Virginia is for self-lovers
I’m always amazed there is not more newspaper wank here, because every time I read a Washington Post blog, it’s exploding with spooge. You have to register to read the blogs and comments, so I’ll post some highlights. This is all for the best anyway, as the Post has giant non-threaded columned comments of haaaate.

The Washington Post Style section posts a short (and I mean short) article about the differences between Northern Virginia (NoVa) and the “rest of Virginia” (RoVa).:

In RoVa, they hope the South will rise again. In NoVa, they hope the souffle will.

In NoVa, people spend their dough at Starbucks, shooting the breeze. In RoVa, people spend time in the breeze, shooting does and bucks.

In NoVa, they listen to NPR. In RoVa, they listen to the NRA.

And so on.

As you can imagine, readers waste no time getting into Rural vs. Urban arguments.

To the Editors, I think this article is juvenile and uncalled for. Its a slap in the face to all of Virginia. To me, it borders on racism, and is reflective of the snooty attitude the Style Section has shown for years. What makes you think youre so superior?
By gsantoro | Oct 18, 2006 7:14:42 AM |

This article is blatantly offensive. It makes it sound as though the rest of Virginia consists of dumb rednecks, which is not the case. This is just another example of The Washington Posts ability to put some kind of bias into every piece they write. As a journalism major at the University of Maryland, I am supposed to be learning about ethics and objectivity, which The Washington Post apparently knows nothing about. In conclusion, this article sickens me but in some odd way does not surprise me. Signed, Danielle L.
By dlandskr | Oct 18, 2006 6:03:44 PM |

Not one person seems to be offended by the stereotyping of NoVa residents as snobs, elitists, quiche eaters, girly men, etc. Do you not see those stereotypes as demeaning? Or do you believe them not to be stereotypes? First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brothers eye. Ahem, well actually I think pretty much everybody has a beam in their eye on this one.
By greenew | Oct 18, 2006 4:16:02 PM |

Id finish this post, but Im too busy inbreeding and making crystal meth.
By Griftor | Oct 19, 2006 5:11:06 PM |

If only Roanoke was the problem. Look, there are certainly many areas of Virginia that are very nice outside of NoVa. But until the majority of the people outside NoVa stop voting Republican every time someone hits you in the back of the head with a bible, you get a deservedly bad rap. So put down the gun and the Confederate flag, stop supporting the race to the bottom by shopping at Wal-Mart, and learn that its bigotry not to support the rights of consenting adults to be legaly recognized as a couple, even if the dolt at your church tells you it isnt.
By tgotsch | Oct 20, 2006 1:58:26 PM |

Part of the problem is that Maryland has no economy of its own, so their workers have to come to our state for jobs and bring their liberal attitudes with them. The other half is illegals. Yeah Washington Post, I said it and Im pissed about it. Manassas won two Civil War battles against the North and it and the rest of the occupied counties in the northern parts of Virgina have surrendered to liberals and Mexidorians. Go figure. Im moving to Idaho. This place sucks.
By bf8vj6n | Oct 20, 2006 11:47:03 PM |

So, despite the fact that they can’t decide whether Roanoke or Maryland is the problem, readers in general agree that the Style piece was not very funny, so there is minimal back and forth. But Marc Fisher decides that, no, there has not been enough wank on the topic, thanks, so he posts a continuation in his blog

Some of the best bits involve VAherder, who has opinions on everything from NoVA/RoVA and sheep herding, to the manly shaving of legs.

I take ROVA of NOVA anyday. NOVA has a bunch of overeducated techies that treat folks working the trades like scum. Little do they realize that when they pay BMW of Sterling $118.00 an hr for labor that the tech is getting half that and makes more then they do a year without $80k in student loans. The average tech at a BMW , Benz or Lexus dealership in area makes a $130k. As soon as I can tele commute I am getting out of the area. Buying 30 acres and 50 sheep for my collies. And NOVAs own Labs and Goldies two of the dumbest breeds of dogs on the planet. Cant do what they were bred to do because it has been bred out of them. Too stupid to think for themselves. And then there are the foo foo breeds Pekinese, Yorkies etc. These dogs make excellent snacks for real working dogs.Lived in NOVA since I was 13yo. Shame overeducated birkenstock wearing, non leg shaving idiot liberal like Marc have take over.
Posted by: Vaherder | October 20, 2006 08:02 AM

I didn't realize that men that don't shave their legs are liberal. Heck, does that mean if we don't shave our chests we're outright commies?
And the suggestion that everyone in NoVA are overeducated snobby techies is just as big a simplification as saying that the rest of Virginia is filled with mouth-breathers.
And you are really thinking of buying 50 sheep to entertain your dogs? Pets for your pets? That sounds a bit yuppie to me.
Posted by: Hillman | October 20, 2006 09:03 AM

Hillman
My collies arent pets but working dogs. Big difference. And sheep aint pets. Will raise them for local butchers nice organic lamb for us meat eaters. Goldies and labs are pets. My collies use their brains and work for a living. Ever had to wrok with sheep. They are mean SOBs that will hurt a dog or human! The first thing we need to do in Va both ROVA and NOVA is ship all our lawyers to DC and MD and make the state lawyer free.
Posted by: Vaherder | October 20, 2006 11:15 AM

VAHerder: I think the thousands of duck hunters and outdoorsmen in Delmarva and the coastal Mid-Atlantic would take exception to your calling their labs "pets".
Posted by: Rosslyn | October 20, 2006 02:11 PM

Doesnt take a lot brains for a dog to go in the cold water or in the bush after a dead duck does it? Come out to sheep dog trial sometime bubba! DOnt bring any of your PETA terroists friends we have a special trial class for them where gripping is allowed and encouraged.
Posted by: Vaherder | October 22, 2006 06:53 AM

Meanwhile, the South rises:

"In RoVa, they hope the South will rise again."
The South HAS risen again - when's the last time y'all managed to elect a Yankee president?
;-)
Posted by: | October 20, 2006 04:43 PM

Or maybe not:

The South HAS risen again - when's the last time y'all managed to elect a Yankee president? Hmmmmmmmmmmm, let's see. GW Bush- born in Connecticutt. GHW Bush- born in Massachusetts. Reagan- born in Illinois. Ford- born in Michigan. How far back do we need to go?
Posted by: kurosawaguy | October 21, 2006 09:57 AM

And what would a Virginia argument be without some Maryland hate?

You Virginians crack me up. No wonder George Allen fooled you all. Keep it up, Montgomery County has HOW MANY PhDs?
Posted by: Bethesdan | October 20, 2006 02:35 PM

Hey Bethesdan: some food for thought:
Highest average household income in US: Loudoun County
Second highest: Fairfax County
Yep, we're all jest a buncha rubes down here. I once knew another MoCo snot who referred to Virginia as "The Land of the Dumb." We may be dumb, but we make more than you.
Posted by: Loudoun Voter | October 20, 2006 03:23 PM

People in RoVa can read? C'mon. I'd rather live in RoVa any day then be a Baltimoron. We live in Northern Virginia, where the jokes are lame, and the people are lamer.
Posted by: dave | October 20, 2006 12:19 PM

Also included: Tonio shares her/his thoughts on the NoVA/RoVa OTP, inspiring much boring serious discussion; plenty of macaca jokes because George Allen has no brain stem; and many, many attempts at being as equally witty as the original Style article. Luckily, one anonymous poster best sums up how I feel about the whole matter:

Lighten up Virginia.
Posted by: | October 20, 2006 11:16 AM