Pushy Real Estate Buyer or Con Artist? You make the call.

A short time ago I blogged about an unsolicited letter in a format that was disturbingly unprofessional and unnerving to my family and neighbors.

Well it turns out that "Bajja" is unhappy with my assessment of his business approach.

I received a phonecall this evening from this person who disapproved the comments, but was unable to post such on the blog directly from his phone.  He believes that in spite of the method of contacting me and the lack of professional information, I should have called him on the phone.

This situation is officially weird and I am creeped out.  I do not know this person, still don't know their last name or their business name, and as I said in the previous post, the offer is respectfully declined.

Bajja, if you are reading this, your contact is unwelcome.  Dunwoody Police have been notified.  Any further contact from you by any method or medium will be considered harrassment and legally addressed as such.  Stay away from this property and the people in it.

Reflecting on Impressions

Jason Massad from Dunwoody Patch contacted me last night for some commentary on the proposed wayfinding signage.  I'm in the middle of some work for the next few days so I don't have a whole lot of time to expound here and I'll wait until Jason's story is finished before posting further.

In the mean time, here are my thoughts from November 2010 on the concerns being brought forward today.

The entire post is here

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Logos & Branding - A Practical Analysis

11:29 PM | 

A few weeks ago, the City of Dunwoody unveiled a new series of logos created by contractor Sky Design.
The City has learned a few hard lessons about branding and logo implementation in the process.

Just because you spend a lot of money on it, doesn't mean that everyone will love it.  Dunwoody joined the club with The Gap and Tropicana brands who redesigned their logo image and got their heads handed to them by their customers.  The Gap just abandoned the new effort (even though it was very stylish) and Tropicana is trying to work in their new logo identity with the old one.  It happens - you research, you conduct surveys and focus groups, you wear out your font file and your color wheel, and come up with a design that SHOULD be effective.  Then your PR person is issuing statements when your creation falls flat on its face. 

Google is your best friend.  Pay attention!  The original tagline for the city was "Smart People - Smart Place".  Sounds good, right?  The City of Plano Economic Development Board thought so too.  They used it first.  To add insult to injury, the tagline showed up on an internet search.  Trademarked or not, there was going to be a conflict.  Plano was on the phone to Dunwoody in about a day.  It's not worth the hassle to use a tagline that's been claimed elsewhere.  The new tagline is "Smart People - Smart City".

Large design firms with a lot of experience may sometimes cannibalize other designs. Even inadvertently.  The initial reaction on the local blogosphere was that the original logo looked too similar to both the Walmart and E-Trade logos.  Someone with WAY too much time on their hands lampooned that idea, as major newspapers commented on it.  Could be a coincidence but if the public sees a similarity it doesn't matter.  Others commented that even the unveiling video shown at the Music Festival was recycled from another presentation for another corporation.  Recycling happens.  Can you get away with it?  How lucky do you feel?

INTRODUCING - Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce Version 4.0

This is the fourth incarnation of the Dunwoody Chamber website, and the third since the site was recreated in Drupal.  Mr. Boyken and I had a little sit-down in his office soon after he was elected as Chairman of the Board and we had an in-depth conversation about how he wanted the Chamber presented to the public.  Sleek, upscale, and simple.  The above design is the result.

We moved some information around and reorganized some categories so don't be shy about using the "Search" function in the red menu bar.  

The most obvious upgrade is the "infographic" scrolling images on the front page.  Don't be fooled by how simple these "slideshows" appear.  There is a lot of complex programming behind the scenes that makes it work.  Kind of like the gears on a classic Swiss watch.  The greatest challenge was making it simple for the office staff to change these images in and out as necessary.  Check back once in a while and you'll see some new surprises!

This week we're going to go through the post-launch punch list and continue the updates.  This includes planning for an all-new mobile version and possibly a smartphone app.  The first time the site went live I discovered some technical issues undocumented features that need to be accommodated.

It's important for every major organization to have a web presence that is unique to them.  All of my themes, including those for content management systems, no matter how complex, are custom made from scratch.  I would hate to be the guy who had a website launch, then the public notices that the "custom design" is actually JSN Epic for Joomla (free version) with all of the default color and appearance settings unchanged.  Talk about a rip off!  (Hypothetically of course....)

Please enjoy using the new interface with all of the functionality you have come to expect from the Dunwoody Chamber site.  The "Contact" link is the best place to ask a question or report a bug.

Off to First Monday Networking!

Last Chance to Check Your Computer for the Doomsday Virus

This is not a hoax.  There is a real virus threat out there this time.  A check that will last less than a minute will provide priceless peace of mind.

The Background:

Several years ago, an internet crime ring based in Estonia released a virus that would redirect an internet user from legitimate sites to fraudulent ones.  The gang stole millions of dollars from victims around the world and eventually got nabbed by the FBI late last year.

But the malware is still out there and your machine could still be affected.  If it is, you will not be able to access the internet.

What You Should Do:

There's a quick and easy check to see if your computer has been infected.
Visit this site, set up by the FBI that will determine if your machine has been compromised by this virus.

http://www.dns-ok.us/

If you see a big icon with a green background, you're golden.  Nothing to worry about.

If the icon has a red background, your machine is infected and it's a good thing you got to it now!

You can learn how to fix your machine at this site:  http://www.dcwg.org/fix/.  There is a list of links at the bottom of the page to free tools that will clean you up in time for Monday.

More information is available here from the FBI.

Always, always, always keep your antivirus software up to date and do not click on links in emails or on pop-up ads that you do not know.  Do not use your credit card on sites that are not encrypted.  And DEFINITELY do not hand out your bank information or social security number, or other personal data to individuals who call you, no matter what they try to say.  Be careful out there!

July 4th Parade - the Spirit of Dunwoody

This recap has been making the rounds in my head since lunchtime Wednesday but I had a killer job commitment to square away first (which will be the subject of another post) and my grey matter is officially fried to a crispy golden brown.

Any event, including parades that have over 130 entries and over 30,000 spectators is a logistical juggernaut.  What is a relaxed holiday morning for most families is a study in "how to handle Plan B" by the organizers.

First - the BlackHawk chopper landing.  My husband was in the Village gathering Nectar of the Gods (coffee) when it approached and tried to land - at least three times.  He came back giggling about how tents were blown around like toys and how could anyone not think that the after-parade party setup would need to be better secured?  It was only later we heard that someone was injured and the story instantly became not-funny.

Second - Dunwoody Police reported on their Facebook and Twitter pages that a child either fell off or jumped off a float and then was caught under the trailer.  I saw the golf cart take off down Mt. Vernon in response, and I remember thinking that it had to be a medical emergency.  Every parade parent's nightmare.  This is why I haven't marched in the parade with my own kids yet.

Third - if the initial delay due to the injury wasn't enough, a classic car stalled out.  How did we know this?  Because the boy scouts accompanying the car pushed it to the end of the parade.

Commitment

It would have been easy to just ditch it in a side street and keep it moving.  These boys had some serious guts - and leg muscles - to keep their entry going.

Any one of these events could have derailed the entire day.  But they didn't.  The parade organizers, police, EMS, and anyone else involved in running this parade dealt with the situation, assisted those who needed help, and kept the parade going.  That is what I call commitment and civic pride.

Couple that with having Georgia's largest 4th of July parade hosted by a private not-for-profit, as well as a variety of fireworks displays around the area (we're regulars at Chamblee's display in Keswick Park) and you have a full day's worth of old-fashioned, small-town, family holiday fun, guaranteed to wear out the most energetic kid and the production requires little to no tax money for Dunwoody.

Safety is always a conversation at parade time.  I imagine it will be an even bigger topic in 2013.  Unfortunately, there's not much the parade organizers and marshalls can do to enforce individual common sense in a 30K crowd.

Case in point:  THE POTATO.

I almost didn't believe Bill and Stacy during a DHA meeting when they said this exhibit was joining the parade.  Giant anything is a crowd-pleaser!  I still think it would have been funnier if someone "forgot" to tell Publix that it would be parking in their lot.

Again, logistics with making sure the trailer can navigate Dunwoody Village Parkway, where to put it at the end of the parade, etc.  In spite of the above incidents that found their way through the crowd before this part of the parade came, in spite of the newly-heightened awareness of safety this year, you still had the scene below:

The left wheels of the semi had to pull all the way to the left of the road to line up the trailer.  That front bumper and fender are no more than 18-inches away from the curb.  And what is on the curb?  Kids hanging out, of course, while their parents hang out right along with them.  Believe me if my kids were on that side of the street I would have yanked their little behinds off that curb faster than you could say "french fries".  This close call could have been the fourth big glitch of the day but thankfully, it wasn't.

The parade is an example of why I'm proud of Dunwoody.  No matter what else is happening in government, our jobs, our neighborhoods, good or bad, there is always a time to put "every day" aside and enjoy all that we have in common.  

Happy July 4th!

GoDaddy is having issues

Some customers who host their sites on GoDaddy noticed error messages starting at about 7 PM last night.  I couldn't change their DNS to backup and the customer support line has had busy signals for almost 12 hours.

If you host with GoDaddy, you're going to have to ride this one out.  Don't know if this was a DoS attack, straight hacking, or just a system failure.  Post a comment if you hear anything!

How to Write a Creepy Real Estate Offer

1)  Create hand-written "form letters".
2)  Use red ink.
3)  Send copies to home addresses at random from a bulk database export.
4)  Ignore whether the property is listed for sale or not.
5)  Use yellow, lined paper, instead of a company letterhead.
6)  Only use your first name, don't include your last name.
7)  Include a phone number but no other contact information.
8)  Don't explain why you're interested in buying a property that is not on the market.
9)  The return address on your envelope should be a "MailBoxes Etc" location in Buckhead.

Behold that which blessed my US Mailbox this afternoon.

Address redacted.  If you know my family, you know where we live.  ;-)

When I googled the phone number, I found this website:  http://www.onlinemediainteractive.com/fastsaleformyhouse/needtosell.html

I'm guessing home flippers.  Anyone else get one of these creepograms?  Or know the company where the phone number led?

By the way, if "Bajja" is reading this, your offer is respectfully declined.

Is Dunwoody getting its own girls' party place?

A while back I posted about my (and my daughter's) experience with Pink Pastry Parlor in Alpharetta and bemoaned the fact that indoor play and party spaces were rare in a city that is so concerned about opportunities for children.

It looks like that may change...!

Behold Sweets 'n Dreams, a new storefront in the Shops of Dunwoody that is going through the process to build out and open.  It is promoted as a party facility/event center/bakery and may be one of the things that our retail centers have been missing for a while.

Check 'em out on Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/SweetsnDreams

Street/Summer Fair Vendors Wanted for Input on Media Article

I received an email this morning from Independent We Stand, an advocacy organization supporting and promoting the value of local independent businesses.

A reporter for a major news publication has approached Independent We Stand looking for entrepreneurs who have been vendors at street fairs and other outdoor summer events. They're seeking examples of lessons learned from these business opportunities – what to do and what not to do to. The entrepreneurs should be in only their second or third year of business and have some wisdom to share based on what they learned as an outdoor vendor last summer or the summer before. Do you fit the bill or know someone else who does? Just reply to this email or email us at media@independentwestand.org!

Dunwoody and its neighbors are chock full of these kinds of enterprises!  If you are a small biz entrepreneur or solopreneur who as ever set up shop at Lemonade Days, the Dunwoody Music Festival, or the Dunwoody Arts Festival, this may be a golden opportunity for you to showcase your wares to a wide media audience!

While we're at it, I'll bet some of the vendors at the Dunwoody Green Market would fit the bill too.  Ditto for the new generation of food trucks that are hitting the streets to carve out their niche.  (I still think the Hail Caesar idea is hysterical!)

Drop a line to Independent We Stand above and give the media another reason to put Dunwoody-grown brands on the map.  (Tell Bill I said "hi" when you email!)

Rezoning Questions Go Gently Down the Stream

Over the weekend I received this message from Joe Seconder via FaceBook and per his request I'm glad to pass it on:


Subject: Invite - Dunwoody Stream Buffer Educational Forum

Hi All,

On behalf of the City of Dunwoody’s Sustainability Commission, you are cordially invited to attend the Dunwoody Stream Buffer Educational Forum at 7 pm on Thursday, June 28th at Dunwoody City Hall.

As we embark on defining stream definitions, this forum can help educate those who may be making the future decisions/

The Forum will cover: Benefits of Stream Buffers, Stream Buffers as Regulatory Tools to Promote Surface Water Quality, Variance Processes, Types of Streams – Which should be protected with buffers?

There will be a panel of experts as well as an opportunity for questions following the panel discussion.

Scheduled Panelists include representatives from:

·         Georgia Environmental Protection Division - Stormwater Unit, Watershed Protection Branch
·         Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission
·         Atlanta Home Builders
·         Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper

City Calendar click posting here
Facebook Event click here

Many thanks,

Joe Seconder
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During my morning cup(s) 'o joe (sorry, Joe, couldn't resist.  It's that kind of Monday!)  I ran across this entry on John's blog.


Dunwoody Zoning Code Rewrite Meeting - Fri June 22nd
Date: Friday, June 22, 2012
Time: 12:00pm – 1:30pm
Location: City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East

In partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the City will present recommendations for sustainable practices to be incorporated in the Zoning Code Rewrite.  This meeting is a result of a technical assistance grant the City received earlier this year for the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program, Green Building Toolkit.

A consultant team led by Code Studio and YR&G is currently working with EPA to assess and make recommendations to the Zoning Code that will be based on sustainable sites, water efficiency, and energy conservation.  This opportunity capitalizes on the rewrite process to advance the incentives and regulations related to sustainable practices to further the City’s sustainability mission.  The presentation is the culmination of assessments made through the EPA Green Building Toolkit, consultant review of existing code, and technical staff input.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend to contribute to the process to ensure a sustainable future for the City of Dunwoody.  The meeting will be streamed and a video posted for members of the public who are unable to attend at the scheduled time.


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At the first Zoning Rewrite Sounding Board meeting, we figured out what issues needed to be addressed.  First, we learned that our input was going to be extremely limited.  "Priority" issues that had been already discussed in one of the Land Use plans were strictly off the table, even for discussion or questions.   So the sounding board had no choice but to address popular issues where the comprehensive plans are silent. That's a rant for another day.

We knew that City Hall/Council expected the consultants doing the writing and the sounding board/public attendees giving their input to address all of the questions around "streams", starting with their definitions.  The sounding board tabled this to address it in its own meeting because there was NO way it could be tackled alongside other questions.  It was just too big, too involved, and there was too much data to absorb and sort out.

Which brings us to today.  At first glance, I have some questions....

1)  Why are there two meetings?  Two different times and days?  Are there two different panels?  Two different sets of goals for these gatherings?  That's how it looks.  And both are supposedly put on by "the City" and "the Sustainability Commission"?  First thing I thought of when I saw the Facebook event and then John's blog pointing to an event on the City's website was that the left and right hands aren't talking to each other.

2)  As was pointed out in the comments under John's post, why is this on the City's calendar, but not on the ZoningDunwoody.com website, which according to the City employees involved is supposed to be THE central point for all communications on this project.  Neither of these events are posted or mentioned in any way.

3)  If the City expects its citizens to be involved in these meetings, you need more than a week's notice.  You also need to rethink having a meeting that fills the entire lunch hour for people who work and have families to care for with activities in the summer months.  Video is fine for a recap but I thought the point was to increase involvement?

So is this just a goof?  Or is the talk of citizen input so much lip service?  Or was someone between a rock and a hard place and there was literally no other time/date/place for this presentation?  Clarification is needed, please.

Behold, the reasons why sounding board held off on discussing "streams" with the consultants writing the code.  It's enough that there's a lot of questions that need answers but the data and the people distributing it seem to be all over the place.  Not even on the same page.  Personally, I haven't formed any opinions yet, and no one is forming them for me.  However I do know the following:

--No one has suggested "eliminating stream buffers".  Whoever started that rumor, knock it off.  It isn't true and you're not helping your cause by spreading it.

--I intend to be very careful about adding restrictions to someone's property.  Especially if "streams" aren't on their official property survey or deed and until now, no one has noticed them.  It's easy to wave the "sustainability" flag when you don't have to pay for the effects of new regulations dropped in your lap out of nowhere.  I hope that at least one of these scheduled meetings explains to affected homeowners why their "streams" are so important and require protection if the state, county, and city haven't bothered to document them.

But bottom line - improve the communication, folks.  Your messages will be taken more seriously if you seem like you're on the same page.