HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: bkwg0457@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Brent Whitlock)
Subject: Re: ADVICE NEEDED: Former Apartment deduct
Reply-To: bwhitlock@uiuc.edu
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 16:40:34 GMT

reb@Ingres.COM (Phydeaux) writes:

>In article <1992Aug24.131520.18936@nynexst.com> schwartz@nynexst.com writes:
>>Has anyone considered videotaping the cleaned, moved-out-of apartment?
>>(Don't forget to set the date feature on the camcorder.)
>>How secure is such evidence in court?

>Setting the date proves nothing, you  can set it  to whatever date you
>want.  But -- buying a newspaper and videotaping the headline and date
>along with the rest of the apartment will probably work.
>								reb

Unfortunately, even this can be tampered with, so it doesn't prove that
a tape was made on a certain day.  It can prove that a tape wasn't made
before a certain day, however.  So in the case that you are making a
videotape the day you are moving out, and you turn in your keys that day,
using the current day's paper could be helpful.  But if you want to
make a videotape of the damage in your apartment when you move in to
refute any security deposit withholdings at the end of the lease, it won't
hold water.  After all, you could have taken an old newspaper and videotaped
the *damaged* apartment just before you moved out.  

Would it be possible to notarize a videotape?  Perhaps you could make the
tape, make a copy, seal one in an envelope, and mail it to yourself.  As
long as the seal is not broken, you could prove the tape within the sealed
envelope was made no later than the day it was postmarked.  That could be
opened in court, say, and then compared with your other copy to verify
that it was made no later than the postmark date.  Could the videotape
in the sealed envelope be notarized?  

Using both of these methods combined, at least you could prove that a
videotape was not made before the date of the newspaper, and not later
than the date of the postmark.  That seems to be about the best you could
do.  

The most binding proof would be to have the landlord with you when you
make the tape, and tape the landlord saying what the current date and
time is.  This may not be possible, depending on the landlord and the
landlords' tolerance (and honesty.)


-- 
    * * * * * * --> DISCLAIMER:  I speak only for myself. <-- * * * * * *
Brent Whitlock		Beckman Institute for Advanced Science & Technology
bwhitlock@uiuc.edu	Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering
			University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Newsgroups: pdx.consumer,misc.consumers,sci.environment,sci.med
From: rrempel@selkirk.sfu.ca (Rodney Dwight Rempel)
Subject: Re: Avoiding radioactive household products
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 18:37:01 GMT

mcovingt@athena.cs.uga.edu (Michael A. Covington) writes:

>In article <1992Aug25.235542.17607@sopwith.uucp> snoopy@sopwith.uucp (Snoopy) writes:
>>In article <1992Aug24.185340.19127@unlinfo.unl.edu> cbettis@unlinfo.unl.edu (clifford bettis) writes:
>>
>>| Comparable sources can be found in smoke 
>>| detectors, lantern mantels and even salt substitute.
>>
>>Speaking of which, where can one get smoke detectors that are
>>nuke-free these days?  I can't find them anywhere...  :-(

>For that matter, how about nuke-free bananas?  

>(Bananas contain potassium, and potassium is one of many elements which,
>in the naturally occurring mixture of isotopes, are slightly radioactive.
>People have never lived in a radiation-free environment.)
>--

Come on now ... the radiation from the foundation of the house is way
worse for you than the bananas. So is the radiation from the other 
people in the house ... I'ld like to suggest that the radiation-phobes
move to a deserted island and eat only naturally grown grain, but both
the air they will be breathing and the grain will still contain 
radioactive isotopes ... Better luck next life.

Back on topic ... if it makes you feel better, I think that some
companies used to make smoke detectors that electrically ionized the
sample instead of using a nuke-source. You may want to check the ol'
Comsumer Reports, but I remember that they worked much worse than the
cheap, effective, ones.

Rod Rempel - rrempel@sfu.ca
Department of Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University 
... if two million people do a stupid thing it's still a stupid thing.


Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: de5@ORNL.GOV (Dave Sill)
Subject: Re: Radioactivity and Superstition; was: Re: Are Your Light Bulbs Radioactive?
Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab, Oak Ridge, TN
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 13:02:50 GMT

In article <1992Aug26.231955.29674@ccu.umanitoba.ca>, ens@ccu.umanitoba.ca writes:
>In <l9ns6oINNmol@utkcs2.cs.utk.edu> de5@ORNL.GOV (Dave Sill) writes:
>
>>Few of which are radioactive, since most folks don't have concentrated sources
>>laying around their house...unless they have smoke detectors or compact
>>flourescents.  Which is *exactly* the point the originator of this thread was
>>trying to make.  Radioactivity *is* a different kind of threat than most
>>parents are used to dealing with.  For this reason it makes a great deal of
>>sense of consider the threat, know how to deal with it, and spread the word. 
>>Yes, this is, in practice, a minor threat compared to electrical sockets, busy
>>streets, and pesticides/drain cleaners/oven cleaners.  But it *is* a threat.
>
>But you're advocating far more action than people take for sockets and 
>cleaners.

Nonsense.  Everyone's aware of these threats *because* they took these actions. 

>You can't sense (usual 5) toxins or asbestos fibres in trace (but 
>dangerous) amounts in the water or air either.

People are less familiar with radioactivity than electricity, chemistry, etc. 
It's hardly surprising that they're more, and sometimes irrationally, afraid of
them.

>In fact radioactivity is far easier to detect, measure and identify at levels
>far below toxicity than most chemical hazards are. The ease of detection does
>make it different and probably accounts for the public's anxiety.

I don't think so.  Most people have no experience with such detectors.  I think
it's just plain old fear of the unknown.

-- 
Dave Sill (de5@ornl.gov)	   For every Bill Joy there is a Kirk McKusick.
Martin Marietta Energy Systems     For every Bill Gates there is a Richard
Workstation Support                Stallman.                     --Paul Graham
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:15655 sci.environment:10859 sci.med:16410
From: mcovingt@athena.cs.uga.edu (Michael A. Covington)
Newsgroups: pdx.consumer,misc.consumers,sci.environment,sci.med
Subject: Re: Avoiding radioactive household products
Date: 26 Aug 92 02:51:31 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: University of Georgia, Athens

In article <1992Aug25.235542.17607@sopwith.uucp> snoopy@sopwith.uucp (Snoopy) writes:
>In article <1992Aug24.185340.19127@unlinfo.unl.edu> cbettis@unlinfo.unl.edu (clifford bettis) writes:
>
>| Comparable sources can be found in smoke 
>| detectors, lantern mantels and even salt substitute.
>
>Speaking of which, where can one get smoke detectors that are
>nuke-free these days?  I can't find them anywhere...  :-(

For that matter, how about nuke-free bananas?  

(Bananas contain potassium, and potassium is one of many elements which,
in the naturally occurring mixture of isotopes, are slightly radioactive.
People have never lived in a radiation-free environment.)
-- 
+ Michael Covington - Artificial Intelligence Programs - U of Georgia - USA 
+ Unless otherwise noted, these are private opinions, not official statements.
+ VOTE NO GEORGIA LOTTERY - don't tie education to an unpredictable income.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.autos,rec.autos.tech
From: stevely@polari.online.com
Subject: Re: 1987-1991 CAMRYS may lock you in the car
Organization: Seattle Online Public Access Unix (206) 328-4944
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 03:49:32 GMT

In article <1992Aug20.130856.1@bronco.fnal.gov> colombo@bronco.fnal.gov writes:
>In article <1992Aug18.205145.18422@fid.morgan.com>, joec@fid.morgan.com (Joe Collins) writes:
>
>> The Sept issue of Consumer Reports apparently has a story about a 
>> problem with CAMRYs made before the 1992 model year. An electrical 
>> relay can fail, locking the car door locks and windows. The only way 
>> out then is crawl out the trunk, i.e. release the trunk via the 
>> remote switch, pull down the back seat and crawl out.
>> 
>
>Better hope you have the LE model as the DX didn't have fold down rear seats.
>At least that was listed as a standard feature on my '87 Camry LE.  Of
>course I didn't have to worry, I didn't have power locks/windows.  :-)
>

My 91 Camry DX does have fold down rear seats. I don't know whether it's
standard or not.

Newsgroups: pdx.consumer,misc.consumers,sci.environment,sci.med
From: dlc@gasco.uucp (Darci L. Chapman  x5930)
Subject: Re: Avoiding radioactive household products
Organization: Northwest Natural Gas, Portland, OR
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 19:52:22 GMT

(Michael A. Covington) writes:
> >| Comparable sources can be found in smoke 
> >| detectors, lantern mantels and even salt substitute.

> snoopy@sopwith.uucp (Snoopy) asks:
> >Speaking of which, where can one get smoke detectors that are
> >nuke-free these days?  I can't find them anywhere...  :-(

> >cbettis@unlinfo.unl.edu (clifford bettis) responds with:
> For that matter, how about nuke-free bananas?  
> (Bananas contain potassium, and potassium is one of many elements which,
> in the naturally occurring mixture of isotopes, are slightly radioactive.
> People have never lived in a radiation-free environment.)

So that's why it's okay to add more radiation into our environment?? Because
we were never radiation free to begin with? Wow, the logic is stunning.

Darci L. Chapman
From: MARK@wvnvm.wvnet.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Auto Insurance Question
Date: 3 Sep 92 15:02:19 GMT
Article-I.D.: wvnvm.92247.110219MARK

Unfortunately my wife and I have had 3 accidents in the past 3 years.  Needless
to say we pay $145/month since we are considered high risk.  The accidents
are as follows.

                       1) I slid on some ice and hit a curb, no other cars
                          were involved.
                          I was traveling about 5 mph making a left turn
                          Front wheel and lower control
                          arm was replaced.  cost $350

                       2) Wife hit protected poles you somtimes see around
                          Gas pumps: Cost $300

                       3) Wife was run off the road by another driver.  To
                          avoid not running off road, she would have had to
                          hit the other drivers car head on. cost: $550
                          Police were not notified since she was in a very
                          rural area, and other driver did not stop
                          We even elected to put in a partial claim to our
                          insurance for fear of a rate increase even though
                          it was not our fault.

      As a result of the above, We were not-renewed by Erie Insurance Co.
      after being insured by them for almost 4 yrs.  Presently have high
      risk insurance with Alstate Indemnity Co.

 I have begun calling other insurance companies to get quotes but am told
 with 3 accidents we are considered high risk. Some folks have told me
 that accident #1 described above should not be included since it really was
 unavoidable. (act of god, similiar to tree falling on car)
 Unfortunately all the above accidents are listed by
 "C.L.U.E."  (Similiar to a Credit bureau, but tracks insurance claims)

 How long will these accidents be considered by insurance companies when rating
 our policy.  Should accident #1 be considered by other insurance companies
 when rating ? Should I even tell a company about accident #1, instead claim
 it was vandalism. Any comments, suggestions would be appreciated, especially
 from folks who have been involved in similiar situations.


 Note:  I do not believe in lying but $145.00/month premium is outrageous to
        insure a 88 Nissan 200SX.  We live in a small town, minimal crime.
        My wife and I have no points on our driving records.

                              Thanks,

                              Mark
From: craigm@sequoiasequoia.com (Craig Maiman)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: bread makers
Date: 27 Aug 92 15:18:05 GMT
Distribution: usa
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3

I have heard from a few people that have the domed models that they are
good.  I have also tasted bread from the DAK version and it was
excellent (I now have one on order).
Also the domed version produces a larger loaf.

Craig
From: mcintyre@pleiades.cs.rpi.edu (David McIntyre)
Subject: Re: Disposal gets the creeping crud
Organization: Rensselaer Instipoly Technitute
Distribution: na
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1992 21:04:55 GMT

lsnow@ncrclm.ClemsonSC.NCR.COM (Linda Snow) writes:
>My disposal tends to build up this awful coating of crud.  I guess 
>particles of the food splash up on the insides above where the 
>rotating thingy can reach them.  When I have to clean it off it is
>truly disgusting.  Any ideas how to prevent this?

My sister has a neat system of cleaning her disposal.  She places
into it a mess of ice cubes, and a lemon cut into wedges.  Then she
turns the thing on.  The ice, as it shatters, scrapes the goo off
the sides, and the lemons "freshen" it.  Seems to work for her.


-- 
 Dave "mr question" McIntyre   +-----+   "....say you're thinking about a plate
 mcintyre@cs.rpi.edu           |  ?  |    of shrimp.....and someone says to
 office : 518-276-8633         +-----+    you 'plate,' or 'shrimp'......"
From: roby@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (michael.l.roby)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: large shelving
Keywords: shelves, storage
Date: 25 Aug 92 21:27:06 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: AT&T


I have some Suburban moving boxes that I would like to use for storage.
The are well constructed and have handles on the sides.  I would like 
to buy some shelves to but them on, but they are 12.5(in) X 14.5(in)
X 24.5 (inches deep) and most shelves are only 16(inches) deep. 
Does anyone know when I can get some decent shelves for reasonable
money?  This is for a unfished basement so style is realy not a 
problem.  I could build some but I would want to take them with if I 
move.

					     	Thanks,
						Mike
						att!ihlpx!roby
						roby@ihlpx.ATT.COM
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:15775 rec.food.drink:2776 ba.food:2989
From: rat@erg.sri.com (Ray Trent)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.food.drink,ba.food
Subject: Re: Looking for a *great* coffeemaker
Date: 27 Aug 92 18:32:57 GMT
Reply-To: rat@erg.sri.com (Ray Trent)
Distribution: usa
Organization: SRI International, Menlo Park, CA

In the referenced article, chris@endgame.gsfc.nasa.gov (Chris Shenton) writes:
[someone else comments about roasting coffee in a hot air popper]
>How much coffee can you do at a time? How long does it take?
>
>How do you prevent the beans from flying out the chute of the popper?
>and does it produce a lot of smoke and chaff?

Haven't actually tried the popper yet, but I've read that no matter
how you do it you get a lot of smoke and chaff. I *do* know that the
time I did it in my oven the house was full of choking acrid black
smoke and bits of chaff for hours (and that's with the stove fan
*on*). I like a dark roast, but still...

I'd strongly suggest doing this outdoors if you don't have a really
powerful fan (or one of those nifty roasters with a filter).
-- 
"When you're down, it's a long way up
 When you're up, it's a long way down
 It's all the same thing
 And it's no new tale to tell"                      ../ray\..
From: alexm@nmr-z.mgh.harvard.edu (Alex Milshteyn)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Should I buy extended warranty?
Date: 4 Sep 92 13:03:17 GMT
Organization: Mass General Hospital CIPR

In article <1992Sep3.004022.7631@leland.Stanford.EDU> triumph@leland.Stanford.EDU (Chung-kao Hsieh) writes:
>Dear netters,
>
>	I recently [bought] a refrigerator, a washer, and
>a dryer.  All three machines are made by Whirlpool.  The salesperson was 
>pushing me into buying their extended warranty.  I remember reading somewhere
>saying that it's not worth buying it.  

You have read it in Consumer Reports, probably.
It really is not worth it buying extended warranty on items like these.
The quality of these products is OK (IMHO).  

Off hand, I do not recall using extended warranties I had purchased so far
(I usually buy either good name and model stuff, having checked with
Consumer Reports - if I shell out $300 and more, or the cheapest stuff
like walkmans, CD players - below $120 - to throw it away if anything
beyond a fuse goes).

After all, cash, the warranties will cost you may cover at least one
repair job.


Good Luck.


Alexm


***All disclaimers apply***
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: lucy@beaufort.sfu.ca (Lucy Chan)
Subject: Re: IKEA furniture by mailorder?
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 06:46:41 GMT

bell@cs.tamu.edu (Will Bell) writes:

>In article <1992Aug24.211456.4998@cs.ubc.ca> yogi@cs.ubc.ca (Yossi Gil) writes:
>>I am interested in buying IKEA furniture by mail order.  Any ideas
>>on how this can be done?

>According to the 1993 IKEA catalog I just got at the (newly opened) Houston 
>store, "IKEA is not a mail-order catalog".  This catalog only listed 6 stores,
>which I presume are the only ones in the USA.  (As I recall, there are 3 in
>Pennsylvania, 1 in N.Y., 1 in the Washington DC area, and now 1 in Texas).

I know that there's one in the Los Angeles area as well. I think it's at the
Sherman Oaks Galleria.

I've also looked up the information for the Edmonton store:

   Edmonton IKEA
   West Edmonton Mall, Phase 3
   2556 - 8770 - 170th St.
   Edmonton, AB  T5T 4M2
   Canada

   Phone:    (403) 444-2345
   Telefax:  (403) 444-1874
   Toll Free Mail Order Line:  1-800-661-9807

(This information comes from the 1992 Canadian catalogue.)

>RandomQuestion:  Is it properly written IKEA or Ikea?  Is IKEA an acronym?
>Anyone from Sweden care to translate IKEA if possible?

Maybe I just fell for the marketing hype but I always thought that it was
"Swedish for common sense".

Lucy_Chan@sfu.ca
Organization: Arizona State University
Date: Wednesday, 26 Aug 1992 16:07:56 MST
From: <AORHK@ASUACAD.BITNET>
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Parking lot fender bender

Scenario:  wife backed out of space and about to move forward to exit parking
           lot, someone hits her in the right rear.  Seems the other driver
           was cutting thru the adjacent bank lot into the lot she was in.
           Wife claims there was no traffic in either direction as she was
           backing out; she turned to look forward after backing out to
           continue when she was hit.  Our insurance company said that in this
           type of collision, the person backing out is in fault which I would
           completely agree if she was hit when she was backing out but not
           when she is at a standstill.  The damage to our car is minimal,
           below our deductible, and would just require a bumper and paint,
           something I can do myself.  The other car sufferred less damage,
           scratches on the right front bumper and has put in a claim to that
           effect.  I am willing to fight this on principle only; I am not
           willing to pay the claim against us but I will agree to having
           each pay their own damage if I cannot get the other insurace company
           to pay all damages.

           If anyone has successfully won a claim under similar circumstances
           please drop me a note as to how it was accomplished.
           Thanks....

  Bob
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: alan@elroy.Jpl.Nasa.Gov (Alan S. Mazer)
Subject: Re: Recommendations for a good/reliable walkman
Organization: Image Analysis Systems Group, JPL
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 15:07:26 GMT

In article <sbarnhar-040992084704@morril6t-10.micro.umn.edu> sbarnhar@mailbox.mail.umn.edu (Dr. Barnhart) writes:
>I'm also getting that charteristic crackling in
>the headphone jack, but it hasn't caused a channel dropout yet.

Actually, the instructions with the Outback tell you what to do about this one.
Clean the headphone plug with a little alcohol.  It actually got rid of the 
problem for me.  Evidently these things are really sensitive to dirt.
-- 
 
-- Alan                        # Mountain Dew and doughnuts...
   ..!ames!elroy!alan          # because breakfast is the most important meal
   alan@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov     # of the day.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: niebuhr@bnlux1.bnl.gov (david niebuhr)
Subject: Re: getting name and address of restaurant owner
Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1992 12:32:21 GMT

In article <JBW.92Aug24143814@bigbird.bu.edu> jbw@bigbird.bu.edu (Joe Wells) writes:
>An employee in a restaurant was rude to me.  I'd like to send a letter of
>complaint about that to the owner (or manager, if it's owned by a large
>company).  This was in Newton, Massachusetts.  I'm hesitant to simply call
>the restaurant to ask for the owner's name, because the employee I wish to
>complain about might be the one to answer the phone.  Could someone with
>experience in these matters advise me on how to obtain the owner's name
>and address?
>
>-- 
>Thanks,
>
>Joe Wells <jbw@cs.bu.edu>
>Member of the League for Programming Freedom --- send e-mail for details

If you are close enough, why don't you go to the restaurant and ask
for the owner or manager.  Also look for the business liscenses since
one of them is bound to state who owns the place even if it's d.b.a
(doing business as).

The latter will probably be some corporation or other (one of the
reasons for incorporating as  I understand it).

Also check the local government office that hands out the business 
liscenses.

Dave

-- 

Dave Niebuhr      Internet: niebuhr@bnl.gov / Bitnet: niebuhr@bnl
Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton, NY 11973  (516)-282-3093

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: sdh@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (Scott Hammersley)
Subject: Re Mortgage Scam??		 
Date: Fri, 04 Sep 1992 19:07:12 GMT
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM Rochester

I just refinanced my FHA mortgage and it is true that for FHA you must have payed off the entire
principal by 2 PM on the first of the month or forfeit that entire month's interest.  I'm
surprised your loan originator did not have you get in touch with your existing lender earlier,
our loan officer told us to contact them immedidiately when we applied for the loan.
	

-- 

  Scott Hammersley
From: lstowell@pyrnova.mis.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: PARALYZER CS tear gas
Date: 25 Aug 92 21:51:48 GMT
Reply-To: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA
Originator: daemon@sword.eng.pyramid.com

>rom@iris.usc.edu (Hillel Rom) writes:
>> In general, are these small tear gas devices effective for self protection?
>
In article <92237.52238.J024330@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM> J024330@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM writes:
>I had an accident with my spray can and got a full blast in the face. They are
>effective ;-)
>
    Only against an attacker with no military training....it IS
    quite possible to be rather deadly [and annoyed >:-) ] with a
    snootful of tear or choke gas....

    You might startle an untrained attacker, but I certainly
    wouldn't rely on it against anyone trained to ignore the
    stuff...
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:15722 rec.food.drink:2760 ba.food:2956