Huggybear Member Username: Huggybear
Post Number: 279 Registered: 08-2005
| Posted on Sunday, January 21, 2007 - 10:04 am: | |
I found this approach interesting. http://www.oregonlive.com/news /oregonian/index.ssf?/base/new s/1169193355137390.xml&coll=7 |
Gannon Member Username: Gannon
Post Number: 7948 Registered: 12-2003
| Posted on Sunday, January 21, 2007 - 10:37 am: | |
Taking cash out of the equation seems the easiest one to implement...but those who bring in this stuff in OUR city should be immediately enrolled in school or some useful government jobs program. Dawned on me yesterday, they say that Americans are unwilling to do menial tasks for money. That obviously is untrue, or these scrappers wouldn't exist. Cannot be much more menial a work than disassembling a rustbelt city one scrap at a time. |
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner
Post Number: 831 Registered: 04-2006
| Posted on Sunday, January 21, 2007 - 12:43 pm: | |
I would agree with the article that drug addicts will do just about anything to get a fix. Look at how dangerous it must be for the street hooker, yet she is out there anyway risking her life or health just to get some money for her next fix. Its sad. There should be more educational programs put on by religious, health departments, or liberal do-gooders. |
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul
Post Number: 296 Registered: 10-2006
| Posted on Sunday, January 21, 2007 - 1:33 pm: | |
scrappers anonymous? |
220hendrie1910 Member Username: 220hendrie1910
Post Number: 60 Registered: 02-2006
| Posted on Monday, January 22, 2007 - 6:01 pm: | |
I suggest a 12-step program. Since metal steps are out of the question, shall we make it a gangplank? Feelin' scrappy in Ottawa. |
Beavis1981 Member Username: Beavis1981
Post Number: 86 Registered: 08-2006
| Posted on Monday, January 22, 2007 - 6:11 pm: | |
crappy life=no hope=drugs=blight and scrapping. This is just a symptom of a much bigger problem. We could blame china for following in our example of waste and excess. At 2-4 dollars a pound for copper this isn't stopping anytime soon. At those prices the lee plaza paid for one hell of a crack party! |
Reetz12 Member Username: Reetz12
Post Number: 125 Registered: 09-2005
| Posted on Monday, January 22, 2007 - 6:36 pm: | |
Lets start a city program that will pay for all sorts of debris.....$0.20 a lb for wood $0.35 a lb for garbage bags, $0.75 each tire....and so forth. Then maybe we could get the city cleaned up in no time! |
Jams Member Username: Jams
Post Number: 4604 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Monday, January 22, 2007 - 6:42 pm: | |
OH GREAT! Give scrappers a new source of income. |
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz
Post Number: 1404 Registered: 12-2005
| Posted on Monday, January 22, 2007 - 7:19 pm: | |
Perhaps scrappers can someday perform a useful public service by ridding us of all our pesky pennies. From Wikipedia, Cent (United States coin):quote:The cent's composition was changed in 1982 because the value of the copper in the coin started to rise above one cent. Some 1982 cents use the 97.6% zinc composition, while others used the 95% copper composition. The price of copper later returned to profitable levels. As of November 2, 2006, the price of copper is $3.31 per pound and zinc is $1.93 per pound. At these prices, the pre-1982 copper cent contains 2.224 cents worth of copper, which makes them an attractive target for melting by people wanting to sell the metal at a profit. However, the United States Mint, in anticipation of this practice, implemented new regulations[1] on December 14, 2006 which criminalizes the melting of pennies and nickels. Violators can be punished with a fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisoned for a maximum of five years. Presumably with the rapid rise in price for zinc, the US Mint will have to find another alternative. The scrap zinc in a post-1982 cent is worth 1.1 cents. With the costs of manufacturing and distribution, the net cost to produce one cent is about 1.4 cents, significantly higher than the face value of the coin. Curious trivia:quote:People with young ears can hear the difference between the bronze and copper pennies and the newer, zinc pennies: simply "flip" the coin, giving it a good, solid strike. The predominantly copper pennies produce a "ringing" sound in the 12 kHz range. The zinc coins do not ring. |
Beavis1981 Member Username: Beavis1981
Post Number: 87 Registered: 08-2006
| Posted on Monday, January 22, 2007 - 10:57 pm: | |
reetz- The sad part is that would work! You could pay a couple bucks a yard and the crackheads will be all over it. |
Jams Member Username: Jams
Post Number: 4618 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Monday, January 22, 2007 - 11:12 pm: | |
...and stripping every clapboard house they could get a prybar under. |
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 4770 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 - 4:13 pm: | |
Your US penny is no good if it doesn't have Abe Lincoln on front and back. Look on the back of a newer penny with a magnifier. There he is, the Emcancipator hisse'f, sitting in the chair at Lincoln Memorial. Demand only the authentic in your change. jjaba, Westsider pitching pennies. |
Dougw Member Username: Dougw
Post Number: 1526 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Sunday, January 28, 2007 - 11:18 pm: | |
There's a story coming up on the 11pm Channel 4 News in a few minutes about an undercover report they're doing on metal theft in Detroit... (just saw a teaser) |
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard
Post Number: 2311 Registered: 10-2004
| Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 12:01 pm: | |
Paul Harvey on WJR today had a bit about scrappers stealing railroad tracks for a decent return. So now we will have to deal with another breed of domestic terrorists causing railroad disrailments where scrappers steal or dislodge the tracks. I can visualize Detroit's commuter-rail prospects grind to a halt after various unguarded sections of track disappear overnight... |
Gannon Member Username: Gannon
Post Number: 8210 Registered: 12-2003
| Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 12:08 pm: | |
PUN ALERT! |
Barnesfoto Member Username: Barnesfoto
Post Number: 2998 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 12:19 pm: | |
not all scrapping is bad; I like the fact that, at least in SWD, one can put an old appliance or pile of metal on the curb and there are folks driving around who pick it all up, toss it in their truck and haul it away...Some would refer to that as "recycling". |
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine
Post Number: 1493 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 12:29 pm: | |
i thought the same thing barnfesto when i put my old broken window A/C unit on the curb. But the bastard gutted all of the visible copper out of it on the spot (didn't touch the electric motor though, must've been amatures) , leaving me the carcass to take care of. in short, I am not wholy satisified with their service. (Message edited by gravitymachine on February 02, 2007) |
Southwestmap Member Username: Southwestmap
Post Number: 686 Registered: 01-2005
| Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 12:46 pm: | |
Barnes and Gravity: be careful about dumping those old appliances. You may be dumping a treasure. Go here for a surprise: http://www.antiqueappliances.c om/products/hotpoint/1953_hotp oint_two_door_refrigerator.htm I refer to this because I just bought a one-door Hotpoint from 1950 in fine condition for $30. |
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard
Post Number: 2314 Registered: 10-2004
| Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 12:49 pm: | |
That Hotpoint would be a terrible unit from an energy standpoint, though. But in the winter, it helps keep the kitchen warm. Gas heat is about two or three times cheaper on a BTU basis. |
Southwestmap Member Username: Southwestmap
Post Number: 687 Registered: 01-2005
| Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 12:54 pm: | |
The restorers say that a refurbished motor will make it much more efficient. I read that it should run 10 minutes out of every hour. |
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard
Post Number: 2316 Registered: 10-2004
| Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 1:03 pm: | |
Its insulation is very sub par. Also, the "technology" is very old. My parents bought their first "refrigerator" (a Sears Coldspot) during WWII, but because of rationing, it was equipped with an "ice box" freezer. In 1947, a Sears tech came to the house and finally installed the motor and compressor, etc. that was supposed to come with it originally. The state of the art for refrigeration in 1950 was quite different than today's. Even back during the 1930s, hundreds of laborers would descend on Madison's Lake Mendota (~10,000 acres) and literally saw hundreds of thousands of huge ice blocks for ice (for bars and such) and send them to as far away as St. Louis in the summer from ice sheds in town using sawdust for insulation. |
Southwestmap Member Username: Southwestmap
Post Number: 689 Registered: 01-2005
| Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 1:13 pm: | |
I understand about the insulation. I don't plan to use it much - just as a retro beer refrigerator during parties at a cottage. Your note about ice harvesting is interesting. There is a website about the topic that includes plans for some early icehouses on baronial english estates. |
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard
Post Number: 2318 Registered: 10-2004
| Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 1:18 pm: | |
Even ice fishing. I got my bag limit of ice several times while fishing. But, that's easy. I'm half Polish... |
Gannon Member Username: Gannon
Post Number: 8218 Registered: 12-2003
| Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 2:05 pm: | |
My brother-in-law-in-law in Grosse Point Farms or Village or whatever found rebuilt appliances for his restored nineteen-thirty-something kitchen. They really add class to a functional early-twentieth century appearing kitchen. He's my hero for putting in all this effort and cost for his vision...gorgeous work for a perfect lifestyle for him and my brother-in-law's amazing sister. |
Brandon48202 Member Username: Brandon48202
Post Number: 143 Registered: 12-2004
| Posted on Friday, February 23, 2007 - 4:00 pm: | |
Hawaii law enforcement is cracking down on scrappers by using sting operations to catch the people at the scrap yards who are buying the stuff: http://starbulletin.com/2007/0 2/23/news/story01.html They are also talking about a 45 day waiting period to get paid for selling scrap metal to the scrap yards. |
Diehard Member Username: Diehard
Post Number: 24 Registered: 03-2005
| Posted on Friday, February 23, 2007 - 6:56 pm: | |
I agree with Brandon. Going after the scrapyards that are buying metal they know is stolen would be very effective. I mean, they buy historic marker plaques and manhole covers! How could anyone believe those aren't stolen? The waiting period to get paid is a darn good idea too. |
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner
Post Number: 1011 Registered: 04-2006
| Posted on Friday, February 23, 2007 - 7:24 pm: | |
the waiting period would slow down the crackheads. by going after those who profit, makes a lot of sense. |
Superduperman Member Username: Superduperman
Post Number: 218 Registered: 01-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 9:59 pm: | |
It would be nice if we could somehow use the scrappers for good,like if a building was vacant and the city owned it and was condemed,we could actually let the scrappers strip the building but under certain conditions. Like if it was adjacent to a lot that had trash or the building it self had a lot of garbage they would have to agree to clean up the building and or lot. I noticed a lot of buildings that have been stripped look as though they were hit by locust or something......now if only there was some way to recycle brick........ |