the copper thief

A friend and I were recently discussing the economic recession that our country is in, and he mentioned that he had heard that there has been a rise in stolen copper with foreclosures. It's pretty sad when people find themselves so desperate that they're willing to rip the copper plumbing out of their foreclosed home for some extra cash. When I used to work for a large telecommunications firm, we had similar problems with the theft of copper cabling. But these were common thieves who also didn't think twice about stealing old relay racks and used cisco equipment from the back of a company truck. Whereas the people stealing copper from their own homes today are your typical run-of-the-mill homeowners that have apparently been pushed to edge of financial ruin. Personally, I can't see myself ever being so underhanded, but it's hard to speculate what kind of frame of mind we would find ourselves if we were in that much financial strain.

We've also noticed while driving past the parking lot of the local food bank that it is much busier than it used to be. Storeowners downtown state that business is down. I believe it. My online affiliate sales have decreased, as well. People are spending less money because they are making less money. The possibility of an economic collapse makes me feel like saving my cash, and I know I'm not alone. Plus, I seriously doubt that this bailout idea that the president is pushing is going to help any of us. The average American citizen is already living lean and may be getting desperate. Anyone who leaves their money invested in the stock market at this point, bailout or not, had better be prepared for some longterm recovery, if at all.