HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: v148rb5b@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (COLLIN MCCULLEY)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Telephone Answering Machines
Date: 23 Jul 92 15:22:00 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41


	Well, phone company message services aside, I can recommend if
you want a *traditional* answering machine, stay away from AT&T products,
especially their phone-and-answering machine combinations.  I've had
no end of trouble with them.  Actually, the answering machine itself is
generally ok, except features keep going out in the whole system, including:

	-The answering machine won't answer remote commands anymore
	-The redial feature rarely remembers the previously dialed number

and various other problems.
	What's worse is AT&T's version of servicing.  If your machine breaks,
they send it back to the factory, and then give you someone else's broken &
repaired machine.  You don't get your own back!  Who knows what the hell
happened to the machine they're giving you.  Chances are very good that
when you get the machine back, something totally new is on the fritz (that's
what happened in my case).  Ack!
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: Getting better gas milage (was: Re: MOLY BLACK GOLD. (Slick50))
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 04:37:44 GMT

haroldt@sol.yorku.ca writes:
: 
:   I'd hate to dissagree with you, but...  In my little Honda Civic I found a 
: way to get 10% better fuel economy.  I was running regular unleaded when I first
: got my 91 Civic.  After 5000kms I put Slick 50 in and saw only a marginal 
: improvement.  Then I switched to Super Unleaded (94 Octane) and I litterally 
: get 10% more distance per quantity of fuel.  The octane boost does make a 
: differance in a good fuel injected  car, but not everyone uses it, and few
: say it's required.
: 
:   Has anyone else tried this?  Pardon the pun, but, milage may vary.  :)

Nope. Around here - super UL is about 15% more expensive than UL. It doesn't
make sense to pay more/mile.

You could probably accomplish the same thing by having the timing changed.

Bill
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: lazlo@triton.unm.edu (Lazlo Nibble)
Subject: Re: Cheap, Sturdy Bookcases?
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 92 04:24:00 GMT
Organization: Sporadic and incomplete
Distribution: na

tattersall_derek@macmail1.rtsg.mot.com writes:

> I use a combination of cinder blocks and 1 x 10 boards.

As do I (though I use 1x12s and 1x6s, and don't stain 'em).  $60 worth of
blocks, boards, and bricks gave me enough space to store over 800 records
and almost as many CDs, with room left over for ten feet worth of
tradebacks and hardcovers.

Blocks-and-boards shelving frequently gets dismissed as tacky college-
student stuff, but if sturdy storage space on the cheap is more important
than matching your interior-decoration scheme, it's impossible to beat. 

--
Lazlo (lazlo@triton.unm.edu)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: mks@cbnewsm.cb.att.com (manishkumar.sharma)
Subject: Sony TV screen goes blank
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 16:51:43 GMT

I have a 4yr old 20" Sony TV that worked pretty well until now. Sometimes
(maybe 7-8 times/day) the screen goes blank for a few seconds (up to 5 mins
sometimes). I suspected the cable feed. When I called them about this, they
said that since they didn't get any other complaints from my neighborhood
about this, it had to be the TV.
So I plugged a tape into the VCR ready to record when the tv screen went blank.
When it did, I started to record. On playback, the recorded piece was fine;
so the problem was not with the cable.  It was my *&^%/ TV.
I did poke around the inside of the TV hoping to find a loose connection
somewhere with no luck.
Has anyone seen this problem before? Before I cart the TV to the shop for
a repair estimate, does anybody have any suggestions?
Thanks.

-Manish Sharma
 ...attbl!trumpet!mks

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: sunshine@convex.com (Roger Sunshine)
Subject: Skier's or Fitness Edge
Organization: Engineering, CONVEX Computer Corp., Richardson, Tx., USA
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 02:51:03 GMT
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.


Has anyone had any experience with this product?  It is a downhill ski
simulation/fitness machine.  It consists of a shallow inverted "u" on which a
platform with two footholds are mounted.  The platform can be moved sideways
providing for a lateral excercise motion.  Any comments or experiences with
this or similar products will be appreciated (but please exclude comments on
nordictrack type cross country ski simulators).

Thanks, Roger

----------------
Internet:   sunshine@convex.com
UUCP:       ...!uunet!convex!sunshine
ATTNET:     (214)497-4779
-- 
----------------
Internet:   sunshine@convex.com
UUCP:       ...!uunet!convex!sunshine
ATTNET:     (214)497-4779
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:14490 misc.taxes:2816
From: timlee@public.btr.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.taxes
Subject: Re: $$$ for middle class
Date: 27 Jul 92 04:49:51 GMT
Reply-To: timlee@btr.com (Timothy J. Lee)
Followup-To: misc.consumers,misc.taxes

anon@no.where (Anonymous) writes:
|Middle class: single return under $110K
|              joint return  under $150K

How about defining the middle class as the people who pay
the highest national income tax marginal rate (including FICA)
on their wage/salary/tip income?  This range, for people using
the standard deduction and having no other income (admittedly
artificial assumptions), is:

Single people with no dependents:
$25900-53400 (35.65% marginal tax rate)

Married people, 2 children, each spouse makes 1/2 of the income:
$48300-106800 (35.65% to 38.65% marginal tax rate)
From: joanne@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Joanne Petersen)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Mortgage rates as of 7/23/92.
Date: 30 Jul 92 20:33:06 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard PAITC Data Center

We chose to do an 8% 15-year-fixed mortgage because it was a no-cost-loan;
no fees as well as no points (the lender pays all the title etc. fees).
Given that we want to pay this loan off even sooner than 15 years (add'l.
principal payments), we figured it was better to reduce all the costs in
favor of a slightly higher interest rate.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: staggers@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Ken Staggers)
Subject: Re: PPV Olympics: Oh, so now it's free
Organization: Northwestern University, Evanston Illinois.
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 19:33:28 GMT

In article <1992Jul31.152000.17709@cbnewsd.cb.att.com> rcm@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (randall.c.moline) writes:
>Why is it such a greedy, shortsighted ploy? It is an experiment. They
>felt they were offering the public something they wanted and that the
>public would be willing to pay for it. Granted, maybe they charged too
>much (no, they charged too much!) but hopefully they will
>learn for their mistakes. I've gotta believe that if it was $75 instead
>of $125 they would have had well over twice as many people sign up. 

Unfortunately, this experiment might cost Cablevision subscribers money.
I wouldnt mind it if they did this with somebody else's funds, but I
have a sneaky suspicion that their $50 million loss will be passed on
directly to me.  And being a monopoly in my area, I have nowhere else
to turn.

I am also afraid of the next possible experiment...maybe ABC and TCI
agrees to pay the NFL $1 billion for PPV Super Bowl.  And they charge
an outrageous price and don't get enough subscribers (hey, but our
research shows people would pay anything for the super bowl), then
the cost is not borne by ABC and its stock holders...its passed to
TCI customers.  That's my worry about an experiment like this.

--Ken

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: singer@uwovax.uwo.ca
Subject: Super-8 to Video Transfer: My Experience
Organization: University of Western Ont, London
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 23:26:19 GMT

I recently had an unpleasant experience with a firm that converts super-8 film
to vidocasette. Shot with a very sharp Bolex macrozoom, the film was very
natural (color) and clean. What I received was a vcr (fast speed, of course) in
which flesh colors often were yellow or even green. When I objected, the
manager of the firm claimed that it was the fault of the film. I then took the
film and tapes to another firm which told me that the first one had not done
proper color correction. They did the job all over, much improved. The first
firm when confronted with this stonewalled again, claimed their own equipment
was better(!) and that the 2nd firm cheated by devoting too much time or effort
to the job (!). After enough of this, I put a stop order on the check and have
written to the Better Business Bureau (because of the refusal of the first firm
to do anything). I wonder if others have had similar experiences in the
transfer process.-- 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: darylb@sword.eng.hou.compaq.com (Daryl Biberdorf)
Subject: Re: Recommendations on Vacuum Cleaners sought
Organization: Compaq Computer Corp.
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 14:41:35 GMT

In article <22JUL199212273905@utkvx2.utk.edu> drevik@utkvx2.utk.edu (Drevik, Steve) writes:
>I don't care about the
>vacuum lasting 20 years, because the technology changes so 
>quickly (a 20 year old Kirby or hoover is about on the level
>of a Dustbuster today!!).

A friend of mine has a 20 year old Kirby that he inherited from his parents
and it still sucks more than ever. :)  IMHO, a Kirby is the ultimate,
overdesigned vacuum cleaner.  It's probably the only appliance you can
buy and plan on having to mention it in your will.

From the rest of your article, you're looking to spend less than $150.
You should be able to do OK with that, but I'd avoid Sears (due to absolutely
abysmal service these days).  However, have you thought of buying used?
I see used vacuums all the time in the paper and in the local charity
thrift store.  They're cheap, and they work.  Even if it dies in 2 to 3
years, you only spent a little money on it (compared with the high
price of new vacs).

Daryl
--
Daryl Biberdorf                 |  Compaq Computer Corporation | standard
darylb@sword.eng.hou.compaq.com |  20555 SH 249  M/S 060701    | disclaimer
dlb5404@tamsun.tamu.edu         |  Houston, TX 77070           | applies

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: niebuhr@bnlux1.bnl.gov (david niebuhr)
Subject: Re: advice needed for dealing with dentist/insurance
Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1992 11:16:43 GMT

In article <1992Jul23.221047.29704@col.hp.com> cab@col.hp.com (Chris Best) writes:
>> $900.00.  I paid for the first appointment in cash (credit card) because of
>> "office policy for new patients".  They were supposed to submit the claim
>> to the insurance company...
>> 
>> Is there anything I can do?  Is this insurance fraud?
>
>----------
>
>A provider who submits claims for you is only doing it as a service.  They 
>Regardless of who submits the claims (or if they're even submitted at all),
[ ... text deleted ... ]

>you will still be liable for the balance after a certain time has passed 
>(and this time depends on the provider's policy).
>
>I hate dealing with insurance claims, too, and it's nice to find a provider
>who will do it for me (and wait for payment).  You'll have to weigh the
>services they provide administratively vs. medically, and decide whether
>to stay with them or not.

And this is just one more reason I like having an HMO (via an
independent physician) handle my medical needs.  I pay a $5 co-pay
and no hassles after that.

Dave        

-- 

Dave Niebuhr      Internet: niebuhr@bnl.gov / Bitnet: niebuhr@bnl
Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton, NY 11973  (516)-282-3093
From: jsp@uts.amdahl.com (James Preston)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Married/Single/Taxes
Date: 23 Jul 92 17:51:25 GMT
Reply-To: jsp@pls.amdahl.com
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA


}I would be VERY happy if someone would disprove the contention that married
}couples are worse off tax-wise than singles, but that's how I read it.
}(Actually, I just skimmed over the tax tables/forms this year, since
}we decided to hire a professional to prepare the forms for us. We did
}seem to get hit rather badly, tax-wise, in our first year of marriage :-(  )

You don't have to cull graphs and equations from the tax tables to know
that there is sometimes a marriage tax, you just have to get married and
compare your situation before and after (or use a tax program to do the
"what if" using the exact same numbers).

You need to remember that the tax tables were designed with the assumption
that a married couple would have one income.  If I make a hundred thousand
a year, and then I marry a woman who doesn't work, my taxes will indeed be 
lower when that hundred thousand is filed as a married income rather than as 
a single income (this can easily be seen by looking at any line on the tax
table; for any given income, the single tax is higher than the married tax).

But if instead my wife works and we each make fifty thousand a year, then the 
tax on our combined one hundred thousand filed as a married income will be
substantially higher than the combined tax on our individual fifty thousand 
incomes filed singly.

--James Preston
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:14676 news.answers:2302
From: adams@spss.com (Steve Adams)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,news.answers
Subject: misc.consumers FAQ on credit diff 3 of 3
Date: 30 Jul 92 14:48:50 GMT
Expires: +25 days
Followup-To: misc.consumers
Distribution: usa
Organization: SPSS Inc.

Archive-name: consumer-credit-faq/diff3
Last-modified: 30 July 1992


Please see part 1 for explanations.

12c12
< Last-modified: 20 May 1992
---
> Last-modified: 30 July 1992
-- 
 The opinions expressed above are those of the author and not SPSS, Inc.
                        -------------------
     adams@spss.com                           Phone: (312) 329-3522
     Steve Adams                              Fax:   (312) 329-3558
From: ts@cup.portal.com (Tim W Smith)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: State income taxes
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 92 00:56:25 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Distribution: usa

> I'm going to be moving out of California at the end of August.
> Considering that I was a CA resident for most of the year, will I still
> have to file a CA state income tax return?  I'm particular interested in
> filing because I believe that CA will end up owing me come April 15,
> 1993.  The state I'm moving to has no state income tax.  Could someone
> please inform me if I can do this legally under the CA state tax code?

Me too (leaving the IOU State for another state, that is.)

It might be wise to adjust the withholding on your last couple of
paychecks before you move, so that you will owe California money
on April 15th.  This has two advantages:

	1. More cash to deal with moving expenses.

	2. Less chance of having to deal with trying to get cash for
	an IOU (excuse me, "Registered Warrant") from the IOU State,
	in case they haven't solved the budget problem by then. :-(
	I wouldn't want to try to convince some random non-California
	back that they should cash the damn thing.

--Tim Smith
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: acheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Albert Cheng)
Subject: Re: Cheap, Sturdy Bookcases?
Originator: acheng@shalom.ncsa.uiuc.edu
Organization: Nat'l Ctr for Supercomp App (NCSA) @ University of Illinois
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 06:19:43 GMT

>Blocks-and-boards shelving frequently gets dismissed as tacky college-
>student stuff, but if sturdy storage space on the cheap is more important
>than matching your interior-decoration scheme, it's impossible to beat. 

I used to have those Blocks-boards shelving but started to worry they
come crashing down if someone bumps it.  With a little daughter now, I
even worry more.  There is no way to secure them to walls.  Am I
paranoid?
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:14634 rec.travel.air:3643
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.travel.air
Subject: Re: Airline Antitrust Litigation
From: Aron Eisenpress <AFECU@CUNYVM.BITNET>
Date: Wednesday, 29 Jul 1992 18:22:43 EDT
Distribution: usa
Organization: City University of New York/ University Computer Center

Two additional notes from my reading of the legalese:

- The NW vouchers are good for 2 years; the interchangable vouchers (for
  all other airlines) are good for 3.

- The blackout dates are around Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's.
-------

 -- Aron Eisenpress, City U of NY
    (AFECU@CUNYVM.BITNET, or AFECU@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU on the Internet)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: Middle-class salary range
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 02:46:52 GMT

jdavidso@teknowledge.com (Jim Davidson) writes:
: 
: Well, again, your house may have cost less than $250k, which the the avg price
: for a basic house in this area.  
: 
: To cover a $250k house, you need income of, say $60k.  People who are just
: starting out usually don't make that much; hence the need for both spouses to
: work.

People who are just starting out seldom can afford a home. They usually have
to pinch pennies for 5-10 years before they can manage.

Bill

From: brett@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Brett K. Carver)
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 18:06:46 GMT
Subject: Re: State income taxes
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Santa Rosa, CA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers

In misc.consumers, jca@crash.cts.com (John C. Archambeau) writes:
> Considering that I was a CA resident for most of the year, will I still
> have to file a CA state income tax return?

In general anytime you move between states you have to file tax returns for
BOTH states for that tax year.  If you're lucky one or both will have a
special short form for a partial tax year and/or give you some tax credit
for taxes paid in the other state.  But you still have to file both returns.

I would assume if one of the states has no state tax, they there will be
for form to file for that state, but you still have to file for the other
state.

							Brett Carver
							brett@sr.hp.com

Not a CPA, but the son of one...
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:14509 misc.consumers.house:9848
From: crawford@ben.dev.upenn.edu (Lauren L. Crawford)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: ARK
Keywords: Rain rain go away
Date: 27 Jul 92 16:59:27 GMT
Followup-To: misc.consumers
Distribution: na
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

In article <1217@stake.DaytonOH.NCR.COM> emolinar@stake.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Elizabeth Molinaro) writes:
>
>        I am thinking of abandoning work on my old house and
>        beginning an ark.
>
>        Anyone have a set of plans on hand? 
>
>        EM

So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.  This is how you are to build it:  The ark is to be 40 feet
long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high.  Make a roof for it and finish the ark
to within 18 inches of the top.  Put a door in the side of the ark and make 
lower, middle and upper decks.
		--Genesis 6:14-16

Happy sailing.  

--Lauren

-- 
===============================================================================
Lauren Crawford  //  crawford@ben.dev.upenn.edu
"What a waste it is to lose one's mind, or not to have a mind is being very
wasteful.  How true that is."--J. Danforth Quayle to United Negro College Fund 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: allanc@cs.su.oz.au (Restless Wanderer)
Subject: Re: MSG
Reply-To: allanc@cluster.cs.su.oz (Restless Wanderer)
Organization: Basser Dept of Computer Science, University of Sydney, Australia
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 00:21:58 GMT

In article <1992Jul22.165731.23990@walter.bellcore.com> jchen@ctt.bellcore.com writes:
>In article <1992Jul22.164206.732@cs.yale.edu>, nathan@laplace.biology.yale.edu (Nathan F. Janette) writes:
>|> In article <1992Jul22.144117.20399@walter.bellcore.com>  
>|> jchen@cash.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Jason Chen) writes:
>|> > normal person. Even for those who are allergic to it, the symptoms are
>|> > typically short and mild. Very few had strong reactions, none has died
>|> > from consuming it.

This is INCORRECT.
The coronial inquest into the death of a 19 year old woman,who ate at
a chinese restraunt.Concluded that the woman had died of the food additice
Mono Sodium Glutimaye (MSG).It was proven in the autopsy that the woman had died from an allergic reaction to this substance.

From memory the restraunt was still trading but has redyced the MSG used
to suit tastes.Most places here now have signs saying "No added MSG ".

Allanc


Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: nick@socrates.umd.edu (Nick Lemberos)
Subject: PULSAR watch repair
Organization: University of Maryland University College
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 16:41:25 GMT

I have a Pulsar Alarm Chronograph that needs repair, 800 info does
not have a listing for Pulsar...does anyone have a number for them?
I need an authorized dealer (one tried to fix it and made it worse)
thanks

nick

-- 
Nick Lemberos					nick@socrates.umd.edu 
   Academic Computing				     ^ sew-crates
      "Doing life with no chance for parole"       -L. Anderson
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: webdw@cbnews.cb.att.com (bruce.d.woods)
Subject: Re: MSG
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 14:36:09 GMT

In article <2148@tymix.Tymnet.COM> rklute@enchanter.tymnet.com (Robert Klute) writes:
>In article <1992Jul22.201823.3688@walter.bellcore.com> jchen@ctt.bellcore.com writes:
>>
>>60 Minutes is an excellent program. It is one of my must-sees. But
>>it also has made several major mistakes in the past.  The story
>>of "Unintended acceleration" almost killed Audi. To date, Audi
>>has not fully recovered from it. The episode on MSG, was another
>>biased report.
>>
>The Audi acceleration problem does exist.  It happened to me, once.  I own a 1980 5000.  

I agree that 60 Minutes, in general, is one of the better programs
on TV and they do make mistakes...  
HOWEVER, MSG is a real problem for some.  I can tell within 2 hours
when I have inadvertantly eaten a restaurant meal laced with MSG.
My heart rate goes up and I get shaky like I just drank some powerful
coffee.  It does pass, apparently w/o harm, but I don't enjoy being
revved up like that.  Now, unless I know in advance about a Chinese
resturant's avoidance of MSG, I don't eat at them anymore.  (They
have been the biggest users of MSG in the past to my knowledge.)

BDW
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: kenny@osf.org (Kenneth Crudup)
Subject: Re: radio/tape/CD players
Keywords: junk, garbage,trash, %$#&@
Organization: Open Software Foundation
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 19:34:07 GMT

In article <1992Jul29.143552.13802@ms.uky.edu>
diaz@ms.uky.edu (Christopher S. Diaz) writes:
>I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one.  I got a D-180K in Jan. of
>'90.  It played one song then went dead.  

...more tales of woe from Sony portable CD players deleted....

I'm sorry to hear that. I used a D2 (the cheapest Sony portable) in the
*glove compartment* of my car w/no padding, etc. for a year. I then upgraded
to the D-180 (Car CD player- better skip-tracking), stuck that in the glove-
compartment for another year, and presently have no trouble with it at all.

	-Kenny
-- 
Kenneth R. Crudup, Contractor, OSF DCE QA
OSF, 11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142	+1 617 621 7306
kenny@osf.osf.org			OSF has nothing to do with this post.