HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: Dmerrill@bnr.ca (Dana Merrill)
Subject: Re: Electrostatic Air filters. Do they work?
Followup-To: misc.consumers.house,misc.consumers
Organization: BNR
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 16:43:00 GMT

In article <1993Jan20.004516.17088@scic.intel.com>, venkat@scic.intel.com
(Venkat Iyer) wrote:
> 
> I saw some electrostatic air filters recently which claim
> to use some material which builds up electrostatic charge 
> from the air flow; and this charge filters out the dust,
> pollen etc.  
> Do these work well?  The ones I saw whistle when the dust
> reaches a certain point and then they can be cleaned and
> reused.  Can these filters be cleaned adequately?
> 
> Since these filters cost 50X the regular fiberglass filters,
> I am wondering if it is worth getting.
> 
> Please reply by e-mail since I don't read this newsgroup often.
> 
> 
> -- 
>       Venkat  Iyer - SCIC - Intel Corporation        

Please post responses on this one (or copy me!).  I broke down and bouught
them after being told my kids have some alergies aggravated by dust.  I
found some a lot cheaper than those advertised on the radio (Paul Harvey
etc. for the low low price of $60 if you mention the advertisement).  The
ones I got were more like $25 although some assembly was required (one
filter is sold to fit all sizes, so you have to cut and assemble it
according to the size you need).  Quite a savings for the 3 that I needed
for my house.

Which brings up my question.  Are they all the same (as I suspect)?  As far
as I can tell, they all use multiple layers of foam that develop static
charges as the air moves across them. 

As for me, the dust seems to be way down in the house, based entirely on
the rate at which it accumulates on the furniture.  Alergies seem better
too although it could be any of a number of other things to account for
that.

dam


==================================================================

Dana Merrill                                Bell Northern Research
DMerrill@BNR.CA                         Research Triangle Park, NC
==================================================================
From: jim@grafix.eid.anl.gov (Jim Kuiper)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: The Dutch Challenge 2
Date: 26 Jan 93 20:45:11 GMT
Organization: Argonne National Laboratory

THE DUTCH CHALLENGE - II

Although I did recieve some helpful replies to my original post, some of
my main questions remain.  I think I wrote too much the first time.
This time I'll be brief.

Our foundation water sump pumps *way* to much water on a continual basis.
It is more water than the battery backup pump we already have can handle.
If we lose electricity or our pump fails, we will have a lot of water, fast.
Our neighbors are nice and they <slap - keep on the subject!>

What can you suggest about:

Backing up our pump:
   Batteries with conversion to 110v? Automatic generator? Better? Cheaper?
   Second pump?  Continuous running? Main & backup, or alternating?

Slowing down the water:
   1 - 2 foot wall to increase cycle time and hydrostatic pressure?
   Calculations about safe foundation pressure?  Building codes?

Other:
   Purchase of dye and how to use it to figure out underground flow?
   Water contact switches/alarms?  Can I use one instead of the noisy float?
   Cats and opossums keep coming <slap>
   I am thinking about paying down my mort<slap>
   Our hardwood floor<slap>

+--------------------------------------------------------+
|  Jim Kuiper - "The Dutch guy with a Dutch challenge."  |
|  jim@spatial.eid.anl.gov                               |
+--------------------------------------------------------+
From: vln@icpsr.umich.edu (Victoria Neff)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Popped Window Seals - Again!
Date: 21 Jan 1993 16:17:15 GMT
Organization: Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research
NNTP-Posting-Host: tdis.icpsr.umich.edu

In article <4158@ecicrl.ocunix.on.ca> clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca (Chris Lewis) writes:

>Whatever gave you the idea that thermopane windows are "always popping
>their seals"?  Around here, almost every house built in the last 15 years
>has thermopane (double or triple), and I've only seen one or two
>units that had a condensation problem.

So, Chris, what brand are your windows?  I, too, have the feeling that
thermopane windows are "always popping".  I have them in my office, and one
has popped twice in the last 8 years.  Many others in my colleagues' offices
have popped, too.  I have a friend (the only person I know who has these
windows at home) who bought a house with LOTS of thermopane windows.  This
house was about 10 years old, and they spent THOUSANDS replacing popped
windows.....

Sealed, multiple-paned, windows sounds like a good idea, and I'm interested
to hear that there is actually an implementation that lives up to it!  (In
the mean time, we'll stick with our old-fashioned storms!)
From: sch@unx.sas.com (Steve Holzworth)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Landscaping programs, some tips
Date: 26 Jan 93 22:41:40 GMT
Organization: SAS Institute Inc.

A couple of comments: (I used to design high-end CAD packages for civil
engineering and land planning, $50K a seat and up).

To the guy that wants to measure and place his trees with a tape measure:
Keep in mind that engineering maps and surveys are designed on a flat plane.
When you measure to your trees, you have to account for any differences in
elevations between your reference point and the measured point (presumably
the base) of the tree. This distance (called the slope distance) will be
greater than the plane distance on your map (if delta-elevation is fairly
large). Simple trig will give you the plain distance; the program may also
have an option to accept the distance as slope-distance. Your measured 
distance is the hypotenuse of a right triangle, with delta-elevation being
one side. The plain distance is computed by solving for the other side of the
triangle.

Slow redraws:
Most programs of this type allow you to turn off sets of features ("layers" in
AutoCAD parlance), which will result in faster redraw times. Save a layer
which is ONLY your lot lines, with maybe a key feature or two (house foot-
print), then develop other layers as small groups of items on top of
this base data (the bushes out front, the trees on the west side of the lot,
the driveway, etc.). Only turn on the whole she-bang when you really need 
to see and/or plot everything.

For a fairly level lot, two-foot contours may not be sufficient resolution
to be useful, particularly near steep transitions (driveway cutout, swales).

You can do a variant of the tape measure technique above, but also drag
a water level with you. You can then establish the relative elevation change
at the point you're measuring. You may have to attach a rule to the water level
to get sufficient elevation range (most only measure a foot or so).



--
Steve Holzworth
sch@unx.sas.com                         "Do not attribute to poor spelling
x6872                                    That which is actually poor typing..."
SAS Institute - Open Systems R & D                      - me
Cary, N.C.
From: eric@milton.u.washington.edu (Eric Hirst)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Insulating above a finished attic
Date: 26 Jan 93 02:27:18 GMT
Organization: University of Washington
NNTP-Posting-Host: milton.u.washington.edu


I am trying to decide how best to insulate around an attic room, without
risking moisture trouble.  Here's a basic sectional view:

                         __ Ridge vents in place
                        /
                       v
                                __ Source of worry
                     //\\      /
                  //======\\  v
               //            \\ 
            // ||    (2)     || \\  <-- Crawl space (drafty, but no
            ----------------------      real vents currently in place)
            ||                   ||
            ||       (1)         ||
            ----------------------

Currently, there is no insulation around floor (2), and it gets
chilly in the winter and hot in the summer.  We can get into the
crawl spaces to insulate the knee walls, and eventually plan to replace
the narrow horizontal portion of the ceiling, at which point we will
insulate there.  The question is with the sloping sections between the knee
walls and the horizontal ceiling.  The roof joists are 2x4's covered with
spaced planks, wood shingles, and then asphalt (well, fiberglass) shingles.
We could stuff fiberglass roll insulation up in from the crawl spaces, but
I'm worried about moisture problems in the "source of worry" zones pictured,
even though the Reader's Digest home repair manual says it's no problem.

The primary options, then, are:

1. Stuff in the fiberglass, paper side down, and hope for the best.  Maybe
increase ventilation in crawl spaces.

2. Use some type of thinner insulation.  (Styrofoam sheets are expensive and
a possible fire hazard; a 2" fiberglass blanket might be draped down from
above when we replace the ceiling.)

3. Do nothing, or insulate the knee walls only, in order to buffalo the
next buyer into thinking it's an energy efficient abode.

Any sage advice, particularly on option 1?

Eric Hirst
eric@u.washington.edu  (Seattle, WA)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.autos.driving
From: mike%jim.uucp@wupost.wustl.edu (Mike S.)
Subject: Re: Insurance question
Organization: BITS, St. Louis, MO
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 01:59:50 GMT

>>If given a moving violation with no points, how would this be
>>treated?

>In Pennsylvania, this is not possible; all moving violations have points
>asscociated with them.

>Are there states out there that do not?

Here in wunnerful Missouri, I got a speeding ticket (which does
have the associated points), but when I called the prosecutor to
try to have the charge ammended, he said that the best he could 
do is reduce it to a non-point speeding charge (but still technically
a moving violation).  Apparently, not all counties report non-point
violations to the state (this was in a very rural area).

Mike
-- 
mike%jim.uucp@wupost.wustl.edu
From: camerons@NAD.3Com.COM (Cameron Spitzer)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Seeking info: VCR Voice Remote
Keywords: infomercial, program length commercial, FCC
Date: 26 Jan 93 18:53:01 GMT
Reply-To: cls@truffula.sj.ca.us

In article 23859@berlioz.nsc.com, mds@condor () writes:
>
>I recently saw one of those "infomercials"

Who renamed these things?  When the FCC was deregulating and
the public interest groups were fighting it, the term was
"program length commercial."  The new term suggests that
these programs are informative, and that's misleading.

If you feel that such corporate attacks attacks on language
are insignificant, better go back and read _1984_ again.

Cameron

Xref: sparky misc.consumers:22473 soc.culture.usa:10045
From: robart@agora.rain.com (Joe Bob)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,soc.culture.usa
Subject: Re: Speeding ticket in OKlahoma --- what's SP8?
Date: 24 Jan 93 16:22:18 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: a gora

In article <C19sGC.FAL.1@cs.cmu.edu> arup+@cs.cmu.edu (Arup Mukherjee) writes:
>
>("Welcome to PA... Single lane most of the next 300 miles" :-) and liberally
>sprinkled with craters. I doubt that PA has any plans to remedy this, since it
>forces more people to take the PA Turnpike which is, mile for mile, possibly
>the most expensive toll road in the US. [Does anyone have a counterexample? The
>insane bridge tolls into New York City don't count...]


  I think the Kennedy Memorial Highway (I-95 in Delaware) is the highest
on a per-mile basis.
  I have to disagree about the relative conditions of I-80 vs. the
PA Turnpike, too.  I drove both last summer and although the turnpike
had a few sections which were quite new looking, overall it's probably
the lamest toll road in the country.
From: egreen@East.Sun.COM (Ed Green - Pixel Cruncher)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Speeding ticket in OKlahoma --- what's
Date: 26 Jan 1993 20:44:30 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, RTP, NC
Distribution: world
Reply-To: egreen@East.Sun.COM
NNTP-Posting-Host: laser.east.sun.com

In article 14819@Celestial.COM, bill@Celestial.COM (Bill Campbell) writes:
>
>Of course we can't expect anyone who watches pro football to
>understand measurment accuracy.  I always find it amusing to have
>them measure downs to inches when the placement of the ball is
>probably accurate to the nearest yard :-).

I don't know....

I've found "defense jumps offsides on their own 4 yard line,
repeatedly" to be an excellent aid in teaching the mathematical concept
of limits.  They can only move the ball half the distance, and the down
is always replayed.  Eventually, the ball cannot be physically moved
any closer, but the team is still logically penalized half the
distance, and the offense is given the down over, but they can never
get a touchdown this way.

BTW - Best of luck to you introducing significant digits and tire
pressure as a speeding defense.  $10 says the judge (after she quits
laughing) will fine you for speeding.

---
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...

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: lither@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (litherland kathryn j)
Subject: Re: PEPSI CLEAR & TAB CLEAR
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 01:35:26 GMT

darren@zikzak.apana.org.au (Darren Brett Gower) writes:

>poulsen@sp91.csrd.uiuc.edu (David K. Poulsen) writes:

>>Well, since everyone else has said all the obvious bad things about Pepsi
>>Clear, let me add a more interesting (and inflammatory) one:

>>I thought it was absolutely lousy, because it tasted exactly like Coke!

>>(don flame-retardant suit now)

>>Really, the stuff does taste like Coke to me.

>>DP

>I was of the opinion that the coloring in these drinks was a separate
>ingredient to the *flavorings* - ie, I thought the color did not
>have an effect the taste at all. Is this incorrect?

>regards,
>Darren

I've not tried the Pepsi Free yet, but I was discussing this question
with some friends.  The point that came up was the fact that the
coloring ingredient in dark colas is _caramel_, which presumably does
add some flavor to the drink.

Kathy Litherland.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,co.general
From: fedrick@tigger.cs.Colorado.EDU (Kelvin W. Fedrick)
Subject: Re: Illegal telephone recording
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 06:35:01 GMT

In article <C16Lu9.G9n@panix.com> eck@panix.com (Mark Eckenwiler) writes:
>In <1993Jan20.172624.9115@netwise.com>, kelvin@netwise.com sez:
>
>>As I have said before, you need not tell the other party anything. 
>
>Your description is only accurate insofar as it summarizes federal
>law.  As Gordon Burditt has pointed out, state law may impose
>additional restrictions.

 No, this is Colorado state law as explained to me by my attorney, who
 has been using recordings of phone conversations as evidence in civil
 cases (divorce) for the past several years.

>
>>Self-incrimination applies after you have been charged for something.
>
>This is totally irrelevant, not to mention wrong.

 It was relavent with regard to the person whose post I was responding to.
 I clarified what I meant to say here in another posting so I wont repeat
 it here.

-kelvin
From: so690561@mbcr.bcm.tmc.edu (Susan Elizabeth Olson)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: In defense of Crystal Pepsi
Date: 24 Jan 1993 04:06:40 GMT
Organization: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tx
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: mbcr.bcm.tmc.edu
Summary: cut the flames already

Just my opinion.
-S


Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: timlee@netcom.com (Timothy J. Lee)
Subject: Re: Greedy Banks Re: Banks that offer debit cards???????
Followup-To: misc.consumers
Reply-To: timlee@netcom.com (Timothy J. Lee)
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 07:12:07 GMT

rboudrie@chpc.org (Rob Boudrie) writes:
|>So why are they still in business?  If they have such annoying charges
|>and fees, why don't their customers just use some other bank?
|
|They have the ONLY statewide network of ATM machines which does not 
|require that you access them thru a network and pay a fee.  They
|seem to realize this is their big draw, and do not charge a fee
|(assuming a certain minimum balance) to use their own ATM's.  Of
|course, their fee ($1.75) to use another bank's ATM is right up
|their on the high side of the spectrum.

Why not maintain two accounts for regular use:

1.  Checking account where the best deal (lowest fees) is.
2.  Savings account at a bank with the most ATMs.  This account would not
be for real savings, but holds enough money to avoid fees and satisfy
ATM-pocket-change needs.  A savings account is used because it generally
has a lower minimum / fee than a checking account.  Just write a check
to yourself to add money to this account when needed.

(Real savings would go where the best interest rates are...)

In California, this strategy would allow access to BofA or Well Fargo
ATMs while reducing the minimum balance requirement from $750 (BofA
or Wells Fargo checking account) to $300 ($0 for checking at a
credit union or First Nationwide, $300 for BofA or Wells Fargo
savings account).

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Timothy J. Lee                                        timlee@netcom.com
No warranty of any kind is provided with this message.
From: jongsma@esseye.si.com (Ken Jongsma)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Toll Roads (was: Speeding ticket in OKlahoma --- what's SP8?)
Date: 26 Jan 93 13:45:33 GMT
Reply-To: jongsma@esseye.si.com
Distribution: usa
Organization: Smiths Industries

In <1993Jan25.185843.7365@osf.org> kenny@osf.org (Kenneth Crudup) writes:

>I'm surprised no-one's mentioned the Mass Pike. To go from Cambridge to Newton
>(10 miles tops) costs a dollar. 50 cents to get on, 50 cents to get off. I
>understand the Mass 'Pike Extension (from Weston eastbound into Boston I93)
>is the most expensive toll road in the country, by mile. I understand that
>our 'Pike Authority also found some way of keeping itself in business instead
>of pulling the booths as well.

When I lived in Ma back in the early 80s, there was a big story on how the
law authorizing the Mass Pike clearly stated that when the bonds that funded
the Pike were paid back, the road was to be become a non-toll state highway.
When that date was about to roll around (in the 80s) there was some quick
action to change the law so they could keep it a toll road and collect all
that money.


-- 
Ken Jongsma                                          
Smiths Industries                               jongsma@benzie.si.com
Grand Rapids, Michigan                      73115.1041@compuserve.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: staggers@cup.hp.com (Ken Staggers)
Subject: Re: Where to file complains when disputing with an airlines?
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 17:55:32 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8.1]

Jason Chen (jchen@wind.bellcore.com) wrote:
: I recently had an extremely bad experience with Northwest Airlines.
: To make a long story short:

: As I was returning to the States enroute Seoul, Northwest cancelled the
: flight between Seoul and Detroit probably due to low occupancy (no official
: reason given). I lost one precious day, and the only compensation NW provides
: is hotel and meals during the stay in Seoul.
: I would like to demand reasonable compensations from NW for the lost of time
: and emotional stress that it has caused to myself and my family. My question
: is where I can file complains if NW ignore my demand?  and what do you think
: an "reasonable compensations" should be?

Well, probably not much.  Tariffs are written to protect the airline. They
put you up at a hotel, and that's probably more than they had to do.  You
seem to want compensation for being inconvienced and "emotional stress".
I dont think you will get this unless you are a major NW frequent flyer.

But anything is possible.  A year ago, NW lost my luggage.  A cordless phone
was in it.  Tariffs state that airlines are not responsible for 
jewelry, electronic items, money, photographic equipment, et al in luggage.
I was OK since I charged my ticket to the American Express card.  AMEX picked
up the full replacement cost of the phone.  But I wrote a letter to John
Dasburg anyway.  I told him that their procedure of handling claims had
flaws about.  I was very nice in my letter.  I told them that Amex would be
picking up the cost of the $200.00 phone and that I should have known better
than to pack it in my luggage.  I received a nice reply from Dasburg and
a $200 voucher on NW.  I am going to Honolulu on Presidents Day for $29 cash
out of my pocket!

--Ken
From: charleen@net.bio.net (Charleen Bunjiovianna)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Dispute with Home Owners Assn - Advice Sought
Date: 21 Jan 93 22:33:07 GMT
Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Biology

In article <1993Jan21.192752.7854@netcom.com> bsardis@netcom.com (Barry Sardis) writes:
>
>Some residents complained about the dog. The HOA CC&Rs do not allow 
>pets in the complex. There are lots of cats in the complex, roaming
>free.
>
>I intend to speak directly to the board. There are numerous other 
>violations of the CC&Rs evident in the complex. I am not normally 
>one who makes waves.
>
>What I am wondering is if I have any legal recourse to get them to 
>stop the harassment? Can I take them to small claims court?

I've got to ask--what harassment?  Your tenants are violating the
CC&Rs.  Regardless of any other violations you might see in the complex,
the homeowner's association is well within its rights to ask you/your
tenants to get rid of the dog.

HOAs will often overlook CC&R violations that no one cares about, like
the fact that there are cats running free.  My guess is that the chained
dog is barking at night and keeping people from sleeping.  Is that true?

Charleen

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: jmalloy@itsmail1.hamilton.edu (Joseph T. Malloy)
Subject: Re: Gevalia Kaffe Offer
Organization: Hamilton College - Clinton, NY
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 21:37:02 GMT

In article <1993Jan21.100309.1@mcvax4.d48.lilly.com> kroin@mcvax4.d48.lilly.com writes:
>I just got this wonderful offer in the mail from an outfit called
> Gevalia Kaffe.  $10 for a trial offer in which you receive a European style
> automatic drip coffee
>maker(4cup) and a pound of really wonderful (i am reading this) coffee. It's
>one of those we'll keep sending you coffee at probably $10 a pound until you
>tell us not to. You keep the coffee maker whatever you decide. You don't get
>the next shipment for six weeks and may cancel by letter or phone before then.
> I would really be interested in the offer if the coffee is that good. If not,
>I could still console myself with the free coffee maker. The co. is based in
>Sweden and has local importers.Anyone dealt with them or have any info about
>this offer? Thanks, Stan -- 
>      +--------------------------------------------------------------+
>      J.S.K@Lilly.Com is really Julian Kroin,late of Indpls. IN.
>      +--------------------------------------------------------------+

I've tried Gevalia and their coffee isn't bad, though I think it is
rather overpriced for what you actually get.  I've found better service
from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (in the middle of nowhere, Vermont),
who offer regular (weekly bi-weekly, every third week, monthly, you get
the idea) delivers of as little as one pound of coffe (with quite a
variety to choose from).  They have an 800 number (it's 800-223-6768 the
last I knew) and you might want to give 'em a try.  (Note: I'm not
connected to them in any way.)

jmalloy@hamilton.edu