HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: kjenks@gothamcity.uucp (Kenneth C. Jenks [GM2] 483-4368)
Subject: Re: Question about "T." in James T. Kirk !!!!!! (As seen on TV)
Keywords: T
Organization: NASA/JSC/GM2, Space Shuttle Program Office
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 17:48:50 GMT

In article <1992Nov14.195251.1198@midway.uchicago.edu> thf2@midway.uchicago.edu writes:
>In article <1992Nov11.071852.26520@mr.med.ge.com> hinz@picard.med.ge.com (David Hinz Mfg 4-6987) writes:
>>Roy (vcsc458@sfsuvax1.sfsu.edu) wrote:
>>: In article <1992Nov10.212428.100792@watson.ibm.com> rrogers@watson.ibm.com (Ryan Rogers) writes:
>>: >In <1992Nov10.203818.14246@dsd.es.com> pmartz@dsd.es.com (Paul Martz) writes:
>>: >>In article <BxIEtG.AEs@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>, miles@expert.cc.purdue.edu (Derick) writes:
>>: >>>In article <1992Nov10.051247.26359@midway.uchicago.edu> thf2@midway.uchicago.edu writes:
>>: >>>>In article <BxGwLn.HEo@constellation.ecn.uoknor.edu> bwbrock@midway.ecn.uoknor.edu (Benjamin Warre Brock) writes:
>>: >>>>>Tiberius
>>: >>>>Terry
>>: >>>Timmy
>>: >>Testicular
>>: >Tasteless
>>: Transvestyte [sic]
>>Taliesin
>Three-Sided
Tin-plated dictator with delusions of god-hood
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: sweeney@Ingres.COM (Tony Sweeney)
Subject: Re: Water Tower Suicide.
Reply-To: sweeney@Ingres.COM (Tony Sweeney)
Organization: Ask Computer Systems Inc., Ingres Division, Alameda CA 94501
Date: 20 Nov 92 16:18:44 GMT

In article <1992Nov18.194510.17942@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> bwatson@nyx.cs.du.edu (bruce watson) writes:
>
>There is a well in London, England which the residents said the
>water had an interesting taste. Recently, it was discovered that
>the underground stream went under a nearby cemetary.
>
Oh YEAH? There ahsn't been an artesian well in London since shortly
after WWII. Just where exactly was this, and what is your source?
>--
>Bruce Watson  wats@nyx.cs.du.edu  Toy Cows, Toy Cows in Africa, Toy Cows

Tony "posting from London" Sweeney.
Xref: sparky alt.folklore.urban:28625 sci.med:21043
From: bd@fluent@dartmouth.EDU (Brice Dowaliby)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,sci.med
Subject: Re: Calvin/Hobbes diagnosed as clinical schizophrenic
Date: 15 Nov 92 14:19:01 GMT
Reply-To: bd%fluent@dartmouth.EDU
Followup-To: alt.folklore.urban,sci.med
Organization: Fluent Inc., Lebanon NH

linden@positive.Eng.Sun.COM (Trelford Pinkerton) writes:

>[note: readers outside the USA probably won't understand this, but I have
>not limited the distribution because you should know what you're missing. ]
>
>Many newspaper readers will be shocked to have learned today that
>popular child comic star Calvin is manifesting the classic behavior
>of a schizophrenic.
>
>Regular readers will be familiar with Calvin's usual antics as he play-acts
>with his toy stuffed tiger.   Today, for the first time, Calvin's stuffed
>tiger carried out not a joint activity, but an activity of which Calvin 
>was not aware.
>
>Significantly, the action was the sending of an anonymous insulting letter
>addressed to Calvin.  As his alter-ego, the tiger, Hobbes, has often acted
>as the voice of reason.  Today we learn that even Calvin's reasonable part
>is capable of aggressive behavior.   To find Calvin rejecting this, by
>denying knowledge of it, is a classic symptom of clinical schizophrenia.

Gee, and I thought he was exhibiting the symptoms of a co-conscious
multiple personality disorder. 
-- 
   Brice Dowaliby, Fluent Inc., 10 Cavendish Court, Lebanon, NH  03766
                         bd%fluent@dartmouth.edu        
             I don't speak for them, they don't speak for me
                              DoD # 0698
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: jmethot@vicorp.com (John Methot)
Subject: Re: Microwave Death
Organization: ACME Consulting, Inc., Northampton, MA
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 19:18:14 GMT

>|> In <CINDY.92Nov11202231@solan10.solan.unit.no>, Cynthia Kandolf writes:
>|> >
>|> >Microwaves do NOT cook things "from the inside out".  If you don't
>|> >believe me, put something that melts easily, like a small block of ice
>|> >or a bowl of ice cream, in a microwave.  Zap it for short periods of
>|> >time, checking the melting pattern as you go along.  The stuff nearest
>|> >the outside will go first, because there is nothing shielding them
>|> >from the microwaves.  Microwaves cook from the outside in. 

Counterpoint: put a refrigerated stick of butter or butter substitute in the
nuker and watch the melting pattern - it'll cave in in the CENTER, leaving
a butter canoe (if you stop before its all melted).

I always heard that microwave ovens work by exciting the water molecules
in the target, so whether they cook from inside-out or vice versa
probably depends on the water density/distribution of the target substance.

-- 
John Methot            |  ACME Consulting, Inc.   | (413)586-ACME
uunet!vicorp!jmethot   |  P O Box 597             | (413)586-8371 x352
jmethot@vicorp.com     |  Northampton, MA 01061   |    (customer site)
CompuServe: 70620,3555 |  USA                     |
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: dw@unislc.uucp (Dan Wright)
Subject: Re: UL in a Time Warp!
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Organization: Unisys Corporation SLC
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 05:11:35 GMT

cjl wrote:
:
: Cindy's occupation and marital status [are] none of your business, nor is the
: scheduling of anyone else's life.

Where did the "marital status" bit come from?  I don't know on who's
authority he's speaking when declaring what is or isn't my business, but if
it makes him happy: I promise not to get mixed up in Cindy's job or love
life (she's nearly half a world away after all), and not to schedule the
lives of net people (they'd never let me do it in the first place).
OK, that tangent having been visited:

: Nor is she the type to make attempts at complaints or personal attacks
: that have to be obfuscated by rot-13.
: 
: bik rot(1)

Bik's got me there.  She probably wouldn't do a thing like that (the attack
I mean), and if I admire her so, then I shouldn't be doing it myself.  Of
course rot obfuscation, as bik demonstrated, is merely a ploy or twist to
add to the article, which is something Cindy might do.

Many of cjl's hundreds of quips and middle names went right over my head
(my family didn't have a TV until I was 11 years old; my parents had me
reading or doing science experiments instead).  Many more I found to be
worn out "tastes like chicken" type things.  This is just one man's
reaction, of course, and humor is a personal thing, but it may be related
to the FAQ entry:

T. Charles Lasner still lives in the '60s.

My apologies for having posted this in a.f.u,  but remember,
some sites do not get a.f.u.d.

  -- Dan Wright

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: ots@uropax.contrib.de (Rudolf Stoert)
Subject: Vanishing Hitchhiker equals Archangel Gabriel / Germany
Summary: In Germany people reported of a "vanishing hitchhiker"-type exp
Keywords: Hitchhiker, Archangel Gabriel
Organization: Contributed Software GbR
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 11:21:14 GMT

Hmm, ... ok: i don't know whether your reference of a "vanishing hitchhiker"
recalls the guy whose head is chopped off in the end. I heard in norway, france
and germany. Nonetheless ... i think this (!) version is quite unique:

A couple of years ago i met a bourgeois (leftish-liberal) girlfriend of mine
who told me of friends of hers (... i see) who had an incredible experience.
They were driving one of (then West-)Germanys fantastic Autobahnen when
suddenly they recognized a hitchhiker. Sure they stopped and he joined them.
Right. So they drove on and on ... and after quite a time this quy -who sat in
the back of the car - started to talk. So he was this man Archangel Gabriel -
you know, the one who's responsible for delivery of heavenly message (ref.
: mary) - and his task here on earth was to warn humankind. Why? You name it
: sin, pollution - everydays life. So, he was talking and the people in the
front of the car were realizing that this guy was crazy. And then they looked
around and Gabriel was gone. TRUE OR MEANT TO BE SO???

Funny thing is i was told this story by an ex-lover. i didn't care ... just
another stupid story. What then happened was that this story made news. It
seemed that Archangel Gabriel centered his performances on the frequently
jammed routes in the ruhrgebiet (coal, heavy industries). Reportsfrom
everywhere started to come in AND THEN IT BECOME BIG (!) FUN!

People took it serious - so it seemd at least. Friends of mine who had enjoyed
a second-hedonism started to think about god, about doomsday, that kind of
stuff. People were literally afraid to drive certain autoroutes. At last even
the church joined the mass-distribution of urban folklore. They declared ex
cathedra that this guy was a prankster ! That Archangel Gabriel would have
better things to do than to fool around on German autobahnen! So noone should
be afraid.


More or less ... that's it. I am curious whether you know this version of the
"vanishing hitchhiker"-experience. I just read the FAQs and to be true it's the
first time i ever read any news. allright ... hope you don't know it.

best

rudolf stoert /// ots@uropax.contrib.de
Xref: sparky alt.folklore.urban:29177 sci.med:21282
From: lasner@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Charles Lasner)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,sci.med
Subject: Re: Puff the Magic Dragon (was Calvin/Hobbes...)
Date: 20 Nov 92 13:28:21 GMT
Reply-To: lasner@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Charles Lasner)
Organization: Columbia University

In article <1992Nov18.210411.29484@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com> billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:
>wentzell@ace.acadiau.ca (LEEANN WENTZELL) writes:
>: >As I remember it...
>: >
>: >Puff the magic dragon lived by the sea, 
>: >and frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee.
>: >
>: >Little Jackie Paper, loved that rascal Puff and brought him strings and
>: >sealing wax and other fancy stuff.
>: >
>: >Together they would travel, on a boat with billowed sail.
>: >Jackie kept a lookout perched on Puffs gigantic tail.
>: >Knoble kings and princes would bow when 'ere they came
     noble
>: >and pirate ships would lower their flags when puff roared out his name
I don't remember the "and" on this line.

>: >
>: >Repeat Chorus
>: >
>: >Dragons last forever, but not so little boys.
            live

>: >Painted rings and Dragon wings make way for other toys.
>: >
>: >One gray day it happened, Jackie Paper came no more, and Puff that mighty
        grey
>: >dragon, he ceased his mighty roar.
>                         ^^^^^^fearless
yup, fearless.
>: >

>: >
>: His head was bent in sorrow
>: Green scales fell like rain
(lotsa background humming here)
>: Puff no longer went to play along the Cherry Lane
>: Without his lifelong friend
>: Puff could not be brave
>: So Puff that mighty dragon
>: Just slipped into his cave
>  ^^^^sadly   
yup, sadly.

>
>Chorus - twice.
>
>: Or something like that! Thanks for the memories!

cj "I dig Rock 'N Roll Music" l
(but if I really say it, the radio won't play it, unless I lay it between 
the lines.)
(Don't think twice, it's all right.)
(Leavin' on a jet plane.)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,alt.folklore.computers
From: bets@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Beth Schwindt)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,alt.folklore.college
Subject: SURVEY:  Crime Stories
Date: 16 Nov 92 16:31:13 GMT
Organization: Kansas State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: matt.ksu.ksu.edu

I am doing a survey of crime stories for a class called American
Folklore and Literature here at Kansas State University.  Please
answer the below questionaire and return in to me prior to 11/20/92.

Thanks,

Beth

_________________________________________________________________________

Survey on Crime Stories

1)  What story about crimes committed on campus do you hear most often?




2)  Who tells these stories the most?



3)  Do you tell these stories?  If so, to whom?



4)  What is your affiliation to K-State?




-- 
The brighest day in America will be when education has enough funding and
the Air Force has to hold a bake sale to buy a new bomber....My history
teacher (from the Wireless catalog) bets@matt.ksu.ksu.edu, bets@ksuvm.ksu.edu


-- 
"We are not free; it was never intended we should be.  A book of rules
is placed in our cradles, and we never get rid of it until we reach
our graves."--E.W. Howe, 1924  
bets@matt.ksu.ksu.edu              bets@ksuvm.ksu.edu
From: rancke@diku.dk (Hans Rancke-Madsen)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Halloween
Date: 15 Nov 92 21:37:14 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, U of Copenhagen

<WCE2@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:

>OK, let's get a few things straight: the present Halloween has little or
>nothing to do with the Celtic Samhain, which was a harvest festival and
>opportunity for young farmhands to celebrate being let off work at last by
>playing pranks.  The vandalism associated with the time is probably the
>*only* "pagan" element that survives.  Probably the British Guy Fawkes Day
>is a more direct descendent of Samhain, particularly as the "Old Guy"
>usually burned is arguably the old agricultural year.  Virtually every other
>custom now associated with the day was attached to it in the US during the
>late 19th century and, increasingly, during the early 20th.  Trick or
>treating was originally done at Christmas time, and ghost stories were also
>published and narrated at this time.  (This tradition was still in vogue in
>the early 19th C.  in both the US and UK, where special gift books were put
>together for Christmas presents, so that the lucky children could scare
>themselves silly under the tree.  Hawthorne's early tales and Dickens's
>_Christmas Carol_ are part of this popcult tradition.

In Denmark we have the same elements attached to different festivals. The
"vandalism" (pranks) and fireworks are associated with the New Year. Trick
or treating and dressing up in costumes goes with Lent, and the burning of
an effigy (in our case a witch) goes with Midsummer. Harvest is celebrated
by a harvest dance.



      Hans Rancke
University of Copenhagen
     rancke@diku.dk
------------
"I used to argue the matter at first, but I'm wiser now. Facts
are stubborn things, but not half so stubborn as fallacies."
                - Stella Maynard in "Anne of the Island"
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: fehr@ms.uky.edu (Jeff Davis)
Subject: Re: Smoke cigarettes -- leave early!
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 21:50:12 GMT
Organization: Austerlitz, Gershovitz, and Carmichael

FELSON_ADJ@CCSUA.CTSTATEU.EDU writes:
>
>I heard that smokers were actually cheaper to society than 
>non-smokers... they die quicker! without running up huge
>nursing home expenses.

There's a Dave Letterman joke which points in this direction: 

in a list of Top 10 Least Favorite Cigarettes:

6. Die-Before-Your-Kid-Goes-To-College Lights.

But as someone who lost both grandfather's, my father, a sister,
and a first cousin to cigarette related deaths, although none
ever spent a minute in a nursing home, I can say that some costs 
are not computable.


-- 
Jeff Davis <davis@keats.ca.uky.edu> 
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: UL used for sitcom plot
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 20:44:33 GMT

ccaamrg@ucl.ac.uk (Mike Gahan) writes:
: 
: Barring air-friction, it will continue in a straight trajectory until it
: falls to the ground, thus not coming back at all.

As I posted in response to another person - why? What does friction have
to do with lift? All friction does is show up as drag, which reduces the
effective lift.

Bill
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: fielden@spot.Colorado.EDU (j. a. fielden)
Subject: Re: Tomorrow's Conspiracy Theory, brought to you today.
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 20:55:23 GMT

In article <1992Nov14.095348.3563@news.columbia.edu> lasner@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Charles Lasner) writes:
>In article <1992Nov14.065732.14040@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com> billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:
>>lasner@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Charles Lasner) writes:
>>: In article <1992Nov12.210417.15462@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com> billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:
>
>>
>>JFK got the nomination by his party by some back room political dealing at
>>the convention. I believe that he got a majority of the popular vote also 
>>during the election. I may be misremembering from the election - it was
>>before I was eligible to vote.
>
>JFK got a plurality, but not a majority, further it was a close vote.  He
>won by about 100,000 votes total, far less than the sum of all of the
>other candidates combined (as little as that was).  But again, the Electoral
>vote is quite different.

I believe it was actually 70,000 votes. The closest election for
president in U.S. history (percentage wise).
>
>This is why periodically we have a call for the abolition of the electoral
>process, and a call for popular vote, since each state has to give all
>of its electorals to one candidate, the results are often quite skewed from
>the popular vote itself.
>
 It would make sense since we now elect senators directly to also 
allow us to elect the president directly. It might mean more attention
focused on smaller states not just those with lots of electoral votes.
From: twcaps@tennyson.lbl.gov (Terry Chan)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: UL Alert:  Blue blood!!
Date: 23 Nov 1992 07:42:31 GMT
Organization: Department of Redundancy Department
Reply-To: TWChan@lbl.gov (Terry Chan)
NNTP-Posting-Host: 128.3.12.117

thumper@engin.umich.edu (Bob Topping) writes:

  +Well, here's one that I haven't seen pop up here on afu--
  +
  +One of the shelvers at the library where I work was telling me
  +today that blood is blue while its inside your body, and doesn't
  +turn red until it is exposed to air.
  +
  +I think she was a little bit offended when I started to laugh
  +uncontrollably.  Oh well, she's a good kid; she'll get over it.

Offended?  I expect she might be since she's quite correct.  I quote:

  "Each [red blood] cell is packed with large quantities of
   _hemoglobin_, a protein that contains iron.  Hemoglobin...
   is highly efficient at 'binding' (combining chemically)
   with oxygen when the oxygen concentration is high (in the
   lungs), and releasing the oxygen again when the oxygen 
   concentration is low (in the tissues).  Oxyhemoglobin,
   formed when oxygen combines with hemoglobin, is responsible
   for the _bright red coloration_ [emphasis added] of oxygenated
   blood; the unbound (oxygen-free) hemoglobin in venous blood
   accounts for its darker color."

               -- _The AMA Encyclopedia of Medicine_

  
  +The really sad thing is that she said that her geology prof told
  +her this.  He's got a PhD you know... 

Hey, works for me!
  
  + Bob "My blood is plaid actually" Topping.

I guess I know what happens when someone turns green....


Terry "Suck on this" Chan
--
Energy and Environment Division   | Internet:  TWChan@lbl.gov
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory      | 
Berkeley, California  USA  94720  | Carpe Per Diem
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: styri@hal.nta.no (YuNoHoo)
Subject: Re: Legal Tender
Reply-To: styri@nta.no
Organization: Bohemians and Globetrotters, Unlimited
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 92 13:30:34 GMT

The Norwegian news today reported that our smallest denomination (10 o"re,
that's less than US$ 0.02 - the default value of UseNet opinions) will cease
to be legal tender next year. These 1.5g coins will, however, be valid as
money. One national bank boss explained the "legal tender" term and told
that from next year people other than banks may refuse to accept the coin
as payment... The banks will accept it for another 10 years.

The bank person also added that they would be very satisfied if they got
back as much as 10-15% of the coins.

---
YuNoHoo  "just my $.02"
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: a first year grad student freaks out.
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 21:27:31 GMT

m1tca00@fed.frb.gov (Thomas C. Allard) writes:
: 
: At Berkeley there used to be (is he still there?) a guy called the "X" man because he had "X"'s all over his body, on his glasses, etc.  When I met him in High School he was talking about how the "X" represented the female chromosones and chattered about how men were just broken women and on and on...

I think you can find him over on alt.pagan - posting as ? Figgins.

Bill
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: mjenkins@alfred.carleton.ca (Michael Jenkinson)
Subject: Re: Snuff film UL broken?
Organization: Carleton University
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 23:22:25 GMT

In <srheault.722039237@cunews> srheault@alfred.carleton.ca (Steven Rheault Kihara) writes:

>>According to one report I read, police siezed a number of tapes,
>>"including at least one snuff film."


>The one report was Frank magazine, a gossip rag not known for its
>veracity.
>This hardly qualifies as news I'm afraid.

HEY! I said "according to one report". The fact it was Frank magazine
is incidental. Besides, it could very well be accurate.

Mind your own business! :)

Michael
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Water Tower Suicide.
From: derek@nezsdc.icl.co.nz (Derek Tearne)
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 92 04:44:41 GMT
Organization: Fujitsu New Zealand

In article <1992Nov17.150353.9243@geovision.gvc.com> pt@geovision.gvc.com writes:
>
>Well - I few years ago, when I was renting a house in the country, I noticed
>a funny taste to the water, and assumed some sort of algae growing in the
>well.  I asked the landlord about it, and he drank two large glasses of water
>saying "tastes fine to me - nothing wrong with this".  The next day, I looked
>down the well and found and removed a dead squirrel.  When I told my landlord
>about it, he went moderately green around the gills.
>
>(I poured bleach down the well, and ran the well nearly dry before anybody
>would drink the water again.  It _nearly_ put my ex-wife off her coffee.)
                                                  ^^^^^^^

One wonders exactly how 'ex' your wife is and what contribution to her
current state the squirrel infected water had.

ObLineFromTheParrotSketch: It is an ex-parrot....

ObServation: Have you ever followed a stream in the middle of nowhere and 
thought to yourself "That looks tempting - it must be fresh and safe to 
drink".  Why is it that no matter when you decide to take that drink - a 
hundred metres upstream - just out of sight - there is a dead sheep in 
the water!   

Derek "How did it know!" Tearne


-- 
Derek Tearne.   --   derek@nezsdc.icl.co.nz   --    Fujitsu New Zealand   -- 
Some of the more aware dinosaurs were worried about the environmental
consequences of an accident with the new Iridium enriched fusion reactor.  
"If it goes off only the cockroaches and mammals will survive..." they said.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: sweeney@Ingres.COM (Tony Sweeney)
Subject: Re: Driving without shoes
Reply-To: sweeney@Ingres.COM (Tony Sweeney)
Organization: Ask Computer Systems Inc., Ingres Division, Alameda CA 94501
Date: 20 Nov 92 16:26:24 GMT

In article <1992Nov19.210340.13066@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com> billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:
>
>Hm - nude emergency/parking brakes - pulling of until motion ceases.
>
>Sounds like this should be cross-posted to:
>erotica.manipulation.brakes.parking_emergency.nude
>
>Bill "Does the Beetle thank you afterwards" Nelson
>

No.

Tony "but it usually smokes afterwards" Sweeney.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban