HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: yao@mechatro1.Berkeley.EDU (Wei-Hsin Yao)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Help..Mail order dispute with JC Whitney
Date: 8 Nov 92 02:27:46 GMT
Reply-To: yao@mechatro1.Berkeley.EDU (Wei-Hsin Yao)
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of California, Berkeley

Dear netters, I have a problem with the JC Whitney, a mail order
auto parts company.  Could you give me some suggestions about this
incident?

I ordered a radar detector from JC Whitney in May 92 and was 
annoyed by the false alarm, so I returned the radar detector
to JC Whitney by insured postal package.  To my surprise, JC Whitney
said they never receive it, so I filed a claim with the post office.
Today I receive a letter from the post office said their record
showed that JC Whitney did receive the item and there is nothing
they can do.  

I'll send JC Whitney a letter asking them to resolve the dispute.  
But I doubt they will do anything about it.   What options do 
I have now?  Could you give me some suggestions?(small claim 
court :-<)    

Thanks for your help.

Wei Yao
yao@erg.berkeley.edu
From: carl@Cayman.COM (Carl Heinzl)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Landlord not renewing lease ... legal implications
Date: 6 Nov 92 22:59:19 GMT
	<1992Nov2.093249.13063@ads.com>
Organization: Cayman Systems Inc., Cambridge, MA
In-reply-to: henry@ADS.COM's message of 2 Nov 92 09:32:49 GMT
bcc: carl


>->	.... Normally, in any civilized part of the
>->	world, the Tenant has the right to continue the lease, unless
>->	you have violated any of the rules of the given lease. 

>this is simply not true.  in many (most?) jurisdictions landlords have
>quite a lot more rights than this ...

I must agree, the original statement is simply not true.  I, as a
landlord, can tell my tenants that I'm not going to renew their lease.
My lease (which is legal in Mass, btw) states specifically that if the
tenant wishes to renew the lease they must let me know *45 days*
before the end of the lease and I will make a decision within 15 days.

This is not only legal, but I consider it fair, since I would want the
two weeks to call brokers and post ads and a month of time to be able
to show the apartment.  By the way, I can give 24 hours notice to show
the apartment in the last 30 days of the lease and the tenant cannot
say "no".

Now, I've actually had excellent tenants (except for one group)	and
I'm a good landlord and treat my tenants fairly, with respect, and
even as friends (it's a two family house).  I do get my dander up
everytime someone thinks that tenants have the right to walk all over
landlords, though.

-Carl-
--
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: hanner@sol1.sps.mot.com (Cynthia J. Hanner)
Subject: Dura-Shears
Organization: Motorola Inc. MMTG Oakhill Austin Texas
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 21:12:40 GMT

Hi out there!  I am looking for information from anyone who has purchased
Dura-Shears.  They are advertised on t.v. as being able to cut thru anything.
If you have used these, what do you think of them?  Are they really, really
as good as the commercial claims?

My boss is the person who wants to find this out.  He found out I got the
recipe for the cheesecake I brought in to work last Friday off the Usernet.
This almost made him believe in computers.  The information on the Dura-Shears
will be the clincher.  Help me convert my boss to a computer person (or at
least convince him they are useful so he will let us get 486's!!)

Thanks,
Cindy Hanner 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: reb@Ingres.COM (Phydeaux)
Subject: Re: Cellular Phone Questions
Reply-To: reb@Ingres.COM (Phydeaux)
Organization: E 4th St Home For The Overeducated Underemployed - Chicago Div.
Distribution: usa
Date: 5 Nov 92 23:10:07 GMT

In article <5833@osc.COM> yms@osc.osc.com (Yuh-Ming Shyy) writes:
>I am thinking about buying a cellular phone, and I appreciate 
>if anyone can provide me some information on the following 
>issues:
>
>(1) What will be the average monthly cost? Does the telephone 
>    company charge you any monthly basic rate or it is charged 
>    based on how much time you use the phone? 

That  depends on  where you live.  I've got  two numbers on one  of my
phones, one in NY/NYC  the  other in Chicago.    The NJ/NYC  phone  is
$30/month plus airtime  charges (52c peak, 34c  off peak I  think) the
Chicago phone is $30/month  including  the first 40 minutes and 40c/4c
after that.  It all depends on where you are.

>
>(2) Is there any limitation on the cellular phone? For example, 
>    can it be used on the car as a car phone? Can I dial or 
>    receive a long distance call (say, to/from other state) 
>    from a cellular phone?

It acts just like any other phone.  You  can get  calls and make calls
to anywhere in the world.

>
>(3) Any recommendation for the cellular phones? 

Caveat  emptor!  While you may get  suckered in with a low-cost phone,
be  aware that very soon  the cost of the  service will have overtaken
the cost  of  the phone. It's  the  service that is  expensive.  Think
about how you  plan on using  the service,  compare the  one   or  two
carriers available  in your area and  *then*  start shopping for which
phone to get.
			good luck,
					reb
From: grtorlba@sumax.seattleu.edu (George Torralba)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Prodigy - Don't even think about it!
Date: 11 Nov 92 21:54:14 GMT
Article-I.D.: sumax.5716
Organization: Seattle University

In article <1992Nov10.085638.2471@inland.com> bilimoria@inland.com writes:
>In article <1992Nov02.162920.105086@watson.ibm.com>, rubin@watson.ibm.com (Bill Rubin) writes:
>> In <aa.720292810@hela.iti.org> aa@iti.org (Aayush Asthana) writes:
>>>Prodigy is not worth the diskette their software comes on!  If you
>>>or someone you know is even considering getting this service
>>>consider this:  you'll pay $14 bucks for information you can get in
>>>any public library and have the honor of being inundatd with
>>>advertisements throughout your sessions.  The bottom line is that
>>>although they claim to bring information to you, it turns out to be
>>>an excruciating experience since everything that you see is already
>>>there in your daily newspaper and your mailbox!  
>>>--

I agree.  But, if you're looking to kill time and don't mind being
bombarded with all those ads, Prodigy is the ticket.  Especially if you
have a 2400 baud modem, you can read 2 pages worth of news from the newspaper
before you can get any useful information out of Prodigy.  I'm not sure
about this but I have a very strong suspicion that when they designed the
interface for Prodigy, they had the advertisers in mind.  They way I
remembered it, when reading mail or writing mail, I can only have 8 lines
of text on the screen at once.  I guess they had this cleverly planned so
you'd have to be scrolling up and down the screen a lot so they can change
the advertisements everytime you do so, and on a 2400 baud modem it really
is soooo slow.  With Prodigy bundling up their software with 2400 baud
modems, I guess they're encouraging people, or giving them an alternative
on how to waste their time other than vegetating in front of the boob tube.

So when they claim that you can be productive using it, tell them to stop
insulting your intelligence already.


George

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Email  : grtorlba@sumax.seattleu.edu
  Phone  : (206) 781-7622 (with voice mail)
  USMail : George R. Torralba, 8728 Phinney Ave. N. #8,  Seattle, WA  98103
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: clg2521@yak.COM (Cindy Guo)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: A problem on 1990 Dodge CaraVan
Keywords: Dodge, CaraVan
Date: 11 Nov 92 23:07:20 GMT
Organization: Boeing Computer Services, Seattle


I have problems with my 1990 Dodge Caravan (around 30,000 miles), 
and I wonder if anyone there similiar problem ? The car died once 
when I drove it, but the dealer and a local shop could not find any 
problem.  

The weather was not very cold, the car has been sitted on the parking lot 
for about 8 hours, then I drove it on the freeway for about 30 mins ( I had
radio and heater on), after few miles driving on the 
local, the CHECK GADGETS light on, the wheel started to feel funny, 
then the car died after few yards. I could not restart the car, but I can
restart it after 40 mins. We then drove the car to a AAA approved shop,
we can duplicate "not restart" problem there. Their computerlized equipment
diagnoses a senser seems to have problem, but they could not duplicate 
"the car dies" problem. They recommand us to see the dealer. They did not
charge us any money.

The dealer said they can not find any problem, and can not duplicate
the problem. They said they are not garanted it won't happen again.

It concernd me very much, it could be a fatal accident if happend on the
freeway. Any clue or suggestion ?


Cindy Guo
Boeing Computer Services            P.O. Box 24342    M/S 7H-93
(206)865-6317                       Seattle, WA 98124-0346
clg2521@yak.boeing.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.fitness,misc.misc,rec.misc
From: noring@netcom.com (Jon Noring)
Subject: Advice Wanted on Home Workout Equipment
Summary: Brand name, as well as possibility of buying a used machine.
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 19:16:59 GMT

Hello,

I've been considering getting some type of home workout equipment for myself
as well as the family.  Since I intend to get my cardiovascular workout from
sports such as tennis, table tennis, bicycling, and strenuous climbing, I'm
looking for something that is designed more for muscle toning (and some
building).

What brand(s) are noted to be effective for home workout equipment?  Of course,
I've heard of Soloflex, but I know there are lots of them out there.  Can
one machine be used for almost all muscle toning?  Is it possible to find
a used machine out there?

I look forward to your recommendations and advice.  Fire away.

Jon Noring


-- 
=============================================================================
| Jon Noring          | noring@netcom.com        | "The dogs bark, but the  |
| JKN International   | IP    : 192.100.81.100   |  caravan moves on."      |
| 1312 Carlton Place  | Phone : (510) 294-8153   | "Pack your lunch, sit in |
| Livermore, CA 94550 | V-Mail: (510) 862-1101   |  the bushes, and watch." |
=============================================================================
"If your annual income today is $50,000, you have the same buying power as
the average coal miner did in 1949, adjusted for taxes and inflation," John
Sestina, nationally recognized Certified Financial Planner;  quoted in 1987.

------->   I VOTED FOR PEROT IN '92
------->   support UNITED WE STAND!
From: carl@Cayman.COM (Carl Heinzl)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: The unhappy byproduct of gas stations and ATM cards
Date: 11 Nov 92 22:20:36 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Cayman Systems Inc., Cambridge, MA
In-reply-to: $stephan@sasb's message of 6 Nov 92 23:21:11 GMT
bcc: carl


>>I fill up, walk inside, hand the girl my ATM card, she replies 'Our Cash
>>Station connection is down'.  NOW what am I gonna do?  I tell her 'I wish you
>>had a sign outside that said that'.  She shrugs.  I take out my credit card,
>>I don't have enough cash, she replies 'Well I'm going to have to charge you
>>the credit rate now instead of cash'.  Now I'm steamed.  I'm gonna talk to 

Hmmm, perhaps you shouldn't have pulled out your credit card.  If you
didn't have ANY credit cards, I wonder what they would have done!  You
had offered to pay (in good faith) by a method that they advertise
that they accept and they couldn't accept.  I'm not advocating not
paying but I think they would just have to accept a check (if you have
your checkbook) or work something else out...

-Carl-
--
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: chris@chinook.atd.ucar.edu (Chris Webster)
Subject: Re: Super v/s regular unleaded gas - Is th
Reply-To: chris@chinook.atd.ucar.edu
Organization: Research Aviation Facility, NCAR, Boulder, CO
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 15:37:48 GMT

glenn@sloth.ncsl.nist.gov () writes:
>In a related topic I was wondering what the difference was between 
>Electronic Fuel Injection and GM's Central Port Injection (CPI).  The
>sales brochures mention that the CPI is designed to get the most out
>of high octane fuels at the expense of being worse than normal with
>lower octane.  It's a moderate option for GM's products.  Any comments?

I believe GM's ported injection is, one fuel injector that injects
directly into a good old fashion intake manifold instead of being
injected into each piston directly.

--Chris
From: richard@pegasus.com (Richard Foulk)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Big Brother Radio Shack
Date: 7 Nov 92 14:33:58 GMT
Organization: Pegasus,  Honolulu

>> >Now to the relevant part:  to enter the building, you must present your
>> >"membership card".  The membership is free after revealing your name and
>> >address.  In other words, they require you to be on their mailing
>> >list.  You have to show your drivers license, so the old saw of making up
>> >...
>> 
>> Yeahbut!  Not everyone has a driver's license.
>> 
>> -- 
>Most if not all states have a "state ID" card which is supposed to be the
>equivalent of a drivers license for ID purposes, and is obtained at the
>license bureau. I used to have one of these (from Indiana) and never had a
>problem using it when a license was requested, except for once: it was once
>refused because the expiration date was 00/00/00 (ID cards don't expire).
>-- 

This misses the point.  It is perfectly legal, reasonable and perhaps
desirable for a person to go through life without an ID card.

-- 
Richard Foulk		richard@pegasus.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: berger@atropa (Mike Berger)
Subject: Re: The unhappy byproduct of gas stations and ATM cards
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 18:38:46 GMT

$stephan@sasb (Stephan Fassmann, Software) writes:
>I thought it was illegel to charge more for using a credit card then for 
>cash. I think I read this in the local paper but it was some time ago.
>Anyone know for sure?
*----
That may be true, but it is apparently perfectly legal to give a
discount to cash customers.
--
	Mike Berger
	Internet    berger@atropa.stat.uiuc.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: henry@ADS.COM (Henry Mensch)
Subject: Re: Financial records (how long to keep?)
Organization: Advanced Decision Systems; a div of Booz, Allen & Hamilton
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1992 22:29:39 GMT

vinlai@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (vincent.lai) wrote: 
->I'd like to know how long should I keep records like my paycheck stubs,
->my bank statements, etc.  They're accumulating to the point where I have
->to do some housecleaning.  What's the recommended rule of thumb?

i'd recommend seven years; this is usually as far back as anyone will
want them ... and i do recommend keeping them: 

--
# henry mensch / booz, allen & hamilton, inc.  / <henry@ads.com>
# "fight the real enemy."  -- sinead o'connor, and many others.
# for information on the league for programming freedom, 
# write to lpf@uunet.uu.net
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: vntran@bu.edu (Nga Tran)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: error PLEASE IGNORE
Date: 7 Nov 92 23:53:36 GMT
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5

My error message was meant to be posted in another news group, but somehow (ONLY GOD KNOWS WHAT I DID)
it ended up in this news group.  All I can say is OOPS! SORRY.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: philip@mentorg.com (Philip Peake)
Subject: Re: US to Europe electrical transformers
Date: Fri, 06 Nov 1992 23:04:43 GMT
Organization: Mentor Graphics
Keywords: 
Followup-To: 

In article <27278@dog.ee.lbl.gov>, julian@baldur.lbl.gov (julian cortella) writes:

|> I will be moving to France soon, and I was wondering about the 110 to 220V
|> transformer problem.  So here are a couple of questions:
|> 
|>  o Does anybody know of a good cheap source for such transformers, mail
|>    order or otherwise? What's a decent price?

ALLTRONICS, 3200 Zanker Rd. San Jose, CA, 95131
Tel: (408) 943-9733

Step up/down transformer 110 - 220 volts, $14.95 + p&p

|>  o Are there different types of transformers?  What should I look for?

Only in as far as power levels are concerned.
The above is 350 VA, which corresponds to 350 watts maximum.
> 
|>  o Which appliances and stuff will work in Europe?  I already know that
|>    a TV & VCR won't.  Nor will electric clocks keep time properly.  What
|>    about a microwave oven?  I assume my cheap coffeemaker and iron will
|>    work.  Anything else?

If you want to watch your existing tapes, take the TV and VCR with you.
You *can* buy jult-standard VCRs and TVs in France, but they are not cheap.
One of the above transformers will run a typical TV and VCR with no problem.

Electric clocks with batteries will work perfectly.
Radios (unless they have continuous tuning) will have problems, since the
channel spacings are different, and the bands are a little different.

Your iron and coffee maker will NOT work, unless you feed them 110 volts.
A transformer big enough to handle an electric iron, will cost more than
a new iron, and will weigh considerably more ...

Similarly for the microwave - it will absorb between 1000 and 1500 watts,
just sell it and buy a new one.

I just moved to the US from France, and found it easier just to buy
a new everything ...

Philip
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.consumers.house
From: peterson@CS.ColoState.EDU (james peterson)
Subject: Re: Kerby Vacuum Cleaners Information
Date: Mon, 09 Nov 1992 19:16:20 GMT
Organization: Colorado State University, Computer Science Department

In article <1984@ncrsmg.DaytonOH.NCR.COM> jcoates@ncrsmg.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Jim D Coates) writes:
>
>We've had a Royal Dirt Devil upright for 10 months now, and it does a great
>job. It has on-board storage of the accessories as well as extra belts and
>bags. The hose detaches from on top, to do accessory cleaning without having
>to attach anything underneath.
>
>The point? We paid $139.95 for it. And got a free Royal Dirt Devil handheld
>vacuum in the bargain. Don't pay $1275 for a vacuum. 
>

I've had one of those "Dirt Devil" uprights for a little longer than that.
The cord is in the process of detaching from the handle, the front cover
(covering where the bag is) falls off if you look at it cross-eyed, and
it does a rather lousy job of picking debris off the carpet.  I am
looking to replace it ASAP.  I don't plan to pay anywhere near $1K for
a vacuum cleaner, but I do hope to get a better machine than the
"Dirt Devil."

Anyone want to recommend a well constructed, powerful, and possibly
"self-propelled" vacuum for under a thousand dollars (with luck, way under)?


-- 
james lee peterson				peterson@CS.ColoState.edu
dept. of computer science                       
colorado state university		"Some ignorance is invincible."
ft. collins, colorado  (voice:303/491-7137; fax:303/491-6639)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,alt.drugs
From: strnlght@netcom.com (David Sternlight)
Subject: Re: Doctor ripoff, or just reality?
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 08:33:30 GMT


Alan S. Mazer says that I shouldn't have gone into the Huntington Emergency
Room for a sprained ankle. At the time I thought it was broken.

My complaint is the physician billing $300 for his service. I was separately
billed another $300 by Huntington for the facilities, so that's not included.
I was separately billed another couple of hundred bucks by the radiologist,
so that's not included either.

My orthopedist charges $300 total for his service, X-ray, and his facilities
all included, and he is considerably more experienced and renowned than
the e.r. physician.

-- 
David Sternlight
(pgp 2.0 and ripem public keys available on request)

Newsgroups: misc.education
From: burtt@comet.nscl.msu.edu (BRIAN BURTT)
Subject: Re: Soliciting comments on outcomes-based education
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Keywords: proposed outcomes, ways to use same
Organization: NSCL Michigan State University
Distribution: usa
Date:  6 Nov 1992 01:27 EDT  

	The "Statement of Outcomes" sounds like a typical product of 
a well meaning bureaucracy, i.e. you have specified worthwhile and 
lofty goals without any specifics of how you plan to accomplish them.
HOW do you plan to make students life-long thinkers or effective 
communicators?  Just saying you'd like to see it happen won't make it 
so.
	You need to address how you will train teachers to follow 
through on these goal-- don't presume they already know how.
	Just an observation that I hope is helpful.
--Brian Burtt
Undergraduate major in physics and mathematics
Michigan State University
burtt@lynch.nscl.msu.edu

Newsgroups: misc.education
From: jchoi@nhgs.vak12ed.edu (John J. Choi)
Subject: HELP anabolic steroids?
Organization: Virginia's Public Education Network (Hampton)
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 05:45:24 GMT

I am conducting a research project at the Veterans Affairs
Medical Center, Medical Research Service, with Dr. Paul Aravich.
It involves the use of anabolic steroids and their implications
on eating disorders, more specifically, anorexia nervosa.
If you ahve information on anabolic steroids that would be great.
Info on nandrolone phenylpropionate (Durabolin) would be
great.  Nandrolone Decanoate (Deca-Durabolin would be great
too.  Love to hear from you.
From: uejiowh@dssv01.crd.ge.com (W. H. Uejio)
Newsgroups: misc.education
Subject: Re: Checking on teaching
Date: 10 Nov 92 22:40:33 GMT
Reply-To: uejiowh@crd.ge.com
Distribution: na
Organization: GE R&D, DICE Program

Maybe not as a board member but rather as a parent, one
should go and sit in.  I have done it and found it to be
one of the best methods to find out what the teachers are
doing and what my children are doing.  

I also have found that the teachers were bad and I had
to make up the difference.  I may not like it but it is
necessary.  I also wonder how to reward teachers that go
the extra mile for the children and not reward those 
teachers that hurt children.

For example, my son had a math teacher that denegraded the 
students and the subject.  We had to make sure he learned more
than the class and remained interested in math.  The following 
year, he had a wonderful teacher that pushed him into contests 
which made him enjoy classwork more.  

The same happened in english and we had to cover for the 
teacher.  We taught him spelling and push him to read and expand
his reading interest.

As a parent, demand the ability to watch your children.  By 
law they are your responsibility, not the schools.  You have
a right, a legal right, to see what they are doing to your child.

Wayne Uejio             General Electric CRD   Disclaimer: opinions 
uejiowh@crd.ge.com      KWC-275                expressed are my own 
Office: 518-387-6441    P.O. Box 8             and not the company's
Fax:    518-387-7080    Schenectady NY 12301   opinion
Newsgroups: misc.education
Subject: Adult Ed.Sites to Study???Help.
From: hayes@brandonu.ca
Date: 6 Nov 92 12:23:24 CST
Organization: Brandon University, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada

Looking for comments from those who can identify good sites in southwestern
or western U. S. to undertake study in Adult Education/Teaching of Adults during
academic leave...Specific interest is in teaching in area of leisure for
middle aged and older adults.   Your help is appreciated.
Hayes@BrandonU.Ca.
Newsgroups: misc.education
From: klf@cbnewsi.cb.att.com (karen.l.fenton)
Subject: Re: I won
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 18:15:22 GMT

In article <1992Nov08.033354.24640@mwc.vak12ed.edu>, wwarrick@mwc.vak12ed.edu (William D. Warrick) writes:
> hunter@master.lds-az.loral.com  writes:
> > I won the race for School Board in my community.  Now the hard part, can I
> > really make a positive difference?
> 
> PUT THE KIDS FIRST.
>                  William Warrick, Computer Contact Person


Absolutely true!!!

That way, you'll be equally opposing every other group -
unions, single-agenda parents, the state...... - with whom you
come in contact. Get ready for a ride on the Reality Express.

Karen

Newsgroups: misc.education