HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: nz.general
Subject: Re: Local call charging announcement on Thursday?
From: davis@chem.canterbury.ac.nz (John Davis)
Date: 17 Aug 92 13:19:14 +1200
Reply-To: davis@chem.canterbury.ac.nz
Organization: Chem Dept, Uni of Canty, Chch, New Zealand
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5

bill bennett (billy@sideways.welly.gen.nz) wrote:
>  
> You could give pensioners and the unemployed free phones and free local 
> calls and still charge other users. After all, it is because leisure 
> users of phones use up so many resources wastefully that we need so many 
> lines and circuits -- all of which must be paid for.

that's interesting - all the figures I've ever seen showed that peak
exchange loads were during business hours, and caused by business traffic
(apart from sporadic peaks due to things like radio stations running dial-in
competitions). Load out of business hours ( when most of your supposed
'leisure users' would be using the phone) is the time the networks are least
loaded (hence why you get night rates on toll circuits etc). 

Maybe some of the telecom employees out there who know the actual facts
could enlighten us. 

--
-----------------------------------------------------------
| o      John Davis - davis@chem.canterbury.ac.nz        o |
| o                   chem194@csc.canterbury.ac.nz       o |
| o                   John_Davis@equinox.gen.nz          o |
| o    (Depart)mental Programmer,Chemistry Department    o |
| o  University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand o | 
Newsgroups: nz.general
From: redearth@kauri.vuw.ac.nz (Adam J Baker)
Subject: Re: Local call charging announcement on Thursday?
Organization: Victoria University of Wellington
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 00:06:55 GMT

In article <1992Aug13.123022.10067@waikato.ac.nz> hamish@waikato.ac.nz writes:
>
>They just wacked a 100% hike in the price of toll calls from pay phones, and a
>67% hike in line rental for domestic (Don't know about Business) customers. So
>much for the Kiwi share. Looks like the yanks want to line their pockets a bit
>more.
>
>#Bitch session on
>
>I get really fu*ked off when the taxpayer has spent millions (If not billions)
>of dollars installing something for everyone to have and some bastard buys it
>in a fireslae and immediately ups the price.

In California (and maybe in other states, but I don't know), although
many of the utilities and phone companies are privately owned, there
is a Public Utilities Commission to regulate the rates, since it's
rather tough to exercise market choice when it comes to utilities.
The PUC is far from perfect, since it's staffed by experts who come
from--surprise, surprise--the utility companies themselves (where else
would you get experts?), but it keeps the worst excesses like what
Telecom is doing from occurring.  Is there not a regulatory agency
here to stop this?
-- 
Adam Baker
redearth@akeake.vuw.ac.nz
Disclaimer:  Don't blame me.  I voted for Bill and Opus
Newsgroups: nz.general
From: kilroy@acme.gen.nz (earthbound misfit, I)
Subject: Re: Documentaries on TV @ 7:30am Fri TV1
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 08:54:11 GMT
Organization: ACME BBS - Public Access Usenet, Palmerston North, New Zealand

gnat@kauri.vuw.ac.nz (Nathan Torkington) writes:

> Was the history of science series "The Day the Universe Changed",
> starring James Burke?  I remember seeing it once, about eight years
> ago, and it was absolutely excellent.  I have seen the book spin-off
> from the series in the shops *once* and never again.  I would dearly
> love to have a copy of the series on video (almost as much as I'd
> dearly love to have a video :-).

I don't know if it's the one that you quoted, but I'd agree that it's an
excellent series. It was actually the third of a trilogy of TV series' that
James Burke made, another was Connections (also brilliant) and I can't
remember the name of the other. He's fairly opinionated and I doubt if
everyone agrees with him, but they're great docos. Let me know if you track
down decent copies on videotape.

						- k
-- 
Craig Harding            kilroy@acme.gen.nz             ACME BBS +64 63 3551342
"Jub'f Xvob?"
Newsgroups: nz.general
From: kilroy@acme.gen.nz (earthbound misfit, I)
Subject: Re: Creation of news groups (was Re: Atari STFM for sale)
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 00:40:50 GMT
Organization: ACME BBS - Public Access Usenet, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Summary: status.gen.nz fucks up. Again. Film at 11.

Andy.Linton@comp.vuw.ac.nz (Andy Linton) writes:

> jonc@status.gen.nz (Jon Clarke) writes:
>
> |> kilroy@acme.gen.nz (earthbound misfit, I) writes:
> |> 
> |> > Damnnit, here's another! Does nz.forsale really exist, or is it just more
> |> > status lossage?
> |> > 
> |> > [...bogus "nz.forsale" article deleted...]
> |>  
> |>  Ask your sysadmin HOW he has your usenet file setup. I suggest it looks 
> |> like this
> |> 
> |> nz.forsale = /dir\c:\news\nz\general
> |>  
> |> it has the RIGHT head so no lossage chap!
> 
> It does NOT have the RIGHT header!
> 
> There is no nz.forsale newsgroup. There never has been such a group. There
> never has been a call for discussion of such a group. There never has been
> a vote for such a group.

Thank you, I guess it answers my question.

> If you want an nz.forsale group, let's have the discussion up front and
> have a vote on it.

How does it compare with the intended use of nz.wanted, which appears to
have had this sort of traffic?

> The following from news.announce.newusers gives some indication of how we
> should do things around here. These guidelines seem to me a reasonable way
> to go about things.
> 
> A couple of changes seem called for. The call for discussion should be in
> nz.general rather than in news.announce.newgroups. The absolute value of 100
> votes (The Result - Section 3) is too large for local use and should be
> modified. 30 seems a reasonable number. Comments? 

Sounds okay, as of the last CFV he posted Don had received a total of 30
votes for the decus thing. I wonder if it's necessary though, is nz.* big
enough to warrant all this democracy? I don't care what groups get created in
nz, why not just rule by decree From On High?

						- k
-- 
Craig Harding            kilroy@acme.gen.nz             ACME BBS +64 63 3551342
"Jub'f Xvob?"
Newsgroups: nz.general
From: gnat@kauri.vuw.ac.nz (Nathan Torkington)
Subject: Re: Creation of news groups (was Re: Atari STFM for sale)
Organization: Contract to CSC, Victoria Uni, Wellington, New Zealand
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1992 03:17:51 GMT

In article <10896234@zl2tnm.gen.nz> don@zl2tnm.gen.nz (Don Stokes) writes:

> Mind you, so far the only nz group that has actually passed any kind of vote
> so far has been nz.alex following said outcry (and yes, I was around then).  

So where is it?

Nat
(net.pit-pup)
Newsgroups: nz.general
From: kilroy@acme.gen.nz (earthbound misfit, I)
Subject: Re: Atari STFM for sale
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 00:29:33 GMT
Organization: ACME BBS - Public Access Usenet, Palmerston North, New Zealand

jonc@status.gen.nz (Jon Clarke) writes:

> kilroy@acme.gen.nz (earthbound misfit, I) writes:
> 
> > Damnnit, here's another! Does nz.forsale really exist, or is it just more
> > status lossage?
> > 
> > [...quoted message posted to "nz.forsale" by status user....]
>  
>  Ask your sysadmin HOW he has your usenet file setup. I suggest it looks 
> like this
> 
> nz.forsale = /dir\c:\news\nz\general
>  
> it has the RIGHT head so no lossage chap!

Heh.

I *am* my sysadmin. That message that I quoted in nz.general appeared in my
junk directory, with a newsgroups line of "nz.forsale". I don't believe this
newsgroup actually exists, particularly as I've only seen articles from
Status users in it.[1]

As for the rest of your message, I'm not actually sure what you're trying to
say. Could you post it again, only making it coherent[2] this time?

						- k

[1] Except from a couple of messages from Chch. I suspect the group was
    added somewhere there because someone saw something in junk.
[2] Small pun
-- 
Craig Harding            kilroy@acme.gen.nz             ACME BBS +64 63 3551342
"Jub'f Xvob?"
Newsgroups: nz.general
Subject: Re: Usenet to Fax gateway
From: cctr127@cantua.canterbury.ac.nz (Jason Haar)
Date: 17 Aug 92 09:13:08 +1200
Reply-To: j.haar@csc.canterbury.ac.nz
Organization: University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3

dogbowl@dogbox.acme.gen.nz (dogbowl) writes:
: G.Eustace@massey.ac.nz (Glen Eustace) writes:
: 
: > I have a vague recollection that provision of this kind of service is
: > not permitted. By whom you may say, I can't recall.  The situation if
: > I recall went something like this.
: > 
: 
: When I worked for the Post Office, that indeed was the case. 
: However, with the change to Telecom, and the free market, that 
: restriction was removed.
: If it wasn't, Clear would be in a LOT of trouble....
: 
: 

Not only that, but the Fax-Email business is already being practiced by a
CRI who I won't mention here (to protect the innocent ;-) - actually, I
can't remember which one... They have offices throughout NZ, and use Word
Perfect Office Mail to gateway their messages. They're done rather well -
the software actually looks at the FAX phone number, and Email the message
to the nearest gateway - i.e. the user just sends a fax, and the system
comes up with the cheapest route.

That's something I'd like to see us duplicate...

--

Cheers

Jason Haar, Network Consultant
Newsgroups: nz.general
From: mark@comp.vuw.ac.nz (Mark Davies)
Subject: Re: Creation of news groups (was Re: Atari STFM for sale)
Organization: Dept. of Comp. Sci., Victoria Uni. of Wellington, New Zealand.
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 01:46:53 GMT


In article <1992Aug18.004050.1431@acme.gen.nz>, kilroy@acme.gen.nz (earthbound misfit, I) writes:
|> > If you want an nz.forsale group, let's have the discussion up front and
|> > have a vote on it.

|> How does it compare with the intended use of nz.wanted, which appears to
|> have had this sort of traffic?

Pretty strong overlap, I would say.

|> Sounds okay, as of the last CFV he posted Don had received a total of 30
|> votes for the decus thing. I wonder if it's necessary though, is nz.* big
|> enough to warrant all this democracy? I don't care what groups get created in
|> nz, why not just rule by decree From On High?

You obviously weren't around when we created nz.archives, nz.arts, nz.comp,
nz.rec, nz.soc, nz.soc.green and nz.wanted after a usenet admin BOF at a
Uniforum NZ conference.  There was a big outcry about "rule by decree From On
High" after which we settled on the 30 votes scheme (actually I think it was
20 votes originally but that was a few years ago and things have grown a
little since then).

cheers
mark
Newsgroups: nz.general
Subject: Re: Chch Poly mail address?
From: cctr127@cantua.canterbury.ac.nz (Jason Haar)
Date: 13 Aug 92 09:05:45 +1200
Reply-To: j.haar@csc.canterbury.ac.nz
Organization: University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3

bcs@waikato.ac.nz writes:
: Hi all,
: 
: I hate to interrupt the lively debate re flaming and DECUS, and the 
: recurrent OS wars, but does anyone know if Christchurch Poly, or whatever
: they call themselves (yes, I know that's pretty vague - it's all I have 
: from an overseas query) have a mail gateway to the Internet?  If they do, 
: how do I get hold of their postmaster...or at least someone who'll chat?
: 

Christchurch PolyTechnic isn't on the Internet - or any other network as
far as I can tell. 

We are currently undergoing discussion with them on the matter, and it
appears they should be able to join in our wonderous discussions about OS
wars/etc in the new year ;-)

 --

Cheers

Jason Haar, Network Consultant
Newsgroups: nz.general
Subject: Re: Atari STFM for sale
From: jonc@status.gen.nz (Jon Clarke)
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 07:35:37 GMT
Organization: Z*NET Global News Gateway in Auckland New Zealand

kilroy@acme.gen.nz (earthbound misfit, I) writes:

> Damnnit, here's another! Does nz.forsale really exist, or is it just more
> status lossage?
> 
> ---------8<--------begin included article-----------8<----------
> Article 3245 of junk:
> Path: acmebbs!cc-server4.massey.ac.nz!comp.vuw.ac.nz!waikato.ac.nz!aukuni.ac.
> Newsgroups: nz.forsale
> Subject: Atari STFM for sale
> Message-ID: <36qHPB2w164w@status.gen.nz>
> From: tonyl@status.gen.nz (Tony Lewis)
> Date: Fri, 14 Aug 92 23:04:25 GMT
> Organization: Z*NET Global News Gateway in Auckland New Zealand
> Lines: 7
> 
> I have an Atari STFM with 1 meg memory, TOS 1.4 and colour monitor
> as well as software and mags for sale. $600. Call (09)2978914.
> 
> ----
> Tony Lewis              _ 
> tonyl@status.gen.nz   o( )     Fido: 3:772/105
> Papakura             /  /\     Auckland, New Zealand
> ------------8<--------end of include--------8<---------------------
> 
> 						- k
> -- 
> Craig Harding            kilroy@acme.gen.nz             ACME BBS +64 63 35513
> "Jub'f Xvob?"

 
 Ask your sysadmin HOW he has your usenet file setup. I suggest it looks 
like this

nz.forsale = /dir\c:\news\nz\general
 
it has the RIGHT head so no lossage chap!

 Jon Clarke               (Z*NET FNET now in FIDO)                HSBC NZM EBD
 GEnie: J.CLARKE6          FIDONET: 3/772:105      TheNets: jonc@status.gen.nz
 T h e    Z * N E T    G l o b a l   N e w s   G a t e w a y    i n    N Z L .
Newsgroups: nz.general,nz.wanted,soc.culture.new-zealand
From: woodhams@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Michael Woodhams)
Subject: Re: Muldoonikin wanted
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University Observatory
Distribution: nz
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 02:34:10 GMT

In article <1992Aug21.123204.10277@waikato.ac.nz> hist1261@waikato.ac.nz writes:
>
>I don't remember the Buddahs, but I do remember the "piggy banks", which were
>money "boxes" in the shape of the leader's head.  I also had a pen which had
>a Muldoon headpiece on it.  Sadly all these items are now long since lost...
>

My favourite was a poster with a characature (sp?) of Muldoon as a pig
and writing saying "Our gross National product" with "National"
written in the style the Nat party uses. My father probably still has
this. There was also the "One Muldollar" issued by "The Reserve Bank
of Ekatahuna".

Getting a little of the topic, I have a Values party car window
sticker stuck on the door to my office right now, and Austin
Mitchell's book "The Half-Acre Quarter-Gallon Pavlova Paradise"
(published before metricisation) in my dorm room.

Michael W.
From: julian@bridge.welly.gen.nz (Julian Wright)
Newsgroups: nz.general
Subject: Re: "Batman Returns" (opinion - no spoilers)
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 00:18:43 +1200
Reply-To: wright_j@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz (Julian Wright)
Organization: USS Enterprise, NCC 1701a

Aaron.Roydhouse@comp.vuw.ac.nz (Aaron Roydhouse) writes:

> This comment is almost opposite to my opinion. I saw both Batman
> movies in the weekend and felt that Batman Returns was very much the
> better.
> 
> I felt the original Batman was technically worse and, dare I say it, a
> little tacky. Although the plot was there, the flow was disjoint. Even

If you are referring to the version of Batman that was screened on TV2
on Sunday evening, I believe there was a considerable amount of it
chopped out (thanks a bundle TVNZ). This would be IMHO the reason you
would have found it somewhat disjoint.

Personally I have mixed feelings about Batman Returns. Some parts of it
were very well done but others I just couldn't swallow.

    Cheers, Julian.
    
Newsgroups: nz.general
From: Aaron.Roydhouse@comp.vuw.ac.nz (Aaron Roydhouse)
Subject: "Batman Returns" (opinion - no spoilers)
Organization: Dept. of Comp. Sci., Victoria Uni. of Wellington, New Zealand.
X-Mailer: mail-news 4.0
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 08:13:36 GMT


==> "tte" == tte@waikato.ac.nz writes:

tte> I went to see the new BATMAN RETURN movie at Village 5 in
tte> Hamilton the other night.  What a load of shit.  It wasn't even
tte> as good as the first one.

tte> Don't waste your money peoples

tte> T

This comment is almost opposite to my opinion. I saw both Batman
movies in the weekend and felt that Batman Returns was very much the
better.

I felt the original Batman was technically worse and, dare I say it, a
little tacky. Although the plot was there, the flow was disjoint. Even
the opening titles lacked the artistic flair of Batman Returns.  It
was almost as if the first movie was a cheaper flier to gauge reaction
before they spent any real money.

The plots of the two movies are thoroughly separate, so you want a
sample of the genre I recommend seeing Batman Returns.

Aaron.
Newsgroups: nz.general
Subject: Re: Local call charging announcement on 
From: portunus@kcbbs.gen.nz (Ben Kinchant)
Date: 21 Aug 92 12:44:34 GMT
Organization: Kappa Crucis Unix BBS, Auckland, New Zealand

-> pensioners. They were to b given the choice of a reduced
-> monthly rental, 
-> (approximately $19.00) and a charge per minute  for
-> local dial out. Does 
 
This service is certainly available in Auckland on exchanges
that can handle it.  My next door neighbours's parents have
this service, and after a month of them doing as little calling
out as possible and only using the phone when they really
had to (its 11.25 cents per minute for local calls!) they found
themselves $5 over the normal bill.... and thats with having to
be restrained about using the phone!

I believe that toll calls aren't affected by this service so it
is much cheaper for them to ring Hibiscus Coast than it is for them
to ring their neighbour!!
From: hamish@waikato.ac.nz
Newsgroups: nz.general
Subject: Re: Local call charging announcement on Thursday?
Date: 13 Aug 92 12:30:22 +1200
Organization: University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

In article <To2ePB1w165w@sideways.welly.gen.nz>, Pat Cain <patrick@sideways.welly.gen.nz> writes:
> Tonight (Wednesday) on the Ralston Group, Leighton Smith in a
> "prediction" said that there would be an announcement on Thursday from a
> major Telecommunications supplier that would effect everyone.
> 
> Given that Telecom have been talking about introducing local call
> charging for some time and have just spend $10 million on two NEC
> supercomputers for "monitoring" call patterns .. will this be the
> announcement?  I sure hope not.

Almost.

They just wacked a 100% hike in the price of toll calls from pay phones, and a
67% hike in line rental for domestic (Don't know about Business) customers. So
much for the Kiwi share. Looks like the yanks want to line their pockets a bit
more.

#Bitch session on

I get really fu*ked off when the taxpayer has spent millions (If not billions)
of dollars installing something for everyone to have and some bastard buys it
in a fireslae and immediately ups the price.


-- 
==============================================================================
|  Hamish Marson   <h.marson@waikato.ac.nz>                             OS/2 |
|  Programmer (n/5), School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences           | 
|  University of Waikato,                                                    |
|  Hamilton, New Zealand.                                                    |
|Disclaimer:  Anything said in this message is the personal opinion of the   |
|             finger hitting the keyboard & doesn't represent my employers   |
|             opinion in any way. (ie we probably don't agree)               |
==============================================================================
  Q. If Nuclear Tests are so safe, why don't the French do them under Paris?
From: rich@tosh.wcc.govt.nz (Richard Naylor )
Newsgroups: nz.general
Subject: a bit of a laugh
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 92 21:14:55 GMT
Organization: City Net -  Wellington City Council's Community Computer Network

21:14:10
15-Aug-1992

    +---------------------+
    | Toilet out of order |
    |  Please use corner  |
    |       __________    |
    |    __/   ______/    |
    |          __/        |
    |          _/         |
    |     _____/          |
    +---------------------+

				- Sign in the Manchester (NH) Airport
				- from Avery Bishop (Bellevue, WA, USA)

from Vogon News



--
rich@tosh.wcc.govt.nz (Richard Naylor ) 
Newsgroups: nz.general
From: Steve.Withers@bbs.actrix.gen.nz
Subject: Re: Local call charging announcement on Thursday?
Organization: Actrix Information Exchange
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 10:33:24 GMT

In article <1992Aug13.123022.10067@waikato.ac.nz> hamish@waikato.ac.nz writes:
> 
> They just wacked a 100% hike in the price of toll calls from pay phones, and a
> 67% hike in line rental for domestic (Don't know about Business) customers. So
> much for the Kiwi share. Looks like the yanks want to line their pockets a bit
> more.

They hiked the phone rental - not the line rental. This may be a trial ballon
to test public response to other measures........if we make a huge fuss now,
we may be spared worse later on. The politicians will also take their cues
from public response.
 
If Telecom is going to intro local call charging, they only have a couple of
months.....soon we will be shifting into pre-election mode and local call
charging would definitely be an election issue: for example - I will vote for
anyone will promise to repeal/outlaw it.

> 
> #Bitch session on
> 
> I get really fu*ked off when the taxpayer has spent millions (If not billions)
> of dollars installing something for everyone to have and some bastard buys it
> in a fireslae and immediately ups the price.

Vote for PR (MMP in particular). That way no one lot of bastards can sell
anything without collaborating with another lot of bastards. Then - at the
next election - you make sure you don't vote for ANY of them and that will
allow new people into Parliament instead of the tired old guard and their
long-time cronies.
 
Steve
-- 
Steve Withers - Wellington, New Zealand | "But the glory kept shining
Steve.Withers@bbs.actrix.gen.nz         |  and bright in my eyes, 
withers_s@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz            |  And the stars going round in 
**** Happy user of OS/2 v2!! ****       |  my head." R. L. S.
Newsgroups: nz.general
Subject: Documentaries on TV @ 7:30am Fri TV1
From: clark@crfm.gen.nz (Clark Mills)
Date: 16 Aug 92 10:23:51 GMT
Organization: Household UNIX, Auckland, New Zealand
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4

Hello, world!\n

In case you didn't already know it, there is a sequence of documentaries
screening on Television One on Friday mornings.  They are all interesting
viewing but what I especially recommend is the "History of Computing".

6:30am Massey University  (Missed it)
7:30am Japanese           (Didn't watch)
8:00am Business
8:30am History of Computing (Part 1 of 5?)
9:15am Psychology (Part 1 of 16)
9:45am Super Kids (Teach your kid to be Arnold Schw@#$%^&er)  <-  line noise :-)
[Shows may be different next week as I'm unsure if they are a series or one-off]

What's a nice show like you doing an a lousy time slot like this?  Shouldn't
shows like this get their own channel or at least prime time slots instead of
the diet of drivel that's spoon fed to us?

Remember to set your videos...
cu...  clark
-- 
Domain: clark@crfm.gen.nz  -----------------------------+-------------------+
Voice : 64-25-935002                                    | $ nice -20 work & |
Fax   : 64-9-8494282                                    | $ exec games      |
Snail : PO Box 47-195, Ponsonby, Auckland, New Zealand  +-------------------+
Newsgroups: nz.general
Subject: Re: Documentaries on TV @ 7:30am Fri TV1
From: russell@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz (Russell Fulton)
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 22:51:07 GMT
Organization: University of Auckland, New Zealand.

clark@crfm.gen.nz (Clark Mills) writes:

>Hello, world!\n

>In case you didn't already know it, there is a sequence of documentaries
>screening on Television One on Friday mornings.  They are all interesting
>viewing but what I especially recommend is the "History of Computing".

Yes I highly recomend[20~ this stuff. We have been taping it for some time.
Recently there has been a BBC series on the origins of civilization,
a history of science series and British business series. All first
rate stuff.

Cheers, Russell.
-- 
Russell Fulton, Computer Center, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
<rj_fulton@aukuni.ac.nz>