HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: cmriggin@iastate.edu (C. Marie Riggins)
Subject: Re: Counterclockwise Twisters
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 23:46:41 GMT

In article <8661.14616@stratus.SWDC.Stratus.COM> jane@soave.swdc.stratus.com (Jane Beckman) writes:
>Recently, a series of small tornados touched down in Northern
>California, ripping up greenhouses and roofs as twisters are
>wont to do.  But what got to me was that the commentator on
>the radio mentioned that they were revolving counterclockwise,
>"As is characteristic for tornados in this part of the world."
>So, do they revolve clockwise in Australia?  Or did he mean
>that they revolve clockwise in the Great Plains?  
>
No, they all go clockwise no matter where.  Back in the early 1980's (approx
1981) a series of 7 tornadoes hit Grand Island, NE.  The most interesting part
about the tornadoes (besides the fact that there were seven) was that 3 or 4 of
them were spinning counterclockwise.  A "tornado expert" from Chicago came to 
study the damage left by counterclockwise storms because they were so rare, any
where in the world.  I don't remember a whole lot about the storms other than
my cousins got to come live with us until the water, electricity etc... had
been restored to their home.  Also, President Carter came to review the damage
and declare the town a "disaster area".  PS  If there's a book called "Night of
the Twisters" by Ivy Ruckman about the Grand Island tornadoes.
>--
>  Jilara   [jane@swdc.stratus.com]
>
>"The field of pseudo-science hasn't progressed much in ten
>years, except to gain access to the net." --from ca.earthquakes

Marie :)


-- 
| C. Marie Riggins         | "There is no such thing as a bad boy.  There is 
| Iowa State University    | only bad environment, bad training, bad example,
| cmriggin@iastate.edu     | bad thinking."    --Fr. Edward J. Flanagan
| imyself@cwis.unomaha.edu |                     founder: Boys Town, NE
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: mccoy@pecan.cns.udel.edu (Don McCoy)
Subject: Why the sky is blue (was: Daytime Stars) 
Organization: Applied Physics - University of Delaware, Newark
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 01:01:01 GMT

In article <2933181476.1.p00168@psilink.com> 
"James F. Tims" <p00168@psilink.com> writes:
>>DATE:   Thu, 10 Dec 1992 03:40:36 GMT
>>FROM:   Dave Svoboda <rubis@gagme.chi.il.us>
>>
>>In article <1frabsINNibs@gap.caltech.edu> 
>>carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU writes:
>>|How do you propose to "cut out scattered sunlight"?  The fact that it's
>>|scattered means that it's coming from all over the sky.  That's why the sky
>>|looks blue.
>>
>>Naww, it looks blue 'cause it reflectin' off the ocean!
>
>You know, a physics zero such as I should not have to correct this, since
>real physicists post to this newgroup.  As I understand it, the sky is blue
>because certain elements of the atmosphere glow at their spectral
>frequencies when the energy of the sun activates them ala neon lights.
>Maybe it's just the argon, but I think the nitrogen glows, too.  I can't
>remember...somebody get this right, will ya?
>

Alright, that's enough.  First of all, Dave was joking (right?).  Hey,
for all I know, James is joking too.  But, if you want the real scoop,
here 'tis:

	Sunlight is a mix of light of all different colors.  When it
enters the atmosphere, it gets scattered.  Red photons scatter more
than blue ones (red ones have less energy).  As a result, we see more
of the blue ones by the time the sunlight reaches the earth's surface.
(Of course this is true for all different colors of light, it's just
that red and blue more or less define the two extremes in visible light).
I hope this clears this up.  Hmmm... wonder why the ocean is blue?

	By the way, I removed sci.skeptic from the Newsgroups line.
This has absolutely nothing to do with skepticism.  Recently, sci.skeptic
has been swamped with all sorts of stuff like this.  It has it's place,
but that ain't it!  Just to set the record straight, it *is* for scientific
discussion of "fringe" topics, paranormal claims and so forth.  Please
check out the FAQ before you post there. 

..don...
 
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,rec.arts.startrek.misc
From: quetzal@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au (Quetzal)
Subject: Re: Mnemonics
Keywords: KIBO = Knowledge In Bozosity Out
Organization: Monash University, Melb., Australia.
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 05:26:58 GMT

OK.  New mnemonic question.  Who has mnemonics for the sharps and flats
in key signatures in music?  For instance, the flats, as told by my
grandfather:

Ben's Eagle Ate Dad's Grey Cat Friday.

(ie B flat is the first, then E flat comes next and so on.)

Tim Pickett
From: rrd@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Ray Depew)
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 16:31:47 GMT
Subject: Re: When is B1FF! going to post again?
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban

> I couldn't see any B1FF! postings for ages! 

Maybe he finally graduated?

LA-
TER, DOODZ.

Ray Depew
Hewlett Packard Co, Fort Collins, Colorado
rrd@hpfiqa.fc.hp.com
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,alt.drugs
From: steve@weber.com (Steve Keshen)
Subject: Re: UL: Monumental LSD overdose taken (was: Re: Brands of LSD)
Summary: Dweebs should not use Usenet.
Organization: Weber Systems, Brookfield, WI USA
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 17:27:14 GMT

In article <If_xP4i00iUz43g88S@andrew.cmu.edu> "Stephen M. Lacy" <sl31+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:
>
>I just want to say that the apparent knowledge of drugs on the network
>and the volume of people that have significant knowledge makes me
>utterly sick.  Is there something about computers that forces you all to
>take drugs, or do you just hang out with people who and that's how you
>get your knowledge.... anyways, you'll tell me that YOU don't really DO
>them, but I won't believe you.
>
>This whole discussion of LSD has gone too far and is upsetting me more
>with every post.
>
>Steve

Hey Steve, have you seen any good PDFA ads lately?  Oh yes,  they're all
so truthfull and fun to watch too!  Hey, you know what?  Down at the airport
there's a nice group of bald guys in togas selling these great colorful books
who are into brainwashing also!  Since you've proven yourself to be a prime
candidate for that sort of thing, I suggest you get a nice sharp razor and go
join them.  Don't forget your bedsheet.  Feel free to use the razor any way
you like.

Let me ask you one serious question.  Why can't responsible adults choose
to do what they wish to their bodies as long as they aren't harming anybody
else?  Yeh . . . unhuh . . . that's what I thought you'd say.  Let me clue
you in on a little known secret:  The human brain is in no way related to a
chicken egg, whether it's raw, fried, poached or boiled!  Ok,  why else?
(Please use your best Elmer Fud impression when reading this:) "Because it
can huwt them, and make them sick".  Ok,  now tell me why we alt.drugs
readers should listen to you spout your crap about drugs hurting us, when
you claim this newsgroup is making you so sick, and yet you continue to 
read it?  I know, I know you never actually said drugs hurt us.  Well then,
why are you posting?

I think we'd all better lobby heavily for new legislation that prevents
the braindead from using computers.

Thank you all a.d. readers for tolerating my small flaming indulgence.

-- 
--
Steve Keshen           steve@weber.weber.com  
Weber Systems          Steady hand, bloodshot eyes.  Stoner
Brookfield, WI  53005  or programmer.  You make the call.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,alt.fan.lemurs,sci.bio,rec.pets,sci.misc,soc.culture.lemurs
From: jfurr@nyx.cs.du.edu (JKF)
Subject: Re: OH NO! Lemurs in Sci. American
X-Disclaimer: Nyx is a public access Unix system run by the University
	of Denver for the Denver community.  The University has neither
	control over nor responsibility for the opinions of users.
Keywords: The key to our evolutionary past
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 92 19:39:59 GMT

In article <1992Dec16.115138.17788@netcom.com> obrien@netcom.com (Robert O'Brien) writes:
>I'm really not very good at interpreting what little communication they
>(the ones that hang out on my patio some nights while I'm logged in)
>deign to give me, but the way I understand it, the lemurs are really the
>natives, *we* are the aliens (rejects, left here by the dominant species
>on our home-world who were tired of all the *whining*) and the lemurs have
>been trying all this time to reactivate the cows' ship and program it to
>send *us* back, or just about anywhere.  But the cover story will be
>at least as good as the Douglas Adams "B Ark" story, so most of us
>will be very happy to go...

I don't think the Lemurs would *let* us go.  I strongly suspect that
they'd rather we stay here and continue to manufacture Twinkies, cubic
zirconiums, Big K Grape Soda, VCRs, bad movies, ceiling lights, and
skateboards.  If we left they'd have to do all this themselves.

>
>Hmm, I thought they were gone, and it'd be safe to type this, but they're
>back now, and clearly doing what passes for a lemur laugh, so I guess I've
>been taken in again...  one born every minute ...

Yep, the Lemurs clearly know more than they let on.

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: garber@aru.dom.uab.edu (David W. Garber)
Subject: Re: Mnemonics
Organization: Univ of Ala. @ Birmingham
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 14:40:21 GMT

What about the twelve cranial nerves?
On old Olympus' towering top, a Finn and German viewed a hop.
or,
Oh, oh, oh, to touch and feel a girl's vagina and hymen.

The first one came from the professor, the second from a grad
assistant.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: paul@NeoSoft.com (Paul Hutmacher)
Subject: Re: When is B1FF! going to post again?
Organization: NeoSoft Communications Services -- (713) 684-5900
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 21:51:44 GMT

In article <13080083@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM> rrd@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Ray Depew) writes:
>> I couldn't see any B1FF! postings for ages! 
>
>Maybe he finally graduated?

I hope not.  I kind of liked the B1FF! postings.

-- 
Paul Hutmacher                Houston, Texas               paul@NeoSoft.Com
Xref: sparky alt.folklore.urban:31552 ba.politics:7798 ca.politics:10423
From: scm@harvee.billerica.ma.us (S. Mudgett aka little gator)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,ba.politics,ca.politics
Organization: gators 'r us
Subject: Re: They used to think...
	< <1992Dec16.161922.5171@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Reply-To: scm@harvee.billerica.ma.us
X-Software: HERMES GUS 1.04 Rev. Sep  5 1992
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 08:45:02 -0400


>>
>>"You know, they say early man didn't understand about sex.
>>You know, babies just came.  They didn't make the connection
>>that sex had anything to do with it, because babies came so
>>much later.  Sex was one thing, and having babies was another.
>>That's why there was a mother goddess, but no father goddess.
>>They didn't realize babies had fathers, too."
>>
>>And I realized I'd heard this one a couple times.  Sounds a
>>lot like "In Columbus' time, everyone thought the world was
>>flat."
i heard that "they" thought the moon had something to do with it, since the 
moon and women's menstrual cycles are both allegedly 28 days.  this despite the
fact that most women's cycles are nowhere near regular(unless they take birth
control pills whcih do have an artificially regualting effect).  before i was
on the pill my usual cycle was anywhere from 20 to 40 days, with one 
spectaculary unpleasant one where i was 11 weeks between periods and had 
severe pms for (gack) *8 weeks*.  and i wasn't pregnant.
 
-- 
-- little gator aka s. mudgett     email: scm@harvee.billerica.ma.us
-- friend of a gator is a friend of mine
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: thf2@ellis.uchicago.edu (Ted Frank)
Subject: Re: Amusing signs
Reply-To: thf2@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1992 23:28:42 GMT

In article <8167@news.duke.edu> klg@panda.mc.duke.edu (Kim Greer -- rjj) writes:
>  Is it just coincidence that "follow up" and "f****d up" have the same
>initials and same number of letters?

Not only that, but so does "fucked up."

Ted "I hope your team wins, lady" Frank
-- 
ted frank                     | thf2@ellis.uchicago.edu 
standard disclaimers          | void where prohibited
the university of chicago law school, chicago, illinois 60637
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: tomj@monster.apd.saic.com (Tom Johnson)
Subject: Re: Amusing signs
Organization: SAIC, Reston, VA
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 13:01:01 GMT

ldoering@engin.umich.edu (Laurence Doering) writes:

>In article <guest.724539004@cs.wisc.edu> petlock@turing.org writes:
>>pt@geovision.gvc.com (Paul Tomblin) writes:
>>
>>>ldoering@engin.umich.edu (Laurence Doering) writes:
>>
>>>>I noticed some weird street signs last summer when I was in Berlin.  
>>>>It was odd, but about one out of every three streets seemed to be
>>>>named "Einbahnstrasse."  I have no idea how Berliners find their
>>>>way around.  Even stranger, the same thing was true in Naples
>>
>>>Funny - Dave Barry made _exactly_ the same observation - in the book "Dave
>>>Barry's Only Travel Guide You'll Ever Need".  I was reading it last night to
>>>prepare for a trip to the UK.
>>
>>Would someone please provide a translation of "einbahnstrasse" for the
>>german- impaired?

>Okay, okay.  It's a joke.  "Einbahnstrasse" is German for "one-way street."

And we musn't forget how many visitors to Hawaii think "Mahalo" means
"Trash Can".
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,rec.arts.startrek.misc
From: leecr@microsoft.com (Lee Crocker)
Subject: More mnemonics
Date: 14 Dec 92 00:15:59 GMT
Organization: Microsoft Corporation

>Along with mnemonics, how about the one for the resistor color code?
>Learned that one in the USAF and have not forgotten it since!

"Bad Boys Rape Our Young Girls But Violet Gives Willingly"

Followups to soc.feminism
-- 
Lee Daniel Crocker    | Free minds; free bodies; free trade.
leecr@microsoft.com   | Libertarian Party  1-800-682-1776
Xref: sparky alt.folklore.urban:31648 ba.politics:7826 ca.politics:10448 talk.politics.misc:64907
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,ba.politics,ca.politics,talk.politics.misc
Subject: Re: They used to think...
From: system@codewks.nacjack.gen.nz (Wayne McDougall)
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 92 16:05:04 NZST
Organization: The Code Works Limited, PO Box 10 155, Auckland, New Zealand

jane@soave.swdc.stratus.com (Jane Beckman) writes:

> I just thought of a new "retroactive UL" over the weekend.  I
> was discussing archeology with someone.  And they said...
> 
> "You know, they say early man didn't understand about sex.
> You know, babies just came.  They didn't make the connection
> that sex had anything to do with it, because babies came so
> much later.  Sex was one thing, and having babies was another.
> That's why there was a mother goddess, but no father goddess.
> They didn't realize babies had fathers, too."
> 
> And I realized I'd heard this one a couple times.  Sounds a
> lot like "In Columbus' time, everyone thought the world was
> flat."  
> 
> And besides, how are we to know what folks thought about sex,
> back at the dawn of history?  It's not like they left sex
> manuals behind.  

Well, I've heard the same thing reported about various "primitive tribes".
Any anthropologists out there?


-- 
  Wayne McDougall, BCNU
  This .sig unintentionally left blank.

Hello! I'm a .SIG Virus. Copy me and spread the fun.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: scharle@lukasiewicz.cc.nd.edu (scharle)
Subject: Re: dead man's hand
Reply-To: scharle@lukasiewicz.cc.nd.edu (scharle)
Organization: Univ. of Notre Dame
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 14:22:07 GMT

In article <garber.9.0@aru.dom.uab.edu>, garber@aru.dom.uab.edu (David W. Garber) writes:
|> Playing poker the other day, I got two pair, aces and eights.  One of the
|> other players called it a dead man's hand, but he didn't know the
|> significance of the name and thought that maybe the right dead man's
|> hand was a full house with aces full and a pair of eights.  What's the
|> significance of this, and is there an urban legend behind it?
 ...
   Pedantry alert --

    Several posters have mentioned the story that Wild Bill Hickok
(note the spelling) was shot and killed while holding two pair (not 
a full house, which is a pair and three of a kind), aces over eights.

    In "They called him Wild Bill: the life and adventures of James
Butler Hickok" by Joseph G. Rosa (University of Oklahoma Press, 1974)
p. 298 says that the hand was the Ace of Spades, Ace of Clubs, two
black Eights and either the Jack or Queen of Diamonds.  This book
also says that Wild Bill strongly preferred to sit with his back to the
wall, but did not this time.

-- 
Tom Scharle                |cm65n6@irishmvs(Bitnet)
Room G003 Computing Center |scharle@lukasiewicz.cc.nd.edu(Internet)
University of Notre Dame  Notre Dame, IN 46556-0539 USA
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: craig@ug.cs.dal.ca (Ryan Craig)
Subject: Re: Another University Exam One
Organization: Math, Stats & CS, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 20:43:50 GMT

In article <1992Dec14.182412.28582@u.washington.edu> nicolett@carson.u.washington.edu (Nicolette Roberge) writes:
>
>I once had a high school physics teacher give a test that started with the
>severe admonition to read the entire test before beginning to answer any
>questions.  The last line on the last page (3 pages?) was to initial the
>last page and sign your name on the front. And to sit quietly until the
>end of the test period. 
>
>Nicolette "he pretty much tested what he taught us" Roberge
>


This sort of test is an urban legend, but I did have a teacher, who
undoubtedly had heard this UL, who once gave me a test like this, just to
see if we actually followed the directions on the test, I guess.
-- 
+--------------------------------------------------+-------------------------+
|Ryan Craig: Comp Sci Co-op, Dalhousie University  |  Disclaimer: My opinions|
|craig@ug.cs.dal.ca               are mine, all mine, and you can't have them|
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
From: Krzysztof@netxsys.guild.org (Krzysztof Adamski)
Subject: Re: More flashing light ULs
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Date: 15 Dec 92 18:45:13 EST
Organization: NetX Systems Inc.

Ian Neath (neath@brazil.psych.purdue.edu) wrote:
: In <1992Dec08.224932.13840@rchland.ibm.com>
: 
: : I have been told that certain traffic lights can be changed by
: : flashing my brights at them.  I noticed that there is some
: : sort of sensor on the post next to the signal.  I assume
: : that it is for emergency equipment.  
: 
: In Indiana, it is illegal to flash brights at oncoming motorists
: who have their brights on.
: 
: --
:       Ian Neath        | There are four kinds of people in this world:
: neath@psych.purdue.edu | cretins, fools, morons and lunatics - U. Eco

In Mississauga, Canada most traffic lights have a light sensor that responds
to a light signal that looks like a strobe light. This strobe lights are mounted
on fire trucks. The frequency of the strobe light is kept secret. So if
sombody can flash brights at the same frequency then they will not have
to ever be waiting for the lights to change.

Krzysztof
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Tidings from the Moon (was Soda Bottle Warning Source)
From: mcirvin@husc8.harvard.edu (Matt McIrvin)
Date: 12 Dec 92 05:27:24 GMT

system@codewks.nacjack.gen.nz (Wayne McDougall) writes:

>I expected more posts to be prompted by this statement. It seems intuitively
>wrong to me that the relative difference between the distance of the water
>on the far side of the Earth and the far side of the Earth is enough for
>the difference to be a high tide that is just as high as the difference
>induced on the other side, especially as water is more elastic than the land.

It is a little wrong; the lunar tidal stresses on the far side of the Earth
are a little bit smaller than on the near side, since the gravitational
acceleration due to the moon *changes* less as you go further from the moon.
That the nearer thing is more elastic in one case and less elastic in
the other makes no difference; the important thing is the *difference* in
lunar gravitational acceleration between the center of mass of a given
bit of water and the center of mass of the Earth.

The actual height and timing of the high tides depends largely on local
geography. 

>ObUL: High tides are higher at night, and thus attempts to float ships off
>sandbars are redoubled at night (eg Captain Cook on Great Barrier Reef).

On an idealized Earth (no continents, homogeneously deep ocean floor) the
spring tides, when the high tide is highest and the low tide is lowest,
should occur in the middle of the night and the middle of the day, since
that's when the moon is overhead/underfoot at full and new moon.
At neap tide, when the tides are most wishy-washy, the high tides should
come at 6 am/pm or thereabouts.
-- 
Matt McIrvin
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: gtoal@rachel.ibmpcug.co.uk (Graham Toal)
Subject: Re: Southern style sex
Organization: The IBM PC User Group On-line services
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 21:46:59 GMT

In article <1992Nov2.150143.11732@grebyn.com> sgs@grebyn.com (Stephen G. Smith) writes:
>"The crime that has no name" was apparantly considered to be enough of a
>description.  I doubt that a modern lawyer or judge would see it that
>way, though.

(I think you're thinking of 'the love that dare not speak its name' by
the way)

I've heard these discussions umpteen times over the years.  I've *never*
seen anyone post the actual workings of these laws.  Any of you
net.lawyers got them on CD?  Might be a good laugh to hear how they're
actually phrased...

G
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: lockhart@cecer.army.mil (David Lockhart)
Subject: Re: Amusing signs
Organization: US Army Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Labs
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 21:07:27 GMT

My favorite road sign has to be "Hidden Entrance." I have always wanted to stealone and put it in my backyard right next to a fake trap door.  That or some of
the intersection diagrams that get complex enough to look like Kanji characters.
From: system@codewks.nacjack.gen.nz (Wayne McDougall)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Gravity
Date: 20 Dec 92 20:36:14 GMT
Organization: The Code Works Limited, PO Box 10 155, Auckland, New Zealand

PAPAI@kcgl1.eng.ohio-state.edu (Jonathan Papai) writes:

> gawne@stsci.edu in Newsgroup: sci.military  writes:
> 
> >Try dropping a hammer and a feather at the same time from the same
> >hight.  If you do it on the moon (as some astronauts did once) both
> >will hit the ground at the same time.  If you do it here on Earth
> >you'll get a different result.
> >
> >-Bill Gawne,  Space Telescope Science Institute
> > GySgt USMCR
> 
> 	While I don't tend to doubt GySgt's of the Marines, I
> don't remember astronauts taking feathers to the moon.

I didn't see it, but I have heard that this was done as a cute camera
trick for home viewers. It would impress me.

> This does bring to mind the story that Galileo did not actually
> drop stuff off the leaning tower of Pisa, but simply claimed the
> results that different sized stuff would fall at the same rate,
> without bothering to find out.

Yes, like Newton' apple, this story is generally regarded as apocryphal but
Galileo DID "bother to find out" by rolling things down inclined planes,
which has the effect of slowing things down so that they can be readily
measured, whil proportions etc, remain constant.

> ObUL: Tidal forces from the moon are slowing the rotation of the
> Earth, and lengthening the day by .001 sec/century.

We were told it was 0.000530 seconds (and the last zero is probably not
significant, since it was originally milliseconds). Back of envelope
calculations indicate this is correct within an order of magnitude.

> Jon "left handed lunatics are sinister" Papai

ObFACT: A pound of feathers weighs more than a pound of gold.




-- 
  Wayne McDougall, BCNU
  This .sig unintentionally left blank.

Hello! I'm a .SIG Virus. Copy me and spread the fun.