HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: alan@unisql.UUCP (Alan Weiss)
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: Re: RIPOFF ALERT! RIPOFF ALERT!
Date: 24 Jul 92 16:11:42 GMT
Reply-To: alan@unisql.UUCP (Alan Weiss)
Organization: UniSQL, Inc., Austin, Texas, USA

In article <mikeb.711989927@pandora> mikeb@pandora.dell.com (Michael Brundridge) writes:
>moller@netmail.austin.ibm.com (Chris Moller) writes:
>
>
>>About two weeks ago, I took my Zenith laptop to a place called Austin
>>Technology (9514 McNeil Rd., Austin) for a minor repair.  They said it
>>would probably cost about $90 to fix, but they'd call if it went over
>>$60.  They just called, having already done they work.  Somehow, magically,
>>the $60 - $90 repair has become a $175 repair.
>
>>For the sake of thy wallet, avoid these people.

Chris:

Did you have to pay to get your machine back?  How did you pay?
If it was by check, stop payment and sue in small claims.  If
it was by credit card, notify the credit card firm to NOT pay
these guys, and let them try and come after you.  If it was cash,
you can still sue in small claims court.

This is ridiculous behavior on their part, if in fact the story
is accurate.


>Sounds like they are related to AAPCO here in Austin


True story about AAPCO:  I took my VCR into them because the front-load
ejection system was broken, i.e. the tape wouldn't eject.  I asked them
to save all parts that they replaced, which they conveniently FORGOT
to do (yeah, right).  So, they replaced some widget inside, and charged me
$115.  The next day, the same thing happens, so I take it back to them.
It turns out that the way to get an unstuck tape out from a machine
is simple:  unscrew the hood, and fiddle around gently with the mechanism
by manually moving the flywheel.  The tape will eject.  The guy mentioned
that this tends to happen to very lightweight tapes, typically children's
half-hour tapes.  Guess what I had in the machine?  A 20 minute kids tape ....

EOF, except I didn't get my money back. I didn't even ask.  After all,
I received a valuable lesson in fundamental consumerism, and that was
worth paying for, IMHO.  I'm not such a sap anymore .....  And now,
after reading this, perhaps YOU won't be, either.


 Alan R. Weiss                  #include <std_disclaimer.h>
 UniSQL, Inc.
 9390 Research  II, Suite 200                             +---+
 Austin, Texas, USA  78759-6544                           |   |
 Phone: 512-343-7297    Fax  : 512-343-7383               |   \_______
 Personal Messages:  512-343-7372  x115              _____|           |
 unisql!alan@cs.utexas.edu                           \.        Austin | 
                                                       \  __     *   /
 "The opposite of progress is Congress."                \/  \.     _/
                                                              \.  /
							        \/
From: dcm@mpd.tandem.com (Dave McCracken (Pi-Net))
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: How to get into a second-level defensive driving course?
Date: 31 Jul 92 13:48:33 GMT
Distribution: austin

Having just gotten my second speeding ticket this year, and already
taken the defensive driving course, how do I go about getting into
the second-level course?  The cop said he didn't know if they'd let
me take it.  Who is 'they', and what can I do to improve my chances
of getting in?  I'd really rather take the course than have the ticket
on my record.

BTW, I was impressed with the professionalism of the cop.  He didn't
give me a hard time about speeding, or lecture me.  It was like a friendly
business transaction.  We both knew I was speeding, he wrote up the ticket
and handed it to me, with a little friendly small talk.  He gave me 5 mph
off the radar gun and overlooked the fact that my insurance card was from
the *last* 6 months instead of the current 6 months.

Dave McCracken
dcm@mpd.tandem.com
From: paul@guadalupe.Central.Sun.COM (Paul Brackett SE Sun-Austin "The Silicon Gulch")
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: AAPCO was: Re: RIPOFF ALERT! RIPOFF ALERT!
Date: 31 Jul 92 14:05:56 GMT
Reply-To: paul@guadalupe.Central.Sun.COM
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
NNTP-Posting-Host: guadalupe.central.sun.com

I'd just like to thank all of you for slamming AAPCO.
I was tentatively planning to take my VCR there for some repair, but
I think I'll find another shop now.

Paul
From: james@bigtex.cactus.org (James Van Artsdalen)
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: Re: speeding ticket responses
Date: 28 Jul 92 10:17:33 GMT
Reply-To: james@bigtex.cactus.org (James Van Artsdalen)
Organization: Institute of Applied Cosmology, Austin TX

In <scannon.23@novell.com>, scannon@novell.com (Steve Cannon..1503..DEV) wrote:

> Is the extra 5 mph worth 7 minutes considering the extra gas
> expended, extra stress on the car, and the higher risk?

Well, maybe not an extra 5 mph.  But an extra 10 or 15 mph: sure.
That seems to be the consensus of most drivers, anyway.

The real risk in driving is not so much in the speed as in other
factors, to my experience.  How tired am I?  Did the bars just close?
Does this road have good visibility?  Where's the next intersection?
Is that car up ahead having trouble staying in its lane?

Keeping track of those details is much more important than anything
happening on the speedometer...
-- 
James R. Van Artsdalen          james@bigtex.cactus.org   "Live Free or Die"
Dell Computer Co    9505 Arboretum Blvd Austin TX 78759         512-338-8789
From: scannon@novell.com (Steve Cannon..1503..DEV)
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: Re: speeding ticket responses
Date: 27 Jul 92 18:58:40 GMT
Organization: Novell, Inc. --Austin

In article <702@zx11.UUCP> joe@zx11.cactus.org (Joe Senner) writes:

>well, it would appear that there are a lot of speeders out there :-)
>I've gotten LOTS of responses on this subject, email me if you would
>like a copy, I won't post. any and all names will be removed to proctect
>the gui^H^H^H innocent...

I for one as sick and tired of all the speeders in Austin.  What's the big 
hurry?  

Traveling for 100 miles @ 60 mph can be done in 1 hr., 39 minutes.
Traveling for 100 miles @ 65 mph can be done in 1 hr., 32 minutes.

Is the extra 5 mph worth 7 minutes considering the extra gas expended, extra 
stress on the car, and the higher risk?

Not for me!  

Further,  I drive the same route to work everyday and usually encountered 
the same people driving the same cars to work.  I'm amazed that these 
people, after all these years, haven't yet figured out the traffic light 
patterns.  I laugh as I watch them speed from one red light to the next.  
When will they every learn that if they just drive the speed limit the light 
will change as soon as they approach it.  Get a clue!  They are consuming 
more gas from the fast start and placing more wear on their brakes and tires 
from having to stopping at every traffic light.  Get another clue!

Some people just never learn.  No wonder Japan is eating out lunch!

Still amazed!
-- 
Steve Cannon
Internet: scannon.novell@sjfsmtp.novell.com 	MHS: scannon@novell
Please us the above address if responding to me by mail.
Xref: sparky austin.general:2588 tx.general:500
From: rdd@cactus.org (Robert Dorsett)
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: Re: speeding ticket responses
Date: 28 Jul 92 21:51:46 GMT
Organization: Capital Area Central Texas UNIX Society, Austin, Tx

In article <2126@devnull.mpd.tandem.com> dcm@mpd.tandem.com writes:
>> 
>> Is the extra 5 mph worth 7 minutes considering the extra gas expended, extra 
>> stress on the car, and the higher risk?
>
>Let's examine these numbers with a more realistic set of values like,
>say, Austin to San Antonio.  

No, let's examine them with a more realistic set of values, like, say,
I-35 to McNeil Rd. via Parmer, a 10-mile stretch of road.  Stop & go traffic, 
with one four-mile open stretch; during rush-hour, there are 15-deep
"packs" of cars, bumper-to-bumper, for no real reason.  EVERYONE accelerates
to 65-70 mph for no reason at all, except maybe to be first, or to
cut off the car ahead of them, only to instantly slow down and pull off
at a turn.

It simply makes NO SENSE to drive fast if the lights are timed for 45 or 50
MPH; it fucks up the people who *do* drive the lights, who have to slow
down to wait for the first-ones-at-the-light morons to get their asses in 
gear.  Want a REALLY unpleasant experience?  Drive from Ben White up through 
360, just about any time.


The moral?  There's a difference between cross-country driving and city
driving.  Even city driving on Austin's two freeways.  YOU might be
driving through the city, but everyone else has different destinations.
High-speed cross-country driving works because there are a lot more people 
"driving through"; the traffic's generally simpler, and higher speeds can 
be tolerated.


What really distinguishes Austin from other cities is how irresponsible a 
lot of the high-speed traffic is (e.g., "wolf-packs" tail-gating one another
at 65 or 70 mph).  I mean, I visited LA a couple of years ago and was
*astonished* by how much leeway drivers gave to each other; it was a 
very pleasant environment to drive in, comparatively.  I still don't
completely understand the bitching about LA traffic.

Austin's *very* aggressive, and the drivers aren't even very good in those 
terms (compare with Houston, where aggressive drivers tend to know what 
they're doing).





---
Robert Dorsett
rdd@cactus.org
...cs.utexas.edu!cactus.org!rdd
From: rdd@cactus.org (Robert Dorsett)
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: Re: speeding ticket responses
Date: 30 Jul 92 01:44:41 GMT
Organization: Capital Area Central Texas UNIX Society, Austin, Tx

In article <1992Jul29.215853.8498@raid.dell.com> ransley@parnasus.dell.com (Robert Ansley) writes:
>     Federal laws supercede state laws and the maximum speed limit
>     by Federal law is 65 nation wide (unless states don't want' their 
>     highway funds)  So this is a moot argument.

Only on Federally-funded highways, and only if the Feds want it to happen
on federally-funded highways (e.g., only the Interstate system, but not
near/in cities, and not necessarily in local highways only partially 
financed with Federal dough).




---
Robert Dorsett
rdd@cactus.org
...cs.utexas.edu!cactus.org!rdd
Newsgroups: austin.general
From: bei@dogface.austin.tx.us (Bob Izenberg)
Subject: Re: jurys [was: something about speeding]
Organization: The Fortress of Ultimate Dorkiness
Distribution: austin
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 01:16:47 GMT

In article <BRENNAN.92Jul28213834@austin2.hal.com> brennan@hal.com (Dave Brennan) writes:

# I would encourage all jurors to "throw the
# book" at anyone they can for wasting their time.

	Unbelievable.  You're upset about being asked to carry your part of
the load in society, so you want to behave like a vindictive child.  Yessir,
let's have MORE of this attitude...  :-(

Bob
-- 
 ==============================================================================
           WORK: bobi@vswr.sps.mot.com  HOME: bei@dogface.austin.tx.us
 ==============================================================================
From: shubu@cs.utexas.edu (Shubhendu Sekhar Mukherjee)
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: Re: Looking for a cheap LOCAL Visa Card
Date: 30 Jul 92 11:55:26
Organization: U. of Texas-Austin, CS Dept.
Distribution: austin
NNTP-Posting-Host: oporto.cs.utexas.edu
In-reply-to: jfh@rpp386.lonestar.org's message of 28 Jul 92 19:17:01 GMT


>>>>> In article <21209@rpp386.lonestar.org>, jfh@rpp386.lonestar.org (John F. Haugh II) writes:

JFHI> I just finally got disgusted with paying 19.6% APR to my Virginia bank
JFHI> issued VISA card and decided that I would rather give my money to a
JFHI> LOCAL bank.

JFHI> So, which banks in Austin have great interest rates and are local to
JFHI> Austin?

University Federal Credit Union gives Visa/Master Card for free if you
have an account there.

Luck!
-Shubu
--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Shubhendu Sekhar Mukherjee       University of Texas @ Austin, C.Sc.
Net:shubu@cs.{utexas,wisc}.edu   [W]:(512) 471-9856 [H]:(512) 450-1756
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: sombar@cactus.org (Steven Sombar)
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: Re: Instructor needed for CS class
Date: 29 Jul 92 18:46:27 GMT
Organization: Capital Area Central Texas UNIX Society, Austin, Tx


Park College (accredited degree-granting institution, teaches 
at IBM, 3M, Bergstrom, others) is in need of an instructor for
  CS320  Programming Languages.

This undergraduate-level class is scheduled to be taught M/W
5:00PM, beginning August 17,1992, and ending Wed, Oct. 7.

This class may be cancelled if no instructor is available.

If interested and qualified, please call Francis at 838-5161 (Austin).

Regards, Steven Sombar,P.E  IBM Austin  sombar@cactus.org  -or-
                                        sombar@netmail.austin.ibm.com
From: will@vulcan.austin.ibm.com (Will Fiveash)
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: Re: Bakery on Congress Ave.
Date: 30 Jul 92 17:12:39 GMT
Distribution: austin
Organization: IBM PSP Austin, Tx.

In article <76611@ut-emx.uucp> smcdow@utexas.edu (Stuart McDow) writes:
>
>From the keyboard of Jack McKinney, rlm7638@tamsun.tamu.edu:
>>    Someone told me that there is a bakery in Austin on Congress about
>>3 or 4 blocks south of the capitol. Can someone tell me the name of this
>>bakery? I am told it is in an old building. Does anyone know how old the
>>building is? Was it originally a bakery? Etc., etc., etc.
>
>Actually, there's several on Congress. Off the top of my head, there's Sweetish
>Hill, Texas French Bread, another whose name escapes me, and the historic
>bakery
>just south of the Capital that's being restored by the City of Austin. 
>3 or 4 blocks south of the Capital sounds like it might be Sweetish Hill.

Sweetish Hill is on 6th street near Blanco.  I think the group of
buildings is called Pecan Square.  Next door is the West End Cafe.

-- 
Will Fiveash,  "My opinions above, facts below."
Internet:  fiveash@perfmap.austin.ibm.com
From: toronto@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (James Moseley)
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: Re: speeding ticket responses
Keywords: Insurance
Date: 27 Jul 92 21:50:23 GMT
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX

What sucks about getting a ticket, or a few, is the rise in insurance rates.
I got a ticket when I was sixteen.  (It's also bad if you're  under  25.)
Anyway, my dad wanted to switch insurance companies to get  some cheaper
rates.  Although the present company did not raise my rates, the new one
was going to charge $300 more because  of ONE ticket.  That was the only
one on my record, and with no wrecks!  I am now almost 21 and have no tickets
or wrecks on my record, drive an '80 Accord, and pay $1200 in insurance per
year!

Getting off the subject a little.  Texas needs No-Fault insurance.  For those
who don't know, you get in a wreck, your insurance pays for your car, 
regardless of whose fault it is.  If you hit someone who doesn't have
insurance, they're out of luck!

On the maximum speed limit, it is 70 mph, whatever it  is posted at.
Supposedly if you can prove that you were driving safely above the posted
speed limit, but under 70, then you can get out of it.  All this stuff is
in the Texas Code, where you will also find other loopholes.

James Moseley
toronto@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu
From: dunham@devnull.mpd.tandem.com (Jerry Dunham)
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: Stone mason needed
Date: 23 Jul 92 20:20:27 GMT
Reply-To: dunham@mpd.tandem.com (Jerry Dunham)
Distribution: austin
Organization: Tandem Computers; Austin TX
Originator: dunham@serpens


Well, it is finally our turn to have our stone mailbox support knocked over
by vandals in the night (along with several others in our neighborhood the
same night).  Does anyone out there know of a good, inexpensive stonemason
I could get to make things right again?  We just can't wait to start re-
ceiving our junk mail again!

                                      --Jerry Dunham
                                        dunham_jerry@tandem.com
From: dfavor@logan.tivoli.com (David Favor)
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: Re: HELP!  Fire ants in house!
Date: 21 Jul 92 11:30:30 GMT
Distribution: austin

In article <1992Jul20.045905.3466@awdprime.austin.ibm.com>, tfc@doorstop.austin.ibm.com writes:
|> jdietz@natinst.com (Jennifer Dietz) writes:
|> >the fire ants are driving us out of house and home. ...
|> >I really hate
|> >to get too much into poisons because I have two dogs ...
|> Try sprinkling the mound w/corn meal as it is suppose to absorb the 
|> body fluids and cause the ants to "explode", literally.  As far as
|> keeping them out of the house ... i use ground cinnamon.  I just 
|> sprinkle it around the edges and openings of the house  ie.. door
|> frames and window sills.  Supposedly the ants do not care for it.  I
|> have had good results...     rumor has it that skin so soft from 
|> avon sprayed on window sills and door frames also works well, though
|> i personally have not tried it.  Hope this is of some help.
|> 
|> Theresa Chamberlain

skin so soft (Avon) works well as a general repellent. try some prior to hiking.
Xref: sparky austin.general:2488 houston.general:784 misc.consumers:14279 misc.misc:3024 soc.couples:3442 soc.singles:20799 soc.culture.asian.american:6967 soc.culture.hongkong:9129
Newsgroups: austin.general,houston.general,misc.consumers,misc.misc,soc.couples,soc.singles,soc.culture.asian.american,soc.culture.hongkong
Subject: Re: Please help Craig
From: vid@zooid.guild.org (David Mason)
Date: 20 Jul 92 15:09:31 GMT

From: tyger@netcom.com (Kitty in the Middle)
>In article <1992Jul17.155805.25531@newsgate.sps.mot.com> chiu@gpb-mac.sps.mot.com (Norman Chiu) writes:
>>
>>Master Craig Shergold
>>36 Shelby Rd. 
>>Carshaltan
>>London SM1 1LD
>>United Kingdom
>
>God, why can't people leave this poor devil alone? He's a healthy boy of 12 or
>13 last I heard, and he is probably wishing fervently that he had *never*
>tried to get into the Guiness book of World Records. I saw a blurb in the
>paper that Craig, along with the hospital where he was while he *was* sick, is
>seeking an injunction against those that send him business cards, post cards, 
>or any one of a number of other things that have been requested in his name.
>Think about that while you are addressing that card...he will have your name,
>possibly be able to find you, and definitely want to persecute you. Now go
>ahead...the poor dear needs the support, right? NOT!
>

Imagine if he'd been smart in the first place and asked for CASH. At
$5/sucker, er, caring soul, he'd certainly be healthy by now...
From: wcaceres@lonestar.utsa.edu (Wendy K. Caceres)
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: Re: Austin "Steak Places"
Date: 30 Jul 92 23:23:31 GMT
Organization: University of Texas at San Antonio

In article <1992Jul29.190432.1007@news.vanderbilt.edu> sayre@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu (Frank Sayre) writes:
>In article <1992Jul29.031930.26835@wixer.cactus.org> Chris Blandy,
>chrisb@wixer.cactus.org writes:
>>4th) but it is downtotn.  Cheap prices, but great steaks!  Check it
>

the Hoffbrau is on 6th between Katz's and Lamar. (Near all the car lots)



>Northeast corner of 12th and Lamar, as I recall.

This is the Tavern -- also a nifty place to go, but not really a steak
restaurant.
From: moller@netmail.austin.ibm.com (Chris Moller)
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: RIPOFF ALERT! RIPOFF ALERT!
Date: 22 Jul 92 20:47:17 GMT
Reply-To: moller@netmail.austin.ibm.com
Organization: As little as I can get away with.


About two weeks ago, I took my Zenith laptop to a place called Austin
Technology (9514 McNeil Rd., Austin) for a minor repair.  They said it
would probably cost about $90 to fix, but they'd call if it went over
$60.  They just called, having already done they work.  Somehow, magically,
the $60 - $90 repair has become a $175 repair.

For the sake of thy wallet, avoid these people.

-- 
IBM pays absolutely no attention to my	|   "Hell hath no fury like a
opinions, ergo the foregoing cannot	|   bureaucrat scorned."
possibly represent its position.	|     -- Milton Friedman

Chris Moller
From: st1ls@elroy.uh.edu (Nick Hakim)
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: Re: Austin "Steak Places"
Date: 29 Jul 92 02:54:00 GMT
Organization: University of Houston
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <BRENNAN.92Jul28164839@austin2.hal.com>, brennan@hal.com (Dave Brennan) writes...
>I'm interested in hearing people's opinions of Ruth Chris', Dan McKlusky's,
>and the Old SanFransico Steak House, or others I've left out.  {stuff deleted}

I like Dan McKlusky's.  Their selling point is that they do not freeze the
steaks - they vacuum seal them until needed, thereby preserving the flavour,
etc, etc.  I can't say that it works, but the steaks were pretty good the
couple of times I ate there.  The Courtyard (somewhere near UT) isi'nt too
shabby either.

-Nick

--
"All I really need to be content are good friends, a cold beer and a 
Lamborghini Diablo"
From: loydb@fnordbox.UUCP (Loyd Blankenship)
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: Re: painful experience with AiC (Analysts International Corp.)
Distribution: austin
X-NewsSoftware: GRn 1.16e (7/4/92) by Mike Schwartz & Michael B. Smith
Date: 26 Jul 92 21:59:43 CST
Organization: Texas Net Illuminati

dfavor@logan.tivoli.com (David Favor) writes:
>
> I've just set up a corporation that I do business under. now I'm
> considering the best ways to branch out and take on other contracts.
> it appears to me that a beneficial approach may be to only hire
> individuals that are set up to receive income via 1099 (corportions).
> these individuals are usually well informed and are willing to deal
> with their own administration costs for an increased billing rate.

Someone does not have to be incorporated do be paid as a contractor (and
thus eligible for a 1099 form). All of my freelance writing royalties are
reported via 1099 -- I have to withhold FICA myself and so on.

Or is there another 1099 with which I'm not familiar?

Loyd


***************************************************************************
* loydb@fnordbox.UUCP	     Once you pull the pin,  *	Loyd Blankenship  *
* GEnie: SJGAMES	    Mr. Grenade is no longer *	PO Box 18957	  *
* Compu$erve: [73407,515]	 your friend!	     *	Austin, TX 78760  *
* cs.utexas.edu!dogface!fnordbox!loydb		     *	512/447-7866	  *
***************************************************************************
From: andyg@rapids.austin.ibm.com (Andy Gillam)
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: Re: Car Repair Shop, Survey Request
Date: 23 Jul 92 19:01:21 GMT
Distribution: austin
Organization: IBM AWD, Austin

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHOP NAME  : Dave's Imports

LOCATION   : 1700-B West Koenig Lane, Austin
DIRECTIONS : RR 2222, approx. 1/2 mi East of Burnet
TELEPHONE  : 459-9152

CAR MAKE(S): Volvo

VISITS     : 3

RATING     : EXCELLENT

COMMENTS   : Very reasonable labor and parts costs. 
             A Fantastic, knowledgeable mechanic -- Very reliable
             with the highest integrity.

DATE       : 23 July 1992
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-- 
DISCLAIMER:  Any information contained herein in no way represents 
             the views and/or opinions of my employer.
Newsgroups: austin.general,houston.general,misc.consumers,misc.misc,
From: st1ls@rosie.uh.edu (Nick Hakim)
Subject: Re: Please help Craig
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: University of Houston
Distribution: houston
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 07:26:00 GMT

In article <711644971.3298@zooid.guild.org>, vid@zooid.guild.org (David Mason) writes...
>From: tyger@netcom.com (Kitty in the Middle)
>>In article <1992Jul17.155805.25531@newsgate.sps.mot.com> chiu@gpb-ma                            >>>Master Craig Shergold
>>>36 S
>Imagine if he'd been smart in the first place and asked for CASH. At
>$5/sucker, er, caring soul, he'd certainly be healthy by now...

You know, I have been feeling awfully ill lately, and $5 from everyone who
reads this message would make me feel SO much better..  <GRIN>....