HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: moroney@ramblr.enet.dec.com ()
Subject: Re: Iron in blood setting off metal detectors
Reply-To: moroney@ramblr.enet.dec.com ()
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 92 19:41:10 GMT


In article <1992Apr16.152527.14763@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>, berger@atropa (Mike Berger) writes:
|>tjw@vm2.cis.pitt.edu writes:
|>>See how much rust (iron oxide) will stick to a magnet.
|>*----
|>
|>A pretty substantial amount, apparently.  Just look at the heads
|>of a well-used tape recorder.
|>
|>If iron compounds don't have magnetic properties, I wonder how
|>magnetic recording tape works?

Different compound.  Magnetic tape uses an iron oxide called magnetite, I
believe.  This is different stuff from rust.  Try (metal-free) rust and a
magnet.  It won't stick.

BTW, many elements have the property of being affected by magnets.  Oxygen
included (liquid oxygen is noticeably attracted by a magnet).  What makes
iron and some other elements/alloys/compounds special is the crystal structure.
The little magnetic atoms line up in the same direction in magnetic materials,
in other materials the little magnets either don't exist or all point in
random directions.

Besides, I believe airport metal detectors work on conductivity (eddy currents)
rather than magnetism.  Otherwise they couldn't detect a stainless steel gun
and my pocket change wouldn't set it off (I've gone through detectors with
quite a bit of change and it does set them off)

-Mike
From: mjtuovin@klaava.Helsinki.FI (Markku Tuovinen)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Run out of town on a rail
Keywords: eat more cruciferous vegetables for Jesus.
Date: 14 Apr 92 08:14:11 GMT
Organization: University of Helsinki

>In article <ktuhtvINNgdk@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM> linden@ella.Eng.Sun.COM (Peter van der Linden) writes:
>>
>>This week's phrase is "run out of town on a rail".
>>It means to eject someone in disgrace.
>>But why add "on a rail"?
>>What does it come from?

I don't know about the history of th thing but the custom is kinda
familiar to me from a French comic book Lucky Luke that is a
comprehencive parody from 'the Wild West'. For example one album (48
pages each) had two hustlers in main roles and they were regularly
tarred, feathered and carried out of the town an a rail. The rail used
in the comic was a railroad rail, by the way (artistic freedom, I'd say
:)
From: glp7584@tamuts.tamu.edu (Gordon Lee Powell Jr)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Falling Bullets
Date: 10 Apr 92 18:18:24 GMT
Organization: ~/lib/organization

In article <92100.205907PDA101@psuvm.psu.edu> PDA101@psuvm.psu.edu writes:

>  Sorry for barging in like this on the conversation, but hmmmm,
>I think I remember that maybe there is a relationship between temperature
>and density.
>  Every hear of equations of state? As in p=f(rho,T)...
>For example, for a perfect gaz (I know, at high alt, not a very good
>aprox, but simple enough..):
>      p = rho*R*T
>  Which means, since a = sqrt(gamma*R*T).....a=sqrt(gamma*p/rho)

True enough.  However, now you've brought pressure into the picture.
It is much simpler to just say a=f(T).
You could argue that T=f(p,rho), but why?

In the end, given the temperature of the air, you can calculate the 
speed of sound.

If you are given the density of the air, you can't (without additional
information) calculate the speed of sound.

Gordon "the easy way" Powell 
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: amorgan@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Crunchy Frog)
Subject: Re: Non-Alcoholic Drinks Folklore
Organization: Computer Science Department, Stanford University.
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 06:49:56 GMT

In article <1992Apr8.130510.12238@cs.bham.ac.uk> 
  idf@mr-macgregor.cs.bham.ac.uk (Ian Fitchet) writes:

> Hi,
Hello

>	I was drinking from a large plastic bottle of Diet
>Pepsi/Coke/Drink of your choice when I offered some to a friend.  They
>put the top back on the bottle and screwed it closed with the sides of
>the bottle compressed inwards so that `there is less air inside so it
>stays fresher.'  

I believe that the pressure of the compressed sides actually causes the
CO2 to come out of solution faster, so I think your friend is wrong.

>	This reminded me of another friend who always insisted on
>reboiling the kettle before pouring the literally boiling water on
>their tea bag as `the tea tastes better when boiling water is poured
>on the tea bag.'  

This is correct, I think.  Tea contains several substances that will
not disolve unless boiling water (and I *do* mean 100C) is added.  This
is one of the reasons why those poor slobs in Denver can't make decent
tea.

>	Relating to the second, does boiling water `scald' and hence
>ruin the taste of instant coffee (granules)?  Or for that mater does
>it instantly sour milk?

Instant coffee comes pre-ruined and I doubt boiling water sours milk.

>Cheers,
>	Ian

C Frog
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: david.lloyd-jones@rose.com (david lloyd-jones)
Subject: xtraterrestrial metal
Organization: Rose Media Inc, Toronto, Ontario.
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1992 10:11:05 GMT
X-Gated-By: Usenet <==> RoseMail Gateway (v1.2)


Date Entered: 04-16-92 23:19
Elucidating that of: tim@tcom.stc.co.uk (Tim Kennedy)
T(K>Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
T(K>Subject: Extraterrestrial metal

T(K>Does anyone else remember hearing the story about the pillar in India
T(K>somewhere which is made out of a metal that is unknown anywhere in
T(K>the world?  Someone told me this one years ago.


No fucking problem: I know a foundry in Brampton, Ontario, that makes
brake rotor castings out of a metal unknown anywhere in the world.

                                          -dlj.
---
   SLMR 2.0   Backup not found: (A)bort (R)etry (P)anic
   RM 1.60: Usenet: Rose Media - Hamilton (416) 575-5363
From: uspam@mcl.mcl.ucsb.edu (Tom Maynard)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Polio immunizations
Date: 14 Apr 92 03:56:06 GMT
Article-I.D.: mcl.uspam.703223766

In <16528@ulysses.att.com> smb@ulysses.att.com (Steven Bellovin) writes:

>Here's another polio story I heard -- that polio is a disease of improved
>standards of cleanliness and hygiene.  In earlier times, kids would play
>in the dirt a lot more, and be exposed to the virus in very low doses.
>As a consequence, they built up a natural immunity to the disease.  In
>the 20th century, cleanliness became a fad, depriving kids of this early
>exposure, and putting them at risk from polio epidemics.

This is true.  Polio is actually not that bad of a disease for something like
90-95 percent of the people who get it (it's probably like a mild dysentary)
because it stays confined to the intestines.  Very few who get the disease
have it enter their nervous system and cause the severe debilitating
effects.  In countries with poor sanitation, the infants all got the disease
early, and had antibodies towards it throughout life.  The disease was
endemic, and no epidemics were seen.  Any death due to polio among infants
would normally be chalked up to the infant mortality rate, which would
already be quite high.  Its only in the populations with good sanitation
and otherwise good health that you get epidemics among adults.

This info from my trusty notes from an undergrad virology course here. I'd
go into detail about the vaccinations (Salk -vs- Sabin), but this topic
probably belongs on Sci Bio.

As for urban folklore, the happy trusty animal rights folks who will be
flocking to a research campus near you in about a week have many neat
stories about vaccinations and biological research, that could win some
awards for originality.  I'll stay out of that for now, though.

--Tom Maynard
  Bio Geek
  uspam@mcl.UCSB.edu
From: gsmcd06@castle.ed.ac.uk (P Holmes)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: It's that man again!
Keywords: Craig_Shergold,Business_Cards
Date: 9 Apr 92 09:04:58 GMT
Organization: Edinburgh University


BBC Radio 4, 9am April 9th (election day)

The first article on `punters', a consumer affairs type program where
people are given the power of Radio 4 (the main British news/current
affairs station) to follow up complaints and problems, was loosely
about chain letters.  The trigger for it though was the CS business card
letter which is still doing the rounds, and the man himself was
interviewed, as well as his mum.

The 12 deliveries a day, the dedicated Post Office computer, the local
church help groups which open most of the mail, that day's mail (already
a 4foot pile), it was all there - with a very fed up sounding Craig
pleading the world to stop sending the stuff.

Philip Holmes
 l
[l:-)   Knee to the Ski!
 l

(Ob. UL: overheard in the Union changin rooms - no one ever dies in the
Vancouver (Canada) Chinese population, they just get replaced by new
blood stepping into dead man's shoes.)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,alt.folklore.science
From: joltes@husc4.harvard.edu (Richard Joltes)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Carbonated Beverages
Date: 15 Apr 92 14:49:38 GMT
Organization: Harvard University Science Center

moroney@ramblr.enet.dec.com writes:

[well-done discussion of partial pressures deleted]

>Conclusion:  Don't collapse the bottle unless you keep it collapsed, for the
>fizziest soda.
>
>-Mike

Or, stick a crowbar in your wallet and buy one of those "Fizz Keeper" pumps.
These replace the cap on a standard 2 or 3 litre bottle.  You put the Keeper 
on, pump it some number of times, and it pressurises the bottle to keep the
fizz where it belongs.  A friend gave me one several years ago--I was skeptical
and did some experiments (like taking a 1/8 full bottle, adding the keeper, and
then checking the fizz level at regular intervals--I also kept an "un-Keepered"
control with the same level of the same beverage in it).  The blasted thing
really works.  They cost somewhere around $1.99 and last for quite awhile.

Available in most fine stores...or your local kitchen gadget shop.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dick "buuuurrrppp!" Joltes				joltes@husc.harvard.edu
Hardware & Networking Manager, Computer Services 	joltes@husc.bitnet 
Harvard University Science Center

"Mind you, not as bad as the night Archie Pettigrew ate some
sheep's testicles for a bet...God, that bloody sheep kicked him..."
Xref: sparky alt.folklore.urban:11993 alt.mcdonalds:428
From: gjw@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk (Mr Garry J. Wardrope)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,alt.mcdonalds
Subject: Re: McMouse!
Date: 10 Apr 92 09:09:20 GMT
Organization: Glasgow University Computing Science Dept.

There was a story around here about a school girl who got a Kentucky Fried rat.
Story was it had fallen into the batter drum drowned and promptly been fried
as a piece oc chicken.  When she bought it she went to the pictures (movies)
and sat in the dark munching away.  She did notice it wasn't too good and
rather jucier than usual but it wasn't till the lights came up she realised
what it was.  So she was rushed off to hospital to have her stomoch (sp)
pumped.


			Garry
-- 
Mail:	Garry Wardrope, Computing Science Dept.,  Tel: (041) 339 8855 x5322
	Glasgow Univ., 17 Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK. 
ARPA:	gjw%dcs.glasgow.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk USENET:gjw@dcs.glasgow.uucp
JANET:	gjw@uk.ac.glasgow.dcs   useBANGnet: ...mcsun!ukc!dcs.glasgow.ac.uk!gjw
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: jonb@Ingres.COM (Jon Berger)
Subject: Re: Using popcorn in chicken to test doneness
Keywords: popcorn chicken
Reply-To: jonb@Ingres.COM (Jon Berger)
Organization: Ingres Division, ASK Computer Systems.
Date: 15 Apr 92 21:50:36 GMT

In article <13180@bwdls58.bnr.ca>, hwt@bwdlh490.BNR.CA (Henry Troup) writes:
>In article <ku00apINNj5v@langtry.cs.utexas.edu>, bergeron@cs.utexas.edu
>(James D. Bergeron) writes:
>|>
>|>My sister told me that she heard of a way to tell if
>|>a chicken (or turkey I guess) is done by putting popcorn
>|>inside the bird before cooking.  She doesn't remember how
>|>you determine when the chicken is done though.
>|>
>|>Has anyone ever heard of using this technique?
>
>
>Urban legend cooking alert!  Popcorn chicken/turkey doesn't work. 
>Consider - corn pops at an internal temperature over 212 F 100 C, right?
>A done bird is 180 F internal.  If the corn pops, the bird is burnt.

Now, hold on a second; we're dealing with two different "internals" here.
The "internal temperature" is the temperature that a meat thermometer
would register, i.e. of the meaty part of the bird.  The popcorn would be
in the interior cavity of the bird, not embedded in the meat; I could
easily believe that it would heat up a lot quicker than the solid meat.
It's not that unreasonable to suppose that at the point when the interior
cavity reached 212F, the meat would reach a temperature of some 32 degrees
less than that.  After all, the exterior of the bird is at something like
375F the entire time it's cooking, so there's obviously a great deal of
temperature variation between different areas.

Disclaimer: I haven't tried this technique, and I don't intend to, because
it sounds really stupid.  Just wiggle on the leg a little bit, and if it
feels loose, the bird is done.  Simple.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jon Berger     jonb@ingres.com     {mtxinu,sun,amdahl,pyramid}!ingres!jonb
"If you push something hard enough, it will fall over." 
                                         -- Fudd's First Law of Opposition
From: tim@tcom.stc.co.uk (Tim Kennedy)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: A grim death (was burger bar accidents)
Date: 16 Apr 92 09:24:07 GMT
Organization: BNR Europe

In article <1992Apr11.232209.1@vm2.cis.pitt.edu> tjw@vm2.cis.pitt.edu writes:
>In article <STEINAR.92Apr11140304@faust.solan.unit.no>, steinar@faust.solan.unit.no (Cindy Kandolf) writes:
>
>> And then there's the time i slipped and fell in the refrigerator and had
>> ketchup all over me, but i think that's enough fun for one day.
>

My dad worked in the steel mills of Scunthorpe as a student during his
holidays,  and claimed to have witnessed a man falling into a vat of 
molten iron and vapourising instantaneously.

				Tim

--
In 1988 BBC Radio One listeners voted for  | T. Kennedy <tim@tcom.stc.co.uk>
the alltime greatest single.  Way ahead of | Dept 30730 NME, BNR Europe,
Strawberry Fields and Stairway To Heaven,  | Oakleigh Rd South, London N11 1HB.
at no. 1 was I Owe You Nothing by Bros.    | LUFC, Yorkshire's No. 1.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: doctor1@cbnewse.cb.att.com (patrick.b.hailey)
Subject: Re: Carbonated Beverages
Organization: AT&T
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1992 08:52:44 GMT

In article <1992Apr16.024554.25690@PA.dec.com> mikkelson@breakr.enet.dec.com (snopes) writes:
> No amount of science is going to convince me that that couple didn't
> _really_ find a hook hanging from the passenger side door . . .

Look!  A reference to urban folklore!!  Gosh that takes me back!

  Thanks awfully,
            Patrick

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: thf2@ellis.uchicago.edu (Ted Frank)
Subject: Re: FAQ diffs or The Secret Life of Lemurs, You Decide
Reply-To: thf2@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 17:46:45 GMT

In article <22743@dog.ee.lbl.gov> twchan@lbl.gov (Head Lemur) writes:
>550c542
>> T. Someone prepares tuna sandwich. Removes tuna can label to find "Cat Food".

I thought that the story was that the cat food was placed in tuna cans, not
that cat food cans were relabeled.  Would it not be more accurate to say:

F. Someone prepares tuna sandwich. Removes tuna can label to find "Cat Food".
T. Cat food was sold in tuna cans in Canada before the authorities caught up
   with them. 

>F. People eat chocolate because it gives 
>  them the same feeling as being in love.

Is this really false?  I've seen it so often in the newspapers that it
must be true.

-- Ted "Am I on the FAQ list yet?" Frank
-- 
Ted Frank          + "Question whether attorney's filing claim for 'stud fee'
1307 E 60 St, #109 +  as countersuit to paternity action was improperly
U o' C Law Skool   +  motivated required remand."  Headnote 9, Committee on
Chi, IL 60637      +  Legal Ethics of WVa State Bar v Douglas, 370 SE2d 325.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: u910996@bruny.cc.utas.edu.au (Delroy Hartley)
Subject: Re: Non-Alcoholic Drinks Folklore
Organization: University of Tasmania, Australia.
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 01:29:06 GMT

In article <1992Apr8.130510.12238@cs.bham.ac.uk>, idf@mr-macgregor.cs.bham.ac.uk (Ian Fitchet) writes:
> 	This reminded me of another friend who always insisted on
> reboiling the kettle before pouring the literally boiling water on
> their tea bag as `the tea tastes better when boiling water is poured
> on the tea bag.'  
> 
> 	Relating to the second, does boiling water `scald' and hence
> ruin the taste of instant coffee (granules)?  Or for that mater does
> it instantly sour milk?
> 
I don't know about souring but it might BURN the milk.

Delroy Hartley
u910996@bruny.cc.utas.edu.au


Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,alt.mcdonalds
From: fehr@ms.uky.edu (Jeff Davis)
Subject: Re: Polio immunizations
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 16:03:24 GMT
Organization: My Daddy, My Doggy, and Me
X-Bytes: 

Chuck Adams writes:
>
>ObUL:  My brother-in-law got polio because he wasn't vaccinated since the 
>vaccine wan't yet invented.  His was a very mild form, with no lasting 
>effects.  Due to his infection, he is just as completely protected from 
>further infections as anyone receiving the Salk vaccine.
>
If your brother-in-law has had no lasting side effects than he should
count himself extremely lucky. Polio weakens the muscles it attacks and
even if there was no childhood crippling, the weakend muscles tend to
flag come middle age. The last group of people to get polio (people in
their early 40s, now) are in an "abandoned" group. They need some drug
company to investigate their condition, yet there is no real incentive
for a drug company to invest in a condition with such a short return.
(An old girl friend of mind is force to do rather extensive exercises to
keep her legs and back in shape which is how I come by this info.)
-- 
Jeff Davis <davis@keats.ca.uky.edu>  
You know, there's many a damned fool woulda swallered that.
From: tjc50@ccc.amdahl.com (Terry Carroll)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: FCC URBAN LEGENDS
Date: 12 Apr 92 23:56:45 GMT
Reply-To: tjc50@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com (Terry Carroll)
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA

In article <1992Apr10.171101.1@vm2.cis.pitt.edu> tjw@vm2.cis.pitt.edu writes:
>
>> Someone also asked if the assignment of "N" to the US has to do with the
>> fact that aircraft numbers also begin with "N".  I doubt it.  All the
>> aircraft call letters begin with K or W, too.  Unless I missed something
>> in the list, "N" is restricted to amateur radio.  
>
>Every plane I've ever used had an "N" callsign.  "N7892W" was the call sign
>that we used on our Piper Cherokee back in the 60s.


Isn't N7892W your aircraft registration number, not your radio call sign?
The registration number, preceded by aircraft type, is also a legitimate
call sign, but not alone, and not based on the N/K/W convention.

It may also be that they're being lax, and just not enforcing a requirement
to precede the reg. number with the aircraft type.  Which would be a nice
change.
-- 
The above is my thoughts, not Amdahl's;   |  Terry Carroll  408/992-2152
The above is not legal advice;            |  Senior Computer Architect
All models over 18 years of age;          |  Amdahl Corporation
Contents sold by weight, not by volume;   |  tjc50@juts.ccc.amdahl.com
Your mileage may vary.                    |  tjc50@amail.amdahl.com
Xref: sparky alt.folklore.urban:11931 sci.skeptic:7956
From: umrutko0@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Chris Rutkowski)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,sci.skeptic
Subject: Re: The Philadelphia Experiment (?)
Date: 9 Apr 92 17:22:10 GMT
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada

In <1992Apr9.013824.9690@midway.uchicago.edu> thf2@ellis.uchicago.edu (Ted Frank) writes:
>>>The US Navy performs an experiment in the Philadelphia navyyard to
>>>either turn a battleship invisible or to teleport it to Norfolk, I'm not
>>>sure which.  The ship was manned at the time.  The experiment failed and 
>>>to this day there are insane sailors wandering around Philadelphia turning
>>>invisible and psychotic at random.
>>   Of course, the movie *could* have been based on an urban legend, but I
>>suspect it's the other way around.

>The movie was based on some lunacy from the people who brought you the
>Bermuda Triangle.  I've cross-posted to sci.skeptic, I suspect that they'll
>provide valuable information.

Actually, the current thought from =rational= researchers (i.e. neither
debunkers nor believers) is that there really was a "Philadelphia
Experiment", but it was designed to make the ship invisible =to radar=
using electromagnetism.  This field was being seriously studied at the
time, and there is, apparently, some evidence that a test of this sort
might have been conducted.  Certainly the energies involved would have
had some adverse effects on crewmen, and some might have been severely
burned or killed in the process. (c.f. Vallee, REVELATIONS, 1992)


-- 
Chris Rutkowski - umrutko0@ccu.umanitoba.ca
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
University of Manitoba - Winnipeg, Canada
From: bls@sector7g.Eng.Sun.COM (Brian Scearce)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Snuff[tm] film [almost] spotted!
Date: 15 Apr 92 21:13:18 GMT
Article-I.D.: exodus.kup73eINN9cs
Reply-To: bls@sector7g.Eng.Sun.COM
Organization: Sun Microsystems
NNTP-Posting-Host: sector7g

The "Metro (Santa Clara Valley's Weekly Newspaper)" of April 9-15, 1992
reports on an arrest made in San Jose of a man charged with obscenity.
Peter Kerestan has been charged with "three misdemeanor counts: the
commercial distribution of obscenity, advertising obscene material and
possession of child pornography.  [...] He was expected to plead guilty
to at least one of the three counts [...]".  The interesting paragraph
is:

        Many of the videos he distributed through the mail were
        so exceedingly violent that the cops thought that
        Kerestan might eventually sell them a "snuff" film --
        that is, a type of underground porn loop in which a
        person is actually killed on camera.  "We thought we
        were getting in that territory," [Officer Curtis]
        Jackson says.

Ooh, almost.  More than two hundred films were confiscated, including
(rot13, not for the faint of heart):

        Gur jbzna, zrnajuvyr, vf pelvat hapbagebyynoyl.  Gur
        gbeghere cebprrqf gb fxrjre ure avccyrf jvgu svfu
        ubbxf.  Gur svyz tbrf ba gb fubj gur zna vafreg jung
        nccrnef gb or gur funecrarq zrgny raq bs n jbbqra unl
        ubbx vagb gur jbzra'f[fvp] intvan naq ubvfg ure vagb
        gur gur[fvp] nve.  Ur gura juvcf ure.  Gur pnzren cnaf
        gb jung nccrnef gb or oybbq qevccvat sebz ure jbhaqf
        naq bagb gur tebhaq.

Of course, it isn't the *non-existence* of snuff films that keeps them
from being sold, it's the high moral character of the distributors, who
will happily sell films like the one described, but who draw the line
at snuff.

Brian "I'd rather talk about Churchill, but it's no longer allowed" Scearce

---
Brian Scearce                               bls@sector7g.eng.sun.com
        The above does not necessarily represent Sun policy.
  "Don't be surprised when a crack in the ice appears under your feet."
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban