According to AskMen online magazine, Miami (Florida, USA) is the city with the best sand beaches in the world. It is followed by Dubai (UAE) and Barcelona (Spain). But don’t forget the wonderful beaches of Australia, Brazil and South Africa, as well.

The sand and the surf are an integral part of these cities. Sandy fringes act as an integral part of their structure, atmosphere and overall identities. Proximity to water is the main factor when considering building a settlement. Continue reading »

According to The Scientist Magazine, UCSF’s J. David Gladstone Institutes is the best US academic institution to work for in 2008. The San Francisco university is immediately followed by Princeton University and the Trudeau Institute.

Some researchers are already feeling the pinch, with budget crises looming at many institutions. But thankfully, a few organizations are finding interim funding solutions. For many scientists, feeling good about their workplace isn’t only about funding and support, but it’s also about giving back to the community. Continue reading »

In 2005, DogFriendly.com found Chicago as the most dog-friendly North American city. This is the best city to visit if you have a dog. Chicago (Illinois) is followed by Vancouver (Canada, British Columbia) and Boston (Massachusetts).

The survey looked at the quality dog-friendly places, number of hotels that welcome well-behaved dogs, the way dogs are welcome on public transportation, and reasonably regulations for well-behaved and leashed dogs in public places. The ninth-placed Toronto (Canada, Ontario) was later disqualified because of a newly adopted Ontario province law affecting visitors and residents with dogs. Continue reading »

According to City Data, New York was the biggest city in the United States, in terms of housing and population, in 2006. It was followed by Los Angeles (California) - with almost four million people - and Chicago (Illinois) - with almost three million.

The rankings show an uneven distribution across North America. New York is by far the most populated city in the United States. With over eight million people, the city  attracts more than the double of the people looking for a home in any other part of the country. Continue reading »

Based on the number of inhabitants with university degrees, number of international students at the tertiary level, international schools at the primary and secondary level, and top global universities located in the cities, the World’s Most Global Cities survey, presented by Foreign Policy Magazine, A.T. Kearney and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, finds London (United Kingdom) deserves the top spot, followed by a surprising Chicago (United States) and Tokyo (Japan).

While this kind of ratings may rise eyebrows, the combination of the factors considered by the surveys led to these results. Continue reading »