where do all the deleted files go?

Sometimes questions just pop up in my head, and they just keep nagging me until I type the question into Google, look it up, and then I'm satisfied...that is, until the next question comes along. This is something I have always wondered:

Where do deleted files go once you delete them?

So, I looked it up. Here's what I got:

A common misconception is that the data is actually removed from the hard drive (erased) when you delete a file. Any time that a file is deleted on a hard drive, it is not erased. Instead, the tiny bit of information that points to the location of the file on the hard drive is erased. This pointer, along with other pointers for every folder and file on the hard drive, is saved in a section near the beginning of the hard drive and is used by the operating system to compile the directory tree structure. By erasing the pointer file, the actual file becomes invisible to the operating system. Eventually, the hard drive will write new data over the area where the old file is located. (from http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question578.htm)

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So really, all those deleted files are just hiding on our computer somewhere . Interesting. A congregation of rejected files that refuse to die!