I just met rurallib...

...and it was purely by coincidence.

(btw, rurallib, sorry I couldn't stay longer and talk, but I had to hurry up because my coworker had to leave ASAP -- didn't want to come off as rude.)

your bank accounts scrutinized and your vote not counted. All that simply because you live in Bush's America.
Hard to believe that I was the right winger in that group but ......

As for the tapped phones, scrutinized bank accounts, and uncounted vote, eh, nothing new.

did you venture to Eastern Iowa to have a sane conversation with someone or was rurallib in Western Iowa getting ready to teepee Steve King's house?

Actually it was completely coincidence. I was on the job, working at someone's house, and the guy who lives there is a very liberal Democrat. He said a buddy of his was coming over, and when the buddy came he brought his wife, who happened to be wearing her "Nussle Hustle" t-shirt. I instantly remembered the thread from earlier this week about the shirts, asked if he was rurallib, and introduced myself.

It's pretty much the same as Eastern Iowa, though more spread out.

Just don't talk politics with too many people there...

Ever" shirt and I stop to ask directions. Can my wife plan on cashing in that life insurance policy?
I'm really kidding. Benn out there a few times. And don't take this wrong but there are places that remind me of Iowa City when I was a kid. That was quite a while back. So it was something like a time warp. I am sure that was before Walmart probably came in and killed the local businesses in places like Fort Dodge.
And people are people. Most Iowans I have met from whatever part of the state are just plain nice.

I agree -- some of the towns look like they haven't changed much since the 50s. Personally I think it's kind of charming. I'm from CB, which is fairly modernized, so it's a nice change of scenery on occasion to go there.

And yeah, I'd be somewhat selective on my wardrobe if I were to go to a random place in Western Iowa. No shooting or anything -- like you said, most Iowans are nice to a fault -- but there'll always be the occasional neocon who would be liable to want to put you in your place.

ravaged by the Walmarts and McDs of the world. Last time I was out that way was @1985 before Walmartization had fully begun. Some of the towns were simply charming.
Iowa City in the post-war period had to be one of the most picturesque cities ever. But somewhere @1960 they started on a campaign of moderization that wrecked it. $0 years later it is only now starting to recover that charm.
One of the most beautiful sights were the grass islands in the middle of Iowa Avenue stretching from the old Capitol to Dodge street. At Christmas time they were lined with lights. It was a treat for the eyes. Then in 1961 Iowa City hired their first city manager. Guy named Carsten D. Liekvold. His name is etched in my mind for the atrocity he committed. He had those islands removed and parking meters installed where they were. That one act made Iowa City really ugly.

They just are kind of separated from the charming old downtown, thank goodness.

If you've ever been to Maryville, Missouri, many towns are set up like that.