Oil's energy contribution has declined by about 12% since 1999. The world's economies have also declined by about 12%. (Using conventional metrics, which are time delayed determinations, this will only be seen in hind sight). The massive destruction of asset values now occurring testifies to it happening.
Peak is well behind us, world economies have peaked and will continue to decline.
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 8:29 am Post subject: Car Sleepers The New US Homeless
This is sad. Has anyone heard of this emerging trend in other areas. link _________________ "Since you have chosen to elect a man with a timber toe to succeed me, you may all go to hell and I will go to Texas." Davy Crockett
Joined: Oct 16, 2004 Posts: 1281 Location: Brisbane, Australia
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:07 am Post subject: Re: Car Sleepers The New US Homeless
I've been thinking of buying a van to live in. I could park it on my dad's land for a while and eventually buy some land of my own to live on and camp on it till I can get a house built/moved onto it. But it must be hard to be forced to live like that, when it's so far outside your expectations. I think the term "middle class homeless" is a bit of a misnomer though, maybe even an oxymoron. If you've no income and can't afford a home you are no longer middle class. _________________ Kind regards, Katkinkate
"The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops,
but the cultivation and perfection of human beings."
Masanobu Fukuoka
Joined: May 27, 2007 Posts: 1776 Location: The Post Peak Oil Historian
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:24 am Post subject: 'Car sleepers' the new US homeless
In a car park across the street from luxury mansions, the evening brings a strange sight.
A few cars arrive and take up spaces in different corners. In each car, a woman, perhaps a few pets, bags of possessions and bedding.
Across the street from homes with bedrooms to spare, these are Santa Barbara's car sleepers.
Homeless within the last year, they are a direct consequence of America's housing market collapse.
In this woman-only parking lot, Bonnee, who gives only her first name, wears a smart blue dress and has a business-like demeanour.
A year ago, she was making a healthy living as, ironically, a real estate agent. But when people stopped buying houses, her commission-based income dried up, and, like many clients, she too was unable to pay her mortgage.
Soon she found herself with nowhere to live but her 4x4.
Piles of blankets are in the back of the vehicle. Personal documents are stuffed into seat pockets. Books litter the back seat. A make-up bag and gym membership card (she washes at the gym) are in the front. With her constantly, are photos of her former life.
She can't quite believe her situation.
"My God, America's heart is bleeding," she tells me.
Tears fill her eyes.
"I know it'll get better. But it feels sad. I really fought hard."
This new phenomenon of middle-class homelessness is hard to quantify, but New Beginnings, an organisation that runs the car park sleeping scheme in Santa Barbara, says they accommodate some 55 people in a dozen parking lots.
Outreach worker Nancy Kapp, once homeless herself, says there is a waiting list for car park spaces and she is getting more and more calls each day from people about to lose their homes.
She identifies it as a new breed of homeless emerging in America.
Being poor is like this cancer, and now this cancer is filtering up to the middle-class," she says. "I don't care how strong you are, it's a breakdown of the human psyche when you start to lose everything you have."
"These people have worked their whole lives to have a house and now it's crumbling and it's in ashes and how devastating is that?" she says.
"It's not an American dream, it's an American nightmare."
What is this term middle class homeless? If you are living in your car, you are NOT middle class, you are homeless. Time to recognize there are only two classes of people; those that stole the wealth of America and those that got fleeced. _________________ In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. - George Orwell
It riles them to believe that you perceive the webs they weave. - Moody Blues
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:31 am Post subject: Re: Car Sleepers The New US Homeless
The thing I find sad is the children. Makes me wonder why these people don't sell their cars buy an older RV and head for the SW desert? I would think sleeping in a lot in a major city could be dangerous. _________________ "Since you have chosen to elect a man with a timber toe to succeed me, you may all go to hell and I will go to Texas." Davy Crockett
Joined: May 27, 2007 Posts: 1776 Location: The Post Peak Oil Historian
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:45 am Post subject: Re: 'Car sleepers' the new US homeless
Just trying to expose the Myth of the Middle Class. There has actually always been only two classes. The ruling class and the working class. Middle class is like the slave foreman. He's still a slave.
The wealth of America, is the conditions we would live in if there wasn't this giant machine over us 'harvesting' the wealth of America and concentrating it at the top. _________________ In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. - George Orwell
It riles them to believe that you perceive the webs they weave. - Moody Blues
Last edited by Cid_Yama on Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:55 am; edited 1 time in total
Joined: Oct 16, 2004 Posts: 1281 Location: Brisbane, Australia
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:47 am Post subject: Re: Car Sleepers The New US Homeless
Yes there is some danger in staying in the city in a less than secure accommodations, but there is better access to emergency services, schools and a better chance of picking up a job. _________________ Kind regards, Katkinkate
"The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops,
but the cultivation and perfection of human beings."
Masanobu Fukuoka
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:53 am Post subject: Re: 'Car sleepers' the new US homeless
joeltrout wrote:
Cid_Yama wrote:
these are Santa Barbara's car sleepers.
Santa Barbara is one of the most expensive areas to live. I bet if she moved to Taft, CA she could afford a house.
According to Trulia.com the average listing price for week ending Sept 24 was $2,418,509 in Santa Barbara.
joeltrout
Taft average listing prices for the same week was $173,248. However she would have to get a job working in the oil fields and I don't know any SB resident who would do that.
Joined: Oct 16, 2004 Posts: 1281 Location: Brisbane, Australia
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:02 am Post subject: Re: 'Car sleepers' the new US homeless
Cid_Yama wrote:
Just trying to expose the Myth of the Middle Class. There has actually always been only two classes. The ruling class and the working class. Middle class is like the slave foreman. He's still a slave.
The wealth of America, is the conditions we would live in if there wasn't this giant machine over us 'harvesting' the wealth of America and concentrating it at the top.
I agree completely. If you rely on your wage or salary income from a job to pay your daily expences, you are working class, no matter how comfortably you live. The middle class are the people living off their own assets: a business or investments. _________________ Kind regards, Katkinkate
"The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops,
but the cultivation and perfection of human beings."
Masanobu Fukuoka
Joined: Oct 06, 2006 Posts: 1371 Location: East Texas
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:55 am Post subject: Re: Car Sleepers The New US Homeless
PS: Mini-vans are *really* good for this purpose. Take out the back row and you've got a little sleep n office space, wireless laptop, inverter, neighborhood wifi link... _________________ Yes, we are. As we are.
And so shall we remain; Until the end.
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