The "Most" Series..

These are not directly related to investing, but interesting articles.
(from Business week.)

The World's Most Expensive Restaurants

A new list from Zagat Survey calls London the most expensive city in the world in which to eat. But it has lots of company
By Jennifer FishbeinThe world has no shortage of big-ticket restaurants, and even if you've never set foot in one, you likely could rattle off those cities with the highest concentration of them: London, Tokyo, Paris, Vancouver—yes, Vancouver. Average per-person tabs in British Columbia's largest city might run $39, paltry compared with those in Osaka, Kobe, or Kyoto, where restaurant meals cost an average of $65, according to Zagat Survey. But the Canadian city rivals New York ($39) for the title of priciest dining capital in North America. And meals in Montreal cost an average of $1.71 more than in Los Angeles. Surprised? Click on for a look at some of the poshest eateries in the cities ranked by Zagat as the most expensive in the world to dine. All prices are per person.

America's Most Toxic Cities

The metropolitan areas with the highest number of contaminated sites per capita in the nation
By Maya RoneySource of data: Environmental Data Resources (EDR), http://www.edrnet.com/. Databases include federal, state, municipal, and tribal records of contaminated sites. Most databases updated on a quarterly or biannual basis.EDR defines site contamination as the presence of man-made chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment. This type of contamination typically arises from the rupture of underground storage tanks, application of pesticides, percolation of contaminated surface water to subsurface strata, leaching of wastes from landfills, or direct discharge of industrial wastes to the soil.Contaminated site totals on our list also include the following:1) Leaking storage tanks: tanks that store petroleum or other hazardous substances that can harm the environment and human health.2) Corrective action reports: large commercial sites that are identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as requiring corrective action because of a hazardous spill or leak.The sites in these two types of EPA classifications are some of the most polluted and can typically generate dangerous health ramifications such as vapor intrusion, according to EDR.


America's Most Affordable Housing Markets 2007

The most affordable housing markets in each state, according to Coldwell Banker's 2007 Home Price Comparison Index
By Maya RoneyWhat is the difference between an average home in Beverly Hills, Calif., and a similar one in Killeen, Tex.? About $2.1 million, according to Coldwell Banker's 2007 Home Price Comparison Index (HPCI), which ranked Beverly Hills and Killeen as the least and most affordable housing markets in the U.S., respectively. The HPCI evaluates market conditions in 317 metropolitan areas by looking at homes that are approximately 2,200 square feet, with four bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. On average, a house like this in Beverly Hills sells for $2.2 million, while in Killeen, it goes for a just fraction of that cost, at $136,725. Take a look at our slide show to find out which are the most and least affordable markets in your state.