HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: misc.consumers

In misc.consumers, odell@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Bernard O'Dell) writes:

> Son who just moved to San Fran overlooking the Bay has
> asked about a telescope for Christmas-I guess I should
> have a better idea of what he intends to use it for, but
> I don't--he says he is very high up overlooking the bay--
> he could see the pilots of the Blue Angels as they flew by.
> Soo, I've looked at the following brands--
> 
> 
>   Jason 500x Rotary Power Astronomical Model 502-$215.
>   Tasco 42 to 334X Astronomical -$299.
>   Tasco 30 to 90X-Model 44TR-$120.
>   Tasco 30 to 200X Model 132T-$195.
>   Tasco 525X 60mm Model 58T-$110.
> 
> Which of these or others are the best for the money.
> Where are the best places to look, compare and buy?
> 
> Thanks--Bern O'Dell

I agree that it depends on what your son wants to use it for, but if it's
for astronomical observation, then I think you're in the wrong news group. 
There's a FAQ in sci.astro that talks about buying telescopes - among other 
things.  The buy telescopes FAQ was just recently posted (the header...at 
least on our system):

 4:59 am  Dec 15, 1992            sci.astro                    Note 262 of 262
                 Purchasing Amateur Telescopes FAQ (part 2/2)   No responses

Be forewarned that the list of telescopes you have above will most likely be
considered trash in the sci.astro news group.

Bob Jewett
raj@fc.hp.com
From: briang@bari.Eng.Sun.COM (Brian Gordon)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Financial software
Date: 16 Dec 1992 21:50:13 GMT
Organization: Sun
NNTP-Posting-Host: bari

In article <1gmcqjINNear@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> jxs18@po.CWRU.Edu (Jerry Sy) writes:
<
<In a previous article, jimh@pacdata.uucp (Jim Harkins) says:
<
<<In article <DOUGLIS.92Dec14143749@chimay.MITL.COM> douglis@chimay.MITL.COM (Fred Douglis) writes:
<<<So all in all I don't think price is the right reason to skip MYM.
<<
<<I posted the original question, email indicates MYM is better than quicken
<<but costs twice as much.  At my local Egghead Quicken is around $40, MYM is
<<$45.  Price isn't a factor....
<<
<
<why not call Meca Software directly at 1-800-937-2045 and order your copy
<for only $29.95 ?
<

Is that a sales price?  I recall it as an update price for existing customers.
--
:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:
| Brian G. Gordon	briang@Sun.COM    		briang@netcom.COM     |
| B.GORDON2 on GENie	70243,3012 on CompuServe	BGordon on AOL	      |
:-:- Hi! I am a .signature virus. Copy me into your .signature to join in! -:-:
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,soc.culture.japan,misc.entrepreneurs
From: k3amichi@student.business.uwo.ca (Kentaro Nakamichi)
Subject: Re: DOES AMERICA SAY YES TO JAPAN? - Off track!!
Organization: University of Western Ontario
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 09:30:00 GMT

jkapson@ad-29.Naitc.Com (John Kapson) writes:

> During Bush's trip to Japan with the auto company execs, I could swear
> I heard on NPR that the Marysville, OH Honda plant built cars that had
> more American-manufactured parts than _anything_ built by Chrysler. 
> I noted this because I was living in Detroit at the time and, oddly
> enough, none of the local papers made any mention of this tidbit. 
> Anyone else hear this?

You probably heard it mentioned by Robert Reich in one of his past 
publications.  I thin khe mentioned that Honda had more American content 
than a Chrysler in a past issue of the Harvard Business Review.  
Apparently, Robert Reich often mis-states facts, often by significant 
magnitudes with numbers :-0  This turned out to be one that was distorted 
and completely untrue.  However, Honda had at least 50% North American 
content as it was able to ship cars from its plant in Alliston, Ontario, 
Canada into the US duty-free under the Auto Pact.  When the Auto Pact was 
replaced by the Free Trade Agreement, the content requirement was raised 
to 62.5% at which point there was a big debate as to whether Honda met 
this requirement or not.  Thus, one could probably argue that around 60%^ 
or so of Honda's value-added probably occurs in North America and 
benefits North American workers by this same percentage.

k3amichi@student.business.uwo.ca (Kentaro Nakamichi)
Western Business School  --  London, Ontario
From: john@zygot.ati.com (John Higdon)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: PRODIGY New and improved STILL SUCKS, HORRIBLE as before
Keywords: prodigy, stage.dat, msdos
Date: 20 Dec 92 18:46:51 GMT
Organization: Green Hills and Cows

In article <102611@netnews.upenn.edu> lginzb@ccat.sas.upenn.edu (Lionel Ginzburg) writes:

>Though, I should note, like many letters to 2600, his letter is signed
>with a pseudonym. Not knowing this person, and not having seen the junk
>mail he alludes to, I can't confirm the authenticity of his remarks. 

Let me assure you that great skepticism is in order here. The noise
level from the 2600 types is at least as high as from any other place.
Just because someone signs a letter with a pseudonym does not mean that
he is any kind of quru or god that has exculsive knowledge of the inner
workings of anything.

While I am no fan of Prodigy, all this "upload scare" is a bunch of
horsefeathers, spawned from some very immature, paranoid people who
have delusions of self-importance. Naturally you can expect some
anecdotal evidence to be created to reinforce the fantasy. People who
really do understand how DOS works pretty well debunked this some time
ago, so now there are the "flying saucer sightings" so to speak, to
keep it alive.

Can we put it to bed at long last?
-- 
 John Higdon  |   P. O. Box 7648   |   +1 408 264 4115     |       FAX:
 john@ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | 10288 0 700 FOR-A-MOO | +1 408 264 4407
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:20994 soc.culture.japan:12662 sci.electronics:21224 alt.sex:40018 soc.culture.african.american:13137 misc.education:5454 misc.entrepreneurs:3691
From: kherron@ms.uky.edu (Kenneth Herron)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Wok followup
Date: 14 Dec 92 13:56:31 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: University Of Kentucky, Dept. of Math Sciences

cloos@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU (James H. Cloos Jr.) writes:

>The Cuisine Wok
>PO Box 9168
>Southhampton, NY  11989
>+1 800 422-8828
>$39.95 + $4.95 S/H (+ 7% sales tax in NY state.) (Prices all USD, of course.)

>Other parts of the ad refer to it as the `Great Wok of China'.

Hmm, just yesterday while christmas shopping I saw the same wok kit
for $29.95 in the housewares dept. of a local store.
-- 
Kenneth Herron                                              kherron@ms.uky.edu
University of Kentucky                                         +1 606 257 2975
Dept. of Mathematics     "Your ball goes over them, it sails off the edge into
a huge cauldren of fire-breathing dragons."  "And they call this a par three?"
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: mutz@inferno.Kodak.COM (Andrew Mutz)
Subject: Contact Lens Mail Order
Organization: Eastman Kodak Company
 
Distribution: us
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 92 21:24:58 GMT

Your mileage may vary.

Andy Mutz

Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r)
Subject: Re: Help !! == cable TV on second floor ==
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 92 00:55:28 GMT

In article <1992Dec14.082117.26496@ads.com> henry@ADS.COM (Henry Mensch) writes:
>lin@cdin-1.compu.com (Lin Chen) wrote: 
>->Solution 1) seems difficult to do as it has to be done between walls, but it 
>->should provide better signal quality. Is this a possable DIY ? Do I need
>->some kind of signal enhancer for the cable to travel about 30 ft to the
>->second floor ? Does this have any thing to do with the cable company?
>
>probably.  read the service agreement you got when your service was
>installed (don't call the cable company to ask any questions until you
>do this; they will insist that the only option you have is the
>highest-profit-to-them option).  i can't imagine the agreement permits
>you to do your own wiring to add support for extra televisions, but do
>your research before talking to cableco.

The cable company has no choice. The same court judgements that gave you 
the right to run your own phone lines and buy your own phones apply here.
Any service agreement that attempts to restrict this sort of thing inside
your home is against Federal law. About the only thing you are forbidden
to do is alter or break equipment that belongs to the cable company. And,
of course, you can't sell or provide the service to a third party.

Do what you like within your own home - Radio Shack will gladly sell you
everything you need. You'll need, for example, a signal splitter (I believe
it takes one for every TV), some cable, outlets, etc.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    | You can't find the answers in the bottom of a
George Patterson -  | whiskey glass, but if you look hard enough, you'll
                    | forget the questions.
                    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: raj@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Bob Jewett)
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 16:36:20 GMT
Subject: Re: Telescopes?
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers

Well, I decided to post the first part of the FAQ from sci.astro here:

1.  What is the single most important thing I should know before  buy-
ing a telescope?

This is the single most important thing you should  get  out  of  this
FAQ: DO NOT BUY YOUR TELESCOPE FROM A DEPARTMENT STORE.  Ignore every-
thing any literature tells you about magnification and such.  Buy from
a telescope store, where you will get a telescope that doesn't make as
big claims, but will give you FAR better performance.

The reason is that as far as telescopes go, how much you  can  magnify
is  a function of the amount of light the telescope receives, which is
almost entirely determined by the telescope's aperture  (the  size  of
the  lens  or mirror that points at the sky).  As far as magnification
goes, you can expect 50x per inch of aperture on a normal night, up to
62.5x  on  an exceptionally clear night (this is the number Meade uses
in calculating their magnifications).

Department stores always show little 2 1/4 inch refractors for  up  to
300+  dollars and say that the refractor can get up to a whopping 600X
or so.  Strictly speaking, this is true.  However,  applying  the  50x
rule,  it  is  easy  to see that 125x would be pushing the optics, and
that's assuming that they were high quality ones.  With the quality of
the  parts they usually give you are lucky to get 100x with reasonable
resolution.

More details will follow.  I put this up at the top  so  even  if  you
read nothing else, you will read this.

------------------

Bob
From: lim@addvax.llnl.gov (Doug Lim)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Cable TV Wiring & Antenna
Keywords: Cable TV, Antenna
Date: 18 Dec 92 19:59:00 GMT
Reply-To: DougLim@llnl.gov
Organization: LLNL
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

Speaking of cable TV cables...I have been using rabbit ears, but have been
getting very bad reception. I am thinking of alternatives and am leaning
towards an antenna (still need to check if this is OK in my area, nobody else
has antennas in my area).

I bought the house new and paid the cable company to put in cable outlets...
the developer would not let me touch "my house" during construction :-(.
Anyway, I hate the idea of paying the cable company the huge monthly fee,
especially since I am the only one living in the house currently [:-( or :-)?].

I was contemplating attaching an antenna into where the cable box (attached to
the side of my house) comes into my house, thus using the existing TV wiring!
Is this legal to do? Is this just like telephone wiring - in my house,
therefore mine? I have been warned by a co-worker to be careful not to
accidently disconnect any of my neighbors cable TV down stream of me as this
used to happen all the time to him when he lived in an apartment. What do I
need to look out for and how can I tell before the cable company and my
neigbors come after me? :-)

I opened up the cable TV box and inside were the following connectors:
   Viewsonics VSSM-HPF-1 High Pass Filter
   Viewsonics VSSRE-4 (1 In Cable Connection, 4 6.5db Out Cable Connections)
   Signal Vision SV-2A 2-Way Splitter

The are connected using the following configuration:

From  In  -------------- Out  In --------- Out   To
Wall -----| VSSM-HPF-1 |---------| SV-2A |------ Wall
          --------------         ---------
                                     | Out
                                     |
                                     | In
                                -----------
                                | VSSRE-4 |
                                -----------
                                 |  |  |  | 6.5db connections
                                 |  |  |  |
                                  To Wall

I have five cable plugs in my house, so am I correct in assuming the five
(4 out of VSSRE-4 and 1 out of SV-2A) going to the wall are to my plugs and the
one cable into the input to the VSSM-HPF-1 is from the street and would be
the cable signal if I subscribed? Can I then just remove the cable going to
the input of VSSM-HPF-1 and connect a cable from my antenna into there instead?

If it makes any difference my cable company is UA Cable in Tracy, CA.

Thanks in advance for any help.
| | | |     +----------------------------------------+
| | | |     |      Doug Lim - DougLim@llnl.gov       |
| | | |__   | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |
| | |___/   |        Computer Scientist - ASD        |
\ \____/    |    (510) 423-6019 FAX: (510)423-2419   |
 \____/     +----------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: kolstad@cae.wisc.edu (Joel Kolstad)
Subject: Re: Tell me about electric blankets
Organization: U of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering
Distribution: na
Date: 14 Dec 92 10:55:44 CST

In article <1992Dec14.092120.20097@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com> billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:
>kolstad@cae.wisc.edu (Joel Kolstad) writes:
>: 
>: Your DC blanket will, of course, generate a magnetic field -- just not an
>: electric one.  Whether or not this is better or worse from the health
>: standpoint is, as you point out, a good question.
>
>Bullshit. It will produce a DC electromagnet field. That field will build
>and collapse as the blanket thermostat cycles.

Um, Bill, for someone who works for a very reputable company on the net
here, I'm surprised you'd use such language.

If you're thinking of blankets that just have an on/off cycle, there will
only be a significant electric field during the moment that the switch does 
cycle.  There may be small fields due to the change in resistivity of the 
blanket while it's on, but for the most part _only_ an magnetic field is 
generated.

If you have a blanket that switches on and off every, say, 15 minutes, the
e-field exposure is going to be pretty insignificant compared to a 60Hz AC
electric blanket.  Consider also that even the electric field generated
when a switching does occur will have a very small frequency component at
60Hz (since the change in the current will be approximately a square wave
of fundamental frequency 1/(15 min*60 s/min)=1/900 Hz).

Finally, the concept of a "DC electromagnetic field" is of dubious value
at best.  When someone says "EM field" the implication is that the two
fields are linked together from one common source, as is the case in AC.
That link is, for almost all pruposes, non-existant in this quasi-static
case.

If you like, I can drudge out Maxwell's equations and show this all
mathematically, but I don't think there's much point.

						---Joel Kolstad

P.S. -- Which division of HP do you work for?  Certainly not one where
they do anything with fields and waves?
From: lou@hpkslx.mayfield.HP.COM (Lou Kvitek)
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 19:15:50 GMT
Subject: Re: Mail order company to buy a camcorder
Organization: HP in Mt View, CA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers

Call 800 information and get the number
for CameraWorld of Oregon.  Excellent prices,
I got my Sony camcorder there.

Lou
From: cab@col.hp.com (Chris Best)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Tell me about electric blankets
Date: 18 Dec 1992 19:00:43 GMT
Organization: your service
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: hpctdke.col.hp.com

> : Your DC blanket will, of course, generate a magnetic field -- just not an
> : electric one.  Whether or not this is better or worse from the health
> : standpoint is, as you point out, a good question.
> 
> Bullshit. It will produce a DC electromagnet field. That field will build
> and collapse as the blanket thermostat cycles.

Maybe a few hundred times a night, but not 1.7 million, which was the original
point.  Is there ANYthing on your body that resonates at the thermostat's
cycle rate?  Not likely.








Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: mf@dancer.cc.bellcore.com (fusco,marc)
Subject: Re: Legal Tender???
Organization: Planet XTC
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 20:48:10 GMT

In article <1992Dec14.162529.12603@fns-nc1.fns.com> gcm@fns-nc1.fns.com (Grover McCoury) writes:
>In article <1992Dec11.171413.11631@porthos.cc.bellcore.com> mf@dancer.cc.bellcore.com (fusco,marc) writes:
>>Have you ever noticed those signs sometimes (usually gas stations) that read:
>>		"Can't accept anything over a $20 bill"?
>>I understand the reasoning for places like gas stations, which may
>>be open late at night and not have alot of cash on hand.........but....
>>Is this legal?
>>
>>Can a business refuse your money (thereby refusing to sell you something)?
>>(wonder what happens if you don't see those usually hand-written
>>_consipicuous_ signs, e.g., at a gas station, and pump first...)
>
>My understanding of this situation is that if a business has a conspicuous sign
>or tells you *before* the sale that they do not accept $XX it is OK - otherwise
>they *must* accept "legal tender"(US $$). If they do not make the restriction
>known *before* the sale and you offer them money and they refuse to accept ->
>you just got a freebie! Can anyone confirm or refute this?  

	My first post cited the 'gas station' as an example but was really 
prompted by a comment from a cafeteria cashier stating that "we don't
usually take $50s".  I'm just wondering [generally] about this,
in any context, with/without signs, etc.
Thanks!
From: lusol@Lehigh.EDU (Stephen O. Lidie)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: 8mm camcorder info
Date: 15 Dec 92 13:41:13 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University, Bethlehem PA

In article <1992Dec15.002946.17204@donner.SanDiego.NCR.COM>
shin@tara.SanDiego.NCR.COM (Chang Shin) writes:
>Hi,
>
>I know this subject has been discussed many times here, but I don't
>have previous info...
>
>My VHS camcorder suddenly refused to work after 3 years. I am looking for
>8mm this time since it is much lighter and easy to carry...
>
>If you can suggest any good brand and model, I would greatly appreciate..
>
>Thanks in advance! 
>
>shin@tara.SanDiego.NCR.COM
>

First, go for Hi-8mm if you can afford it.  Of course, get stereo too!
And Sony now has image-stabilization ... (-:  I have a Sony, last years'
model so it's already outa' date!

Richo (sp?) uses the same basic hardware as Sony but often costs less.
Visit you local video stores like Silo/Circuit City etc. to learn what
models are out there, but don't buy!

When you find the model you like, try mail order to save even more $$.

SOL
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,soc.culture.usa
From: alie@csl.dl.nec.com (Andrew Lie)
Subject: Re: Santa Dollars.......
Keywords: church, state, religion
Organization: NEC America, C & C Software Development Lab
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 22:09:09 GMT

In article <1992Dec11.210223.21105@leland.Stanford.EDU>, rsingh@goliath.Stanford.EDU (   raj) writes:
|> As it is, a LOT of people have trouble with "In God We Trust" being on
|> US notes, so isn't putting Santa's picture on the note not only
|> endorsing religion, but also Christianity.  Comments? Flames?
|> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
|> --raj
|> -- 
|> Rajesh Kumar Singh               E-mail: rsingh@goliath.stanford.edu

Santa has nothing to do with religion, or Christianity.
It is just a benevolent figure reminding us to care and share.
  ____________________________________________________________________________
 [							                      ]
 [  Andrew K. Lie                 *#*  (( Any opinions expressed are mine. )) ]
 [  alie@asl.dl.nec.com          ("=") (( They do not represent the views  )) ]
 [                                =*=  (( of my employer, NEC America, Inc.)) ]
 [____________________________________________________________________________]
From: adams@spss.com (Steve Adams)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Legal Tender???
Date: 11 Dec 92 20:32:16 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: SPSS Inc.

mf@dancer.cc.bellcore.com (fusco,marc) writes:

>Have you ever noticed those signs sometimes (usually gas stations) that read:
>		"Can't accept anything over a $20 bill"?
>I understand the reasoning for places like gas stations, which may
>be open late at night and not have alot of cash on hand.........but....
>Is this legal?
>
>Can a business refuse your money (thereby refusing to sell you something)?
>(wonder what happens if you don't see those usually hand-written
>_consipicuous_ signs, e.g., at a gas station, and pump first...)

If the sign is not in an obvious place, they pretty much have to accept
your money.  Their sign advertising gas for sale is an offer.  Your pumping
it is an acceptance of the offer.  Modifying it AFTER you have pumped the
gas (ie the sign is inside the shop, etc) is not allowed.

If the sign is visible, then their offer is contingent on you paying for
the gas with a $20 or smaller.  If you pump the gas after seeing this sign,
you've accepted the offer and agreed to the terms (ie gas for $1.10/gallon,
no bills larger than $20).  Trying to pay with a larger bill in this case
could well get you in trouble...

How much trouble?  Depends.  If you have a vehicle with a large tank and
put $45 in  and attempt to pay with a $50, it's likely they would take it.
If you put in $3 worth and tried to pay with a $100, it's likely they'd
refuse, and ask you for a credit card, and if you didn't have one, or any
change, or any way of getting change, they could call the local law
enforcement officials to help 'resolve' the issue.

Anyone ever get into this kind of situation?

 -Steve
--
  The opinions expressed above are those of the author and not SPSS, Inc.
                         -------------------
   adams@spss.com                                  Phone: (312) 329-3522
   Steve Adams        "Space-age cybernomad"       Fax:   (312) 329-3558
From: jxs18@po.CWRU.Edu (Jerry Sy)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Financial software
Date: 17 Dec 1992 13:55:08 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: jxs18@po.CWRU.Edu (Jerry Sy)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


In a previous article, hbb@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (harlan.b.braude) says:

>In article <liv94lINN7he@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM> briang@bari.Eng.Sun.COM (Brian Gordon) writes:
>><why not call Meca Software directly at 1-800-937-2045 and order your copy
>><for only $29.95 ?
>><
>>
>>Is that a sales price?  I recall it as an update price for existing customers.
>
>Yes, it's the sale price plus shipping/handling.
>
No!, that is the price, no shipping and handling!

>When you call, they also offer "membership" for an additional $15 which
>gets you a newsletter, toll-free software support number (non-members
>get a toll number,) free media replacement (the copy protection scheme
>allows the sftw to be loaded from the floppies once; if your HD crashes,
>a new copy of the MYM diskette is required,) a copy of Tobias's book,
>free upgrades that occur during the year (the guy said they don't expect
>any for another year) and a discount on the upgrade after the year.
>
that sounds like a good deal, I was never informed of that when I
placed my order.


Newsgroups: misc.consumers,soc.culture.japan,sci.electronics,alt.sex,soc.culture.african.american,misc.education,misc.entrepreneurs