> Additionally, this area is fairly centrist politically. I spent three months crossing the US in 2009 as a tourist. I had developed a light-hearted measure of

> Additionally, this area is fairly centrist politically. I spent three months crossing the US in 2009 as a tourist. I had developed a light-hearted measure of the patriotism of an area by how many US flags were seen in suburban front yards. Before I visited Pittsburgh, I had rated '1 house in 4-5 with a flag' as a very patriotic area on this scale. Then I hit Pittsburgh, and the area where my hotel was had one house in 4-5 that didn't have a little US flag planted somewhere in the front yard. Even the local cemetery was bestrewn with Old Glory all over the place... :)