Vancouver welcomes the world
You know how when company is coming you shove everything into closets and close the door, pretending that the mess doesn’t exist? Well some busybodies have been opening up our closed doors instead of just enjoying the fruit punch:
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Five blocks away from the venue for Vancouver’s Olympic opening ceremonies, four grizzled addicts huddle in the rain, injecting themselves with heroin behind a trash bin.
Welcome to Downtown Eastside. Here, life is gritty, volatile and the slightest misstep can invite brutal retaliation.
“It’s a jungle,” said Glen, a 49-year-old heroin addict who goes by the street name Trouble. “You want to get out of here.”
That’s from an article over at MSNBC, and it doesn’t really improve after that:
As Vancouver prepares for the Olympics and the descent of the world’s media, the Downtown Eastside remains a huge problem — 15 square blocks of despair, squalid rooming houses and alleys populated by thousands of addicts, the homeless, the mentally ill and the drug dealers who prey on them.
This neighborhood is the most concentrated drug and poverty ghetto in North America, with high use of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, according to criminologist Benedikt Fischer of Simon Fraser University. It’s also the only place in North America where drug addicts can shoot heroin into their veins at an officially sanctioned injection site.
Now why would a US news outlet want to make our city look bad? I have a theory. MSNBC is a joint venture between Microsoft and NBC. I suspect that Bill Gates is jealous of our property values, particularly since the Seattle market has dropped so much, and he’s pulling some strings to make us look bad. Everyone who lives here knows you don’t go down to Main and Hastings unless you want to score some junk or catch a hot new disease, so what’s the big deal?
Well that theory explains the yanks anyways, but what’s with the British? They’re taking their potshots too, and we’re supposed to be on the same side! We’re part of the commonwealth! We’ve got the queen on our currency!
Conservative estimates now speculate that the games will cost upwards of $6bn, with little chance of a return. This titanic act of fiscal malfeasance includes a security force that was originally budgeted at $175m, but has since inflated to $900m. With more than 15,000 members, it’s the largest military presence seen in western Canada since the end of the second world war, an appropriate measure only if one imagines al-Qaida are set to descend from the slopes on C2-strapped snowboards. With a police officer on every corner and military helicopters buzzing overhead, Vancouver looks more like post-war Berlin than an Olympic wonderland.
That’s from the Guardian article Vancouver’s Olympics are heading for disaster. You know what I think? I think everybody is just jealous.
Thanks to G and jjss for the links!
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Boombust Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 7:42 am
Who knows? Maybe that’s where the best partay in town will be.
Razzamatazz! Put on the zoot suit and come on down!
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taylor192 Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 10:03 am
Rightfully so for the global media to criticize the DTES. Its a laughing stock, and only on the left coast do we justify supporting people who behave this way.
I moved from Ottawa and can say the problem is treated much differently there. The Ottawa mayor built a fence around one of the worst shelters downtown. The fence is to keep the drug dealers out. Sure it doesn’t stop homeless people from wandering beyond the fence to get drugs, yet it does make it that much harder to get and use drugs. The visible problems with that shelter have been reduced.
Some will argue that the fence has just dispersed the problem – and maybe it has. Yet drugs are often a crime of convenience (welfare weds!) and I support any measure to make buying, selling, and using drugs more difficult.
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blueskies Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 10:20 am
everybody should party like there is no tomorrow
because after the party that may very well happen…..
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VRENGD Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 10:21 am
All this talk about negative press is a distraction from the real issue. Negative press will have no impact on the Van RE bubble, just as positive press has had no impact.
The real issue is this:
We are dangerously close to the monthy payment limit that was reach in 2008. Last time we hit the monthly payment limit prices collapsed 20% and only lowering the BOC rate to 0% saved the market. Now we have a mini bubble with prices higher than they were at the 2008 peak. That is expected because rates are lower now than they were then.
However, given the current price appriciation rate, we will reach the monthly payment limit again in two months and prices will crash again. Only this time they will not stop at a 20% crash because the BOC cannot lower rates any further. Rates can only go up. This time, there will be a 60% crash.
Nothing the press says will change the outcome. People can only pay so much per month. When they can’t pay any more, the market will crash.
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Drachen Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 10:23 am
@taylor192:
“The Ottawa mayor built a fence around one of the worst shelters downtown.”
They’re trying that method in Israel too, I don’t know how it’s working for them but the ‘drug dealers’ (aka Palestinians) don’t seem to like it much. But what works for the West Bank could work for the East Side I suppose… Until they start firing Katuchas at us I suppose.
What people from the rest of Canada and around the world don’t see is that Vancouver and Victoria are the only two Canadian cities that don’t freeze solid every winter, so they’re the only places where you can live on the streets year round. Because of that we collect the homeless from across the country. This is not a Vancouver problem it’s a Canadian problem only the Feds refuse to help out with funding to deal with it.
So if there’s a city in Canada to blame for Vancouver’s mess it’s your beloved Ottawa! And the disconnected federal politicians there who’d rather prorogue parliament than debate the issues during the Olympics.
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Informer 10 Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 10:57 am
WHERE EVER THERE IS HONEY THERE ARE BEES
Just want to say there are lots of hottest chicks walks around in this area with super dupper Lawers,Cops,and their mid blowing partners and hot ass hemps Secretaries etc.Waterfront is at two min walking distance.
Most recent article for “W” and review for “SMART”also shed some light that how the highend people are changing the destiny of this area in transition.Most of local residence also shows optimism for countinue improvement on the base of Chinatown which become the first neighbourhood to show cleanlines and further areas are improving everyday.
It’s like a complete Norton/Symantec scan is in progress that will push the virus to the corners first then it will eliminate them to clean the system files.
On the side note:I think Donald Triumph is more jeoulous of Vancouver than Bill Gates because Donald was pusing the American buyers into Dubai while everyone else were buying in Vancouver.
In results: Donald’s team almost bankrupt and his financiars pulled back his loans,Since then lots of American buyers moved here in Vancouver from Dubai after droping their cars at Dubai Airport.I think Bill Gates has pushed Obama to pull back port but Vancouver has strength to overturned that’s why American tourists still making in to Gastown everyday area in Transition again.
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Anonymous Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 11:05 am
sigh, troll boring now. informer, come up with an ew personality – this one has lost its charm
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realpaul Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 11:06 am
The MSNBC article also points out how the DTES was ‘given a wide berth’ when the bid committe was shown thorugh Vanshitty when the bus rolled through. That is so typical that the entire premise for locating the Olympics here was based on lies and deception.
The entire scene of Vanshithouse is a lie and a deception. The problem as I see it is that so many sheeple have swallowed the goo juice of Campbells shegma cock-tail that they now have to run with it out of absolute fear of the knowledge that they are personally fucked if and when the entire house of cards comes falling down.
I disagree with the idea that MSNBC or anyone elesi ‘would try to make us look bad’ the fact is that THEY are telling the truth and WE have been lied to so continually that anyone who speaks out is now called a ’subversive’ or a ‘radical’. The state of denial has not been subjected onto the outside media and thus when they see what Vanshithole REALLY is they are naturally SHOCKED.
Thousands of seniors in the food lines after getting thier income streams and thier savings stolen is ‘no big deal’ to the local media. Citizens killed by psycho cops’ no big deal, unemployment and welfare case skyrocketing no big deal, pollitical corruption covered up, school kids fucked out of a decent education, people dieing in hospital hallways, nepotism in the ‘co-ops’ etc etc. The local sheeple have thier heads so far up thier ases that it takes an outsider to tell us we’re a basket case and not ‘the best place on earth’?
When outsiders see this place as a shithole and you disagree with that, who’s right. The objective observer or the brainwashed thrall?
The people you see out protesting are not the ones who should rethink thier actions, they are in fact the ones who have not swallowed the kool-aid and are doing something about the lies. Those who sit back and do nothing except swill the puked rhetoric are the ones with the problem.
This town deserves all the negative press that is coming with the international media. The problem is that none of it will be reported on locally and the sheeple will remain clueless.
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scullboy Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 11:09 am
Hey Informer 10
My GOD you are one dim bastard!
Did your mom douche with toxic chemicals in an attempt to rid herself of your obviously inferior genome? I know I would….
“I’d be thinking “I have to flush this genetic fraskshow from my womb before it slithers out and learns how to type”
Seriously, it’s like she was reaching for the Massengil and grabbed the turpentine by mistake.
I did like the phrase “hot ass helps” though….. it was oddly appropriate.
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/dev/null Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 11:15 am
Mish mentions us today too (specifically, our #1 place in the Demographia survey):
http://globaleconomicanalysis......ng-in.html
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Bizznitch Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 11:33 am
http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/.....rwest.html
Good times!
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Bizznitch Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 11:37 am
http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servle.....shColumbia
Booming BC alright! Heard the properties there dropped 30% overnight. Bet they drop another 30%..or more.
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davers Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 11:45 am
As someone who just walked through main and hastings last saturday (going from the cambie to the astoria) I can tell you it is not the war zone they make it out to be. Contrary to what many people think you will not get stabbed with an AIDS needle just for being there.
I wouldnt want to live there and I dont walk around there just for kicks but the truth is you are probably in just as much danger walking around many other parts of the city. Since there is usually a cop car on most corners around there anyway I doubt much is going to happen.
If someone from the DTES really wanted to rob someone they would probably make a 3 minute walk to Gastown or Coal Harbour and see if anyone is taking a pee in an alley. Just as there is nothing keeping you out, there is also nothing keeping them in.
It is an embarassment of an area for the city but to say “slightest misstep can invite brutal retaliation” is a huge overstatment. You are probably more likely to get in a fight on the granville strip with some coked up club goer than on the corner of main and hastings.
I am willing to bet any stats showing a high number of assults in the area is the result of drug deals gone wrong, not random attacks.
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oneangryslav2 Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 12:05 pm
@Drachen: Absolutely agree, Drachen. I work in the immediate vicinity of the DTES and have been asked for change on dozens of occasions in the last year-and-a-half. On about half of these occasions I’ve given (a loonie) in order to not feel uncomfotable about asking the panhandler where s/he is from. The majority are not from Vancouver, or even BC.
The homelessness problem in Vancouver is a Canada-wide phenomenon. Unless and until the feds get involved, it the problem is not going away. That being said, some of the policies of the provincial government–such as closing down mental health facilities–have been disastrous.
As for the Guardian article, the author is actually a hipster Vancouverite.
Hyperbole much?
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patriotz Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 12:12 pm
@davers:
It’s a war zone all right. It’s just that you’re a non-combatant.
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joycer Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 12:13 pm
#4) @VRENGD
I’ve often wondered why we are so concerned about price to income ratios when for me personally its the carrying cost that matters. I mean of course the price to income ratio is going to rise when interest rates fall because the monthly payment gets cheaper. I’d like to see a ratio of annual carrying cost to income. For example, a 5 year fixed at 4% on the average 950K home would cost 4200/month = 50K per year to carry for 35 years. With average income around 60K that would mean 50/60 = a ratio of 0.8. Which tells me it would take 80% of household income just to carry the mortgage.
I think that would yield a more fair comparison since housing has increased in value over the last 30 years while interest rates have (on average) decreased. Not to say it justifies the last 8 years of relentless increases but if real incomes haven’t changed, then it would seem the only thing that could justify higher prices is lower interest rates. I wonder what those charts/averages would have looked like in past crashes? Anyone out there have any relevant links?
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Bubble Lad Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 12:25 pm
@davers:
I’ve never had a problem on the DTES. The place is frightening in the scale of human suffering, but even the panhandlers are unflaggingly polite. I agree: I’ve felt more in danger on Granville Street full of drunken frat boys on a Saturday night then I’ve EVER felt in the DTES.
Also, there’s this bizarre notion in Vancouver that you couldn’t possibly be a drug addict anywhere besides the DTES: as long as you own a “million dollar home” in the “Right ‘hood”, you couldn’t possibly be mainlining cocaine or into some other funky sh@t.
It’s typical of the provincial mind set of Vancouver that as long as you observe the outward rules of “respectability”, you get a free pass. It’s a very consoling idea to think that a drug abuser always looks like the notion in our head of what a drug abuser should look like (shambling along Hastings with a shopping cart full of busted electronics their trying to sell) and not your kids public school supply teacher, or your brother-in-law the auto mechanic etc.
So when something comes along that doesn’t fit into a neat package, like your banker getting arrested on child porn charges, we quickly forget about it because he’s “one of us”:
http://www.vancouversun.com/ne.....story.html
Heck, we even give them police protection. So how come there’s not articles about how “dangerous” West Van is?
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Drachen Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 12:25 pm
@oneangryslav2:
““With a police officer on every corner and military helicopters buzzing overhead, Vancouver looks more like post-war Berlin than an Olympic wonderland.””
Yeah, because they had helicopters then?
You can tell that the author of this article is just a kid. He’s in his mid 20’s and has probably never even been to Europe!
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Drachen Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 12:32 pm
He also just straight up lies to help build his case, “Librarians are being commanded to feed McDonald’s to children while unauthorised brands have been banned from Olympic venues.”
There’s a big difference between being forced to advertise McDonalds on their buildings and not put up ads for non-Olympic sponsors and being ‘…commanded to feed McDonalds to children…’. That’s just crazy talk, I’m surprised the Guardian prints this crap.
- note, I’m not saying I disagree with the guy’s philosophical leanings, but if he has to lie to build his case he’s not really helping his side in the long run, lies get exposed and help the other side whitewash the whole thing.
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Sandy Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 12:55 pm
I love Vancouver. I love living here. I love the people.
That said, I am extremely happy that the world media is focussing on the DTES. I hope it raises the profile and brings attention to the plight of these people to the world.
Perhaps there is somebody/organization out there that will see this and have an innovative idea or plan on how we can help this impoverished group. Lord knows our government (at every level) has no idea about how to go about it.
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patriotz Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 1:01 pm
@Drachen:
Er, the majority of MP’s from metro Ottawa are Liberal, NDP, and BQ. It’s the rural rednecks who are keeping Parliament from doing its job. And who deliberately refueled the housing bubble in 2008, in the hope of winning over some suburbanites by making them feel richer.
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Sammy Davis Jr. Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Olympics T-Shirts are here! Add this one to your collection!
http://www.bustedtees.com/winterolympics
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vancouver2010Disgrace Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 1:22 pm
I’ve been predicting that the olympics will be a national disgraceful disaster for quite some time and by the looks of things my predictions are all coming true. The lack of snow on the mountains is only the tip of the iceberg. I expect huge riots, massive transportation issues at YVR, translink and the stupid whistler express bus crap. Think about it people. This is Vancouver.
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VRENGD Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 1:41 pm
The DTES may be the crappiest place in North America, but its real estate prices never go down!
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Drachen Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 1:44 pm
@patriotz:
I wasn’t referring so much to where they’re FROM as where they work NOW.
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oneangryslav2 Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 1:52 pm
@patriotz: By “Ottawa”, Drachen means the Federal government, not Ottawa-area MPs. It’s analogous to when residents of the USA criticize “Washington”. They’re not criticizing the residents of DC.
I agree, however, with your characterization of the political cleavages in this country. It used to be that the “two solitudes” was an apt metaphor for Canada because the country was cleaved along the language dimension–you were either a Leafs fan or an Habs fan
–but now the main political cleavage is rural versus urban Canada.
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Bearsince08' Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Great articles coming out as of late…All Aboard!!!!
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/cbc.....problems_1
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chumpdawg Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 2:35 pm
I myself have never felt threatened in the DTES. I don’t make it a habit of walking around there, but that’s because I don’t want to see what goes on, not because I am scared.
I am more concerned for my safety when walking on Granville St on a Friday night.
The bit about brutal retaliation is a bit hyperbolic. There is actually little crime and violence down there- what is there left to steal?
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Bubble Lad Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 2:48 pm
@Bearsince08′:
If somebody has the time and inclination they should start a new blog: OLYMPIC SCREWUPS
God knows there’d be no shortage of postings.
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patriotz Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 2:50 pm
@oneangryslav2:
No such ambiguity exists in the US, because the residents of DC are not represented in the US government.
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patriotz Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 2:59 pm
@Sandy:
Yes here’s an idea – quit calling them “impoverished”. That kind of talk just supports popular attitudes like “my grandpa grew up poor in a one-room shack and he did well in life” / “the couple in the basement suite work for minimum wage and their kids are going to university”, “so why can’t these people do the same”.
The real problem with the people in the DTES is mental illness (and I include drug addiction and personality disorders in that) and the solution is to treat these problems. If you give the impression that their problem is simply poverty people will think that you just want to throw tax money at them.
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patriotz Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 3:05 pm
@chumpdawg:
I remember reading about a homeless woman saying she did not stay in shelters because people would steal her socks.
If you think their isn’t much violence down there, why do so many people have visible injuries?
It really is a nasty place.
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specialfx3000 Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 3:11 pm
Re: #27 about the floating hotel being in financial troubles;
I got curious and tried to google a way to book a cabin.
Found their press release that said, “For additional information or to book a package visit: http://www.vancouver2010cruiseship.com.”
Of course once you get to the link, there is no contact info or a further link to make a booking. Other than the stupid asking prices, wonder why they have difficulties filling the rooms.
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Drachen Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 3:27 pm
@patriotz:
“No such ambiguity exists in the US, because the residents of DC are not represented in the US government.”
Well they are, just not equally with the states. They vote for President as everyone else does but there’s no Senator from DC and their member of Congress is a ‘delegate’ who can only vote on procedural matters.
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atlanta Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Media bashing happens for pretty much every Olympics, from Atlanta, Beijing and Greece. Media looks for controversy to sell their work. Schadenfreude sells.
I’ve had first hand experience with Atlanta. They were severely overbudget, traffic was a huge concern, security was so tight thatwe each had to get a background check and stand in line for a day to get clearance and passes. Many locals were cynical by the heavy hand and sue-happy IOC. Lots of reports about that and traffic, construction and parking. The Olympic village displaced Techwood projects, the oldest public housing project in America, and one of the most violent areas in North America at the time. You think DTES is bad, we went to sleep to automatic weapons almost every night. Frequently it’d be so loud, I thought the bullets strayed into my building. I lived nearby for about a year and a half. A few times I saw the street next to my building blocked off and ERT wrapping up a bleeding torso, and cops gathering the smoking gun.
Projects wasn’t the source of all gunshots either. Right around the Opening Ceremonies, was July 4th. Some redneck decided to shoot a gun into the air in celebration. What goes up, must come down. The bullet came down on the leg of an Olympic security guard. Media added to their celebration – originally suspecting a terrorist attack.
Once the Olympics actually came to town, it was sweltering hot. Press talked about how the horses’ health was at risk. IOC complained that AOC lied about the average temperature during that time of the year. IBM’s computer system failed numerous times. People complained about IOC heavy armed legal tactics, preventing them from using anything remotely associated with an Olympic brand. When the bomb went off, it was another media heyday.
My point is that pointing to Olympics City’s flaws is nothing new. This is just the media creating noise.
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patriotz Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 4:13 pm
@Drachen:
Well that’s representation that counts for little. No voting member of Congress who is accountable to them. And since DC always votes Democratic, they can be ignored by presidential candidates as they do not deliver swing votes.
BTW the wording I had a problem with was “So if there’s a city in Canada to blame for Vancouver’s mess it’s your beloved Ottawa!”, particularly when it was in response to the policies of the City of Ottawa, as though the city had some special influence over the federal government. People in BC talk about “Victoria”, but they don’t connect the City of Victoria with the provincial government (as least not today when its MLA’s are in the opposition). If someone had said “blame the guy at 24 Sussex” or “the people on Parliament Hill”, well fine.
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gvrdpropertyowner Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 4:17 pm
I think that, ultimately, this CMHC bubble will become a blessing in disguise for the Grizzlies among us.
Remember, home ownership rates were at all time highs— with many average people owning multiple properties— before the current first time home buyer led, Vancouver real estate inflation explosion of 2009, and I guess early 2010?
Nevertheless, time for a paradigm shift Yogi: You want people to buy homes right now.
By definition— all the people who would have bought Vancouver real estate, if it depreciated by 15 or 20%, already did in 2009. So the question then becomes, who is between the bears and a 40 or 50% drop in prices? Anyone?
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Drachen Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 4:26 pm
@gvrdpropertyowner:
“So the question then becomes, who is between the bears and a 40 or 50% drop in prices? Anyone?”
There are some, the hard-core kool-aid drinkers will always believe that any drop in the market is just temporary, they’ll use their other properties to leverage the buying of new ones and in the end these are going to be the people who truly lose everything because the levee is going to break and no matter how hard they believe in the market a few thousand people simply cannot hold the water back.
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Wreckonomics Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 4:34 pm
@Bearsince08′: Thats incredible. So even after dropping prices to $275 a night and throwing in 3 free meals a day they still don’t have enough demand to fill a cruise ship? Speculators here are screwwwwed!
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Anonymous Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 4:42 pm
^^^^
nah–just hard to find the booking information thats all…not a sign of who is or is not coming
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Boombust Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 5:28 pm
“VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Five blocks away from the venue for Vancouver’s Olympic opening ceremonies, four grizzled addicts huddle in the rain, injecting themselves with heroin behind a trash bin.”
Hey, you snot-nose. I was in Washington DC last summer.
It doesn’t take too long to find the same, and WORSE across the Potomac.
“I can’t BELIEVE this poverty and hardship is in America’s national capitol” I said to no one in particular…
And, ever been to Baltimore only an hour’s drive away? UUUUuuuuugly.
And then there’s the Newark/Jersey City area. So buggar off.
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citizen Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 5:59 pm
@Bearsince08′:
… $275 per room, including three meals a day. Wow, I should move to Olympic cruise ship hotel for two weeks, it would be cheaper then staying at my downtown condo and eating out.
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ReadyToPop Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 6:06 pm
Everyone should try out the Vancouver RE simulator. That Olympic cable thingy at Robson Square that takes you on a wild ride down from an artificial high.
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Drachen Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 6:26 pm
@ReadyToPop:
Or just plot one of these for Vancouver.
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realpaul Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 7:30 pm
Its hard to believe that anyone could be as ignorant as some of the comments coming out today to defend the ‘offish-all’ position in the DTES. Denieing that it’s not there will not make it go away.
I see the the head deniers like Dipshit Mayor nad Full of shit Cloeman have conspired to set up a ‘media center’ to misdirect the foriegn media away from the facts. They must think they’re entertaining Bill Slut. Pamela Douchebag and Phony Parsons. The international media was tearing greggy and Rich big new assholes today and Cloemans people had to prush him out of a very intense questions session by the greman, british , american and chinese media. Lolololololol this Olympic games is going to expose Vancshitzone for exactly what it is.
The foriegn media is touring the sewage outflows, they are touring the homeless camps, they are interviewing people who have been stifled by the local propaganda machine here.
‘Best place on earth?” lolololololol, not in the eyes of the world it isn’t. Did you see Greggy Robertson sweat when he had to answer questions. he couldn’t promise these guys ‘access’ or additional city ‘advertising’ to hide the facts. I’ll bet he doesn’t go out again in public for the duration of the games. Did thry think they had everyone fooled?
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Drachen Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 8:07 pm
@realpaul:
“Dipshit Mayor nad Full of shit Cloeman have conspired to set up a ‘media center’ to misdirect the foriegn media away from the facts. They must think they’re entertaining Bill Slut. Pamela Douchebag and Phony Parsons.”
Don’t hold back behind euphemisms and gentle language, we can handle it if you want to express how you really feel.
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domus Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 8:36 pm
The CHMC is not a blessing. It is an unmitigated disaster!
The CHMC is the single most important cause of un-affordability in Vancouver (and many other areas of Canada).
As it has been pointed out by several people on this blog, all you have to do is plotting the time series of house prices over the past 40 years. You will immediately identify the structural change in prices (higher price levels) associated to the introduction of the CHMC.
The CHMC was introduced to make housing more affordable for Canadians by subsidizing loans. It has achieved the opposite effect.
Write to your MPs and tell them that you want the CHMC scrapped or dramatically reduced! You won’t regret that email.
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Informer 10 Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 10:15 pm
““I’d be thinking “I have to flush this genetic fraskshow from my womb”
well now a days some boys got womb for re-production,Finally scullboy has reveled her secret at vci.Hey everyone! say thanks to (i) 10.
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Informer 10 Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 10:59 pm
@Boombust:You also revealed great secret thanks for your personal anecdotals.I beleive this problem is everywhere in the world.This problem start from primary school to universities,From streets to work place most of the rejected bodies own this bussiness to intentionally explicit or turn someone into addiction.
Why media is picking up Vancouver?
As joke from the pope suspect actually Vancouver real estate shows no sign colling off in the near future on a point where it can stop pulling over buyers from otherside of borders.So they are trying to hide their own problems and they had choose to highlight someone else’s problems.
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Informer 10 Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 11:16 pm
All gools go home. Van city number on. Media dont scare us we know we ar nummer one.
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Informer 10 Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 11:35 pm
@VRENGD: Interest rates can only move up to form a line with economy progress,there is no provision to form sepration without re-installation.
When economy goes up it will definitley increase the inflation rates and Banks must act to control inflation.
The only situations that can ever arise without gauge of economy recovery is that if for some reason consumer goods are hard to receive for example: limited excess to the area where consumers lives,disatour area where no help is reachable,Where government have no control to nab down prices,If storage centre is empty and can’t be fill up due to restriction of supply for consumer goods,Import restrictions or conflicts etc.
Unless or otherwise
Model A
Economy down
Employment down
Inflation down
Interest rates down
Model B
Economy UP
Employment UP
Inflation UP
Interest rates UP
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FORREST Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 11:38 pm
Informer 10:
Take some ESL classes. Jeez, wtf are you trying to say?
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Informer 10 Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 11:57 pm
@FORREST: and all,
I know you guys are in sort of bubbly chord and then I start screwing up your brains.
Sorry for bothering you for last few days.
Best Regard
Informer 10 gone forever.
bye! bye.
Dave,ThePope,Drachen,Patriotz,,Sofia,BDK,Supraboy,Browntown.
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realpaul Says:
February 2nd, 2010 at 12:19 am
The Nazi Mayor of seatsniffery & Vision Vancouver Party has announced that the CCTV cameras that were first announced as ‘temporary security for the Olympics’ have been announced today as permanent.
Greggy Robertson and his flouncing followers fancy dress thier way to total power. Zieg Heil Greggy Roberts, Obergrupenfurher of the foo-foo bee-cee-clettes seatless post riders brigade. Zieg Heil Vision Vanshithole.
What was that other syphlitic cabal that took over when the sheeple were sleeping?
If you voted for any of these clowns you should consider ending it.
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ReductiMat Says:
February 2nd, 2010 at 12:20 am
http://www.news1130.com/news/l.....erty-group
“They’ll tell you homelessness is about addictions and mental illness, but that’s not true. It’s about housing supply, not enough homes for low-income people,” explains Pedersen.
Sounds like Wendy Pedersen has the answer. All they need is homes on the East Side of Vancouver and all their problems dissapear.
Please note, we must supply with them with shelter on the East Side of Vancouver.
Also note, I must be supplied with one Red Ferrari.
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Informer 10 Says:
February 2nd, 2010 at 1:12 am
Fuk u dikwad 53 u not be me. I neva go down, just like Vacover house price.
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patriotz Says:
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:02 am
@ReductiMat (quoting poverty advocate):
What did I tell you? But everyone knows that the farmworkers (who make less than minimum wage), the people working at McD’s, etc, all have somewhere to live.
And we know that real rents are lower than a generation ago, when there was far less homelessness. And that supply of shelter is growing faster than demand.
Address the real problems.
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patriotz Says:
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:09 am
@Boombust:
But you see license plates in DC that say “America’s Last Colony” (on the plate holder actually, it’s a statement from the residents), not “The Best Place on Earth”.
And I don’t think you’d see the residents of DC voting 2/3 to host the Olympics any time soon.
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patriotz Says:
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:21 am
@domus:
40 years ago single income households were still the norm. The rise of dual income households since that time is a fundamental support for higher real house prices.
I think you’re on more solid ground if you go back 25 years, since dual income households have been the norm for new homeowners since the boomers started working.
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Drachen Says:
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:16 am
@patriotz:
I think he’s referring to the introduction of Mortgage insurance by the CMHC, which does go back 25 years and he’s suggesting the last 40 years as a total graph to look at so there’s some stable period before, then a very noticeable uptick in prices about 25 years ago. That’s how I read it anyhow.
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Drachen Says:
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:18 am
I should add, the CMHC is actually nearly 65 years old (maybe that’s the problem, it’s going prematurely senile?) it’s just the CMHC backed mortgages that are 25 years old.