HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: DAK's short-wave radio ??
From: hoyt@isus.UUCP (Hoyt A. Stearns jr.)
Date: 23 Aug 92 18:12:17 GMT
Organization: International Society of Unified Science

>In article <Bt8MH2.HAG@acsu.buffalo.edu>, C058SJLX@ubvm.cc.buffalo.edu writes...
>> 
>>  I have seen a portable short wave radio advertised in the
>> DAK catalogue.  The few technical specifications the ad gives
>> seem to be good, however the price is well below the prices of
>> similar products from other sources.  I am talking about
>> $40  vs  $100+.  I want to buy a radio like this, but the
>> price looks suspicious.
>
The radio works quite well, BUT (what they don't tell you) is the battery drain
is very high, so you must keep it on a battery eliminator at all times that
you're not carrying it with you, or the batteries will die in a couple of days
keeping the clock running.


-- 
Hoyt A. Stearns jr.|hoyt@          | International Society of Unified Science|
4131 E. Cannon Dr. |isus.tnet.com  | Advancing Dewey B. Larson's Reciprocal  |
Phoenix, AZ. 85028 |ncar!enuucp!   | System- a unified physical theory.      |
voice_602_996_1717 telesys!isus!hoyt The Universe in two postulates!_________|
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: minor@rtsg.mot.com (Kevin Minor)
Subject: Re: Endorsing checks for deposit via ink stamp?
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 20:35:56 GMT

asa@STL-09SIMA.ARMY.MIL (Will Martin on 9000) writes:

|>A similar thing happened to me once. I had paid my electric bill at
|>the courtesy window at my neighborhood bank, giving them the bill and
|>a check made out to "Union Electric Co." (our local utility); they stamped
|>the bill "paid" and gave me the stub. This was in plenty of time before the
|>bill was due.

|>Comes the next month, and I get my electric bill. It shows no payment for
|>the previous month and a "past due" notice. At the time, I worked one block 
|>from the electric company customer-service office, so I take my stamped
|>bill stub and the new bill over there. They insist that the stamped stub
|>is no proof that I paid. 

|>I call the bank where I had paid. It turns out they knew about the problem;
|>they had sent a whole batch of electric-company payments to the *gas*
|>company instead! What was even more astounding to me was that the gas
|>company took the checks and deposited them, and they cleared the bank 
|>as valid "Laclede Gas Company" deposits even though the checks were made
|>out to "Union Electric Co."! When my cancelled check came back to me, I
|>could see that it was processed without endorsement to the gas company's
|>account. So much for expecting a bank to even look at the payee name on 
|>a check deposited by a major customer! (These are two entirely separate
|>entities here, by the way; I know that some localities have a combined
|>gas-and-electic utility, but here in St. Louis they are independent
|>private companies.)

Here's another twist:
I once wrote one a check for a telephone bill but unfortunately, I 
mis-read the amount and wrote the check out for an amount slightly less
than what was due. Well, when my bank statement comes in, it didn't match
the balance that I had. So after going thru and comparing had and cleared
and what hadn't, I still could reconcile the statements.
At that point, I started comparing all amounts of checks that I wrote
and the amounts that the bank cleared. I found out that the bank had
cleared my check for the correct amount of my bill due instead of
the amount that I wrote the check out for.
-- 
	/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\
	|	Kevin Minor	UUCP: ...uunet!mcdchg!motcid!minor	|
	|			Mail: minor@rtsg.mot.com		|
	\~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/
From: connors@hplabsz.hpl.hp.com (Tim Connors)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: A/C for a 92 Honda Civic Lx
Date: 27 Aug 92 17:44:42 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Laboratories Palo Alto,CA

In article <1992Aug26.215116.1454@holos0.uucp> lbr@holos0.uucp (Len Reed) writes:

>My dealer quoted $1250 for the A/C.  All-in-all this was the most
>hassle-free and B.S.-free car purchase I've ever made, but I truly dislike
>Honda's attitude about A/C.

They're attitude is bad.  I called the west coast distributor in LA LA land
to get their suggested price for A/C and was told they don't have one.
I think this is so that the dealers can run a scam to charge 50% more
for A/C than other manufacturers.

>The salesman told me, when I said that $1250 was a ridiculous price for
>A/C, that it cost the dealership $985.  Well, that's just about the
>markup on the Civic: the dealer cost is 85% of the sticker, so there
>was some truth to it.  But the *list* price on A/C for most cars in this
>class is $800 or so: it's stupid to put the A/C in at the dealership

I quote from a computer generated invoice dated May 3 1991 from the
_parts_ dept at Stevens Creek Honda in San Jose:

Part Number     Desc.                    List        Net
273904          Right side mirror       82.10      69.78
273903          Clock kit               75.20      63.92
280158          Antenna                 12.95      11.01
323797          Air Cond kit           685.00     616.50

These are parts I purchased a week after acquiring a 91 Civic DX.

Comments:
The net price is the one I paid.
These are parts and do not include installation.
The A/C net was ten percent off list, the other items fifteen.
I got a discount just by asking.  Always do this at the parts window.
The guy in line behind me bought the same right side mirror at the same
  price and got them to install it free.  He was more experienced than I.
Several dealers had quoted me four hours @ $60/hour to install the A/C.
A "Honda only" repair shop quoted four hours @ $50/hour.

When I went in for a free 2000 mile check up at the dealer where I got
the car (not Stevens Creek), I asked again for an A/C installation quote.
They offered a 10% AAA discount, even though I'm not a AAA member.  That
was close enough to the independent's quote that I went for it.  I figured
the dealer installed A/C all the time while the independent never did.
The dealer service writer was kinda surprised to see that I had an A/C kit
in the back of the car.  Total cost of A/C = 616.50 + (4 * 54.00) = 832.50
plus tax.

"Honda - We make it simple."     Yea right.

Enjoy,
-Tim
From: vulcan@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (patricia.m.chmiel)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Anyone have a Unisonic 8742 answering machined?
Keywords: don't know how to program it!
Date: 1 Sep 92 19:07:23 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: AT&T

My sister bought (at a garage sale?) a Unisonic model 8742
telephone answering machine that didn't come with instructions.
Mostly, she'd like to be able to set the date/time stamp, but
can't figure it out.  If anyone could send me instructions,
I'd (she'd) appreciated it.

Thanks,
Pat Chmiel
AT&T Bell Labs
Middletown, NJ
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:15832 rec.travel:12598 bit.listserv.travel-l:2242
From: U4400@wvnvm.wvnet.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.travel,bit.listserv.travel-l
Subject: Camp stoves
Date: 30 Aug 92 14:32:59 GMT
Supersedes: <92242.203626U4400@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>

Our old propane camp stove died recently (actually, the regulator died
and the repair would have cost more than a new stove - don't you love it
when they force you to buy new rather than repair?)  At the store this
evening, we saw a Coleman Dual Fuel Campstove, which claims it can run
on either Coleman cooking gas or unleaded automobile fuel, thus saving
megabucks over propane.  Is this dangerous?  Doesn't car fuel have stuff
in it that I don't want in my food?  I thought propane was supposed to
be clean burning, so I am a bit leery of this stove, although the cost
savings in cooking fuel would be tremendous if it is safe.  (The stove
costs about the same as a propane one.)  Any ideas out there?
|
/--------------------------/------------------------:
|      Eric T. Meyer      /    u4400@wvnvm.bitnet   |
|                        /  u4400@wvnvm.wvnet.edu   |
|-----------------------/---------------------------|
|  Our life is more than our work, and              |
|  our work is more than our job.   - Charlie King  |
:---------------------------------------------------/
|
From: afitz@next.com (Alex Fitz)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Keeping ants away
Keywords: ants
Date: 28 Aug 92 16:39:09 GMT

Does anyone know of an effective, environmentally safe way to keep ants  
from coming in your house?

Thank you in advance, and please hurry!

alex@next.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,sci.energy,sci.environment
From: le@sci.ccny.cuny.edu (didi)
Subject: Re: Are Your Light Bulbs Radioactive?
Organization: City College of New York - Science Computing Facility
Distribution: na
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1992 01:30:21 GMT

>>     they learn early-on that the class of objects to be hammered
.and accidents as threats to my 3 year-old, and hadn't even
.out of reach!
Oh, gosh, hope the kid doesnt eat my PC or the bottom of my light bulbs
lead you know
or break open fluoresents with all that mercury and other crap

Xref: sparky misc.consumers:16135 sci.environment:11073 sci.med:16869
From: zika@gn.ecn.purdue.edu (Michael Zika)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,sci.environment,sci.med
Subject: Re: "Small amounts" of radioactivy (was: Light Bulbs)
Date: 4 Sep 92 15:22:02 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

In article <16857BEF1.M20614@mwvm.mitre.org> M20614@mwvm.mitre.org (Hugh Pritchard) writes:
>In article <1992Sep3.142402.641@newshub.ccs.yorku.ca>
>tony@nexus.yorku.ca (Anthony Wallis) writes:
> 
>I was under the impression that "gamma rays" were merely photons --
>light rays.  Are "gamma rays" in this context photons of a specific
>energy or range of energies?  Perhaps they are more energetic [ =
>shorter wavelength] than X-rays.
> 
  Both gamma-rays and X-rays are photons.  The distinction comes
from the origin of the photon -- gamma-rays originate from a _nuclear_
de-excitation, X-rays originate from an electron de-excitation.


-- 
                                     |
Michael Zika (zika@ecn.purdue.edu)   |    Hey don't ask me "why?",
Purdue University                    |    I'm still working on "how?" ! 
School of Nuclear Engineering        |
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: yogi@cs.ubc.ca (Yossi Gil)
Subject: Re: IKEA furniture by mailorder?
Organization: Computer Science, University of B.C., Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 92 04:09:29 GMT

> 
>> yogi@cs.ubc.ca (Yossi Gil) writes:
>> > I am interested in buying IKEA furniture by mail order.  Any ideas
>> > on how this can be done?
>> 

I called the Baltimore store, and they said that they do not
do any mail order stuff. They were able to suggest a name of a company
that will do the purchasing in ikea for me, and then package, deliver
or mail it to me. Here goes:

	Parcel Plus
	Baltimore, Maryland
	
	TEL: 1 (301) 931-8644\\ 
	FAX: 1 (301) 931-8646\\ 

The Customer Representative  I talked to: Jane was very friendly
and she agreed to do this for me. We didn't finish all the financial
details, but it was definitely converging. 

The reason I needed to order stuff by mail order is that I am moving 
to Israel. It seems rather pointless to by furniture here in BC and
ship it all the way across the NA continent and then to Israel when
it can be bought in the east coast. 

The solution I ended up doing was having my shiping company ("Rainier")
do this for me. They ask for a nominal fee of $75. Sounds very
reasonable to me. I can dig out the Baltimore area warehouse name
and tel number if there is any interest.

Many thanks to all the posters and those who responded.

--
Joseph (Yossi) Gil                 {alberta,uw-beaver,uunet}!ubc-cs!yogi
Dept. of Computer Science          yogi@cs.ubc.ca (cs.ubc.ca=137.82.8.5)
6356 Agricultural Road., Univ. of B.C.,             Tel: +1-604-822-8175
Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z2, Canada.       Fax: +1-604-822-5485
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: rjohnson@shell.com (Roy Johnson)
Subject: Another Scam
Organization: Houston, TX
Distribution: misc
Date: 31 Aug 92 11:05:44

For those who don't know: if you win something, you do not have to pay
anything for it.  If you see a dollar figure on what appears to be a
prize claim form, it is not a prize claim form.

My story:

Got one of those carbon-paper-folded-up-envelope things from "Sweepstakes
Clearinghouse" the other day.  "Hmm, I wonder if a sweepstakes entry has
paid off."  I opened it, it looked good at first glance:  "NOTICE" was
printed across the top, then in a box below, was typed "35 MM VIVITAR
CAMERA WITH FLASH ADAPTER PLUS LIFETIME SUPPLY OF KODAK FILM (UP TO 100
ROLLS)" below it.  Then some check boxes indicating "Package", "Insured
by shipper", a box for Sender:

	SWEEPSTAKES CLEARINGHOUSE
	1555 REGAL ROW
	DALLAS, TX  75247

and Addressee, my wife's maiden name (we've only been married 2-1/2 years).
Then, in a section marked IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS, it said,

	Return this sales solicitation with payment shown below for
	immediate release and insured delivery to your home address.
	Satisfaction or refund of money guaranteed by sender if returned
	within 30 days of delivery.

	TOTAL AMOUNT REQUIRED FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY    $__12.75____
	MAIL CHECK OR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO SENDER BY  ___9/13_____

It also had a claim number, date mailed, some "approval" initials and
a check box indicating "ONLY NOTICE".

So, what we have here is something that looks like you won a prize and
need to claim it, and pay postage.  Only, it's really a "sales solicitation"
made to look like a sweepstakes prize.  I don't care if the cost per roll
of the film comes out to as low as 13 cents a roll, these people are scum
and I'm convinced it's a rip off.

Need we ask to have the use of the word "Sweepstakes" regulated so that
stuff like this gets stopped?  Should I be bothered by this?  Are people
less observant being ripped off?

Input appreciated.

--
Roy Johnson, who is not Kibo
Shell Development Company (but speaking for myself)
"There's a big difference between being a lesbian and being a male!"
			-- tabn3@isuvax.iastate.edu (Griffy)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.autos,rec.autos.tech
From: pathakb@prefect.uucp (21112-pathak)
Subject: Re: 1987-1991 CAMRYS may lock you in the car
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 92 14:31:42 GMT
Followup-To: poster
Summary: HELP!!!THIS HAPPENDED TO ME THE OTHER DAY!!

In article <1992Aug22.211219.12913@polari>, stevely@polari.online.com writes:
> In article <1992Aug18.205145.18422@fid.morgan.com> joec@fid.morgan.com (Joe Collins) writes:
>>The Sept issue of Consumer Reports apparently has a story about a 
>>problem with CAMRYs made before the 1992 model year. An electrical 
>>relay can fail, locking the car door locks and windows. The only way 
>>out then is crawl out the trunk, i.e. release the trunk via the 
>>remote switch, pull down the back seat and crawl out.

This happenned to me the other day... While I was driving I kept 
on hearing some kind of noise on the driver's side.. Apparently, I
couldn't tell..however.. when the toll booth came in and I tried to 
open the window, my driver side window got locked..but the other windows
opened and locks work too..This didn't work for some hours, and then
all of a sudden after few hours it started working..When talk about
this at work.. someone did point out about the problem.. I just
talked to my Toyota Service guy, and he said there's no problems 
with the window..just with the locks...

What should be done if the dealer refuses to fix the problem for free?? 
Also, I have 35000miles on this Camry, is this problem included
in the warranty 3yr/36000miles?? 

>>Toyota says it affected about 50 cars out of 809,000 cars sold. The
>>cars affected number some 900,000 made here and in Japan.
>>
>>Toyota does not plan a recall but does advise the dealer to do a 
>>"case-by-case review" and decide whether to bill Toyota for the work. 
>>It apparently costs some $1300 to fix the problem.

So, how do you convince the guy if it works at the time your
auto is at the dealer service station.???..

>>Sounds like its a very rare problem but sounds like CAMRY owners 
>>should at least be aware of it.

Aware?  Well, I need another car, if they don't cooperate this
time, you know where I would look for another car?? Not towards
toyota, i tell you!!

>I received a notice today from Toyota, asking to call them during business
>hours with the owner's manual handy. I don't know whether this is related to
>my '92 Camry or not, most likely will be. 
>
>Does anyone receive such notice from Toyota? Hopefully I am not the only one.

No!! Not yet.. but I am not waiting.. I made an appointment already..

>
>-Steve

Thanks for the info..

Bob!!
From: rainwatr@ucbeh.san.uc.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: 'Power Antenna' any good?
Date: 4 Sep 92 00:49:23 EST
Reply-To: Don.Rainwater@UC.Edu
Distribution: world
Organization: Univ. of Cincinnati Center for IT Services

	Forget cable! Lose that unsightly rooftop antenna!

	That's what the ads have been saying on TV lately for the 'Power
Antenna', a device which plugs into an electrical outlet and connects to
your TV, supposedly turning your entire house into a giant power antenna.
And all for the low, low price of just $19.95.

	Now for the questions.  Are these things for real?  Do they do what
they say?  Have any of you used these?  I recently bought a new rooftop
antenna, which has pretty good range.  I paid around $70.00 for it.  Should
I rip it down (carefully, so I can find some unknowing sap to buy it), and
send in my $20.00 for one of these gadgets?

	I know this sounds a bit sarcastic, but it's probably justified
since this sounds a little too good to be true.  Any information is
appreciated. 
--
Don Rainwater, Systems Manager, Univ. of Cincinnati Center for IT Services
Don.Rainwater@UC.Edu
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:15800 talk.environment:3433
From: jgd@dixie.com (John De Armond)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,talk.environment
Subject: Re: Radioactivity and Superstition; was: Re: Are Your Light Bulbs Radioactive?
Date: 28 Aug 92 17:41:12 GMT
Organization: Dixie Communications Public Access.  The Mouth of the South.

de5@ORNL.GOV (Dave Sill) writes:

>That's not the point.  Have you ever been shocked?  Have you ever inhaled bug
>spray? Have you ever directly felt an exposure to radioactivity?  I'll bet your
>answers are yes, yes, and no.  Personal experience goes a long way toward
>determining peoples beliefs.  

Yes, yes and yes.  Once stuck my hand through a beam port to hold a TLD 
against a spent fuel element to get a contact dose reading.  At about
5,000 R/second, it feels like little pin-pricks all over your fingers.
Is that why I'm not afraid of radiation?

>Until they experience radioactivity, it's abstract and unknown.  Fear 
>is a reasonable response.  Education is the only way I know of
>to counteract this fear.  Poo-pooing it won't help.

Witches and gobblins are also abstract and unknown.  Some people even
fear 'em.  At one point, people even burned the accused.    The point is,
ignorance is not an acceptable excuse for fear.  Yes, ignorance is the
main cause of fear but not an ACCEPTABLE one.  Certainly not an 
acceptable one for setting policy.

John
-- 
John De Armond, WD4OQC               |Interested in high performance mobility?  
Performance Engineering Magazine (TM) |
Marietta, Ga                         |Interested in high tech and computers? 
jgd@dixie.com                        |Write me about PE Magazine
Need Usenet public Access in Atlanta?  Write Me for info on Dixie.com.
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:15759 rec.food.drink:2770 ba.food:2979
From: wayne@ultra.com (Wayne Hathaway)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.food.drink,ba.food
Subject: How to dispose of empty paint cans?
Date: 27 Aug 92 19:43:07 GMT
Reply-To: wayne@ultra.com (Wayne Hathaway)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Ultra Network Technologies

We have been doing a bit of painting of late, and consequently have
several empty gallon latex paint cans around.  Does anybody have any
advice on the best way to dispose of the beasties?  Capping them and
throwing them in the trash seems pessimal, but clearly the curbside
recycling people won't take 'em.  Any other ideas out there?  Thanks!

    Wayne Hathaway               domain: wayne@Ultra.COM
    Ultra Network Technologies     uucp: ...!ames!ultra!wayne
    101 Daggett Drive             phone: 408-922-0100 x132
    San Jose, CA 95134              FAX: 408-433-9287
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,sci.environment,sci.med
From: johana!tsw@apple.com (Tom Watson)
Subject: Re: Avoiding radioactive household products
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 02:12:24 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: FBN/GRQ Ink.

In article <1992Aug26.025131.479@athena.cs.uga.edu>, mcovingt@athena.cs.uga.edu (Michael A. Covington) writes:
> 
> In article <1992Aug25.235542.17607@sopwith.uucp> snoopy@sopwith.uucp (Snoopy) writes:
> >In article <1992Aug24.185340.19127@unlinfo.unl.edu> cbettis@unlinfo.unl.edu (clifford bettis) writes:
> >
> >| Comparable sources can be found in smoke 
> >| detectors, lantern mantels and even salt substitute.
> >
> >Speaking of which, where can one get smoke detectors that are
> >nuke-free these days?  I can't find them anywhere...  :-(
> 
> For that matter, how about nuke-free bananas?  
> 
> (Bananas contain potassium, and potassium is one of many elements which,
> in the naturally occurring mixture of isotopes, are slightly radioactive.
> People have never lived in a radiation-free environment.)

That's for sure!!  Geologists have been Carbon-14 dating things for quite some
time (btw Carbon-14 IS radio-active).  Most energy on this planet has its
real roots in some sort of radioactivity.  Some people don't realize that
the main source of energy for us is about 93,000,000 miles away and a big
thermo-nuclear bomb.  Its all a mater of distance and dose!!

Note also that most (if not all) color monitors/TV's use rare earth minerals.
Most of these have a small % of radioactive isotopes.

One cannot live in a nuclear-free world, its all around us!!
------
Tom Watson
johana!tsw@apple.com
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:15706 rec.food.drink:2757 ba.food:2946
From: jordan@IMSI.COM (Jordan Hayes)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.food.drink,ba.food
Subject: Re: Looking for a *great* coffeemaker
Date: 26 Aug 92 13:44:55 GMT
Followup-To: misc.consumers
Organization: Investment Management Services Inc., NYC

Sharen A. Rund <sharen@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com> writes:

	I put my beans in air-tight plastic containers in the fridge

Air-tight is good, but I've found that keeping them at room temperature
makes them less brittle.  They grind better.  Although, on occasions
where friends have refrigerated coffee, I asked them to let the beans
"warm up a little" before grinding, and they claimed to have noticed a
difference in the taste -- for the better :-)  Superstition?  Maybe.
But it works for me ... Some people say that they keep it in the fridge
to keep the beans "fresh" ... maybe they just buy too much coffee at
one time?  I have 2lbs of Peets airlifted in about every third week.  I
can usually time it right so that I bring home a fresh stash on the day
I get down to the bottom of the container.  I have those ceramic "bee
house" containers with the seal and clasp.  Funny, they are from
Starbucks but the coffee is from Peets.

	with my schedule, I only get to really enjoy my coffee on the
	weekends

What a lame excuse!  ;-)  How long could it take you to grind and
brew a cup of java?

	I also keep my ground coffee in there too

I've always found that "pre-grind" brings a loss of flavor.  Grinding
takes so little time (what, 45 seconds at most?), it seems a shame to
skip that step.

Here at work, we just got a new machine that brews coffee a cup at a
time.  It has a little roller of filter paper, and a lump of pre-grind
lands in a circle while hot water is forced through it.  The brewing
takes about 20 seconds, and a cup-sized portion flows into your cup.
It actually does a really good job, though I gotta see how it does with
better coffee ...

/jordan
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.food.drink,ba.food