HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: eder@hsvaic.boeing.com (Dani Eder)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Can a landlord refuse cash?
Date: 6 Jan 93 14:39:46 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Boeing AI Center, Huntsville, AL

smorris@sumax.seattleu.edu (Steven A. Morris) writes:

>In article <CONKLIN.93Jan4174514@talisman.kaleida.com> conklin@kaleida.com writes:
>>I received a notice with my rent statement indicating that as of the
>>next rent period, only personal cheques, cashier's cheques, and money
>>orders will be accepted for rent payments --- cash will no longer be
>>accepted.
>>Is this legal?  Many of the people in my complex do not have bank

>As it says on our money, "This note is Legal Tender for all Debts,
>Public and private."  


>I am not certain if this is legal or not... I suspect that a landloard
>CAN specify IN ADVANCE that the terms of the rental are no cash, but I
>doubt that he or she can do so after the rental agreement has been
>established.

First of all, read your lease.  It probably has a statement very
much like:

"The rent shall be $675 (Six Hundred Seventy Five Dollars) per month
payable in advance..."

Second, you must realize the difference between a Dollar, which is
a coin with the picture of Eisenhower on it, and a Federal Reserve
Note, which is a piece of paper in your wallet denominated in
units of 1,5,10,20, etc. Dollars.  Go look at your paper money.
It says on the top "Federal Reserve Note".  It was issued by a
Federal Reserve Bank.

So, if we are to be very legally picky, the landlord must accept
dollar coins in payment for rent, since that is what the lease
specifies for payment.  Most judges would probably rule that
the FRNs are equivalent for payment purposes.  Once the rent
is past due, it becomes a debt, and then even the very picky would
agree that FRNs can be used to pay with.

All of this discussion is obviated if the lease specifies form
of payment, and the landlord can't unilaterally change the
terms of the agreement.  Let me re-iterate: what does the Lease
say?

Dani Eder

-- 
Dani Eder/Meridian Investment Company/(205)464-2697(w)/232-7467(h)/
Rt.1, Box 188-2, Athens AL 35611/Location: 34deg 37' N 86deg 43' W +100m alt.
From: neilw@informix.com (Neil Williams)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: DISPUTE OVER A BILL WITH SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER!
Date: 11 Jan 93 01:18:40 GMT
Organization: Informix Software, Inc.

In article <184872@pyramid.pyramid.com> jmuth@pyrps5.eng.pyramid.com (John Muth) writes:
>In article <117660001@hpcuhe.cup.hp.com> jws@hpcuhe.cup.hp.com (John Stafford) writes:
>>Also beware of their "free" trial subscriptions; they use the same logic
>>with them.  You are expected to call them at or very near the end of the
>>"free" period and tell them that you don't want it automatically
>>converted to a paid subscription, otherwise it continues and you get the
>>bill (despite the fact that they will often say "we'll call you back and
>>see if you like the paper and want to continue receiving it", they have
>>never called back).
>
>I'll let you in on a little secret. If you blow off a magazine or newspaper
>subscription, nothing will happen. They will stop sending the magazine or
>newspaper and they will send you some letters asking you to pay, but it
>won't appear in a credit report and it won't go to a collection agency.

About a year ago I got a letter from a collection agency telling me
that they had made repeated attempts to contact me (untrue) regarding
a magazine subscription I had ordered (not!) and never paid for.
Interestingly, it was publisher's clearing house that had passed the
delinquent account to the collection agency.

The letter was sent to the parents of a friend of mine, and so wound
up in my hands eventually.  The fact that I had never lived with
my friend's parents, or used their address, was proof enough in my
mind that the whole thing was bogus.

The bill was something like $20, but I wrote a letter disputing the
whole thing, and never heard from them again.

--Neil

-- 
Neil Williams: neilw@informix.com

Seen on my last trip on United: "If you are seated in an exit row 
and can not (sic) read this card... please notify a crew member."
From: neilw@informix.com (Neil Williams)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Cordless phone recommendations
Date: 7 Jan 93 00:54:34 GMT
Organization: Informix Software, Inc.

In article <1ifcisINNsjc@fmsrl7.srl.ford.com> hugh@slee01.srl.ford.com writes:
>Hi folks,
>
>I am looking for recommendations for cordless telephones. I would
>prefer to stay under $100. Do I need a 10 channel phone if I stay
>within say 50 ft of the base unit? How do the Japanese brands compare
>with AT&T? My local appliance salesperson recommended SONY or Toshiba
>-- of course that's all she had in stock. Also, what is the security
>code in the phone used for?

I just got one of the latest Panasonic models for $99.  It has
10 channels and auto-selects a channel when you turn it on; this
is the stand-up type which was actually my second choice - beats 
me why people like their phones sticking up in the air when it's
on the base.

Anyway, the sound quality is quite good.  Very clear typically,
although somehow it still sounds different from a corded phone,
like the person on the other end is further away or something.
The model I have has 2 settings for the loudness, so I keep it
on the higher setting.

My only gripe is that sometimes the channel it auto-selects  
is not the clearest available.  A touch on the channel-scan
button fixes that problem, though.

Once my wife turned it on and heard someone else talking....
Hasn't reoccurred yet, though, but now I keep it on the
base more than I would otherwise, for security.

It's light years better than my wife's 4 yr. old Sony, which
also cost $99 back then.  Isn't technology wonderful?

--Neil

-- 
Neil Williams: neilw@informix.com

Seen on my last trip on United: "If you are seated in an exit row 
and can not (sic) read this card... please notify a crew member."
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: CPLS13@email.mot.com (Steven_Cohn)
Subject: Re: Home alarms hooked to police?
Organization: Motorola_CoveragePLUS
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 08:39:02 GMT
Followup-To: misc.consumers,misc.consumers.house,misc.misc

In article <1993Jan8.182536.26405@nntpd.lkg.dec.com>,
bruno@allof.enet.dec.com (Greg Bruno) wrote:
> 
> 
> In article <C0I5JI.Hr6@techbook.com>, 
>    jamesd@techbook.com (James Deibele) writes...
> > 
> >Is there anywhere where homes (or businesses) with alarm systems are 
> >still hooked directly to the local police?
> > 
> 
>      There are some businesses hooked directly to the police in our town, but
> the number is small, because false alarms have a costly penalty.  After
> a certain number of false alarms, they will disconnect you.  I believe there
> is a steep cost for just setting up the connection.
> 
>      It is more efficient to have a local security company monitor the alarms
> and send out their own people to investigate alarms.
> 
>                                        Greg
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> bruno@cupid.enet.dec.com                  "What sorcery is this?"    
> --------------------------------------------------------------------

I purchased a house 5 years ago with an alarm hooked directly to the
police, and I am quite happy with it.  The village charges me $10 per year
for the service, and only requires that I pay for any false alarms over 2
in any 60 day period.  Since I alos have a service contract with the
original installers, if the system goes haywire, they end up paying for
those types of false alarms.  In general, the police are very responsive
and reliable, and the entire system gives my wife a very secure feeling
when I go out of town on business.  I believe the initial hookup fee is
only $15 from the village, but I don't know for sure.

Steven Cohn
Motorola CoveragePLUS Engineering
CPLS13@EMAIL.MOT.COM
From: savoia@sw.stratus.com (Rick Savoia)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Discmans for walking? (was: Re: Sony Car Discmans?)
Date: 7 Jan 1993 14:26:16 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: watts.sqa.stratus.com

In article <93006.155241PRAX@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU>, PRAX@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU writes:
> I've got one and love it......even plays skip free in my four by four.....
> well, at least on the freeway......


Can anyone recommend a good portable CD player that 
doesn't skip or stop while walking?  My father has the 
Sony D36 and it's great as long as he doesn't put it
vertical in his pocket.  Then the blasted thing seems
to stop while he's walking.  Anyone have any good 
suggestions?

Rick
-- 
==========================================================
Rick Savoia                     | "I'm just very selective
savoia@watts.sqa.stratus.com    | about the reality 
Rick_Savoia@vos.stratus.com     | I accept" - Calvin
==========================================================
From: conklin@kaleida.com (J.T. Conklin)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Can a landlord refuse cash?
Date: 4 Jan 93 17:45:14
Organization: Kaleida Labs, Inc.
Reply-To: conklin@kaleida.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: talisman.kaleida.com

I received a notice with my rent statement indicating that as of the
next rent period, only personal cheques, cashier's cheques, and money
orders will be accepted for rent payments --- cash will no longer be
accepted.

Is this legal?  Many of the people in my complex do not have bank
accounts.  They cash their social security cheques and pay their rents
in cash.  Forcing someone who is living on a tight budget to buy money
orders seems unfair to me.

	--jtc






--
J.T. Conklin    Kaleida Laboratories, Inc.
                Mountain View, California
From: andrew@frip.WV.TEK.COM (Andrew Klossner)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: When is a dill pickle Kosher?
Date: 5 Jan 93 21:01:05 GMT
Reply-To: andrew@frip.wv.tek.com
Organization: Tektronix Color Printers, Wilsonville, Oregon

What's the difference between a dill pickle and a Kosher dill pickle,
other than rabbinical supervision?  In the supermarket, the ingredient
lists on the two jars are identical, as are the prices, but the Kosher
bottle also includes several dozen small yellow spheroids that I don't
recognize.

  -=- Andrew Klossner  (andrew@frip.wv.tek.com)
                       (uunet!tektronix!frip.WV.TEK!andrew)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: lsc@ssd.intel.com (Linda Cline)
Subject: Fleece (polyester pile type) Robes
Organization: Supercomputer Systems Divison, Intel Corp.
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 20:40:16 GMT

	Well, I waited too long to order a polarlite robe from REI, 
and now (after the Christmas rush) they are out of stock with no 
intent to restock for this season.  Does anyone know of other 
sources for polyester fleece type house robes?  I know REI can't 
be the only place to get one, but I didn't see any others in the
multitude of catalogs that I got before Christmas.  I am also 
interested in the fleece pull on slippers.  

	Thanks for any ideas,
	linda

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in
the same place.  If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at
least twice as fast as that!"	
                                        Lewis Carroll
Linda Cline                             Through the Looking Glass
Intel Supercomputer Systems Division 
email: lsc@ssd.intel.com
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
From: bkottmann@falcon.aamrl.wpafb.af.mil (Brett Kottmann)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Good news about a credit card company :)
Date: 11 Jan 93 13:34:44 EST
Organization: Logicon Technical Services, Inc.

	Just wanted to relay some *good* news about a credit card company :).

	FirstCard said I had a past-due balance for the month of November, but
I've been sending in full payments each month for over a year now.  I suspect
the problem may be the local mail carrier....
	In any event, the company refunded the interest charge without making a
fuss (although reminding me to mail the payment in time for them to get it each
month :).

	FirstCard is a VISA/MC card issuer.

Brett
-- 
"The opinions and views expressed here are strictly my own and do not 
necessarily reflect the official position of either the U.S. Air Force 
or its contractors."
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: rboudrie@chpc.org (Rob Boudrie)
Subject: Re: Security (was Re: Cordless phone recommendations)
Organization: Center For High Perf. Computing of WPI; Marlboro Ma
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 22:46:28 GMT

In article <1993Jan8.164545.2401@ucbeh.san.uc.edu> yuanj@ucbeh.san.uc.edu writes:
>In article <1993Jan7.005434.2635@informix.com>, neilw@informix.com (Neil Williams) writes:
>> 
>> Once my wife turned it on and heard someone else talking....
>> Hasn't reoccurred yet, though, but now I keep it on the
>> base more than I would otherwise, for security.
>
>I think almost all the cordless phones even the low, low end models, have
>security circuitry, meaning other phones cannot dial out via your base.  Would
>someone explain in more detail?

The "security" to prevent dialout is some sort of digital handshaking 
which prevents other phones of the same model from using your phone line
while "driving by looking for a dial tone".  It does NOT provide 
communications security or encrypt the voice data.

The motorolla "secure" cordles phone is reputed to use simple analog
inversion of the audio.

The 900mhz Tropez cordless used digital transmission - it is not 
"encrypted", but you can't listen to the conversation with a conventional
radio reciever covering the 900mhz band.

>
>Thanks!
>
>> 
>> -- 
>> Neil Williams: neilw@informix.com
>> 
>> Seen on my last trip on United: "If you are seated in an exit row 
>> and can not (sic) read this card... please notify a crew member."
>
>J. Y.


Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r)
Subject: Re: Washer,Dryer,Fridge & Stove All At Once!
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 93 15:53:01 GMT

I have found GE washers to be extremely durable and work well. Personally,
I won't buy anything else.

I have a Hotpoint dishwasher, which does an adequate (and noisy) job.
But it was cheap. My mother has a Maytag. Quiet, does a better job of
cleaning, more rack space. My next one will be a Maytag (if the Hotpoint
ever quits).

I have a Frigidair gas dryer, which got very noisey a year after I bought
it. I can't recommend it.

I have a GE stove. While it works fairly well, the chrome plating is very
poorly done (less durable than '60s era Italian motorcycles). Some lobster
tails I was cooking boiled over on mine and created a series of dime-size
rust spots. Go for the ceramic top.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    | I think that I shall never see
George Patterson -  | a billboard lovely as a tree.
                    | Indeed, unless the billboards fall,
                    | I'll never see a tree at all.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: mbuscho@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Michelle Buscho)
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 22:50:23 GMT
Subject: Re: Visions (or other) cookwares?
Organization: the HP Corporate notes server
Newsgroups: misc.consumers

>I'm surprised to hear that she puts them in the microwave;
>I wouldn't think that would be very good for the non-stick
>coating. Do the Visions instructions actually say that the
>non-stick pans are microwave-safe??

Yes.  That was a big selling point for me when I bought them as a gift for
her, since I know she uses her microwave a lot.

Michelle
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: mpb@troy.cc.bellcore.com (bunz,marcus p)
Subject: Re: Emergency light and heat
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 93 14:13:49 GMT

In article <C0pLsw.6C9@apollo.hp.com>, lubkin@apollo.hp.com () writes:
> I live in Southern New Hampshire in an all-electric rented
> house.  With the last big storm, I realized that if the
> power goes out and stays out, I'm going to be very cold 
> and hungry sitting in the dark.
> 
> At the local hardware store, they had a non-electric 
> kerosene heater.  So I'm set for heat, although I don't like
> having to keep kerosene in my basement.  Alternative ideas
> welcome.
> 
> Then I went to the local sporting goods stores.  They had
> lots of stoves and lamps, which all said OUTDOOR USE ONLY.
> (Except for rechargable lanterns that won't last long enough.)
> 
> So what do I do?
> 
> 
> -- David Lubkin.
>    lubkin@apollo.hp.com

Ever hear of CYA?

Thats what the equipment makers (e.g., Coleman) are doing when they
say to only use the stove/lamp outdoors.  Thats because there
are lots of things that you COULD do to make them dangerous 
indoors, but in most cases it would be total incompetence, or
an outright attempt to harm yourself that would lead to problems.
I'll grant you I probably would NOT use my white gas stove indoors,
simply because it tends to flare up a bit when I light it and the
fumes are a problem when you shut it off, but
propane is no problem, so long as you keep the connections
tight, and the valve shuts tight.  If you decide to lock 
yourself and your stove/lantern up in a small closet and
stuff towels under the door you MIGHT burn up enough
O2 to cause problems, but I think overheating yourself might
happen before any other problem developes.

Keeping propane containers in your house is probably not a good
idea, but your 5 gallon can of Kero isn't going to start
any fires, once a fire gets started, the Kero will definately
make it more interesting, but nothing like a propane container
exploding.

Now, just to CMA, don't listen to me, I'm wrong, the stuff
is DANGEROUS INDOORS, DON'T do what I do, leave all that
camping equipment out in the shed when the power goes out,
if God meant for there to be light and warmth he would not
have turned your power out to begin with.  So what if
the pipes freeze, you get hypothermia, you trip over
something in the dark and break a leg or hip or ...
(I on the other hand will have my pot of coffee brewing
and will be playing cards with the kiddies.)

Marc
From: dunster@sdsu.edu (mark dunster)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: 10 CDs for the price of 1: kosher?
Date: 4 Jan 1993 23:15:31 GMT
Organization: sdsu
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: mathfp14.sdsu.edu

You've all probably seen this: in my TV guide the ad says you
can buy 10 CDs for the price of 1, with nothing more to buy
ever. Has anyone tried this? Isn't this too good to be true?
Is there a hidden $200 charge (membership, postage or whatever),
or is the quality of the CDs bad? (The selection is somewhat
limited, but I can pick 7-8 that I would like).

If you've become members of these type of CD clubs, I would 
appreciate your opinions.

Thanks,  mark dunster.
From: paul@howtek.UUCP (Paul Rothenberg)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Cordless phone recommendations
Date: 7 Jan 93 14:18:20 GMT
Reply-To: paul@howtek.UUCP (Paul Rothenberg)
Organization: Howtek, Inc.
X-Mailer: uAccess - Macintosh Release: 1.6v2


In article <1993Jan7.005434.2635@informix.com> (misc.consumers), neilw@informix.com (Neil Williams) writes:
> In article <1ifcisINNsjc@fmsrl7.srl.ford.com> hugh@slee01.srl.ford.com writes:
> >Hi folks,
> >
> >I am looking for recommendations for cordless telephones. I would
> >prefer to stay under $100. Do I need a 10 channel phone if I stay
> >within say 50 ft of the base unit? How do the Japanese brands compare
> >with AT&T? My local appliance salesperson recommended SONY or Toshiba
> >-- of course that's all she had in stock. Also, what is the security
> >code in the phone used for?
> 
> I just got one of the latest Panasonic models for $99.  It has
> 10 channels and auto-selects a channel when you turn it on; this
> is the stand-up type which was actually my second choice - beats
> me why people like their phones sticking up in the air when it's
> on the base.
> 
> Anyway, the sound quality is quite good.  Very clear typically,
> although somehow it still sounds different from a corded phone,
> like the person on the other end is further away or something.
> The model I have has 2 settings for the loudness, so I keep it
> on the higher setting.
> 
> My only gripe is that sometimes the channel it auto-selects
> is not the clearest available.  A touch on the channel-scan
> button fixes that problem, though.
> 
> Once my wife turned it on and heard someone else talking....
> Hasn't reoccurred yet, though, but now I keep it on the
> base more than I would otherwise, for security.
> 
> It's light years better than my wife's 4 yr. old Sony, which
> also cost $99 back then.  Isn't technology wonderful?
> 
> --Neil
> 
> --
> Neil Williams: neilw@informix.com
> 
> Seen on my last trip on United: "If you are seated in an exit row
> and can not (sic) read this card... please notify a crew member."
> 

Stay away from Panasonic. I have owned quite a few Panasonic phone
products and ALL have eventually failed in a short period of time,
especially their answering machines. 

I own an AT&T Model 5300. It sounds great - very close to a corded
phone. I have none of that "the person on the other end is further
away" nonsense of the Panasonic. It has 10 auto-selecting channels.
Replacement batteries and antennas are easy to get. I paid @ $89.00
for mine. 



===============================================
Paul M. Rothenberg

REPLY TO: paul@howtek.uucp
From: neilw@informix.com (Neil Williams)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Canadian proof (not)  that taxation lowers cigarette consumption
Date: 11 Jan 93 21:19:22 GMT
Organization: Informix Software, Inc.

In article <1is2tvINNmrm@meaddata.meaddata.com> dedek@meaddata.com (Mike Dedek) writes:
>
>In article <27763@sybase.sybase.com>, joe@sybase.com (Joseph Weinstein) writes:
>|> Dean Edell on KGO revealed some data about canadian tobacco consumption, where
>|> taxation raised the cost of cigarettes to about $3 a pack. The data show that
>|> prior to the tax increase, per capita consumption was equal to the U.S. In the
>|> few years since the taxation the consumption rate has dropped by 30%.
>|> 
>This is not proof!  This is correlation.  Have _all_ other variables remained
>constant during the study?  For example, were the subjects of the study 
>exposed to other pressures to quit, such as adverse health information, 
>inability to smoke in certain environments, etc?
>
>Since 1900 in the US, personal income tax has increased dramatically
>(from 0% to currently 28% or thereabouts).  The standard of living has
>also increased.  Does this prove that increasing personal income tax
>causes an increase in the standard of living? If so, we should all lobby
>for increased taxes! 

Here's another one: the higher the crime rate in any given area,
the more churches per square foot are likely to be in the area.

Conclusion: churches cause crime!   

:-)

This gem from my statistics class way back when they were pounding
the correlation vs. causation difference into our heads.

--Neil

-- 
Neil Williams: neilw@informix.com

Seen on my last trip on United: "If you are seated in an exit row 
and can not (sic) read this card... please notify a crew member."
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:21754 misc.consumers.house:16519 misc.misc:4283