nicely after a rough patch a few years back. Actually, it is just nice to hear positive references of Iowa after a week battling a Seattle Radio station and their thoughts that Des Moines was a crappy town. Hopefully this can lead to more positives in the future.
I was unable to leave my URL in the registration: www.desmoinesisnotboring.com
Thanks.
Pete, thanks for the comment. I've read a little about your battle with the radio station - good luck on that one!
I'll leave the Hawkeye comment alone ;-) but I agree, I hope the Oprah mention leads to more positives in the future!
Nice job here Wood. Agree with you about living in Iowa, moving away and coming back. That is what I saw when C & I moved back in 2003. Even since then stuff has really changed. Legalizing gay marriage does need to be celebrated, I wish that more people see it that way. As for the Hawkeyes...I have no comment! HA. But to your point about the judgment of the media and coaches secretaries, it is not the secretaries, more like the FB sports information director! In many cases the coaches do do the ranking but I know that a number of FB SIDs do as well!
Thanks for the comment Mores. I had thought about the SID's, I just remember coaches mentioning in the past that they rarely have time to pay attention to any school other than their own and their next opponent so they hand off the poll to their secretaries to fill it out. :)