Re: Copper theft

bill.sloman@xxxxxxxx wrote:
John Larkin wrote:
On 21 Sep 2006 03:52:57 -0700, bill.sloman@xxxxxxxx wrote:

[snip]

And the U.S. uses twice as much oil per head as the Europeans,

U.S. : 25bbl, Norway: 20bbl, U.K.: 10.4bbl, Italy: 11.8bbl, Belgium:
22bbl (per capita)

which is an economic time bomb.

No it isn't. You forget that we earn a lot more money than you do.
Assume 12k miles/annum, 20 mpg, and $3/gallon, and you get $1.8k in
annual commuting costs. On average, however, U.S. citizens earn ~$10K
more, and keep more of it than Europeans, easily covering the cost.

<snip>

I think the US will do fine, as it is, and has been, pretty resilient
in adapting to circumstances. Europe will certainly survive as europe,
but I think the stresses will be a bit worse, due to the severe drop
in native birth rates and an unfamiliarty with massive immigration,
which is going to happen.

There has already been quite massive immigration into Europe - ever
heard of "guest workers"? It does produce social tensions and
occasional problems, but U.S.-style race riots are very few and far
between.

European-style race riots are uncommon here. Methinks the Europeans
are stricter with their guests, making plain their temporary and lesser
status, and following through by expelling them as convenient. Here
illegal immigrants, emboldened by our freedom, demand rights; they'd
never presume such in Europe.

<snip>

I think you are under-estimating the effects that rising oil prices are
going to have on the way your society works. You are much more
car-dependent than Europe, and a great deal of your housing stock is
going to be effectively useless when the price of petrol/gasoline makes
car=based commuting uneconomic.

Your innocence is charming. Here's how it works in a free-moving,
mobile, adaptive society:
1. Houses far removed from jobs cost less because of this. People buy
on the outskirts, to save money, and commute.
2. Business costs rise in congested areas. Businesses move. Jobs,
then, simply move to where houses cost less. It's happening now.

Best regards,
James Arthur

.

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