Friday Free-for-all!
It’s the end of the week and that means it’s time to do our regular news round up and open topic discussion thread. Here are a few stories I’ve noticed lately:
-BC kills leaky condo loan program
-Teranet: 11th straight month of Vancouver price declines
-The house price bounce
-The rational for an extreme rent / mortgage spread
-Successful flipping: Get the buyer to overpay
-Builders oppose BC’s Harmonized Sales Tax
-Translink proposes toll on all Metro bridges
-Canada’s GDP drops .05% in May
-The Winter Games call for 1,500 volunteers
-Housing Market outlook in the USA
-Sometimes real estate goes down. Is that a typo?
So what are you seeing out there? Post your news links, thoughts and anecdotes here and have an excellent weekend!
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August 9th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Hmm, I thought I posted this, but I must have just previewed it only.
People are starting to shrink wrap unfinished construction sites in the US to stop them from falling apart before someone can finish building them:
http://therealdeal.com/miami/a.....-fast-wrap
August 4th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Yeay, squeak Soggy yeay!!
Real economy factors everthing (EVERYTHING) that affects a society. Even social well being (it costs way more to rehab a 17 yo than a 2 yo..duh, start there ty). Health care, income distribution (poverty contributes to illness which will cost in social and health care costs and lost of tax revenue) Educated people, not just for rich kids..duh.. how are you going to have great leaders if they only come from the 2%? Or is it 1% now? Environment must be factored in too. Toxic environment not just affect humans, it affect weather, crops, rising sea levels. How expensive will that be do you think? Beyond what we can imagine..
So.. yes behaviour needs to be modified.. we only have ONE (1) planet. No spares, no test planets, this is it.
Freedom you like to have, but with it comes responsibility, as always. Not rocket science I think.
Housing should be affordable. Why? It is a basic human need. Did not united nations declare this? Or should we live in caves again, or the streets?
August 3rd, 2009 at 9:15 am
Dave: Pay Attention. Vic #59 already covered this, it’s what started this whole debate. Gas prices where over $1.50. Crank up the price of gas and traffic will improve.
Or take your alternate option: No buses and no cyclists. Everyone drives. How’s your traffic situation looking then?
August 3rd, 2009 at 8:57 am
Soggy, why was traffic better during the bus strike a few years ago?
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:11 am
Anonymous:
Author Richard Florida believes that there is a correlation between “gay” cities and economic prosperity.
Sure there’s a correlation, but what is the causation? Since the same % of people are born gay everywhere, cities with a high % of gay people are that way because they have a lot of gay in-migration. And gay people move for pretty much the same reasons as anyone else – #1 being economic opportunities. So affluent cites attract more gay migrants as well as migrants in general.
Social tolerance does of course also play a role – for example Calgary is less gay than Vancouver although it is more affluent. But for a gay person, tolerance is linked to economic opportunity, since it makes it less likely you’ll be turned down for a job because of your orientation.
August 2nd, 2009 at 10:35 pm
Of course it’s ridiculous. I was exaggerating my point, which you STILL don’t seem to get, so I’ll spell it out as simply as I can:
The Canadian people at large disagree with your simplistic stand that the government should never act to modify behavior. That’s why we tax cigarettes and use some of that income to fund healthcare, it’s why we have seatbelt laws, helmet laws, etc. It’s why you can’t start a company that burns old tires as a power source or disposes of garbage by tossing it in english bay.
On the flipside it’s why we reduce tax on certain ventures that we want to encourage: things like the film industry tax credits come to mind.
Is the government efficient or perfect at this task? Not at all, but as a society we seem to have come to the conclusion that it’s better that they do something rather than nothing. So what do you feel is the roll of government?
Oh, and I obviously wasn’t calling you a hippy, I was being sarcastic.. I was pointing out that anything done for the common good is likely seen as a ‘hippy’ viewpoint by you, despite the fact that if the government abdicated responsibility on all those things you take for granted you’d be up in arms complaining about the repercussions.
August 2nd, 2009 at 10:34 pm
hitlers bubble
August 2nd, 2009 at 9:22 pm
Ridiculas comparison. Its simple, I agree with Dave that it is not the governments duty to modify behaviour through taxation. The government should not take from a group of people (drivers) and give to another group (transit users), simply because they believe it is in societies best interest. You contradict yourself when you espouse a “hippy” position, and in the next sentence call me a hippy.
August 2nd, 2009 at 7:45 pm
I’M NUMBER 69!
August 2nd, 2009 at 7:44 pm
So tell me Phil, are you really in favor of allowing the free smoking of crack and driving through crowds of children? I mean that’s ‘free will’ right? You wouldn’t want to restrict that based on some hippy-dippy notion of what’s best for society at large huh?
August 2nd, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Ohhh, I understand now. Soggy knows what is “for the betterment of society”. We all better start letting people like Soggy tell us how we can act. Forget “free will” and crazy ideas like that! We should let government or Soggy tell us what is in our best interest. I wonder where Soggy was on Friday evening?
August 2nd, 2009 at 7:20 pm
goldie: “You don’t DEMAND cheaper apartments. Like most of the commenters on this board, you fundamentally misunderstand how the marketplace works.”
Why don’t you educate us then? I was under the impression that the marketplace operates via SUPPLY and DEMAND. You’re saying it’s impossible for the marketplace to DEMAND cheaper apartments? Really?!? Perhaps you can explain what’s happening in Vegas, Phoenix, Miami, Etc.
..Or perhaps you’re just another jackass who doesn’t know what you’re talking about? I guess the bright side is that you’ll never lack for sympathetic company in this world.
August 2nd, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Dave: “I am tired of other people telling me what I can and can’t do.”
The reason people tell you and others what you can and can’t do is for the betterment of society. You’re not allowed to shoot junk or smoke crack, because you’ll become an addict and break into cars. Likewise, you’re not allowed to drive through the park, even if it means you’d get to work quicker, because you might run down other peoples families.
There’s an easy way to stop paying taxes and having people tell you want to do: detach from society and stop mooching off the support that it provides. Move deep into the backwoods and do whatever you want far from the maddening crowd.
I’d rather live in a civilized society where I pay a bit more for the convenience of driving, and those that can’t afford it have safe access to transit that is very cheap or free to use. This city is outgrowing it’s capacity for cars, we either need to provide alternatives, or start putting in some heavy duty freeways that cut through the centre of town.
August 2nd, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Squeak, you need to get out more:
“Yes, I guess there are beggars and some junkies here, but nowhere anything near what Vancouver has, havent seen that many.”
You can’t walk downtown anymore without being accosted by beggars and drug-dealers.
“Have not yet seen anybody standing with signs at traffic lights,…”
Douglas and Bay.
“…neither anybody shooting up next to me…”
Bushes next to the furniture store near Value Village.
But you’re right: no traffic jams of significance and a way slower pace.
You don’t DEMAND cheaper apartments. Like most of the commenters on this board, you fundamentally misunderstand how the marketplace works. That’s why you all have been left behind.
August 2nd, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Well said Dave! I don’t know why that would get voted down…???
August 2nd, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Dave, cities with free transit (and there are a few around the world) see major social benefit. Taxing gas – or more usefully, setting up a congestion charging system for the busier parts of the city (a la London) makes a great deal of sense.
August 2nd, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Soggy:
Free? Nothing is free.
I am tired of social engineering. I am tired of other people telling me what I can and can’t do. If you don’t like driving, then feel free to walk. In the meantime, keep your hands out of my pocket.
August 2nd, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Great point about gas prices. Doubling the cost of gas with tax and using that to improve transit ( and make it free ) would improve driving and transit. If you can’t afford to drive, well tough. What makes you think its a right instead of a priveledge?
August 2nd, 2009 at 1:51 pm
The GVRD is a car-centric city but the city wasn’t built to handle its current population of cars or people. It would cost billions to fix the problems and decades to implement it. Sadly, the public and the polticians picker endlessly about who is paying for it (i.e. should Burnaby foot the bill for a Richmond skytrain?), where its implemented (i.e. electric tram on old arbustus train tracks…not on my backyard you aren’t. But a small prison by BCIT is okay with me
) and what to implement (i.e. do we “really” need a new Lion’s gate?). I think tolling is a good idea but we should have one route that is toll free. If you want to get there faster…you pay the toll. If you have lots of time…then you can take the free scenic route 
52: I seem to recall “gas prices over $1.50/l” made a even bigger effect on traffic. And its easy to implement…just add more taxes lol! Problem solved.
Imagine how many cars we would have on the road if prices were $2/l?
August 2nd, 2009 at 11:48 am
Hey Pride.
Author Richard Florida believes that there is a correlation between “gay” cities and economic prosperity.
http://tinyurl.com/29342m
August 2nd, 2009 at 11:11 am
Pride: You’re being voted down because your posting smells like a troll, I think you’re trying to kick up a controversy where none exists.
August 2nd, 2009 at 11:09 am
This is how the US is going to get out of the recession…
Productivity is up when it comes to selling weapons to the world:
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepa.....APHIC.html
August 2nd, 2009 at 10:22 am
Why is my comment #9 voted down? What a bunch of homophobic bigots!
Just because straight wealthy DNK couples live in desireable neighborhoods as well is irrelevant. Two men tend to have higher incomes than a man and a woman. That’s why gay cities are more expensive. If you don’t like it you should move to a straight city like Topeka, I hear apartments are a lot cheaper there.
August 2nd, 2009 at 8:05 am
Not at all, buff_butler! I like to keep informed!
August 2nd, 2009 at 3:18 am
Let’s get our facts straight: im sorry, my goal wasn’t to misinform but just something I noticed when I was looking at the numbers for something else. You are correct “net” was improper wording and this does not include foreign immigration and births (as the report mentions).
Given you’ve created an account with a name specifically for this conversation I’ve clearly ruined your weekend
August 2nd, 2009 at 2:51 am
50: Remember the transit strike? I haven’t seen streets that clear of traffic before or since. Buses are moving traffic jams, driving slowly, taking up two lanes, and blocking their lane with every stop.
August 2nd, 2009 at 2:46 am
Coming to a city near you?
Fla. highrise has 32 stories, but just 1 tenant
http://www.google.com/hostedne.....gD99Q9J380