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Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000!

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  Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Don <coach41@pacbell.net> - 2015-05-31 16:21 -0700
    Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-05-31 22:37 -0400
      Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2015-06-01 16:23 +1200
        Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Michael J. Mahon <mjmahon@aol.com> - 2015-06-01 02:33 -0500
          Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-06-01 10:36 -0400
            Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2015-06-02 09:24 +1200
          Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2015-06-02 09:19 +1200
        Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Bruce Esquibel <bje@ripco.com> - 2015-06-01 11:22 +0000
          Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Eric Rucker <bhtooefr@gmail.com> - 2015-06-01 05:20 -0700
          Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2015-06-02 09:27 +1200
        Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-06-01 10:28 -0400
          Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2015-06-02 09:42 +1200
            Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Tom Porter <laseractiveguy@gmail.com> - 2015-06-01 17:20 -0700
              Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Steve Nickolas <usotsuki@buric.co> - 2015-06-02 02:37 +0200
                Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Tom Porter <laseractiveguy@gmail.com> - 2015-06-01 17:45 -0700
                Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Tom Porter <laseractiveguy@gmail.com> - 2015-06-01 17:54 -0700
              Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2015-06-02 13:42 +1200
        Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Denis Molony <denisbytezone@gmail.com> - 2015-06-07 17:28 -0700
        Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! K-K00L <K-K00L@nomail.com> - 2015-06-08 10:53 -0400
      Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Steven Hirsch <snhirsch@gmail.com> - 2015-06-01 07:55 -0400
        Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-06-01 10:39 -0400
          Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2015-06-02 09:37 +1200
        Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2015-06-02 09:30 +1200
          Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! K-K00L <K-K00L@nsa.gov> - 2015-06-02 14:08 -0400
    Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! D Finnigan <dog_cow@macgui.com> - 2015-06-01 19:55 +0000
    Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Lukazi <lukazi@hotmail.com> - 2015-06-02 20:27 -0700
      Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Michael J. Mahon <mjmahon@aol.com> - 2015-06-03 02:56 -0500
        Re: Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000! Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2015-06-04 09:03 +1200

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#24936 — Woman Donates Computer.....worth $200,000!

She didn't know it was an Apple I.  I wonder if anyone knows the person who passed away.......

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/s/woman-tosses-apple-computer-turns-worth-200k-020430601.html

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#24939

On Sun, 31 May 2015, Don wrote:

> She didn't know it was an Apple I.  I wonder if anyone knows the person 
> who passed away.......
>
> https://www.yahoo.com/tech/s/woman-tosses-apple-computer-turns-worth-200k-020430601.html
>
I find it interesting that the place sold the computer, and now feels they 
should offer some of the money to her.  Why not try to find her first? 
Maybe she'd think twice about donating it if she knew better.

That's one of my fears.  If people throw things out, I may not see it, but 
it seems like less and less electronics is showing up at garage and 
rummage sales, or in the garbage.  I assume it's going to "electronic 
recyclers".  But I dont' trust them.  Will they actually notice that 
something is valuable?  Or will the "valuable" they notice be the most 
recent computers that come in? Lots of people are interested in old 
electronics, to collect or use, or even pull apart for parts.  But since 
it's not going to traditional outlets, I worry that most will get 
"trashed" because nobody notices it has some value.

A couple of years ago, I got a TomTom One GPS at a Rotary CLub garage 
sale, for ten dollars.  It was over in the "sports" section, looking 
forlorn and I sure didn't notice what it was other than an LCD screen 
until I looked close.  I'm not sure how that landed there, but I'd much 
rather have the chance at it than it just going directly to "recycling".

Same Rotary Club sale a few years back.  There was a portable radio, 
someone looking at it and I feared they'd get it.  But they put it down. 
It's a Grundig Satellite 700 shortwave radio, fairly top of the line when 
it came out. I look at the price, it seemed to be "$2.50" but that can't 
be, must be $25", but no, it was "2.50".  Of course I grabbed it. But if 
they couldn't see the value in it, that it was different from the other 
portable radios there, then it almost could have been tossed before the 
sale began.

So it was really lucky that someone who knew recognized this Apple I.

   Michael

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#24940

In article <alpine.LNX.2.02.1505312230550.4208@darkstar.example.org>,
Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> wrote:

> On Sun, 31 May 2015, Don wrote:
> 
> > She didn't know it was an Apple I.  I wonder if anyone knows the person 
> > who passed away.......
> >
> >
> > https://www.yahoo.com/tech/s/woman-tosses-apple-computer-turns-worth-200k-02
> > 0430601.html
> >
> I find it interesting that the place sold the computer, and now feels they 
> should offer some of the money to her.  Why not try to find her first? 
> Maybe she'd think twice about donating it if she knew better.

According to the newspaper article, it's their policy to give half back
to the person who dropped the item in.




> That's one of my fears.  If people throw things out, I may not see it, but 
> it seems like less and less electronics is showing up at garage and 
> rummage sales, or in the garbage.  I assume it's going to "electronic 
> recyclers".  But I dont' trust them.  Will they actually notice that 
> something is valuable?  Or will the "valuable" they notice be the most 
> recent computers that come in? Lots of people are interested in old 
> electronics, to collect or use, or even pull apart for parts.  But since 
> it's not going to traditional outlets, I worry that most will get 
> "trashed" because nobody notices it has some value.

It's not just garage sales, rubbish bins, etc. I picked up a couple of
"Limited Edition" numbered, steel-case DVDs a couple of weeks ago from
the bargain tables of the local shop. They cost NZ$3 each and both were
numbered less than 100.




> A couple of years ago, I got a TomTom One GPS at a Rotary CLub garage 
> sale, for ten dollars.  It was over in the "sports" section, looking 
> forlorn and I sure didn't notice what it was other than an LCD screen 
> until I looked close.  I'm not sure how that landed there, but I'd much 
> rather have the chance at it than it just going directly to "recycling".
> 
> Same Rotary Club sale a few years back.  There was a portable radio, 
> someone looking at it and I feared they'd get it.  But they put it down. 
> It's a Grundig Satellite 700 shortwave radio, fairly top of the line when 
> it came out. I look at the price, it seemed to be "$2.50" but that can't 
> be, must be $25", but no, it was "2.50".  Of course I grabbed it. But if 
> they couldn't see the value in it, that it was different from the other 
> portable radios there, then it almost could have been tossed before the 
> sale began.
> 
> So it was really lucky that someone who knew recognized this Apple I.

The various second-hand book sales (which usually includes all sorts of
other stuff too) such as those by Rotary are planning to be ended here
soon due to lack of sales, too much expense, both in venue hireage and
volunteer time. I have picked up a few good buys over the years, but
much of it is rubbish.

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#24943

Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> wrote:
> In article <alpine.LNX.2.02.1505312230550.4208@darkstar.example.org>,
> Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> wrote:
> 
>> On Sun, 31 May 2015, Don wrote:
>> 
>>> She didn't know it was an Apple I.  I wonder if anyone knows the person 
>>> who passed away.......
>>> 
>>> 
>>> https://www.yahoo.com/tech/s/woman-tosses-apple-computer-turns-worth-200k-02
>>> 0430601.html
>>> 
>> I find it interesting that the place sold the computer, and now feels they 
>> should offer some of the money to her.  Why not try to find her first? 
>> Maybe she'd think twice about donating it if she knew better.
> 
> According to the newspaper article, it's their policy to give half back
> to the person who dropped the item in.
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> That's one of my fears.  If people throw things out, I may not see it, but 
>> it seems like less and less electronics is showing up at garage and 
>> rummage sales, or in the garbage.  I assume it's going to "electronic 
>> recyclers".  But I dont' trust them.  Will they actually notice that 
>> something is valuable?  Or will the "valuable" they notice be the most 
>> recent computers that come in? Lots of people are interested in old 
>> electronics, to collect or use, or even pull apart for parts.  But since 
>> it's not going to traditional outlets, I worry that most will get 
>> "trashed" because nobody notices it has some value.
> 
> It's not just garage sales, rubbish bins, etc. I picked up a couple of
> "Limited Edition" numbered, steel-case DVDs a couple of weeks ago from
> the bargain tables of the local shop. They cost NZ$3 each and both were
> numbered less than 100.
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> A couple of years ago, I got a TomTom One GPS at a Rotary CLub garage 
>> sale, for ten dollars.  It was over in the "sports" section, looking 
>> forlorn and I sure didn't notice what it was other than an LCD screen 
>> until I looked close.  I'm not sure how that landed there, but I'd much 
>> rather have the chance at it than it just going directly to "recycling".
>> 
>> Same Rotary Club sale a few years back.  There was a portable radio, 
>> someone looking at it and I feared they'd get it.  But they put it down. 
>> It's a Grundig Satellite 700 shortwave radio, fairly top of the line when 
>> it came out. I look at the price, it seemed to be "$2.50" but that can't 
>> be, must be $25", but no, it was "2.50".  Of course I grabbed it. But if 
>> they couldn't see the value in it, that it was different from the other 
>> portable radios there, then it almost could have been tossed before the 
>> sale began.
>> 
>> So it was really lucky that someone who knew recognized this Apple I.
> 
> The various second-hand book sales (which usually includes all sorts of
> other stuff too) such as those by Rotary are planning to be ended here
> soon due to lack of sales, too much expense, both in venue hireage and
> volunteer time. I have picked up a few good buys over the years, but
> much of it is rubbish.

And, having had recent experience with a book reseller, I can report that
anything that doesn't "look like it will sell" is recycled--in my case,
that was over half of my donation. 

Ironically (tragically?), much the same decimation process is applied by
many libraries. ;-(
-- 
-michael - NadaNet 3.1 and AppleCrate II: http://home.comcast.net/~mjmahon

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#24951

On Mon, 1 Jun 2015, Michael J. Mahon wrote:

> Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> wrote:
>> In article <alpine.LNX.2.02.1505312230550.4208@darkstar.example.org>,
>> Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> wrote:
>>
>>> On Sun, 31 May 2015, Don wrote:
>>>
>>>> She didn't know it was an Apple I.  I wonder if anyone knows the person
>>>> who passed away.......
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> https://www.yahoo.com/tech/s/woman-tosses-apple-computer-turns-worth-200k-02
>>>> 0430601.html
>>>>
>>> I find it interesting that the place sold the computer, and now feels they
>>> should offer some of the money to her.  Why not try to find her first?
>>> Maybe she'd think twice about donating it if she knew better.
>>
>> According to the newspaper article, it's their policy to give half back
>> to the person who dropped the item in.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> That's one of my fears.  If people throw things out, I may not see it, but
>>> it seems like less and less electronics is showing up at garage and
>>> rummage sales, or in the garbage.  I assume it's going to "electronic
>>> recyclers".  But I dont' trust them.  Will they actually notice that
>>> something is valuable?  Or will the "valuable" they notice be the most
>>> recent computers that come in? Lots of people are interested in old
>>> electronics, to collect or use, or even pull apart for parts.  But since
>>> it's not going to traditional outlets, I worry that most will get
>>> "trashed" because nobody notices it has some value.
>>
>> It's not just garage sales, rubbish bins, etc. I picked up a couple of
>> "Limited Edition" numbered, steel-case DVDs a couple of weeks ago from
>> the bargain tables of the local shop. They cost NZ$3 each and both were
>> numbered less than 100.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> A couple of years ago, I got a TomTom One GPS at a Rotary CLub garage
>>> sale, for ten dollars.  It was over in the "sports" section, looking
>>> forlorn and I sure didn't notice what it was other than an LCD screen
>>> until I looked close.  I'm not sure how that landed there, but I'd much
>>> rather have the chance at it than it just going directly to "recycling".
>>>
>>> Same Rotary Club sale a few years back.  There was a portable radio,
>>> someone looking at it and I feared they'd get it.  But they put it down.
>>> It's a Grundig Satellite 700 shortwave radio, fairly top of the line when
>>> it came out. I look at the price, it seemed to be "$2.50" but that can't
>>> be, must be $25", but no, it was "2.50".  Of course I grabbed it. But if
>>> they couldn't see the value in it, that it was different from the other
>>> portable radios there, then it almost could have been tossed before the
>>> sale began.
>>>
>>> So it was really lucky that someone who knew recognized this Apple I.
>>
>> The various second-hand book sales (which usually includes all sorts of
>> other stuff too) such as those by Rotary are planning to be ended here
>> soon due to lack of sales, too much expense, both in venue hireage and
>> volunteer time. I have picked up a few good buys over the years, but
>> much of it is rubbish.
>
> And, having had recent experience with a book reseller, I can report that
> anything that doesn't "look like it will sell" is recycled--in my case,
> that was over half of my donation.
>
> Ironically (tragically?), much the same decimation process is applied by
> many libraries. ;-(

There was this great period when pocket size paperbacks ruled.  You could 
get just about anything in that format, it wsa cheap to print, it was 
cheap to buy.  So I have that Penguin pocket size paperback about radio 
astronomy, or that late fifties pocket paperback about model rocketry.

That sort of thing seems to be drying up.  In part since the form isn't 
being used except for fiction that are bestsellers.

I bought a book about the Battle of the Bulge, the pages were falling out 
as I finished, but for fifty cents or a dollar, I learned more than I 
needed about that period.  I didnt' have to have the latest bestselling 
history book about the battle.

Or, at one sale I found a pocket paperback of the history of the NAACP, 
for the fiftieth anniversary in the early sixties.  I'm interested in that 
sort of thing, so I buy it for fifty cents.  I get home, and see it's 
written by Langston Hughes, and when I open it, it seems that he 
autographed it.  That's way more interesting, the topic and the author, 
than some recent book that someone with a barcode reader can harvest to 
sell at a higher price on the internet (I've seen them, they ruffle 
through the books, checking the barcodes until one is worth enough).

Some books shouldn't have been published, some were overpublished (I still 
see copies of that Alvin Toffler book), but there are still plenty of 
interesting books, that simply require the right person to come along. 
That's often me (just like when the Rotary Club would have interesting 
electronics at their "garage sale", I once got a circuit board for a few 
dollars that was clearly an eprom programmer).  I'm less and less finding 
such things at the sales, so they lose that money.

On the other hand, I do understand how disappointing it can be to have a 
sale and then lots left over.

   Michael

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#24965

In article <alpine.LNX.2.02.1506011028410.5057@darkstar.example.org>,
Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> wrote:
> 
> I bought a book about the Battle of the Bulge, the pages were falling out 
> as I finished, but for fifty cents or a dollar, I learned more than I 
> needed about that period.  I didnt' have to have the latest bestselling 
> history book about the battle.

Ah, but if you had bought the very latest revised edition you would
have learnt that everything in that old edition was wrong.  ;-)




> Some books shouldn't have been published, some were overpublished (I still 
> see copies of that Alvin Toffler book), but there are still plenty of 
> interesting books, that simply require the right person to come along. 
> That's often me (just like when the Rotary Club would have interesting 
> electronics at their "garage sale", I once got a circuit board for a few 
> dollars that was clearly an eprom programmer).  I'm less and less finding 
> such things at the sales, so they lose that money.

There's usually quite a few people buying lots of books - sometimes
they're greedy second-hand book shop owners who then resell them to
someone else at a hefty mark-up.




> On the other hand, I do understand how disappointing it can be to have a 
> sale and then lots left over.

Not so much the left-overs, but the ever increasing cost of everything
means they would have to start charging $5 and $10 per used book
(rather than the current $1 or $2) just to cover the venue hireage, so
make no profit for their charity.

One person in the local newspaper article also said they were getting
less books being donated because more people were buying ebooks
instead.

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#24964

In article
<206223577454836196.324328mjmahon-aol.com@news.giganews.com>, Michael
J. Mahon <mjmahon@aol.com> wrote:
> Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> wrote:
> > In article <alpine.LNX.2.02.1505312230550.4208@darkstar.example.org>,
> > Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> wrote:
> >> 
> >> A couple of years ago, I got a TomTom One GPS at a Rotary CLub garage 
> >> sale, for ten dollars.  It was over in the "sports" section, looking 
> >> forlorn and I sure didn't notice what it was other than an LCD screen 
> >> until I looked close.  I'm not sure how that landed there, but I'd much 
> >> rather have the chance at it than it just going directly to "recycling".
> >> 
> >> Same Rotary Club sale a few years back.  There was a portable radio, 
> >> someone looking at it and I feared they'd get it.  But they put it down. 
> >> It's a Grundig Satellite 700 shortwave radio, fairly top of the line when 
> >> it came out. I look at the price, it seemed to be "$2.50" but that can't 
> >> be, must be $25", but no, it was "2.50".  Of course I grabbed it. But if 
> >> they couldn't see the value in it, that it was different from the other 
> >> portable radios there, then it almost could have been tossed before the 
> >> sale began.
> >> 
> >> So it was really lucky that someone who knew recognized this Apple I.
> > 
> > The various second-hand book sales (which usually includes all sorts of
> > other stuff too) such as those by Rotary are planning to be ended here
> > soon due to lack of sales, too much expense, both in venue hireage and
> > volunteer time. I have picked up a few good buys over the years, but
> > much of it is rubbish.
> 
> And, having had recent experience with a book reseller, I can report that
> anything that doesn't "look like it will sell" is recycled--in my case,
> that was over half of my donation. 
> 
> Ironically (tragically?), much the same decimation process is applied by
> many libraries. ;-(

I don't think they second-hand sales here (like Rotary) recycle
anything. Every year they certainly seem to have the same old piles of
1970s encyclopedia sets that nobody wants.

The book publishers on the other hand throw away many tons of books
every year. They are sent to be recycled.

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#24945

Your Name <YourName@yourisp.com> wrote:

> According to the newspaper article, it's their policy to give half back
> to the person who dropped the item in.

But that is what bugs me about this story, if it's their policy to gave half
back, why don't they have her name or at least a phone number?

I mean what are you supposed to do, wander back a month later and give them
a vague descripition of things you dropped off?

Seems more like a pubilicity stunt for the shop.

-bruce
bje@ripco.com

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#24947

On Monday, June 1, 2015 at 7:22:29 AM UTC-4, Bruce Esquibel wrote:
> But that is what bugs me about this story, if it's their policy to gave half
> back, why don't they have her name or at least a phone number?

Also according to another version of the story, she refused to give that information when they asked for it.

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#24966

In article <mkhf9k$9p7$1@remote5bge0.ripco.com>, Bruce Esquibel
<bje@ripco.com> wrote:
> Your Name <YourName@yourisp.com> wrote:
> > 
> > According to the newspaper article, it's their policy to give half back
> > to the person who dropped the item in.
> 
> But that is what bugs me about this story, if it's their policy to gave half
> back, why don't they have her name or at least a phone number?
> 
> I mean what are you supposed to do, wander back a month later and give them
> a vague descripition of things you dropped off?
> 
> Seems more like a pubilicity stunt for the shop.

They didn't have her name because she didn't give it. She had a box
full of "old junk" she simply wanted to get rid of, so she dropped it
off and left. It wasn't until days later when someone looked through
the box that they found the Apple I computer.

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#24949

On Mon, 1 Jun 2015, Your Name wrote:


> The various second-hand book sales (which usually includes all sorts of
> other stuff too) such as those by Rotary are planning to be ended here
> soon due to lack of sales, too much expense, both in venue hireage and
> volunteer time. I have picked up a few good buys over the years, but
> much of it is rubbish.
>
The school rummage sales have disappeared here, too bad since in the 
mid-nineties I wsa finding Apple stuff there, at good prices.  Though I 
suspect it was actual school items being cleared out for other types of 
computers.

But the book sales are still popular, I've been to 8 since the beginning 
of April.  But, some have tried to go upscale, go for pricing rather than 
quantity.  I'm not sure that works, it doesn't work for me.  I used to 
come home with piles of books, spending about the same amount each year. 
Then one library started up a "quality book sale", which appears to be 
selective about what they take, and then had higher prices.  And slowly 
some of the other book sales have followed.

The longest running one looks to the internet for pricing, forgetting that 
unless I was really looking for a specific book, the internet price means 
nothing to me.  But the magazines are gone, so are the computer books, the 
things I rushed to check first thing for decades, in case someone got 
there before me.

Another one wsa up to three dollars a book last fall.  Pricing everything 
equal makes it easy for the volunteers, but there isn't much that shows up 
that is worth three dollars, especially not when books are really 
available by the shovel full, at other book sales, at garage sales and 
piles left on the sidewalk.  Specific books are harder to find, but if I'm 
not seeing those at the sale, then the higher price means I won't buy, 
or buy very little.

Gone are the days when I'd add that computer book "it's only a dollar and 
I might get an Amiga one day" until I had thirty or forty books and they 
got a decent amount of money.  The higher the price, the less likely I am 
to bring home that book that I have a copy of already, but I know it's 
kind of uncommon, or buy that book because I want to read it again, and 
it's simpler to buy it for a dollar than try to find it among the books I 
ahve at home.

If the book sales hadn't started carrying DVDs and CDs, they really 
wouldn't be getting that much from me anymore.

   Michael

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#24969

In article <alpine.LNX.2.02.1506011019450.5057@darkstar.example.org>,
Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> wrote:
> 
> If the book sales hadn't started carrying DVDs and CDs, they really 
> wouldn't be getting that much from me anymore.

The Rotary and similar "book" sales here usually include magazines,
plus some smaller areas / tables for CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, vinyl
records, board games and jigsaws, computer software, a few kids toys,
etc.

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#24971

A year or two ago, I was at my local library looking up information in the reference section.  An old book caught my eye, and come to find out it was a book of sayings, "Phrases" and the meaning behind them, or when they originated.  I thumbed thru it and found it fascinating as it had MANY common things people say... for an example... To Kick the Bucket.   That particular phrase came from 1535 and refered to butchers putting dead pigs in a bucket, and then kicking it down the line so where it was processed further. I took it up to the librarian asking if I could possibly take it home for a night or two, and she said I could buy it for a dollar.  It was written in 1923, so more recent quips are not in it, but many others were, and MANY that are no longer is use anymore.  I think its a fantastic reference, and some of the phrases date back to the 1200's, before English was in its modern form.  English before 1600 is very different and almost unreadable without translation...

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#24972

On Mon, 1 Jun 2015, Tom Porter wrote:

> A year or two ago, I was at my local library looking up information in 
> the reference section.  An old book caught my eye, and come to find out 
> it was a book of sayings, "Phrases" and the meaning behind them, or when 
> they originated.  I thumbed thru it and found it fascinating as it had 
> MANY common things people say... for an example... To Kick the Bucket. 
> That particular phrase came from 1535 and refered to butchers putting 
> dead pigs in a bucket, and then kicking it down the line so where it was 
> processed further. I took it up to the librarian asking if I could 
> possibly take it home for a night or two, and she said I could buy it 
> for a dollar.  It was written in 1923, so more recent quips are not in 
> it, but many others were, and MANY that are no longer is use anymore. 
> I think its a fantastic reference, and some of the phrases date back to 
> the 1200's, before English was in its modern form.  English before 1600 
> is very different and almost unreadable without translation...

I'd push it back a bit; I've read 1530 English without trouble so long as 
the spelling was modernized. ;)

Then again, that was William Tyndale and he tried to make his English 
plain enough for a regular person to understand it.

-uso.

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#24974

This information is 'generalization'.... I don't have the book open at that page at the moment... I figured it was close enough... I apologize.

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#24975

The book I have is exact in translation and transcription to the original text.  In places where it is 'unreadable', it has a slightly re-written version underneath, and then a modern (1900's interpretation, along with some other background info if needed for context).  In comparison to something like the original 1610? KJV Bible, it is way more confusing, particularly in the pronouns used.  Also, a lot of funky spellings for words (many constantans in a row ect...).  Remember, there are literally hundreds of authors, and education in language wasn't exactly as standardized back then.  Also could be the factor that English 'wasnt' set in stone and constantly evolving.  Interesting nonetheless.

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#24976

In article <9ea542a8-cb99-415b-93a4-2a8de7d53490@googlegroups.com>, Tom
Porter <laseractiveguy@gmail.com> wrote:

> A year or two ago, I was at my local library looking up information in the
> reference section.  An old book caught my eye, and come to find out it was a
> book of sayings, "Phrases" and the meaning behind them, or when they
> originated.  I thumbed thru it and found it fascinating as it had MANY common
> things people say... for an example... To Kick the Bucket.   That particular
> phrase came from 1535 and refered to butchers putting dead pigs in a bucket,
> and then kicking it down the line so where it was processed further. I took
> it up to the librarian asking if I could possibly take it home for a night or
> two, and she said I could buy it for a dollar.  It was written in 1923, so
> more recent quips are not in it, but many others were, and MANY that are no
> longer is use anymore.  I think its a fantastic reference, and some of the
> phrases date back to the 1200's, before English was in its modern form. 
> English before 1600 is very different and almost unreadable without
> translation...

Max Cryer here in New Zealand (he was a big entertainment celebrity
years ago) writes books like that and has become an sort of official
source when the media wants to know what a saying or word means and
where it originated.

There's a brief item in today's newspaper where he is explaining about
the phrase "mondegreen" (also known as "egg corn" and "corn ear") which
is used for when people mishear the lyrics to a song. The term
"mondegreen" was coined in 1954 because people hearing it felt sorry
for the Earl of Moray's wife because "They have slain the Earl of
Moray, and Lady Mondegreen" ... when in reality the song says "and they
laid him on the green".

Other examples are:

   - Santa had a female reindeer in the Rudolph Christmas song,
     "Olive, the other reindeer, used to laugh and call him names"

   - The Beatles sang "She's got a chicken to ride"

   - Bob Dylan sang "The ants are my friends, they're blowing
     in the wind"

   - Simon and Garfunkel's song had a "bridge over trouble Walter"

   - a song about "Tony Danza" (which really says "tiny dancer")

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#25033

That's not being 'cheap', it's scumbaggery. You knew it was worth 200 times more than they were asking, and you lied to save a measly $3. I'm completely unimpressed.

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#25035

> 
> I picked up a prewar Western Electric model 51 rotary candlestick
> telephone, with the network/ringer box, at an estate sale for $5 several
> years ago. I'm cheap enough that I bargained it down to $2, saying it was
> going to be "for a movie set". They were originally going to bin it
> thinking it was useless, since "phones with dials don't work these days".
> In its condition, it's probably worth at least $1000.
> 

Wow , that knocking them down for a lousy $3.00 when you were already 
up nearly a grand, and now bragging about it.  What a scumbag you are!


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#24946

On 05/31/2015 10:37 PM, Michael Black wrote:

> That's one of my fears.  If people throw things out, I may not see it, but it
> seems like less and less electronics is showing up at garage and rummage
> sales, or in the garbage.  I assume it's going to "electronic recyclers".  But
> I dont' trust them.  Will they actually notice that something is valuable?  Or
> will the "valuable" they notice be the most recent computers that come in?

In my area?  Neither.  They trash all media and documentation, cut any 
external cables off the unit and throw it in a palletized carton to be sent to 
China for metal reclamation.

Until recently, the local Apple dealer held a one-day public recycling event 
where they collected about a 40' trailer worth of scrap electronics and 
computers.  I went down and asked if I could pick through the heaps and was 
told "absolutely not".

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