HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: klopfens@andy.bgsu.edu (Bruce Klopfenstein)
Subject: Elec. Blanket Health Hazard?
Keywords: electric blanket
Organization: Bowling Green State University B.G., Oh.
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 04:28:03 GMT

I have been told be a couple people now that electric blankets may be a
health hazard.  A quick search came up with questions about the possible
effects of extremely low radio frequency waves emitted by electric
blankets.

Can anyone clue me in on more info on this and other possible health risks
of electric blankets?  

Thanks for your help.

Bruce Klopfenstein
klopfens@andy.bgsu.edu


-- 
Bruce C. Klopfenstein             |  klopfens@andy.bgsu.edu
Department of Telecommunications  |  klopfenstein@bgsuopie.bitnet
Bowling Green State University    |  (419) 372-2138; 372-2224 
Bowling Green, OH  43403-0235     |  fax (419) 372-8600
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: leem@jpl-devvax.jpl.nasa.gov (Lee Mellinger)
Subject: Re: Wood vs. Presto-type logs
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA)
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 20:50:25 GMT

In article <1993Jan5.223159.29046@ide.com> forman@ide.com (Bonnie Forman) writes:
:  Sorry if this topic has already been discussed; maybe 
:  someone can send me a summary.
:
:  This is my first year using a fireplace, and I have some
:  questions about what to burn.
:
:  *  I tried using those presto-logs.  They started up
:     easily; required no messing around with once lit;
:     Relatively inexpensive ($1.88 for a 6-lb log that
:     burned over 3 hours).  However, you can supposedly
:     burn only one at a time, and the fire is kind of 
:     small.
:
:     - Is it true they burn "cleaner" than real wood, i.e.
:       not as bad for the environment?
:
:     - Is it true they are not good for the chimney, i.e.  
:       potentially dangerous buildup of wax 
:
:     - Can you really only burn one at a time?
:
:
:		Bonnie 
: forman@ide.com   * ``Things that are Real are given and received  *

Please be aware that if what you were burning had wax in it, it was
not a Presto Log.  Most of what you find in supermarkets and hardware
store e.g. Duraflane and Pine Mountain, are wax impregnated compressed
sawdust.  Presto logs are just compressed sawdust and as such may be
treated just like regular wood, no wax buildup in the flue, put as
many in the fireplace as you like etc. BTW, these sawdust logs are
made from the sawdust that is usually burned by the sawmills as waste
in the wood cutting porcess.

 
Lee


"Mit Pulver und Blei, die Gedanken sind frei."

|Lee F. Mellinger                 Caltech/Jet Propulsion Laboratory - NASA
|4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 818/354-1163  FTS 792-1163     
|leem@jpl-devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: goldberg@eldyn.gsfc.nasa.gov (Patti Twigg)
Subject: shattering Corelle dish - update
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Organization: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - Greenbelt, MD, USA
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 17:21:00 GMT

In December I posted about a corelle dish that shattered in the
microwave while heating pizza on it. I wrote to Corning, and
wanted to share some of the information I got. Also, about
4 days after the original breakage, I had a bowl break into 3
pieces when I was making instant oatmeal in it one morning.
The reply letter included a 'use and care' guide with it, as
well as warranty information. Apparently, they only warranty
free replacement for 1 year after purchase. 'Although Corelle
dinnerware is resistant to chipping and breaking, it is a glass
product. A drop or knock against a hard object may cause the
dinnerware to break on impact or cause it to be more susceptible to
breakage at a later time'. Also, the booklet had instructions for
loading the dishwasher, basically saying not to let the dishes come
into contact with each other.
I hope this information helps.
                         Patti Twigg
                         stpat@lepvax.gsfc.nasa.gov
From: tzs@carson.u.washington.edu (Tim Smith)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: DISPUTE OVER A BILL WITH SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER!
Date: 12 Jan 93 03:22:29 GMT
Article-I.D.: shelley.1itdhlINNqem
Organization: University of Washington School of Law, Class of '95
NNTP-Posting-Host: carson.u.washington.edu

Pay them.  Even if, somehow, you were unaware that newspaper subscriptions
normally run until you tell them to stop, you should have been able to
figure this out when they kept sending the paper.

--Tim Smith
From: leigh.melton@ehbbs.gwinnett.com (Leigh Melton) 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: How does a PI locate some
Date: 9 Jan 93 09:35:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: Ed Hopper's BBS - Berkeley Lake, GA - 404-446-9462
Reply-To: leigh.melton@ehbbs.gwinnett.com (Leigh Melton) 


CP>The PI was able to find the former flame within a day using his
CP>databases, the nature of which he wouldn't disclose to her. He
CP>did say that he had worked for the Federal government in the
CP>past.

... then he probably still has friends in the Gummint.  As a former Fed
employee myself, I know how easy it is to get a LOT of info on anyone at
all.  It would take very little information to find this guy's
whereabouts with access to IDRS for example.

With just a last name and the region of the country you can find anyone
who has ever filed a tax return.  Once you have someone's SSN, you can
just about write a biography of him or her.

Leigh
---
 . SLMR 2.1a . Crime wouldn't pay if the government ran it.
                                                
----
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
|       Ed Hopper's BBS - ehbbs.gwinnett.com - Atlanta, Georgia         |
|  USR/HST: 404-446-9462                  V.32bis: 404-446-9465         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: alasnik@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Adam Lasnik)
Subject: Re: 10 CDs for the price of 1: kosher?
Organization: Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 05:30:53 GMT

In <1iagejINN1s9@athena.sdsu.edu> dunster@sdsu.edu (mark dunster) writes:

>You've all probably seen this: in my TV guide the ad says you
>can buy 10 CDs for the price of 1, with nothing more to buy
>ever. Has anyone tried this? Isn't this too good to be true?
>Is there a hidden $200 charge (membership, postage or whatever),
>or is the quality of the CDs bad? (The selection is somewhat
>limited, but I can pick 7-8 that I would like).

>If you've become members of these type of CD clubs, I would 
>appreciate your opinions.

>Thanks,  mark dunster.


Hi Mark,

I've never heard of the 10-for-1 deal, but I've taken advantage of club
8-for-1 deals... MANY times :-)  Here is how I figure they make their money
off this arrangement:
--People forget to send back the "selection-of-the-month" card, and so
consequently get stuck with the overpriced CD whether they want it or not.
--The clubs STILL charge nearly $2 per disk "shipping and handling" and let me
tell you, it does NOT cost $2 to "ship" or likely even "handle" a CD :-) 
Obviously, this reaps in some dough.
--The clubs get great bulk deals on certain labels, and are therefore able to
undersell stores because they also don't have the overhead.

I've tried a number of clubs, and my favorite is BMG.  8-for-1, nothing else
to buy.  The selection isn't fabulous, but I never have trouble picking out my
eight CD's... and what's even more fun is that I sign up my parents every
year, so when I return from college, I get another 8-for-1, and then I sign
myself up at college, and so on :-)  Legitimate AND quite a deal...

Just don't forget to return your selection cards on time!

--ADAM "KEYS" LASNIK from Northwestern University

P.S. -- For non-club purchases, I'd highly recommend buying through the mail
order companies CD-DIRECT (for incredible service and selection) and
NOTEWORTHY MUSIC (for on-line ordering and awesome prices)
From: leigh.melton@ehbbs.gwinnett.com (Leigh Melton) 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: shattering Corelle di
Date: 9 Jan 93 09:36:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: Ed Hopper's BBS - Berkeley Lake, GA - 404-446-9462
Reply-To: leigh.melton@ehbbs.gwinnett.com (Leigh Melton) 


DP>Additional Use and Care Hints for Corelle(TM)

ROTFLMAO!  <gasp>  Wow, I enjoyed that.  :)

Leigh
---
 . SLMR 2.1a . If at first you don't succeed, the hell with it.
                                                                                      
----
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
|       Ed Hopper's BBS - ehbbs.gwinnett.com - Atlanta, Georgia         |
|  USR/HST: 404-446-9462                  V.32bis: 404-446-9465         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
From: aem@symbiosis.ahp.com (a.e.mossberg)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Sony Car Discmans?
Date: 7 Jan 1993 09:28:55 -0500
Organization: Symbiosis Corporation, Miami, Florida  (305) 597-4000
Distribution: na
Reply-To: aem@symbiosis.ahp.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: symbi1.symbiosis.ahp.com


I have a Sony Car Discman (don't remember the model - it's the first
one) and have had no troubles with it over the two+ years since I bought
it.  Out of 100+ CD's, only one doesn't play quite right on it (Cale/Eno
album, on second track it loses it's place and starts "skipping". All
other tracks play fine.)

another fine anecdote from aem                          

-- 
andrew mossberg           systems specialist           symbiosis corporation
(305) 597-4110            fax (305) 597-4002           miami, florida 33166-6202
aem@symbiosis.ahp.com     uunet!symbi1!aem             SPAN: UMIGW::AEM
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: calvin@cbnewsi.cb.att.com (scott.a.kaye)
Subject: Re: BMG -- general info
Organization: AT&T
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 21:21:13 GMT

I too have been a member of the BMG Compact Disc Club with very few problems.  I
did recently have a problem with them sending me a disc I didn't want, but I 
called them up, and as long as it isn't opened, they will take it back.  They
are even mailing me a label for the disc to send it back to them.  The best 
thing I have found to do is to fulfill your obligation, buy your 1 disc, get 
your free discs, and cancel.  Usually about 3 months after you cancel, they
will send you a nice letter on how they miss your business, and how they want
you to join back up again at the same deal you were already on.   Last time I
got to join under the get 4 free, buy 1 at HALF PRICE, and get 3 more free.
The selection is nowhere near the Columbia House, but considering that the deal
is much better, I can live with it.  

The customer service number for BMG is: 317-542-0414.  The people there have
always helped me out, and I can't complain about the service I have received
from them.  

Happy Collecting!!!
Scott
-- 
    Scott Kaye				  "Were going to need another Timmy."	
    AT&T			    		-Mr. Lizard               
    100 Southgate Pkwy			   I can't speak for myself, so how 
    Morristown, NJ  07960		   could I speak for AT&T?
From: klee@wsl.dec.com (Ken Lee)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: 10 CDs for the price of 1: kosher?
Date: 7 Jan 1993 18:58:26 GMT
Organization: DEC Western Software Laboratory
Distribution: world
Reply-To: klee@wsl.dec.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: alhambra.pa.dec.com

For what it's worth, I've heard that one reason the record clubs
can sell their products so cheaply is that these are counted as
"promotion" sales.  The artists don't get any royalties.

-- 
Ken Lee
DEC Western Software Laboratory, Palo Alto, Calif.
Internet: klee@wsl.dec.com
uucp: uunet!decwrl!klee
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.consumers.house,misc.misc
From: jamesd@techbook.com (James Deibele)
Subject: Home alarms hooked to police?
Organization: TECHbooks --- Public Access UNIX --- (503) 220-0636
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 21:11:36 GMT

At one time I believe it was fairly standard for home burglar alarms to
be hooked up to the local police precinct.  Of course this was probably
because only the wealthier people were able to afford such systems and
the total number of systems was relatively small.

Now it's more and more common for homes to have burglar alarms, but all
of them that I have heard of are hooked up to a local alarm company.
The alarm company is responsible for responding to alarms and notifying
the police when appropriate.

Is there anywhere where homes (or businesses) with alarm systems are 
still hooked directly to the local police?

--
jamesd@techbook.COM                   "2516 newsgroups & nothing on ..."  
PDaXs gives free access to news & mail. (503) 220-0636 - 1200/2400, N81  
Full internet (ftp, telnet, irc) access available. Voice: (503) 223-4245
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: henry@ADS.COM (Henry Mensch)
Subject: Re: Just a Question
Organization: Advanced Decision Systems; a div of Booz, Allen & Hamilton
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 01:01:40 GMT

acheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Albert Cheng) wrote: 
->You know, I really don't mind people smoke as long as they don't
->exhale it back to the air I need to breath.  Would you like me
->eat beans and release gas at your face?

Q: "Mind if I smoke?"

A: "Mind if I fart?"

say whatcha mean :)

--
# henry mensch / booz, allen & hamilton, inc.  / <henry@ads.com>
# "fight the real enemy."  -- sinead o'connor, and many others.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: marks@ssdevo.enet.dec.com (Randy Marks)
Subject: Re: Where to get lamination plastic?
Organization: Digital Equipment Corp. - Colorado Springs
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 16:31:26 GMT


In article <1i7ursINN4qu@agate.berkeley.edu>, avk@hafnium.cchem.berkeley.edu (Tony Konashenok) writes...
>What kind of plastic is used for lamination of ID's?
>Where can I get it? Is it possible to use any kind of
>film used for overhead transparencies?

Go to your local office supply store.  You can purchase sheets of
plastic with adhesive on one side.  Cut 2 pieces of the approx. size
you want, remove the backing and laminate your document.

Randy Marks
(UUCP)	                {decvax,ucbvax,allegra}!decwrl!ssdevo.enet!marks
(INTERNET)              marks@ssdevo.enet.dec.com
(domain-based INTERNET) marks%ssdevo.enet@decwrl.dec.com
..........................................................................
	"No man's life, liberty, or property is safe
	while the legislature is in session."
..........................................................................
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: pankaj@synopsys.com (Pankaj Mayor)
Subject: Re: Discover card question
Keywords: n
Organization: Synopsys, Inc.
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 23:26:50 GMT

>4)  I have a Discover card.  One time I decided to get cash back
>with my purchase at Safeway and see if it is a free cash advance. 
>It turned out to be free.  The cashier there said I could take as
>much as I wanted.  Since it was 3am, I decided to go for $30
>instead of $300.  I heard the limit was $30.   What is the
>official word on how much I can take?  Does this apply to other
>supermarkets that take Discover cards (cash advance and cash
>advance limit) like Alpha Beta?
From: lstowell@pyrnova.mis.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Can a landlord refuse cash?
Date: 12 Jan 93 01:40:23 GMT
Reply-To: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corporation

>In article <1993Jan8.235403.9630@tellab5.tellabs.com> chrz@tellabs.com (Peter Chrzanowski) writes:
>
>>There's no debt because they're not
>>your Chee-tos yet.  (BTW if you ate them before paying you
>>have committed retail theft, for which you may be prosecuted).
>
In article <1993Jan9.112353.7411@doug.cae.wisc.edu> kolstad@cae.wisc.edu (Joel Kolstad) writes:
>Actually, I've heard that it's perfectly legal to go into a store and do
>something like this.  I go into PDQ's all the time and fill up a cup of pop
>and start drinking it long before I pay for it...  It becomes a crime the
>minute you walk out the door without having paid.  (Of course, the store
>has a right to demand payment _immediately_ and kick you out as soon as
>you've done so... no doubt they would, if you went to a store and started
>eating bag after bag of Chee-tos! :-) )

   You can go into a store and eat pretty much anything you
   want...as long as you don't try to leave without paying or
   otherwise defraud the store.  

   The original post was about doing this with only a $100 bill on
   you and the store has insufficient change.

   This is a touchy issue.  If they can convince a court you
   INTENDED to offer a bill larger than their change amount, you can
   be charged.  Same is true of gas stations, etc. etc.  If you take
   goods, it is YOUR problem to make payment arrangements agreeable
   to the store unless you like the inside of jails.  
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: weitzman@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Adam J. Weitzman)
Subject: Re: 10 CDs for the price of 1: kosher?
Organization: Brandeis University
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 13:36:37 GMT

In article <1ict26INNmvk@symbi1.symbiosis.ahp.com> aem@symbiosis.ahp.com writes:
>crafts@athena.mit.edu (The Invisible Man) writes:
>
>>Don't these clubs actually manufacture the cd's and cassettes they sell?
>>If you look carefully most club editions are marked as such on the cassette
>>or cd...
>
>Yes, and the quality of records and cassettes is/was markedly inferior.
>I don't think the difference in CD quality is quite as bad, but most
>I've seen from music clubs is "produced under license".  Generally
>you're safe with certain record labels like Rykodisc, Deutsch
>Grammophone, etc that apparently don't license their products.

OK, folks, doesn't this question come up often enough that it ought to be a 
FAQ or something?

Being a music lover, I've been buying CDs through clubs for a while now. I
would guess that I have at least 60 or 70 club CDs (from either Columbia
House or, mostly, BMG), and *none* of them are of inferior quality. They all
sound just as good as store-bought CDs. In fact, I buy most of the mainstream
titles I want from clubs, leaving me to only buy the unusual and import stuff
in record stores. For BMG, *even if* you factor in shipping, handling and
sales tax, if you take advantage of this 8 for 1/2 dealie they have now
(until the end of January), you'll get your 8 CDs for about $24 total. (If
you just do the 8-for-1, you'll still get the 8 CDs for $32 or so). At $3-
$4 a pop, I don't see anything bad to be had. For Columbia House, since their 
deal is so much different, if you take advantage of the buy-one-more-at-half-
price-get-one-free on the card where you order your first 8, you'll get 16
CDs for roughly $8-$9 per. I can get used CDs cheaper than that for the most 
part, which is why I no longer join Columbia House.

As I stated above, I have never had any problem with any club CD, they all
sound just fine, and I have a pretty discriminating ear. 


-- 
					- Adam J Weitzman
					  weitzman@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu
"All our life is spent in this permanent brainwashed contempt."
	- Meat Beat Manifesto
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: henry@ADS.COM (Henry Mensch)
Subject: Re: Just a Question
Organization: Advanced Decision Systems; a div of Booz, Allen & Hamilton
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 00:58:05 GMT

haluk@merlin.dev.cdx.mot.com (Haluk Gumrukcu) wrote: 
->... But you can not eliminate second-hand smoking
->by raising the tax on cigarettes.

sure i can; i can raise the cigarette tax to 5000% (yes, that's right)
of the cost of a pack of cigarettes.  betcha many people would quit
the habit real fast.

(did i say "tea party"? :>)

--
# henry mensch / booz, allen & hamilton, inc.  / <henry@ads.com>
# "fight the real enemy."  -- sinead o'connor, and many others.
From: aem@symbiosis.ahp.com (a.e.mossberg)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: 10 CDs for the price of 1: kosher?
Date: 5 Jan 1993 16:03:02 -0500
Organization: Symbiosis Corporation, Miami, Florida  (305) 597-4000
Distribution: na
Reply-To: aem@symbiosis.ahp.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: symbi1.symbiosis.ahp.com

crafts@athena.mit.edu (The Invisible Man) writes:

>Don't these clubs actually manufacture the cd's and cassettes they sell?
>If you look carefully most club editions are marked as such on the cassette
>or cd...

Yes, and the quality of records and cassettes is/was markedly inferior.
I don't think the difference in CD quality is quite as bad, but most
I've seen from music clubs is "produced under license".  Generally
you're safe with certain record labels like Rykodisc, Deutsch
Grammophone, etc that apparently don't license their products.


aem
-- 
andrew mossberg           systems specialist           symbiosis corporation
(305) 597-4110            fax (305) 597-4002           miami, florida 33166-6202
aem@symbiosis.ahp.com     uunet!symbi1!aem             SPAN: UMIGW::AEM
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: kolstad@cae.wisc.edu (Joel Kolstad)
Subject: Re: Cordless phone recommendations
Organization: U of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering
Date: 8 Jan 93 10:54:26 CST

In article <1ik5kdINNnhm@hp-col.col.hp.com> tvervaek@col.hp.com (Tom Vervaeke) writes:
>
>Beware, it is very easy for someone to listen to your conversations.
>Even the new 900Mhz units are not secure, except for the Tropez unit. 

Motorola also has a new line of cordless phones (which are being sold
through Sears) that have a "Secure Clear" feature that scrambles the
transmissions.  I don't know how secure it is, those -- it may well be
some simple analog srambling like frequency inversion, which is easy to
undo, but it certainly will keep out your casual scanner listener.  
Anyone here from Motorola want to comment?
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: chrz@tellabs.com (Peter Chrzanowski)
Subject: Re: Can a landlord refuse cash?
Summary: Why not?
Organization: Tellabs, Inc.
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 23:39:25 GMT

In article <CONKLIN.93Jan4174514@talisman.kaleida.com>, conklin@kaleida.com (J.T. Conklin) writes:

>   I received a notice with my rent statement indicating that as of the
> next rent period, only personal cheques, cashier's cheques, and money
> orders will be accepted for rent payments --- cash will no longer be
> accepted.

> Is this legal?  

I don't see why not, unless the lease or local ordinance says otherwise.
After all, bus drivers don't have to accept dollar bills.  The statement on
currency about "debts public or private" would apply only if a debt existed
but there would be no debt if the rent (like busfare) were payable in advance.

I could contract to sell my car for a specified amount of gold bullion, or 
of pork bellies, or in exchange for a mint-condition 1939 Superman comic.  
That would not mean I'd offered to exchange my car for cash, however, even if
the cash would be sufficient to buy the gold, or pork, or the Superman comic.

Similarly, the landlord could probably demand payment in Hershey bars --
perhaps with the restriction that you must be provided 30 days notice.

If you rent month-to-month (no lease) the landlord can, in most places, evict 
you (without giving any reason) on 30 days notice.  If you have a lease
that document should explain both parties' duties and obligations.  Many
municipalities have ordinances restricting what landlords and/or tenants
may do, however.

> many of the people in my complex do not have bank accounts.
> They cash their social security cheques and pay their rents
> in cash.  Forcing someone who is living on a tight budget to buy money
> orders seems unfair to me.

I have to admit that I've never understood why it's considered so difficult
for poor people to maintain checking accounts.  I was poor for many years
and was always able to find a bank that offered low cost (no minimum,
no monthly fee, perhaps 10 cents for each check) checking.  Of course
Unca Sam will direct-deposit Social Security payments on request.

Dealing exclusively in cash has serious drawbacks.  If you don't get a
receipt for the rent (or whatever) you can't prove you paid it.  By carrying
a large wad of cash you make yourself an attractive target to robbers;
poor neighborhoods  always seem to have scum who are particularly active 
in seeking victims just after the government checks come out.