HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: byrd@lucerne.rice.edu (Marc J Byrd)
Subject: Re: Cable Bill Rip-off
Reply-To: byrd@lucerne.rice.edu (Marc J Byrd)
Organization: Rice University
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 12:43:47 GMT

In article <1992Oct6.193710.195@sdg.dra.com>, sean@sdg.dra.com writes:
|> In article <1992Oct6.165315.13389@netcom.com>, strnlght@netcom.com (David Sternlight) writes:
|> > It's economic baloney for the broadcasters to claim they should be
|> > paid by the cable companies for carrying their programming. To
|> > the contrary, broadcasters get paid by advertisers, and what they
|> > get paid is a function of the number of viewers. By increasing
|> > the number of viewers, cable companies make it possible for
|> > broadcasters to charge more for advertising. Thus it is the
|> > broadcasters who should be paying the cable companies, and not
|> > vice versa.
|> 
|> 
|> The method by which the cable companies get to retransmit the broadcast
|> stations signals is economic baloney.  If I took TIME magazine and xeroxed
|> a few million copies and sold them to people, Time-Warner would be all
|> over me for copyright infringement.  Oh, sure, I'm increasing the
|> number of readers for the advertisements in TIME magazine, so they should
|> be grateful and that they can now charge more for advertising.  NOT!
|> 

Your analogy is fundamentally flawed.  Let's make it more valid:

Say Time/Warner took TIME Magazine, made a few million copies, and mailed
them out FREE to anyone who had the equipment (analog of a TV set)
to receive them.  (Broadcasters don't (yet) make me pay to receive
their signal). 

The only source of income of the magazine would be advertising
(I believe there are some magazines like this).  Now if I were to copy
and widely distribute (HIGHER QUALITY!) copies of the magazine than people might
otherwise get, you still think I should pay T/W, or should they pay me
for widening their advertising base?

True, T/W could put a copyright on this hypothetical FREE publication, but
why would they want to?  If you advertised in a free publication, would you
pay more or less (would there be higher or lower demand for the advert. space)
if you knew it was being glossed up and widely distributed? 

-- 
Marc J. Byrd - byrd@rice.edu        
Rice University                    
Dept of Elec & Comp Engr          
XUV Holographic Microscope Project 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: stank@cbnewsl.cb.att.com (Stan Krieger)
Subject: Re: Cheap glasses
Organization: Summit NJ
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1992 14:30:38 GMT

>- that they actually might harm my eyes? Are these so flimsy that they'll
>- fall apart in a couple weeks and thus, even though only costing $25 or
>- so, be a waste of that amount? 
>- 
>- Anyone have any comments on this? 
>- 
>
>My guess is you'll find that the low prices for glasses are available 
>only with an exam by the optometrist on staff or in the office next
>door.  

In New Jersey, this is illegal.  An optomotrist cannot be associated
with an optician (they may have offices in the same mall, and next
to each other, but there can't be any association; for example,
the door between my optomotrist and optician has been blocked
off; also, I need separate insurance forms for each).

>I doubt you'd find major problems with the glasses you buy at that
>price assuming you find acceptable styles.

I once had a pair of cheap backup glasses, and they were fine.
-- 
Stan Krieger                 All opinions, advice, or suggestions, even
UNIX System Laboratories     if related to my employment, are my own.
Summit, NJ
smk@usl.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: pwai (Patrick Wai)
Subject: Advice needed for Extended Warranties
Followup-To: misc.consumers
Organization: Adobe Systems Inc.
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 19:34:53 GMT



Folks:

I will be purchasing 2 CD boom boxes ($175, $325) w/i the next few weeks.

The salesperson at Good Guys INSISTED that it's a good idea to get extended
warranties for them.

What do you think?


Patrick
(pwai@mv.us.adobe.com)
From: lstowell@pyrnova.mis.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Question about bounced check
Date: 16 Oct 92 19:43:49 GMT
Reply-To: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA

In article <1992Oct15.225547.8344@news.columbia.edu> dth2@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (David T Ho) writes:
>Someone wrote me a check a few days ago and I went to my bank and
>deposited it.  Today, I got this notice from my bank telling me that
>there was insufficient fund in that person's account and they're
>charging me a fee because of this bounced check.  My question is: Can
>the do this?

   Yes, in most states.  Of course YOU can collect this fee from the
   check writer, but in most states you have to file charges to do
   so.

   Why the bank expects you to know the check is rubber is beyond
   me, but that's the way it is....   businesses get hurt bad by
   this double-dip policy.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: Diamond Advice Wanted
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 00:23:43 GMT

burke@tss.com (Jim Burke) writes:
: 
: It is true that some cuts are not valued as highly as they once were.
: Emerald cuts are an example of this.  I was refering to stones of similar
: style.  As far as being "chipped", it's hard for me to imagine how you
: could chip a diamond that is set in a ring.  A diamond is the hardest

They are also relatively brittle, compared to many stones. Hardness and
brittleness are not necessarily related.

: substance known.  Yes, they can be damaged, but "chipping" while set in
: a ring isn't a way I'm familiar with.  Now, it is possible to damage the
: stone when it is being cut, and this _would_ serve to diminish its value,
: but this can be true for a "new" stone.

True, diamonds are usually set so they either are protected from damage,
or the setting will give away before the stone is harmed. The same is 
true for other stones.

Bill
From: neilw@informix.com (Neil Williams)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: How do I handle Phone harassment?
Date: 15 Oct 92 00:19:10 GMT
Organization: Informix Software, Inc.

In article <1992Oct14.172053.12719@netcom.com> greg@netcom.com (Greg Bullough) writes:
>In article <1992Oct13.230942.13911@informix.com> neilw@informix.com (Neil Williams) writes:
>>
>>I don't know what we expected from PacBell, but them cutting off
>>the guy's phone service would have been nice....
>
>There are public phones everywhere, and if they had done that he would have been
>forced to continue his behavior (if he did) in a manner which would make him far
>more difficult to apprehend.
> 
>Think about it.

Nah, we (and the police) knew who he was, where he lived, and
where he went to school.  Making him pay a quarter per phone
call would have provided us with some emotional satisfaction
at least.

Besides, cutting off his phone service implies the phone company
knows his number and address, which in turn implies that he
could be apprehended at any time.

--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: jgd@dixie.com (John De Armond)
Subject: Re: Cheap glasses
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 92 06:55:35 GMT
Organization: Dixie Communications Public Access.  The Mouth of the South.

kelley@vet.vet.purdue.edu (Stephen Kelley) writes:


>My guess is you'll find that the low prices for glasses are available 
>only with an exam by the optometrist on staff or in the office next
>door.  

>I doubt you'd find major problems with the glasses you buy at that
>price assuming you find acceptable styles.


At least in Georgia it is illegal to link requiring an exam with any 
promotion.  What I found with Pearl was these 'economy' frames, 
frequently also specified for vision insurance plans, are such that 
I'd not inflict them on my dog.  These are the classic bait-n-switch
scam.  After they get you in the store they show you the basic $200
glasses and then try to scare you into another $100 worth of useless lens
treatments such as UV coatings and tints.

John
-- 
John De Armond, WD4OQC               |Interested in high performance mobility?  
Performance Engineering Magazine (TM) |
Marietta, Ga                         |Interested in high tech and computers? 
jgd@dixie.com                        |Write me about PE Magazine
Need Usenet public Access in Atlanta?  Write Me for info on Dixie.com.
From: dsegelho@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Diane Segelhorst)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Revenge on a telemarketer!
Date: 16 Oct 92 20:53:09 GMT
Reply-To: dsegelho@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Diane Segelhorst)
Organization: Annapolis Detachment, CDNSWC

In misc.consumers, colette@bnr.ca (Colette George) writes:
>In article <sch.719090578@gargoyle>, sch@unx.sas.com (Steve Holzworth) writes:
>|> My best results to date have been with the following:
>|>
>|> (stm = scummy tele-marketer)

Here's one my husband used after receiving weekly calls asking us to
subscribe to a local newspaper, and repeatedly asking to be removed
from their call list:

STM:  Hello, I'm calling from the (newspaper name).  I'm calling to
confirm that you are currently receiving our paper.  (This is the tactic
that really irritates me!  They KNOW I'm not getting it)

He:  No, but I'm really interested!  What can you tell me about it?

(Conversation continues for 5 to ten minutes, until the sign up time
comes)

He:  Well, I'd love to get your paper.  There's one slight problem though.
Do you have a Braille edition?  You see, I'm blind.

STM:  (dead silence)  Uh, no.  I'm sorry, uh, gee, uh....


Diane Segelhorst
dsegelho@oasys.dt.navy.mil
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: gws@n8emr.cmhnet.org (Gary Sanders)
Subject: Re: Revenge on a telemarketer!
Organization: HAM BBS, 614-895-2553 (1200/2400/v.32/pep)
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 92 16:57:04 GMT

In article <43993@zygot.ati.com> john@zygot.ati.com (John Higdon) writes:
>In article <harris.65@ROTC.orst.edu> harris@ROTC.orst.edu (Captain Harris) writes:
>
IF someone calls that I dont know I simply ask who is calling and who
do they represent. I then say I am not interested and hang up.
takes just a couple of moments.. Why put someone on hold and tie up your
line.. If you did that to me I would put you on hold and go on with 
my other calls.. Keep your line tied up untill you relise that I am not
going away..
-- 
Gary W. Sanders gws@n8emr.cmhnet.org, 72277,1325
N8EMR @ N8JYV (ip addr) 44.70.0.1 [Ohio AMPR address coordinator]
HAM BBS 614-895-2553 (1200/2400/V.32/PEP) Voice: 614-895-2552 (eves/weekends)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.boats
From: larry@pdn.paradyne.com (Larry Swift)
Subject: Re: Houseboating on Lake Powell
Organization: AT&T Paradyne, Largo, Florida
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 12:24:39 GMT

In article <1992Oct8.183941.25931@pony.Ingres.COM> reb@Ingres.COM (Phydeaux) writes:
>So, where the heck is Lake Powell?  I've  never heard of  it except in

At the boundary of Arizona and Utah.

Larry Swift                     larry@pdn.paradyne.com
AT&T Paradyne, LG-132           Phone: (813) 530-8605
8545 - 126th Avenue, North
Largo, FL, 34649-2826           She's old and she's creaky, but she holds!
From: egreen@east.sun.com (Ed Green - Pixel Cruncher)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Dangerous Truck Safety Proposals
Date: 14 Oct 1992 13:07:41 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, RTP, NC
Distribution: world
Reply-To: egreen@east.sun.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: laser.east.sun.com

In article 26919@samba.oit.unc.edu, Nigel.Allen@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Nigel Allen) writes:
>
>[Note from NDA: This is part of the reason why I prefer to travel by bus and
>train rather than by private car.]

Maybe you should just stay in bed.

bizarre concept for the day:  You cannot increase your personal safety
by continually regulating of the actions of others.

---
Ed Green, former Ninjaite |I was drinking last night with a biker,
  Ed.Green@East.Sun.COM   |and I showed him a picture of you.  I said,
DoD #0111  (919)460-8302  |"Go on, get to know her, you'll like her!"
 (The Grateful Dead) -->  |It seemed like the least I could do...
From: strnlght@netcom.com (David Sternlight)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Cable Bill Rip-off
Date: 9 Oct 92 17:31:38 GMT
Article-I.D.: netcom.1992Oct9.173138.10568
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)


I'm at a loss to understand Sean Donelan's latest response.

First, he speaks of cable operators taping broadcasts and sending them
around the country. That has not been an issue in this discussion;
we're talking about carrying the unedited existing signal, ads and all,
over the cable in real-time.

Second, he speaks of "charging" for watching those programs. I think this
an extremely weak reed to hand an argument on as long as the signal is
carried on the basic cable service. One may argue that basic cable charges
are equipment charges, not signal charges, and that the cable should no
more have to pay for carrying this than the seller of a radio or TV should.

Third  he claims that if one acquires a broadcast license one has to
pay for programs. Maybe so, but if those programs come with pre-packaged
ads, doesn't one pay little, nothing, or perhaps receive money for
carrying them? doesn't one have the right to insert one's own ads? In
the cable case there are no inserted ads, nor is there any payment
to the cable company for carrying the ads the broadcaster is including.
Note that the broadcaster has already been paid for the cable audience
in his ad rates, which are based on viewership.

David
From: savoia@sw.stratus.com (Rick Savoia)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Citishopper..anyone? anyone?
Date: 15 Oct 92 13:35:06 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.



Citibank keeps calling and bugging me to join this
neat little feature of theirs.  Apparently you
are supposed to get some great deals through
the Citishopper program.  Well, I signed up
for their $1 30 day trial membership and I haven't
seen too many great deals.  Does anyone out there
actually use this and is it worth it?  To give you
an example of what I mean:

A Sony CPDC-325 5 disc CD player:  

Lechmere price:  $220.
Citishopper price:  $209.

Now granted, that's with delivery and all, but
I'm wondering if there are any good deals with 
this thing?  Is it worth keeping?  

Thanks,
Rick
==========================================================
Rick Savoia                     | "I'm just very selective
savoia@watts.sqa.stratus.com    | about the reality 
Rick_Savoia@vos.stratus.com     | I accept" - Calvin
==========================================================
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: sbonnema@rtsg.mot.com (Stuart D. Bonnema)
Subject: Contact Prescriptions
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 18:37:25 GMT


Does anyone know what the rule is on a doctor giving 
a contact lens perscription directly to a patient. My
doctor in NJ claims that they will release it to another
doctor, but not to me directly. Has anyone else been 
told the same thing? 

If this is illegal, I would like to complain to someone,
but who? The FTC? 

Stuart
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: multics@acm.acm.rpi.edu (Multics)
Subject: Re: NYC Parking Violations Bureau Fun & Games
Organization: The Voice of Fate
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 00:01:32 GMT

In article <3797@eastman.UUCP> barnick@mesa.Kodak.COM (William M Barnick x73638) writes:
>In article <KAN.92Oct5161431@bugs-bunny.rtp.dg.com> kan@dg-rtp.dg.com writes:

Other stories deleted

My mother once got a parking ticket from NYC.  We were most amused since
my mother lived near Syracuse NY, and had been in albany that day at a
specialist for testing.  The ticket had the right make model and license
number, but the wrong color for the car.  She wronte back and we've never
heard from them since.  She did ask if it was DMV's policy to hand out
duplicate license plates :).
From: judson@watnxt2.ucr.edu (Michael Judson)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: 700 Numbers
Date: 10 Oct 92 01:46:26 GMT

Has anyone had any experience with the new 700 numbers?

--
"I drank what?" -- Socrates

judson@watserv.ucr.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: moroney@ramblr.enet.dec.com
Subject: Re: Fire Extinguishers
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 18:17:51 GMT

In article <1bektjINNs4c@sixgun.East.Sun.COM>, egreen@east.sun.com (Ed Green - Pixel Cruncher) writes...
>Halogen fire extinguishers were popular recently, used in corporate
>computer rooms and aircraft.  The halogen displaces the oxygen in the
>area, starving the fire.  No mess, but no air to breath.  Also less
>environmentally friendly.

This is an urban legend.  Halogen interferes with the burning chemistry in
a complex way, but does not "displace" oxygen, unless of course you use so
much you replace all the air in the area, but this is true with any gas.
You are supposed to leave the area where halon is used on fires but because
some halon-fire byproducts are toxic, not because there's no oxygen.

-Mike
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:17837 misc.jobs.misc:7150
From: vaccaro@novavax.UUCP (N. Trafford Vaccaro)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.jobs.misc
Subject: Allen & Ass.
Keywords: headhunters
Date: 15 Oct 92 10:34:08 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Nova University, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Thanks, everyone, for the e-mail about A&A. I received a lot of
response about this firm, and was advised by many to stay away
from them. 

Now, does anyone know a reputable headhunter? I tried Source EDP,
but *CHOKE* I didn't have at least 1 yr experience PROGRAMMING 
professionally (whatever THAT means), therefore I was not
qualified for an entry-level programming position (A.A., Comp Sci 1986,
B.S. Comp Info Sys, 1992, M.S. C.I.S., sometime in '93) according
to the Clown-in-Charge, even with sys admin and computer ops
experience since 1985. -boing- I think I'll go back to
installing garage doors and automatic openers piece work...
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: totic@dante.cs.uiuc.edu (Alex Totic)
Subject: Re: Cheap glasses
Organization: University of Illinois, Dept. of Comp. Sci., Urbana, IL
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 04:25:07 GMT

asa@STL-09SIMA.ARMY.MIL (Will Martin on 9000) writes:

>assuming I can find a place that doesn't limit them that way, it still
>seems to me to maybe be a good idea to get one or more supplemental pairs
>of glasses at this very cheap price. After all, a spare set may come in
>handy. I could even experiment with different styles of frames instead
>of the one style I've been wearing for over 20 years now. But are there
>any downsides? Is it possible that these cheap glasses would be so bad
>that they actually might harm my eyes? Are these so flimsy that they'll
>fall apart in a couple weeks and thus, even though only costing $25 or
>so, be a waste of that amount? 

>Anyone have any comments on this? 

I have a funny prescription due to my astigmatism, and I've never been able
to get special discounts on lenses.I think that they are available only
if you are wearing something very standard, which your -9.25 prescription
is not. I'd be somewhat suspicous of $25 custom frames, because I think
that lenses cost more than that.

A transgession: Recently I've bought new frames, with plastic lenses and
an anti-glare coating. The coating is great. People can see your eyes
because there is no glare anymore, and even better at night you can see
the lights very clearly, as if you had no glasses at all. With the old
lenses whenever I looked at a bulb, or streetlight, the image would be
blurry, with stripes emanating from the light.

Happy new eyeglasses owner,

Aleks

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: Jeffrey C Honig <jch@nr-tech.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: Re: Battery Leakage Warranties
Nntp-Posting-User: @cornell.edu
Organization: Information Technologies/Network Resources; Cornell University;
	Ithaca, NY USA
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 01:45:11 GMT

> In article <43990@zygot.ati.com> john@zygot.ati.com (John Higdon) writes:
>  Eveready cells have a notice printed on each battery that
>  states that if any device is damaged by a leaking "Energizer", Eveready
>  will repair or replace the item at its option. Unfortunately, the
>  Duracells have no such statement. Does anyone have any experience at
>  trying to get Duracell to "repair or replace" damaged goods? Does
>  Duracell tend to leak more than Eveready?

I had a similar experience with a three-cell Maglite five or so.  When
I called Maglite for replacement parts they said that do not sell
parts.  When I explained what happened said I should contact the
battery maker (they were Duracells) and as I remember indicated that I
should not have any problems getting reimbursement.  When I told the
Maglite people that I had long since thrown the batteries out, they
offered to replace the flashlight themselves if I sent the remaining
parts with a letter.  Stupidly, I never got around to it :-(

The real point I intend to make is that somewhere about eight years
ago Duracell started advertizing longer life from their akaline
batteries.  This gain was not from a chemical change, it was because
they made the cases thinner so they could put in more chemicals.  This
makes it easier to damage the cases and get leakage.  I still use
Duracell batteries, but try to avoid using them where they will be
prone to damage or leakage, like D cells in a flashlight.

Jeff
From: rrw@elden (Robert Wier)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Renting a small truck ....
Date: 9 Oct 92 22:45:24 GMT
Originator: rrw@elden.cse.nau.edu

From article <6010076@hplsla.hp.com>, by markv@hplsla.hp.com (Mark Veatch):
> 
> If the supply/demand spread between any two areas grows big enough, a
> rental company will pay people to drive empty trucks to the area with
> a short supply.
>

  I can verify that this is true (or at least was a few years ago at
  U-Haul).  I went in to rent a trailer/truck (forget which) and on the
  dealer's desk was a note from H.Q.  I'm real good at reading things
  upside down (especially when marked "Confidental" in large letters
  :-) and it said something like "REFUSE NO DEAL BETWEEN DALLAS & DENVER"
  - unfortunately that wasn't where I was going :-(

 - Bob Wier

  ---------- insert favorite standard disclaimers here ----------
                   College of Engineering
      Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff Arizona
  Internet: rrw@naucse.cse.nau.edu | BITNET: WIER@NAUVAX | WB5KXH
From: henry@ADS.COM (Henry Mensch)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Question about bounced check
Date: 16 Oct 92 04:15:40 GMT
Organization: Advanced Decision Systems; a div of Booz, Allen & Hamilton

dth2@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (David T Ho) wrote: 
->Someone wrote me a check a few days ago and I went to my bank and
->deposited it.  Today, I got this notice from my bank telling me that
->there was insufficient fund in that person's account and they're
->charging me a fee because of this bounced check.  My question is: Can
->the do this?

i know of no instance of someone collecting this fee from the bank ...
doing a chargeback takes about three seconds ... and apparently bank
seconds are expensive.

->This might seem like an odd question, but it just does not make sense
->to me tht the bank is chastising me for something that is beyond my
->control.  Is there anything I can do about this?  Any help would be
->appreciated.  Thanks.

i think the idea is that you collect this fee from the person who gave
you the bum check ...

--
# henry mensch / booz, allen & hamilton, inc.  / <henry@ads.com>
# "fight the real enemy."  -- sinead o'connor, and many others.
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:17652 misc.legal:18403