Best City in Iowa (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids: work, house, crime)

[fullerm]

Hey DSM Guy,

I would take your post seriously if you did any research. I will admit that Des Moines has more people, which can attract more things like some of what you have said.

You Said:
DM has nationally recognized events like the Iowa State Fair, Art Festival, CR has none.

I Said:
Because you have more people. I could name many, many big events that have been held here.

You said:
DM has Living History Farms, CR has none.

I Said:
I would call Usher's Ferry an outdoor museum.

You Said:
DM has a new Science Center, State Historical Museum, main library. CR has no attractions/museums at this level.

I Said:
Cedar Rapids Science Station, Home, and did you really want to say that a public library in Des Moines is a tourist area?

The art museum has more Grant Wood paintings than any other (the guy who did the American Gothic), and there is a reason that three presidents gathered together in Cedar Rapids (but I will let you find out that one for yourself. Hint: Think Czech!)

You Said:
DM has a new 17,000 seat arena that attracts big name concerts. CR is lucky to get any big time shows at its small arena.

I Said:
Because you have more people, more traffic, more headaches, etc. What if we don't want your people? But if you must. Look up the US Cellular Center, the Paramount Theatre, Hancher Auditorium (20-25 min away), Carver-Hawkeye Arena (20-25 min away)

You Said:
DM metro has the largest mall in IA. CR needs to drive to IC for a mall that is even close to it.

I Said:
Lindale is nice, it has everything I need, it just doesn't have 3 of everything I need. And you act like Iowa City is so far away. I can get from Cedar Rapids to Coral Ridge faster than I could get from Downtown Des Moines to Jordan Creek.

You Said:
DM has a zoo, albeit small, CR has none.

I Said:
Not true. Correct that we do not a have a traditional zoo, but think, EIEIO. City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa - Parks Department

You Said:
DM has opera, CR has none.

I Said:
Oh, you mean the Des Moines Metro Opera, based in Indianola? Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre - Home

You Said:
DM's airport has twice as many non-stop destinations.

I Said:
We can get where we need to get.

You Said:
DM has AAA baseball (1 level below majors), CR has small time A baseball.

I Said:
Once again you have more people... and more crime... and more congestion.

You Said:
DM has AAA hockey, CR has none.

I Said:
Wow... I was wondering what it was that they were doing on skates, when they were putting that black thing into a net. Home of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders > Home

You Said:
DM has arena football, CR has none.

I Said:
No, your Arena team folded. You may have an Arena Football League 2 team, but it's not going to be on ESPN anytime soon. And you make fun of us for minor league baseball....

You Said:
DM has an amusement park, CR has none.

I Said:
You act like it's Disney World. Adventureland is great... if you're 5.

You Said:
DM is a regular stop for Broadway plays, CR has none.

I Said:
Welcome to Paramount Theatre Broadway Series

And if you want to include Hancher (as there is the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance). skip the* intro

You Said:
Boring? DM has a lively night scene. CR drives to Iowa City for fun.

I Said:
This list is just in Downtown. Cedar Rapids Downtown District

Frankly, when I lived near Des Moines, I tried to find someplace that I liked for nightlife, there wasn't anything to leave Indianola for.

You Said:
DM has a nationally recognized Farmers Market that attracts 20K-30K people every weekend. It is more of a weekly festival than just a bunch of farmers selling stuff. If CR has a farmers market, does it attract even 300 ppl?

I said:
Cultural Corridor

[DSMGuy]

Okay, let me clarify.. I never heard of "Ushers Ferry" is it a boat or something? LHF is a nationally recognized museum.

I also said we have AAA Hockey, and it is true you have no AAA hockey.

What is an eio?? The only real zoos in the Iowa and metros straddling the border are in DM, QC, and Omaha. You have to be accredited, and that wouldn't include a petting zoo.

I think you are reinforcing my points.

Anyway, your post is too funny to bother with. Gotta run...

[fullerm]

Originally Posted by DSMGuy

Okay, let me clarify.. I never heard of "Ushers Ferry" is it a boat or something? LHF is a nationally recognized museum.

I also said we have AAA Hockey, and it is true you have no AAA hockey.

What is an eio?? The only real zoos in the Iowa and metros straddling the border are in DM, QC, and Omaha. You have to be accredited, and that wouldn't include a petting zoo.

I think you are reinforcing my points.

Anyway, your post is too funny to bother with. Gotta run...

You don't bother to read for comprehension, do you?

Usher's Ferry is an outdoor historical village built on the land where Mr. Usher used to ferry pioneers across the Cedar River.

No, you said we have no hockey. That point was simply not true.

I said that we do not have a typical zoo, but that we do have a zoo.

And what points was I reinforcing, the one that you don't do any research?

[DSMGuy]

Let's try this again.... with some examples..

You have a few techniques going on here let's define them and I'll give an example for each one.

Technique 1: Attempting to show you have an equivalent alternative (examples: Petting zoo, Usher boat, opera)

Let's give a possible example that has nothing to do with your town.

Say somebody posts, "I like Kansas City better than Des Moines because it has pro football and you don't."

My reply would be: Yep, you got me there. You have it and we don't have anything that comes close.

Your reply would be: Oh yes we do, we have a couple of really good high school football teams.

Technique 2: We don't have it, so whatever you have that we don't have sucks. (Example: your post on Adventureland)

Say somebody posts, "I like Kansas City better than Des Moines because we have Oceans of Fun and you don't."

My reply would be: You are absolutely right, we don't have anything like it, so that's why we go there most summers. It's a cool place.

Your reply would be: Why would we want something crappy like that in our town?

Logic, it is a beautiful thing.

[fullerm]

Originally Posted by DSMGuy

Let's try this again.... with some examples..

You have a few techniques going on here let's define them and I'll give an example for each one.

Technique 1: Attempting to show you have an equivalent alternative (examples: Petting zoo, Usher boat, opera)

Let's give a possible example that has nothing to do with your town.

Say somebody posts, "I like Kansas City better than Des Moines because it has pro football and you don't."

My reply would be: Yep, you got me there. You have it and we don't have anything that comes close.

Your reply would be: Oh yes we do, we have a couple of really good high school football teams.

Technique 2: We don't have it, so whatever you have that we don't have sucks. (Example: your post on Adventureland)

Say somebody posts, "I like Kansas City better than Des Moines because we have Oceans of Fun and you don't."

My reply would be: You are absolutely right, we don't have anything like it, so that's why we go there most summers. It's a cool place.

Your reply would be: Why would we want something crappy like that in our town?

Logic, it is a beautiful thing.

I find this comical. No, I didn't say we had equivalent, all I said was that we had some things, like hockey, or the opera (which is equivalent), which you had failed to gain the knowledge, that existed in this town.

I never said that your things sucked. You treated Des Moines' amenities like Gold and Diamonds, when many of them are aluminum and Cubic Zirconia. Do I wish that we had Adventureland here, probably yes. Do I want the headaches that go along with living in Des Moines (more people, traffic, crime, etc.), no I don't.

[pepe1]

Originally Posted by zz4guy

Des Moines - This city is overrated in my opinion. It is basically an overgrown Cedar Rapids. It really doesn't offer any metropolis ammenities or attractions. The other thing is you are stuck in the middle of bfnowhere. Once you leave the city it is at least 2 hours of driving before you see another city bigger than 10,000 people. Boring!

What a horribly innaccurate statement. The whole paragraph is so flamboyantly incorrect that it is quite obvious that you have either never been to Des Moines or are jealous of Des Moines.

[GraniteStater]

Ames is a large town (by Iowa standards) and is located just north of the Des Moines MSA. Eventually, Des Moines and Ames will probably eventually become a CMSA. Ankeny, north of Des Moines is growing fast in population

[ic-epi]

Actually, after moving to KY and being born/raised in various places in Iowa (as well as having lived in some other areas of the US), I think it's hilarious that the Des Moines person is actually arguing with the Cedar Rapids person about what their respective town offers.

Lived in Iowa City for 25 years (and before that, I was born and raised an Iowa girl). Educated in Iowa City. Am a huge fan. During that time I spent many an evening in Cedar Rapids. There are many great, fun places there. During that time I spent many an evening in Des Moines. There are many great, fun places there.

The fact that you two are arguing about it all is like splitting hairs from my perspective in KY now, reminiscing about Iowa. It's funny except that I know you are serious. If you want to get less serious about the hair splitting thing (which I realize you don't think you're doing, but you are), then you should move to some other state and then I'll guarantee you that the two of you will band together and instead of insulting parts of your state within less than 100 miles of each other, you'll be proud that you are from Iowa.

Sorry. But I've been there and I know.

[mfrerkes]

Man...this is an amusing thread. Watching people split hairs over minor league hockey, who has the better farmer's market, and whose zoo is accredited sure provides some good entertainment. I've lived in both Iowa (Des Moines and Quad Cities) and Illinois (Chicago area and the Quad Cities). Every area I've lived in has negatives and positives:

Des Moines: Too expensive for a metro aound 500,000 people, but is nice-looking and has plenty to offer almost anyone.

Chicago: Crime-ridden and traffic from Hell, but is a world-class city in every way.

Quad Cities: A somewhat weak local economy, but excellent cost of living and amenities for a metro below 500,000 people.

There's nothing wrong with being proud of where you live. I would be (and have been) proud to call all three cities listed above as home. However, when you have to start tearing down someone else's town just to make yours look better -- Well, maybe its taking "hometown pride" just a little too far.

[zz4guy]

Originally Posted by mfrerkes

Man...this is an amusing thread. Watching people split hairs over minor league hockey, who has the better farmer's market, and whose zoo is accredited sure provides some good entertainment. I've lived in both Iowa (Des Moines and Quad Cities) and Illinois (Chicago area and the Quad Cities). Every area I've lived in has negatives and positives:

Des Moines: Too expensive for a metro aound 500,000 people, but is nice-looking and has plenty to offer almost anyone.

Chicago: Crime-ridden and traffic from Hell, but is a world-class city in every way.

Quad Cities: A somewhat weak local economy, but excellent cost of living and amenities for a metro below 500,000 people.

There's nothing wrong with being proud of where you live. I would be (and have been) proud to call all three cities listed above as home. However, when you have to start tearing down someone else's town just to make yours look better -- Well, maybe its taking "hometown pride" just a little too far.

I agree, it is stupid - Take a step outside of Iowa and you'll see that Des Moines is anything but a big metro area. People always seem to make it out to be bigger and better than what it is because Iowa doesn't really have any big cities.

Most of the sourrounding states have cities magnitudes larger than anything in Iowa:
MN - Minneapolis, St. Paul
MO - Kansas City, St Louis
IL - Chicago, Rockford, etc
WI - Milwaukee and even Madison is bigger than anything in IA.

But different strokes for different folks. DSM has low traffic, crime and a lot of insurance jobs (if that is your thing)