Location of Blarneywood

One piece of confusion here is quite deliberate -- but not on my part.  I refer to the question of where exactly Blarneywood is located.  If you follow the road signs it's not that hard to find, but it's not on my USGS map and certainly not on my GPS direction-finder.  The question is whether it is in south-west Virginia or southern West Virginia (or maybe even Kentucky).  I think the locals have gotten in the habit of claiming they're in the "other" state whenever tax collectors come around, so you'll see conflicting claims.  I don't find it officially listed on any government registry (though mail somehow gets delivered if addressed either way).  When I asked for a 1099 tax form for compensation I received for substitute teaching, they told me I was being stupid.  I once asked somebody to level with me and tell me which state they're in and they said, "Gee, I honestly don't know.  The borders don't follow no rhyme nor reason around here, and the roads wind in and out something fierce.  And then again nobody's real eager to have the question settled.  Why do you care?"  The reality is, the point is somewhat flexible.

Later, I've come to wonder how the geography doesn't show on the geological survey maps.  I've tried to match up the local topology with maps of the area and come up totally blank.  I have two theories -- one is that local magnetic ore bodies throw off compasses so that the orientation is different from what we think it is.  Unlikely.  The other theory is that somebody with big influence, or a hacker's touch, messed with the geological survey database early on.  Somebody with a financial interest in mineral rights in the area, but a reason to be sneaky about it.

But then I'm not really stupid enough to put that kind of allegation down in print -- not just yet anyway.