NPR: Magazine Writes New Rules For Polite Digital Society

Nice story that has nothing to do with real estate. Click on the link to read or listen to the entire article.

clipped from www.npr.org All Things Considered, July 19, 2009 · In the world of social media, there have gotta be some rules, right? The August issue of Wired magazine's cover story is titled, "How to Behave: New Rules for Highly Evolved Humans." For the article, editors at Wired asked a group of social scientists to develop etiquette for new technology and social media. "There was a lot of subjective opinion on how to behave," Wired editor Nancy Miller says. "We sort of decided that the best way to go about this was the Wired way, which is try to find a scientific approach ... to explain why and how we behave like we do, and what makes sense in this new era of technology." Some Of The Rules Don't lie with your Facebook photo. If you can't buy it online, feel free to BitTorrent. Don't hesitate to haggle on Craigslist. Don't Google-stalk before a first date. Never broadcast your relationship status. Texting in the company of others is OK.   On Wired.com The Entire List Of Rules, And The Explanation Behind Them

Don't Forget the Short North Summer Sidewalk Sale Friday and Saturday 11-4pm

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clipped from www.shortnorth.org Retail shops on and adjacent to High Street from Goodale Street to Fifth Avenue It’s time for the annual Short North Summer Sidewalk Sale. This two day event features amazing offers from the district’s favorite shops. It’s the most outrageous sale of the year. Mark your calendar: Friday, July 17 and Saturday, July 18. Core hours for the sale will be 11 am – 4 pm. Some businesses will continue their sale well into the evening. Come early for the best selection. Sample savings: •    Alexander’s Jewelers –take an extra 20% off all diamonds already on sale •    Collier West – up to 90% off •    Emperor’s Newest Clothes – 15%-50% off selected items •    Go Figure Consignment – items as low as $2 •    Jinny – up to 50% on selected items •    Luxe De Vie – up to 75% off •    On Paper – up to 75% off •    Paradise Garage – up to 70% off •    Posh Pets Boutique – select items $5 •    Substance for Fashion Conscious People - 25%-50% off spring and summer styles •    Torso – select items $10 •    Undone – BOGO Bras and up to 70% off shoes

Westerville, Ohio (a Columbus suburb) named as 15th Best Place to Live in US

clipped from www.columbusunderground.com By Walker | July 15, 2009 1:00pm | Filed under Development | Comments A new survey released by CNNMoney has ranked the top places to live all across the country and Westerville (the largest suburb of Columbus) was the top Ohio city, clocking in at number 15 on the charts. The city was noted for their historically preserved Uptown District, quiet streets with historic homes, quick commute to Columbus, and loads of parks and recreational amenities. The Top 100 includes a total of six Ohio cities. You can view the full list here.

Columbus Dispatch: German Village tested by crime, infighting

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clipped from www.dispatch.com A summertime crime spree. A canceled Oktoberfest. And enough turmoil in the German Village Society that it's hired a consultant to act as a marriage counselor of sorts to try to patch things up among members. Not a comfortable time for a high-profile Columbus neighborhood prized by many for its reputation as a comfortable place to live and visit, with its well-maintained brick homes and popular restaurants. While it's not the end of the world, the events have pitched the well-to-do community into a well of unwanted attention. "Any one of those things would be difficult to deal with," said Brigid Butler, president of the German Village Society. "It's a rough spot," said Bill Curlis, a society board trustee and community leader. Rough enough that Executive Director Erin O'Donnell told society members she was resigning after six months on the job. How tough was the job? She is going back to being a Republican fundraiser.

In Columbus, open houses making comeback as tough market persists

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You can also view innovative video virtual tours at http://www.youtube.terrypenrod.com

clipped from www.columbusdispatch.com Home shoppers can tour a home on their phone, schedule an appointment online and "virtually" visit a neighborhood on their computer. But with home sales at their lowest levels in years, buyers and sellers are dusting off a low-tech staple: the open house. Open houses started to decline in the early part of the decade, as the industry boomed and the Internet allowed prospective buyers to shop online. Last year, though, 59 percent of sellers hosted open houses -- up from 51 percent during the height of the housing boom in 2005, according to the National Association of Realtors. Open houses are also gaining in popularity among shoppers, the association says: 48 percent of buyers visited an open house last year, far above the 28 percent who did so in 2000. "We've been looking online, but there's only so much you can see from the Internet," said Bob Jennings, who has been visiting open houses to help his mother-in-law, Barbara Wood, pick a condominium.

In Columbus Ohio: Glen Echo: 'Pocket neighborhood'

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clipped from www.dispatch.com Glen Echo Ravine might be among Columbus' underappreciated assets, a green and inviting getaway that winds below a sometimes loud and belligerent city. While a nearby train horn bellows and a jet angling for a Port Columbus landing roars overhead, a visitor can descend into a little tranquillity, wandering an area that looks more like the rolling hills of western Pennsylvania than tabletop central Ohio. It's a big reason that people have chosen to live nearby. But its seclusion also has led some to believe that neighborhood leaders and City Hall don't listen to their needs. "It shows distinctly how isolated we are," said Martha Buckalew, a longtime neighborhood leader who helped lead an unsuccessful effort two years ago to break away from the University Area Commission and join the Clintonville Area Commission. Working together in a Glen Echo community garden are, from left, Trish Dehnbostel, left, of Local Matters; Marty Robertson and Phil Hampe. Click here to enlarge" /> Glen Echo: 'Pocket neighborhood'

Thousands tell the Franklin County Board of Revision their homes have lost value

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clipped from www.dispatchpolitics.com Droves of property owners are coming to the Franklin County Courthouse armed with area sales prices, reappraisals and a plea: Lower my taxes. And, largely, they're winning. Fueled by economic desperation or thrift, a record number of property owners are arguing that their homes or businesses are no longer worth the amount used to calculate their taxes. The Board of Revision has heard 1,470 of the 6,700 appeals filed; an additional 1,000 decisions are nearly done. Ninety percent of the time, the board has agreed with owners and granted a lower valuation. The high success rate, however, may be misleading. The board front-loaded the easiest cases -- those in which homeowners submitted obvious proof to support a quick judgment. A drop in valuation doesn't translate dollar-for-dollar to a lower tax bill. Taxes are calculated by multiplying the value of a property by the millage of local levies. People are scared, Testa said, and that's fueling the rush to his office.