Tales from a Small Planet hosts an invaluable resource for those considering the pros and cons of various posts.  Their Real Post Reports are country/city reviews, written by expats (foreign service, aid workers, NGO staff, etc), which spell out the great and not-so-great aspects of various posts around the world.  Topics include: climate, crime, housing, food, family life, getting mail, pet care, etc.  Especially helpful when researching hardship posts, as the ranking don’t often provide much detail as to why the post is a hardship.  Signing up for an access account is free, but donate if you can to keep this site up and running for all.