It wasn't much of a surprise when The Boeing Co. announced 10 days ago that it would build a second production line for the 787 Dreamliner in South Carolina. But it was a shock nonetheless to the Northwest's collective psyche.

Here, after all, was a place that was accustomed to being ranked at the top of desirable places to live and work. Its crime rate was among the lowest in the country. The scenery, when you could see it through the overcast, was nonpareil. And even Forbes Magazine had just put Washington in second place among the 50 states for its attractive business climate. The magazine ranked South Carolina 25th.