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Just because I am a scrapper, doesn't mean I am dumb.

| A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
  1. #1
    Rollyrogers33 started this thread.
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    Just because I am a scrapper, doesn't mean I am dumb.

    I finally found the time to go in and speak with the IT company that I had picking from their dumpster. They have no problem with me picking, then I suggested a rolling bin to put inside. The tech guy told me no, because their vendors want everything sent back for data scrubbing. REALLY! Everything. I said that was fine for hard drives, but you throw out RAM, nic cards, keyboards, wire and so much more. I told him I can recycle plastic and styrofoam that they throw out but nothing was intriguing him. I gave up and will plan to return another day.

    I went to college, had completed my CCNA and get to fix the computers at work which isn't even my job. Data scrubbing, come on. He could of come up with something better than that.

    Next day I found a lithium laptop battery, ram and printers in the dumpster.

    "It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage." Indiana Jones - Raiders of the Lost Ark

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  3. #2
    Mechanic688's Avatar
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    At least you gave it a college try.
    P & M Recycling - Specializing in E-Waste Recycling.
    If you enjoy your freedom, thank a vet.

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    Most IT people are a separate species from most of the rest of us. To get their attention you will have to come up with something they haven't thought of that will directly befit them in the first 10 seconds of the conversation, second # 11 their brain switches automatically back to IT problems and solutions. IT brains operate in the nano second world.
    Last edited by EcoSafe; 05-18-2015 at 01:00 PM.
    "anyone who thinks scrappin is easy money ain't doin it right!"

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    I've had things like this happen to me too. I once asked a computer repair shop about their scrap and the guy told me it was illegal for him to give me anything because I don't have a recycling license. Turns out the guy scraps his own stuff and he made that up.

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    half naked women usually help with conversations

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    Knowing the facts huh,Ive heard that about if your licensed or not, but its simple I think its state by state or maybe it county by county just ask whats the deal you like me or something!! Im telling you the direct approach works.

    Tell the truth look I want to recycle your stuff so I can start a business and stay off welfare plus I got pay my student loans.

    SOme of my best memories this year was learning ewaste grades with my kids during these huge snow storms. We would take stuff home we had no idea what it was, now my kids can tell you about ewaste stuff but they never used a computer, its all iphone and ipads today. NEat. YOu go do it my man dont get discouraged. Keep going. This scrap place is encouraging me Im going to quit now either.

    Scrap for ever!!! Why would you ever want a regular job these loads we bring we control it not a boss or a hourly wage. Times are tough and I know everyone I know who works for the man is broke my family I asked someone for money they after 30 years in a business are broke adn make like 30 an hour and no kids. You guys the american dream is slipping away, no wonder we all want to watch netflix and go to the doctor for more meds. THe medical places actually must love it.

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    Being a scrapper has changed me , I feel smarter but that could just be living in my own private Idaho
    But really you do develop smarts that mortals just don't know .
    Thats what non scrappers are mortals we have capes . The sight of copper brings confusion
    thats our weakness Copper

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    IMHO most of the guys end up at this forum because they are part of the 1%. For the most part the active users of this forum are intelligent, have common sense, and drive. Most CEO's have the same mentality we do. Profit and ROI. How do I get the most from a motor? Sell whole, or break down? Once I break down is it worth the time? These are economic principles I learned in college. The opportunity cost of doing one thing versus another. Wasting time breaking down things that are better sold whole is also the point of diminishing returns. Whether you know thee terms in textbook fashion most of us understand them instinctively.

    I see guys working to learn how to fix things, studying chemistry to refine scrap. Watching markets for economic indicators. Scrappers are some of the smarterest guys I know.

    Please put me on survivor with a group of guys from here. Not only will we win. We will have a whole compound up and running in the first day. When the zombie apocalypse comes I know who will be surviving! LOL
    "The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits."

    Albert Einstein

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    I was just thinking about this the other day. How I have learned more in 2 years reading this forum than I did in 5 years of high school and a few of post secondary. I don't just mean what is in something or how it works, I frequent the off topic section and it's like a newspaper that keeps me up to date on current and political events. Thank you all for sharing. This is a deep deep pool of knowledge that is actually fun to swim in! (unlike some established, INSTITUTIONALIZED pools of knowledge I have paid a lot of money to be in and found to be very very shallow).
    METAL IS MY MISTRESS...PLEASE DON'T TELL MY WIFE!

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    I come across this all the time at work. There are very smart people who are experts at the technical side of getting/assembling the data we generally use but the same people often struggle to place the results of the data into a context or a proper context of how everything fits. Generally its because they don't have a foot in both worlds, the theoretical/ detached observation world and the "real" world of what people are doing on the ground and why. The why is usually with what they struggle with the most (and some simply don't try). Many of my colleagues have only touched the places their data sees through the data and not on the ground interacting with people.

    Scrappers are interacting with people on the ground and thus know a lot of applied knowledge. Then there are those who go several scales above and try to see where their scrapping fits into the bigger picture such as commodity forecasts and such, why are people doing what they are doing. So, yeah, lots and lots of knowledge on this forum. Consider it a hands on, real world educational system...

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  21. #11
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    You should try to deal instead with admin personnel, the ones who write the policies. Sell them on the benefits of recycling properly and how you can help. If you pay for the equipment it makes it that much easier. Once you get them on board, they will dictate to the IT guys what they WILL do, rather than let them decide for themselves. Typically someone in a higher position, especially if its an owner of a small company, will be able to see beyond the normal abilities of an IT guy. Yes they are smart, but not usually very adept at seeing the big picture. Just my .12 cents (experience has increased the value).

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  25. #13
    Rollyrogers33 started this thread.
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    When the zombie apocalypse comes I know who will be surviving! LOL
    I know when this day comes I will have so much copper hoarded and no one to sell to.


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