OT?- "Ohio: America's Toilet" T Shirt
I just saw this link on a friend's facebook for a new T-shirt company out of Detroit. I thought this one was pretty funny.
You can check out this shirt and their other designs at http://www.detroittrashtalk.com
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:06 AM ^
The only thing better would be a design on the back that had the horseshoe as a toilet seat.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:15 AM ^
I think it's a hilarious concept, but given the state of disrepair Michigan is in, it's too easy for Ohioans to come back with something negative about Detroit.
I say stick to calling them stupid.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:23 AM ^
Cleveland.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:29 AM ^
They think Cleveland looks like it did on 30 Rock.
They think Toledo is a lovely retirement community. They think Columbus is the Holy Land, and they think the bad parts of Cincinnati are in Kentucky (and that the good parts of Kentucky are in Cincinnati).
But sure. They'll get that logic.
ED: I'm from Ohio originally. These are things that I've literally heard come out of the mouths of people I know.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:36 AM ^
And people who think like that, you're worried about what they might say about anything in Michigan?
I'm from Toledo and I can assure you that very, very few people think of it that glowingly.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:04 PM ^
Mistake by the lake! I like that when you wikipedia "Mistake by the lake" it returns Cleveland
Cleveland>Detroit. We aren't demolishing areas of our city because no one lives in them, or having Chris Hanson come through with cameras watching people eat racoons and sit in abandon houses. Cleveland. We're Not Detroit.
Cleveland. We're Not Detroit Still Bigger Than Grand Rapids.
Fixed it for you.
Detroit. We would kick Cleveland's ass in a fight.
Detroit. The pro football team from our area is superior to the pro football team from Cleveland.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:08 PM ^
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:08 PM ^
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:32 AM ^
I thought that was the Horseshoe?
Crafted in MS Paint
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:37 AM ^
Spin the Horseshoe photo around (scoreboard end at the back) and you've got yourself a winner!
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:49 AM ^
Haha I guess it depends on whether you see the scoreboard as the hinge, or if you see the open end as the part that some public toilets don't have.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:11 PM ^
Y'know, it's probably best left as is. Your throne at home may have sprung for the extra bit of seat across the front of the bowl but remember that the Ohio state university is in fact a public institution:
I think we have a winner for the new design of ALL the toilets in the Big House.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:44 AM ^
Worst state ever was OK. This one, not so much. At the moment, neither Ohio nor Michigan are what most folks would consider to be destination resorts.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:58 AM ^
Our economy sucks, but Michigan is still an awesome place to visit. It's not like we got hit by a huge natural disaster or anything. We still have an amazing coast line, lots of lakes, dunes, forests, etc. The auto-industry and an abundance of jobs didn't make Michigan a desirable place to visit. The natural beauty of our state is what draws people in.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:59 AM ^
I agree that Michigan is a beautiful state, in the warmer months. The amount of natural beauty is right up there. However, to call it an "awesome place to visit" is a little much. I know I'm splitting hairs but I think its pretty clear that Michigan is not a top vacation destination.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:04 PM ^
I guess you're not into camping. Have you ever tried to book a campsite at any of the state parks on the west coast of the lower penninsula? Those places are always packed.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:18 PM ^
Book a week ahead of time as long as it's not a holiday weekend you get in.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:35 PM ^
Nope, not many campgrounds in Michigan. Many of them take a full year to get in. Sure, a crappy KOA 50 miles inland will be open.
I camp by sleeping bear once or twice a summer. I always aim for Thursday to Saturday booking two weeks ahead of time. As long as it wasn't a holiday weekend I've been able to get in. Wonderful place to camp IMO.
Why the neg?
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:05 PM ^
and my bottle of Grand Traverse Late Harvest Riesling in one hand and an Oberon in the other, wholeheartedly disagree with you.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:36 PM ^
Don't get me wrong - Michigan is a beautiful state. That "resort" areas like Traverse City, Mackinaw Island, and each of the west coast towns are very pretty areas. However, theya re very difficult to reach for out-of-staters that do not live within driving distance.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:43 PM ^
OK, I kind of addressed this on my post below, but not everyone thinks of Michigan as a great tourist spot, but many do. People who don't travel to Michigan are young, single people, and people from too far away. Californians are not travelling to Michigan a whole lot. And a lot of the people going there are driving, yes. But for the family looking to take a trip who can't afford 4 flights to Orlando, a 6 hour drive to Traverse City or Mackinac Island or any number of campgrounds in Michigan is well within their reach. Or the family that owns a ski boat and wants to take it somewhere new. Or two families who can rent an entire house on Lake Michigan for the price of a hotel elsewhere for a week.
I'm getting married in Grand Rapids this summer and my honeymoon will be a Mission Peninsula vineyard and Mackinac Island. The hotel I just booked for my fiancee in Manhattan was cheaper than the hotel on MI, FWIW. You sound like someone who hasn't vacationed much Up North, but I bet you'd be surprised.
Brought to you by Pure Michigan.
It's on my fridge.
Signed, roommate of Jerry
I guess all the license plates I saw from different states were figments of my imagination then.
I did say that those places are not easily accessible by people within driving distance. As such, your statement would not do any damage to my argument . . .
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:25 PM ^
on the West Coast are the summertime playgrounds for rich Chicago'ans. There are few places in the country nicer than Traverse City/Petoskey/Harbor Springs, with fresh water beaches and resort settings. Those are solid destination locations.
But Southeast Michigan/Detroit is not, if that was your larger point. Personally I love the snow, the blanket of white, the smell of cold weather. But it lasts too god damn long and the sun doesn't come out enough. No place better for Spring, Summer, Fall. I've lived all over, love Michigan.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:33 PM ^
But you'd be wrong about that. Sure, not many people who are considering a trip to Aruba end up going to Traverse City instead, but there are lots and lots of people from Ohio, Chicago, Indiana and even places outside the midwest who vacation in Northern Michigan during the summertime and who come during the winter for the snow and hills. Camping in Northern Michigan is very big during the summer, and many out of staters come to Michigan to hunt.
Have you every tried to book a hotel on Mackinac Island during June-August? It's tough, and expensive. Have you ever tried to book a camp site along Lake Michigan during the summer? You better book it a year in advance. Do you know who owns the multi-million dollar homes on Lake Charlevoix? Mostly Chicagoans. Do you know what state has the most registered boats in the US? Michigan, and they aren't all Michigan residents. Go to any lake in Michigan and for every 3 or 4 cottages owned by a Michigan family, there will be one owned by someone from Chicago or Indianapolis or Colorado or somewhere else.
A whole lot of money comes in to Michigan every year for tourism - not Spring Break style tourism - but tourism nonetheless.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:47 PM ^
I don't disagree that MIchigan is beautiful (see above). The natural beauty of the state is outstanding. No question about it. I spent many hundreds of hours fishing and boating some of the thousands of lakes there. That said, the fact that Michigan's "resort" towns are booked solid is understandable also because they are extremely small and there is such a small vacation timeframe. Case in point: Mackinaw Island. Its all relative.
P.S. Your post is outstanding - you should work for the Board of Tourism (not meant to be insulting!)
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:48 PM ^
It's absolutely relative. Michigan does not have the tourism that Florida, California or New York have. But the beginning of the argument was comparing Michigan and Ohio. There is very little reason to visit Ohio during any part of the year. The cities are the thing to visit in Ohio, and they suck as cities.
Michigan has more lakes and more miles of coastline than any state not named Alaska. Not many states have the fun summer places like Michigan has, and certainly not in the Midwest.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:56 PM ^
You said what I was trying to say... only much better haha. Michigan might not be able to keep up with the big guns such as Florida and California when it comes to tourism, but we definitely beat out Ohio and many others in the mid-west.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:59 PM ^
It's spelled MackinaC. It's only pronounced "mackinaw".
It depends no whether you're talking about the city or the island. Mackinaw City, or Mackinac Island.
Interestingly enough, when I was up at Tahquamenon Falls last January, it was about as packed as I've seen it in the summer months. There are lots of people that go Up North for snowmobiling and various other winter activites. Every time I've stayed at the hotel in Mackinaw City during the winter, it's pretty packed as well. So I wouldn't necessarily agree that there is a limited vacation window for Michigan. It all depends on what you are looking for....not everyone strictly vacations in the summer.
In 2008, Michigan ranked #13 in domestic travel dollars spent (by U.S. residents) among all the states. Surprisingly, Ohio was #12.
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2011/tables/11s1262.pdf
I can't understand what people are going there to see and do. Michigan is SO much more beautiful of a state.
Well, Ohio does have Cedar Point, Sea World, whatever that is near Cincinatti and the Air Force Museum. I would imagine each of those attract some of that tourist traffic. Plus, Ohio is on the way to places like New York City, Boston and Washington DC for folks in Michigan or Chicago. it is also on the way people going to Michigan from Kentucky or states in that area. So I would imagine all of that would combine for Ohio's ranking.
Now I have to go clean my fingers off after defending Ohio.....
Maybe they're counting the turnpike, where you too can pay eight dollars to be Big Brother'd by Ohio Highway Patrol every four turnarounds.
You've clearly never heard Tim Allen declare "Pure Michigan" then.
But we do get the occasional tornado and snowpacolypses.
Thank you for making my day.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:51 AM ^
At least that would be a job.
All ohio is good for is meeting Braylon Edwards at Cedar Point when I was a young one. Pretty Legit.
"America's Toilet" is right next to "The Crossroads Of America", which makes Ohio a convenient toilet.