All Neighbors in Windsor, ON
Top Neighbors: The magic behind the mirrors
You will never have to pay to be listed as a top neighbor. Period. That important detail clarified, let's discuss how we arrive at two "top neighbors" for a given region:
Localism is a bustling collection of hyper-local communities, and the top neighbors should reflect those members who are most active. When ranking users in a given region, several factors are considered. To get your foot in the proverbial door, you need to have posted at least one "Localism" article or photo for the region.
The very best way to quickly rise to #1 is to post high-quality local content. Keeping a steady strem of incoming posts and photos will massively tilt the scales in your favor.
What doesn't count toward the top neighbor ranking? ActiveRain points and community sponsorships. The top neighbor spots will always go to the most active members in a region. We want to create a level playing field that encourages the growth of communities — talent and dedication are required to win the day.
Headlines in several Canadian newspapers report that consumers are nervous buying a condo out of fear that what they contracted for will not be built. A more substantial fear is that due to current oversupply, condominiums are getting harder to sell. In Toronto, 22,654 condos were sold in 2007, but only 16,000 are expected to be sold this year. While the long term outlook for the condo market is good, building starts are expected to decline by 6% as prices decline. For current owners in Ontario, this news should be only mildly upsetting as prices will actually increase by 3-5%. Western markets in Calgary and Vancouver, where housing is somewhat overvalued, may not only see an end to double digit inflation in condo prices but a 3-5% decrease.
Everyone loves a bargain, especially in housing where a few percent off adds up to thousands of dollars. In a buyers' market, where some sellers who need to move their homes are facing the prospect so of having their time in the market longer and ultimately selling for less, it's tempting for buyers to overestimate how far down sellers will go.
dropping 6.1%, income off 13%, and hotel bookings down, Disney amusement parks announced discounts on vacation packages to any of its parks. For vacations booked by December 20, a 7 day vacation is available for the price of a 4 day vacation - a 34% discount. Vacationers who visit between January - March, 2009 will also get a free $200 gift card redeemable for food and souvenirs. (All trips must be taken in 2009, with blackout periods around Easter vacation and part of the summer.) Thirty percent discounts are also available on hotels rooms (without tickets) for those who don't want to stay the whole week.
Recent good news reported here about the thriving Canadian auto industry is threatened by bad news from Detroit: the US auto is in such bad shape that the big three automakers are lobbying for a $25 billion low interest loan from the government. Without aid, predicts the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, MI, the US economy would lose over 2.5 million direct and indirect jobs plus $100-150 billion in taxes.
For the 92,999 cars and 22,300 trucks that cross the US-Canadian border each day, crossing the border will be more difficult once the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative takes effect in June, 2009. A response to homeland security concerns, the US is installing scanners and radio frequency identification cards at each customs lane at the 39 ports of entry. These units will be operational by December, 2008 at most ports and by April at Sarnia and Sault Ste. Marie.
