Every year there seems to be a newly outdated electronic device appearing at Junk Days, and in alleyways all over town. This year’s real stand-out thrown-out item seems to be the standard old bulky television set. These TVs were already threatened by the streamlined flat screen TVs, but now the digital age has arrived.
People probably got converter boxes for their larger and better TVs, but I saw plenty of smaller ones at Junk Days this year. These were likely the extra TVs lying around the house, in the attic, next to the washing machine, or in a guest room. They might not have ever been hooked up to cable, and used only occasionally with the old rabbit ears. My parents have used one like this in the basement for years. But with the onset of digital, the old sets have become handicapped, unable to function on their own. These old-timers may have been the centerpieces of family homes for decades, but now they are being tossed away. There are no nursing homes for outdated electronics, and there are very few people who work on them anymore. That means the parts, some of which may still be useful, have no place and nobody to reuse them. Technology has become too advanced even for certain technology. Nevertheless, I couldn’t help picking one of these old TVs up. It works fine, for now, so I’ll probably sell it or donate it. I don’t actually watch much TV. I do have a converter box, but I don’t plan on getting cable or a dish or anything. Not unless they come out with some kind of channel about finding stuff. Perhaps the Junk News Network—that would be something I’d watch.
Posts Tagged 'days'
The Newly Outdated Electronic Device of 2009
Published May 26, 2009 Junk Days , Posts ClosedTags: box, converter, days, digital, discarded, drawer, electronics, items, junk, obsolete, old, television, tv’s
Reading from Junk Drawer zines
Published May 26, 2009 Readings 0 CommentsTags: brain, days, diving, drawer, dumpster, hungry, junk, podcast, reading, zine
A zine reading from
“Junk Drawer” issues #2 and #3.
Listen to the podcast!
At The Hungry Brain bar in Chicago,
April 21st 2009.
Presented by You, Me, Them, Everybody
Junk Days 2009
Published May 17, 2009 Junk Days , Posts 0 CommentsTags: days, finding, garbage, junk, picking, stuff, trash
Junk days in the north suburbs of Chicago were a little soggy this year. There were fewer books and comfy chairs out to be found. That’s because those are things that may have gotten wet and ruined. Even though the residents are throwing their things away, I believe many of them don’t really want their things getting ruined. They want someone to find them. And that’s where junk finders like me and many others come in.
There was still plenty of good stuff to be found.
