Useless CD-ROMs???

Just a few thoughts

Begin

1 - Something that can be used cannot be labeled useless!

2 - You are infringing on the constitutional rights of the bird!

3 - You might be limited to specific products or versions.

4 - Usefulness is a relative concept.

5 - Make a statement - Buy something you don't like and use it.

End

A rotating CD or DVD will in addition of being visible, casting a shade, reflecting light or objects also reflects different colours. This should frighten / confuse the bird even more. (Can a bird see in colour?)

Sorry i am using the useless stuff to place my coffee mug on.

Stupid clown

Dunno where you are????

...in UK..we get endless free ones in the Sunday papers...or through the letterbox trying to getus ont AOL or somesuch.

I'd simple ask the neighbours or the local school...in return fo a bit of work or a small donation they'd get the kids to bring 'em in...

(Unless, in todays paranoid society you'd be labelled as a peadophile for going near a school. And the kids wouldnt be allowed to bring 'em in case they were a health and saftey hazard...whoops drifting into rant mode...ctrl alt del ..Ah that's better)

ctrl alt del

Serendipity ! A quick random look at CR4 always turns up some gems. This one had completely shot over my word-play radar.10/10 Del ! Just so as I stay marginally on-topic, I think I heard that CDs melt to produce interesting shapes. I've no idea to what end, but Celine Dione would be my first choice for experimenting. On a similar path, crisp packets shrink brilliantly under a grill ; an acquaintance used to make very cool badges by grilling Walkers in this way. My best freebie with the weekend papers was Moby Dick. I even got that release by Prince that was something to do with shafting the music industries machinations. Not sure why. since I'm not a massive Prince fan and I had to buy a paper that I wouldn't normally be seen dead with. The charity idea is good, but they don't fetch a lot of money. I'm sure I've heard of charity web-sites where they collect them, but I'll keep my 'thinking-cap' on with this one. The UK must churn out zillions of unsolicited ones each year. Unwanted paper flyers are one thing, but unwanted CD's are altogether more annoying.

Can you provide an address so that we can mail what we don't want anymore to you?

Get your name on AOL's mailing list. You should receive one or two delivered to you each week. FREE

A couple of years ago someone started a campaign to send as many of AOL's 1,000 HRs Free on line CD's to to him to load a semi trailer and dump them on AOL's door step.

Never heard the end result. He may still have a 2/3's full trailer. Search CR4! or maybe it was "The Straight Dope"

How many cd's are you looking to collect? For all the trouble it's worth, you could just go and buy 100 blank cd's for $10 USD.

I've been using them in my orchard for some years. They are reasonably effective on birds and do discourage aphids but don't discourage bats at all. Maybe the lack of light is the problem as these intruders only come at night.

Lack of sight not light. Bats are blind

I feel left out..please comment on my post too....

(The next bit to be read in the style of a 50/60s Childres TV presenter.

... that's sarcsm... can we all spell sarcasm? That's a good word isn't it children? Now hands up anyone who knows what 'patronising' means?')

Actually bats see quite well for the size of their eyes. They only use sonar to find the little buggers that they like to eat. They use their eye sight for just about every thing else.

The Australian Flying Fox (Bloody Big Bat) has very good night vission. It also has good day vission as they roost in trees. When they what to sleep they just wrap their wings over there eyes and around them. Its a blacket and blindfold in one.

www.bellingen.com/flyingfoxes/bats_or_flying_foxes.htm this is a link to see some details on the little beasties. Their wing span starts at about half a metre and go up to about a metre. (39 inches for the imperialists).

Put up some notices (with permission of course) in computer stores or normal stores and place a box for collection AND EMPTY IT REGULARLY!!!

.....and when you have enough, go round and remove all notices and boxes.....don't just leave it there fore someone else to deal with!

Sign up to your local Freecycle, post an offer first, ( that's one of the very few rules) or actually, you could offer to get rid of all the unwanted cd's.. no post an offer of something you want to give away, then post a 'wanted, all your scratched and unwanted cds, for birdscarer (after all, birds need excitement too) and get ready....

Jim

Hi Jim, I've read of Freecycle schemes over the past couple of years. It sounds like a very good thing. Have you used it yourself ? I was thinking about registering. Around where I live people often leave stuff that's useable out on 'bin day' with a note saying something like 'help yourself'. The other option is charity shops, but they get constrained a lot with regulations (specifically electrical goods).

HI Kris.

I have given away loads of bubble wrap - costs a fortune to buy, for me it just fills up the waste, but now people come and get it, loads of things the kids have grown out of, not so much clothes as fire guards, playpens, (in the case of the play pen, I was desperate to rid, but never thought anyone would want, and the receiver was desperate for one, but never thought anyone would have to give away, and posted a wanted on the offchance) got rid of rubble,..part to replace a broken arm in a canopy,...can't think of much else, so I'm not missing it.

Have received ie it was offered and I was lucky enough to get, great welsh dresser of just the right size, fully working microwave with grill and instructions, high level bed, scanner, chest of drawers, ....videos for the little ones, when they go through phases..

I really recommend it if you have a low impact lifestyle (read low income) or a high impact lifestyle you want to show off - I know a guy who loves to offer really great things, rather than give them away discretely.- Furnish your garage, get rid of what to you is junk.. we used to throw away ****loads of magnetic material scraps 'til i saw what people paid for it in craft shops...

If you sign up you can give it a try, don't cost anything, I think it's great

Jim

Thanks Jim, it sounds really good. I don't like taking usable stuff up the tip, and the charity shops are constrained as to what they can accept. I've given/received loads of stuff over the years, usually with mates/word-of-mouth etc. I've met very few people who have heard of Freecycle. Next time I'm clearing up I'll give it a go. Having moved house lots, I've changed furniture frequently. I have a nice set of cane stuff that a mate didn't want when he moved house - it's not super-fly expensive stuff, but in good condition. He didn't want to keep it because of the transport hassle versus cost. Next time I move it will get offered to whoever wants it. I'm no Green Saint, but recycling stuff has got to be a good thing. 'One mans junk is another's gold' sort of thing.

I use freecycle on a regular basis. My best find was a deep freeze chest freezer. It actually works. Turns out the guys wife decided she wanted an upright instead of a chest type. So I got a working freezer for nothing.

Also got enough bricks to build a trash enclosure 5'x5'x4' high. Took many trips in the old pickup to get them but well worth it.

The biggest problem I've had with Freecycle are the people that say they want something but never show up to pick it up.

Agree with that one, it can be a pain, also don't offer to deliver unless you really are going past or you really don't mind the drive/walk.

Jim

Hi Del, Derbyshire UK.

Nice!...real rock... Essex is pretty flat...

Coming up to Buxton in Oct' ...maybe it will have stopped raining by then?