I make no secret about my affinity for “shopping” (some call it scrounging”) at the Goodwill. Ostensibly, this is a donation center and charity thrift store where a person can buy used and overstock donated goods, and the proceeds go to some sort of charitable enterprise.

We all know that it doesn’t work that way, and there is crookedness in the system - but that doesn’t mean I don’t love a good deal when I find one.

So - what kind of deal is it that really makes me love Goodwill so much? Speakercity justification could include:

Profit - Pioneer HPM-100 speakers bought for $50 sold for $300, Advents for $2 sold for $75, Bose $20/$75, AR Speakers (x3) $20/$50-$75, Bose Wave radio $20/$150, various amps/recievers I’ve at least doubled my money on.

Sound - I’ve been using my Dahlquists for $50, AR-3 speakers for $50 - collector value $800-$1000, and other stuff for $15-$20: Advents for $20, a 1980 Pioneer monster reciever for $25, B&W speakers, two turntables, etc.

History - CDs out of print for 10 years, a Beach Boys Pet Sounds original pressing mono LP.

Experience - You might not like it, or think older stereos sound good, and think vinyl sucks.  But I dig it, and I get to try all this cool stuff for cheap - in fact I make money at it.

All good.  But what really makes me love some Goodwill is this past week. Saturday I was thinking - “I really need to find some brand badges to finish restoring Dad’s speakers, ” and “I need to fund an amplifier upgrade,” and “I’d like a good racing wheel for my PS2″ and almost bought one for $70 on Craigslist. So all of the sudden between Saturday and Monday, I picked up:

- another pair of $300 speakers for $40 (there’s my amp $)

- a pair of trashed RtR speakers with perfect badges for $15

- a $100 Logitech GT racing wheel for the PS2 for $9.

So there you have it. It’s like shopping e-bay without e-bay prices. Maybe I wait a little longer for stuff, but I pay lots less.

Plus, I get to hang out with such an interesting crowd, and I get to be the best smelling one there.

The always intellectually provocative “Post-Feminist Feminist” writes for Salon again.   This “mail-call” article does not disappoint.  There’s grist for the mill, and well worth the read.

This ain’t all bad. In fact, all around better and quicker to get to than Flogger.

But can we handle not being part of the Flogger community of blogosphere….?

Also, me likey search.