My main issue though is that static languages are improving to the point where I start to wonder about the relevance of any dynamic language.
IMO static typing can be cumbersome for exploratory programming. That said, I really like the added benefits it can impart. I think an optionally typed language may be the best of both worlds, but my experience with them is minimal.
I like type inferencing, like in Haskell. You gain the benefits of static typing, but you do not have to explicitly write the types all over the place. I find that the exploratory phase goes more quickly with the compiler there to provide a sanity check.
IMO static typing can be cumbersome for exploratory programming. That said, I really like the added benefits it can impart. I think an optionally typed language may be the best of both worlds, but my experience with them is minimal.