Comments on: Think big about Kansas’ punch-line value

By: RD

RD — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 02:56:46 +0000

Personally, I always liked “Ahhhhhh, Kansas!” It could be said with any and every emotion.

By: Jed

Jed — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 18:27:31 +0000

Allen Ginsberg called Wichita the vortex of the nation- talent originates here and spins off to the coasts. You’d be surprised at how many well-known artists, writers and musicians Kansas has produced, but who had to go someplace else to get the recognition they deserved!

By: JWink

JWink — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 03:34:49 +0000

Kansas is a great state with a great history. As a Scout in years gone by, my troop often camped on top of a flat top mesa in Barber County, about 90 miles southwest of Wichita. From there, you could see for miles and visualize pioneers, buffalo, trappers and Indians in the tributaries of the Medicine River valley below.

In later years, I studied the great history of Kansas from border to border back in the 1800’s and 1900’s through settlement, dust storms, wars, improvements, etc.

It has only been in the last ten years that I have noticed the hands of all kinds of money men, music men selling non-existant band uniforms, snake oil salesmen, self-serving politicians, etc. working every angle to extract dollars from the pockets of Kansas citizens and taxpayers.

One of those frauds is writing a new slogan for Kansas, “Kansas, as big as you think,” if I have it correct, at the cost to Kansas taxpayers of $4.5 million. As far as I am concerned, “Kansas, the Sunflower state,” continues to serve well enough, thank you.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 17:48:29 +0000

I love it when friends who live in high cost areas tell me how much their house cost. Then I find what is available around here for the same price and email them the photos. :)

I’ll take our affordable housing and my griping about “traffic” in my 10 minute commute any day.

By: dr

dr — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:53:13 +0000

If you want the state to grow, the solution is really quite simple as Ray and JM can attest to.

Simply air commercials on the east and west coasts asking the simple question…..Is the beach really worth it? then show the cost of living diffrences.

Kansas is boring and bland, dont try to kid people who live here! BUT it I would rather live here than out there based solely on cost of living and not living elbow to elbow with all the people, and my 12min commute to work

By: J M Walker

J M Walker — Sun, 27 Nov 2005 20:54:44 +0000

Ray,

I got the same reception when I moved from San Diego. My reply was always: California.

Some of us have a healthy disrespect for big city life. Me being one of them. I’ll take small city/town life with all its petty politics, cronyism, and unevolved BOE’s anyday.

By: Ray Thomas

Ray Thomas — Sun, 27 Nov 2005 20:49:50 +0000

Having moved here in the past year, I am amazed at the poor perception of Kansas that Kansans have. It is almost like an inferiority complex.

When meeting people and they learn I moved here from Florida, inevitably, I get asked “why?” in a highly doubtful tone.

When I moved to Florida from California, nobody asked me why. When I first moved to California 20 years ago, nobody ever questioned that one.

But, I got asked a lot by locals.. like there is no valid reason to move here.

It appears the poor image is perpetuated by people living here, in many ways, idiotic (like the BoE) and other, more subtle ways.

By: Falcone

Falcone — Sun, 27 Nov 2005 20:41:10 +0000

When I travel out of state and anybody asks, I just tell them I’m from Texas. I get tired of the BS otherwise.

By: Moose

Moose — Sun, 27 Nov 2005 20:06:09 +0000

A nurse went to help out at a hospital in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina and a doctor said to her, “You’re from Wichita? You’re too cosmopolitan to be from Kansas.”

By: Jed

Jed — Sun, 27 Nov 2005 16:45:58 +0000

Kansas has been a joke for a long time! There’s a reason Baum set the beginning of the “Wizard of Oz” in Kansas; it’s the ultimate drab place to contrast the colorful Oz. It will take a lot more than clever PR to fix our image, maybe even (perish the thought) substantial change! Most likely, we’ll just stay a joke.

By: Ed Friedemann

Ed Friedemann — Sun, 27 Nov 2005 14:01:50 +0000

Kansas State Board of Education ought to be mad at evolution, having been passed over and remaining undeveloped. You’d be mad too.

By: J M Walker

J M Walker — Sun, 27 Nov 2005 06:28:43 +0000

We could put up signs on all roads leading into the state, reading, in BIG letters:KANSAS: WHERE SUICIDE IS REDUNDANT AND THE INMATES RUN THE ASYLUM. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK!