HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: AFU EAST
From: smith+@cs.cmu.edu (Sean Smith)
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 16:08:12 GMT
Followup-To: alt.folklore.urban
Distribution: na
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon


In article <2458@blue.cis.pitt.edu> infidel@cislabs.pitt.edu (todd j. derr) writes:
>In article <C19FLE.CxK.2@cs.cmu.edu> smith+@cs.cmu.edu (Sean Smith) writes:
>>How about the Squirrel Hill Cafe, on the corner of Murray and Forbes?

>ahhhh, could work...  there's probably better places once I can think

The Cage was just the first place that popped into my head: easily
accessed by bus, and has Penn Dark on tap.

But there aren't any large tables, and the food isn't anything wonderful.

Somebody should show some initiative and name a date and time...

--Sean ``...but not me'' Smith

ObUL: Dali presented Harpo Marx with a harp strung with barbed wire;
Harpo threw it out.

******************************************************************************
                         sean.smith@cs.cmu.edu
                     carnegie mellon computer science

          posting from PITTSBURGH, the center of the AFUniverse!
******************************************************************************













Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: PAPAI@kcgl1.eng.ohio-state.edu (Jonathan Papai)
Subject: software kills
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 21:10:46 GMT

clarke@acme.ucf.edu (Thomas Clarke) writes in sci.nanotech:
>
>Software bugs in medical machines have already killed people.  One was an
>X-ray machine used to treat tumors - high dosage stuff.  The tech set
>up the machine by entering commands into the computer and after
>treatment had begun noticed that one of the parameters he had entered was
>wrong.  Since the user-unfriendly software required him to back out
through a series of menues and then reenter all the information
>over again, he just hit reset (crtl-alt-del?).  Unfortunately, the
>software reset did not reset the hardware, until after machine rebooted.
>In the meanwhile the patient fried.  I think hardware interlocks are
>required on all such machines now.  Funny to contemplate software
>approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Email for verification brought a response that it may have appeared in
IEEE (spectrum?).

Sounds like fun.  Any other medical mishaps caused by software?

ObUL:  The evil code was obviously written in cObol.

Jon "Uses acupressure only." Papai
.....
Oliver Wendell Holmes, John Holmes, what's in a name?
From: PAPAI@kcgl1.eng.ohio-state.edu (Jonathan Papai)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: 54-40..what does their name mean?
Date: 26 Jan 93 20:40:22 GMT
 <147762@lll-winken.LLNL.GOV>
Organization: The Ohio State University

ed@wente.llnl.gov (Ed Suranyi) writes:

>YES, MR. PAPAI IS RIGHT.

I nominate this for AFU motto of the week.

Jon "Showing as much humility as Trelford Pinkerton" Papai
.............
He who abandons his claim to be unique is even less bearable when
he claims to be representative. --Clive James
From: schnizer@kurims.kyoto-u.ac.jp (Schnizer Ansgar)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Japanese AFU's about the US
Date: 23 Jan 93 08:20:09 GMT
Distribution: alt.folklore.urban
Organization: Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Kyoto, Japan.


 Japanese know a lot of stories about the US. A good one
I heard yesterday from a Japanese girl who went
to NY last summer was about a drunken driver in Harlem
who stopped for a red traffic light late at night. He stopped
apparently in the middle of a 5 lane street and because it
took very long and the light still hadn't changed to green,
he fell asleep. 
 He woke up when the sun was already shining into his car
and when he wanted to drive on (the engine was still running)
his car didn't move. He got out of the car and found that
all 4 wheels had be stolen!

 Ansgar "why nobody stops for a red light in NY" Schnizer
--
  .  . .  .   .  . .   ..  . . .  .  .    .    . .   . .   .  
.  .   .  . .  .  ..  .    .  .   . .   .  .     .   .   . . .
  .  . .  ..  .    . .  ..  ..   . . .   .    ..  ...   .   .
Organization: City University of New York/ University Computer Center
Date: Monday, 25 Jan 1993 20:33:16 EST
From: <MIWHC@CUNYVM.BITNET>
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject:    Airline Interrogaters!!

Every time I fly out of Scotland's International Airport outside of Glasgow
(name?) I am fascinated by the skill of the interrogaters that question
suspicious passengers before checking their luggage. (Passengers like me, with
whiskey on their breath, THC eyes, and grungy clothing.) Obviously they are
not only making sure that I am not dangerous, but that I am not stupid enough
to let a terrorist screw with my luggage.

Anyway, their knowledge of just about everything is incredible, they must
either be some of the most intelligent people in the world, or trained by
several intelligence organizations. They can ask me specific details about the
university I attended, the neighborhood I live in, the type of car I own in the
States, questions about my work that even my boss might not understand, and
what the conditions of a certain ski run were at a tiny resort outside of
Steamboat Springs, Colorado were like several years ago on a ski vacation.

I am sure that some of their questions are simply to make me nervous, and judge
my reaction, and others are for gathering information, but it seems
inconceivable to me that anyone not genuine could get by these superhumans.
(i.e. What is the name of a cafe in your neighborhood? How much does a burger
and fries cost?) When I told one woman the wrong price (accidently) by fifty
cents, she knew I was wrong and told me so.

Obviously after Pan-Am's mishap over Scotland several years ago, people like
me are considered prime terrorist meat, but are interrogators this talented
elsewhere? (They sure aren't in Heathrow or Athens.) How did they learn so
many trivial things?

                              -- Rick Yukon. Tamale Wrangler.
From: carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Carl J Lydick)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Mike Cooper was Jesus' name (was Re: Late breaking potential UL!)
Date: 28 Jan 1993 01:23:44 GMT
Organization: HST Wide Field/Planetary Camera
Distribution: world
Reply-To: carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol1.gps.caltech.edu

In article <9139@news.duke.edu>, klg@mookie.mc.duke.edu (Kim Greer -- rjj) writes:
=In article <1993Jan21.210334.4245@midway.uchicago.edu> thf2@midway.uchicago.edu writes:
=>In article <1993Jan21.090627.23162@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> PAPAI@kcgl1.eng.ohio-state.edu (Jonathan Papai) writes:
=>>alt.cooper.makes.tires.
=>
=>I read somewhere that coopers worked with farm animals.  Are you sure
=>about this tire thing?  I didn't even know they *had* tires back when
=
=  Seems like I read the same thing - no references for it though.  sorry.

Coopers make barrels.  Look it up in your dictionary, fer crissakes!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl J Lydick | INTERnet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU | NSI/HEPnet: SOL1::CARL

Disclaimer:  Hey, I understand VAXen and VMS.  That's what I get paid for.  My
understanding of astronomy is purely at the amateur level (or below).  So
unless what I'm saying is directly related to VAX/VMS, don't hold me or my
organization responsible for it.  If it IS related to VAX/VMS, you can try to
hold me responsible for it, but my organization had nothing to do with it.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: PAPAI@kcgl1.eng.ohio-state.edu (Jonathan Papai)
Subject: Re: Mnemonics & Now - Burning Mines
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 20:34:05 GMT

twcaps@tennyson.lbl.gov (Terry Chan) writes:

>Terry "Then again, maybe this thread was just smoldering" Chan

I guess it's interminable.

Jon "inflammable?" Papai
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: catstyle@cathouse.aiss.uiuc.edu (Jason R. Heimbaugh)
Subject: Loony Sex Laws #1
Reply-To: jrh@uiuc.edu
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 16:08:02 GMT

Someone gave me a photocopied article of excerpts from Robert Wayne Pelton's  
book, Loony Sex Laws thet You Never Knew You Were Breaking (Walker and  
Company).  Anyways, one of them was:

"A state law in Illinois mandates that all bachelors should be called master,  
not mister, when addressed by their female counterparts."

Does anyone (OK, Ted F., maybe, please) have the time to search for the actual  
law and post it?

I'll post the rest of them (some are actually funny, unlike this one) when I  
get time to scan it in.

--
Jason "Master" Heimbaugh (CatStyle)
jrh@uiuc.edu
"If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?" --Ronnie Van Zant
From: joltes@husc10.harvard.edu (Richard Joltes)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Johnny Carson
Date: 26 Jan 93 20:14:24 GMT
Organization: Harvard University Science Center

Snopes sez:

>  So scrubbed was Johnny's image that, when he
>  once bemoaned a dead joke by inadvertently blurting 'Ah, shit,' the studio
>  audience went into silent shock."
>
>Doesn't sound like the sort of person who would make the "pussy" quip so
>often attributed to him.

True, but they did get into some "interesting" situations on the show.  There
was one situation when a "magic" trick involving eggs got a little out of hand
and Johnny, Dom DeLuise, and someone else wound up in an egg battle that ended
with Johnny dropping an egg down Dom's shorts and squashing it onstage.
The other person may have been Burt Reynolds...not sure.

Several nights later Sally Field showed up and immediately opened her purse to
produce a can of whipped cream and a large scissors.  She said that since all
the guys got to have fun she wanted to get in on it too.  She then cut off
Johnny's necktie about mid-way down and squirted whipped cream down his shorts.

She said she felt safe since Johnny was "such a gentleman."

Johnny said "you're wrong" and proceeded to fill her low-cut blouse with
whipped cream.  He may have also squirted some down her pants.

Pretty tame by today's standards, but this was around 1970-75 or so.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dick "will put things in Sally Field's cleavage anytime" 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:35174 rec.arts.startrek.misc:14529
From: de@moscom.com (David Esan)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,rec.arts.startrek.misc
Subject: Re: Mnemonics
Date: 27 Jan 93 22:30:57 GMT
Organization: Moscom Corporation, Pittsford NY

In article <7oa1VB4w165w@codewks.nacjack.gen.nz> system@codewks.nacjack.gen.nz (Wayne McDougall) writes:
>schamber@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca (Sylvain Chamberland) writes:
>

< Drivel about Pluto/Neptune deleted.>

Fruufu!

Will you people read a book once in a while!

Pluto's orbit is extremely eccentric in relation to the other planets.  There
is a short time during each orbit that it is closer to the sun than Neptune.
We are in that time period.  In a short time we will no longer be.  The
memnonic is good for most of a 248 year period.


Double Fruufu!
-- 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -->     David Esan      de@moscom.com  
 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: PAPAI@kcgl1.eng.ohio-state.edu (Jonathan Papai)
Subject: Re: AFU EAST
Organization: The Ohio State University
 <C17MEx.HoG@polaris.async.vt.edu>
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 22:17:45 GMT

jfurr@polaris.async.vt.edu (Joel Furr) writes:
>We're working on an AFU East in Pittsburgh and an AFU Southeast in
>Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina.  I'd like one to be held in February and
>one in March.  If you're interested, reply to this post and say so.
>                                     ^^^^^

Of course, Joel is not completely on the up-and-up here, as a reply
to this message brings an response by automatic emailer as follows:

>From:	IN%"jfurr@polaris.async.vt.edu" 21-JAN-1993 17:01:09.53
>To:	IN%"PAPAI@kcgl1.eng.ohio-state.edu"
>CC:
>Subj:	RE: AFU EAST
>
>Please say so in a post to alt.folklore.urban, preferably following up on
>the thread already discussing it.  This way people on the net see momentum
>gathering.

If you meant followup, why'd you say reply?  Good larnin' they give
you hokies down thar.

In any case, if I show up in P'burgh, I'll try to get ahold of some
liquid nitrogen and a kryptonite lock, and perform a demonstration
to check the voracity of the FAQ entry:

>WILD LIFE IN THE FAST LANE
>Tb.Freon can be used to break Kryptonite locks.
>Tb.No self-respecting car thief would use it though.
>Fb."The New York Method" is a means of contraception.

I'll use liquid nitrogen rather than freon because it's
earth-friendly, and alot cheaper.

-J.
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 14:01:51 EST
From: <WCE2@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Ankle-slashing Robbers
 <llm8c6INN6uo@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM> <H.eg.u29sGT25sfk@harvee.billerica.ma.us>

See FOAFtale News 24 (Dec. 1991):11; Brunvand's Urban Legends column (alas,
defunct) for 26 Feb. 1990.  Evidently first heard in Fargo, ND in 1978, active
in Tacoma, Xmas 1989, in Chicago Sept. 1991, in Fresno CA late last year, a
factor in the Durham "rape a white woman" initiation rumor of earlier this
year, etc.  Also recycled by Stephen King in his screenplay for Pet Sematary,
for the scene where the undead kid Gage hides under the bed and slices thru
Fred Gwynne's achilles tendon before dissecting him to death.
.
Bill Ellis (wce2 @ psuvm.psu.edu)                 Editor, FOAFtale News
Penn State, Hazleton Campus                       Voice: 717-450-3026
Hazleton, PA 18201-1291                           Fax: 717-450-3182
     "He who affirms the devil, creates the Devil." --Eliphas Levi
From: mrice@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Matt Rice)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Foucalt pendulums (and the UN)
Date: 21 Jan 93 05:13:54 GMT
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

In article <1993Jan20.225619.15744@nsscmail.att.com> cel@nsscmail.att.com (clayton EDward LEIHY iii) writes:
>In article <C0zB5F.Au5@panix.com> dannyb@panix.com (Daniel Burstein) writes:
[stuff about Foucalt Pendulums in NYC deleted]

>My family and I have frequently visited the Franklin Institute
>in Philadelphia, where one hangs several stories at least, and
>I believe it used to have a point on the end that traced its
>patterns in sand.
>Ed Leihy, NCR (an AT$T Company)

The pendulum in the Franklin Institute is hangs from the ceiling of
the second floor to the basement.  The total length (I would guess) is
somewhere close to 50 feet (high ceilings).

It doesn't trace a path in sand anymore.  It swings over some sort of
pad with small circles underneath at the ends.  As the pendulum swings
over a new circle, it changes color (white to blue).

If I remember correctly, the one in the Smithsonian used to knock over
pegs or something...

*******
Matt "are there any Foucalt Pendulums near centers of Lemur population?" Rice
mrice@eniac.seas.upenn.edu
This .sig is rated G.
From: 00tlstanchfi@leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: AMUSING SIGNS
Date: 26 Jan 93 18:20:42 GMT
Organization: Ball State University, Muncie, In - Univ. Computing Svc's

In article <1993Jan22.183455.3577@Cadence.COM>, vince@cadence.com (Vince Gibboni) writes:
>     And, I still giggle uncontrolably at the "Entering Sharon" sign in
>     Sharon, Vermont, but I'm beginning to suspect that this is just a 
>     personal problem and can probably be controlled with medication.
> 
There's some unusual song called "Entering Marian" that supposedly tells
the tale of a man who traveled his way through several towns with "first name"
names -- poss in Massachussetts? I don't remember the singer off hand- 
my fiance (I got it right this time) has it on a Rhino release CD.

tracey
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: vince@cadence.com (Vince Gibboni)
Subject: Re: Epileptics and computer games
Organization: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 19:05:53 GMT

j_manes@vger.nsu.edu writes:
> This very story came over the AP wire today at the radio station where I
> work.  The story mentioned that such warnings were already common in the
> USA, and that putting warnings on Nintendo games sold in Europe was a
> fairly recent development.
> 
> There was no followup story about the veracity (excuse me, voracity) of
> the nintendo-causes-seizures connection.
>

    A few days ago there was a fairly definitive piece on this on CNN.
    They actually showed footage of several different children having
    seizures while playing (I think) Sonic Hedgehog. This was not home
    video footage, but some sort of laboratory-like situation (i.e. there
    were guys in white coats standing around observing). Of course,
    placing a seizure-prone child into a sezure-inducing situation seems
    a tad bit unethical, so I assume that either: 1) the doctors just
    didn't care (and had parental waivers safely in their pockets) or 
    2) these were kids who have seizures all the time anyway. I'm
    actually inclined to believe the second case, and, in fact, now that 
    I think about it, all this really proves is that Sonic Hedgehog does 
    not _prevent_ seizures. 

    They also interviewed some important-looking neurologist-type guy who
    basically said something to the effect of, "yeah, it happens - I wouldn't 
    worry about it". He also mentioned that in the early days of television
    there were television-induced seizues in children, although he didn't
    say whether this still occurs.


--
                                                         vince@gda.cadence.com
 
    "The last government program that worked was World War II."
        - David Brinkley
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: warren@nysernet.org (Warren Burstein)
Subject: Re: Coke Machines
Organization: NYSERNet, Inc.
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 04:02:35 GMT

dannyb@panix.com (Daniel Burstein) writes:

>One of the features offered on vending machines is the ability to do
>remote diagnostics and telemetry.  i.e., the machine is hooked up to a
>phone line and will dial out to the distributer giving such info as its
>inventory status, cash in box,temperature, etc., etc.

Isn't there one about the wax tadpole machine that was running up
long-distance bills? Couldn't find it in the FAQ.  Maybe it's in the
Telecom-Digest archives.

Warren "not related" Burstein
-- 
/|/-\/-\          This article is supplied without longbox
 |__/__/_/        and uses recycled 100% words, characters and ideas.
 |warren@         
/ nysernet.org    
Xref: sparky alt.folklore.urban:34798 alt.conspiracy:14635
From: starfish@stein.u.washington.edu (Sarah Skovronsky)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,alt.conspiracy
Subject: Re: Hepatitis and Taco Bell Scare.
Date: 25 Jan 1993 21:06:02 GMT
Organization: University of Washington
Distribution: world,local
NNTP-Posting-Host: stein.u.washington.edu
Keywords: hepatitis beans shit Taco Bell savage humor

leb@violet.ccit.arizona.edu (BASEL, LESLIE) writes:

>Well, there are reports in the Tuscon Daily Star of a batch of poisoned
>burgers from Jack in the Box burgers making people REALLY sick and killing
>some kids.

Yup.  Up here in Washington State, a boy died a couple of days ago as
a result of eating contaminated meat from Jack in the Box.  More kids
are still in the hospital, some in critical condition, from chowin'
those burgers.  They are in various stages of kidney failure.

Jack in the Box and the meat company are pointing and screaming at each
other.  JitB says that the meat was contaminated at the plant (before
it was shipped).  The meat company is saying maybe maybe not, but
correctly high cooking temperatures would have killed the bacteria.
(Washington State makes fast food joints flame the burgers at a higher
temperature than is federally required.  This is a recent change.  JitB
claims that nobody told THEM about it.)  It looks like it's a combination
of both--contaminated meat and too-low cooking temperatures.  Really
a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time for thos kids.

JitB is running a full-page ad in a couple of Seattle newspapers "apologizing"
for the problems.  (gee, thanks.)
-- 
************************************************************************
*            Sarah Skovronsky     starfish@u.washington.edu            *
* "Sample my FIST, you community theater reject!"  --TV's Frank, MST3K *
**********fnord!********furrfu!********hi-keeba!********meep!***********
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: harris@drvax3.msfc.nasa.gov (Mitch Harris)
Subject: Re: Elevator DEATH!
Organization: NASA/MSFC
Date: 24 Jan 93 02:10:55 GMT

norlin@midway.ecn.uoknor.edu (Norman Lin) writes:

>harris@drvax3.msfc.nasa.gov (Mitch Harris) writes:

>>A few years ago, while working at University Hospitals in Cleveland, an
>>employee was killed in a freak elevator accident. He was transporting a
>>patient somewhere...the doors opened, he pushed the patient in on his
>>stretcher, stepped in & hit the button. The elevator started to rise
>                                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>with the doors open. He pushed the patient out (who was unharmed), but
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

>>fell in the doorway while doing this, and was crushed
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

>Why do you think he did this?  It seems that there would be no
>immediate threat from riding in an elevator with an open doorway;
>just stay away from the door and get off when it stops.

>Of course, I can't say that I know I would that do if the situation
>took me by surprise.

>Norman Lin
>-- 
>Norman Lin | norlin@mailhost.ecn.uoknor.edu   (preferred)   
>           | nlin@alliant.backbone.uoknor.edu (alternate 1) 

I think that was the problem...he was taken by surprise. If that had
happened to me, I don't know what I would have done. I probably would
have thought an elevator that starts to rise with the doors open may
also take an unexpected plunge. Well, it's a moot point anyway. He's
deader than sh*t, and that's a fact that's not gonna change...

(posted for the missus, Beverly H.)
>           | narc@obelisk.pillar.com          (alternate 2) 
--
Mitch Harris                           |  New Technology Inc.
(205)-544-2846                         |  700 Boulevard South, #401
drvax3!harris@freedom.msfc.nasa.gov    |  Huntsville, AL  35802

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: johne@PROBLEM_WITH_INEWS_GATEWAY_FILE (John Eaton)
Subject: Re: Glitch at the Dog Track
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 21:15:10 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard VCD
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5

Ad absurdum per aspera (JTCHEW@lbl.gov) wrote:
: No, not glitch in the Potrzebie Lexicon of Euphemism sense, but rather in
: the computer sense.  Check out COMP.RISKS Digest, Vol. 14, Issue 28,
: "Racetrack goes to the dogs as computer fails."  (There will surely be
: followups in future issues.)  It contains a third-hand tale, attributed to
: the BBC, about a dog track where a computer glitch allowed spectators to
: place bets after a race was over and the results were available...
: 
: ...and supposedly 139 people bet on losers anyway!
: 
: Joe "That dog won't hunt" Chew
------------------
This may be the same computer bug that was discussed earlier. The problem
was that a track observer presses a button to tell the computer that the
race has started  but it only keeps track of the hour and minutes (no Seconds).
The computer will then accept any bet made before or equal to that time.

This worked ok with horse races that took at least one minute to run. The
problem came when they tried to use the same system on dog races that are
much shorter. If the race starts at 3 seconds after the start of the minute 
then you can still make bets for another 57 seconds. By then the race is
over or nearly over. 

John Eaton
!hp-vcd!johne


Xref: sparky alt.folklore.urban:34920 alt.folklore.computers:19303