The latest of those questionable "Best U.S. Places" lists has come out, using some arcane and highly suspect formula to figure out the best place to live... oh, yeah, and to sell some magazines.

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance's 2008 list, which selects locales "offering strong economies, abundant jobs, reasonable living costs—and fun things to do," blows all credibility at the get-go by putting Des Moines, Omaha and Provo in the top ten.

Do these wonks ever visit the cities they choose, or just rely on their stats?

Let's have a show of hands. How many of y'all want to move to Des Moines?

How about Provo?

How about Provo if I throw in a helicopter to get you out when the sun goes down?

Kiplinger’s senior editor Robert Frick says, “We wanted places with great entertainment and cool places to live and shop.” Again I ask, Provo?

Schedule that moving van, because here's the list (I've annotated it a bit):

1. Houston (Sweltering home of cockroaches the size of pit bulls)
2. Raleigh, N. C. (Actually a nice place.)
3. Omaha, Neb. (Hub of a rectangular state.)
4. Boise (Logan with better bars.)
5. Colorado Springs (The Chamber probably got A.F. cadets to cheat on the stats.)
6. Austin, Tex. (Willie Nelson runs the place, which ain't bad.)
7. Fayetteville, Ark. (You don't have to wear shoes!)
8. Sacramento, Calif. (Doesn't your grandma live there?)
9. Des Moines, Iowa (You don't have to pronounce the 's's!)

10. Provo (Gateway to Orem)