tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17951989.post7756121973471713467..comments2024-03-13T06:02:45.251-05:00Comments on Cinema Romantico: Field Of Dreams = State Of DreamsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17951989.post-79363714977099038492010-05-27T22:53:41.119-05:002010-05-27T22:53:41.119-05:00Plus Iowa consistently sends a conservative Republ...Plus Iowa consistently sends a conservative Republican and a liberal Democrat to the Senate, election after election. Ours may be a very obese, white bread state, but by god we believe in being fair to all sides.My Other Brother Darylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05912520220435292685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17951989.post-86251660941995005972010-05-27T21:06:48.933-05:002010-05-27T21:06:48.933-05:00I just thought of an anecdote about Iowa that I of...I just thought of an anecdote about Iowa that I often tell when I want to convince people what a swell place it is (Wretched Genius sort of jogged my memory when he mentioned bacon, ribs and beef).<br /><br />At any restaurant I've ever eaten in my neck of the woods (Georgia), I can't order a hamburger medium rare. They refuse to cook it that way become some poor kid once died from eating a burger prepared in that fashion at a Jack-in-the-Box in California. I even offered to sign a waiver that I wouldn't sue if I died from an undercooked burger, but the restaurants hold firm.<br /><br />So my sister and her husband take me to a diner in Des Moines, and I ask the waitress how close they can cook my cheeseburger to medium rare without it coming out like shoe leather.<br /><br />The waitress asks me: "Why don't you just order it medium rare?"<br /><br />Me: "I can do this? Without an argument?"<br /><br />Well, as it turns out I could. And it was one of the best damn burgers I've ever eaten.Ivan G Shreve Jrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04067177808320053382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17951989.post-58597956476159194122010-05-27T11:57:00.852-05:002010-05-27T11:57:00.852-05:00It never ceases to amaze me that for how amazing t...It never ceases to amaze me that for how amazing the Val Air is - seriously, there is NOWHERE in Chicago like it - the city keeps trying to run it into the ground. That's part of the city's problem. They need to be more cognizant of what makes it cool. Also, I've never seen "Iowa" but I notice it stars James Serpento whose "Yoofoo Club" is one of the most excruciating moviegoing experiences I've ever endured. <br /><br />I was also a little hard on Charles Pierce. (Well, not too hard.) He's probably right when he says Rajon Rondo is the best point guard in the nba. But still, when he took down "Field of Dreams" I had to take him down.Nick Priggehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17895803287589438170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17951989.post-22295802801879013452010-05-27T11:41:39.735-05:002010-05-27T11:41:39.735-05:00You tire of having to explain that, no, Iowa has c...<i>You tire of having to explain that, no, Iowa has cities. Actual cities!</i><br /><br />I'm not from Iowa but I will back you up on this. Ny sister has lived in West Des Moines for many years now (her husband teaches at Drake).<br /><br />And though I am a fan of Charles Pierce's, your observation that "had he been present at the Passover would have bitched that the bread was unleavened" hits the bullseye.Ivan G Shreve Jrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04067177808320053382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17951989.post-63065222948509074862010-05-27T11:01:02.597-05:002010-05-27T11:01:02.597-05:00Seriously, Blogger.com, why won't you let me e...Seriously, Blogger.com, why won't you let me edit comments? It would be really helpful right about now.Wretched Geniushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05691397733214664019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17951989.post-50784436662568801852010-05-27T10:59:39.736-05:002010-05-27T10:59:39.736-05:00The Val Air Ballroom has been getting a bunch of n...The Val Air Ballroom has been getting a bunch of noise complaints lately*, so it may soon become less of a great venue if it's forced to tone things down.<br /><br />Every time I try to explain that Iowa has more than just cornfields, I always end up making it sound even more boring than it would be if I just left the perception as being a giant cornfield.<br /><br />Me: "There is more than just corn here."<br /><br />Person: "Like what?"<br /><br />Me: "We also grow soybeans. And have a lot of hog lots**. And a thriving insurance industry."<br /><br />Person: "Uh huh."<br /><br />Me: "And we have the Bridges of Madison county, as featured in the bestselling novel of the same name, and the subsequent hit movie based on that novel, which features Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep."<br /><br />Person: "Sounds interesting. What is so special about these bridges?"<br /><br />Me: "Nothing, actually. They're just bridges."<br /><br />Person: "Oh."<br /><br />Me: "Also we produce a lot of methamphetamines***."<br /><br />Person: "I'm listening..."<br /><br /><br />*: Val Air was built in 1939. The people who are making the complaints knew way ahead of time that they were moving next to a concert venue, yet they still complain about the noise. This may be Iowa, and we are generally nice people, but we have our fair share of stupid yuppie pricks.<br /><br />**: Seriously, how can you write a love letter to your home state and forget to mention the bacon and bbq ribs? Or, for that matter, the cornfed Iowa beef?<br /><br />***: This also got the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0372346/>movie</a> treatment.Wretched Geniushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05691397733214664019noreply@blogger.com