Washington state is exactly like this, too, but there we had a strict policy that when you were asked about the state, you’re just supposed to say, “It rains all the time.” Now Oregon is bragging openly.
Oregon, do you want Californians? Because this is how you get Californians.
We already have Californians.
I’m just wondering where we got the money to hire Studio Ghibli.
They forgot the mention the Banana Slugs.
Something wrong with Californians? Are you talking birth place? Or current address? It’s OK because I’m an ex-pat native Floridian so I’m not wanted anywhere…I’m a hick here, and some-insulting-description there.
I ask because my son is a Californian (by birth and address) but wants to live in Oregon…or Washington…or Nevada outside of Reno.
Off topic a tad, but I ran across this editorial last night from the new editor at National Geographic Society, Susan Goldberg: For Decades, Our Coverage Was Racist. To Rise Above Our Past, We Must Acknowledge It. It’s worth a scan. I thought of Pharyngula when I read this: “Race is not a biological construct…but a social one that can have devastating effects.” (Hint: She appears to recognize that it’s not just race.) Uh oh, NGS goes SJW starting with it’s own work. Interesting insights into the subtle ways stereotypes are communicated and feed the status quo of bigotry.
#2: That’s the Washington state PR video. Long slow lingering shot of constant gray drizzle…and then a giant golden slug rises up out of the mist. Its eyestalks weave about, and then focus on the viewer, and it lunges! Fade out to crunchy, raspy noises, and the words, “Welcome, Californians.”
#3: Yeah, when property values skyrocketed in California, hordes of them moved north and used their newfound wealth from overpriced realty to buy up lots of property in Oregon and Washington. There was (still is? I haven’t been back in a while) a tremendous amount of resentment.
I want a video like that for my home state, too (Utah).
Oh, sure, brett, but think of all the work involved in editing out the Mormons.
They’d totally start the video with Moroni atop the Salt Lake City Temple blowing his horn and waving at Temple Square onlookers below.
St. Pete area here. Since the coyotes were trapped/moved on, we’ve got tons of bunnies in the neighborhood (and a rooster). What do you think I should expect next, roller coaster riding caterpillars or flying whales?
PZ @4:
I think the resentment of the effect on Oregon’s property values had mostly faded by the turn of the century. These days, Oregonians tend to hate Californians because they think they’re all hippy-dippy, tree hugging, latte-sipping liberals. Oregon is actually quite conservative once you get outside of Portland, Eugene, or Ashland.
I like the part about no one having to poop or pee again. (Implied.)
I’ve visited Ireland many times, but once, in a late October, it was 80 degrees, not a cloud in the sky, we actually windsurfed off Sligo or Donegal. Looking for a bus ride that afternoon, an ould one approached and said to me “yeh must be a Yank”.
“Faith but I am, how did you guess?”
“No Irishman would be waiting for a bus that isn’t going to come.”
“Why won’t it be coming?”
“Are yeh kidding? What sort of buck eejit would show up at work on such a glorious day as this??? That bus driver called in sick, trust me.”
“Well, it is surprisingly wonderful, for late October, in the 3rd of your 4 rainy seasons.”
He sidled up close to me, grabbed my elbow, and whispered confidentially: “it actually doesn’t rain in Ireland, lad. We just spread that rumor to keep the Germans off our beaches….who wants to see their fat middle-aged ladies swinging their naked teats around all afternoon, and their little boys scampering about with their tiny Aryan penises bobbing back and forth? Not us, lad, not us. No, let them head to the Riviera or Costa del Sol, with their dangling teats and penises, we keep ’em away by talking about nothing but the incessant deluges here.”
What is this Studio Ghibli madness. Holy cow.
This just made my morning.
(Can they do one for Indiana next? Pretty please?)
Decades ago Portland did a video press release with the mayor holding an umbrella during a steady drizzle while explaining that, although Portland has many seemingly attractive features, the constant rain was an enormous obstacle to satisfaction. So you shouldn’t move there.
Then the camera pulled back to reveal the drizzle was from a hose and it was a beautiful, sunny, day.
California and Oregon have always had an interesting relationship, and that’s ignoring the State of Jefferson.
Tell me more about this constant grey drizzle you claim to have. Sounds positively wonderful. I may have to investigate your Kent, if only to see how it compares to the real thing, where I was born.
It’s a delightful drizzle,and the skies are cloudy all fall, winter, and spring long. True story: when I moved from Washington to Oregon I complained bitterly about how arid it was.
Kent has a very similar climate to the English original — it was the similarity that motivated the change from its original name of Titusville. Last time I visited, though, it was hard to see any charm left since it was mainly a couple of freeways ripping north/south through the place, with a couple of malls underneath.
For an indication of what it’s like now, I judge it by the state of my father’s childhood home, and where I used to live, which is now PJ’s Used Tires.
Hmm, not exactly picturesque anymore is it? Then again, the outskirts of Maidstone and the area round the Dartford Tunnel are hardly Green and Pleasant Land these days either.
I shall bear it in mind should the unthinkable happen and I need somewhere to escape to that has a sensible climate with proper levels of year-round precipitation. Well, once you’ve got rid of Trump and the Republicans and all the guns and set up proper public services and all that jazz.
Though, watching the video, it does strike me as very much in the tradition of 19th century American landscape art. Albeit with that Japanese cartoon twist. All that “Manifest Destiny” propaganda, Winslow Homer, Ansel Adams and the like. Which the new BBC Civilisations documentary series introduced me to this week. One wonders how much inspiration from such works the Japanese took.
Lovely video. Have people already freaked out about the people of colour and the biracial family?
+++
Sounds convincing
Yours sincerely, a German who used to live in Ireland
I usually respond that it only rained twice last week — once for three days and the second time for four. Works for Oregon or Washington.
Well, having moved here from Indiana some decades ago, I have some notes. The guy in the clouds with the levers is a misrepresentation of the original Oregon creation who really runs everything, all praise to the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Our schools have been so hammered by constricted spending on education (truly) that I haven’t seen a frog (toad?) reading in some time. I’m pretty sure that the cloud whales are a recent addition to local fauna, as I’m told they only showed up after measure 91 passed.
Per response 13, Mr. Mak, I just don’t think even a cartoon could make Indiana half as appealing…
@mrcharlie #21
Haha aww, naw, there’s tons of beauty buried in Indiana if you look a little deeper than the corn. c: The sunsets, hardwood forests, wildflowers, fireflies, snowscapes, waterfalls, lakes, animals, rivers, city fronts, gas era towns… Wild raspberries, mmmm… …The woolly bear migrations… A good artist could make it work.
It’s just developed a bad reputation because it’s hard to see all that when you’re driving through at 65 mph.
Though I will say it’s been ruined for some years by the people who run it, and that’s a real shame. It’s so embarrassing reading the news that comes out of there… and pretty disheartening.
Someday I’ll stage a coup and kick everyone out but sensible people.
AKA “Calibama.”
Azkyroth — Calibama is a pretty fer piece from Vantucky.
There seems to be some top quality… err… crops… yeah, crops… there. Surely a great argument to develop tourism.
I’m from Spokane, and I can’t tell you how old it gets when you tell people you’re from Washington for them to assume it rains all the time.
You can look at it as an opportunity to tell them that they are one of today’s lucky 10,000, and then explain prevailing winds, the location of the Cascade mountain range, and the concept of “rain shadow”.
I would worry about the giant combat rabbits.