California tends to get a lot of the attention in terms of rising gas prices. The state does have the highest prices in the Lower 48, now averaging $4.35 per gallon, up from $3.83 in mid-February. But over the last five or so weeks, gas prices have increased more in dozens of U.S. cities outside Cali than they have in the Golden State, and a non-California metropolis now has the country’s highest prices at the pump.
It’s easy to drown in real estate statistics, but looking at “affordability” — the homes that someone on a median income could buy — is a fascinating gauge of housing markets. (Plus, it’s a statistic that can be fine-tuned to the local level). The recent release of the Housing Opportunity Index from the National Association [...]
Roughly one out of every 11 store sites is empty at traditional malls around the country. That’s the highest mall vacancy rate in over a decade, even though rents at these properties are likely to have decreased or leveled off recently. At the same time, outlet malls—where both rent for businesses and prices for consumers [...]
Los Angeles’ much-hyped “Carmaggedon,” in which the 405 Freeway was closed over the weekend, was mostly a non-event. Instead of producing a chaotic, traffic-choked scene all over L.A., the unprecedented road closure resulted in an even more unprecedented scenario, in which huge numbers of Angelenos figured out something to do that (gasp!) didn’t require the [...]
The headquarters for Schlitz, Old Style, and Pabst Blue Ribbon beers is moving from the Midwest to Los Angeles. Could this make the favorite swill of hipsters unhip—or even worse, expensive?
Crowds of thousands flock to southern California, as if pulled by some magical force. And that magical force is the acute pain they feel from both their teeth that are desperately in need of dental attention, and from the fact that they have no insurance and no other options but to sleep out overnight waiting [...]
Apparently, some flashy entertainment and interactive fun are likely to put shoppers in the mood to buy.
The world of professional sports is not immune to the recession—not even when it comes to playoff baseball.
Dude, you shoulda been there! People were lined up overnight just to get inside. Some people showed up day after day. It was amazing. Craziest of all—there was no charge to get in.
One thing the recession has made clear: Living large is totally not necessary. The waste and added expenses of huge cars and enormous homes seem silly right about now. For many people, downscaling may literally mean shrinking the size of those two mainstays, cars and homes.
