North Gate Radio

The Economy

It was just over a year ago that U.S. financial markets melted down. These days, more than one in ten Californians is without a job. Today we’ll take a stroll down economy lane and speak to a Berkeley resident who collects cans for extra cash. We’ll also speak to Bay Area porn producers. Turns out, their sales have gone soft during the recession. And we’ll trek north and spend a day with an 81-year-old man who shoes horses in picturesque Humboldt County.

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Today's producer was Japhet Weeks.  Our executive producer was Ben Manilla.  Our studio engineer was Angela Kilduff.  The anchors were Dara Kerr and Tyler Sipe.  Our Web producer is Tyler Sipe.

Can Collector
These days, everyone has a story about a scavenger digging through their recycling bin. Stolen cans and bottles cost the city of Bekeley more than an estimated hundred-thousand dollars a year. But just how much money can a man make in this illicit trade? Reporter Caitlin Esch takes a ride with a moonlight can collector and files this report.

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Stolen cans and bottles cost Bekeley more than $100,000 a year.

photo by Caitlin Esch
Web audio extras:

Mario's worst can collecting experience



Mario's best can collecting experience



Mission Bay
Reporter Clayton Trosclair visited a creekside community in San Francisco where a unique group of home owners have held out as bigger, shinier developments have cropped up around them.

To view a map of Mission Bay developments, click here.
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One-on-One Conversation with Michael Natzic
It's well known that this economic crisis has hit banks especially hard.  But not all banks are created equal.  We often hear about big money centers like Bank of America or Wells Fargo, but what about local community banks?  How have they been faring?  Melanie Mason reports.

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Michael R. Natzic,

Senior Vice President of Stone & Youngberg

Lyal Corliss, still shoeing horses at 81
In Northern California's Humboldt County, one hard-working octogenarian is still at a trade that people half his age consider

back-breaking. Reporter Japhet Weeks has the story.

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Photos by Yuli Weeks







Sex Doesn't Always Sell
Despite the common thinking, it turns out the porn industry is not immune to economic downturns.  A number of film studios and magazines have folded, or gone online since the beginning of the year, including Play Girl.  Reporter Tyler Sipe ventured to San Francisco’s Folsom Street Fair.  Where he spoke to a number of pornography producers about what exactly is making their sales go limp.  

Download link: Here
Photos by Tyler Sipe



Patrick Batt, owner of Auto Erotica in San Francisco's Castro District. Batt calls himself the porn recycler because most of his sales come from vintage pornography.


Phoenix resident Milton Odem shops at Auto Erotica. Odem says the recession hasn't hurt his appetite for purchases of pornography.


Attendees of the annual Folsom Street Fair browse the booth of gay pornography company Raging Stallion Studio.


Actors representing the pornography company Raging Stallion Studio speak to fans at San Francisco's annual Folsom Street Fair.  Sales of pornography have decreased during the recession, despite the common belief that it is immune to economic downturns.