At the Mall, Miffed? Try Thrift!

I went thrift store shopping on Saturday, and as I was shopping I realized that I know the St. Louis thrift scene like the back of my bony hand. Here are some of the hot spots of the city.

1. Goodwill Industries. You know Goodwill, they're everywhere- 2100 stores! Although technically not a non-profit, this store is a little more concerned with the bottom line than other thrift stores. Think billions of dollars. Their mission is to give jobs to people with problems. The one down the road from me has serious problems, and most of the time I don't even stop in because they have horrible lighting, worse t-shirts and I've never seen artwork that couldn't be done by an 8th grader. Notable finds: a Lite-Brite, a lamp, and a recliner... all overpriced. Check out their online auction site here.
Grade: D

2. Saint Vincent de Paul Society. This is the one where my parents' things go when they're put out to pasture. It's notable for a few reasons- it has 10 times more books than any of the other stores, and you'll find some amazing furniture. The con is that you won't necessarily be able to afford the stuff. On Saturday they had an entire set of office furniture (conference room table, chairs, artwork, desk, etc.), but it cost thousands total. Of course, it had already been sold. One thing is that the t-shirt, and clothing sections in particular, are lacking. In fact I almost couldn't FIND the shirts. Good if you're furnishing an apartment and have some dough.
Grade: B-



3. Salvation Army. Another national institution, if you go here and see some burly thugs outside, it's not because they are going to jump you, it's because they're there getting help. It is tied to the Catholic Church, so if you're really feeling up for it, you can drop money at the doorstep then go a block west and protest at Planned Parenthood. Otherwise, keep your eyes peeled for anything here- I've found suspenders, t shirts, pants, artwork, glasses, a camera, and even an entire living room furniture set here. The place is pretty well organized, and the main benefit is that they tend to have the nicest people working anytime you go. My favorite is this lady with an afro straight out of a 70s movie who likes to crack jokes about my sense of style. Hit this place first.
Grade: A

4. Unique Thrift. I hadn't heard about this one until about a year ago, when I found it mentioned in the Riverfront Times. This store does something better than any other one: they separate their clothes by size. In other words, you can swing by and check out all the clothes in your size in about 15-20 minutes. That's plenty of time left over to browse their impressive video game collection. Other stores have a Genesis game or two, but here you'll find a wide selection. It's in a Latin area of town, so if you plan on flirting at the register with a hottie, make sure you remember high school Spanish.
Grade: A+

5. Value Village. This one is a sentimental choice, for me. It was my first thrift store experience, and for awhile there, I would pick up 5 t-shirts a week. I even have a favorite from high school that I still wear. As it became more busy, the trick became searching the boys rack, as this store had a broad definition of "child." In recent years it's fallen off, mainly due to shopper competition due to word of mouth. The last times I've been in, I noticed that this store has been staked out by the Indian and Asian communities, giving it a nice local flavor. It's not uncommon to see things still in the same spot a month later, as they tend to specialize in sports-related XXL shirts.
Grade: C+

There are a few other thrift stores around.. I'd ask for suggestions, but any serious thrifter wouldn't divulge their bread and butter. And no, I don't consider vintage stores thrift. They smell too good.

To Catch a Predator, not Stop a Predator

In honor of TV Turnoff Week 2007, I'm going to write about television.

I watch "To Catch a Predator." It is an entertaining show, as you get to see a terrific comedy of errors every episode. What appeals to me most, however, is what lies beneath the dramedy. Sure, they usually lock up a few bad guys and ruin a few marriages, but, as an engineer, my thoughts tend to drift towards the net effect of the whole exchange. For instance, you put in a pervert, a decoy, a wiseacre host and hidden cameras. What's the net effect? A caught predator, not a stopped predator.



Think about this. Recently scientists have found that a few men with frontal lobe brain trauma had completely lost their sexual inhibitions. One had a tumor obstructing his frontal lobe, which, after removal, resulted in him being a perfect citizen. However, when the tumor returned, simultaneously he resumed his disinhibited ways.



So lets assume these predators have lost a good chunk of free will in these situations. They are unable to control their addictions. Do we see them going to a shrink and then getting a brain scan? No, NBC just shows them handcuffed in the van, which appeals in that end-of-the-thriller-movie way. But what happens when they get out? Will the icy glare and rapier wit of Chris Hansen stop people from doing what they're addicted to? Hell no. In which case, all that comes out of the dirty stew that NBC creates for ratings is the public humiliation of perverts, the catching, not the stopping. Which is cool, except if the perverts never had control over it before. The best way to treat a problem is at its roots, not at the end of the chain.



At the thrift store this weekend, I heard a worker talk about his ghetto pass, that he'd use to get drugs. He works for the Salvation Army, which means that he probably is in rehab for his addiction. It made me really happy to hear that someone was getting his life in order. Maybe someday when "To Catch a Predator" does that I can go back to watching it for laughs.

Another article about the brain and free will from Neurophilosophy