Best cities in America

Okay, another media ranking of cities and this time it's for "Best Cities in America", as you can see and, again, it's interesting.

Kansas City kind of got snubbed, I think, by my way of reckoning, since Omaha got position number 3 and we're not even on the list.  Check it out:

Omaha is a great example of a city that's avoided the booms and busts, ranking high on stability.

Could its slow but steady growth be the influence of one of its most famous residents, the richest man in the world, Warren Buffett? The Oracle of Omaha, as he's known, made his money based on the motto "invest in what you know" - not getting sucked into the next big boom.

Quite possibly, Sperling said. Perhaps the bigger impact, though, is that Buffett keeps Omaha in the news, which makes it easier to attract big companies there. Today, there are five Fortune 500 companies headquartered there, including ConAgra Foods, Union Pacific Corporation, Mutual of Omaha, Peter Kiewit and Sons, and Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.

Oh, and Des Moines is on the list too, at number 6.

Okay, so that's my points--we got overlooked on it, rightly or wrongly (probably likely, even though I enjoy the place) and Omaha and Des Moines beat us out

But I will make one last point here.

And that is, I think Kansas City is going to get on a cultural ranking "best of" list at least once--if not a few times next year, once our Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is open.

You watch.  The building itself, when it opens, is going to give us a great deal of attention in its own right.  Then, once open, more of these lists will have Kansas City on them.

See if I'm not right about this, next year.

Link to original post:  http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/best-cities-to-move-to-in-america.html

Whither the economy?

It's always the question: "Where are we going next?" in this economy? Where will it take us. Today, there are two stories out and one gives hope, the other, a bit of caution. First, the hope: Buffett, Ballmer predict bright economic future; Buffett says no double-dip, Microsoft's Ballmer enthusiastic about future at Montana summit BUTTE, Mont. (AP) -- Some of the biggest names in business said Monday that they see a bright future for the economy, with famed investor Warren Buffett declaring the country and world will not fall back into the grips of the recession. "I am a huge bull on this country. We are not going to have a double-dip recession at all," said Buffett, chairman of Omaha, Neb.-based Berkshire Hathaway Inc. "I see our businesses coming back across the board." "This country works," Buffett said during a question-and-answer session via video at the Montana Economic Development Summit. "The best is yet to come." So that's all good and great to hear. Let's hope he's right. Now for the caution: Oil creeps higher to near $77 as equities rise; Oil creeps up to near $77 a barrel in Europe as global stock markets bolster optimism It's the very thought or feeling that things may, indeed, be improving, economically, that pushes the energy futures stocks higher, pushing the price per barrel of oil higher. And that higher price per barrel for oil could defuse any economic improvement made. Here's hoping for the best. Links to original stories: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Buffett-Ballmer-predict-apf-1647385255.html?x=0; http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Oil-creeps-higher-to-near-77-apf-2783288406.html?x=0