HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dbell@cup.portal.com (David J Bell)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Cordless phones
Date: Sun,  6 Sep 92 21:32:27 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Distribution: na

Eric Benson (eb@Lucid.com) asked:

>I'm looking for recommendations on cordless phones.  Basically,
>everyone I know who owns a cordless phone hates it.  The sound quality
>is terrible.  Is this just something one lives with?  I've noticed a
>few recent models in the stores claiming to work in the 900 Mhz band.
>Are these really better than the 49 Mhz models?  They are a lot more
>expensive, like $300-400 instead of $70-150.  Spending that much isn't
>out of the question, but I'm wary of new technology.  They claim to
>have greater range, but I'm not so concerned with range, I'm more
>concerned with the irritating, constant buzz on the line.  Also, I'd
>like to have one that's comfortable to hold, and most cordless phones
>are very bulky.  A few of them have the "flip-out" shirt-pocket
>cellular style.  This is more convenient for transportation, but how
>is it in actual use?  Has anyone tried connecting a hands-free headset
>to a cordless phone?

I was hesitant to try the 900 MHz phones, also, but my wife ordered
one (Tropez) through a catalog (Macy's now carries the same one).
There is ABSOLUTELY NO COMPARISON WITH THOSE GARBAGE 49 MHz PHONES!
There is NO buzz, virtually NO hiss, and the damned thing works
PERFECTLY two blocks away in a crowded suburban area. The usual
49 MHz units MIGHT work two ROOMS away. They definately did NOT work
50-75 feet away at the pool, for any practical extent. The new
900 MHz (digital, supposedly, and that would explain a lot) phones
are more expensive, but, IMHO, well worth the difference.

This model is also significantly smaller (thinner, anyway) than an
older cordless unit, lighter, and with excellant sound quality, both
transmission and reception. Basically, it compares very favorably
with cellular phones... Of course, it DOES cost almost as much!

Dave
dbell@cup.portal.com
From: konstan@elmer-fudd.cs.berkeley.edu (Joe Konstan)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Credit Problems
Date: 5 Sep 92 20:29:15 GMT
Article-I.D.: agate.18b5arINNhul
Distribution: na
Organization: Picasso Research Group, UCB Computer Science Division
NNTP-Posting-Host: elmer-fudd.cs.berkeley.edu

In article <1992Sep5.164647.223@wuecl.wustl.edu>, gl1@cec2.wustl.edu 
(Greg Lyon) writes about a problem involving Discover Card claiming that 
he is a joint cardholder on his mother's delinquent account:

I offer two types of advice:

Handling Discover:

	Zeroth, be sure you are dealing with Discover and not a 
	collection agency.  If not, find the right person in Discover.

	First, did you sign anything on the application?  If so, odds
	are that you did indeed agree to be a joint cardholder.  Let's
	handle the two cases separately.

	1.  If you did not sign anything, or are unsure, ask the Discover
	    rep for a copy of the document they believe you signed.  Make
	    sure that your signature isn't there.  Also, be sure that your
	    mother didn't "sign" your name.  If she did, there are additional
	    complications listed below under (*).

	2.  As long as you didn't sign, they can't do much.  If you are in
	    that situation, try to get a letter from them stating that they
	    recognize the situation and assuring that they will not either
	    disturb you or make a credit report on you.

	3.  If you only have an additional card, and you used it, check 
	    the cardholders agreement to see what you may have agreed to.

	4.  If you are a joint cardholder, let them know that you were 
	    underage at the time, to see if they will offer anything.  I 
	    don't know the details about what contracts a 17-year old can
	    be held to, so I'd check with a lawyer (your school may have 
	    one you can consult with for free).

Handling the Family Problem

	These sorts of things often result in more serious family problems
	than financial ones.  You must decide how you want to handle it.  
	Basically, you can choose between forcing your mother to take
	responsibility for her actions and trying to support her.

	(*) If your mother did sign your name, you're in particulaly hot
	    water.  While you are not liable for the debts, you might
	    well be called upon to testify if Discover tried to have 
	    you mom prosecuted for forgery or fraud.  Only you can decide
	    whether this is worth it or whether you should try to help
	    her out of debt first, and then deal with it.

	    This isn't quite as bad as children who use their parent's
	    credit cards without authorization, since the cardholder
	    agrees in the contract to help the credit card company 
	    prosecute fraud.  This is why so few parents will disavow
	    the children's charges--they'd rather teach them a lesson 
	    themselves than have the card issuer do it.

Good luck.  If problems continue or you want to help your mom out of
her financial problems, please consider looking for help through your
school or at a local credit counseling bureau (not a credit repair shop).


Joe Konstan
konstan@cs.berkeley.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: dug@dug.b17d.ingr.com (Doug Taylor)
Subject: Re: 'Power Antenna' any good?
Reply-To: dug@dug.b17d.ingr.com
Organization: Imaging systems, Intergraph Corp, Huntsville, AL
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 18:24:55 GMT

In a previous article, Jim Haynes writes:
|> 
|> Only good in comparison with no antenna at all.  A rabbit ears, or random
|> pieces of wire would work better.
|> -- 

I must disagree.  I bought a 27" Mitsubishi TV & VCR but didn't want
to get cable (yet).  I live within the city limits of Huntsville,
AL, and thought I would get good reception of the 5 TV stations with
just a set of rabbit ears.  Wrong.  It wasn't much better than no
antenna at all.  I attached it in numerous configurations, etc.  The
next attempts would have been to run some wires out the window or up
into the attic.  However, my sister-in-law had a $70 power antenna
that she was not using (she had cable put in), so she let us use it. 
It works great!  The picture is as clear now as the cable users next
door.
______________________________________________________________
  Doug Taylor                 (205) 730-6875 (w)
  MailStop IW17D1             dug@dug.b17d.ingr.com
  Intergraph Corp.
  Huntsville, AL 35894-0001   < My thots, not theirs. >
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.books.technical,alt.discrimination
From: lstowell@pyrnova.mis.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Chamois, Chammy, Shammy
Keywords: VCR
Date: 4 Sep 92 22:59:10 GMT
Reply-To: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA
Originator: daemon@sword.eng.pyramid.com

In article <laf5n3INNd57@spim.mips.com> ccheng@mips.com writes:
>Just another piece of info. My electronic dictionary gives an alternate spelling "chammy".
>BTW, is it available in common stores?
>
    The best chamois for VCR type cleaning is the optical variety
    you can find in some high end camera and photo supply stores.

    I'm not too sure I'd chance an automotive chamois such as is
    found in parts houses and automotive sections of K-Mart etc.
From: duncan@ravel.ati.com (Jim Duncan)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: HELP->looking for a GOOD fax/phone auto switch
Keywords: ASAP
Date: 6 Sep 92 01:52:26 GMT
Reply-To: duncan@ravel.ati.com (Jim Duncan)
Organization: KUFX 94.5 FM Stereo, San Jose, CA 'The Fox'

In article <1992Sep4.192621.19369@iplmail.orl.mmc.com> artc@iplmail.orl.mmc.com (Art Chang) writes:
>|> 	I am looking for a GOOD fax/phone auto switch
>|> 	box, 

I have two of the ASAP TF555 units here at home and one in our SF sales
office.  These top units are about $120, but they make a simpler
version for $30-40 less.  They work GREAT and are widely available.  
-- 
KUFX |      w  ["]                            | WA6MBV     
94.5 |...   |___|_____..duncan@ravel.ati.com  | Jim Duncan  
FM   |          H                             | ----------   
********  \_____I_____/  37 3 10N/121 59 10W  ************** 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.books.technical,alt.discrimination
From: burke@tss.com (Jim Burke)
Subject: Re: Waldenbooks fires staff for refusing to sell racist book!
Reply-To: burke@tss.com (Jim Burke)
Organization: Teknekron Software Systems. Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 19:56:25 GMT

In article <oneil.716184134@cwis>, oneil@cwis.unomaha.edu (Sharon O'Neil) writes:
|> jsdph@acad3.alaska.edu (Dennis P. Harris) writes:

|> First of all, let me say that I don't like the idea of this "Joke-A-Date'
|> calendar, but I think that to refuse to sell it is censorship.  Just because
|> I don't like something doesn't mean that I can refuse to sell it.  If they
|> don't buy it from me, they'll buy it from someone else.  And I'm sure that
|> there's plenty of stuff in a bookstore that might offend me, other than that.
|> I don't like Pat Robertson or Dinesh D'Souza or the National Enquirer but
|> if I don't sell those books, I'm censoring them, if they are available.

While we both agree that the manager was wrong to try to control what his
employer sold, I do disagree with your statement about censorship, or at
least what you seem to imply.  For me, the bottom line here is a business
owner's ability to run his/her own business.  If a business owner chooses
to censor what is sold that is the owner's right.  Just as nobody can
stop someone from exercising free speech, neither can anyone force someone
to promote the speech of others.  If I find a book offensive, I have every
right not to stock it in my store.  I have every right to exercise
any amount of control and censorship I want in the running of my own
business.  If my employees don't want to carry out the policies I have
set, they can open their own store and compete with me.  

Folks, censorship is a perfectly acceptable thing.  Discrimination is a
perfectly acceptable thing.  We all do these things on a daily basis.
It is only when the government engages in censorship or when discrimination
is on the basis of race, religion, etc. that there is a problem.  
To say that a business owner _must_ sell any particular product, or that
a business _can't_ sell a particular (legal) product is ridiculous.

-- 

	Jim Burke	"Life is uncertain - eat dessert first!"
	Teknekron Software Systems		... burke@tss.com
  	phone:(415) 617-2432			... uunet!tekbspa!burke
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: sethb@fid.morgan.com (Seth Breidbart)
Subject: Re: Priority Mail is a fraud
Organization: my opinions only
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 01:03:16 GMT

In article <1992Sep12.200159.8703@cbnews.cb.att.com>
ask@cbnews.cb.att.com (Arthur S. Kamlet) writes:

>This is true:  The motto used by Federal Express:
>      When it absolutely, positively has to get there overnight.
>
>  The motto used for express mail by the postal service:
>      If it doesn't get there when we promise we will refund
>      your money.
>
>Who would you choose?

I wouldn't choose anything according to their advertising slogan.

In practice, FedEx will also refund your money when something doesn't
arrive on time.

When I worked for a law firm, if we had papers that had to get to a
different city overnight, we sent three copies: two by FedEx to
different addresses, and one by another carrier (Purolator?).  There
were instances where FedEx failed.

Seth		sethb@fid.morgan.com


Newsgroups: misc.consumers,alt.discrimination,alt.censorship
From: cmort@NCoast.ORG (Christopher Morton)
Subject: Re: Waldenbooks fires staff for refusing to sell racist book!
Reply-To: cmort@ncoast.org (Christopher Morton)
Organization: North Coast Public Access *NIX, Cleveland, OH
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1992 19:04:59 GMT
Followup-To: misc.consumers

As quoted from <ZBDM0C.92Sep10140653@curry.curry.trc.amoco.com> by zbdm0c@curry.trc.amoco.com (Brian D. Moe):

> 
> In article <BuD153.6yI@NCoast.ORG> cmort@NCoast.ORG (Christopher Morton) writes:
> 
> > As quoted from <1992Sep8.221558.27101@m.cs.uiuc.edu> by kadie@herodotus.cs.uiuc.edu (Carl M. Kadie):
> >> Removing it from display was still censorship (or more correctly,
> >> "supression"). I'm enclosing a pointer to the ALA's definition of
> >> censorship.
> 
> > I wonder how the supporters of this would feel about a Walden's in the Bible
> > belt which ONLY removed from display the works of Armisted Maupin, so as not
> > to condone homosexuality...?
> 
> (I'm not sure what "this" means in "supporters of this", but...)

Supporters of the employees taking it upon themselves to "protect" you from
things you "shouldn't see".

> Speaking as someone who actually "lives" in the Bible Belt, I would
> *love* it if my local Waldenbooks only removed Maupin's books from
> display to avoid the appearance of condoning homosexuality.
> 
> Unfortunatly, they don't stock Maupin's books.  And if you dare to
> special order such a thing, they'll sometimes even give you a nice
> Baptist Snarl(tm) to really make sure you understand that they go
> quite a bit beyond not condoning homosexuality.

The one at the Southland Shopping Center in Parma Heights, OH used to.  Now
all you have to do is move to Cleveland, become a racist and learn to bowl...
:)

I am well aquainted with the mind set, having been stationed at Ft. Knox.

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------  

"Well whose opinions did you THINK these were...?" 
------------------------------------------------------------------
From: wsmiddel@rodan.acs.syr.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.books.technical,alt.discrimination
Subject: Re: Waldenbooks fires staff for refusing to sell racist book!
Keywords: boycott
Date: 12 Sep 92 15:16:50 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Syracuse University

In article <5SEP199223305034@acad3.alaska.edu> jsdph@acad3.alaska.edu (Dennis P. Harris) writes:

>
>I have already informed WB that I intend to boycott them until they stop
>selling the book and reinstate the fired employees by posting a message to
>their user services folks in their Walden Computerbooks on-line store in the
>Compu$erve Mall (GO WB), and I urge others to join me.  I also intend to write
>St. Martins Press and tell them I'm boycotting them, too.  The book's author is
Oooh, I love it!  Some true PC censorship going on here.

>
>There is no Waldenbooks store in my area, or I would have dropped in and told

So you know it will be one hell of an effective boycott!!!!

What a schmuck!
From: cfhammer@guvax.georgetown.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Absurd Recycling Efforts
Date: 7 Sep 92 12:51:41 -0400
Followup-To: misc.consumers
Distribution: usa,world
Organization: Georgetown University

Distribution: na

In article <7916@public.BTR.COM>, timlee@public.btr.com writes:> 
> Just marketing.  People who want to buy green have to be careful about
> green claims.  Note that the word "recycled" on a product can have
> different meanings in different states.

yep. beware blank symbols. i've seen them on products that mention
that the materials are _recyclable_. sort of misleading - you have
to pay attention to the small print. the filled symbols, however,
always had some recycled content in the products.

beware items termed _recycled_ without listing some percentage or
another. FYI, the term recycled content includes both pre-consumer
(factory waste/excess materials) and post-consumer (materials
recovered from recycling drives). high post-consumer content is
the best for reducing the waste stream. alot of products have a
minimal amount of recycled content in it for the hype.

-ming
.sig under destruction

Xref: sparky misc.consumers:16328 sci.energy:4244 sci.environment:11179 sci.med:17010 sci.physics:14303 talk.environment:3625
From: jwettern@techbook.com (Joern Wettern)
Newsgroups: pdx.consumer,misc.consumers,sci.energy,sci.environment,sci.med,sci.physics,talk.environment
Subject: Re: Are Your Light Bulbs Radioactive?
Date: 8 Sep 92 23:16:20 GMT
Article-I.D.: techbook.1992Sep8.231620.2714
Distribution: na
Organization: TECHbooks --- Public Access UNIX --- (503) 220-0636

In article <1992Aug25.201850.28784@gateway.novell.com> terry@thisbe.Eng.Sandy.Novell.COM (Terry Lambert) writes:
>
>	Most smoke detectors use curium, and tend to have a much longer
>"useful life" as a result.  The half life on Promethium is about 2 1/2
>years, which is apparently the manufacturers approach to planned obsolecene
>(can't have the light bulbs lasting forever!).  The gammas being put off
>are fairly infrequent (< 1 per sec).
>
>	The other interesting this is: not only are these bulbs limited to
>a maximum useful life of ~2 years by the half life, the clock ticks on
>regardless of whether you buy the things or not.  That means the life of
>the bulb is limite to ~2 years > (shelf time + installed time), whereas
>regular bulbs are (x hours) > (installed time).  Makes you wonder about
>"sell by" dates and "close out" 'sales'.

Im curious:  How come the half life is equal to the useful life.  If I
remember correctly, halflife means that there is still half the radiation
left after that period, one quarter after twice the period, etc.  What
percentage of the initial radiation is needed for these bulbs to function
correctly?
Oh, and what does the Promethium do anyway?

  --  Joern Wettern
-- 
  --  Joern Wettern
      jwettern@techbook.COM

Using Unix almost makes you want to own a Macintosh.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.books.technical,alt.discrimination
From: ChazL@county.lmt.mn.org (Chaz Larson)
Subject: Re: Waldenbooks fires staff for refusing to sell racist book!
Keywords: boycott
Reply-To: ChazL@county.lmt.mn.org (Chaz Larson)
Organization: LaserMaster Corporation
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 92 18:03:44 GMT

I cannot imagine why anyone would support these two waldenbooks employees for 
refusing to do their job.

This is not a censorship issue, at least not in the way this discussion has 
painted it.

As I understand it, the calendar was in stock at the store in question, [so I 
don't get this sidetrack about the manager refusing to sell it] and these two 
members of the staff refused to sell it to customers.  They should have been 
fired.

Take the situation to another venue.  Imagine that I work as a waiter.  A 
customer walks in a asks for a thick, juicy steak.  I decline to serve him 
that steak, as I feel it is a danger to his cardiovascular health [or, 
because I feel the beef processing industry is inhumane; or, because I feel 
that the restaurant's beef supplier is unfair to its employees; or, whatever 
reason you care to name; the specific reason for my refusal is unimportant]
Should I keep my job as a waiter?  I don't think so.  This Waldenbooks 
situation is exactly like that.

> jsdph@acad3.alaska.edu (Dennis P. Harris)

I notice that Dennis is posting from an academic site.  I have a hypothetical 
question for you, Dennis:

It's finals week; you decide you need a study break and go to a movie [or a 
play, or a concert, or...].  You present your student ID to the ticket agent 
in order to get the discount the theater offers.  The ticket agent knows that 
it is finals week at the school and refuses to sell you a ticket; s/he tells 
you to go home and study, since movies during finals week are an 
inappropriate use of a student's time.  The theater manager fires the ticket 
agent for this unwarranted refusal to do the job s/he was hired for.

Do you jump to the ticket agent's defense in the same way you are supporting 
the Waldenbooks employees?  S/he is doing the same thing; refusing to perform 
a task that is part of their job, but that they disagree with.

chaz

..must think...bubble pipe will relax me and I think...
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: webdw@cbnews.cb.att.com (bruce.d.woods)
Subject: Re: Waldenbooks fires staff for refusing to sell racist book!
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 13:12:37 GMT

In article <88059@netnews.upenn.edu> rsk@aspen.circ.upenn.edu (Rich Kulawiec) writes:
>In article <5SEP199223305034@acad3.alaska.edu> jsdph@acad3.alaska.edu (Dennis P. Harris) writes:
>>According to a story on today's NPR Morning Edition, Waldenbooks has fired the
>>staff of its Georgetown store in Washington, DC for refusing to sell the
>>"Joke-A-Date" appointment calendar, which contains racist and demeaning "jokes"
>>for each day of 1993.  After hearing some examples in the story of some of the
>>"jokes", I agree with the former WB employees that the publication (from St.
>>Martins Press, which should know better) would offend a large number of
>>bookstore customers.
>
>Fine.  Then that "large number of bookstore customers" do not have to buy
>the book and read it, thus avoiding the unpleasant prospect of being offended.
>It is not for the staff of the bookstore to decide that certain books are
>inappropriate; that is a decision which should be left to each individual
>consumer, who should be free to buy and read whatever they wish.  The staff's
>job descriptions and responsibilities do not include passing editorial
>judgement on the contents of every book in the store, and supressing those
>which they find personally unappealing.
>
>This political correctness stuff is beginning to get on my nerves.
>

Let me get this straight -
(1)  It's OK (according to the far left/politically correct crowd)
     for an employee of a private company to censor what can or cannot
     be sold (legally) by the company worked for; it's "OK" for a
     person to refuse to perform the work he is paid for.
(2)  It's "not OK" (according to the same crowd) to in any way suggest
     or propose that public tax funds not be used to support any kind
     of art/music etc. no matter what.
Big Brother's 1984 is here!
From: kathymo@hpgrla.gr.hp.com (Kathy Morgan)
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 20:19:07 GMT
Subject: Re: Parking lot fender bender
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Greeley, CO
Newsgroups: misc.consumers

In misc.consumers, jpc@philabs.philips.com (John P. Curcio) writes:

>In article <92239.160756AORHK@ASUACAD.BITNET> <AORHK@ASUACAD.BITNET> writes:

>[accident scenario deleted]

>>           If anyone has successfully won a claim under similar circumstances
>>           please drop me a note as to how it was accomplished.
>>           Thanks....

I was in a similar situation in my boyfriend's new :-( car in a parking lot.
At the scene, the woman who hit me claimed all responsibility, but when I 
tried to get her insurance to pay for repairs she had changed her story. I
took the case to small claims court where we both told our side of the story
and the judge decided that she was 75% at fault, and I was 25% at fault.  I
therefore received 75% of the damages I was asking for.  It was enough to 
cover my insurance deductable, and a moral victory for me.

Kathy Morgan 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,sci.med