West Virginia is so fucked (Update)

[LadyTevar]

As an aside: am I the only person who looked at the title of this thread and immediately thought that Robert Byrd had died and therefore the taps to the Federal Highway Money Machine had just been shut off?

Impossible. Robert Byrd is sustained by being dunked, once a month, into a tank of gasified pork dollars. So long as he's exposed, he survives.

Byrd is going to follow his beloved Emma far too soon. If he lives out his term, that will be only because of his strong will to do his duty to WV.

Anyone who wants to make fun of Byrd ask yourself if you could dedicate over 50yrs of your life to the stress and BS of the DC Beltway. Make fun of his Pork, laugh at his fiddling, but do NOT argue with all he's accomplished over his lifetime. In fact... find me one Senator who's served his state better, longer.

[Samuel]

Who will replace him?

[LadyTevar]

Who will replace him?

God only knows. They're big shoes to fill.

[LadyTevar]

Well there's plenty of land out there that they could move to another state.
But is there anything nice in West Virgina or is it all in the other Virgina state?

It is the Appalacian mountian range. It is nothing at all like the rest of Virginia, culturally, physically or economically.

Also the land is moved to the nearest spot- generally valleys.

I think Dragon was meaning that WVians could move to another state.

The problem with that idea is that WE DO. Far too many of us do, because the industries that once set up here have all moved overseas to India or other nations where it's far cheaper to make shit. You know of Bhobal? The shit that killed them was also being made at Dupont's plant in Belle, WV, about 5miles up the river from the State Capitol of Charleston. Now, it's not, because Dupont's moved all that out and is attempting to sell the facility off.

Anyway... There's a reason why I-77 is called the "Hillbilly Highway". It's the way most of our 20-30yr olds have taken to go find jobs. In the 1980s, WVian's population dropped from this exodus, and we've never recovered. Our Death Rate exceeds our Birth Rate, and has for 30 years now. What's left is those who can't afford to leave, those who've got the rare 'good jobs', those working for the Coal Mines, and the senior citizens who've come home to die. WV has the oldest median age of any state in the US, because of the percentage of Senior Citizens far exceeds those under 50yrs of age.
The Baby Boomer generation is going to be the final blow for WV.

[Gil Hamilton]

Byrd is going to follow his beloved Emma far too soon. If he lives out his term, that will be only because of his strong will to do his duty to WV.

Anyone who wants to make fun of Byrd ask yourself if you could dedicate over 50yrs of your life to the stress and BS of the DC Beltway. Make fun of his Pork, laugh at his fiddling, but do NOT argue with all he's accomplished over his lifetime. In fact... find me one Senator who's served his state better, longer.

I wasn't making fun of him, I was making a joke on his seeming immortality and the fact that he he really is an expert on milking dollars for the state of West Virginia.

[SirNitram]

Byrd is going to follow his beloved Emma far too soon. If he lives out his term, that will be only because of his strong will to do his duty to WV.

Anyone who wants to make fun of Byrd ask yourself if you could dedicate over 50yrs of your life to the stress and BS of the DC Beltway. Make fun of his Pork, laugh at his fiddling, but do NOT argue with all he's accomplished over his lifetime. In fact... find me one Senator who's served his state better, longer.

I wasn't making fun of him, I was making a joke on his seeming immortality and the fact that he he really is an expert on milking dollars for the state of West Virginia.

It's a little known fact, but we clone him using the remains we find of tourists that are left at the edge of Boone County. Just never approach the bodies while the banjos are still audible, cause then, it's a trap.

[The Yosemite Bear]

Damn Nit now the movie Deliverance makes sense....

[Darth Wong]

Sorry if I posted something that seemed incredibly obvious to you Americans. I just found it shocking that you basically have your own in-house Third World country, and that this seems to be accepted with a shrug by everyone else in the country. Perhaps I was being naive.

[Broomstick]

Well, it's not something the rich and powerful advertise, it's not in keeping with the "image" they want to project. Must keep up appearances after all.

Nor is West Virginia the only "in house third world country", just arguably the largest and of longest existence.

And I wouldn't say it's merely "accepted" - MANY people haven't a clue about it. Others are pissed about it, but don't have the power to change it.

[Alyrium Denryle]

Byrd is going to follow his beloved Emma far too soon. If he lives out his term, that will be only because of his strong will to do his duty to WV.

Anyone who wants to make fun of Byrd ask yourself if you could dedicate over 50yrs of your life to the stress and BS of the DC Beltway. Make fun of his Pork, laugh at his fiddling, but do NOT argue with all he's accomplished over his lifetime. In fact... find me one Senator who's served his state better, longer.

I wasn't making fun of him, I was making a joke on his seeming immortality and the fact that he he really is an expert on milking dollars for the state of West Virginia.

It's a little known fact, but we clone him using the remains we find of tourists that are left at the edge of Boone County. Just never approach the bodies while the banjos are still audible, cause then, it's a trap.

Does someone have to yell "I got sum squirrel, y'all want some!" for the trap to be sprung?

[Simon_Jester]

Sorry if I posted something that seemed incredibly obvious to you Americans. I just found it shocking that you basically have your own in-house Third World country, and that this seems to be accepted with a shrug by everyone else in the country. Perhaps I was being naive.

When your country enough space and people that the country can be divided into at least several dozen discrete economic regions, some of those regions are going to be 2 or 2.5 standard deviations out on the poor end of the spectrum.

And it's hard to enforce a uniform standard of living (small standard deviation) on a very nonuniform country.

[Gil Hamilton]

Sorry if I posted something that seemed incredibly obvious to you Americans. I just found it shocking that you basically have your own in-house Third World country, and that this seems to be accepted with a shrug by everyone else in the country. Perhaps I was being naive.

There are lots of places in the US that are basically third world countries, West Virginia, Sumter County in Alabama, most of Mississippi and Louisiana, central PA, et cetera.

[SirNitram]

Sorry if I posted something that seemed incredibly obvious to you Americans. I just found it shocking that you basically have your own in-house Third World country, and that this seems to be accepted with a shrug by everyone else in the country. Perhaps I was being naive.

I was shocked when I began learning what things were like down here. But it's hard to think otherwise after even just a trainride through. You can see ghost-towns. Mounds of dirt, earth, coal, and sludge that used to be mountains. Hell, an island full of 'BIOHAZARD' tankers. There's plenty here I enjoy seeing and visiting.. But I'm not bloody stupid. Failing some truly epic hat-tricks from the Legislature in three or four years? THis place is all over but the crying.

[LadyTevar]

Well, it's not something the rich and powerful advertise, it's not in keeping with the "image" they want to project. Must keep up appearances after all.

Nor is West Virginia the only "in house third world country", just arguably the largest and of longest existence.

And I wouldn't say it's merely "accepted" - MANY people haven't a clue about it. Others are pissed about it, but don't have the power to change it.

Shit... Many people don't even KNOW there's a WEST VIRGINIA.

Yes, Americans have so little geographic skills that they do not know that there are TWO Virginias and that I do not live next to the Atlantic ocean. If they're that blind, it's obvious why they don't see/know how bad off we are.

And Mike? In the 1950-1960s, the American Peace Corp was sent to several countries to bring water, sanitation, and a better class of living to their populations. They were also sent to many counties in WV. This is why we have a Rockefeller working for us now -- he was appalled by what he witnessed during his time in the Peace Corp in Southern WV, and he moved here and went into politics just to try to make things better for the people he met.

[The Yosemite Bear]

Hell we have 3rd world communities here in California. I didn't live too far from a toxic waste dump in stockton, and my mom used to live in Eureaka, CA out in the boonies. Where we didn't even have running water.

[Glocksman]

Well, it's not something the rich and powerful advertise, it's not in keeping with the "image" they want to project. Must keep up appearances after all.

Nor is West Virginia the only "in house third world country", just arguably the largest and of longest existence.

And I wouldn't say it's merely "accepted" - MANY people haven't a clue about it. Others are pissed about it, but don't have the power to change it.

Shit... Many people don't even KNOW there's a WEST VIRGINIA.

Yes, Americans have so little geographic skills that they do not know that there are TWO Virginias and that I do not live next to the Atlantic ocean. If they're that blind, it's obvious why they don't see/know how bad off we are.

And Mike? In the 1950-1960s, the American Peace Corp was sent to several countries to bring water, sanitation, and a better class of living to their populations. They were also sent to many counties in WV. This is why we have a Rockefeller working for us now -- he was appalled by what he witnessed during his time in the Peace Corp in Southern WV, and he moved here and went into politics just to try to make things better for the people he met.

It's not only geographic skills but geographic isolation.

The few times I actually have to deal with someone in WV are the times I deal with government offices located there thanks to Senator Byrd.
Hell, in my mind West Virginia has replaced 'Rockville, Maryland' as the default address* to write Federal agencies for pamphlets.

That said, WV's isolation aids the 'out of sight, out of mind' attitude that all too many people have WRT poverty in the US.
In other words, few people have any real reason to travel through or to WV, so they don't see it and don't think about it.

In fact wasn't the last time the country as a whole actually thought about Appalachian poverty was during the 1960's 'Great Society' programs after the TV news exposed just how bad it really was?

*When I was a kid during the 1970's it seemed that all of the Federal public information ads about energy, the environment, etc., gave a Rockville, Maryland address to write to for further information.
It's sometimes weird what childhood memories stick with you.

[General Trelane (Retired)]

King Coal is clearly doing God's work:

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Shit... Many people don't even KNOW there's a WEST VIRGINIA.

Yes, Americans have so little geographic skills that they do not know that there are TWO Virginias and that I do not live next to the Atlantic ocean. If they're that blind, it's obvious why they don't see/know how bad off we are.

My wife and I were vacationing on the east coast about eight years ago, and I particularly recall the following example while we toured some of the mansions in Newport. At the Breakers, there was a staff person greeting people and asking where they were from. My wife answered, "Edmonton, Canada." (She saw no point in mentioning the providence. . .excuse me, province.) The staff person then asked, "Oh, where abouts is that?" My wife replied, "Straight north of Montana." The staff person looked confused for a moment and then asked, "Anywhere else that I might know?"

To me, this kind of geographical ignorance about one's own country is a mark of apathy. They simply do not care about anything that does not affect them directly.

Of course, it's not just limited to Americans.

[Simon_Jester]

To me, this kind of geographical ignorance about one's own country is a mark of apathy. They simply do not care about anything that does not affect them directly.

Of course, it's not just limited to Americans.

This is true: I've encountered some very interesting misconceptions from foreign students, and they're the ones who actually come here, so they have more reason to care than their relatives who stay at home.

Unless you're kind of person who values knowledge purely for its own sake even when it has no clear practical use, there's a limit on how much geography you're going to make the effort to keep straight in your head.

[MKSheppard]

Anyone who wants to make fun of Byrd ask yourself if you could dedicate over 50yrs of your life to the stress and BS of the DC Beltway.

BWA AHA HA AHA HA AHAHAHHAHAHA

HAHA AHA HAHAHA AHA HAH AHA HA

AHHAHAHA HA HA HAH AHA

Do NOT argue with all he's accomplished over his lifetime.

You mean besides being a Klan member, and having 1,000 things named after him in West Virginia?

In fact... find me one Senator who's served his state better, longer.

Easy. Sam Rayburn, John C Stennis, and Carl Vinson.

Oh wait, they actually did serve their country, rather than funneling pure pork back to their state

[SirNitram]

Shep, while I know you will come back to this thread for the express purpose of trolling, next time, read the challenge you respond to before you knee-jerk out responses. Really.

[Simon_Jester]

There are lots of places in the US that are basically third world countries, West Virginia, Sumter County in Alabama, most of Mississippi and Louisiana, central PA, et cetera.

It doesn't help that those areas are far from the country's main economic centers, and don't have anything special to attract growth. Which, come to think of it, also describes a lot of Third World countries.

Basically, the only way to take a place like that and bring it up to the standards set by the prosperous world is to pull a miracle out of a hat, so that they suddenly become desirable for the kind of professionals that generate wealth. That doesn't happen very often, and it requires a lot of luck.

[MKSheppard]

Shep, while I know you will come back to this thread for the express purpose of trolling, next time, read the challenge you respond to before you knee-jerk out responses. Really.

I did. And I named specific members of Congress, who accomplished far more than Byrd ever did, and with much more honor to their state. Oh, wait, that's trolling now.

[LadyTevar]

I did. And I named specific members of Congress, who accomplished far more than Byrd ever did, and with much more honor to their state. Oh, wait, that's trolling now.

Sorry, Shep, I don't recognize their names. How long did they serve? Which state did they serve? Senate or House? What did they accomplish?

[LadyTevar]

There are lots of places in the US that are basically third world countries, West Virginia, Sumter County in Alabama, most of Mississippi and Louisiana, central PA, et cetera.

It doesn't help that those areas are far from the country's main economic centers, and don't have anything special to attract growth. Which, come to think of it, also describes a lot of Third World countries.

Basically, the only way to take a place like that and bring it up to the standards set by the prosperous world is to pull a miracle out of a hat, so that they suddenly become desirable for the kind of professionals that generate wealth. That doesn't happen very often, and it requires a lot of luck.

If we didn't have Timber, Coal, and Natural Gas, WV would be ignored as well.

[MKSheppard]

Sorry, Shep, I don't recognize their names. How long did they serve? Which state did they serve? Senate or House? What did they accomplish?

Samuel Taliaferro Rayburn of Texas. House. He entered Congress in 1913 at the beginning of Woodrow Wilson's presidency and served in office for more than forty-eight years. SSBN-635 is named for him.

Carl Vinson of Georgia. House. November 3, 1914, to January 3, 1965. Sponsored the various Vinson Acts, and the "Two Ocean Navy" bill which won WWII. CVN-70 is named for him.

John Cornelius Stennis of Missipippi. Senate. Served from 1947-1989. From '68 to '80 he was on the Armed Services Committee. CVN-74 is named for him.