The Collecting Bug

[Robson Valley]

Read Kurlansky: A World History of Salt. It's quite entertaining. It begins reading a lot like a dictionary
in the biffy = you can pick it up and put it down as you need to.
When you get to Ghandi and the Salt Tax and his protest march, it's a lot longer read.

 

[Fadcode]

Not sure how the salt is relevant, except to say that in Roman times the soldiers were paid in salt, that is where the term salary comes from,I suppose that we are all collectors of one sort or another, we only have to look around us to see the debris we all seem to have, Books, Videos DVD's etc, quite often not read or viewed, totally worthless yet we are unable to let them go.

If I look around my workshop I see tools I have had for years, and many I cant even remember the last time I used them if indeed I have used them at all.I suppose its in our nature to collect, to have belongings, and to want more, sometimes we get quite fanatical about our collections, despite the cost or in fact despite the practicality of what we collect.

We could ask is it sociable to be an avid collector of anything, do we create jobs by collecting, do we deprive others by collecting.there are different ways of looking at collecting, I am sure we don't always approve of people collecting data about us, yet we always seek to gain more knowledge about people in our everyday lives.we like to collect information but we don't always approve of others collecting information about us.

Are there people who have turned their backs on civilisation, don't have phones, TV's and live in isolation, and yet can claim that they don't collect things.
Collecting things in my opinion not necessarily a bug, just a normal part of life.

 

[Robson Valley]

Maybe only that I brought up the nib that I collected all sorts of salt.
Kurlansky points out some 1,400+ uses for salt. Read it for entertainment.
It's nice stuff to have some variety. Like wines and whiskeys, I suppose.

I know a young fellow who collects Canadian whiskeys with no intention of drinking any of it.
Why? I don't think it's my business to ask. Impressive, all the same.

 

[Janne]

When I moved from Sweden, I threw out all my 78 records, plus most of the equipment ( B&O)
When I moved from UK, I threw out all of my 33 and 45 records, plus all of the equioment (B&O)
I am soon throwing out all my DVDs. I havr no DVD player anymore since the cheapo player broke.
Blue Ray - have a few of those, but never had the player.

Sometimes it is goid to clear out.

 

[Tengu]

Ah, but to an Archaeologist; everything is treasure.

And to a Museuologist; every collection has material and social value. Indeed, one day may be in a museum itself.

In the past, like many things,only the rich could collect.

Now, we can all cherish something. Look at Robson Valleys salt and its interesting stories.

I have a little, cheap supermarket salt in the kitchen...mostly it gets used as a slug barrier. I dont add it to food in cooking as a rule nor at the table. Not eating salty food makes me very sensitive to it.

(But I do, oddly, have a very small pinch every day in hot weather. I feel it helps my ionic balance when I suddenly start drinking like fish, something I am very prone to if I overheat.)

 

[Janne]

You should consume about a teaspoon a day, including what is already (naturally and added by the manufacturer) in it.

Get checked out by your doctor, these sudden thirsts were a sign of my pre diabetes.

 

[snappingturtle]

Air guns, I don't have loads, (six pistols and 3 rifles) I choose on condition and personal cool factor, some are a bit rare but not the mainstream of the collectors market as I like to fire my guns there not cabinet queens. Now I have some free cash this may get a bit out of hand as I have quite a large mental list!

 

[Robson Valley]

I have been hyponatremic for as long as I can remember. Decades before I learned the name for it.
I like the different salts, just a pinch, for all their different added tastes.
It is a biochemical fact that you cannot absorb the salt (Active Transport) without a little sugar for the needed energy.

I confess that I peaked out with a dozen shotguns. Just kinda, sorta, crept up on me over the years.
Sad to read the Arietta (Spain) has shuttered their shops. They made a really sweet s/s 20.
Just 2 shotguns now, a o/u 12 and a s/s 20, both Russian Baikal.

My only deliberate "collection" where I actually searched for pieces was Spanish recycled green glass candle holders.
Buying them was purely knee-jerk reflex, no thought required. And inexpensive, too.
All of a sudden, the market was flooded with Chinese stuff and finding the Spanish work was really a search.
The only reason to stop at any sort of a yard/garage sale.

 

[Janne]

You should look for Uranium glass.

Yes, I read about the demise of Arrieta.
I suspect all small scale shotgun manufacturers will disappear.
I have a very fond memory of a shoot using a friend’s AYA. S/s, high grade. Beautiful.
I stopped being able to use a shotgun about a decade ago. Work related, permanent shoulder injury.

Wife is a keen trap shooter. Excellent too, which is another factor why I do not shoot shotgun.

 

[Janne]

Baikal are the Defenders of shotgun world.

 

[Tengu]

A teaspoon? What?

Heaped?

Level?

I cant eat that much salt!

 

[Janne]

About 5 grams if you are an average sized woman, bring averagely active.
Lot of activity ( sweating) you need to increase the salt intake.

Too little is just as dangerous as too much.

Remember that the recommended amount is including what is in the food already.
For example, Heinz Baked Beans contain 0.6 grams of salt per 100 grams.

For your nutritional recommendations, NHS has some good advice and recommendations online. Fing, read, follow.

I also recommend you look up the recommendations for water intake.
Lots of people drink waaaay to much water today. Fashion.

 

[Robson Valley]

I would not think that an addition of more than 2-3 "pinches" of salt per 24 hours would be useful.
I grind the salt of my choice (except the pyramid flake) into a powder to sprinkle on foods.
I'll guess that I begin with no more than 1/4 tsp. Can't say that I reach for the jar ever to grind more.

I must admit that I'm a little bored with all the salts where the makers feel compelled to kak is up with additives.
Market the natural salt side-by-side and I'll probably buy both.

 

[Broch]

I also recommend you look up the recommendations for water intake.
Lots of people drink waaaay to much water today. Fashion.

Sorry Janne, but I have, many times and all that can reliably be said is 'experts' opinions vary widely on the subject. One month you get an eminent doctor/nutritionist/scientist saying we don't need anywhere near as much water as we drink and the next month the opposite. Having spent a great deal of time in arid countries I have looked into water supply, need and treatment pretty heavily and I believe the many doctors/experts who say that most of the population is usually 'mildly' dehydrated (but with little if any consequences) with a small percentage at a higher level of dehydration that probably reduces physical and mental performance.

It seems extremely weird that there is very little peer reviewed objective research published on the subject; I would have thought it quite easy to do.

 

[Broch]

Is having more than one of anything a collection? or does it vary with the object and the need (to have more than one)?
If it is I have small collections of:
- axes (10)
- penknives (only 8)
- cameras (about 15)
- 3 air rifles, 2 .22 rifles, 2 shotguns and an air pistol
- an old stamp collection from my childhood days (must get that out!)
- a collection of Victorian pennies (missing just 3 years but they are very rare)
- seashells
- fossils
- books, hundreds of text books
- Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels in hardback (missing a few that I lent to others and I'm trying to replace them)
- according to my Wife, vehicles - but I think they all serve a necessary individual function

I've probably forgotten something!

 

[Janne]

Sorry Janne, but I have, many times and all that can reliably be said is 'experts' opinions vary widely on the subject. One month you get an eminent doctor/nutritionist/scientist saying we don't need anywhere near as much water as we drink and the next month the opposite. Having spent a great deal of time in arid countries I have looked into water supply, need and treatment pretty heavily and I believe the many doctors/experts who say that most of the population is usually 'mildly' dehydrated (but with little if any consequences) with a small percentage at a higher level of dehydration that probably reduces physical and mental performance.

It seems extremely weird that there is very little peer reviewed objective research published on the subject; I would have thought it quite easy to do.

To say how much water exactly is impossible, huge number of variables.
But, the body itself is excellent in telling us if we need more water. Thirst.
Generally speaking, a person that has a non physical work in a temperature of 20-25C, eating the recommended amount of fruit and veg, needs to drink about 1.5 liters a day.

I follow established guidelines, in my life, in my work.
Yes they do change slightly, but not by much.

Then you get the ‘media personalities’ that make money of being published and read. These people usually give some crazy advice, crazy enough to get attention.
I find that the major hospitals in US, NHS and the Swedish Social Styrelsen (National Board for Wellfare and Health )are good info sources, and give advice that is not only very similar, but also sound correct to a person like me.

 

[Janne]

I think a collection is if you have more than one of something you only need one of.

Having 12 pieces of forks, tableknifes, spoons, coffee spoons is not a collection.
Having more than 2 sets ( one set for everyday use, one for festive occasions) is a collection.

 

[santaman2000]

I have a growing list of former fiancés and girlfriends.

 

[Fadcode]

Maybe only that I brought up the nib that I collected all sorts of salt.
Kurlansky points out some 1,400+ uses for salt. Read it for entertainment.
It's nice stuff to have some variety. Like wines and whiskeys, I suppose.

I know a young fellow who collects Canadian whiskeys with no intention of drinking any of it.
Why? I don't think it's my business to ask. Impressive, all the same.

I too collect whiskeys, Gins, Beer and the like, the only problem is my collection keeps changing as I manage to turn most of it into urine.

 

[Robson Valley]

One of my highschool mates was a fellow named Dean. Dean always carried a diverse set of screwdrivers.
Dean was in the Canadian Navy Cadets and did some sailing/travelling with the navy in the summer times.

Dean collected door knobs. Right up to the panic push-bars found on office hall doors.
It was his habit to bring home "souveniers" from his travels. He mounted them in nice rows on his bedroom walls.
He died just a few years ago, I hope his collection was conserved, somehow.