barn said:
Europe faces a demographic time-bomb as a result (Australia still has net immigration as does the U.S.) -- there won't be enough people to feed the nanny-state by 2050 -- Jan Sobieski III actually lost.
but if you are old enough to recall, we were going to run out of copper according to the Club of Rome -- all shortages are followed by a glut.
jackinnj:
I can't complain of you at all because I know you have even tried to recover lead-acid batteries. But you should agree with me that the immense majority of the population is not like that, they just throw away perfectly working and easy to repair equipment, and useful materials without thinking twice. They don't bother to repair anything or give a try to the second-hand market.
That's why most of the production of your beloved industry ends up in some dumpster quite quickly. Isn't it quite sad?
And even with such an industry, USA is experimenting a growing trade deficit. Imports are growing much faster than exports and are currently 45% higher.
Source : http://www.census.gov/indicator/www/ustrade.html
Apparently, new generations are wasting goods and throwing away equipment so quickly that your industry is incapable of covering such outrageous needs. Same happens with oil.
I think that we are going nowere with such a crazy way of life.
Also, I'm not aware of such problems with European population. For example, Spain has negative growth and I think this is quite healthy, we are already 45 million people and human workforce now is hardly required due to automation, a lot of people gets fired from factories each year. I'm sure that being less people we will live better.
I admire Nordic countries: Low population, high incomes, high life standards, very powerful social security and public education systems, population with long and healthy life, and one of the most ecologic places in the world. And they are though enough to use bicycles to move within their cities, even when raining or snowing and with -5ºC, they even swim in water at 2ºC just for fun.
Isn't it time to discard Middle-Age demographic criteria? Life has changed a lot since then.
I can't complain of you at all because I know you have even tried to recover lead-acid batteries. But you should agree with me that the immense majority of the population is not like that, they just throw away perfectly working and easy to repair equipment, and useful materials without thinking twice. They don't bother to repair anything or give a try to the second-hand market.
That's why most of the production of your beloved industry ends up in some dumpster quite quickly. Isn't it quite sad?
And even with such an industry, USA is experimenting a growing trade deficit. Imports are growing much faster than exports and are currently 45% higher.
Source : http://www.census.gov/indicator/www/ustrade.html
Apparently, new generations are wasting goods and throwing away equipment so quickly that your industry is incapable of covering such outrageous needs. Same happens with oil.
I think that we are going nowere with such a crazy way of life.
Also, I'm not aware of such problems with European population. For example, Spain has negative growth and I think this is quite healthy, we are already 45 million people and human workforce now is hardly required due to automation, a lot of people gets fired from factories each year. I'm sure that being less people we will live better.
I admire Nordic countries: Low population, high incomes, high life standards, very powerful social security and public education systems, population with long and healthy life, and one of the most ecologic places in the world. And they are though enough to use bicycles to move within their cities, even when raining or snowing and with -5ºC, they even swim in water at 2ºC just for fun.
Isn't it time to discard Middle-Age demographic criteria? Life has changed a lot since then.
I think we will all agree that the "throw away, commodity" stereo and surround market has cost us all dearly. It is not worth the knowledge and hours to run a service shop. We have all lost a lot of talent that has made way for the young "hackers".
The cost in extra fuel to transport this stuff, repair costs (throw out now) and lack of performance can not be fully added up. The waste of materials is gross beyond comprehension. The average person bears most of this cost and is not aware of it.
We now are the underground audio people. We have to fix our own gear and repair design errors. I've said it before. We voted with our dollars and this is what we get. Sad to say it will take government regulation and extra cost to us to protect the average person from themselves.
To those companies that build this garbage - thanks.
-Chris
The cost in extra fuel to transport this stuff, repair costs (throw out now) and lack of performance can not be fully added up. The waste of materials is gross beyond comprehension. The average person bears most of this cost and is not aware of it.
We now are the underground audio people. We have to fix our own gear and repair design errors. I've said it before. We voted with our dollars and this is what we get. Sad to say it will take government regulation and extra cost to us to protect the average person from themselves.
To those companies that build this garbage - thanks.
-Chris
Eva -- I am in the process of recycling a 1987 MB -- feeding a 420 to a 560 !
most of my DIY gear inhabits a chasis or cabinet from something someone else discarded. In particular, I love repurposing used power supplies as audio amplifiers -- made much easier by the telecom bust in 1999-2000.
most of my DIY gear inhabits a chasis or cabinet from something someone else discarded. In particular, I love repurposing used power supplies as audio amplifiers -- made much easier by the telecom bust in 1999-2000.
A while back a friend offered me a 10year old mid range yamaha system - amp, cd, tape deck, 2 speakers, tuner etc. I took it and found nothing wrong at all. A single mother that I know ended up with most of it.
When I asked why it was being thrown out the reason was that it took up too much space and was replaced by one of those "all in one" nasty supermarket systems which alwayse sound shocking.
I also picked up a 20 year old high range kenwood system (made in japan) which is now used in the shed. I was told that it had a hum which could not be fixed according to a local retail outlet.
The only fault that I could find was a loose speaker wire crossing between + and -.
As for the "there will not be enough young people to support all the old people" statement that you alwayse hear - stop and think about where that will lead over time - maybe when we get to one
square foot per human on the planet people will stop and think " should we stop breeding now.
Rabitz - I have been in a happy relationship with a like minded woman for 26 years now - we met when we were 16.
When I asked why it was being thrown out the reason was that it took up too much space and was replaced by one of those "all in one" nasty supermarket systems which alwayse sound shocking.
I also picked up a 20 year old high range kenwood system (made in japan) which is now used in the shed. I was told that it had a hum which could not be fixed according to a local retail outlet.
The only fault that I could find was a loose speaker wire crossing between + and -.
As for the "there will not be enough young people to support all the old people" statement that you alwayse hear - stop and think about where that will lead over time - maybe when we get to one
square foot per human on the planet people will stop and think " should we stop breeding now.
Rabitz - I have been in a happy relationship with a like minded woman for 26 years now - we met when we were 16.
barn said:
It was a joke.... you're supposed to come back with another joke such as "But I bet you breed like a rabbit"... boom boom.
..... but I see you're serious about the subject and each to their own and that's fine. 26 years... you're only a newly wed DIY Audio is OK but it pales in comparison to making of a human life, the nurturing, the family experience, even with it's ups and downs. Resistors and caps just aren't the same IMO.
I wouldn't worry too much about the world's over population as wars, disease, disasters and government policies and the big one, nature will sort that out. If you believe all the doomsayers, we're all headed for oblivion anyway, so enjoy the ride while it lasts.
In the next decade or two, Aussies will be dropping like flies anyway as health care will be denied to the poor, frail, elderly and will only be available to those that can afford it, so we'll have negative population growth.... I'll be gone by then, so that's one less
Pfft...... enough of serious.... back to jokes.
There was this guy who........
I know it was only a joke rabitz - no offence taken.
This forum is not the place for world population debates so I won't go on about all that serious "get you down stuff".
Instead I will daydream about 18 inch subwoofers, (say a half dozen per room ) wall, ceiling and floorstander speakers ( in every room) , Outdoor speakers facing north, south, east and west. Mmmmm maybe a small sound system on each sheep in Australia- solar powered and methane powered on the cows.
zzzzzzzzzz
Someone nudge me please.
This forum is not the place for world population debates so I won't go on about all that serious "get you down stuff".
Instead I will daydream about 18 inch subwoofers, (say a half dozen per room ) wall, ceiling and floorstander speakers ( in every room) , Outdoor speakers facing north, south, east and west. Mmmmm maybe a small sound system on each sheep in Australia- solar powered and methane powered on the cows.
zzzzzzzzzz
Someone nudge me please.
the year was 2001, i worked in a laptop battery producer in taiwan, in a beautiful city of Taipei...where some good electronic gadgets can be found and amazingly, it was a quality eventhough just made in asia pacific.....during my stay for 2 1/2 years....every year came the chinese new year.......and of course chinese history was to bring good luck in the house need new beginning that is, new electronic equipment......by this 2 days before their holiday seems like the their street a bargain store....that everything they own in the past whether old or new..packed the street waiting for the garbage truck to pick up......i was so stupid that time not knowing the use of them in the future.....but i got some as follows from their..beliefs:
1. AIWA mini component 3 cd changer with both speakers intact and in good working condition
2. A PC that's still works though just PII with epson LQ-570 printer
3. A sharp 21' colored TV model (1994)
4. Panasonic Multi system VHS recorder
5. Different models of old deck by deck Solid state amplifier, equalizer, tape deck, analog tuner, etc.
But because my contract expires....the said thing was i just shipped only the #1 and #3 because of the load limit i have to carry on my way back to my country......and left the others.....i was disappointed.....that if only i can take them back.......
1. AIWA mini component 3 cd changer with both speakers intact and in good working condition
2. A PC that's still works though just PII with epson LQ-570 printer
3. A sharp 21' colored TV model (1994)
4. Panasonic Multi system VHS recorder
5. Different models of old deck by deck Solid state amplifier, equalizer, tape deck, analog tuner, etc.
But because my contract expires....the said thing was i just shipped only the #1 and #3 because of the load limit i have to carry on my way back to my country......and left the others.....i was disappointed.....that if only i can take them back.......
On lucky finds:
About 3 weeks ago, somebody in the company where I work, saw fit to throw a perfectly good HP8903A audio analyser in the skip outside. Needless to say, I retrieved it and bought a complete operators and service manual for it on e-bay for $10. So I now have my very own 'unborrowed' means of measuring THD down to 0.003%, S/N and frequency response.
Compared to today's audio test sets, the HP8903A (which hails from about 1980) lacks the myriad of filters used for industry standard measurements, so where necessary I made my own.
The HP8903A is dead simple to use and does everything with TL072 op amps - not a PC in sight anywhere.
On American products:
How can anyone - especially an audio enthusiast - say they don't see any quality American-made products in Europe? This is patently absurd! What about Weber barbecues, Audio Precision test gear, HP test gear, Switchcraft connectors and switches, Shure cartridges and mikes. . .speakers, other components. . . Open your eyes.
About 3 weeks ago, somebody in the company where I work, saw fit to throw a perfectly good HP8903A audio analyser in the skip outside. Needless to say, I retrieved it and bought a complete operators and service manual for it on e-bay for $10. So I now have my very own 'unborrowed' means of measuring THD down to 0.003%, S/N and frequency response.
Compared to today's audio test sets, the HP8903A (which hails from about 1980) lacks the myriad of filters used for industry standard measurements, so where necessary I made my own.
The HP8903A is dead simple to use and does everything with TL072 op amps - not a PC in sight anywhere.
On American products:
How can anyone - especially an audio enthusiast - say they don't see any quality American-made products in Europe? This is patently absurd! What about Weber barbecues, Audio Precision test gear, HP test gear, Switchcraft connectors and switches, Shure cartridges and mikes. . .speakers, other components. . . Open your eyes.
the worst american example of "things thrown away" was this -- as told by my dad who was a PT-Boat sailor in the South Pacific -- all of the tools, lathes, drill presse, stamping machines which had been transported out from the States were jettisoned overboard by orders from Washington -- this was to "ensure" that there would be jobs back at home for machinists. This was as America's nascent experiment with a mixed economy (also called Rooseveltian socialism) was nearing its end.
to paraphrase Milton Friedman -- you don't get economic growth by breaking windows.
to paraphrase Milton Friedman -- you don't get economic growth by breaking windows.
On institutionalised waste:
In South Africa during the 1970's the Nationalist government 'regulated' many aspects of the economy, such that South Africa had one of the most centrally controlled economies outside of the Soviet Union.
During this time they had 'boards' to regulate almost everything. There was a banana board, a citrus board, a maize board, a guava board, a road transport board, and many others. These boards pegged prices and artificially controlled supply and demand. On many occasions, they forced thousands of tons of perfectly good food to be dumped in the sea because of 'overproduction'. Meanwhile Africa starved.
In South Africa during the 1970's the Nationalist government 'regulated' many aspects of the economy, such that South Africa had one of the most centrally controlled economies outside of the Soviet Union.
During this time they had 'boards' to regulate almost everything. There was a banana board, a citrus board, a maize board, a guava board, a road transport board, and many others. These boards pegged prices and artificially controlled supply and demand. On many occasions, they forced thousands of tons of perfectly good food to be dumped in the sea because of 'overproduction'. Meanwhile Africa starved.
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