MUMPS, METH MAKE IOWA SEXY

If you're one of those folks who think this state doesn't get enough
attention, Sunday must have been a dream day.

Two big national stories out of Iowa. All kinds of attention on CNN,
FOX, MSNBC, the networks and the New York Times.

First there was the mumps deal.

It got great placement -- sandwiched between Iran's nuke show and the
ongoing guest worker/immigration drama.

It started with a map of the Midwest -- Iowa was all lit up.

Then there were photos -- adorable little babies screaming and crying
while needles were being stuck into their newborn bodies.

And there were these medical experts mentioning Iowa three times a
minute and talking about how the mumps can screw up everything from
your throat and your testicles to your ears and ovaries.

They talked about the outbreak, the hundreds of cases, how it's still
growing, spreading over the border into Nebraska and at some point
they mentioned there's no reason to panic.

Then it got ugly.

There was the other story.

The movie "Iowa" opened in New York this weekend. It's about methamphetamine.

Given the attention it got, it looked and sounded like at least 50
percent of the folks in this state are meth addicts.

Among teenagers, it felt like it was about 80 percent.

Matt Farnsworth -- the guy who wrote, produced, directed and stars in
the movie -- spent time here growing up.

Most of it was shot in Centerville, where Farnsworth's grandparents live.

He's on a mission to make sure everybody in the country knows what's
going on out here. He comes across as very passionate, driven.

He says it's only a matter of time before the problem spreads to the coasts.

At one point the host said she thinks most Americans will be
surprised to hear this is happening in Iowa, a place that's thought
of as traditional, family friendly.

So why Iowa?

Farnsworth had obviously considered the question:

"Because it's boring."

I figured that was enough about Iowa for one day.

Then there was one other thing,

The New York Times did a front page Sunday spread on the seven people
who didn't even want to be considered for the top job at FEMA.

There were six guys and one woman -- Ellen Gordon, Iowa's Emergency
Management Division administrator for 18 years and the state's former
homeland security adviser.

Why not even consider the job?

"The challenges are there, but there has not been a proven commitment
from the administration that whoever takes the job is going to have
100 percent support."

Interesting, but it didn't make the TV news.

It's not as sexy as mumps and meth.