The Tribune reported today on a new study that shows South Siders are more “extroverted and agreeable,” while North Siders are more neurotic—what the Tribune calls a “Bill Veeck versus Woody Allen divide.” The study’s author, Kevin Stolarick, is a researcher at the University of Toronto’s Martin Prosperity Institute, where he works under “Creative Class” theoretician Richard Florida. It’s notoriously difficult to make accurate and reliable personality tests, so Stolarick relied on self-categorization: the study was conducted online and participants rated themselves from 1 to 5 on 45 traits like carelessness, imagination, and efficiency. Stolarick explained the South Side’s high levels of cheerfulness as being due to historical African-American migration from the friendly Deep South, and he reassured North Siders that “neurotic” doesn’t mean crazy.

In other news from the Tribune, some are suggesting the University of Chicago as the future site of Barack Obama’s presidential library, but Obama isn’t one of them.

What an auspicious weekend for the University of Chicago.

First, the 500th Convocation benchmark has been hit, making the university look decidedly old and venerable.

Second, the 2009 Nobel Laureates have been announced this week, and three winners are affiliates of the university: Ada E. Yonath (Chemistry), George E. Smith (Physics), and (surprise!) President Barack Obama, who has pulled in the first Peace Prize for the university.

The latter news bit has gone viral in the cable news world and sparked debate on whether or not Obama’s win was deserved, but for now, we might as well bask in the glory of three more names on the University of Chicago’s long list of Laureates.

Happy weekend, Chicago.

The New York Times is reporting that the Grimshaws, Barack and Michelle Obama’s next-door neighbors over on Greenwood, have put their house up for sale. You might think it opportunism, but that’d be a stretch: they bought the house for $35k in the seventies, and the effects of old age have made the upkeep on this mini-mansion more than they can handle.