I am familiar with Texas and I can back up the other statements of the womens in Texas; they are usually quite nice looking and tend to have personalities (of some sort, at least they can be entertaining) . However, I cannot stand their accents. (many say “ah” referring to oneself instead of a long “I”). There are a few nice music venues in the state, including Bass hall (in Fort Worth, where Van Cliburn was born. I went there to see the city honour him at a performance. It was sweet…). I can also say that I have never seen a place where so many people were as arrogant, fanatic and outright, well, stupid. Like a town where the churches controlled the whole town. Prohibition reigned, MTV was removed from the cable network, the churches (which act more like social clubs) muscled out businesses they did not want in town, and controlled what movies were shown at the theatre and the best for last… public prayers in a school before football games, asking god to help the local team win (when I was told that happens at those schools I nearly crapped myself) . I have also seen the filthiest towns are in Texas (by filthy I mean dirty; not clean). If you go to Texas you MUST stay in the east part. Going to the west is too risky. They will say: “Yew ain’t from around heer, are ya?

The attitude of Jet seems to typify the Texan… Arrogant and seems to believe that god lives in Texas. (Btw, I have been through Canyon, it is a hell hole, literally.)

It seems people are talking about Kansas too here. I am not as familiar with that state (sometimes my job sends me places…weird places sometimes.) But there is a town in Kansas (a small one in a area of beautiful green hills, like in Northern Ireland, and not so much corn…) that has parks everywhere, has ubiquitous programs and venues for the arts, and has clean beautiful homes too. In that town I saw what must have been the best public schools I have heard of. A typical curriculum including: Ancient and modern history, algebra, geometry, Newtonian physics, electrical circuits, gymnastics (including tumbling), swimming, all for the typical primary school student. When a eight year old can explain the laws of motion and the accompanying equations too, I think someone is doing something right. I think that schools in Kansas get a bad name for themselves because they teach that a theory is a theory and let people decide for themselves to believe it or not. Although, the whole state can not be as nice as that town…too bad.

My favourite places in the states are in New England. There are plenty of awful things there too, but I think the good outweighs the bad. But nothing (I have seen) compares to southern Germany 😀 Where most everywhere looks like a garden, good schools, wonderful people and A81 to clear your mind. **Sighs and looks for a flight to Stuttgart**