Cityview | Central Iowa's Independent Weekly

Iowa’s business of booze

A comparison of alcohol sales in Iowa’s 99 counties

The sun dips below the cityscape of a small rural town on this warm spring evening. A long bar sets empty except for a few farmers in bib overalls on one end chatting about the weather and a couple of aging woman, definitely lookers in their prime, sipping gin and tonics at the other. Younger patrons shoot pool in the back of the bar while the bartender reads the local newspaper. A few years ago, The Owl Tap would have been standing room only, but now plenty of barstools are open. But strangely, alcohol sales in the state continue to rise.

Drinking alcohol is big business in Iowa. From people sipping wine at dinner to college kids binge drinking in frat houses, it happens on a daily basis. Drinking a glass of wine a day has been proven to be beneficial to reducing the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and slowing the progression of neurological degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. But drinking is also a problem in the state, as 113 of the 412 traffic fatalities in 2008 were alcohol related. But how much money is spent on alcohol, and how much do Iowans really consume? ...Read More>>

Is Register’s all-state academic team biased? Clinton flies in, but Culver skips pal’s funeral

Recent editions of The Des Moines Register’s Academic All State team have left Asians complaining that criteria are stacked against them in ways that redefine academics. This year’s team will increase their frustration and confuse all students about what constitutes a great academic career. Ames High’s Harvard-bound Lawrence Chiou did not make the 15-person “top achievers” team despite a 2380 SAT, an internship to Harvard Medical School, making it to the finals of the National Spelling Bee, and participating in Science Olympiad. Nor did Iowa City West’s Kui Tang, also with a 2380 SAT and participation in the Lincoln Douglas debates, Mu Alpha Theta and the Federal Reserve Challenge. They were beaten out by, among others, two white girls who scored 25 and 28 on the ACT and collectively listed Iowa Pork Princess and State Fair Queen as their top activities, followed by 4-H Council, softball, touring Europe, and being an all-state large group speech performer. Another white kid made it with only a 21 ACT and nothing more than choir and Big Brothers on his resume. They’re all great kids, no doubt, but the omission of the outstanding Asian students will do nothing to stop the rumors that the Register’s honor team is racist. .......Read More>>

Americana music icon Lauderdale sought-after by Nashville kings and queens

The most talented artists in Nashville are not necessarily the most famous, though often they are sought after by those who are famous.

Case in point — with all due respect — multi-talented Jim Lauderdale, who plays the Temple for Performing Arts in downtown Des Moines on Saturday, May 15.

He may not yet be a household name (and he’s OK with that), but his resume is impressive: Two-time Grammy Award winner; “A-list” Nashville songwriter having penned hits for George Strait, Patty Loveless, The Dixie Chicks and Vince Gill; recording and touring member of bands for Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams and Mary Chapin Carpenter; Americana music icon and host for seven consecutive years for the Americana Music Association’s Honors and Awards Show in Nashville (he won “Artist of the Year” and “Song of the Year” at the first event in 2002); host of three radio shows (WSM, “Music City Roots,” “Tennessee Shines”); and a successful solo artist. ...Read More>>

New managers for baseball restaurants

Baseball may have lost national pastime status, but it’s still the ultimate conservative metaphor. Its enneadic dogma (nine players go nine innings on 90 foot squares within a 90 degree axes) resists progressive interpretation. Baseball’s fans can even be rigidly conservative about the game’s food. My father never accepted that “hot dog stands” had morphed into “concession stands.” My grandfather referred to such things as “peanut stands.“ At least they both died before nachos became baseballs best-selling food. As a new season began, two-baseball themed restaurants opened with new managers and lineups. . ...Read More>>”