Yeah, I guess stereotyping places just kind of rubs me the wrong way. There *are* good and bad things about everywhere, and especially to characterize a state as "red" or "blue" is mainly just a question of which party was in power when that state was gerrymandered beyond all recognition, and the populace is usually very closely split on a variety of issues in at-large elections, and very often a majority of the population disagrees with the goals of the party in power.
My little sister found herself drawn back to Dallas as her adopted home, after several years away - she's maybe not as political as I am, but I don't think there's much of anything we disagree on. It's not the climate for her either I don't think - of all the many places we grew up, none of them was warm or southern, and she never complains about the cold when she travels to a cooler climate. She's very much at home in DC too and visits often, but Dallas is where she bought her house and started her business, and she loves it there.
Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler