S.F. on verge of $4-per-gallon gas - S.F. rents rising - U.S. teens learning frugal

[Slimprofits]

Today's Chronicle is full of good news:
link

Sometime in the coming week, San Francisco is expected to become America's first major city to pay an average of $4 for a gallon of regular gas. The citywide average, tracked by the AAA auto club, stood at $3.97 today.

[..]

Gasoline sales in California have fallen for two years in a row, according to state data.

[..]

BART has seen a 6.7 percent increase in the number of passengers through this week compared with the same period a year earlier...

[..]

According to the Bay Area Toll Authority, the number of drivers crossing the region's seven state-owned toll bridges this fiscal year has dropped 2 percent compared with the previous year. Six of the bridges have seen falling traffic counts...

No respite in rising price of crude oil

Gas prices have risen 4 percent in the past month, while oil prices have jumped more than 8 percent.

[..]

But gas supplies in California and throughout the United States have been inching down in recent weeks. As they drop, prices will have another reason to rise.

[..]

But Kingston (Platt's Energy Service) said that while San Francisco may be the first major American metropolis to see $4 gas, it won't be the last.

Bay Area rents still rising

Average asking rents climbed 8.8 percent over the first quarter of last year to $1,578, as the occupancy rate nudged up 0.6 percent to 95.8 percent, according to a report by RealFacts of Novato, which analyzes data from apartment buildings with at least 50 units. Since 2004, regional rent has risen 23.7 percent.

[..]

Specifically, average rents have risen between 8 and 9.5 percent since mid-2006. That compares to a range of minus 0.2 percent to 3.4 percent in 2005, when the housing market was strong.

And from the it is about time department:

Hard Times Are Teaching Teens Frugality

[Guest]

Re: S.F. on verge of $4-per-gallon gas - S.F. rents rising - U.S. teens learning frug

Lookin' fit to hog-tie commuters down in San Diego as well. "Open your Wallet and say "AHHHHGHH". Soccer moms in Lincoln Navigators about to become an endangered species?

GO_RIDE_A_DONKEY_THEN.jpg

[Mega]

Re: S.F. on verge of $4-per-gallon gas - S.F. rents rising - U.S. teens learning frug

................and to think this is JUST the falling $, just wait (not very long) before peek oil kicks in!

Mike

[kingcopper]

Re: S.F. on verge of $4-per-gallon gas - S.F. rents rising - U.S. teens learning frug

I've noticed that my younger tenants are much more conservative than previous generations!

[rabot10]

Re: S.F. on verge of $4-per-gallon gas - S.F. rents rising - U.S. teens learning frug

Today's Chronicle is full of good news:
link


No respite in rising price of crude oil



Bay Area rents still rising



And from the it is about time department:

Hard Times Are Teaching Teens Frugality

I grew up just 30 miles north of San Francisco and must say that it is one of, if not the, most beautiful cities in all the world - and I have had the opportunity to visit Roma, Paris, etc.

But what a bunch of butt munching commies - the gas prices are going to be higher because of the taxes to support people with aids (boo hoo) and all the welfare for the non productive population, along with the illegal aliens that swarm the state popping out kids to put on welfare.

Just my happy thoughts
rick

[Mega]

Re: S.F. on verge of $4-per-gallon gas - S.F. rents rising - U.S. teens learning frug

What a nice though Rick........

I can forgive anyone whom has the horror of the aids, there are so many ways which they might contract it.

As for non-productive yes am forced to agree, there is also the problem of crime (the devil makes work for i-del hands).

Perhaps we should round up such people & ship them to New York?

Mike

BTW Rick do you know where Aids came from?

[rabot10]

Re: S.F. on verge of $4-per-gallon gas - S.F. rents rising - U.S. teens learning frug

What a nice though Rick........

I can forgive anyone whom has the horror of the aids, there are so many ways which they might contract it.

As for non-productive yes am forced to agree, there is also the problem of crime (the devil makes work for i-del hands).

Perhaps we should round up such people & ship them to New York?

Mike

BTW Rick do you know where Aids came from?

Sheep? jmho

As far as shiping anyone let's send them to London - better health care and I think they need work on there teeth

[Mega]

Re: S.F. on verge of $4-per-gallon gas - S.F. rents rising - U.S. teens learning frug

If you pay people for doing nothing, they do nothing!

They sit around getting into trouble, My friend worked for 20 years on the Welfare dept. She signed a bloke in his 20's, who never got a job, who had a son who came with him to "learn" to cralf of "Signing on".

Dad is now a Grandfather (Having NEVER worked) Son is in his 20's and not working & the Grandson is coming in with him to follow the family well trot path.

Its not that I have to pay, but they deal drugs, Carjack, Mug etc........Assholes!

Who will then Bitch about "Not having anything".
Mike

[BobinSFCA]

Re: S.F. on verge of $4-per-gallon gas - S.F. rents rising - U.S. teens learning frug

I grew up just 30 miles north of San Francisco and must say that it is one of, if not the, most beautiful cities in all the world - and I have had the opportunity to visit Roma, Paris, etc.

But what a bunch of butt munching commies - the gas prices are going to be higher because of the taxes to support people with aids (boo hoo) and all the welfare for the non productive population, along with the illegal aliens that swarm the state popping out kids to put on welfare.

Just my happy thoughts
rick

Dear Rick,

I live in downtown SF and to the best of my knowledge the high gas prices have nothing to do with people living with Aids or welfare, etc. Being a very small and expensive city, many people walk or take public transit.

I, for one, fill my big SUV up about once every two or three months since I can walk to my office. The property costs here are very high, and it is also expensive to have gasoline delivered here , so that may have some impact on gas prices. As far as I know, there are no city taxes on gas, only State. So I don't understand the point you are making.

Unlike many other places, the property values in SF have remained largely flat as opposed to a significant decline, so my mortgage payment is still less than rent at this point. I don't think living here has been a bad thing at all, despite some of the over-the-top politics (which are mostly for theatrics anyway since they no impact on National policy). The illegals can't really afford to live in the City anyway and most are out in the far away burbs. So keep in mind what the politicians may preach in SF is not reality for those of us who actually live and work here.

[rabot10]

Re: S.F. on verge of $4-per-gallon gas - S.F. rents rising - U.S. teens learning frug

Dear Rick,

I live in downtown SF and to the best of my knowledge the high gas prices have nothing to do with people living with Aids or welfare, etc. Being a very small and expensive city, many people walk or take public transit.

I, for one, fill my big SUV up about once every two or three months since I can walk to my office. The property costs here are very high, and it is also expensive to have gasoline delivered here , so that may have some impact on gas prices. As far as I know, there are no city taxes on gas, only State. So I don't understand the point you are making.

Unlike many other places, the property values in SF have remained largely flat as opposed to a significant decline, so my mortgage payment is still less than rent at this point. I don't think living here has been a bad thing at all, despite some of the over-the-top politics (which are mostly for theatrics anyway since they no impact on National policy). The illegals can't really afford to live in the City anyway and most are out in the far away burbs. So keep in mind what the politicians may preach in SF is not reality for those of us who actually live and work here.

And your point is?????

[BobinSFCA]

Re: S.F. on verge of $4-per-gallon gas - S.F. rents rising - U.S. teens learning frug

And your point is?????

Let me dumb it down for you since you don't seem to get it.

I recently joined this board to learn and discuss economics. If I wanted to read right-wing political commentary about my home city, I would engage one of the many neo-nazi boards readily available on the Internet. Your comments regarding people with aids, etc., are uncalled for, are callus and insensitive. Most of these types of comments have already been said (about 20 years ago), and usually by closeted types who have issues. I am surprised the administrator on this board didn't just delete your post.

Unlike you, who lived 30 miles from SF in your past, I actually live in the City limits and my property taxes, not gasoline taxes, pay for the City services you mention. I cannot fathom why you would have any interest in our City's budget since you are not part of it and pay nothing towards it.

Our high gasoline prices are very simple to understand. We have very little available land in our City. Land, being expensive, is not often used to build gas stations. As a result, there is little competition for the few that are here and they usually cater to commuters leaving the City (like those who live 30 miles away and can't afford to live here).

I use to enjoy reading many of your posts when they were focused on economics, not politics, but will now view them in a different light. Please accept my thanks for spoiling this board for me.

[Guest]

Re: S.F. on verge of $4-per-gallon gas - S.F. rents rising - U.S. teens learning frug

Lookin' fit to hog-tie commuters down in San Diego as well. "Open your Wallet and say "AHHHHGHH". Soccer moms in Lincoln Navigators about to become an endangered species?

[ATTACH]329[/ATTACH]

The reality is of course that people who drive $50,000 SUV's can probably afford $10/gal gas w/o breaking a sweat. Of course a few poseurs with big car payments may not. This particular class of vehicle is pretty much immune to financial incentives. It's the rest of the public in the more modest large SUV's and trucks that may decide they can make do with a smaller or less powerful ride.

I'd go along with 'soccer moms in Ford Expeditions' though.

I downsized from a full sized Ram to a midsize Tacoma and went from a combined 11.5mpg to 15.5mpg, a 1/3 improvement. But even then it's less than $1,000/year. Nice, but not life changing.

[Guest]

Re: S.F. on verge of $4-per-gallon gas - S.F. rents rising - U.S. teens learning frug

Let me dumb it down for you ... learn and discuss economics ... right-wing political commentary about my home city ... neo-nazi boards ... callus and insensitive ... closeted types who have issues ...we have very little available land ... your posts ... spoiling this board for me.

I don't know - I sort of enjoy reading genuinely reprehensible, outrageously insensitive, wildly politically incorrect, bigoted and even outright reactionary comments around here at least once in a while - (both from the left and the right).

It's kind of like an assurance this place has not yet been vaccinated as "fully pasteurized" by the food and drug administration. You know, with one of those "inspected for politically unsavory content and passed" stamps on the shrink wrapped label?

At any rate your collection of indignant remarks above definitely appear to be a perfect distillation of everything one would hear from an indignant San Franciscan. I think we can definitely rate the tone of response as "100% USDA San Francisco Morally Scandalized" (or is it "Morally Sanitized").

BTW - "callus" is spelt "callous". It is the noun designating an area of thickened skin developed by land animals to ward off injury from repeated abrasions.

And other point: the fact that iTulip does not censor such remarks is at least arguably a good thing. In my view, the fact such remarks are not "over-zealously" censored as you seem to wish and expect (politically correct police on the prowl are not doing their sanitizing duty?) is precisely because it encourages a wide and eclectic range of viewpoints - an approach I find distinctly refreshing.

Sorry to contribute what you'll likely regard as highly unwelcome "two cents" here, but the shrillness with which your high moral tone is expressed seemed to be begging for someone to offer you a rejoinder. Just because it's your home town does not mean you need to have a hissy fit if someone throws eggs at the place. Whatever happened to your famous San Francisco admiration for diversity of opinions here?

[Guest]

Re: S.F. on verge of $4-per-gallon gas - S.F. rents rising - U.S. teens learning frug

Let me dumb it down for you since you don't seem to get it.

I recently joined this board to learn and discuss economics. If I wanted to read right-wing political commentary about my home city, I would engage one of the many neo-nazi boards readily available on the Internet. Your comments regarding people with aids, etc., are uncalled for, are callus and insensitive. Most of these types of comments have already been said (about 20 years ago), and usually by closeted types who have issues. I am surprised the administrator on this board didn't just delete your post.

Unlike you, who lived 30 miles from SF in your past, I actually live in the City limits and my property taxes, not gasoline taxes, pay for the City services you mention. I cannot fathom why you would have any interest in our City's budget since you are not part of it and pay nothing towards it.

Our high gasoline prices are very simple to understand. We have very little available land in our City. Land, being expensive, is not often used to build gas stations. As a result, there is little competition for the few that are here and they usually cater to commuters leaving the City (like those who live 30 miles away and can't afford to live here).

I use to enjoy reading many of your posts when they were focused on economics, not politics, but will now view them in a different light. Please accept my thanks for spoiling this board for me.

Ok, his comment was unnecessary. But then in the same post you condemn him, you seem to imply that "right wing" and "neo-nazi" are interchangeable terms. You're guilty of the same thing, except you simply chose a less politically correct target to insult.

Your state in general is in a catastrophic financial mess due not to aids of course, but due to "left wing" socialist attitudes. Maybe those "right wingers" could teach you guys a few things about fiscal responsibility and free markets and liberty and how it can actually help more people in the long run escape poverty and financial ruin than giveaway programs.

I despise both parties equally, they each want to rob and steal my liberty and treasure, just in different ways.

[BobinSFCA]

Re: S.F. on verge of $4-per-gallon gas - S.F. rents rising - U.S. teens learning frug

BTW - "callus" is spelt "callous". It is the noun designating an area of thickened skin developed by land animals to ward off injury from repeated abrasions.

Sorry for the spelling - it was the result of the spell checker that I let insert the spelling for me when I quickly typed in my response. Just as I am certain you meant "spelled" instead of "spelt." Typos are easy to do in this type of format.

I am not an SF liberal, but rather a somewhat conservative Libertarian. I wasn't necessarily defending the politicians in SF (some of whom I despise), but rather the comments regarding the Aids victims and other unfortunates in the city. IMHO there is not need to trash the least among us. Ironically, if one were to post a racially insensitive remark about blacks, for example, I bet that post wouldn't be around long enough to see the light of day.