HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: kla@karen.webo.dg.com (Karen Plaskon)
Subject: Samsonite Phone Number
Date: 9 Sep 92 09:14:06
Distribution: misc
Organization: NSDD, Data General Corp.

Does anyone have a phone number for the Samsonite Luggage Company?  I
couldn't find an 800 number.  Please mail me directly.  Thanx.
--

--  Karen

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Karen L. Plaskon                        | karen_plaskon@dg.com 
Data General Corp.                      |
Network Systems Development Division    |
Open Network Systems Development        |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:16585 alt.censorship:7512
From: kadie@herodotus.cs.uiuc.edu (Carl M. Kadie)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,alt.censorship
Subject: Re: Waldenbooks fires staff for refusing to sell racist book!
Date: 15 Sep 92 17:01:55 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Illinois, Dept. of Comp. Sci., Urbana, IL

Rudy.Zalesak@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Rudy Zalesak) writes:

[...]
>The employees were not being any more censorious than the *owners* of
>WB, who also make judgements about what books/calendars etc. to
>display.
[...]

Not so. The local manager was trying to suppress material because
he/she personally disapproved of it. As far as I know, Waldenbook
sells even books it corporately disapproves of.

- Carl

ANNOTATED REFERENCES

(All these documents are available on-line. Access information follows.)

=================
library/freedom-to-read.ala
=================
The "Freedom to Read Statement" of the American Library Association
and Association of American Publishers.

It says in part: "We trust Americans to recognize propaganda, and to
reject it.  We do not believe they need the help of censors to assist
them in this task.  We do not believe they are prepared to sacrifice
their heritage of a free press in order to be "protected" against what
others think may be bad for them.  We believe they still favor free
enterprise in ideas and expression."

=================
library/selection-workbook.ala
=================
Full text of ALA's selection policy workbook.

The American Library Association's "Workbook on Selection Policy
Writing". Although aimed at textbook and library book selection in
grade and high schools, it also seems applicable to newsgroup
selection. It includes information about how create a selection policy
and how to handle complaints. It also includes a sample selection
policy.

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

These document(s) are available by anonymous ftp (the preferred
method) and by email. To get the file(s) via ftp, do an anonymous ftp
to ftp.eff.org (192.88.144.4), and get file(s):

  pub/academic/library/freedom-to-read.ala
  pub/academic/library/selection-workbook.ala

To get the file(s) by email, send email to archive-server@eff.org.
Include the line(s) (be sure to include the space before the file
name):

send acad-freedom/library freedom-to-read.ala
send acad-freedom/library selection-workbook.ala
--
Carl Kadie -- kadie@cs.uiuc.edu -- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
From: jin@spdcc.com (Jerry Natowitz)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Priority Mail is a fraud
Date: 11 Sep 92 11:48:56 GMT
Article-I.D.: spdcc.1992Sep11.114856.11913
Distribution: usa
Organization: Guest of Steven Dyer Consulting

We were just sent a check by Priority Mail that took 6 days to
travel 200 miles (I could have walked it faster :-( ).  When I
called and complained about this I was told that there is NO
GUARANTEE for Priority Mail.

Since the Post Office is still quasi-Federal Government, state
laws about warentee of merchandisability don't apply.  If I was
younger and more willing to fight for principle, I'd take this to
the Federal Trade Commission.
-- 
     Jerry Natowitz
     Guest user on:
ARPA jin@ursa-major.spdcc.com
UUCP {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!jin
From: ajeans@hplred.HP.COM (Albert Jeans)
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 14:55:15 GMT
Subject: Re: car sun shade devices: what works best?
Organization: Hewlett Packard Labs, Palo Alto CA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers

>>The best ones, IMHO, are those with a silver colored surface to reflect some
>>of the heat back out. The cardboard ones are a poor substitute. Whatever you
>>use, it needs to fit your cars windshield!

They reflect the visible light out, rather than letting that light get
absorbed by something in your car and turned into heat, which can't pass
through the car's windows (greenhouse effect).
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: packer@amarna.gsfc.nasa.gov (Charles Packer)
Subject: News from the "Press 1 now" front
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Organization: Dept. of Independence
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 15:13:00 GMT

An item appeared in the "Metropolitan Diary" column of the NY
Times a couple of weeks ago reporting that when you call Casio's
hot line at 

  800-762-1241

the recorded voice says (and I confirmed it),

   "...if you are calling from a touch tone phone, press "1"
   now. If you are calling from a rotary-dial telephone,
   please call back on a touch-tone telephone."
From: bkottmann@falcon.aamrl.wpafb.af.mil (Brett Kottmann)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Mortgages and Huntington Bank
Date: 15 Sep 92 16:01:51 GMT
Organization: Logicon Technical Services, Inc.


	It seems banks don't like people who pre-pay their mortgages.  I can
see why, as ours will save us about $100k in interest :).  We've been sold
three times already and our mortgage isn't even a year old.

	So if you don't like your current mortgage holder, start pre-paying a
significant amount.  You'll probably have a new holder in 3 months.

	BTW-Huntington is one of the worst banks for fees.  I've stayed away
from them ever since I learned they charge people for *deposits* on some
accounts.
	Sheesh.

	But they have our mortgage now.  For a while :).

Brett--------------------------------------------------------------------------
	"Why the courts don't tell a husband who has been living off his wife
to go out and get a job is beyond my comprehension."--Joan Lunden
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: timlee@public.btr.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: ATM interface design
Date: 5 Sep 92 05:09:23 GMT
Reply-To: timlee@btr.com (Timothy J. Lee)
Followup-To: misc.consumers

jimh@pacdata.uucp (Jim Harkins) writes:
|Another thing that's rather silly.  A few months ago I bought a TV and never
|got around to going to the bank to transfer money into checking.  So I go to
|the ATM and try to withdraw money.  Get the message "not enough money in your
|account, pick another amount".  So I try to get an account balance.  No can
|do.  So I lower my withdrawal.  Still not enough cash.  Finally tried pulling
|out $0.0, got the message "Invalid entry, try again". [...]
|
|And to think they charge me $0.50 for using their damn machine.

Yuck, who's this?  I've never heard of any bank or S&L charging
to use their own ATM (though they pretty much all charge for
using others' ATMs, at least in California).

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Timothy J. Lee                 timlee@btr.com  ...!decwrl!btr!timlee
This message comes with no warranty, not even an implied warranty of
fitness for any particular purpose.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,sci.electronics
From: mitch@clsi (Mitchell N. Perilstein)
Subject: Re: Cordless phones
Keywords: cordless recommendation
Organization: CAD Language Systems, Inc.
Date: 7 Sep 92 16:08:51

In article <EB.92Sep6123229@watergate.lucid.com> eb@lucid.com (Eric Benson) writes:
> I'm looking for recommendations on cordless phones. 

I tried a two-channel Sony and promply returned it. The duckie antenna
was very sensitive to what was near it (people, metal, etc) and
background noise was unacceptable. Also, the antenna is always there,
making the unit is a little large. 

Going up to an AT&T ten-channel (model 5400) for about $110 was a
noticeable improvement. There's still barely enough noise to notice, but
very low.  A nice feature is an automatic channel selector that watches
while idle and picks the best one when you go off hook. If the
conditions change during a call, you can still switch channels from the
handset.  The handset shape is not as nice as the Sony (you have to be
careful to speak right at the microphone) but it is smaller and lighter.
The handset is still sensitive to orientation, antenna length (it's the
extensible type), and position in the building, but not as bad as the
Sony; changing one of those is always enough to improve the signal if it
degrades. I was able to get about a thousand yards line of sight range
outside. 

Don't go to the AT&T 4000 series, they are much lower quality.  The 5000
series has the better noise cancelling (inside the series they differ by
number of channels (two or ten), answering machine, memories, intercom,
one or two lines, etc).

If you're used to standard Western Electric battle-tank phones, I don't
think you'll ever get that sound quality out of any cordless.

---
 Mitchell N. Perilstein                        
 CAD Language Systems, Inc.                 Innovate, don't litigate.
 410-992-5700                               League for Programming Freedom

Newsgroups: pdx.consumer,misc.consumers,sci.energy,sci.environment,sci.med,sci.physics,talk.
From: cescript@mtu.edu (Charles Scripter)
Subject: Re: Are Your Light Bulbs Radioactive?
Organization: Michigan Technological University
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 01:34:37 GMT

In article <s7TFqB10w165w@iowegia.uucp>, quest@iowegia.uucp
(Steve J. Quest) writes:

> steinman@is.morgan.com (Jan Steinman) writes:
> 
> >    >Abstract: Alert!!! some compact flourescent light bulbs have radioactive
> >    >materials in them.
> 
>         Can anyone tell me exactly what radioactive substance is 
> used in these lamps?  I can assume the element is thorium, as that 

Thorium, as this is very efficient at converting heat to white light.
Incandescents use Thoriated Tungsten for the same reason.  Similarly,
gas lantern mantles are "Thoriated" for the same reason.

> is used to "enrich" the electron emission from the cathodes in TV 
> picture tubes.  Please all, keep this in mind- a radioactive 
> element OUTSIDE the body is usually harmless in small amounts.  
> Once inside, the damage begins (so don't munch on your fluorescent 
> tubes)   ;)

If I recall correctly, Thorium is an Alpha emitter.  FAST Alphas have
ranges in air of a few centimeters (after 3-4 cm, you won't be able to
detect them, as most of them have been stopped).

-- 
Charles Scripter   *   cescript@phy.mtu.edu
Dept of Physics, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931
-------------------------------------------------------------------
With your one remaining eye, please do NOT look back into the laser
From: ia4@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Imran Anwar)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Internet connectivity coming to Prodigy....
Date: 12 Sep 92 21:29:30 GMT
Reply-To: ia4@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Imran Anwar)
Distribution: na
Organization: Columbia University


Prodigy sucks.  Did they announce if they will censor mail coming in from
internet?  Or just the stuff going out from prodigy?  Or just messages
critical of Prodigy?

Imran
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:16263 misc.wanted:8237 rec.audio:12194 rec.misc:221 sci.electronics:15322
From: noring@netcom.com (Jon Noring)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.wanted,rec.audio,rec.misc,sci.electronics
Subject: Audio Cassette Deck Maintenance - Suggestions Wanted
Date: 7 Sep 92 18:53:33 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest)


Hello,

I'd like to get feedback from the Usenet as to the current state-of-the-art
of audio cassette deck maintenance.  The two areas of maintenance that I
see are head and capstan cleaning, and head demagnetization.  I've seen
devices that make this job easier than getting in there with a cotton swab
and alcohol for cleaning.

Thanks for your help.

Jon

-- 
=============================================================================
| Jon Noring          | noring@netcom.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.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: sasse@netcom.com (Ellen Sasse)
Subject: Re: New Mortgage Scam
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 92 11:46:32 GMT
Organization: Not

rboudrie@chpc.org (Rob Boudrie) writes: 

> My mortgage holder (Huntington Mortgage) just wrote to inform me that 
> I qualify to save $48K in interest over the lifetime of the loan.  All
> I have to do is pay them 1/2 mtg payment per month (and sign an 
> agreement allowing them to collect this directly from my checking account).
> They will keep this money in a separate account, and apply it to the 
> mortgage at the regular due dates (though with a slightly larger amount
> since there will be 13 instead of 12 payments per year).

> The catch?  I only have to pay a "one time processing fee" of $495.00
> for them to set this up, and a $1.00 fee on each bi weekly payment
> processed! (...)

> if they think I'm stupid enough to pay them $495 for this non-service.
> (I'll just keep sending in extra principal with each month's payment and
> do it myself).

Not only that, but the only way to stop this kind of automatic payment
arrangement is from the merchant (in this case the bank holding your
mortgage), at least it was at the bank I worked at ~5 years ago.

Unfortunately there was nothing stopping some merchants from continuing to
charge customers for services that had been discontinued, and we'd see
problems with people for sometimes two or three months and there was nothing
we could do except explain how it worked. I will never, ever, set up
automatic payment from MY checking account, unless they change the rules
(and probably not even then. I like to write my OWN checks). I am 
not giving someone undisputable rights to MY money! Hopefully things
have changed since my years at the bank!
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: u910996@bruny.cc.utas.edu.au (Delroy Hartley)
Subject: Re: New Mortgage Scam
Organization: University of Tasmania, Australia.
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 19:06:42 GMT

Well, in Tasmania (I don't know about anywhere else), if you go into the bank
when their computer is down, and offer to pay off some of your mortgage, then
if they refuse to accept your cash FOR ANY REASON, then the mortgage becomes
a (potentially) void contract.

Neat huh?

--
*******************************************************************************
*  Delroy Hartley                 "I used to be into necroequineflagellation  * 
*  u910996@bruny.cc.utas.edu.au    but I found it to be beating a dead horse" *
*******************************************************************************
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.consumers.house
From: MCMASTER@LSTC2VM.stortek.com (Jim McMaster)
Subject: Re: DISHWASHER recommendations?
Organization: StorageTek SW Engineering
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 15:07:55 GMT

In article <KOSOWSKY.92Sep9104732@zener.harvard.edu>
kosowsky@zener.harvard.edu (Jeffrey J. Kosowsky) writes:
 
>
>I am in the process of looking for a new under-the-counter dishwasher
>for our kitchen. I would welcome any suggestions, recommendations  or
>personal experiences regarding the various brands and models.
>I am willing to buy a good quality model, but I am not sure which
>features are useful and which are just hype. So please share your
>knowledge and experience with me and the rest of the net...
>
>Also, I would like to install the dishwasher myself. Since this is a
>replacement for an existing old dishwasher, presumably all the proper
>connections are already in place. Do you have any tips and/or
>experience with such an installation? Is it difficult?
>
>Finally, are there any good *discount* places for buying kitchen
>appliances, such as a dishwasher, in the Boston area?  Is it possible
>to get contractor pricing somehow?
>
>Thanks very much for the help!
>
>Jeff Kosowsky
 
I have had two Maytag dishwashers and three GE's in four houses.  I
really like the Maytag.  It cleans far better than the GEs.  I got one
of their low-end models with manual controls...a lot cheaper than the
electronic panels and a lot cheaper to fix if it ever breaks.  It has
three wash cycles (light, regular and heavy-duty) and the option of
heated or unheated air dry.  We always use the regular cycle with air
dry.  We were so satisfied with our first Maytag that we chose another
for our new house.  It has been running fine for six months.  We used
the first Maytag for only a year before selling the house, so I cannot
speak for its long-term reliability.
 
Jim McMaster
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.consumers.house
From: strnlght@netcom.com (David Sternlight)
Subject: Re: DISHWASHER recommendations?
Date: Wed, 09 Sep 92 16:31:32 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)


I recently replaced my old dishwasher with the Consumer's Reports top-rated
Kitchen Aid Superba Selecta, and I'm very satisfied. It has an electronic
touch control panel and many good features for energy and water conservation.
CU also likes a lower-priced conventional Kitchen Aid with more conventional
controls. The general consensus seems to be that they make the best,
most reliable dishwashers.
From: john@zygot.ati.com (John Higdon)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Should I buy extended warranty?
Date: 6 Sep 92 07:17:58 GMT
Organization: Green Hills and Cows

In article <92247.115044JSNYDER@auvm.american.edu> JSNYDER@auvm.american.edu (Joni Snyder) writes:

>I dislike Circuit City very much for this reason and only
>go there as a last resort.

Then where do you shop? I have not purchased a single non-trivial item
in the past several years that was not accompanied by a pitch for an
extended warranty. This was from many different stores. BTW, I always
refuse the EWs.
-- 
        John Higdon         |   P. O. Box 7648   |   +1 408 264 4115
    john@zygot.ati.com      | San Jose, CA 95150 |       M o o !
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,sci.med
From: jil@uts.uucp (Jamie Lubin)
Subject: Re: water purification/is drinking pure water bad for you?
Organization: Bellcore, Piscataway, NJ
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 92 14:22:49 GMT

In article <PHR.92Sep9125307@soda.berkeley.edu> phr@soda.berkeley.edu (Paul Rubin) writes:
>Hi.  Some friends of mine have recently moved to Santa Cruz, CA,
>which is next to the ocean and has bad tasting (salty) tap water.
>
>I've heard in a couple of places that drinking mineral-free (e.g.
>distilled) water is bad for you.  This has always sounded bogus to me
>but some of the explnations are semi-plausible (that the pure water
>messes up some osmotic balance and actually drains minerals from your
>system).  Does anyone have reliable information about this?

From "Nutrition Almanac" Nutrition Search, Inc., John Kirschmann, Director:

Water should not be relied upon as a healthy source of minerals because it may
contain inorganic minerals, including calcium, copper, magnesium, mercury,
iron, & silicon, some of which cannot be assimilated by the body.  Instead
they are deposited in the joints, arteries, & internal organs in the forms of
arthritis. calcium-hardened arteries, & stones.  However, organic minerals...
are more readily utilized by the body than inorganic minerals...Distilled water
is the only "pure" water there is...Distilling removes all minerals, whether
beneficial or harmful, from the water.  It has been suggested that a person
switching to distilled water should make an effort to provide an adequate
mineral intake by eating mineral-rich foods or supplementing the diet.  This
diet allows the consumption of minerals in manageable quantities that will fill
individual needs.  This is the only way to insure a proper mineral balance
without taking the risk of pollutants, chemicals, bacteria, & inorganic
minerals.
From: john@zygot.ati.com (John Higdon)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Priority Mail is a fraud
Date: 16 Sep 92 00:43:43 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Green Hills and Cows

In article <BuKunr.5GG@taligent.com> cep@taligent.com (Christophe Pettus) writes:

>2. When it's going to be delivered on a Saturday, it's much cheaper to
>   use Express Mail.

Recently I used FedEx for an overnight Saturday delivery. The recipient
was desperate for the item and hung by the front door all day eagerly
awaiting delivery. It showed up on Monday.

When the FedEx bill came, I removed the Saturday surcharge, explaining
that the item was not delivered as specified. I have had two telephone
conversations and many dunning notices for that extra money. The FedEx
reps claim that delivery was attempted on Saturday, but no one was
there. This is, of course, baloney. (I think drivers regularly falsify
delivery tickets when they are running late.) Since no proof could be
offered that delivery was attempted, I have continued to withhold the
fee. The matter is still not resolved.

I am becoming more and more disenchanted with Federal Express.
-- 
        John Higdon         |   P. O. Box 7648   |   +1 408 264 4115
    john@zygot.ati.com      | San Jose, CA 95150 |       M o o !
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,sci.electronics
From: turkel@unixg.ubc.ca (Bill Turkel)
Subject: Sony _Bookman_
Originator: turkel@unixg.ubc.ca
Organization: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 19:01:15 GMT


Can anybody send me information (via e-mail) on the Sony _Bookman_?
I am hoping to find out approx US price, availability, title availability,
price range per title and any other relevant information you might have.
Testimonials welcome.

Thanks,
Bill
turkel@unixg.ubc.ca
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: rlr@bbt.com (Powdered Toast Man)
Subject: Re: News from the "Press 1 now" front
Organization: BroadBand Technologies, Inc.,  Research Triangle Park, NC
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 92 18:37:10 GMT

In article <7SEP199211132500@amarna.gsfc.nasa.gov> packer@amarna.gsfc.nasa.gov
 (Charles Packer) writes:

> [Casio Referral Line]  800-762-1241 [says:]
>
>   "...if you are calling from a touch tone phone, press "1"
>   now. If you are calling from a rotary-dial telephone,
>   please call back on a touch-tone telephone." 

  No longer.  Apparently as a result of the article, they now include a
referral number for personal service.  It also happens to be a toll call.

  Ron "Checking It Out" Rader



-- 
--
ron rader, jr  rlr@bbt.com OR ...!mcnc!bbt!rlr 
      walking through this world of lies, with a heart made out of stone
      I looked deep into my eyes, and I knew I was alone, all alone - BF
From: haynes@cats.ucsc.edu (Jim Haynes)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: 'Power Antenna' any good?
Date: 4 Sep 1992 21:54:22 GMT
Organization: University of California; Santa Cruz
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: hobbes.ucsc.edu


Only good in comparison with no antenna at all.  A rabbit ears, or random
pieces of wire would work better.
-- 
haynes@cats.ucsc.edu
haynes@cats.bitnet

"Any clod can have the facts, but having opinions is an Art."
        Charles McCabe, San Francisco Chronicle

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: coleman@rocky.cs.ucla.edu (Mike Coleman)
Subject: Re: Britannica $$??
Organization: UCLA, Computer Science Department
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 92 22:06:31 GMT

Like most things, if you have to ask, it costs too much.  I believe the
general price range for the set is in the ballpark of $1-2K.  I wouldn't say
they're not worth the price, but you can always get them in the library.

-- 
--Mike Coleman (coleman@cs.ucla.edu), Lord High Executioner of Anhedonia-----
I saw a commercial on television the other day which began, "Southern
California--there's no place in the world quite like it."  Kind of like
saying, "Grant's tomb--only one person ever buried there."