Of course, if we want to use the old English definition, it would be any town with a cathedral or a university, but that's just silly.
My point is that the places they're calling "the best cities" are only arguably cities, whereas the "worst" are all huge places. I've been to Helsinki and I can tell you that it's not big at all. Their definition of "best" seems to be tied to a low population density and/or low overall population.
For the record, lots of US cities are larger than most Canadian cities (Toronto being the only exception). Look at wikipedia for population in metropolitan area (which is a much better measure than city limits when comparing cities and large towns).
I wouldn't call anything a city that didn't have at least 2 to 2.5 million people in the greater metropolitan area.
My point is that the places they're calling "the best cities" are only arguably cities, whereas the "worst" are all huge places. I've been to Helsinki and I can tell you that it's not big at all. Their definition of "best" seems to be tied to a low population density and/or low overall population.
For the record, lots of US cities are larger than most Canadian cities (Toronto being the only exception). Look at wikipedia for population in metropolitan area (which is a much better measure than city limits when comparing cities and large towns).
I wouldn't call anything a city that didn't have at least 2 to 2.5 million people in the greater metropolitan area.
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
The world's top ten and worst ten most livable cities
- 30/08/2011 07:06:50 PM
1403 Views
How do you call towns "cities"?
- 30/08/2011 08:12:27 PM
673 Views
I thought you were going to mention Perth. The rest are clearly cities, if you ask me.
- 30/08/2011 08:23:33 PM
659 Views
Perth has 1.7 million people.
- 30/08/2011 08:30:26 PM
818 Views
A million people isn't a city?
- 30/08/2011 08:28:20 PM
821 Views
Not necessarily.
- 30/08/2011 10:49:08 PM
788 Views
Re: Not necessarily.
- 30/08/2011 11:56:20 PM
799 Views
to meet their definition of best it also seems to help if you have mostly white
- 31/08/2011 01:52:11 PM
680 Views
Have you been to Toronto or Vancouver ?
- 31/08/2011 04:02:01 PM
690 Views
no but I have the internet and they meet the ethnic description I gave
- 31/08/2011 05:25:40 PM
796 Views
Yeah, I'm sorry, but you're fairly off with that one.
- 31/08/2011 04:52:25 PM
746 Views
OK you did see where I included Asians didn't you and I would call less than 2% significant
- 31/08/2011 05:31:45 PM
742 Views
As a comparison ...
- 30/08/2011 08:37:28 PM
846 Views
weather is a factor and three Canadian cities made the top ten?
- 30/08/2011 09:22:32 PM
815 Views
Vancouver at least has a nice climate.
- 30/08/2011 09:40:31 PM
939 Views
yeah there are not vey many US cities I would want to raise kids in
- 30/08/2011 11:16:52 PM
650 Views
Quality health care in the US, really?
- 31/08/2011 12:27:41 AM
765 Views
Also,
- 31/08/2011 12:53:00 PM
794 Views
no it works out that nicely for most people
- 31/08/2011 01:36:13 PM
747 Views
Getting care, getting timely care, getting quality care and paying for it are all different things.
- 31/08/2011 03:39:30 PM
912 Views
tha tis becuase the hospital is run by republicans and they were out to get you *NM*
- 31/08/2011 07:37:47 PM
516 Views
Livability obviously doesn't include "Concentration of Venomous Creatures". *NM*
- 30/08/2011 11:43:43 PM
386 Views
or perhaps Australian cities rank so high because they're so much better than the alternative
- 30/08/2011 11:58:47 PM
832 Views
Actually, the reason our cities are so liveable is because they're built to keep said creatures out
- 31/08/2011 12:59:01 AM
664 Views
How?
- 31/08/2011 08:20:01 AM
653 Views
I can't risk putting the answer on a public forum, the venomous creatures may find out
- 01/09/2011 07:26:52 AM
594 Views
Why no Boston? 
*NM*
- 31/08/2011 12:16:28 AM
370 Views
*NM*
- 31/08/2011 12:16:28 AM
370 Views
Annoyingness of local sports fans was also taken into consideration. *NM*
- 31/08/2011 12:31:21 AM
473 Views
Obviously the study group consists of Yankees fans. Poor, unfortunate souls. 
*NM*
- 31/08/2011 12:46:17 AM
349 Views
*NM*
- 31/08/2011 12:46:17 AM
349 Views
A low population density seems to be a key determinant in these rankings
- 31/08/2011 12:51:45 AM
635 Views
There is an obvious mistake
- 31/08/2011 03:07:31 AM
975 Views
- 31/08/2011 03:07:31 AM
975 Views