http://www.cafepress.com/buy/Canada/-/pv_d...pt_/pg_/c_/fpt_

This is beyond cute. LOL

I'm not even sure what to make of this harumph!

Okay...I'll bite. Is this supposed to be funny? I think it's horrible and disgusting. It's prejudical and hateful.

Carla

Is it supposed to be a joke?

.........maybe we some 'splainin

Well, I think there's nothing wrong with comparing Texas and Alberta.

I've lived in Texas my whole life, visited many other states across the U.S. and been to Alberta and British Columbia. As far as I can tell, on a basic level, Texans and Albertans do share a common ground. Obviously, Texas and Alberta will be different in a number of ways, but I can certainly see the similarities in a sociocultural way.

So... I have no problem comparing Texas and Alberta. I can't imagine anyone else (who knows something aside from stereotypes or Hollywood garbage) would have any real issues with it either.

Where I think this shirt goes wrong is the whole "without the Mexicans" thing. While it's probably very true that Alberta has far fewer Mexicans, the way it is written gives the reader that there is something intrinsically "wrong" with Mexicans or being one. Nothing is "wrong" with or "bad" about Mexicans. It's unfortunate that the majority of illegal aliens entering the United States come from Mexico (especially into border states, such as Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California), leading many Americans to immediately make the erroneous connection between "illegal alien" and "Mexican."

That's how I see it, anyway.

Sorry, not cute. not funny.

I agree that Alberta is much like Texas. In fact, at one time Alberta talked about leaving Canada and joining the USA haha. Alberta's then premier stated that they were "more like American's than Canadians". Being from Saskatchewan, we seem to have a combative attitude when it comes to Alberta...

Now, on to the T-Shirt. The Mexican comment on the T-Shirt, does suggest that there are less Mexican's in Alberta yes. And as I'm sure we can attest, there IS probably less Mexican's in Alberta than Texas. It does suggest that this is a "good" thing. Hence, it's deplorable and disrespectful.

I don't think it's funny.

Carla

C.'s spent the last two months in and around Texas and he thinks it's nothing like Alberta on the following grounds: 1) Texas is 6 zillion degrees outside 2) poisonous snakes 3) the existence of dry counties and 4) Texans.

He has nothing but praise for the Mexican assistants his company hires.

You do realize, of course, that there are many different landmasses and climates in Texas, right? It's not all "hot and desert." In fact, the the desert areas are mostly in west Texas. East Texas, for instance, is practically all forest (well, what's left of the forest areas, due to city expansion) and hills, with no desert to speak of at all.

North Texas also gets a lot of snow in winter. Dallas, for instance, regularly gets blizzards and let's not even get into Amarillo, which can be very cold. So it's wrong to say that Texas is "6 zillion degrees outside." Is some of Texas very hot? Absolutely. Is all of it? No.

Alberta has a very dry climate. I've been there and my fiancee is from there. She's noted many times how dry the province is and actually enjoyed (to some degree) the humidity in east Texas, as it was easier on her skin.

Texas does have far more bugs and other critters, such as poisonous snakes. This is true. This is probably just a product of being further south and having longer summers, however.

As for "Texans," what is that supposed to mean? Texans are, as a whole, fantastic people. Some are jerks, sure, but you'll find that with any group. For the most part, Texans are very nice and welcoming. My fiancee even commented that she found the people here to be very hospitable. Whether or not that directly compares to Albertans... I'm not entirely sure, but it's definitely not a mark against Texans.

I would say that directly compares to Albertans. Here is the thing, both Texas and Alberta, obviously, have a cowboy heritage, to me that is why the comparison has always been made, that and the oil of course.

As for Texans and Albertans, who knows. I'm sure the people in Ohio and Nevada are very hospitable too - but Albertan's don't get compared with them often!

On a side note, Calgary's first European settler, John Glenn, meandered up to Calgary from Waco, Texas (where he lived until he was drafted in to the Confederate Army - not believing in slavery he deserted and joined the Union Army).

The Mexicans comment on the shirt is offensive.

p.s. - I know that Caladan can speak for herself, but she didn't say Texas had 1 exclusive climate.

Well I've been all through Texas many many times and have relatives in several cities as well. Dalles doesn't get snow regularly, but it usually does get some snow at least once or twice a year at least. Plus it also gets ice. And yes try driving to Amarillo in the wintertime. Cold, snow, wind and everything you hate about winter it's there.

On Texans, in Western Texas at least I have noticed on the back roads many people will wave to you as you both pass each other. So very friendly in the western part at least.

Never been to Alberta, but been to Montana and I assume that's pretty much the same thing...

Not to be contrary, but I've been to Montana several times and obviously I live in Alberta - and no - not the same at all to me

Ummmm the last time i checked....alberta and montana are diff countries and are NOTHING alike.

Just that he had built up in his mind that Texas was pretty much like Alberta, and that Texans are different from Albertans. Different people, different ways of getting things done, different policies. I think he had heard so much that it's Just Like Alberta from people who had been to neither that he was a little surprised.

You seem to be in a nitpicky mood, and that's fine, but I didn't say that Texas was all desert, and by dry counties, I meant the inability to buy a beer at the hotel but instead having to drive over the county line where there's a giant liquor store the size of Rhode Island.* And I'll stand by my assertion that his impression of Texas working 12 hour days out in the hot sun is that Texas is six zillion degrees. I don't think I need to point out exaggeration for comic effect especially since zillion is a made up number and Texas isn't actually made out of superheated plasma.

You may get a lot of snow in winter but that's not helping him much in August.

*N.B. the liquor store isn't actually the size of Rhode Island.

lol