Which are the best of the best? It’s an open debate, but someone needed to stick his neck out.

Here’s our take on America’s best baseball towns:

Chicago — Cubs fans disdain the White Sox. White Sox fans don’t care much for their neighbors from the northside, either. While a 2005 World Series title brought joy to Sox fans, it was a dagger in the heart to Cubs loyalists, who have not tasted the champagne since 1908. (Don’t get us started…) Two leagues, two very different teams, two passionate fan bases. Summers in the Windy City can be long and hot, but they are rarely dull.

New York — Yankees ownership may have pressed the envelope with $2,000 box seats in the new Yankee Stadium, but for the most part, the faithful remain as supportive as they are restless. With 39 American League pennants and 26 World Championships under their belts, fans ask only one question: How long will it be before those numbers are 40 and 27? It has been a seeming eternity since the Bombers beat their crosstown rivals, the Mets, to win their last World Series in 2000. For the Mets, however, the drought is even longer, stretching back to 1986. Both teams opened new parks this year, only adding to the local buzz. Can the pair pull off another Subway World Series to commemorate the occasion?

Boston — New England fans wear the hair shirt like few others, but they’ve had quite a bit less to pout about this decade. When the apocalypse didn’t follow in the wake of their long-awaited 2004 World Series championship, the Red Sox celebrated by doing it again three years later. Red Sox nation fills Fenway Park to overflowing and boosts attendance figures in stadiums all across America. The passion is real, and it is passed on through generations. It’s not just a game, it’s a religion…or something awfully close.

St. Louis – Old-timers can regale you with tales of listening to Cardinals games all through the Midwest, and a National League-best 10 World Championships (the most recent in 2006) have only served to fuel the fire. Cardinals fans are considered among the most knowledgeable in baseball, and Busch Stadium (new or old) is a red-clad sight to behold.

Philadelphia – The City of Brotherly Love has a complicated relationship with its sports teams, but all is good in the baseball world these days as the Phillies try to defend their 2008 World Series title. A move from the cavernous Veterans Stadium to the more cozy Citizens Bank Ballpark has helped improve the game atmosphere, although Philadelphia fans will still turn on you at the drop of a hat (or, worse yet, a fly ball). Through early August, the Phillies’ average attendance of 44,135 was about 500 more than CNB’s listed capacity of 43,647. Hard to argue with that.

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However you go about it, you know one when you see one. Stroll around Wrigleyville before a Cubs game, for instance, and it’s pretty clear you’re someplace special. Same with Fenway Park.

It’s not just a number, it’s a feeling.

Which are America’s best sports cities? It’s a list sure to stir up some debate, but here are 10 that have to be in any discussion:

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Nalgene’s least wasteful city study was produced from a survey of 3,750 Americans in the top 25 largest cities that sought to probe their “mindset.” Respondents were asked about their green habits, such as whether they used public transportation and reusable grocery bags or composted and reused containers. Read more in our story: US cities ranked on wasteful ways. San Francisco took top honors as the most mindfully-least-wastefully green city:

1. San Francisco, CA
2. New York City, NY
3. Portland, OR
4. Seattle, WA
5. Los Angeles, CA
6. Denver, CO
7. Minneapolis, MN
8. Washington, D.C.
9. Boston, MA
10. Philadelphia, PA
11. Chicago, IL
12. Baltimore, MD
13. Detroit, MI
14. Pittsburgh, PA
15. Orlando, FL
16. Cleveland, OH
17. Sacramento, CA
18. Miami, FL
19. Tampa, FL
20. Phoenix, AZ
21. St. Louis, MO
22. Houston, TX
23. Indianapolis, IN
24. Dallas, TX
25. Atlanta, GA

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Despite the effects of today’s economic challenges on the nation’s housing market, local metro areas throughout the country are delivering strong median sales price growth on condominiums, representing better buying opportunities especially for first-time home buyers, based on the most recent Existing-Home Sales quarterly report from the National Association of Realtors.

Here are the top markets:

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington: The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area led the country with a double digit increase in median condo prices (+11.1%) during Q3 of 2008, compared to Q3 of 2007.(1) Unemployment was at 5.7% in November of 2008.(2) The median income was $64.8K.(3) Historically, this area has had the sixth highest GDP among the 363 MSAs in the nation.(4) For around $150K, buyers can purchase a 3 Bed, 2.5 Bath home with around 1500 square feet of space.

Bismarck, ND: Bismarck was the only other metro area with a double digit median price gain (+11.0%) in Q3.(1) It had the second lowest jobless rate in the nation (2.6%),(2) with many residents employed in the healthcare industry, a sector that has been impacted less by the recession than other industries. The median income was $64.4K(3), the second highest of the six featured cities. Bismarck also has a very pro-business local government(5) that supports the success of its many self-employed residents. With a population of just 97.4K, it delivered the 68th lowest GDP in the nation as of the last government report.(4) Buyers can expect a median condo price of $148K(1) that will buy a 1750 sq ft home with 2 Beds and 2 Baths.

Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land, TX: This area came in third among the six on our list with a healthy 8.1% increase in median condo prices during Q3 of 2008.(1) It did slightly better than its northerly neighbor in the area of unemployment, reporting a 5.5% jobless rate in November of 2008. The median income is lower than the Dallas area, however, at $61.1K.(3) It has outranked Dallas in GDP in the past, with the fifth highest in the nation.(4) More condo for the money is available here. More spacious 3 Bed, 2.5 Bath homes, are being offered for around $135K.

New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA: Real estate is gaining ground in New Orleans during the ongoing recovery from Katrina. The median home price increased by 7.7% during Q3 of 2008(1) as buyers take advantage of historically low prices. This area had 4.9% unemployment in November of 2008.(2) The median income was $59.8K.(3) Historically, this area has had the 41st highest GDP among the 363 metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) in the nation.(4) For $172K, buyers get a 1 Bed, 1 Bath, 450 Sq Ft flat on historic Burgundy Street.

Rochester, NY: Rochester offers the second largest economy in New York State, next to the Big Apple, a fact that may be helping condo prices during the recession.(1) Known as the world capital of imaging, it commands a substantial share of imaging and optical science in the local market and universities. Rochester had 5.9% unemployment, the highest among the markets listed but still well below the national unemployment rate of 6.5% (2). The median income was $63.5K.(3) Rochester had the 52nd highest GDP in the nation as of the latest report.(4) The median condo price is $121K,(1) making it one of the most affordable of the US metro areas experiencing a median price increase (+5.8%). At about that price, expect to buy a 2 Bed, 1 Bath Townhouse offering around 1100 Sq Ft.

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: This area has the highest median price point of our top six. A 1 Bed, 1 Bath high rise condo with 600 Sq Ft of living space and a city view can be had for the local median price of $207K.(1) Philly is the sixth most populous city in the US with the seventh largest GDP in the nation, as of the latest report.(4) Like Rochester, NY, unemployment was at 5.9%(2) but the median income was also the highest of the group at $74.3K.(4)

Source: Realtor.com

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BusinessWeek wondered, too. That’s why the editors set out to determine which cities and towns were the best-equipped to ride out an economic downturn. If your community is heavy in the financial, real estate, or insurance industries, you won’t be turning up on this list. If you are weighted toward government, education and health care, however, you’ll probably be better off.

No place is immune, of course, but here are some cities likely to feel the least pain:

– Arlington, Virginia

– District of Columbia

– Durham, N.C.

– Madison, Wisc.

– Boston, Mass.

– Pittsburgh, Pa.

– Baltimore, Md.

– Baton Rouge, La.

– New Orleans, La.

– Philadelphia, Pa.

To read all about these, catch the rest, and check out a slideshow, visit BusinessWeek.

BedandBreakfast.com, the online B&B directory and reservation network, has released its list of inns where ghost-seekers will enjoy potentially close encounters with the other world, bed-and-breakfast style.

Here is a sampling of B&BS with ghost stories:

Thornewood Castle, Lakewood, WA: This B&B served as a set for Stephen King’s mini-series Rose Red in 2002. In real life, guests have reported their share of chills and plenty of orbs have been recorded on guest photos taken here.

Texas White House, Fort Worth, TX: The ghost here is believed to be the husband of the only family who ever lived in the house. He died here and now haunts his old bedroom (now the Lone Star Room). Interestingly, the ghost sightings occur only when a single woman is staying in the room.

Grand Avenue B&B, Carthage, MO: While the “no smoking” rule is in effect for all guests, the former owner is exempt. A ghostly whiff of his trademark cigar smoke wafts through the rooms when he visits here.

Honeybee Inn B&B, Horicon, WI: It’s believed that a lumber baron named Coton is still hanging around with his female companions. His beloved rocking chair, where he died, rocks by itself, and a woman in a long skirt has been spotted, too.

Penny Farthing Inn, St. Augustine, FL: Spirited occurrences include midnight tugs-of-war with the blankets, and glasses leaning over and clinking on sherry bottles. One guest described a young lady in his room when he awakened. A few days later, the owners’ daughter described a strange lady in the dining room – identical to the guest’s description.

Inn on Main Street, Weaverville, NC: Innkeepers have heard pictures falling off walls, yet never find anything that has fallen. Doors open and close with no one there. Strangely, all ghostly happenings occur on New Year’s Eve.

By The Side of The Road Bed and Breakfast, Harrisonburg, VA: When the innkeeper went to turn off the basement light, something grabbed her hand, yet nothing was there. Just about every day footsteps are heard in hallways, and doors unexplainably open and close.

Manchester Inn, Ocean Grove, NJ: Check in to room 316, and ghosts may literally pull your leg. It’s been known to happen here, when a guest felt a tugging at her pants leg several times.

Cornerstone B&B, Philadelphia, PA: A floral scent precedes sightings of a ghostly female shape. Innkeepers claim she is an ethereal presence, and her signature perfume always occurs as she gently taps the foreheads of guests.

Inn at Jackson, Jackson, NH: Jason, once the inn’s trusted workman, committed suicide, yet returns to check on repairs at the inn. Guests have been awakened by hammering noises, primarily on the second and third floors.

For a complete list of more than 100 places to sleep with a ghost, visit BedandBreakfast.com and click Halloween Happenings or Haunted B&Bs.

Source: BedandBreakfast.com

See all Halloween lists

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Republicans have done a good job of using their convention as a springboard to Election Day success, winning seven of the last 10 presidential races.

Here’s a list of the last 10 cities to serve as launching point for a Republican candidacy:

2008 — Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.

2004 — New York

2000 — Philadelphia

1996 — San Diego

1992 — Houston

1988 — New Orleans

1984 — Dallas

1980 — Detroit

1976 — Kansas City

1972 — Miami Beach

1968 — Miami Beach

Source: CNN

Recently, Forbes set out to establish which U.S. cities are the best places to do just that. Factors included general business environment, low unemployment, and high wages.

Who made the list? Here’s a sampling from the Top 10, in reverse order:

10. Philadelphia

  9. Milwaukee

  8. Dallas

  7. San Francisco

  6. Pittsburgh

  5. New York

  4. Washington, D.C.

  3. Boston

To see who occupies the No. 2 and No. 1 spots, visit Forbes.com.

The golf boom may be over, but there still are plenty of places for the avid duffer to tee it up. So, which cities have the most golf courses within a 30-mile radius?

CNNMoney thought you’d never ask. Check out the Top 10:

1. Chicago — 347

2. New York – 255

3. Los Angeles — 250

4. Philadelphia — 238

5. Detroit – 229

6. Phoenix — 221

7. Dallas — 208

8. Boston — 202

9. Fort Worth — 198

10. Atlanta – 188

To see more, visit CNNMoney.com.

CityMayors.com presents its list of the 150 Richest Cities in the World. The data was compiled by the United Nations and PricewaterhouseCoopers and reflects figures through 2005.

The rankings are based on estimated Gross Domestic Product for cities or metropolitan areas, whichever seemed more logically applicable. Where regions were considered more reflective (Dallas/Fort Worth, San Francisco/Oakland, etc.), those criteria were used.

Who made the Top 10?

Here goes, with GDP in billions of U.S. dollars:

1. Tokyo, Japan — 1,191

2. New York, U.S. — 1,133

3. Los Angeles, U.S. — 639

4. Chicago, U.S. — 460

5. Paris, France — 460

6. London, England — 452

7. Osaka/Kobe, Japan — 341

8. Mexico City, Mexico — 315

9. Philadelphia, U.S. — 312

10. Washington, D.C. — 299

Ready to see more? Visit CityMayors.com.