There are two things about all those “best of” lists that newspapers, magazines and websites love to publish: 1) they’re mostly bullshit, and 2) they’re irresistible. The main objective of all these lists — the skinniest city in America, the most business-friendly, the best place to raise a family, the best outdoor city, etc. — is to sell more newspapers or magazines or steer readers to your website. The criteria are often questionable and the question of how to assign value once you’ve established criteria is more questionable still. And yet they are irresistible. Continue Reading →
