Before I even get started with this, let me say right now that I love every single person in Ohio--you're all wonderful, even if you are Yankees. You also have a wonderful, beautiful state that is hi in the middle and round on both ends.
Second, this isn't intended to be one of my usual Yankeephobic tweakings.
Third, until this morning, I had always thought Alabama had the ugliest and most insipid normal-issue car license plates in the entire country--nay, the WORLD.
Until that black Corolla cut in front of me. First thought--"Well, bless their heart--they're from out of town, and to make matters worse, they learned to drive by filling out a correspondence course."
Second thought--"Where ARE they from?!"
Even though their butt-end was right in front of my bumper, it was still exceedingly difficult to tell the name of the state on the plate--it was red on the top, and blue on the bottom, and white in the middle, which would be suitable for all U.S. States as well as half of the world who use red, white, and blue in their national flags.
I finally was able to make out a name at the top of the plate, which was written in loopy happy teenaged girl handwriting--and yes,it said Ohio. With a pretty little star over the 'I'. OMG! Sewww KEWL!
Please, Buckeye Staters--if you're proud of your state, make the name easier to read. Especially on something like a license plate, where your fellow drivers might only get a teeny glimpse of it as they flip you off and blow the horn. People want to know who they're mad at, you know? (And no, I didn't do any horn-blowing or finger-waving. It's very rude. But I know how some of you are.)
Second, I was finally able to make out the slogan--"Birthplace of Aviation." All well and good, and I never knew the Montgolfier brothers (or Icarus) grew up in Ohio, but be that as it may--two thoughts. Once again, if it's worth being proud about, make it big enough to READ! And maybe, instead of some little-kid drawing of a pwecious pwetty sunshiney thing that's missing only smiley face eyes and grin to make it complete, put an AIRPLANE on there. Or something. ANYthing.
I understand the perceived need by the tourism folks to slather anything they can on the plates so people will feel all warm and fuzzy, but honestly, I would prefer to see this.
(Or this, for that matter.)
Now then, I feel all better.
Posted by Terry Oglesby at September 9, 2005 10:38 AMI actually have a bigger gripe at this point, which is the bedazzling plethora of plates available in some states, including my own.
You can now be proud of everything via a license plate, including being a left handed asthmatic dentist who yodels. Leaving aside all the various things you can be proud of saving, environmentally speaking, while you burn fossil fuels by the ton in a hummer that gets 4 gal/mile.
While in MD last week, it appears they have seventeen different plates, including one that seemed to be about saving the Chesapeake Manatee. I didn't think there were any there, but maybe they meant this one. (which my kids have been singing nonstop for a while.
Posted by: skinnydan at September 9, 2005 11:01 AMManatees aren't native to the Chesapeake, but they turn up occasionally.
http://www.bayjournal.com/article.cfm?article=824
Posted by: Steevil (Dr Weevil's bro Steve) at September 9, 2005 11:25 AMMMmmmMMANATEE! Nothing like a fresh, hot Cornatee (cornbread batter and deep fried manatee on a stick) to hit the spot!
As for tags, tell me about it. I looked on the Alabama revenue website, and in addition to the 9 regular vehicle tags, there are 14 annual vehicle tags for taxis and dealers and junk, then it goes on with 25 collegiate affinity tags, 35 military tags, 22 specialty tags, 8 "generic specialty" tags (now THERE'S an oxymoron only a government functionary could come up with), 20 different NASCAR specialty tags, and 13 governmental tags.
It's rather silly.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at September 9, 2005 11:29 AMThe people in Ohio might have actually put an airplane on the tag if one was first flow there.
How about a picture of a bicycle?
Terry's right about Alabama's multiplicity of tags. I have quit trying to figure out where a car is from, usually (unless they're doing something odd). There have been a number of times I've tried to see where a different-looking tag originated, only to find it was indeed Alabama. Not worth eyestrain over, frankly.
Posted by: Stan at September 9, 2005 11:38 AMOr a UFO--you know, they do have a bunch stored at Wright-Patterson.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at September 9, 2005 11:39 AM(Obviously, that was meant to be related to Jim's comment, not Stan's.)
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at September 9, 2005 11:40 AMOoh, another good name for a blog: Generic Specialties. Mmmm, is it peak Cornatee season now?
I'm a little surprised that Perfesser Jim has not piped up about the "First in Flight" brou-haha. North Carolina also makes this claim, yet the Buckeye contingent claims that all the 'real' work happened in Ohio. Orville and Wilbur came down to Kitty Hawk just for the "winds" (and skeeters too).
I could care less, but when your only other option for a state motto is "Pepsi invented here!", I suppose the flight thing is something to fight for.
[I think just about every state now does the specialty tag thing as another potential revenue stream. The amount of bureaucrats needed to administer the system probably eats up the extra revenue. Not that that should be surprising or anything.]
Posted by: MarcV at September 9, 2005 11:46 AMThe Maryland assortment also includes one for the Sons of Confederate Veterans, complete with battle flag. This plate caused quite a ruckus when it first appeared.
Ooops, I was typing while Jim was posting on a comment - that was a pretty good one about the bicycle.
Posted by: MarcV at September 9, 2005 11:47 AMIt is indeed peak season for Cornatees, what with all the family cookouts going on.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at September 9, 2005 12:02 PMAnd state fairs! I think Cornatees are the big hit this year on the food courst at the state fairs!
Posted by: Nate at September 9, 2005 12:52 PMSdaly there were no Cornatees at my county's fair (you can see some cute pix of it over at my place). But they had everything else deep fried and on a stick.
Posted by: Sarah G. at September 9, 2005 01:52 PM
