.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} First it was Fast Company magazine placing Des Moines on the verge of being a “Fast City,” where the best and brightest people want to live. Then, at a less glamorous but equally important level, Expansion Management magazine named Des Moines one of America’s 50 Hottest Cities.

Not a bad week.

It’s intriguing that Fast Company’s editors looked at criteria such as the percentage of gay or foreign-born residents, the number of ethnic restaurants and the number of live-music listeners versus cable subscribers.

They’re saying it’s not wiring that gives a city high-tech potential; it’s the ambience. The “high-tech” label still might conjure up visions of narrowly focused people devoted to their computers and oblivious to the real world. But Fast Company is talking about people who use technology with great enthusiasm but nurture other interests too. They want to live in a city with variety and stimulation.

The editors make it clear that diversity is important. If nothing else, it makes good business sense to keep your talent pool as large as possible.

Expansion Management magazine is aimed at executives of companies that are looking to expand or relocate, which makes it another excellent place for a city to get noticed. The editors looked at business environment, workforce quality and training programs, operating costs and the ease of working with local political and economic development officials.

In other words, they put a lot of emphasis on traditional business concerns and none on sushi restaurants. And once again, Des Moines did well.

It’s exciting to stand out on any national rankings. It’s even better when we show so well on lists with such divergent standards.

You can always question the validity of “best in the nation” lists, but there’s no doubt that last week’s double shot of good news is great recruitment material for Central Iowa.

It also should serve as inspiration for those of us who live here. We don’t have to search for a great place in which to make a career; we already live there.