Scary or Merry?

Click the above to read the NY Times coverage of the Fed's decision to lower the interest rate!

New Hotel at IBM Plaza?

Crain's Chicago Business is reporting that plans are in the works for a hotel in the lower floors of the IBM plaza (in which the company no longer keeps its offices). The Mies van der Rohe tower would then, according to the terms of the deal, be granted landmark status.

Florida Withstands the Real Estate Hurricane

"The New York Times" has an interesting piece today on Florida real estate, a market in which Chicagoans too have a stake!

Is Big Brother Watching You?

If so, he is getting "smarter"! Click on the title for the NPR story on smart surveillance cameras in our fair city. For reading or listening.

Color Me Beautiful

Domestik Goddess (listed on our favorite links) is featuring a great tool today -- the online, limited version of "GenoPal," which can be purchased in an expanded edition for about $50. The fun thing to do is upload a picture, such as that of this living room above, and then push the button to receive a palette of colors that reflect and complement its decor. Click on the above link to see the palette for this picture, and here to see a detailed palette based on a single color (green):

http://www.genopal.com/online.php?hex=949A6B

It's lots of fun! --And a great tool for decorating or home staging.

Countrywide Changes Its Tune

NPR's "Morning Edition" has excellent coverage of Countrywide's change of heart: click on the link to read or hear the story about the decision to treat customers as such!

Silver Lining

The subprime loan crisis isn't bad news for everybody -- particularly buyers. The New York Times has an interesting article on house auctions (click on the title to read).

In the same paper, Paul Krugman's take on the Fed's coping plan has gotten a lot of attention.