Is Des Moines Really This Boring?
 

Is there just nothing happening in Des Moines these days that this story becomes newsworthy?

http://www.belleville.com/mld/bellev...printstory.jsp

You should watch the local news out here. Over half of it is weather and the human interest stories really just involve interviewing whoever walks by the camera that day and finding out their story. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a followup article for the chinese buffet controversy.

I just figured out what my version of hell would be: having to host a local talk show in Des Moines.

I never really listen to talk radio, but there is one show in Iowa City that's pretty famous (at least around here it is). An older woman basically has guests over at her house and it is broadcast. That's it. I think most everyone out here is so nice and polite that local talk radio lacks a certain spark. There are some political shows on the college station, but they are just random liberal rants without any actual discussion. I'm not sure if things are better or worse for talk radio in Des Moines.

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: Am I the only one who doesn't see a problem with this? It's "all you can eat" -- if you're not eating it and you're throwing it away, you're taking something you didn't pay for.

Damn, I was about to head to the Indian buffet but now I think I may hit the Chinese one instead...

all you can eat.

The lady is a bitch! Obviously it isn't just her kids "changing their minds"

Dola, and now I want chinese badly

No, I don't see the problem either.

Technically, it's all you *can* eat... not all you *do* eat...

I've done worse (think maybe 1/10th the size of Des Moines). Pretty quickly you're forced into taking national issues, either localizing them or simply giving the locals a chance to comment on bigger picture items.

Well, the other news is the hog market, so that story was an improvement.

I don't see a problem with this either. I mean sometimes you take too much, but when it gets that MUCH of a problem, then you should get out of there. If they take a plate of stuff, eat a few bites and then throw the rest of it out, they probably are wasting a LOT of food as they are most likely getting a lot of plates filled up and take a bit or two from each one.

Oddly enough, Des Moines is where Reagan started out....

yikes. of course, it ended up with you in your big ass house, so maybe it's worth it. :p

Sounds like the owner was pretty patient given that they have done this before and it isn't like they were trying something and then not eating it. They were trying something, leaving it there and then going back to get more of the same.

And Des Moines isn't the only one with a slow news day.. this was a discussion topic during an afternoon radio show here in Milwaukee. That and the discussion of right/wrong in firing a teacher where it was found they were in an adult movie.. 10 years ago.

True ... but that wasn't even close to happening until I got out of radio ;)

I for one do have a problem with what the restaurant did. They basically admitted that they've had their eye on this lady but on the day in question they allowed her to do it again and then insisted she pay. They should have stopped her at the door and refused to serve her up front.

You're just asking for a lot more potential trouble I think in refusing to serve someone. It's almost better to just let them do their thing and then proceed from there.

The whole friggin' state of Iowa shuts down at dusk.

no more eggroll. you;ve been here four hours.

You would not say that if you had ever been to Iowa City. It is a loud college town and the 2 AM exodus from the bars is a regular ritual that provides entertainment to observers and something for the local cops to do.

All I know is that my wife and I were driving through Iowa (on the INTERSTATE) on our way to Minnesota for a wedding. It was 9:30 P.M. and I COULDN'T find a friggin' gas station that was open until we were just outside of Des Moines. I was running on vapor at the time.

If I go visit the Field of Dreams can I stay at your house, JG?

Since we are moving back to NYC :( , you would have to get here quick. I've only been once since it is about 2 hours away from here, but it is a fun thing to see in person.

CARTRIGHHHHHHHHHHT

Initialisms I learned for Iowa from people who lived there:

Idiots Out Wandering Around

I Owe the World an Apology

Back to firm life?

Where it really gets ugly is if you ask for extra sausage gravy down at the Eat Rite Diner.

Whaaaaaat?? I'm assuming from the sad face that you're not exactly thrilled about this?

Of course, I think I'm going to be in NYC in June/July for a few days. If you're there then I hope you'll let me crash on your couch... I mean, buy you a beer. :D I can't offer much in return, except maybe getting to meet Howard Stern (which something tells me wouldn't really thrill you).

well its been stated earlier today, but it still fits:

Step 1: Insult customer

Step 2: ?????????

Step 3: Big profit

btw if this is the biggest story in town it aint bad, better than a murder or rape right?

I have always used Des Moines as the reason for wanting to get out of radio. As in "The last thing I want to do is to be 60 years old and happy to get a gig in Des Moines because the station I was at changed format."

I don't think that you or I will ever have to worry about that though. With the way syndication is going there will soon be 15 people on the radio that will be syndicated or voice tracked across the entire country...

But if you do end up there... Just talk a lot about corn!

fwiw, the chinese buffets have a 10% penalty if you waste food.

My eyes always tend to be bigger than my stomach, so I would probably receive the heave-ho from this joint as well. Well, actually, I think I could eat mongolian beef and steamed rice until my heart stopped.

The first thing that pops into my mind when I hear Des Moines is "boring," so probably, yeah.

Only place I've been where NPR has a farm report. Very stat-minded, comparing this season with the last, and so forth.

Sadly yes. At least for the near future anyway.

No, I'm not too thrilled. I like Iowa and I don't really like big law firm life. But various personal factors require me to move back there.

I won't be in NYC in June or July. After I finish my job here (in July), I'm hoping to take a little time off and travel. For that time I'll be homeless with my stuff in storage. I will probably be back in NYC in September or so.

As for Howard Stern, surprisingly I am somewhat of a fan. I find some of his stuff pretty funny and I choose to ignore a lot of the really offensive junk.

So, if you around NYC after September, let me know.

The nightly news usually has the farm report and current cow and other commodity prices.