The top 10 quality of life cities

[Gromdor]

I can't see any city where snow accumulates for any lengthy period of time as being on a list of top quality of life cities.

Snow keeps the riff raff and homless away!

Edited February 8, 2013 by Gromdor

[MichaelW]

My home town at number 3? It seems all you need to make the list is a local government that increases the rates by 6% annually, the water rates by 150%, increases the public debt by half in a couple of years and allows the cities violent crime rate to increase so much that its not safe to walk the streets at night. Seriously, the Nitro Circus (you know, the fearless stuntmen and women) will not tour Auckland anymore after two separate attacks on their group in one night.

Are you living somewhere else at the moment? Although I imagine Auckland to be a lot better than most places in the world, despite the fact that it's full of Aucklanders and apparent violent crime.

Certainly be better than living in places like Paris or London, that's for sure.

[Walter White]

From the article:

"The rest of the top 10 for Europe are dominated by German and Swiss cities,

Got to love the Germans, there's not a lot they can't do well. A fine country.

[Orcseeker]

Sydney ranked higher than Melbourne?

...I don't trust the integrity of Mercer

[questionmark]

From the article:

Got to love the Germans, there's not a lot they can't do well. A fine country.

'

That comes wit a big price tag most prefer not to pay, starting with rigorous self discipline.

[Frank Merton]

I had a Frenchman once tell me, "Don't worry about the fact that the Germans watch you; they watch each other too."

[Walter White]

Sydney ranked higher than Melbourne?

...I don't trust the integrity of Mercer

I started questioning Mercer's integrity when Sydney ranked higher than Baghdad.

Feel sorry for Baghdad really, 1400 years ago it was one of THE great cities, culturally, economically etc.

Now it's right at the bottom, how times change.

[questionmark]

I had a Frenchman once tell me, "Don't worry about the fact that the Germans watch you; they watch each other too."

And as soon as they see a foreigner they all convert into a policeman lecturing you about the "right way things are done in Germany"

[Frank Merton]

Well every country has its rules and I generally appreciate it when someone clues me in.

What is this thing about America always making lists of the top whatever of whatever. There is a mountain in Western Colorado that the locals call, "The Biggest Flat-Top Mountain in the World" as though that mattered.

[Walter White]

Well every country has its rules and I generally appreciate it when someone clues me in.

What is this thing about America always making lists of the top whatever of whatever. There is a mountain in Western Colorado that the locals call, "The Biggest Flat-Top Mountain in the World" as though that mattered.

I love that aspect of America, everything has to be biggest, the best and the greatest. It's how I imagine the WTC was conceived...

1st American: "We're going to build the tallest building in the world!"

2nd American: "Why?"

1st: "Because we're America and by god that's that we do!"

2nd: "Hell YEAH!"

3rd American: "I have a better idea, instead of building the tallest building in the world; we're going to build the tallest building in the world AND then build an almost identical one next to it. So we have the two tallest buildings in the world!"

1st and 2nd: "Why?"

3rd: "Because we're America and by god that's what we do!"

1st and 2nd: "Hell YEAH!"

Edited February 8, 2013 by Walter White

[Gromdor]

I love that aspect of America, everything has to be biggest, the best and the greatest. It's how I imagine the WTC was conceived...

1st American: "We're going to build the tallest building in the world!"

2nd American: "Why?"

1st: "Because we're America and by god that's that we do!"

2nd: "Hell YEAH!"

3rd American: "I have a better idea, instead of building the tallest building in the world; we're going to build the tallest building in the world AND then build an almost identical one next to it. So we have the two tallest buildings in the world!"

1st and 2nd: "Why?"

3rd: "Because we're America and by god that's what we do!"

1st and 2nd: "Hell YEAH!"

The loss of this attitude is what saddens me the most these days.

1rst American: We should build the biggest building in the world!

2nd American: We already have the biggest building in the world!

1rst American: Not anymo....

2nd American: No! We are the best at everything and anyone who disagrees is a communist, socialist terrorist! We have the best roads and health care in the world! No third world country like Dubai or China is gonna build a building as big as ours!

3rd American: Not to mention the profit margin in such a venture wouldn't justify the costs. We should just outsource it like we do our space exploration or manufacturing industry. We are still currently number one in those areas and will have the leeway to defray costs.

4rth American: What do I get out of it? Nothing? Well forget that then!

1rst American: Nevermind.....

[Arbenol]

My home town at number 3? It seems all you need to make the list is a local government that increases the rates by 6% annually, the water rates by 150%, increases the public debt by half in a couple of years and allows the cities violent crime rate to increase so much that its not safe to walk the streets at night. Seriously, the Nitro Circus (you know, the fearless stuntmen and women) will not tour Auckland anymore after two separate attacks on their group in one night.

I was thinking something similar myself. But having lived in several cities in the UK, Auckland is certainly a pretty good place to be.

And I've never felt unsafe walking through Auckland at night.

[FLOMBIE]

I got there from Chicago in '81, loved it.

It all depends on your perspective I guess.

It might have changed, though. Now it is a crime and drug ridden city. You should check out the area surrounding the train station, it's not very welcoming to say the least.

[FLOMBIE]

I had a Frenchman once tell me, "Don't worry about the fact that the Germans watch you; they watch each other too."

That made me chuckle.

But we will watch you And then whinge about you to our wives.

And as soon as they see a foreigner they all convert into a policeman lecturing you about the "right way things are done in Germany"

Sounds like Japan to me.

Edited February 11, 2013 by FLOMBIE

[questionmark]

It might have changed, though. Now it is a crime and drug ridden city. You should check out the area surrounding the train station, it's not very welcoming to say the least.

The Kasiserstrasse was always the last address in town, even in my day. The good part is that 99% of the shady dealings happened there leaving the rest of the town pretty much a low crime area. A reason why the cops never really cracked down on it.

[+DieChecker]

and congrats to Vancouver BC

These things are always Tilted.

The knock is that the first US city on the list ranks 43th, not 40 years ago half the cities on that list were in the US. That should tell us something.

Tells me that probably a lot more Europeans then Americans get to vote on this list. If you have 75% Europeans voting, they are going to vote for European cities. Probably when the US had cities higher in the ratings, more Americans got to be invovled in the selection. I've been to Switzerland and Germany (20 years ago) and both are great, but they aren't SUPER MONDO GIGA MAX greater then Portland, Seattle, or even Savannah or Atlanta (All places I've explored well). The reasons given for the better score seem to me to be chosen to be sure that these cities win.

Edited February 13, 2013 by DieChecker

[Jackofalltrades]

and congrats to Vancouver BC

The person/site that made the list need's to learn some basic numeracy skill's....

Seeing as the list is supposedly "Top ten cities with best quality of life" and there is actually twelve cities on the list....

[ExpandMyMind]

What? No Glasgow?