Metal Poles & Shiny Discs

[Zed Simon]

Seems any time I donate something, I end up finding better-than-usual items to buy. I did my usual circuit today. I dropped off some plastic bags to one thrift, hit the other two in town, then went up a few miles to a Goodwill where what to my wondering eyes should appear but the most ethnically diverse music selection I''ve seen outside a record store. Spanish, Colombian, French...I ended up with 7 cassettes of heavy metal and other rock-looking stuff - from Poland.

Then off to another thrift store I decided to visit on the spur of a moment, to pick up a Pioneer LaserDisc player! They had one a few months ago, but I passed, waiting for the price to be marked down. By the time it was, the top of the player was all scratched up and the remote was gone. So I decided not to wait on this one, which is in great shape. It''s pretty high-end. It has a jog and shuttle on the remote and panel, an optical audio out, and plays both sides of the disc (how quaint!). If it works like its looks imply, it''ll have been a very good $25 spent.