Melbourne has been ranked the world’s most liveable city, beating Vancouver for the first time in almost a decade according to the Economist Intelligence Unit.

They city was judged on five key variables, with Stability and Culture and Entertainment given the greatest ranking.



But where were the other major Australian cities ranked?

Many cars were left waterlogged in New York. (AAP)

It was the mundane details that made Hurricane Irene’s sweep across the northeast of the United States on Saturday and Sunday hit home (literally).

On Friday, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg told the public that preparation and potential evacuation was a matter of life and death. Dramatic? No. We’re talking about a city of 8 million people and a region of 20 million – the population of Australia.

The to-do list: Make a “go bag” with essential items; stock up with enough food and water to last for five days; fill your bath tub with water; buy a battery-powered transistor radio; fill your car with petrol.

On Friday afternoon, supermarkets were packed with shoppers buying bottled water and food supplies. Shelves emptied fast. “I’m not being dramatic,” said one shopper in line at the checkout, slightly embarrassed that her regular supermarket trip (she claimed) coincided with an impending natural disaster. She was buying three of EVERYTHING.

Finnish director misfires again with Russian-Georgian war saga.

If Renny Harlin was hoping to revive his floundering career with 5 Days of War, an action-thriller that focuses on journalists who risked their lives to cover the 2008 Russia-Georgia conflict, he’s likely to be bitterly disappointed.

The Finnish director has struggled for more than a decade to match his earlier successes such as A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, Die Hard 2 and Cliffhanger.

Funded largely by the Georgian government and released in the US by tiny independent Anchor Bay Films, the $US12 million production opened in New York and Washington D.C. on August 19. Despite a cast that includes Val Kilmer, Andy Garcia and Heather Graham, the film took a miserable $9,310 in its first week on two screens.

Sometimes I like cooking recipes that take a bit more effort – like the time I threw a Valentine’s Day party and spent hours cutting out dozens of heart shapes from pita bread, and baking them in the oven to create heart-shaped crackers to serve with three kinds of pink-ish dip (beetroot, taramasalata and salsa, since you asked). My guests enjoyed the food as I fell asleep on the couch! Hmm, now that I think about it, that’s more like food craft than cooking, but anyway…
Braised beef with black vinegar and mushrooms recipe
At other times, I like cooking dishes that are easy, and this beef with black vinegar recipe (page 34) definitely falls into that category. I headed into Chinatown on a Sunday morning to get the black vinegar and had visions of a quick pit stop at Crazy Wings for some Beijing-style barbecue skewers while I was there. Alas, the parking gods were not on my side; after doing two laps, I gave up – next time, Crazy Wings, I promise!

However, I was thrilled to discover Asian supermarket nirvana on my way home, by way of an innocuous-looking store that was a treasure-trove of ingredients. I loaded up on black vinegar and Chinese cooking wine for this recipe, then couldn’t resist fresh rice noodles, some chilli bean sauce and a “wife cake” (a rice filling in a sweet pastry case). I was inspired and overwhelmed in equal measure.

Back at home, five minutes of chopping was all it took and prep was done. Talk about easy! Onto the stovetop and I spent some fruitful time at the sewing machine while this dish looked after itself. The aromas along the way augured well, and Mr Ed commented on it as soon as he arrived home from a tough afternoon on the golf course. Served over rice, this was the perfect lazy Sunday dinner – full of flavour but not too spicy – and I loved the textural contrast between the beef and the mushrooms. And leftovers for lunch the next day were just as delicious. If you’ve re-created this recipe at home, let me know what you and your family thought of it.

Economists around the country are revising their forecasts for interest rate moves following RBA Governor, Glenn Stevens address today.

Mr Stevens noted some downside risks to the Australian economy and said that it is “useful to sit still” during periods of global turbulence when it comes to interest rates.



That’s seen a number of experts around the country to either factor in interest rate cuts or at the very least, an extended period of no moves on the cash rate by the RBA.

Harrison Ford starred in the original Blade Runner.

Wake up! Time to sigh!

And trust me, many already have after the company behind "Blade Runner" announced Ridley Scott is officially on board to make another installment of his 1982 cult classic.

The Cadel Effect. (Getty Images)

The Cadel Effect shows no signs of slowing.

Cycling clubs continue to attract new members, many of them teenagers. Bike sales are up. BMC has sold out of hats and jerseys, with bikes kitted out in the BMC livery moving faster than an office worker who has just realised cycling is a hobby that keeps you fit and also provides a valid excuse to be out of the house for 3-4 hours on a Saturday morning.

Kids are dreaming of marrying Italian pianists. Dimpled chins are the new botox. The Broom Wagon even went out and bought a tiny dog, specifically so it could go and wander through crowds telling people not to step on it.

Investors will be keeping a close eye on shares of Apple when its shares open tonight in New York following the resignation of the company’s founder and CEO, Steve Jobs.

Mr Jobs was oversaw a 9000% increase in the company’s share price since he reassumed the position of CEO in 1997.



Analysts are confident his replacement, COO Tim Cook is well prepared for the role, but there are some concerns about innovation.

It’s amazing what a few sunny days and a bit of warmth can do.

The place smells differently. Flowers are dotting the shrubs, or blousing all over the early rhododendrons. Firewood is drying remarkably fast under the pine trees, and the stack under the house isn’t dwindling so quickly. And asparagus, that joyous vegetable that bridges the winter and spring crops, is shooting forth from the ground. Spring is definitely here and my mood has picked up considerably.

You can almost hear and feel the sap moving. You can almost see the grass make its first tentative steps toward lush, fast spring growth. And a little wind and a lot of sun have managed to dry the pigs’ paddocks considerably, so they’re no longer up to their shoulders in slurry, just in mangled, moist earth.

Matt Goss is in line to be Australia's protected rider at the world championships (Getty)

There’s no doubt interest has never been as high for the announcement of the elite men’s squad that will tackle the course in Copenhagen, Denmark on Sunday, September 25.

With the international cycling scene drawing to a climax, the sports devotees long for the release of the Australian team that will assemble for the UCI Road World Championships.

Since Cadel Evans graced the winner’s podium near his Swiss base of Mendrisio in 2009, draped in the rainbow jersey with a tear in his eye, selection for the men’s squad has become a yearly highlight for me.

Why? Because those of us who closely follow this wonderful sport seem to have a healthy opinion, one way or another, on the final make-up of the Aussie squad.