West Virginia is now ‘Open for business’
—Posted by Tim Nudd |
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August 23, 2006 | Permalink |
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I don't blame that guy for his objections to the state motto. It's kinda crass and it sure doesn't make me want to vacation there.
Posted by: Rhea | Aug 23, 2006 1:38:08 PM
Wait, there's a WEST Virginia?
Posted by: CorruptedJournalist | Aug 23, 2006 2:37:44 PM
"...sounds like an invitation to anyone and everyone to come right in and start raping the land that we have left for strip malls, movie theaters, Starbucks, sex shops and every other business that marks the downfall and overdevelopment of an area.”
Wouldn’t fit on the sign. ‘Open For Business‘ is a quicker read.
Posted by: makethelogobigger | Aug 23, 2006 4:52:04 PM
I agree. It sounds as if they're recovering from a natural disaster and now their "Open for Business." In theory, they're only recovering from a Sugar Bowl victory against Georgia.
I'm sure there were a lot of couches burnt that night. I miss it so much.
Posted by: Mountie | Aug 23, 2006 5:04:50 PM
I’ve never been to West Virginia but I have been to France and let me tell you the French are sissies. They capitulate BEFORE a war. How come the Frenchies have only committed 200 troops to the UN peacekeeping effort in Lebanon/Israel? The French are the ones who said they’d take charge of this issue. I’m having flashbacks to WWI and WWII again. Sissies.
Posted by: Pierre | Aug 23, 2006 8:18:27 PM
You forgot Poland.
Posted by: CorruptedJournalist | Aug 24, 2006 9:51:29 AM
w. virginia sucks ass
Posted by: brandon johnson | Aug 30, 2006 1:53:13 PM
I live in West Virginia and the state is in horrible shape economically but this is a pathetic display to encourage business to come to the state, if anything it honestly sounds down right desperate. I don't agree with Tim Nudd about them coming in and putting strip malls and star bucks. The area im from would be lucky to have ANYTHING! Thats why im going to move back to Ohio. Theres nothing here for anyone and coal miners are only a SMALL percentage of descent paying jobs in the state, there not as thriving as they were 60's and 70's as Timm Nudd would have you presume. Yeah the mines are SLOWLY coming back but most if not all are non-union and to be honest who really wants to work in a mines to earn a living. Lets face it, theres nothing at this point that will ever help W.Va., we have depended on coal for to long and now we are paying the price. The logo -> open for business proves it.
Posted by: another west virginian | Sep 2, 2006 3:02:56 AM
Wild and Wonderful” West Virginia is what we natives say to refer to our state. Those of us born and raised in West Virginia are well versed with this “catch” phrase and most of us are happy with our state and it’s wild and wonderful ways. We see the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the lakes, and we enjoy our mountain heritage. Many people who have moved to our great State have done so because of it’s beauty, it’s heritage and it’s old-fashioned charm. From the apple butter festivals, old town atmosphere, and “Mayberry style” of living, we are proud to be West Virginians.
Now, when we enter our great state, whether it be from the north coming from Maryland, or the South from Virginia, we are greeted with Welcome to West Virginia, “Open for Business”. Open for Business? Whose idea and where and when did this change take place? Do we, as citizens of the Wild and Wonderful State now want to be known as West Virginia, Open for Business? I, and many others I have spoken to indeed do not. Though we are aware of the benefits of big business coming into any state, and the importance of tax revenue, are we willing to sell our “souls”, our heritage, the things that made West Virginia the beautiful state it is to draw in outside business? As it currently stands, we are fighting everyday to keep developers from destroying historical properties, from changing our home towns, and from turning West Virginia into something it is not and never should be. Let us fight to keep West Virginia “Wild and Wonderful”. We as citizens of this state should never allow the heritage we are all so proud of to be tossed away because of the desire to bring big business in to do their trades.
Lets keep West Virginia “WILD and WONDERFUL” for all to see, as we West Virginians are proud o who we are and where we come from. Help us in changing this terrible injustice. Join us in our campaign to restore West Virginia’s signs back to what they were. Join us in keeping West Virginia Wild and Wonderful, for our children and our children’s children.
To help, we need signatures. Make sure to e-mail keithinwva@msn.com with every new signature. If enough of those of us residing in this state take a stand, we can make the change. One person can make a difference. Let that person be you. Include your e-mail beside your signature so we can validate and thank all those taking a stand in this important issue.
Posted by: Keithinwva@msn.com | Sep 4, 2006 11:43:02 AM
WV--Land of Taxes. Move here if you want to pay higher taxes and higher insurance than any of our surrounding states. West Virginia is almost heaven for me, I can see heaven everyday when I look across the river into Ohio.
WV is a beautiful state, but most of the people aren't very smart, can't drive, and keep voting in Robert C. "Almost Dead" Byrd for God's sake. Absolutely pathetic. I can't wait until the day I move out of this forsaken wasteland. Ohio here I come.
Posted by: Martin Buckeye | Sep 29, 2006 12:42:08 AM
A petition on this issue has been started which reads:
To: Joe Manchin III, Governor of West Virginia
We, the Undersigned, are against the new state slogan "Open for Business." We believe that it looks ridiculous on our "Welcome to West Virginia" signs, and is an embarrassment to the hard-working people of this proud state. We all believe that West Virginia is "Wild and Wonderful" and offers much more than business opportunities. Therefore, we request the immediate replacement of the "Open for Business" signs with the more traditional and appropriate "Wild and Wonderful" signs.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
Sign this petition at:
http://www.petitiononline.com/open4biz/petition.html
Posted by: Angela Hunt | Oct 9, 2006 10:07:40 AM
I am just returning to my homeland after being abroad for the past 13 years. Like this guy, I almost vomited when I drove across the state line to the distaste of this absurd new sign they have. For one thing, being raped is nothing new to West Virginia. For as long as I can remember, these coal companies (all out of state owned) come here and rape the hell out of our mountains for our valuable resources. They do this with the workforce that is "standing in line" here waiting for a "dream" coalmine job like this. This is very similar to what is going on in Iraq right now. These coal companies re-invest very little of these profits back into the state of West Virginia. If they do, it's to upgrade one of their mines or put on some bullshit fundraiser. I'm sick of this. I wish someone here in WV had enough money to come in the back door and buy all their stock up(hostile tender action) My jihad has been declared. I won't stop till these assholes either move to WV or get the hell out. Who's with me??
Posted by: warmonger | Oct 15, 2006 10:59:04 PM
i am 100 % with you get wild wonderful backon the signs
Posted by: dale beahn | Oct 17, 2006 9:48:38 AM
good job keep it up.
Posted by: helen beahn | Oct 17, 2006 9:50:38 AM
"Open for business" reminds me of a house of ill repute
Posted by: Dave | Oct 17, 2006 12:26:00 PM
OMG! It sounds like we have a state of prostitutes with their legs spread! How embarassing!!!
Signed that petition and sent it to everyone I could think of!
Posted by: Pamela | Oct 17, 2006 7:46:51 PM
From experience, I know exactly what the "Open For Business" signs mean. Being a small business owner, communicating with West Virginia was nearly impossible in the past. In 2006, I opened a new small business in West Virginia, which also required licensing in Tennessee, Virginia and Ohio. What "Open For Business" means is exactly that. If you want to start a business in West Virginia, they are ready to help. Your questions can be answered in very few phone calls without complicated automated systems. Everything I needed was always returned from the state within a few days. The process for my business was started in early May 2006 for Virginia and West Virginia, licensing and approvals were completed from WV within two weeks, while I was still waiting on Virginia in mid-August. The example of citizens being in an uproar for a 30 year old slogan being removed off of the signs is just further proof that West Virginia has been resistant to change, and thus runs a lot of businesses out of the state. This change was good for West Virginia, but unfortunately will be ruined by those who never want anything to change.
Posted by: For the signs | Jan 27, 2007 7:19:42 PM
Personally, with the gas tax, income tax, sales tax, etc., I prefer: "West Virginia: Assume the Position".
Posted by: moogly pooch | Feb 8, 2007 6:17:59 PM
First of all - For the signs - West Virginians as whole, are not resistant to change. We are resistant to our heritage being slammed by a Governor who would sneak about and have all the state entrance signs changed without even letting constituents know about it. I'm really glad that your business registration went smoothly but that system was not put into place by this administration.
Secondly - If West Virginia is truly Open for Business, why were the signs not produced in West Virginia? Making such a controversial move without constituent approval - after all, he works for us - I would've made darn sure those signs were made in West Virginia.
Thirdly - West Virginia is only Open for Business if you are a large corporation or from the northern part of the state. Policies from the Manchin administration are making it more and more difficult for small business owner's in WV to actually do business. The one exception seems to be if you're from around the northern part of the state and a member of Gov. Manchin's good ol' boy network.
Does West Virginia need the large corporations moving into the state? Absolutely! We need the jobs and revenues. We need to take care of our own small businesses first and foremost though. Governor Manchin is not a governor for the little guy.
So you can think that we're just resistant to change, it's obvious you are not a West Virginia native. True West Virginians are incensed by the removal of our Wild and Wonderful signs.
Posted by: janedoe | Aug 3, 2007 11:21:08 AM
I have written a petition fopr al of the schools in Marshal county to sign and even the former governor thinks that it is perfect and will sign it! Well I think that us kids have done a good job.
Posted by: ZLS | Sep 5, 2007 6:27:17 PM
how about: You'll feel like family cause were all related or .......Welcome to West Virginia land of high taxes and dirty politicians,.....Business as usual, Heck I got a lot more.
Posted by: dave | Sep 9, 2007 9:08:57 AM
It used to be that when you came into WV from the south via I-77, the road sign read "West Virginia - Almost Heaven." While "Wild and Wonderful" may be better known to native-born West Virginians (of which I am one), "Almost Heaven" has a more universal appeal, and is equally descriptive of WV.
Posted by: Rodney Graham | Nov 25, 2007 1:43:13 PM
I just moved to WV and I love it! "Wild and Wonderful" is a great slogan; "Open for Business" is rather lame.
Posted by: Wyld N Wunderful | Dec 20, 2007 12:03:51 PM
