Just exactly, how do you “create” new jobs? 

How do people who have lost jobs end up in these “new” jobs?

Frankly, what are these “new” jobs? 

It feels as though these “new” jobs are basically the same recycled jobs we have always done, but supplanted from one place to another place. Teacher, firefighter, desk job, or any other job we have had in the past are not “new” jobs, despite the goals to increase the number of these positions.

They’re the same old jobs we have done forever:  retread and recycled.

A “new” job is something that is created and has never been heard of before. Social media strategist, new media reporter, are two that come to mind.

I think of startups and entrepreneurs as part of the “new” class of jobs. They are providing a service, niche or general, that is in need today. From creating new apps for phones, or providing a new way to order concert tickets, these “new” jobs are in demand, but need to be created and shaped before they become a functional part of our daily world.

That’s what “new” jobs, to me, is defined. Sure, if you land a new job, it simply means you have changed locations, job title, and company. But, is it a “new” job, or a recycled gig that someone else used to do before they left and you walked in? 

Nevertheless, he we go...

By now, everyone across the state of Iowa knows Bloom and the write-up he penned for The Atlantic Magazine.

A lot of folks here in the land between two rivers are very upset by his “flame-torch” observation of Iowa as the 2012 Caucus approaches on January 3rd. Much like the Iowa Hawkeyes football season, anything bad that happens, we over-react in a frenzied mode. It’s easy for Mike Draper of RAYGUN to print up a shirt mocking Bloom, it’s easy for people to send messages to The Atlantic to voice their displeasure and wanting their recourse towards Bloom.

The problem is, when we don’t read the entire text of he wrote, only reacting to the excerpts and quotes that were highlighted, we miss the entire picture.

This isn’t going to make people happy, but I’ll say it: there is some validity to Bloom’s observations, if you get beyond some of his disparaging remarks, which is his opinion, like it or not.

For everything we romanticize about our fair state, there’s plenty of challenges that we are currently facing, or will face.

I agree with a large part of his observation of the socioeconomic and political culture of Iowa. Iowa is facing plenty of issues that we know all too well. It doesn’t take a professor to figure that out. (Yeah, I wrote that last sentence. Sometimes, I have to be a smartass. I’m too nice.)

There are some things he wrote that is very true:

• Iowa is not flat.
• The once-flourishing river towns of Keokuk, Davenport, to name a few, are reshaping an identity for themselves, now that the Mississippi River is no longer a major mode of transportation.
• The eastern side of the state is mostly Democratic, the western half is Republican.
• We continue to re-elect Tom Harkin and Chuck Grassley to the U.S. Senate, and we love incumbents.

Bloom calls the whole thing schizophrenic, I call it unique and an example of how we operate here in Iowa. Partisanship aside, I have long theorized that Iowans will elect people who can do their job and ensure that we get what we want from Washington or from the statehouse in Des Moines. If you can deliver the “goods”, you get re-elected. Plain and simple.

I have been an Iowan all of my life. A black Iowan, mind you, Dr. Bloom. One of about 50,000 in this state. You’ll probably find us in the urban areas. It’s lovely in Davenport, Des Moines, Waterloo, and Sioux City at this time of the year.

The crux of Bloom’s dissertation is this: why does Iowa gets so much attention by this nation and the political world every four years when it comes to the Presidential election? Bloom’s ulterior motive, to me, is to tell America about the “real” Iowa…from his own eyes.

Personally, he barely scratched the surface. There is a lot more to Iowa than “ve-HICK-les”, NASCAR, and the Hawkeyes.

Bloom described Keokuk as a crime-riddled skuzzy town. I wonder why he hasn’t visited my hometown of Waterloo, where the continual lingering effect of racial tension and crime rears its ugly head from time to time. I should know: my grandparents lived down the street from one of the most infamous crimes in Iowa history.

Every town isn’t free of criminal activity, Dr. Bloom. Even in Iowa City, when your students get tagged for underage drinking. Des Moines, for a long time, was referred to as “Little Chicago” because it was a refuge for Chicago criminals to hide out in the 1970′s.

I do disagree with him on his assessment that Iowans are a bunch of gun-toting, isolationist, God-fearing conservative folks. We’re more than that. Look at me, I’ve never lived on a farm, never fired off a shotgun, independent of both political parties, and I attend church when I’m able to, if I’m not visiting family or volunteering.

As far as naivety is concerned, we use it as a facade at times, but for the most part, we let our niceness and politeness give off the sense that we’re dolts and simpletons. That is what Bloom is asserting, in my view. Folks, it’s alright to show a little mean streak if someone insults us. Lord knows how many times I want to tell Bill O’Reilly and Keith Olbermann to shove it up where the sun don’t shine.

After years and years of in-your-face religion, I decided to give what has become an annual lecture, in which I urge my students not to bid strangers “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Easter,” “Have you gotten all your Christmas shopping done?” or “Are you going to the Easter egg hunt?” Such well-wishes are not appropriate for everyone, I tell my charges gently. A cheery “Happy holidays!” will suffice. Small potatoes, I know, but did everyone have to proclaim their Christianity so loud and clear?

Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea. One gutsy, red-in-the-face student told me in no uncertain terms that for the rest of her life, she would continue offering Merry Christmas and Happy Easter tidings to strangers, no matter what I, or anyone else, said, because, “That’s just who I am and I’m not about to change. Ever!” Score one for sticking it to the ethnic interloper.

-Stephen Bloom, “Observations from 20 years in Iowa” The Atlantic, December 2011

Bloom crossed the line here. Lecturing his students how to address their holiday greetings was more self-groveling and venting his hatred towards “Merry Christmas.” Not all people who say “Merry Christmas” are religious. If someone says “Merry Christmas”, a suffice “You too and Happy Holidays” will do, Dr. Bloom. No one’s trying to force their religion on anyone. If they do, they have a problem…with themselves.

I use both terms. Not by choice, but what comes easily out of my mouth, if I’m not stuttering to spit it out.

Bloom is correct when he says that Iowa is a yesteryear to the past, for good and possibly bad. The good is that there is still a society and a part of the world that value decency, respect, and humility. The bad: the troubling perception from the outside world that Iowa is still a “lily-white” Pangaea that is steadfast in sticking to their beliefs and traditions, that could be seen as politically incorrect.

Stephen Bloom, for the most part, took an elitist position when he wrote about this state. Folks don’t like it when someone writes or talks above their heads and subtly mocks them for their way of life and attitudes. I’m guilty of that myself, so I have to tone down the intellectual guff and make it sensible for everyone to understand what’s being written.

Trust me, it’s hard for us to drop some of those attitudes as well. But denigrating people to prove a point does ooze a sense of personal discontent for him.

Dr. Bloom implied that we’re the ones who are stuck in our ways. Maybe it’s the other way around. I’m starting to think that he’s the one who hasn’t changed with the times, if we’re solely judging his attitude and his snide remarks.

But make no doubt that our challenge, as Iowans, is to keep showing America that we are culturally intuitive, open-minded, willing to take on new endeavors and lifestyles, and still maintain the integrity and respect towards our fellow woman and man. Midwest nice isn’t just a catchphrase.

Fear and the unknown are the driving force and reasons for us not to evolve.

I wonder what Dr. Bloom is really afraid of?

Becoming one of us, or realizing that we’re just as smart as he is?

That may be true, but it shouldn't be a precursor to murder. 

The discussion over the beating death of Marcellus Andrews of Waterloo has brought up a litany of angles and different perspectives over whether or not Andrews was gay (his sister said he wasn't, per the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier) to the ever-ending list of violence among youths, particularly on the east side of Waterloo. 

As a native of Waterloo, I didn't feel comfortable coming out right away and offering any opinion or comment.  Stuff like needs several days to simmer before knowing what the details are and writing an opinion. 

This I can be sure of:  something did happened between Andrews and murderers that provoke the deadly beating.  That is a fact.  Was it a hate crime?  Andrews' family sides with the Waterloo police by saying it wasn't a hate crime.  Others will beg to disagree.  But, to disagree, would imply that others think they know more about Marcellus than Marcellus' family does. 

Is it fair for me, or anyone else, to make an assertion that Andrews was gay and that his family is covering up the fact or are in denial of that notion? 

That's about as reckless of an assertion to make, and a terrible one at that.  His family knows Marcellus more than Des Moines Human Rights commissioner Rudy Simms, One Iowa, and I combined. 

So, what about the words that were used towards Andrews when he was confronted and then was beaten up?  Were they used just as words, or was there an intent to say something about him?  Today, insensitive and derogatory words to describe an individual have become a flashpoint of discussion and debate. 

Do these words define a person is a hate-monger, racist, misogynist?  The easy answer is yes.  But, is it as clear-cut as we want to make it out to be? 

That is what makes the Andrews beating death a confusing situation:  was it a hate crime or another sad case of black-on-black youth crime?   

It all depends on how certain words are used. 

By intention or in the heat of the moment. 

Recently, an acquaintance, Joe Winn from Lessing-Flynn tweeted this: 

If you have to tell people you are winning, you are already losing – both people’s respect and attention. Don’t perpetuate dumb cliches.

After he posted that, CBS decided to fire Sheen, likely ending his show “Two and a Half Men” completely.  They originally suspended productions as Charlie was put on suspension (or something to that effect). 

The #Winning tag has been used in jokes and have been bantered by everyone across the world.  But, when you strip everything down, for Charlie Sheen, it’s no longer funny to be “Winning”. 

It’s downright sad. 

Colin Cowherd from ESPN’s “The Herd” pointed out something that was lost in all of the Sheen hubris:  his personal life.  Not just his personal life, but the people around him are in disarray, much like him. 

Did you know he has five children (one with a former girlfriend, two with actress Denise Richards, and two with actress Brooke Mueller)?  Mueller was reportedly in rehab last year for substance abuse.  His penchant for porn stars isn’t new news.  He’s been around them since the 1990′s.  He shot ex-fiancee Kelly Preston in the arm, was arrested for domestic battery against Mueller, and Richards divorced him on grounds of violent behavior and substance abuse. 

Don’t take my word for it.  Wikipedia has a list. 

And in the age of “news A.D.D.”, last I checked, nobody cares about the ongoing Wisconsin collective bargaining saga.  Everyone’s enjoying the train wreck that is Charlie. 

Charlie is out of control.  Drug and alcohol abuse, penchant for violence against women, his interest in adult film actresses, et cetera, has created a perfect storm…in the worst way possible.  All of us think it’s funny and wild, but go ask his kids about watching “daddy” behave like this.  You don’t think they’re embarrassed, confused, and scared about what their dad will do next?  Why is he acting like this?  Is he running from his “shadow”?   

Charlie Sheen is not hurting himself, but everyone around him.  His kids are going to suffer, directly and indirectly, from his actions and behavior.  And we continue to endorse this by giving him what he wants…attention.  It’s pathetic that no one has offered to pull him by the collar and get him “real” treatment, and not the half-assed “celebrity” rehab Hollywood prefers.