West Virginia Gives Us The Finger

As has been noted here previously, Michigan is the most anthropomorphic state in the Union. We Michiganians are proud to show you where we live (or where we're from) by pointing to a spot on our hand.

I also think Florida is anthropomorphic... but I"m not going there.

However, in a recent NPR Wait Wait Don't Tell Me blog post about the Senators drawing their home states, Ian Chillag pointed out that his home state of West Virginia can also be represented by the human hand:

We have a unique way of representing our geography: you take your left hand, stick your thumb out to the side, and stick up your middle finger. There it is, The Mountain State, staring you in the face. It's especially useful for explaining West Virginia geography to someone who just cut you off in traffic.

GeograFAIL

Via The Electoral Map via FamousDC

Almost Heaven?

The next stop on the Neverending Democratic Primary season is West Virginia.



West Virginia is the butt of many hillbilly jokes, and it would be politically incorrect of me to repeat them here... OK, maybe one:

Q. What do a tornado and a West Virginia divorce have in common?

A. Someone always loses a trailer.



West Virginia, the Mountain State, detached itself from the rebellious Commonwealth of Virginia and became the 35th state in 1863.

State song: Montani Semper Liberi (Mountaineers Are Always Free)

Almost heaven, west virginia
Blue ridge mountains
Shenandoah river -
Life is old there
Older than the trees
Younger than the mountains
Growin like a breeze

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West virginia, mountain momma
Take me home, country roads
-- John Denver

I have visited West Virginia several times, for white water rafting, and understand why many love it for its beautiful mountains and valleys. Here are a few (non-map) postcards (click to enlarge):





Like many states*, the cardinal is the West Virginia State Bird



* See also: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia