Bird Pictures
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Your take-home pay will go farther in these low-cost metros.
America's Most Affordable Cities
Your take-home pay will go farther in these low-cost metros.
Oct 28, 2010
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| Oklahoma City |
Just consider the state capital, Oklahoma City: It's got good schools and universities, friendly residents and an unemployment rate well below the national average--6.3% compared with the nationwide 9.5%. Thanks to good jobs and low cost of living, the Oklahoma City metro area ranks as America's Most Affordable City.
In compiling our list, we searched for cities that had a balance of cheap living and economic prosperity--places with solid job markets, but where costs aren't prohibitive.
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| Buffalo |
Just because you can get by on the cheap doesn't mean these places are backwaters. Fifth-ranked Nashville, Tenn., is a cultural and entertainment capital at the center of its state economy; Austin, Texas, (No. 10) is one of the nation's hottest cities for high-tech jobs. All 10 of the cities on the list boast relatively low unemployment rates, inexpensive groceries, health care, transportation and housing. In short, they're desirable destinations all around.
"State capitals and university towns have vibrancy because of their job base, the stability of jobs and cultural diversification," says James P. Gaines, a research economist at the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University.
Behind the Numbers
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| Rochester |
To find the most affordable cities in the country, we looked at all Metropolitan Statistical Areas with populations of at least 100,000. We ranked each metro on the cost of a basket of goods and services, including groceries, health care and transportation, as of the second quarter of 2010, as measured by the Counsel for Community and Economic Research. We also measured the monthly cost of housing as a percentage of household income, using 2009 data from the U.S. Census Bureau's most recent American Community Survey--a mini-Census done annually with a representative sample of the population.
To exclude cities that were affordable only because of a depressed economy, we also factored in the unemployment rate (the lower, the better). We averaged the rankings on all measures to arrive at a final score for each city. Two large cities that were unlikely to be in the top 10--Indianapolis, Ind., and Milwaukee, Wis., were excluded from the ranking because complete data were not available.
Post-Industrial Successes
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| Pittsburgh |
Pittsburgh, Pa., Buffalo, N.Y., and Rochester, N.Y., take second, third and fourth places, respectively. These Northeastern cities have a lot in common, emerging from long slumps after being deserted by their manufacturing economies. They still have a long way to go, but the combination of a newly diversified economy and a history of sustained low costs makes them affordable.
"They didn't see much of a boom, so prices never got out of whack," says Kermit Baker, senior research fellow at Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies, of these cities. "The economy is good, but not great. It didn't go through all the turbulence the rest of the country did."
Southern Belles
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| Nashville |
Several standouts on the list are Southern cities, including Nashville, Louisville, Ky., (No. 8), and Birmingham, Ala. (No. 9).
Texas cities take three spots, with San Antonio coming in at No. 6, Houston at No. 7 and Austin claiming the final spot. The Lone Star State has long enjoyed the benefits of a business-friendly tax climate, rich natural resources and a stable housing economy. As a result, jobs are available, but costs low enough that Texans can stretch the fruits of their labor further. That combination is enticing to Americans seeking to relocate.
"The state [as a whole], and Houston and San Antonio [in particular] are deriving significant income from domestic in-migration. People are moving to Texas because of job availability and because of the cost of housing being so low," says Gaines. But, he adds, the number of people seeking to cash in on the cities' bounty hasn't driven up prices. "Texas has always been a wide-open, laissez-faire, low-control, low-regulation place, but it doesn't add to costs."
Affordability means more than just the ability to buy a cheap box of cereal. No matter how low prices are, it doesn't matter much if your wallet is empty and your next paycheck is only hypothetical. In these cities, costs have stayed down but residents have held onto steady incomes and decent jobs, making them a true bargain.
Top 5 Most Affordable Cities
1. Oklahoma City, Okla.
Metropolitan Statistical Area: Oklahoma City, Okla.
Cost-of-living rank: 12
Unemployment rank: 4
Housing-costs rank: 2
Metropolitan Statistical Area: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Cost-of-living rank: 6
Unemployment rank: 15
Housing-costs rank: 1
Metropolitan Statistical Area: Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Cost-of-living rank: 16
Unemployment rank: 9
Housing-costs rank: 3
Metropolitan Statistical Area: Rochester, N.Y.
Cost-of-living rank: 25
Unemployment rank: 1
Housing-costs rank: 8
Metropolitan Statistical Area: Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tenn.
Cost-of-living rank: 3
Unemployment rank: 23
Housing-costs rank: 11
Saturday, October 30, 2010
HAPPY DIWALI ! ! ! ! !
Have a Safe Diwali
Diwali is round the corner and its time to remind ourselves of the IMPORTANT TIPS we must follow to enjoy the festival safely.
Disease & Video Explanation......
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WE ARE ONE ! WE ARE UNITED ! WE ARE REBUILDING OUR NATION " THE USA " !
SLIDE SHOW OF 9/11 NEVER SEEN BEFORE
Dual disasters in Indonesia...
Dual disasters in Indonesia...
WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SOME GRAPHIC CONTENTS.
Indonesia was rocked by two separate disasters earlier this week - a 7.7-magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami on Monday that swept onto the Mentawai Island chain in western Indonesia, and less than 24 hours later and a few hundred miles away, Mount Merapi erupted multiple times, unleashing searing pyroclastic flows that destroyed villages and blanketed the countryside in ash. Rescue personnel are only now reaching some of the more remote areas, but as of this writing, it is estimated that nearly 300 people were killed by the tsunami, and at least 30 died near Mount Merapi. Collected here are early photos from the dual disasters, and the rescue and recovery efforts just underway.
OUR PRAYERS ARE FOR YOU, DEAR FRIENDS IN INDONESIA.
LOVE, BLESSINGS, AND PEACE!
LOVE, BLESSINGS, AND PEACE!
Maxima and her familie
Maxima and her familie
The Princess was born as Máxima Zorreguieta in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 17 May 1971. Máxima is the daughter of Jorge Horacio Zorreguieta Stefanini (born in Buenos Aires, 28 January 1928), a farmer and a politician, who would later be under-secretary of Agriculture under Jorge R. Videla's junta and afterwards President of the Centro Azucarero Argentino (since 1984) and President of the Fundación Vasco-Argentina Juan de Garay (since 1995), son of a Basque Argentine father and an Italian Argentine and a descendant of some Basque nobility,[citation needed] MarÃa del Carmen Cerruti Carricart (b. Pergamino, 8 September 1944), daughter of Basque-Argentine parents and who also had some Basque noble ancestry. She studied in Northlands School, in Argentina. She has two brothers, a sister and three half-sisters by her father's first wife Marta López Gil (b. 1935), whom he married in 1956, later divorcing.
A former investment banker, she graduated with a degree in Economics from the Universidad Católica Argentina in 1995 before working for large international companies in Finance in Argentina, New York and Europe.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Scenes from Thailand
Scenes from Thailand
The last time we focused on Thailand, the government crackdown on Red Shirt protesters was taking place in Bangkok. Since then, much of the damaged part of downtown Bangkok has been repaired, and the Red Shirts continue their protests both in the streets and online. Thailand has also been hit with severe flooding, struggled with terrorist attacks, and celebrated Queen Sirikit's 78th birthday. Collected here a a handful of recent photographs from around Thailand.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
US Airlines - You Be The Judge !
America's Meanest Airlines
Simply put, flying can be a stressful activity.
A lot of the time it begins with the airports: dizzying parking garages, overpriced food and a series of long lines have a way of making even the most serene travelers a little bit agitated. And that's even before the airplane leaves the ground. So it's easy to see how poor service from an airline can put the finishing touches on a ruined day -- long check-in lines, flight delays, lost luggage, baggage fees and general rudeness have a way of doing that. Not to mention the scary food (at least it used to be free scary food).
Based on the Airline Quality Rating (AQR) Report, which covers 18 domestic carriers, here is a list of the airlines that could stand to do the most work on making their customers happy. The report's conclusions are based on surveys of airline industry experts, with positive and negative values assigned to different elements in airline quality. Several common complaint areas were factored in -- including on-time arrival, mishandled baggage, delays and involuntary denied boardings -- the scores of which were then calculated to produce an overall quality score. We also took a look at a number of other sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and the Air Travel Consumer Reports by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Regional airlines are ranked separately because of their tendency to score lower.
Worst Major Airlines
5. US Airways
2009 AQR Score: -1.19
While US Airways improved five percent in passenger satisfaction according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, they were one of three airlines cited as having the rudest flight attendants and serving the worst food, in a survey conducted by SeatGuru last year. Additionally, US Airways received a below-average score in the J.D. Power 2010 North America Airline Satisfaction Study.
Domestic Baggage Fees:
1st Bag: $25
2nd Bag: $35 3rd Bag: $100
Overweight Bags: $50 Extra (51 - 70 lbs) $100 Extra (71 - 100 lbs)
Oversized Bags: $100 Extra (larger than 62")
4. American Airlines
2009 AQR Score: -1.25
American Airlines has an Airline Quality Rating (AQR) of -1.25 -- which isn't awful, but where its reputation takes the hardest hit is with its regional airline, American Eagle (more on it later).
This year AA has had frequent incidents of mishandled baggage with an average of 4.07 reports per 1,000 passengers, according to the Air Travel Consumer Reports (this is the worst rating among the major airlines in the study). SeatGuru's survey named American Airlines as one of the three airlines that have the rudest flight attendants and the worst food.
Domestic Baggage Fees:
1st Bag: $25
2nd Bag: $35
3rd Bag: $100
Overweight Bags: $50 (51 - 70 lbs) $100 (71 - 100 lbs)
Oversized Bags: $150 (larger than 62")
3. Alaska Airlines
2009 AQR Score: -1.39
Alaska Airlines has an Airline Quality Rating (AQR) of -1.39, which can be partially attributed to the airline's high number of mishandled baggage reports. According to Air Travel Consumer Reports, the airline averaged 3.98 incidents per 1,000 passengers last year. However, Alaska Airlines did a stellar job when it came to delays, with 88 percent of its flights having on-time arrivals (in the 12-month period ending August 2010).
Domestic Baggage Fees:
1st Bag: $20
2nd Bag: $20
3rd Bag: $20
Overweight Bags: $50 (51 - 100 lbs)
Oversized Bags: $50 (63 - 80") $75 (81 - 115")
2. United Airlines
2009 AQR Score: -1.43
Now that the merger with Continental Airlines is official, United can turn its attention to improving customer service. United received a score of "about average" in the J.D. Power 2010 North America Airline Satisfaction Study but it placed last in passenger satisfaction in the American Customer Satisfaction Index. According to the SeatGuru survey, United joins American Airlines and US Airways as one of the three worst airlines for meals and rude flight attendants. In addition, the Air Travel Consumer Reports places this airline second in consumer complaints (behind Delta), averaging 1.82 per 100,000 enplanements in 2010.
Domestic Baggage Fees:
v1st Bag: $25
2nd Bag: $35
3rd Bag: $100
Overweight Bags: $100 (51 - 100 lbs)
Oversized Bags: $100 (larger than 62")
1. Delta
2009 AQR Score: -1.73
Delta had the worst AQR among major airlines with a -1.73, and a couple of its regional airlines did even worse (see Comair and Atlantic Southeast below). It also had the largest drop in passenger satisfaction in the American Customer Satisfaction Index. According to the Air Travel Consumer Reports, Delta was number one in delays for major airlines (78 percent of flights arriving on time in the 12-month period ending August 2010) and first in consumer complaints (averaging 2.23 per 100,000 enplanements in 2010). Also, make sure to note Delta's baggage fees below, as they can get quite painful for those hauling heavy and/or large cargo.
Domestic Baggage Fees:
1st Bag: $25 ($23 if checked online)
2nd Bag: $35 ($32 if checked online)
3rd Bag: $125
Overweight Bags: $90 (51 - 70 lbs) $175 (71 - 100 lbs)
Oversized Bags: $175 (larger than 63 - 80") $300 (larger than 81 - 115")
Worst Regional Airlines
Please note that the regional airlines follow the baggage fee structure of whichever major airline you happen to be flying under.
4. SkyWest
2009 AQR Score: -1.57
SkyWest Airlines has several hubs throughout the United States, including Chicago and Los Angeles. SkyWest received a -1.57 AQR, which is the fifth worst score overall among the airlines covered in the 2010 Airline Quality Ratings. One area that contributed to this score was mishandled baggage, where they averaged 5.69 incidents per 1,000 passengers last year. It acts as a regional airline for AirTran, Delta Connection and United Express.
3. Comair
2009 AQR Score: -2.22
With a -2.22 AQR, Comair got the third worst score overall among the airlines surveyed in the 2010 Airline Quality Ratings. Mishandled baggage was an issue, with an average of 6.04 incidents per 1,000 passengers last year. Comair was also number one in delays overall, with only 73 percent of flights arriving on time in the 12-month period ending August 2010, according to the Air Travel Consumer Reports. Comair is a regional for Delta Connection, with its main hubs at Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky and JFK airports.
2. Atlantic Southeast
2009 AQR Score: -2.49
Atlantic Southeast serves as a regional airline for Delta Connection and United Express with several hubs in the States, including Memphis and Chicago. It has the second most incidents of mishandled baggage (6.67 reports per 1,000 passengers on average in 2010 so far) according to the Air Travel Consumer Reports. Atlantic Southeast received a -2.49 AQR, which is the second worst score overall among the airlines covered in the 2010 Airline Quality Ratings.
1. American Eagle
2009 AQR Score: -2.83
With a -2.83 AQR score, American Eagle has the unwelcome distinction of having the worst score overall among the airlines covered in the 2010 Airline Quality Ratings. According to the Air Travel Consumer Reports, it also had the most incidents of mishandled baggage (7.41 reports per 1,000 passengers on average in 2010 so far) and was number two in delays, with only 76 percent of flights arriving on time in the 12-month period ending August 2010. American Eagle is the main regional for American Airlines. American Eagle operates out of a number of hubs in the United States, including Boston and Dallas.
Rajasthan, India
Beautiful Architectures...!!!!!
Beautiful Architectures...!!!!!
Futuroscope ( Poitiers, France)
Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum ( Minnesota)
Aqua Building ( Chicago, Illinois)
Oakley Corporate Headquarters ( California)
Crazy Hotel ( Bratislava , Slovakia)
Cubic Houses ( Rotterdam , Netherlands)
UCSD Geisel Library ( San Diego , California , USA)
Great arche of defense ( Paris , France)
Ferdinand Cheval Palace ( France)
Cathedral of Brasilia ( Brazil)
The Museum of Play ( Rochester, USA)
Jumeirah Emirates Towers ( Dubai, UAE)
Raffles Dubai in Wafi city ( Dubai, UAE)
National centre for the performing arts
(Beijing, China)
Digital Beijing ( Beijing, China)
Nordpark Cable Railway ( Innsbruck, Austria)
The Valencia Opera House ( Valencia, Spain)
La Pedrera ( Barcelona, Spain)
National Congress Building ( Brazil)
Device to Root Out Evil ( Vancouver, Canada)
ING Headquarters ( Amsterdam , Netherlands)
Experience Music Project ( Seattle , Washington, USA)
Dancing Building ( Prague , Czech Republic)
Druzhba Holiday Center ( Yalta, Ukraine)
The Ufo House ( Sanjhih , Taiwan)
Stone House (Guimarães, Portugal)
Kansas City Public Library ( Missouri, USA)
The Ancient World in London - Egyptomania in London
Dr Jasmine Day takes adventurer Nicole Favish across London to see the Egyptian influence on England's capital city
