Trouble the Water movie

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, Trouble the Water is directed and produced by Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling for Columbine producers Tia Lessin and Carl Deal. The film tells the story of an aspiring rap artist and her streetwise husband, trapped in New Orleans by deadly floodwaters, who survive the storm and then seize a chance for a new beginning. It’s a redemptive tale of self-described street hustlers who become heroes that takes you inside Hurricane Katrina in a way never before seen on screen.

Trouble the Water opens the day before Katrina makes landfall, just blocks away from the French Quarter but far from the New Orleans that tourists know. Kimberly Rivers Roberts is turning her video camera on herself and her 9th Ward neighbors trapped in the city. “It’s going to be a day to remember,” Kim says excitedly into her new camera as the storm is brewing. It’s her first time shooting video and it’s rough, jumpy but dense with reality. Kim’s playful home-grown newscast tone grinds against the audience’s knowledge that hell is just hours away. There is no way for the audience to warn her. And for New Orleans’ poor, there is nowhere to run.

As the hurricane begins to rage and the floodwaters fill their world and the screen, Kim and her husband Scott continue to film, documenting their harrowing voyage to higher ground and dramatic rescues of friends and neighbors.

Intertwining Kim and Scott’s insider’s view of Katrina and powerful video with a mix of verite and in-your-face filmmaking, Deal and Lessin follow their story through the storm and its aftermath, and into a new life. Along the way, they discover Kim’s musical talent as rap artist Black Kold Madina when she finds the only existing copy of her recorded music survived the storm with a relative in Memphis. Kim’s performance in that moment reveals not only devastating skills as a musician, but compacts her life story into explosive poetry that paints a devastating picture of poverty.

Directed and produced by Tia Lessin and Carl Deal and Executive Produced by Joslyn Barnes and Danny Glover of Louverture Films, edited and co-produced by T. Woody Richman, with addiitonal editing by Mary Lampson, Trouble the Water features an original musical score by Neil Davidge and Robert Del Naja of Massive Attack, and the music of Dr. John, Mary Mary, Citizen Cope, TK Soul, John Lee Hooker, and the Free Agents Brass Band and introduces the music of Black Kold Madina.

Trouble the Water has been supported by grants from the Sundance Institute,the Open Society Instsitute, and is a project of Creative Capital.

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An encounter with a polar bear - will surprise you. Did you know the Polar Bears of the North need help? How can we stop global warming?

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Latin Quotes and Phrases - A

A bene placito - At one's pleasure
A capite ad calcem - From head to heel
A cappella - In church [style] - i.e. Vocal music only
A contrario - From a contrary position
A cruce salus - From the cross comes salvation
A Deo et Rege - From God and the King
A fortiori - With yet stronger reason
A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi - A precipice in front, wolves behind (between a rock and a hard place)
A mari usque ad mare - From sea to sea (Motto of Canada)
A mensa et thoro - From board and bed (legal separation)
A pedibus usque ad caput - From feet to head
A posse ad esse - From possibility to actuality
A posteriori - From what comes after. Inductive reasoning based on observation, as opposed to deductive, or a priori
A priori - From what comes before
A verbis ad verbera - From words to blows
Ab absurdo - From the absurd (establishing the validity of your argument by pointing out the absurdity of your opponent's position)
Ab aeterno - From the beginning of time
Ab asino lanam - Wool from an ass, blood from a stone impossible
Ab hinc - From here on
Ab imo pectore - From the bottom of the chest. (from the heart) (Julius Caesar)
Ab incunabulis - From the cradle
Ab initio - From the beginning
Ab intestato - Having made no will
Ab origine - From the origin
Ab ovo usque ad mala - From the egg right to the apples (From start to finish) (Horace)
Ab ovo - From the egg
Ab urbe condita - From the foundation of the city. (Rome)
Ab/Ex uno disce omnes - From one person, learn all people
Abiit, excessit, evasit, erupit - He has left, absconded, escaped and disappeared
Absente reo - In absence of the defendant
Absit invidia - No offence intended
Absit omen - May the omen be absent. (may this not be an omen)
Absum! - I'm outta here!
Abusus non tollit usum - Wrong use does not preclude proper use
Abutebaris modo subjunctivo denuo - You've been misusing the subjunctive again
Abyssus abyssum invocat - Hell calls hell; one mistep leads to another
Accipere quam facere praestat injuriam - It is better to suffer an injustice than to do an injustice
Acta est fabula, plaudite! - The play is over, applaud! (Said to have been emperor Augustus' last words)
Acta non verba - Action not words
Acta sanctorum - Deeds of the saints
Actus reus - Wrongful act - as opposed to mens rea - the wrongful intention or guilty mind
Ad absurdum - To the point of absurdity
Ad acta - To archives. Not actual any more
Ad alta - To the summit
Ad astra per aspera - To the stars through difficulty
Ad astra - To the stars
Ad augusta per angusta - To high places by narrow roads
Ad captandum vulgus - To appeal to the crowd -- often used of politicians who make false or insincere promises appealing to popular interest
Ad clerum - To the clergy
Ad eundem gradum - To the same level
Ad eundem - Of admission to the same degree at a different university
Ad eundum quo nemo ante iit - To boldly go where no man has gone before
Ad fontes - To the sources (motto of Renaissance Humanism)
Ad fundum - To the bottom / To the end (said during a generic toast, like bottoms up!)
Ad hoc - For a particular purpose. (improvised, made up in an instant)
Ad hominem - Appealing to a person's physical and emotional urges, rather than her or his intellect
Ad honorem - In honour. Honour not baring any material advantage
Ad idem - Of the same mind
Ad infinitum - To infinity without end
Ad interim - For the meantime
Ad libitum (Acronym 'ad lib') - At one's pleasure
Ad Libitur - As Desired
Ad limina apostolorum - To the thresholds of the Apostles
Ad litem - For a lawsuit or action
Ad locum - At the place
Ad lucem - Towards the light (motto of the University of Lisbon)
Ad maiorem dei gloriam (AMDG) - For the greater glory of God
Ad multos annos - To many years!, i.e. Many happy returns!
Ad nauseum - To the point of making one sick
Ad perpetuam rei memoriam - For the perpetual remembrance of the thing
Ad praesens ova cras pullis sunt meliora - Eggs today are better than chickens tomorrow (a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush)
Ad referendum - Subject to reference
Ad rem - To the point
Ad valorem - By the value, e.g. Ad valorem tax
Ad vitam aeternam - For all time
Ad vitam paramus - We are preparing for life
Ad vitam - For life
Addendum - A thing to be added
Adeste Fideles - Be present, faithful ones
Adsum - Here! present!
Adversus incendia excubias nocturnas vigilesque commentus est - Against the dangers of fires, he (Augustus) conceived of the idea of night guards and watchmen
Adversus solem ne loquitor - Don't speak against the sun (don't waste your time arguing the obvious)
Advocatus diaboli - The devil's advocate
Aegrescit medendo - The disease worsens with the treatment. The remedy is worse than the disease
Aegri somnia - A sick man's dreams (Horace)
Aegroto, dum anima est, spes esse dicitur - It is said that for a sick man, there is hope as long as there is life
Aequam memento rebus in arduis servare mentem - Remember when life's path is steep to keep your mind even. (Horace)
Aeronavis abstractio a prestituto cursu - Hijacking
Aetatis (aet.) - Age
Aeternum vale - Farewell forever
Affidavit - A sworn written statement usable as evidence in court
Age quod agis - Do what you do well, pay attention to what you are doing
Age. Fac ut gaudeam - Go ahead. Make my day!
Agenda - Things to be done
Agnus Dei - The Lamb of God
Aio, quantitas magna frumentorum est - Yes, that is a very large amount of corn
Alea iacta est - The die has been cast. (Caesar)
Alias - Otherwise
Alibi - Elsewhere
Aliena nobis, nostra plus aliis placent - Other people's things are more pleasing to us, and ours to other people. (Publilius Syrus)
Alis volat propiis - She flies with her own wings (state motto of Oregon)
Alma Mater - Nourishing mother. (One's old school or university)
Alter ego - Other 'I' or 'Other Self'
Alter ipse amicus - A friend is another self
Alterum ictum faciam - I'm going to take a mulligan
Altissima quaeque flumina minimo sono labi - The deepest rivers flow with the least sound. (still waters run deep)
Alumnus - Nursling (former pupil)
Amantes sunt amentes - Lovers are lunatics
Amantium irae amoris integratio est - The quarrels of lovers are the renewal of love. (Terence)
Amare et sapere vix deo conceditur - Even a god finds it hard to love and be wise at the same time
Amat victoria curam - Victory favors those who take pains
Amicitiae nostrae memoriam spero sempiternam fore - I hope that the memory of our friendship will be everlasting. (Cicero)
Amicule, deliciae, num is sum qui mentiar tibi? - Baby, sweetheart, would I lie to you?
Amicus certus in re incerta cernitur - A true friend is discerned during an uncertain matter
Amicus curiae - Friend of the court
Amicus humani generis - A friend of the human race (philanthropist)
Amicus verus est rara avis - A true friend is a rare bird
Amor animi arbitrio sumitur, non ponitur - We choose to love, we do not choose to cease loving. (Syrus)
Amor caecus est - Love is blind
Amor est vitae essentia - Love is the essence of life. (Robert B. Mackay)
Amor ordinem nescit - Love does not know order. (St. Jerome)
Amor patriae - Love of country
Amor platonicus - Platonic love
Amor tussisque non celantur - Love, and a cough, are not concealed. (Ovid)
Amor vincit omnia - Love conquers all. (Virgil)
Amoto quaeramus seria ludo - Joking aside, let us turn to serious matters. (Horace)
An nescis, mi fili, quantilla sapientia mundus regatur? - Don't you know then, my son, how little wisdom rules the world?
Anguis in herba - A snake in the grass. A treacherous person. (Vergil)
Anicularum lucubrationes - Old wives' tales
Animadvertistine, ubicumque stes, fumum recta in faciem ferri? - (At a barbeque) Ever noticed how wherever you stand, the smoke goes right into your face?
Animis opibusque parati - Prepared in minds and resources (ready for anything)
Animus facit nobilem - The spirit makes (human) noble
Anno (an.) - Year
Anno domini (AD) - In the year of the Lord
Anno hegirae (AH) - In the year of the hegira
Anno mundi - In the year of the world
Anno regni - In the year of reign
Anno urbis conditae (AUC) - From the year of founding of the city (Rome)
Annuit coeptis - God has favored us
Annus bisextus - Leap year
Annus horribilis - A horrible year
Annus mirabilis - Year of wonders
Ante litteram - Before the letter
Ante meridiem (a.m.) - Before midday
Ante mortem - Before death
Ante prandium (A.p.) - Before a meal
Ante - Before
Antebellum - Before the war
Antiquis temporibus, nati tibi similes in rupibus ventosissimis exponebantur ad necem - In the good old days, children like you were left to perish on windswept crags
Anulos qui animum ostendunt omnes gestemus! - Let's all wear mood rings!
Apage Satanas - Begone, Satan
Appareo Decet Nihil Munditia? - Is It Not Nifty?
Apudne te vel me? - Your place or mine?
Aqua fortis - Nitric acid
Aqua pura - Pure water
Aqua vitae - Water of life (brandy)
Aquila non captat muscas - The eagle doesn't capture flies (don't sweat the small things)
Arbiter elegantiae - Judge in matters of taste
Arcana imperii - Secrets of the empire
Arduum sane munus - A truly arduous task
Arguendo - For the sake of argument
Argumentum ad hominem - An argument against the man. Directing an argument against an opponent's character rather than the subject at hand
Argumentum ad ignorantiam - Arguing from ignorance
Armis Exposcere Pacem - They demanded peace by force of arms. (An inscription seen on medals)
Ars gratia artis - Art for art's sake. (motto of MGM)
Ars longa, vita brevis - Art (work) is long, but life is short
Ars sine scienta nihil est - Art without science is nothing. (I would also claim that the opposite is true)
Artium baccalaureus - Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Artium magister - Master of Arts (MA)
Ascendo tuum - Up yours
Asinus asinum fricat - The ass rubs the ass. (Conceited people flatter each other about qualities they do not possess)
Aspice, officio fungeris sine spe honoris amplioris - Face it, you're stuck in a dead end job
Aspirat primo Fortuna labori - Fortune smiles upon our first effort. (Virgil)
Assiduus usus uni rei deditus et ingenium et artem saepe vincit - Constant practice devoted to one subject often outdues both intelligence and skill. (Cicero)
Astra inclinant, non necessitant - The stars incline; they do not determine
Astra non mentiuntur, sed astrologi bene mentiuntur de astris - The stars never lie, but the astrologs lie about the stars
Aude sapere - Dare to know
Audaces fortuna iuvat - Fortune favors the bold. (Virgil)
Audere est facere - To dare is to do. (Motto of Tottenham Hotspur)
Audi et alteram partem - Hear the other side too
Audiatur et altera pars! - Let us hear the opposite side!
Audio, video, disco - I hear, I see, I learn
Auget largiendo - He increases by giving liberally
Aura popularis - The popular breeze. (Cicero)
Aurea mediocritas - The golden mean. (an ethical goal; truth and goodness are generally to be found in the middle.) (Horace)
Auribus tenere lupum - I hold a wolf by the ears. (I am in a dangerous situation and dare not let go.) (Terence)
Aurora australis - The Southern lights
Aurora borealis - The Northern lights
Aurora Musis amica - Dawn is friend of the muses. (Early bird catches the worm.)
Aut Caesar aut nihil - Caesar or nothing i.e., all or nothing
Aut disce aut discede - Either learn or leave
Aut insanit homo, aut versus facit - The fellow is either mad or he is composing verses. (Horace)
Aut viam inveniam aut faciam - I will either find a way or make one
Aut vincere aut mori - Either conquer or die
Auxilio ab alto - By help from on high
Avarus animus nullo satiatur lucro - A greedy mind is satisfied with no (amount of) gain
Ave atque vale - Hail and farewell. (Catullus)
Ave caesar! Morituri te salutamus - Hail Caesar! We who are about to die salute you. (gladiators before the fight)
Ave maria - Hail Mary

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i found this website really useful for smart teaching.
http://www.smartteaching.org/blog/

Aliens calling? Signals detected from beyond Solar System

Scientists in South Africa have detected radio signals from beyond the solar system for the first time – prompting a wave of excitement over who, or what, might have sent it. The signal is the most significant of its kind since radio telescopes started operating in the 1960s.

The discovery was made by the Indlebe Radio Telescope at Durban’s Technology University.

A strong radio signal, possibly of alien origin, was detected at around 21:14 local time on July 28. It came from Sagittarius A, the centre of the Milky Way Galaxy, approximately 30,000 light years away.

The received data will shortly be made available to experts who can use it to create a graph.

Project leader Stuart MacPherson said he and his students were amazed when they realised the telescope had picked up a signal.

“We had made significant changes to the receiver to increase its sensitivity,” he said. “When we went in that morning to check the data, we found that it had detected a source. It’s unbelievable. It’s definitely a great relief for us because now we know that the radio telescope works.”

However, as the hardware used in the radio telescope has been designed by students and constructed on campus, the receipt of the signal still needs confirmation.

The Indlebe project, which takes it name from the Zulu for ‘ear’, was initiated in 2006. It uses a highly sensitive radio receiver to detect extra terrestrial radio sources.

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just for FUN

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Solar cell breaks world record for efficiency

Department of Energy researchers claimed Wednesday to have broken the world record for efficiency in a solar cell.

Their cell converted 40.8 percent of light into electricity at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo. They subjected the cell to the equivalent concentrated light of 326 suns.

Researchers grew the solar cell upside down on a wafer of gallium arsenide rather than thick germanium, and then removed the wafer.

The development could lead to flexible, lightweight solar cells used in land-bound, concentrated photovoltaics as well as in space satellites.

The previous record for photovoltaic efficiency was 40.7 percent. Scientist Mark Wanlass is credited for leading that design. A key innovation in those multi-junction solar cells was to space their atoms at uneven intervals. Researcher John Geisz led the team that expanded Wanlass' work to improve efficiency.

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Mankind is the 'Earth's biggest threat'

Global warming is causing significant changes to the Earth's natural systems and it is highly unlikely that any force but man-made climate change can be blamed .

Researchers who analysed 30,000 academic studies dating back to 1970 said man was responsible for changes that ranged from the loss of ice sheets to the collapse in numbers of many species of wildlife.

"Humans are influencing climate through increasing greenhouse gas emissions, and the warming world is causing impacts on physical and biological systems," said Cynthia Rosenzweig, at the Nasa Goddard Institute for Space Studies.

The effects on living things include the earlier appearance of leaves on trees and plants; the movement of animals and birds to more northerly latitudes and to higher altitudes in the northern hemisphere; rapid advances in flowering time and earlier egg-laying in Britain; and changes in bird migrations in Europe, North America and Australia.

On a planetary scale the changes include the melting of glaciers on all continents; earlier spring river run-off; and the warming of oceans, lakes and rivers.

The study's conclusions go further than the most recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which concluded last year that man-made climate change was "likely" to have had a discernible effect on the planet.

It says natural climate variations cannot explain the changes to the Earth's natural systems.

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Climate Change Caused Widespread Tree Death In California Mountain Range, Study Confirms

Warmer temperatures and longer dry spells have killed thousands of trees and shrubs in a Southern California mountain range, pushing the plants' habitat an average of 213 feet up the mountain over the past 30 years, a UC Irvine study has determined.

White fir and Jeffrey pine trees died at the lower altitudes of their growth range in the Santa Rosa Mountains, from 6,400 feet to as high as 7,200 feet in elevation, while California lilacs died between 4,000-4,800 feet. Almost all of the studied plants crept up the mountain a similar distance, countering the belief that slower-growing trees would move slower than faster-growing grasses and wildflowers.

This study is the first to show directly the impact of climate change on a mountainous ecosystem by physically studying the location of plants, and it shows what could occur globally if the Earth's temperature continues to rise. The finding also has implications for forest management, as it rules out air pollution and fire suppression as main causes of plant death.

more detail source, click here

Hello Julia.. 'Birthmarks tattoo'

Birthmarks tattoo

Identity Matters magazine asked us to make a contribution about new ways of tattooing. We came up with „birthmarking“, tattooing brown birthmarks on your body.
Examples were exchanging birthmarks with your partner as the ultimate love proof, tattooing starsigns and writing "big motherfucking eagle" in Braille.

Client: Identity matters magazine
Collaboration: Arjan Groot, Menno Wittebrood

website: www.hellojulia.com

Enjoy

by: Rober Ingersoll
website: www.kurtisandkurtis.co.uk

War Hurts Children (Silent Night)

my quote "children life is happy, not war"

animal animal animal pics

Worlds Biggest Skateboard

It was built in 1996 by Foundation Skateboards and accepted by the Guinness World Records in 2004 after many years of applying. Talk about red tape. It appeared in the 2006 printed edition. This is the real deal. It is 10' long, 4' wide, 3' tall. Double kick deck. It has fully functional trucks with giant bushing and turns just like proper skateboard, with the application of weight to each side of the board. Some sweet Crager imitation dubs with low profile tread make for perfect wheels. It is on display at FSHQ in San Diego, CA. It makes occasional appearance at events such as the Goofy vs Regular Contest and on the TV show, Ripley's Believe It or Not.

www.worldsbiggestskateboard.com

World's Most Expensive Cities

15. Sydney, Australia
Sydney has come a long way from its early days as a convict settlement. Today it is the largest and most expensive city on the Australian continent, home to world cultural landmarks like the Sydney Opera House. A ride on mass transit costs $2.41 per ride, 20% more than the price in New York.

14. Tel Aviv, Israel
Israel has more billionaires per capita than any country in the world, so it should come as no surprise that its commercial center is the most expensive destination in the Middle East. Tel Aviv, which means "spring hill" in Hebrew, grew out of the ancient trading post of Jaffa and now boasts a metro-area population over 3 million.

13. Singapore, Singapore
Notorious for draconian littering policies, Singaporean authorities have been known to submit gum-spitting foreigners to public floggings. American tourists and expats can find punishment enough in the city's cost of living, more than 25% higher than that of Los Angeles.

12. Paris, France
Paris may be the world's unofficial capital of romance, but love comes with a price for American visitors. Even a Royale with cheese will cost you: The average fast-food burger costs $8.61, about 50% more than a comparable meal in New York.

11. Osaka, Japan
In addition to being Japan's culinary capital, Osaka is the fourth most expensive city in all of Asia. Its population of 17 million makes it the ninth-largest metro area in the world; Osaka is also home to a host of multinational corporations, including Mitsubishi and Sanyo.

10. Milan, Italy
Milan rounds out the top 10 most expensive cities in the world. The city's Via Montenapoleone rivals New York's Fifth Avenue and Paris' Champs Elysees as an international shopping destination--and, at least for Americans, it's pricier than both.

9. Zurich, Switzerland
Founded in Roman times as a tax-collecting and trading post, Zurich remains a vital cog of the world economy. Slightly cheaper than nearby Geneva, Zurich is still a pricey destination for Americans, thanks to the Swiss Franc's 15% appreciation against the dollar over the past year.

8. Geneva, Switzerland
The unofficial capital of watchmaking, Geneva is a pricey locale even if you aren't going there to shop for a Patek Philippe. Geneva's cost-of-living index is almost 50% higher than Chicago or San Francisco.

7. Copenhagen, Denmark
Denmark's capital takes its name from the Danish words meaning "merchant's harbor," and the city still lives up to its mercantile moniker: It's the third-most expensive city in Europe.

6. Hong Kong, China
Eleven years ago, this glittering metropolis returned to Chinese control after more than a century in British hands. Communist oversight hasn't made the city cheap enough for the masses: Hong Kong is nearly 20% more expensive than New York.

5. Seoul, South Korea
Just 40 miles from the North Korean border, Seoul continues to flourish despite the specter of conflict. South Korea's capital is the most expensive city in Asia outside of Japan, edging Hong Kong by less than one percentage point.

4. Oslo, Norway
The Norwegian capital jumped up from No. 10 last year, thanks to an infusion of wealth spurred by the country's booming oil industry. With a population of 850,000, Oslo has plenty of room to grow.

3. London, U.K.
Founded by the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago, London is an ancient stalwart when it comes to pricey cities. Though it slipped from last year's No. 2 spot, it remains extremely expensive--even a ride on one of the city's vaunted double-decker buses costs $5.89.

2. Tokyo, Japan
Japan's economy is stagnating, but Tokyo is as expensive as ever. For American travelers, the city's real estate prices are the highest in the world--a two-bedroom luxury apartment costs over $5,100 per month, about $600 more than a comparable pad in Moscow or New York.

1. Moscow, Russia
Less than two decades after the fall of communism, Moscow has taken well to capitalism, earning the title of world's most expensive city for the third year in a row. Home to more billionaires (74 and counting) than any other metropolis, Russia's capital is 42% more expensive than New York, the most expensive city in the U.S.

source: Forbes.com

Asia's Most Expensive Cities

10. New Delhi, India
World Ranking: 55
India's capital city caught the tail end of the list, rising 13 places in a year. At the start of July, the country's inflation rose to the highest place in over 13 years, with economic growth hovering around 9% last year. The government is the biggest employer in New Delhi, which is also a technology hub.


9. Mumbai, India
World Ranking: 48
Mumbai, where a good table-quality bottle of wine will cost you $18.89, as compared to $13.99 in Tokyo, showcases India's entrance onto the list of Asia's top 10 most expensive cities. Last year, foreign investors bought $17.4 billion worth of shares in Indian firms, driving the rupee up by more than 12%. Consumer prices are still much lower in South Asia than in East Asia though. A liter of pasteurized whole milk costs 86 cents in Mumbai, as compared to over $2 in Tokyo; Seoul, South Korea; and Beijing.


8. Almaty, Kazakhstan
World Ranking: 44
Kazakhstan's largest city and major commercial center, Almaty, attracts expats and diplomats to its verdant location tucked in the foothills of the Tien-Shan mountains. It is the former capital but where the seat of the government still remains. The former Soviet state, which has raked in billions of dollars in oil wealth, has seen about 10% of economic growth a year since 2000. It is also experiencing soaring food inflation.


7. Shanghai, China
World Ranking: 24
Shanghai crept up two places on the world list. The Chinese government has moved to rein in inflation this year, and the prices of food staples, such as pork, have declined, after a surge due to one of the worst winter snowstorms in half a century. The rosy days of artificially low-priced resources--a liter of gas (unleaded 85 octane) costs 74 cents, as compared to $2.08 in London--may be over. The government unleashed a series of price hikes in oil and electricity in late June, so prices are expected to rise further in the future.


6. Beijing, China
World Ranking: 20
As this Summer Olympics host city prepares for the nation's coming-out party, housing and food costs have risen; they are now higher than those in Shanghai, the commercial center that has traditionally been more expensive. What's more, it is now pricier to maintain a cushy lifestyle in Beijing than in New York, which hasn't been the case since 2004. "Even though housing and others is much cheaper in Beijing than in New York, the price of imported international brands can be more expensive," says Mercer research manager Nathalie Constantin Métral.


5. Singapore
World Ranking: 13
Singapore, where a two-bedroom luxury apartment will set you back $3,359 a month ($200 more than a similar apartment in Paris), has been climbing steadily up the price index for foreigners in the last three years. Domestic cleaning help costs $8.50 per hour, marginally more than in second-ranking Seoul, South Korea. A good-table-quality bottle of wine will also cost an astronomical $26.90 as compared to $13.99 in Tokyo. What's more, the government last year also increased the goods and services tax from 5% to 7%.


4. Osaka, Japan
World Ranking: 11
Japan's historic commercial center, Osaka, also the country's gourmet food capital, has become a bit cheaper as compared to New York. Japan's land and infrastructure ministry reported that the number of areas registering price increases in the Osaka metropolitan area fell sharply in the year's first quarter. Meanwhile, the prices of oil, wheat and soybean in Japan have almost doubled in the past year, prompting companies to raise prices. Producer prices rose 5.6% in June, over the equivalent period last year, representing the highest hike in 27 years.


3. Hong Kong, China
World Ranking: 6
The cost of real estate in Hong Kong is sky-high; on a tiny island that is an international business hub, rent prices have nowhere to go but up. Consumer prices rose 6.1% in June over a year earlier, due to greater increases in private housing rentals and charges of rice and bus fares. But a business-class lifestyle in this city has gotten slightly less expensive than in New York this year, whereas cities in mainland China, where inflation was 7.1% in June, are experiencing the opposite.


2. Seoul, South Korea
World Ranking: 5
After wowing global travelers with sky-high prices last year, Seoul has seen the won weaken against the dollar, which itself has weakened against most other currencies. Analysts point to the government's resolve to support exporters, who benefit from a weaker won against the dollar. Expats may further benefit as Seoul decided to lift import tariffs on 70 products, including wheat and corn, starting April 1. It also plans to freeze public utility costs, from public transportation fees to tap water prices, to combat inflation.


1. Tokyo, Japan
World Ranking: 2
With prices rising at decade-high levels, business luxury titan Tokyo is on top again, after a year behind Seoul as Asia's most expensive city for foreigners. Consumer prices, excluding fresh fruit, fish and vegetables, climbed 1.5% in May as compared to a year earlier, representing the fastest pace in 10 years. Analysts expect inflation to top this record in June, at around 1.9%. The Japanese government may be mulling a hike in the consumption tax next year depending on the political climate. Looks like $7 lattes will be around for a while.


source: Forbes.com