On Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:10:32 -0600, Jim Yanik
wrote:


The 'price' of that flexibility is a house full of 'stuff'.



yeah,I'm a packrat too.
every time I "houseclean",a short time later I realize I threw away
something I could have used.

Oh don't.

I was given a micro PC case and stand and did nothing with it for
/years/. Eventually in a fit of tidiness I took the case and it's
stand down the dump. I threw the plastic stand in the plastic
recycling but couldn't bring myself to throw the case.

Two weeks later Mum wanted a PC and I put one together using the
little case. Ideally it would have stood on it's edge on a raised
stand ... ;-(

It's like when beggars come up to you and ask if you have any 'spare
change'. I'm my mind I'm thinking 'I don't know, I haven't finished my
life yet ...' ?

I really thing these TV shows are trying to de-program millions of
years of evolution that has shown that 'stuff' is valuable but maybe
only to those with the skills to use it [1] (and hence today's
trends).

However, this is mainly a 1st world problem as in the 3rd world more
things are used and reused to their fullest. I mean, we even ship our
rubbish there.

Cheers, T i m

[1] And to be fair, the ability to fix stuff even with the tool, LSI
and cars covered in electronics etc.