HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: gary@cdthq.UUCP (Gary Heston)
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 93 19:34:09 CST
Organization: Garys' Home for Obsolete Computers

lusol@Lehigh.EDU (Stephen O. Lidie) writes:

> In article <P7BPXB1w161w@cdthq.UUCP> gary@cdthq.UUCP (Gary Heston) writes:
> >brad@ssd.intel.com (Brad Rullman) writes:
> >
    [ re: cat bothering birds ]
> >
> >Yes. A dog on a leash tied to the base of the cedar tree should be
> >quite effective.
> >
> >A second possibility would be to use chicken wire to enclose the area
  [ ... ]
> >If all else fails, a live trap and trip to the local animal pound
> >will solve the problem.
> 
> Geez..... if you know the owners talk to them about the problem..... sending
> the cat to the pound to be put to sleep is the usual short-sighted solution..

That is another possibility; however, it's usually difficult to trace
a cat back unless it's wearing a tag, and reading the tag involves
catching the cat. 

Further, I *did* list two reasonable approaches to discouraging a
cat, and clearly stated (as shown above) "If all else fails". 

Don't flame me (or others, for that matter) about "short-sighted
solutions". A dog or fencing are quite reasonable solutions, and
less radical than some others that have been posted. Also, a pound
doesn't simply kill an animal that's delivered to them; they'll 
usually try to contact the owner to bail it out, or put it up for
adoption. 

I'm about ready to start trapping squirrels here, to stop the 
damage to my flowerbeds and gardens, and prevent my mothers'
pecan trees from getting stripped (we're in a residential area,
not rural). I plan to move the squirrels either to a state park,
or a rural area near where I work (but across a river, to reduce
returns). I don't advocate gratuitous killing of animals, but 
will kill one if necessary. 

Gary Heston, at home....
gary@cdthq.uucp
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: rsd@sei.cmu.edu (Richard S D'Ippolito)
Subject: Re: wiring diagram
Organization: The Software Engineering Institute
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 13:17:54 EST


In article <90533@ncratl.AtlantaGA.NCR.COM>, Harris Roth writes:

>Would someone please post or email the wiring diagram for a light controlled
>by three switches.  I know that the circuit requires two - 3 way switches and
>one - 4 way switch.  What I'm not sure of is the wiring and how the internal
>workings of the switches allow any switch to turn the light on or off.

Sigh...a 3-way switch is really a 3-connection switch and a 4-way has four
wires.  How they got those misleading names are beyond me, but I see that
some manufacturers are renaming them.  Rant at electricians' terminology
aside, I'll try to draw them:

                       WIRING DIAGRAM

              ---    black    ---    black    ---
      black  |   |-----------|   |-----------|   | black
        -----| 3 |           | 4 |           | 3 |--------
   from      |   |-----------|   |-----------|   |       |
   breaker    ---     red     ---     red     ---        O  light(s)
                                                         |
        --------------------------------------------------
      white                                       white

       (1)    (A)     (2)      (B)     (3)    (C)   (4)


Assuming a 15 A feed, cables (1) and (4) are 14/2; cables (2) and (3) are
14/3.  Switches (A) and (C) are "3-way", really single-pole-double-throw
(1P2T) and the center switch (B) is "4-way", really double-pole-double-throw
(2P2T).  Note that you carry the return (white) wire (and, of course, the
bare ground) through to the lights.  You can add any number of 2P2T switches
in the middle (including zero, but more on that later) to get control from
any number of locations!  (Use #12 wire for 20 Amp circuits.)

Schematically, it's much harder to represent.  A 1P2T switch looks like this:

            o----- b
          /
   a ----o

            o----- c

shown with terminal 'a' connected to terminal 'b'.  Toggling it connects 'a'
to 'c'. (A standard switch has only 'a' and 'b', so the 'off' position
connects 'a' to nothing.)

A 2P2T looks like this in one position:

    a ----o - o-----b

    c ----o - o-----d

where 'a' connects to 'b' and 'c' connects to 'd'.  In the other position
the connections are a-d and c-b:

    a ----o   o-----b
            X
    c ----o   o-----d

Go back to the first drawing and you will see that switch (A) puts the
voltage on either the black or red line and switch (C) puts the lights on
either of them.  If they are the same and there is no center switch (a
typical 3-way circuit), the lights will be on -- different and the lights
are off.  The center switch adds a new control by allowing you to complete
or break a path regardless of the positions of the two outside (line and
load) switches.  I hope that it is clear how it works with any number of
2P2T switches, including zero!

Rich

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: scs5759@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Subject: Re: Water Filter Recommendations Wanted!!!!
Reply-To: scs5759@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 15:10:08 GMT


In article <ggawron.101.0@comm.mot.com>, ggawron@comm.mot.com (Glenn Gawron) writes:
>I am in the market for an under sink water filter that would get rid of both 
>chlorine and lead.  There are multitudes of manufacturers and models 
>available.  Anyone have any first hand experiences / recommendations?
>
>P.S. It will be filtering Chicago water!
I'm sorry.
>
>Thanks in advance.
	
	I've done some research on water filters and have found that the
best one on the market is a solid block carbon filter.  NSF (national
sanitation foundation) has given one of these filters a very good rating.  The
Multi-Pure filter.  It is certified for Asthetics and for Health ratings.  They
remove lead, chlorine, TTHM's and a whole bunch of other stuff. (which I can
hardly pronounce)  This company has a under the counter model that has a
spicket you can mount on you sink.  The filter is good for 500 gallons (average
use for a family of 4 for a year) and then needs to be replaced.  It's
relatively inexpensive also, compared to bottled water -- it's a very good
deal.  The only problem is the intitial investment, to buy the housing for the
cartridge.  I believe it $329.00 but I don't hold me to it.  And the cartridge
is $38, again don't hold me too it.
	I've got one and have been using it for years now, and I love it.  (The
Rochester, NY water isn't that wonderful either).   If you want more
information then drop me some e-mail at scs5759@ritvax.isc.rit.edu.

Hope this helps.

Scott
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: jeq@i88.isc.com (Jonathan E. Quist)
Subject: Re: No Hot Water!
Organization: Lachman Technology, Incorporated, Naperville, IL
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 15:18:02 GMT

In article <y1_s6dd@dixie.com> jgd@dixie.com (John De Armond) writes:
>eliot@chutney.rtp.dg.com (Topher Eliot) writes:
>
>[me]
>|> J> The hysterisis in the thermostat is generally fixed.  You have a couple of
>|> J> options.  You can turn the thermostat up higher so that you use less
>|> J> of hotter water during your shower.  This will probably be very effective,
>|> J> particularly if someone has been propagandized into turning the heat
>
>>Or they have been correctly warned that water hotter than 120F can cause life-
>>threatening scalding of little children who turn it on full blast on them-
>>selves in the tub.
>
>Figured I'd flush a safety nazi or two out with that one.  I'd be amused
>to hear any scenario you could come up with where a child could receive
>a "life threatening" scalding in which the parent was not being irresponsible.

Life threatening isn't even the issue.  If I can avoid dealing with
a screaming child who needs medical attention for a scalded hand, I'll do it.

>If the parent is responsible enough to worry about water temperature,
>s/he is responsible enough to keep the kid out of boiling water.

My 20-month-old figured out how to turn on the hot water faucet about
a week after she figured out how to climb on the toilet to reach it,
and that was over 8 months ago.  We can't watch her every single second,
and I'd much rather she learned a lesson from uncomfortably hot water
than lost use of a hand from scalding water.

>PS:  The stove can also cause life threatening burns and can burn your
>house down.  Do you also run your stove at reduced power?

No, but she hasn't figured out how to light the stove yet.  She did learn
the meaning of the word "hot", somewhere around 13 months of age, and
respects it when we tell her that something is hot.  But when the stove is
in use, there is a responsible person in the room.
-- 
Jonathan E. Quist                              Lachman Technology, Incorporated
jeq@i88.isc.com  '71 CL450-K4 "Gleep", DoD #094        Naperville, IL
 __       There's nothing quite like the pitter-patter of little feet,
 \/                   followed by the words "Daddy!  Yay!"
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: hbb@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (harlan.b.braude)
Subject: Re: Hot water too hot
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 17:47:22 GMT

In article <LOWRY.93Jan21110918@rotor.watson.ibm.com> lowry@watson.ibm.com (Andy Lowry) writes:
>I'm wondering whether anybody knows of any gizmo or technique that I
>could use to locally reduce the temperature of the water coming out of
>my faucets.  Of course we'll try to teach my daughter to understand

I've heard of special faucets that adjust the temperature of the water
by mixing the hot and cold water for you. I've also read (in Consumer
Reports a couple of years ago?) about faucets that display the temperature
of the water in a digital readout (I believe these were battery operated
gizmos.)
-- 
Harlan B. Braude
hbb@karin.att.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: chris@alliant.com ( Chris Infantino)
Subject: exposed support beams
Organization: Alliant Computer Systems, Littleton, MA
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 14:30:29 GMT

I've recently had some work done on my house which included reinforcing
several support beams in the house.  I now have 2 sections that have
exposed 2 x 4's which I would like to cover up.  Someone suggested
buying pine boards (1" thick) and have the ones coming down from the
ceiling lap over at the bottom, sort of like this:

					|	|
					|	|
					|_______|
					|	|

I think this looks too boxy, but I really don't have any other ideas.
I'm trying to sell the house, so I don't want to spend too much on it, but
I also don't want it to look cheap.  I have 1 section that is 9' long,
3 1/2" wide and 6" high and 1 section that is 14' long (with 2 2 x4's supportingit in the middle), 3 1/2" wide and 6" high.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Chris
e-mail chris@alliant.com
Organization: Queen's University at Kingston
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 12:03:16 EST
From: Jeff Boyd <BOYDJ@QUCDN.QueensU.CA>
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: The Dutch Challenge


One of my first tasks as flood season drew near was to stuff a heavy rag
into the sump feed and brace it in with a strong stick.  This would slow
the sump inflow rate to the point where a single 1/3hp pump could easily
handle the job.  However, you need to be confident that the water can't
simply find a new route into your basement, or if it can (eg. seepage)
that the effective inflow rate is low.  Our experience with seepage was
that the inflow rate was tiny compared to the sump feed.

I'd still have backup pumps handy (we had 2x1/3hp electric, 1x4hp gas,
and 1x1/4hp electric submersible).  The gas pumps (obviously) are very
dangerous, and can kill everyone in your house quite rapidly if you
don't ventilate.  We'd only use it after we'd lost a skirmish and the
basement had filled to more than a few inches above the sump top.


jeff
From: davek@informix.com (David Kosenko)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Driveway Gate Opener Needed
Date: 27 Jan 93 18:48:24 GMT
Organization: Informix Software, Inc.

Bill Pherigo writes:
>
>     I'm looking for a way to automate a gate for my driveway.  I've seen
>several units in the multi-thousand dollar range, but I'm thinking
>that there MUST be a cheaper way.  A solar powered unit would be very
>attractive for this application.  Any ideas?

From an ad in the latest issue of Fine Homebuilding:

	AUTOMATIC-REMOTE SWINGING GATE OPENER

	5' and larger gates
	YOU BUILD-EASY
	uses over head opener
	Complete Plans
	$9.00 check or money order
	only, no refunds on plans
	Donnlu, Star Rt. 1 Box 81A
	Anthony, Texas 79821

Note: I have nothing to do with either Fine Homebuilding or the person
who placed the ad.

Dave
-- 
Disclaimer: These opinions are not those of Informix Software, Inc.
**************************************************************************
"I look back with some satisfaction on what an idiot I was when I was 25,
 but when I do that, I'm assuming I'm no longer an idiot." - Andy Rooney
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: bwise@hemlock.mitre.org (Barry Wise)
Subject: Re: Dispute with Home Owners Assn - Advice Sought
Organization: The MITRE Corporation
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 14:13:16 GMT

In article <kgeib.728184747@truckee> kgeib@truckee.qualcomm.com (Ken Geib)  
writes:
> bsardis@netcom.com (Barry Sardis) writes:
> 
> >I own a condo. I engaged a mangement company to locate a tenant.
> >This is the same company that manages the complex for the HOA. The
> >tenants have a dog and they keep it chained on the patio.
> 
> >Some residents complained about the dog. The HOA CC&Rs do not allow
> >pets in the complex. There are lots of cats in the complex, roaming
> >free.
> 
> >I have had conversations with the management company on the situation.
> >There have been some discussions and compromises. The management
> >company sends threatening letters and fines my account. I wrote a
> >letter asking for a dialog, but the next letter was more of the same
> >without even an acknowledgement of my letter.
> 

Did you sign the contract with the tenants yourself or through the management  
company? If you did not inform the tenants of the restrictive covenants then  
you are responsible for the situation. If the management company did the  
contract for you they are probably liable for not informing the tenant of the  
restrictions. 

The fact that other violations exist in the complex is not relevant to your  
problem, just as the police not catching all speeders absovles you from a  
speeding ticket.  Why do you insist on breaking the covenants? Is there a legal  
reason you can't comply? Why do they keep it chained on the patio? Does it  
bark? Is it otherwise a nuisance (threatening, growling, making messes?). Why  
didn't you tell them of the restictions? Did you think they don't apply to you?

Obey the rules or get them changed.

--
Barry Wise

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: lowry@watson.ibm.com (Andy Lowry)
Subject: Hot water too hot
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 16:09:18 GMT
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM T.J. Watson Research Center

I live in a cooperative apartment building, and the hot water from the
faucet is scaldingly hot.  This concerns me because I fear my 16
month-old daughter will soon be able to reach and operate some
faucets, including the bathroom tub and sink faucets.  I raised the
issue at a recent shareholder's meeting, and it was explained to me
that the building's dishwashers require that hot water be maintained
at 140 degrees, and that's what the building does.  If this is true,
then I clearly can't expect the building to lower the temperature, but
I'm wondering whether anybody knows of any gizmo or technique that I
could use to locally reduce the temperature of the water coming out of
my faucets.  Of course we'll try to teach my daughter to understand
the dangers of hot water, and she won't be left unsupervised, but if
there are reasonable steps I could take to make this hazard simply go
away in my apartment, I'd be interested in finding out about them.
Thanks for any suggestions.
--
Andy Lowry, lowry@watson.ibm.com, (914) 784-7925
IBM Research, P.O. Box 704, Yorktown Heights, NY  10598
From: kl@cveng120.veheng.det (Keith L)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Autodesk Software (was Re: AutoDesk Landscaping Computer Program)
Date: 28 Jan 93 16:28:53 GMT
Reply-To: kl@cveng120.veheng.det
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.

In article R1DWS@VM1.CC.UAKRON.EDU, R1DWS@VM1.CC.UAKRON.EDU (Dan Stefancik) writes:
:^O___In article <1993Jan26.004002.1842@VFL.Paramax.COM>
:^O___garyp@rmtc.paramax.com (Gary Palangian [RMTC/ISP]) writes:
:^O___ 
:^O___>
:^O___>
:^O___>Hey Now Everybody,
:^O___>
:^O___>    AutoDesk, the AutoCAD people, have a computer program out
:^O___>that assists you in doing home landscape design.  It is
:^O___>about $40 retail and I saw it in a local hardware   Does
:^O___>anyone have any experience with this program?  Is it
:^O___>worth the money?
:^O___>
:^O___>I have that program. For homeowner use, it IS worth the $40.  It seems to be
:^O___a scaled-down version of Generic CADD with hybrid menus and symbols.  If you
:^O___want  to split the difference between that and Auto CAD, for about $275. you
:^O___can get Generic CADD (v6) which is a heck of a good program.  It to has symbol
:^O___libraries; but it also has many other  features,such as layering, which enable
:^O___you to show seasonal changes in your plantings. Hope this helps.
:^O___ 



I have a question that kind of fits in with this discussion. 
 
I use AutoSketch (which is an Autodesk product as well) quite extensively.  I like it very much for drawing up woodworking and other home project design sketches  and was thinking of purchasing the Windows version (~$170.00) so that it  will play better with my other software.  Does anyone on the net have experience with both versions of this software?  If so, would you please be so kind as to post some comments regarding advantages/disadvantages of AutoSketch DOS/Windows? 

OR......  Would I be better off stepping up to something like GenericCADD?   Any other recommendations in the under $300.00 range?

Keith L.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r)
Subject: Re: Wood Floors  Using Pine!
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 93 05:19:09 GMT

In article <1jkpj5INNgna@email.sp.paramax.com> rickt@rmtc.paramax.com (Rick Thompson [RMTC/ISP]) writes:

>............................. I've decided
>that the cost is just "way" more than I care to spend.  I've therefore decided
>to look at pine flooring (lodge pole, sp?).  My question is, is using pine a
>very wise decision?

Depends on the type. Most pines are soft woods and would not be good choices.
For example, you wouldn't want white pine. For that matter, you don't want
fir; it's pretty soft too.

However, southern pine (AKA "yellow pine") is one of the hardest woods
out there. It makes great floors; it's resinous and gets harder with age.
Its main drawback is a tendency to warp, but this will not be a problem
with properly installed tongue & groove.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    |
George Patterson -  | Revolution - n; An abrupt change in the form of
                    | misgovernment.
                    |         Ambrose Bierce - The Devil's Dictionary
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: ptrei@bistromath.mitre.org (Peter Trei)
Subject: Re: Tearing out woodstove and brick hearth
Organization: The MITRE Corporation
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 14:21:41 GMT

In article <lm6osoINNj96@boogie.cs.utexas.edu> swisher@cs.utexas.edu (Janet M. Swisher) writes:
>The stove rests on a brick hearth which extends about 4 feet up two
>walls and out into the room in a square with a rounded corner.  The
>floor part of the hearth was laid on top of the hardwood floor, with a
>layer of plastic sheeting in between (which I know because it sticks
>out in a few places).  As far as I can tell, the wall part is laid
>right up against the drywall.

>What is involved in tearing apart brick masonry?  Can we do it without
>damaging the floor terribly much?  In spite of the plastic sheet, I'm
>sure there are places where the mortar got on to the hardwood.

     I recently took down a 30 foot brick chimney using handtools - a
solid steel mason's chisel an inch and a half wide, and a hand sledge
hammer. It took a couple of days.

     It wasn't too difficult. Wear HEAVY leather gloves, strong shoes
(you *will* drop stuff on your toes), and (very important) eye
protection. It takes some practice to find the best place and angle to
hit (at the brick/mortar join, with the chisel pointed slightly into
the brick to lift it away from the mortar).

    You'll break a lot of bricks until you get the hang of it. If you
don't care, you can use a big sledge to loosen things up a bit before
you start. As it sounds as if the wall and floor are up against the
brick in this case, it might not be a good idea.

    While I can't be sure, I'd guess the the demolition process
shouldn't damage the floor much.

(I usually practice speculative, rather than operative, masonry). 

							Peter Trei
							ptrei@mitre.org	

From: burton@misty.boeing.com (Brandy Burton-Tarantino)
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 21:07:40 GMT
Subject: Glass Block - Suggestions??
Organization: Boeing Commercial Airplane BCS Support
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house

   Now that the sheetrock, mud, etc. is progressing nicely in finishing
   our basement I have turned my attention to the bathroom to be finished.

   I had hoped to build a 4X7' glass block wall for remaining enclosure
   needed for shower.  But....  It seems the only two places in the area
   that carry block are Seattle Glass and Mutual Materials - and 
   the prices! ouch!

            8'              So I'm looking for suggestions for 
     XX---XXXXXXXXXXX        1> other sources of block in the area
     X  |     |     X           (anyone got a wall they would like to take
     X  |  D  |  W  X            down & sell cheap??)
     X  |---------- X 
     X              X        2> alternate methods to achieve the results
     X       xxxxxxxX           desired
     X              X 
     X   Drain->0   X           Bathroom is indicated on the left with walls 
 16' X              X           built shown with x's.  Being long and thin 
     X       ???????X           with only 1 window we wanted to avoid placing
     X              X           another wall where the ?????'s are that would
     XToilet Drain->X           block the light.  The floor is concrete and 
     X              X           the drain already placed for a 36" square
     X              X           shower pan ( corner showers have the drain 
     XVanity Drain->X           placed towards the point by a number of  
     X              X           inches more than square showers) 
     X     XXXXXXXXXX
                                Can one get a corner shower pan with the 
                                drain placed where a square one would be?
                                Is there some trick we could use to re-route
                                the pipe without taking up concrete? Like
     maybe a flexi-hose of some sort and a raised platform?  Is there an
     alternative to glass blocks I just don't know about?   Any suggestions
     appreciated.
                

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX    2   XXXXXXXXXXXXXX  T. E. Brandy Burton-Tarantino         X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX   B -T XXXXXXXXXXXXXX  uunet!bcstec!misty!burton@bcstec      X
X            Name your limitations, and you get to keep them.                X