HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: darylb@sword.eng.hou.compaq.com (Daryl Biberdorf)
Subject: Re: Health Insurance w/ optional coverage
Organization: Compaq Computer Corp.
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 14:52:49 GMT

In article <1992Jul22.215007.82922@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu> ky04@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (KUN YU) writes:
>My school requires that either I buy the student's insurance or show
>proof of other coverage. The school's is, I 'd assume, pretty good.
>$100 deductible, covers first $1000, pays 80% up to $25000. The
>premium is $430.

This only a so-so policy.  The biggest problem that I see with it is the
paltry $25,000 limit.  A good car accident that puts you into the emergency
room will easily exceed that $25,000.  However, I don't really know
what a private insurer will charge for a "real" health insurance plan
for an individual.  Can you qualify for anyone's group plan?  You should
be able to get a better deal.

In my case, I was able to get health insurance for myself (a 23-year old,
nonsmoking male living in a more-or-less rural area) for about $525
per year.  Before you say "that's too much", this policy includes
a $2 million cap on payments, a $300 accident provision (no deductible
for accidents that cost less than $300), a $1000 deductible (I'm
trying to prevent permanent financial damage, not temporary hardship),
80%/20% copayment up until $2500, and then 100% payment after that.
Thus, the most I can be out in a calendar year for medical expenses is
$1500 ($1000 deductible plus 20% of $2500).  And this policy did not
exclude my allergies from the policy (although I don't take shots).

Again, for me, this is a decent deal.  I'm fairly healthly (except for
the allergy problem) and only wanted to avoid the severe financial
damage that would result from an accident or what have you.  I can
easily get that $1500 if I need to.  Also, the accident provision 
costs very little ($10 - $15 per year, I think). I went ahead and
purchased that coverage because, as a full-time student, my bank account
does not always have lots of extra cash in it.

For what it's worth.

Daryl
--
Daryl Biberdorf                 |  Compaq Computer Corporation | standard
darylb@sword.eng.hou.compaq.com |  20555 SH 249  M/S 060701    | disclaimer
dlb5404@tamsun.tamu.edu         |  Houston, TX 77070           | applies

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: tweek@netcom.com (Michael D. Maxfield)
Subject: Just Say NO! (Was: PPV Olympics: Oh, so now it's free)
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 92 14:05:05 GMT
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)
Distribution: na

In article <1992Jul30.152728.28760@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu> banchy@aplcen (Banchy thomas g (410) 461-2216) writes:
>All I can say is, those sleazy jerks in the cable industry deserve to
>get bankrupted for such a greedy, shortsighted ploy, and it's a real
>shame that the consumer is probably going to end up paying for the
>cleanup (just like always).
>
>$24/month for basic cable?!?!  Just say NO!!!
>
Yes, I did say no to my cable company, and I now use antiquated technology
to snatch my TV signals out of the air.  (TV Antenna)  It works, and gets 
me channels that the cable company does not provide, as well as channels
which they black out because of duplications rules...

But my reason for posting in misc.consumers is that I am looking for 
information on CABLE WATCHDOG GROUPS...

If I remember correctly, the founder of T.U.R.N. (Toward Utility Rate
Normalization) has started a Cable Watchdog Group since her retirement
from TURN... Any info on this?

    tweek@netcom.netcom.com  tweek@tweekco.uucp  WWIVNet 5@5058  4@5056 
          I'd rather get my cable service from the phone company,
                than my phone service from the cable company.
From: asa@STL-09SIMA.ARMY.MIL (Will Martin on 9000)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re:  Middle-class salary range
Date: 23 Jul 92 14:38:45 GMT

|From: joni@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (joni.dunlap)
|Yes there is. The government does studies on this all the time. They break
|it up into what they call the stratification system. 
|
|lower lower class
|middle lower class
|upper lower class
|lower middle class
|middle middle class
|upper middle class
|lower upper class
|middle upper class
|upper upper class

Wouldn't the Bureau of the Census have some numbers associated with
these categories? Perhaps the figures the original poster desired
could be found at the library in the latest Census documents or reports.

Will
From: johnf@Auspex.COM (John Fereira)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Please help Craig
Date: 30 Jul 92 19:36:48 GMT
Organization: Auspex Systems, Inc.

In article <13818@auspex-gw.auspex.com> johnf@Auspex.COM (John Fereira) writes:
>In article <1992Jul18.193834.18085@ncsu.edu> echyatt@eos.ncsu.edu (EDWARD CRAIG HYATT) writes:
||>The
||>young man in question went into
||>remission about 20 years ago and
||>his family has asked that no cards
||>be sent.
|
|I was in a mall yesterday and saw a woman that was wearing a "Make a Wish
|Foundation" T-shirt.  It looked like a new shirt.  Too bad I wasn't wearing
|my "Get a Clue" T-shirt.

We'll I blew this one.  I guess I was under the assumption that the "Make
a Wish" foundation was solely for the purpose of propogating the Craig
Shergold story.  I was unaware that they were involved in providing "wishes"
for other terminally or extremely ill kids.  I apologize for my callousness.


-- 
+============================================================================++
| John Fereira            "Is that all you ever think about?"                |
| johnf@auspex.com                                                           |
+============================================================================++
From: crawford@ben.dev.upenn.edu (Lauren L. Crawford)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: How to cancel a credit card (Mastercard or Visa)
Date: 28 Jul 92 16:13:43 GMT
Article-I.D.: netnews.84620
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

In article <22072809441040@vms2.macc.wisc.edu> DBBARBER@MACC.WISC.EDU ("Deborah B. Barber") writes:
>Misc.consumer folk:  when you cancel a credit card, what is the proper
>(that is, effective and self-protective) way of going about it.
> 
>Do you mail (or UPS, or....?) back the card cut in pieces?  If so, do you
>insure it or send it certified or registered mail.  By phone or in writing,
>do you tell the issuer WHY you are dropping their card (high fees or
>interest rates, etc.)?


I don't know about the proper way, but I just sent back my Visa to
a bank in Boston (where I no longer live); I cut it into a couple of
pieces and attached a note saying I'd decided not to use it anymore.
I received a check in the mail shortly thereafter for the unused
portion of my annual fee.

I just stuck it in an envelope and put a 29-cent stamp on it.  I
didn't give any reasons.


-- 
===============================================================================
Lauren Crawford  //  crawford@ben.dev.upenn.edu
"What a waste it is to lose one's mind, or not to have a mind is being very
wasteful.  How true that is."--J. Danforth Quayle to United Negro College Fund 
Newsgroups: uiuc.consumers,misc.consumers
From: tyao@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Tim Yao)
Subject: Delton Pit & Fissure Sealant for Teeth
Summary: This is a query about Johnson & Johnson's tooth sealant, Delton
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 20:40:33 GMT
Keywords: dentist, tooth sealant


I was recently informed by my dentist that I am developing tiny pits near
the center of four of my teeth.  He recommends that I get my teeth sealed
by something called Delton which was developed by Johnson & Johnson.  He
described it as a plastic substance which will fill the pores on the tops
of my teeth (what are those things called... molars?).  The process will
cost $25/tooth or $125 for the whole mouth.

My questions:
   1) Is this process safe?  My dentist says so, but I'd like some
      independent confirmation of this.
   2) Is this cost reasonable?
   3) Has anyone had this work done on them as an adult?  The brochure
      my dentist gave me indicates that this procedure is targeted 
      towards children...


-- 
     == Tim Yao                           == 3109 NCEL MC-250 ==      
     == e-mail:  tyao@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu    == 205 N. Matthew   ==          
     == phone:  (217) 333-6956 (office)   == Urbana, IL 61801 ==          
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: denton@ssd.comm.mot.com (Perry Denton)
Subject: Re: radio/tape/CD players
Organization: Motorola LMPS
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 17:42:51 GMT
Keywords: junk, garbage,trash, %$#&@nn

My newsreader seemed to have killed my last article.  Anyhow, it was
just that my old roommate had two discmans malfunction early in life.

Perry
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: jeff@quake.sylmar.ca.us
Subject: Re: Sony TV screen goes blank
Organization: Quake Public Access, San Fernando Valley, CA (818)362-6092
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 05:30:07 GMT

In article <1992Jul24.165143.22556@cbnewsm.cb.att.com> mks@cbnewsm.cb.att.com (manishkumar.sharma) writes:
>I have a 4yr old 20" Sony TV that worked pretty well until now. Sometimes
>(maybe 7-8 times/day) the screen goes blank for a few seconds (up to 5 mins
>sometimes). I suspected the cable feed. When I called them about this, they
....
>Has anyone seen this problem before? Before I cart the TV to the shop for
>a repair estimate, does anybody have any suggestions?
>Thanks.

This exact same problem happened to me; I have multiple TVs and it only 
happened to one of them.  I thought maybe the picture tube was going bad
(it's an RCA about nine years old), and was going to call the repair
service, when I decided to check the rat's maze of coax I have connecting
the TV to the VHS VCR to the Beta VCR to the Cable to a selector box, etc. 
Sure enough, one coax, when touched, blanked out the screen.  I tightened
it and haven't had a problem since.... 

I know you said you checked your wires, but CHECK them thoroughly - it's
cheaper to replace them then part of your Sony...

-Jeff
From: kevin.jessup@mixcom.mixcom.com (kevin.jessup)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Advice needed.
Date: 23 Jul 92 02:13:44 GMT
Article-I.D.: mixcom.1992Jul23.021344.7048
Distribution: usa
Organization: Milwaukee Internet Xchange BBS, Milwaukee, WI U.S.A.


Through a well-informed source (he used to work there) I here that an
auto dealer of a very popular Japanese import here in Milwaukee is
about to go under.  I understand that they are on a cash-only basis
with their suppliers and are not paying overtime to any of the hourly
employees.  Sorry, but I cannnot risk saying exactly who I am talking
about here.

My question is if anyone out there in net land has any opinion on buying
a new 1992 vehicle from this dealer.  Better yet, has anyone out there
dealt with a similar situation?

It seems to me that since this info has not yet been made public, the
dealer must still be making an attempt to recover from the situation.
Would he not want as much business as possible and, therfore, beat any
other dealers price?  Could I not get an excellent deal there?  Or, would
he try to screw me for as much as possible?

-- 
Kevin Jessup, bbwwbb@mixcom.mixcom.com
"You've got to know when to code 'em, know when to load 'em, know when to
emulate, know when to run.  You never count your money, when your sittin' at
the keyboard: there'll be time enough for countin', when the software's done."
From: mmeyer@m2.dseg.ti.com (Mark Meyer)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: MSG
Date: 23 Jul 92 01:14:47 GMT
Article-I.D.: m2.MMEYER.92Jul22191447
	<1992Jul22.173124.1309@cs.yale.edu>
Organization: Texas Instruments Inc. - Plano TX

In article <1992Jul22.173124.1309@cs.yale.edu> nathan@laplace.biology.yale.edu (Nathan F. Janette) writes:
> Hot peppers, spices, etc have inherent taste;
> MSG does not, it just makes your tongue swollen. 

	I've eaten pure MSG, and it does too have a taste.  (Lightly
salty, as I recall.)

-- 
Mark Meyer                                               | mmeyer@dseg.ti.com |
Texas Instruments, Inc.                                  +--------------------+
Every day, Jerry Junkins is grateful that I don't speak for TI.
      In the land of three-legged men, the man with two legs doesn't date much.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: johne@vcd.hp.com (John Eaton)
Subject: Re: Married/Single/Taxes
Organization: Hewlett-Packard VCD
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1992 00:04:03 GMT

jsp@uts.amdahl.com (James Preston) writes:
: joel@upchrch.UUCP (Joel Upchurch  ) writes:
: 
: }Frankly I've got my doubts about how well such things will stand up to
: }an audit, but I tend to be very conservative about how I do my taxes.
: }If such situations become common, I suspect the IRS is going to start
: }cracking down and tell couples that they are married for tax purposes
: }and to file a joint return.
: 
: You're being a little overly paranoid.  There is absolutely nothing
: illegal about a couple choosing not to get married.  The IRS can do
: a lot of things, but it cannot just "decide" that a couple is married
: for tax purposes in order to get more money from them.
: 
: --James Preston
-------------------------
On the other hand if you mess up and trigger your local States Common law
marriage statues and this is brought to their attention then you may be
in a heap of trouble. Keep a low profile and don't piss off your neighbors.

You might do the divorce every New Years Eva and Marry the next day bit only
to find that they decide to treat it the same as a wash sale.

John Eaton 
!hp-vcd!johne
From: konstan@elmer-fudd.cs.berkeley.edu (Joe Konstan)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Telephone Aswering Machine
Date: 23 Jul 1992 03:15:30 GMT
Organization: Picasso Research Group, UCB Computer Science Division
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: elmer-fudd.cs.berkeley.edu

In article <1992Jul23.022321.8997@unislc.uucp>, dw@unislc.uucp (Dan Wright) writes:
|> I buy the answering service from the local phone company.
<several features>
|> Phone companies use uninterruptable power supplies.

True, but at least here with Pacific Bell, the problem hasn't been power, but
software.  They have had several long outages where no messages would be taken
nor could any be retrieved.

<indicates that service stops if the phone handset is picked up>

Not true with most such services.  Once the call is forwarded away, there
is no way to get it back.  Also, therefore, no way to screen calls.

|> $6.50 per month.

Seems like a reasonable price, if it delivered reliable service, but a typical
Panasonic answering machine, with equivalent features and likely better
reliability can be had for about $50, or less than 8 months worth of 
service charges.

*START POLITICS*

Also consider whether you want to support local phone companies extending
their monopolies outside local phone service.  Answering services used to be,
and in my opinion should be, competative products.  Somehow, though, the local
phone companies manage to provide such a service for a price that is often
less than what they would charge for the components (stutter dial tone and 
some form of busy/no answer forwarding).  In some cases, they won't even sell
the component services to competitors, so they ensure a monopoly.

Joe Konstan
konstan@cs.berkeley.edu


Xref: sparky misc.consumers:14367 pa.general:244
From: littlec1@jaguar.uofs.edu (Chris Little)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,pa.general
Subject: Time-sharing condos - Win a free trip - ??
Summary: Time-sharing condos - Win a free trip - ??
Keywords: free trip, condos, time-sharing
Date: 23 Jul 92 15:59:17 GMT
Expires: 12 Aug 92 16:00:26 GMT
Reply-To: littlec1@jaguar.uofs.edu
Followup-To: misc.consumers,pa.general
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Scranton

After dropping my name, number, and salary range in a "Win a FREE trip to
Orlando" box at the mall the other day, I got a call lastnight telling me
that I was a winner of a 3 night/four day expenses paid trip for two to
Orlando, valued at $1200.  The caller was a representative from "SplitRock
Lodge" in the Pocono's near Scranton, Pennsylvania.  I believe SplitRock
sells these time-sharing condos; I really know little about real estate. 
Anyway, the representative said all I have to do is go to SplitRock and take
a 1.5 hour tour of their place - no other obligations.  After the tour I
will receive the vouchers for the trip.

I'm curious to know if any of you out there have had similar LUCKY
experiences, in particular with SplitRock Lodge.  I will check these
newsgroups periodically, but would appreciate direct e-mail if possible.

Thanks in advance. I'm really not a skeptic, just a realist.

--
Chris Little, Programmer/DBA
                                                University Computing Systems
                                                University of Scranton
  LITTLEC1@JAGUAR.UOFS.EDU                      Scranton, PA 18510
From: mjc+@cs.cmu.edu (Monica Cellio)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: the marriage tax (was: Middle-class salary range)
Date: 31 Jul 92 17:33:23 GMT
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon

>What are the legal/financial benefits of being married?  (Note: I'm not asking
>about emontional benefits.)  I can think of one: power of attorney (is this the
>right phrase?  I'm thinking of the case when I need to make medical decisions
>for my wife).  

Right phrase, wrong conclusion.  It may be that if you are married your spouse
is the default person to speak for you when you can't; I don't know.  This is
unlikely to be the case if you aren't actually married.  However, *anyone*
(of legal age and sound mind) can declare anyone he wants to be this attorney,
and doctors are required by law to honor it (unlike with living wills, which
are purely advisory as far as the law is concerned).  You give this power
to someone by filling out a form called (approximately) "Durable Power of 
Attorney for Health Care", and in it you name two people (one is an 
alternate).  It's useful to have your primary choice sign the form 
indicating he agrees to serve in this capacity, but it's not required.
You should give copies of the form to your doctor, the people named in
it, and in the event of surgery, the hospital.

Hemlock will sell you a form that's supposed to be legal in all states,
but you can probably get it for free by asking your doctor.

>What about credit benefits?  I imagine it is somewhat easier to
>get a sizeable loan when pairing 2 incomes through marriage vs. non-marriage. 

This should not be a factor if you write the contract in such a way that
the loan is binding on both parties.  (This is usually done such that each
party is individually responsible for the total, rather than each owing
half.  That way the collection agents have two shots at getting their money
if you default.)  Two unmarried co-workers bought a house jointly last fall;
unless one of them has vast amounts of money stashed away, the loan likely
required both salaries.

Monica
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: evanh@sco.COM (Evan Hunt)
Subject: Re: MSG
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 07:25:35 GMT
Summary: msg and celiac disease


jchen@ctt.bellcore.com writes:
>
>The problem with MSG is that some people are allergic to it, just like
>other natural substance that people are alergic to. If you have not experienced
>with MSG related reactions, you do not have to worry about it.

That's not the only problem with it. MSG can contain gluten; for people with
celiac disease (like my wife) it is literally poison.

>There is  no clinical evidence to link MSG to any health problem to a
>normal person. Even for those who are allergic to it, the symptoms are
>typically short and mild. Very few had strong reactions, none has died
>of it.

An accidental use of gluten, even in the tiniest amounts, makes my wife sick
for days. Admittedly, she is not a normal healthy person, but celiac disease
isn't that uncommon, either.

>That is why FDA does not regulate the use of it, only the labeling of it for
>those who are allergic to it.

Sounds good to me. I see no reason why it should be banned. But it should
DEFINITELY be labelled correctly. Label reading for a celiac is complicated
enough already; hearing that MSG may be lurking in unsuspected places is
really rotten news.

-- 
"Seen in this light, leaving the shoe behind her is obviously an act of
 rebellion against the dictatorial regimentation of the domineering fairy
 godmother." - Alma Bond, PhD, in "Oral Sadism and the Vegetarian Personality"
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: Brady_David@Tandem.Com (David Brady)
Subject: Re: Middle-class salary range
Organization: Tandem, Inc.
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 18:42:18 GMT

In article <1992Jul21.154507.21394@u.washington.edu>
kevin@milton.u.washington.edu (Kevin Caskey) writes:

>>>That's right, puts it back into the local economy with home improvements.
>>>Taking the incentive out of owning a home is one way to keep only those
>>>who are wealthy and can afford to purchase investment property as the
>>>primary holders of real estate.
>>>
>>
>>Would you agree with a deduction on rent?  Yes - well good, thanks for the
>>thought.  No, why?  It seem very reasonable to me.
>>
>The logic of this completely escapes me. Give a deduction to both would mean
>give a deduction to everyone. Then to be revenue neutral we all just pay a 
>higher rate on what is left after deductions. We can accomplish the same thing
>more simply by not having a deduction for either. Think about it.
>
>Kevin (not a republican) at U dub

Goodness.  It seems like I made that exact same point before!  My question was
merely asking that since it was ok for homeowners to get a break, why shouldn't
renters.  I was RESPONDING to a self-righteous message regarding the sanctity
of the home-owners mortgage/equity interest deduction.

I AGREE with you.

David (not a republican either) at ????
From: susanw@hpcvra.cv.hp.com (Susan Wechsler)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Need Bread Maker Recommendations
Date: 29 Jul 92 17:41:19 GMT
Article-I.D.: hpcvra.147410001
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Corvallis, OR, USA

>I need recommendations for a good bread maker.

We are very happy with the 1-1/2# Panasonic/National Bread Bakery
model.  We grind our own wheat, and use real WHOLE grain flour; this
model was the only one with a mode capable of handling 100% whole wheat
flour.  

--Susan
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: Tropez 900DX Cordless Phone
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 05:31:28 GMT

jimh@pacdata.uucp (Jim Harkins) writes:
: 
: Over in comp.dcom.telecom they've been discussing this.  Essentially, the
: Tropez is better than the Panasonic (the Panasonic is junk), and if you
: have more than 1 the range drops drastically.  The factory knows about the
: range problem and is working on it.  I'm waiting for someone to explain
: *why* the range drops when more than 1 are in use in the area.  Maybe they
: use a spread spectrum or something, I dunno.

It isn't due to spread spectrum. One advantage of that technology is that
multiple users can use the same frequency with unnoticable interference.

Bill
Newsgroups: misc.consumers