help save "wild, wonderful, west virginia"

[mutepointe]

o fellow chiffers, please help save "wild, wonderful, west virginia." there is an on-line survery, you can help. for many years while i was growing up the slogan for west virginia was "wild, wonderful, west virginia." this was on our license plates and on our welcome signs. we liked it. we were proud of it. then we had some self-important government official or some clueless committee that decided this sounded too dangerous or some such thing. the slogan got changed to "west virginia, open for business." there has been an on-line petition to get rid of this new ridiculously stupid slogan. the heat must be on because the governor has initiated a survey to see what folks would like for the state slogan. so many of us would like the slogan to return to "wild, wonderful, west virginia." could you please help stack the deck in our favor?

the survey goes to september 15, 2007 (double-check when you get to the survey) here is the link to the survey: http://www.wva.state.wv.us/wv_slogan/

the survey is only open to west virginia residents but you have my permission to break the law. you are probably true west virginians at heart and in spirit. the survey does call for a zip code so here are a few to choose from:

25177 (st. albans, wv) this is my zip code and the zip code to another chiffer.
25301 (charleston, wv) dale, the undisputed, used to live in charleston but i doubt this was his zip code, charleston has a few.
26506 (west virginia university, morgantown, wv) the #1 party school in the entire milky way galaxy and my employer.
26505 (morgantown, west virginia) home to don knotts, aka barney fife of mayberry and the andy griffith show.

please help us. thanks.

[A-Musing]

"West Virginia, Open For Business???"

Yep. That's a really second-rate slogan for a state! Sometimes "chamber of commerce types" get a little wild-eyed?! But, hey...for some folk, business is a religion. They try their best...just need a little guidance, from the "general public."

Of course, being in Oregon, I (cough) couldn't really, um, help you with your petition.

Good Luck!

[izzarina]

the survey is only open to west virginia residents but you have my permission to break the law.

Two of my children were born in WV....Weirton. Does that count as residency?

[Lambchop]

I drove through it once . . . I think. Is it anywhere near the Skyline Parkway through the Smokies? Or interstate or something? That would qualify, wouldn't it?

[missy]

Tom lived most of his growing up years in Parkersburg (although he graduated across the river in Belpre) and his dad still lives there - I'll forward the survey to both........

[Innocent Bystander]

"I was Boooooorn in West Virginia, North Carolina, I did roam...."

[Jack]

I am also a West Virginian and I think your petition is misguided.

I understand the new slogan, because I understand the way that the majority of rural West Virginia lives in extreme, debilitating poverty. All the zip codes you listed are for more industrialized areas. West Virginia is one of the poorest states in the nation, and if it were a country, it would be one of the poorest countries, especially when you look at rural areas, which compromize the majority of the state. The new slogan is designed with the intent to help that in some way.

The old slogan conjures an image of wilderness. The new image shows that West Virginia is, on all levels, open for business. It's a matter of politics and money, of course, as all such things are, but it's also a matter of trying to help poor rural West Virginians, of which there are a great many.

I discourage people not from West Virginia and not living in West Virginia from signing any such petition, because you don't know the situation. Besides, it's dishonest and fickle to do so.

[Innocent Bystander]

Too late. It is "Wild, Wonderful West Virginia".

But even taking your PoV on board, Cranberry, the slogan "Open for Business" is just repulsive. It might as well be "Now wash your hands." It's what you see on buildings which are in the process of renovation or demolition. And it carries the associated idea of "Barely open for business".

So propose something else!

"Flourishing with New Growth: West Virginia!" How's that?

[djm]

How about, "Still Cousins."

djm

[gonzo914]

How about "West Virginia -- We Can Kiss the Chamber of Commerce's Ass Just Like a Big State."

In Kansas, some dim bulb in the state economic development office came up with "Kansas -- As Big As You Think". This quickly started showing up on bumper stickers as "Kansas -- As Bigoted As You Think" when the state school board voted to include intelligent design in the model curriculum.

Others I like --

"Kansas -- First of the Rectangle States"

"Kansas -- Right There In Between St. Louis and Denver."

"Kansas -- Come for the skiing; stay for the meth labs"

"Kansas -- Birthplace of a Lot of Phelpses"

"Kansas -- It's a Long Way Across"

[mutepointe]

here is the editorial from today's charleston daily mail. this paper is so right wing republican, i can barely agree with them about the date. who would have thought we'd finally agree.

as they say in logan country, west virginia, "vote early and vote often."

ps. even hearing the song "country roads" as sung by john denver pretty much makes you a resident of west virginia.
thanks for the support folks.

Charleston Daily Mail

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

West Virginians should speak up
Vote out ‘Open for Business' and restore the state's self-respect


Thursday September 06, 2007
AS governor, Joe Manchin has made few missteps, but changing West Virginia's welcome signs to "Open for Business" was by popular accounting a great leap backward.

It accurately communicated Manchin's refreshing determination to run the state like a business. But as a slogan, it wasn't welcomed.

Telling company that one is "open for business" hints at rouge and red velvet and a willingness to do almost anything, and West Virginia is not.

It also somehow leaves the impression that the state's economic development efforts are more a matter of public relations than of actual reforms, which is no longer true.

West Virginia is addressing its business climate.

To the governor's credit, he has given up the ghost on "Open for Business," and is inviting West Virginians themselves to have their say.

"This slogan was a temporary slogan," said Manchin spokeswoman, Lara Ramsburg. "It's now time to ask the people: Do they want a permanent slogan?"

Yes. They want their old message back.

Republican legislators pushed this year to have the state's welcoming signs revert to "Welcome to Wild, Wonderful West Virginia," which was how they read from 1975 to 1991, when they were changed inexplicably to "A Welcome Change."

"Wild, wonderful West Virginia" is almost heaven.

The state should be proud of its beauty, and put that face on for visitors.

Manchin is having some fun with his idea before assigning it to the dustbin of history. An online poll will determine whether the welcoming signs will have

a slogan -- and if so, what that slogan will be.

The slogan poll is at www.wvgov.org and www.wv.gov and www.wvtourism.com.

Or people may vote by calling the toll-free number, 866 SLOGAN-4 (that would be 866 756-4264).

Either "Wild, wonderful" or "Almost heaven" will do.

But "Open for Business" has earned retirement. It reflects a great attitude, but makes for a lousy slogan.

[cowtime]

"I was Boooooorn in West Virginia, North Carolina, I did roam...."

This is true in my case. I was born there but couldn't vote in the poll since I no longer live in the state. Oh and I have roamed NC too, got kin down that way.

[jbarter]

I was made an honorary citizen of West Virginia about thirty years ago by Franklin George and some dancers who were touring England at the time. Apparently they'd been given permission to do this to anyone who did them any special favours while they were here.

Just my luck to get the poorest in the Union.

[Denny]

...but it's bigger than Rhode Island

[fearfaoin]

I'd vote for:
West Virginia is for Luvers.