Who here garbage picks? Ever get anything good?

[USSEnterprise]

Bulk pickup just came around, I went out scouting, and got a bunch of good stuff. Best thing was the $60 Linksys Wireless Card inside a pos PC. I finally am able to access my wireless network. Belkin card was crap.

[Stingray]

I got Hepatitis C.

-S

[shmokes]

If I saw somebody rummaging through my garbage I would kick his/her ass. 

[horseboy]

Well my town has a "spring cleaning" bulk garbage pickup once a year. I think this is what he was referring to. People are encouraged to go get the crap out of peoples yards. That is why it is there. I don't think he is digging through trash cans or anything. The last 2 years I got about 15 of the old wooden console TV's. I love those things because they make sweet aquariums.

[NinjaEpisode]

If I saw somebody rummaging through my garbage I would kick his/her ass. 

Why?  I'm just curious, I mean, it means nothing to you.  If it did, you wouldn't have thrown it out.  Or at the very least you would have destroyed it beyond use first.

[Goz]

I thought USS Enterprise found his calling as a "Dumpster Diver" I guess those guidance councellors really do know their stuff.

[shmokes]

Prescription bottles, bills, product packaging, letters, used condoms, expired drugs, correspondence of all sorts -- including links to organizations like the NRA or ACLU, incriminating materials such as joint roaches or needles, gossip inducing materials such as needles (for legit drugs), sex toys, gay porn for an in-the-closet person,  medical records, financial records, etc., etc., etc.,

You can find out just about everything you want to know about most people by going through their garbage, which is why it is done by law enforcement and papparazi all the time.  You don't keep it because it would be impractical, and oftentimes gross to hold onto it, but that doesn't mean that the average person has no interest in keeping their garbage private.  You are required by law to dispose of garbage -- it can't be kept on your property, and generally the only option is putting it at your curb for pickup.  Burning is prohibited (not to mention extremely inconvenient) for almost everybody. 

But relinquishing possession doesn't mean you automatically relinquish a legitimate privacy interest.  Is it okay for the mailman to go through your mail simply because you dropped it in your mailbox?

[NinjaEpisode]

But relinquishing possession doesn't mean you automatically relinquish a legitimate privacy interest.  Is it okay for the mailman to go through your mail simply because you dropped it in your mailbox?

No, but it has been argued, on more than one occasion, by law enforcement and the papparazzi, that trash becomes public domain once you set it out.

[Edgedamage]

Every time I find a computer in the trash I fix it up and give it to family and friends who don't have one. The last one I found I gave to my son's school and they installed a OP system in it and now the kindergarten class has a second computer.

[shmokes]

It has been argued, and at least in in California v. Greenwood (1988) the Supreme Court ruled that "[w]hat a person knowingly exposes to the public, even in his own home or office, is not a subject of Fourth Amendment protection." (Which, again, begs the question of how you retain an expectation of privacy when you place letters in a mailbox).  They went on to say that law enforcement cannot be expected to ignore criminal activity that can be observed by "any member of the public."

Like Dread Scott or Plessy, t's called bad law.  The dissent in the case logically countered that the possibility the police or other

[Bones]

I found some cool used undies at the dump but some rats had stretched out the jock support so I only wore them a couple of times.

[USSEnterprise]

Prescription bottles, bills, product packaging, letters, used condoms, expired drugs, correspondence of all sorts -- including links to organizations like the NRA or ACLU, incriminating materials such as joint roaches or needles, gossip inducing materials such as needles (for legit drugs), sex toys, gay porn for an in-the-closet person,  medical records, financial records, etc., etc., etc.,

Most of that stuff should be shredded. Biohazards, such as needles, are supposed to be disposed of seperatly from trash. Pills should usually be flushed. I only go out on bulk pick-up days.

[HaRuMaN]

I found some cool used undies at the dump but some rats had stretched out the jock support so I only wore them a couple of times.

you would...

[pointdablame]

- removed long post for space reasons-

That's all well and good, but not really relevant to this situation in particular.  Bulk clean-up days are done sepearte from normal trash pickup and is used to get rid of large and oversized items, and items that are not normally disposed of by your town during normal pickup (appliances, furniture, paint and chemicals [in certain towns])  So unless you put your used condoms and drug bottles in the fridge you are throwing out, you have nothing to worry about.

In addition, in this day and age of identity theft, you damn well SHOULD be disposing of your Rx labels and personal information in ways beyond chucking them in a bag.  I shred almost everything with any personal info in it.   My shredder cost me like $30, and it takes me an extra 2 seconds to get rid of things... well worth it considering the consequences.

I see your side of things, and why you'd feel how you do, but if you are really that adamant on defending these situations, you should be willing to take the extra steps and dispose of that information properly.  I'm talking in generalities here, not directly at you Shmokes, but hopefully you see my point.

[Zakk]

I'm with schzmokes on this one.  If I found someone at the foot of my driveway, with my garbage bags opened up, rummaging through them, they better be armed or crazy, cuz all they'll find in my trash is a big can of whup-ass.

Anything I think someone else could use, I set slightly to one side of the regular garbage, or I pop it up onto freecylce. 

I think I'd be most angry that I might have to gather my garbage up twice.  Makes me mad when the raccoons do it, so why would it be any different if it was a person?

[Vigo]

I have been known to loot through the dorm dumpsters at my university after the school year ends....there are tons of spoiled rich students who throw out excellent condition appliances and furniture. I would never loot through any personal garbage though.

[SirPeale]

This isn't the only site I'm a moderator on...

http://www.dumpsterworld.com

[Angry_Radish]

The best thing I've found on those bulk pickup days was back in '88 or so, I got a 2 player coctail pong cabinet, and the damn thing worked! A liittle burn in, but other than that worked like a champ.
Kept it in my parent's basement (where I was living), around '90 I joined the Air Force, and sometime between then and '94, my parents decided to "clean", and tossed it out!
To this day I still ---smurfette--- at them about that, wonder how much if anything it would be worth today?

[DeLong20]

Maybe a person is on propecia (baldness), viagra (erectile dysfunction), Prosac (depression), or drugs for any number of conditions that some or all people would find embarrassing or could bias people (including prospective employers)

I don't know about that.  Everybody loves it when I come to work with a raging boner!

[SirPeale]

To this day I still ---smurfette--- at them about that, wonder how much if anything it would be worth today?

If it's an actual Pong cocktail, quite a few bucks.

[delta88]

A missle command, several chevy truck bumpers in good shape, several tv's, like 2 dozen 17" pc monitors, 2 19" monitors, stereos (house/cars) ,2 motorcycles, a spree (moped) 2 big screens, galaga/mspacman reunion cab in need of some lovin.... the list goes on.. GARBAGE RAWX!!!

[Jabba]

In my "teenage" years, we "dumpster dived" for one glorious "free" summer. Back then, we didn't call it dumpster diving, there wasn't a DEDICATED FORUM devoted to the topic (hell, there wasn't even teh Internets back then!!!).

That summer, we regularily snagged Penthouse and Playboy magazines. I also remember vaguely a box of "old" Hershey chocolate bars we came across and debated on consuming....in the end.....we did.     

Those were good days I tells ya...

Now get off my lawn before I call the cops! 

Edit: Now reading on that there forum Peale linked us to...looks like people nowadays dive for used vegetables No offence but :gag!

[SirPeale]

Edit: Now reading on that there forum Peale linked us to...looks like people nowadays dive for used vegetables No offence but :gag!

Used?  No.

I've sometimes found better veggies on the compost pile at supermarkets than what's inside. 

Even better @ organic food places like a co-op or whatnot.

[shmokes]

I'm personally pretty careful.  I shred most important stuff.  I don't peel labels off prescription bottles, though I suppose I probably should . . .but I guess I can't be bothered.  But the argument of, "In this day and age with identity theft, you damned well should be shredding that stuff," just doesn't fly with me.  It doesn't excuse someone else rummaging through my private life.  It's like excusing a rapist because a girl was walking alone at night in a dangerous area.  Sure, she should have taken more precautions, but rape is rape. 

My position is not based solely on my own protection.  It's based on what I believe is right and wrong.  I take extra steps.  I own a shredder (though I'm fortunate enough to have an industrial shredding service at work so I usually just take everything there to save time).  But invasion of privacy is invasion of privacy.  In a perfect world we wouldn't need shredders because people wouldn't be ---uvulas---.  The fact that people are ---uvulas--- doesn't make being an ---uvula--- okay.

[Q*Bert_OP]

I once found a box of old bill validator update Eproms...Erased 'em and sold 'em on Ebay

[PCtech]

Prescription bottles, bills, product packaging, letters, used condoms, expired drugs, correspondence of all sorts -- including links to organizations like the NRA or ACLU, incriminating materials such as joint roaches or needles, gossip inducing materials such as needles (for legit drugs), sex toys, gay porn for an in-the-closet person,  medical records, financial records, etc., etc., etc.,

You can find out just about everything you want to know about most people by going through their garbage, which is why it is done by law enforcement and papparazi all the time.  You don't keep it because it would be impractical, and oftentimes gross to hold onto it, but that doesn't mean that the average person has no interest in keeping their garbage private.  You are required by law to dispose of garbage -- it can't be kept on your property, and generally the only option is putting it at your curb for pickup.  Burning is prohibited (not to mention extremely inconvenient) for almost everybody. 

But relinquishing possession doesn't mean you automatically relinquish a legitimate privacy interest.  Is it okay for the mailman to go through your mail simply because you dropped it in your mailbox?

Good point for privacy's sake, but

I wouldn't be picking a fight with the mailman....he has pepper spray (minimum) for the dogs, and prob an UZI in his satchel for the day they lay him off....

correspondence of all sorts -- including links to organizations like the NRA or ACLU,bills, product packaging, letters...That's all shredder bait at my place (best $40 ever spent)

needles,sex toys, gay porn for an in-the-closet person...um, well, yeah, you might want to look into disposing of those elsewhere....but to each their own.

Why in the world would you throw away a joint roach? (deserves to be busted)

 

[MWJeff]

We  burn all our trash.  Not too eco-frendly   but it works.

[DrewKaree]

I can't for the life of me figure out why none of you have considered it worth asking:  why does shmokes insist on telling us he's worn out yet another of his gay pR0n sex toys?  And please, for the love of pete, tell us you've removed the batteries (if needed), so they aren't causing an environmental hazard.  That's the worst screwing a gay pR0n sex toy loving lawyer in training can inflict on the nation.....that day

[Zakk]

We  burn all our trash.  Not too eco-frendly   but it works.

Nice.  Well it's not like the toxic chemicals will give anyone cancer, or get into the water table or anything.  As long as it's easy for you.

[missioncontrol]

half eaten pizza and a few taco bell sauces that if I sqezed hard enough I'd get a drop or two to put on the pizza

[horseboy]

half eaten pizza and a few taco bell sauces that if I sqezed hard enough I'd get a drop or two to put on the pizza

Some people have all the luck. 

[nostrebor]

Maybe a person is on propecia (baldness), viagra (erectile dysfunction), Prosac (depression), or drugs for any number of conditions that some or all people would find embarrassing or could bias people (including prospective employers)

I don't know about that.  Everybody loves it when I come to work with a raging boner!

Not EVERYBODY!

[DeLong20]

Oh now, you know you do secretly!

[cw]

best find was a space war  by vectorbeam that was set out for bulk collection.  It has a little water damage but hey  what do you want for free

[DrewKaree]

Maybe a person is on propecia (baldness), viagra (erectile dysfunction), Prosac (depression), or drugs for any number of conditions that some or all people would find embarrassing or could bias people (including prospective employers)

I don't know about that.  Everybody loves it when I come to work with a raging boner!

Not EVERYBODY!

Nos, maybe you can convert the unwashed masses to learn to love the DeLong....or at least stop posting pics and keep him for yourself 

[crashwg]

I got into DDing for a little bit a while back.  Best thing I got was a floor jack.  Pretty beefy lookin one.  It didn't have a handle but my father in law made one for me for nothing and I've since used the jack numerous times fixing my POS van.

Come to think of it, the same night I found a lawnmower.  The old spinny, no motor type.  It was brand new except for the fact that the handle was bent a little bit.

Having a job now I don't have the time or energy to DD any more...   Free stuff is nice.

[reptilehead]

Just nabbed this stack today:
 (1) p3 gateway laptop: bad hdd, had another laying around
 (4) p3 towers: bad hdd in one, no ram in another, 2 fine
 (3) 17 monitors: 1 with broken base, other 2 fine
 (6) keyboards all fine
 (2) optical mice (female? no balls?)
 (7) regular mice (male?  ummm yeah)
 (3) old school power supply distrubutions
 (1) ups
 (2) cysco somethings (routers?)
 (1) p3 sony viao: power switch backing plate broken
 (1) ** holy sh ** P4 3.2 gig desktop: power supply screwed, dunno if it fried it out though
 (2) HP printers: appear to be working, no ink though.
 I'm keeping the laptop, p4 (if i get it running) and the VIO (for my son he JUST asked for a PC last night for his birthday) the others I'm going to low level format and put linux on and donate to charity. God I LOVE it when I.T. is so overworked (or lazy) that they don't want to do basic repairs. I could have gotten more but I ran out of room in the car, if THEY dont want the tax deductions.... I'll take the paper thank you!

[shardian]

Just nabbed this stack today:
 (1) p3 gateway laptop: bad hdd, had another laying around
 (4) p3 towers: bad hdd in one, no ram in another, 2 fine
 (3) 17 monitors: 1 with broken base, other 2 fine
 (6) keyboards all fine
 (2) optical mice (female? no balls?)
 (7) regular mice (male?  ummm yeah)
 (3) old school power supply distrubutions
 (1) ups
 (2) cysco somethings (routers?)
 (1) p3 sony viao: power switch backing plate broken
 (1) ** holy sh ** P4 3.2 gig desktop: power supply screwed, dunno if it fried it out though
 (2) HP printers: appear to be working, no ink though.
 I'm keeping the laptop, p4 (if i get it running) and the VIO (for my son he JUST asked for a PC last night for his birthday) the others I'm going to low level format and put linux on and donate to charity. God I LOVE it when I.T. is so overworked (or lazy) that they don't want to do basic repairs. I could have gotten more but I ran out of room in the car, if THEY dont want the tax deductions.... I'll take the paper thank you!

Hello?!?! There is a thing here called freebie section!! 

[Luxury]

I never garbage pick, but I did find a hella-beat up little girls bicycle in the dumpster once.  I was in school at the time and didn't have any other mode of transportation, so I snagged it, painted it entirely green, fixed it up just enough so it worked (barely) and used it for the rest of the school year.  I had the most famous bicycle that school has ever seen. 

[RayB]

Regarding the privacy issues, I shred everything with my name and address on it, including bills and even some junk mail (credit card offers especially). The thing to worry about is not *IF* someone goes through the garbage, but WHEN someone will. Since we recycle all paper goods, people do end up hand-sorting that stuff. Wouldn't be too hard to pocket a few pieces with personal info on them.

PS: I don't dumpster dive. Too chicken.