HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: kev@osf.org (Kevin Till)
Subject: Re:  The GM MasterCard
Organization: Open Software Foundation
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 13:23:07 GMT

In article <9209251906.AA27243@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, asa@STL-09SIMA.ARMY.MIL (Will Martin on 9000) writes:
|> What might be really important about this GM card and it's accumulated
|> rebate-on-car-purchase amount is just how this is implemented. Can you
|> dicker with the dealer as usual up front, get all the money issues
|> settled (trade-in amounts, if any, exactly what you will pay, any
|> dealer added-on charges and legal/title fees, etc.) and then, after a 
|> bottom-line amount is decided upon, produce this GM rebate credit
|> and have that chopped off that bottom line? Or does it have to be
|> brought up at the beginning, so it gets meshed in with all the other
|> variable amounts a new-car deal involves, and so it becomes essentially
|> invisible at the end of the negotiations?
|> 
|> Or do you get it paid in cash to you direct from GM after you buy the car
|> and send them proof of purchase or something? Do you have to wait to
|> get it after you buy the car, or can you use it for down payment?
|> 
|> Will

	Best to call GM @
				1-800-8GM-CARD
-- 
Kevin T. Till	
System Engineering
Open Software Foundation
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: jgg@fc.sde.hp.com (Jay Geertsen)
Subject: Cordless phones
Reply-To: jgg@fc.sde.hp.com
Organization: HP SESD, Fort Collins, CO
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.4 PL6]
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 18:50:46 GMT

My wife and I are interested in getting a cordless phone to replace the
model we have now.  We do not need pre-programmed numbers, paging, nor
intercom capabilities.  More than two channels would be nice, but not
necessary.  Reliability and dependability would be _very_ nice.  We are
looking for something in the $80 - $120 range, but I'd like to hear
about anything, even if it's more than $120.

Please send me Email or respond here--I'll read the group for a while to
monitor responses.

- Jay Geertsen
  jgg@fc.sde.hp.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: esther@verdix.com (Esther Lumsdon)
Subject: Re: How do I handle Phone harassment?
Organization: Verdix Corp.
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 21:00:14 GMT

niebuhr@bnlux1.bnl.gov (david niebuhr) writes:

>We were able to stop this junk when Call Return and Trap and Trace
>were made available on my exchange and the punk was called back after
>one of these calls and some of her exact words were repeated to her.
>End of harrassment.

Call Return is a frequent topic in comp.risks.  Call Return can be
fooled by call forwarding.  It's not reliable.  Trap and Trace is supposed
to be spoof-proof.
-- 
------ Esther Lumsdon   employed by, not speaking for, Verdix Corporation
     It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
  esther@verdix.com  or  esther%verdix.com@uunet.uu.net
From: lederman@taney.uscghq.uscg.mil
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Waterbed question about heaters
Date: 5 Oct 92 13:23:52 EST
Organization: United States Coast Guard

In article <UenBTEq00WB71Jv6cA@andrew.cmu.edu>, "Rudolph R. Zung" <ru+@CMU.EDU> writes:
> I want to know if anyone has heater problems with their waterbed heaters
> like what I'm about to describe.

    I don't have a water bed.  However, from your description, you
 may well be getting capacitive (not inductive) coupling between
 yourself, the heater, and ground.

    Did the meter reading and/or buzzing noise change if you
 reverse the heater plug in teh socket (if you can)?

    If the heater has a three prong plug, does it have some outer
 coating which is grounded?  If so, are you sure your electrical
 outlet is properly grounded?

    Is it possible to put a metal screen or aluminum fil between
 the heater and the waterbed and ground it, and does that make a
 difference?
From: 6648470@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: re:waterbed question about heaters
Date: 5 Oct 92 19:02:38 GMT
Article-I.D.: LMSC5.92279.42909.6648470
Organization: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.

------------------------- Original Article -------------------------
In article UenBTEq00WB71Jv6cA@andrew.cmu.edu, "Rudolph R. Zung" <ru+@CMU.EDU> ()
>
>Now, try this with your water bed. You need two people, including yourself.
>     experiment deleted...
> No, you are not unlucky. I have had a similar problem with my waterbed.
>    explanation of magnetic field deleted...
 Because of the controversy surrounding the effect of magnetic fields on humans
(thought to increase risk of various cancers, esp. in the young) we put our
waterber heater on a timer switch.  It is on in the day when we aren't using
it, and off at night.  Of course that may not work for you...
Ralph Byrd

 RBYRD@LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM
From: gemmellj@merrimack.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: DISCOVER card
Date: 4 Oct 92 16:42:49 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Merrimack College, No. Andover, MA, USA

In article <adams.718042574@spssig>, adams@spss.com (Steve Adams) writes:
> hedges@pilot.njin.net (Douglas Hedges) writes:
> 
>>Edward_Engler@transarc.com writes:
>>
>>>There are a few places that only accept Discover (besides Sears).  One
>>>that comes to mind is Pace Membership Warehouse.  Previously, they took
>>>only cash or checks.  I believe that Discover has the lowest merchant
>>
>>[deleted]
>>
>>Same goes for Sam's Wholesale Club.  That's the only card they
>>accept.  (Maybe that's why Sears is selling its Discover card
>>unit among other things; they got tired of Wal-Mart and others
>>thumbing them in the eye).
> 
> IMHO, Sears is selling Discover (actually Dean Whitter) because Sears stock 
> is terribly undervalued.  Breaking up the company will proved the
> stockholders with a greater value than the current share price of Sears
> alone. 
> 
> Current stockholders will divide 80% of Dean Whitter, with the other 20%
> going to the general public.

so, what will happen to discover card?  Who will buy it???? What changes
will happen to my account??
From: simpson@steam.Xylogics.COM (Reid Simpson)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Don't use CHECKS IN THE MAIL
Date: 6 Oct 92 21:21:03 GMT
Reply-To: simpson@steam.Xylogics.COM (Reid Simpson)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Xylogics, Inc. Burlington, MA, USA 01810

Well, the Subject is a bit harsh but thanks for letting us know that
they are backed up. I received checks last month after a three week
wait. I was wondering if the massive blanket marketing they've done over
the last two month was effective... I guess it was! (I keep expecting to
have one of those blue-green ad/order-forms drop out of the cereal box
in the morning 8^)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reid Simpson							 Xylogics, Inc.
Software Engineer			     53 Third Ave. Burlington, MA 01803
simpson@Xylogics.COM						   617-272-8140
From: adams@spss.com (Steve Adams)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: DISCOVER card
Date: 2 Oct 92 16:16:14 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: SPSS Inc.

hedges@pilot.njin.net (Douglas Hedges) writes:

>Edward_Engler@transarc.com writes:
>
>>There are a few places that only accept Discover (besides Sears).  One
>>that comes to mind is Pace Membership Warehouse.  Previously, they took
>>only cash or checks.  I believe that Discover has the lowest merchant
>
>[deleted]
>
>Same goes for Sam's Wholesale Club.  That's the only card they
>accept.  (Maybe that's why Sears is selling its Discover card
>unit among other things; they got tired of Wal-Mart and others
>thumbing them in the eye).

IMHO, Sears is selling Discover (actually Dean Whitter) because Sears stock 
is terribly undervalued.  Breaking up the company will proved the
stockholders with a greater value than the current share price of Sears
alone. 

Current stockholders will divide 80% of Dean Whitter, with the other 20%
going to the general public.

 -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
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: reb@Ingres.COM (Phydeaux)
Subject: Average daily balance over *two* periods! (was: DISCOVER card)
Reply-To: reb@Ingres.COM (Phydeaux)
Organization: E 4th St Home For The Overeducated Underemployed - Chicago Div.
Distribution: usa
Date: 5 Oct 92 17:22:52 GMT

In article <1992Oct2.210821.23440@osf.org> kev@osf.org (Kevin Till) writes:
>In article <1992Oct2.164126.23639@iplmail.orl.mmc.com>, artc@iplmail.orl.mmc.com (Art) writes:
>|> About a year ago -> I've learned about a new credit 
>|> card that is a great combo. of my AMEX & Discover card:
>|> Ford Credit Card!!!

I just got offered a gold visa in the mail.  Everything looked normal,
no fee, 25 day grace period, 14.9%, etc.  But the fine  print revealed
that the  finance charge is  calculated on the "Average daily  balance
over two periods."  The calculation over *two* periods seems to  me to
be quite lucrative for them.   If you pay  your card off one month but
don't the next they *still* charge you interest based on what you have
already  paid off.  If you take  a cash advance  it gets  even better!
Beware!
				reb
-- *-=#= Phydeaux =#=-* reb@ingres.com  or  reb%ingres.com@lll-winken.llnl.GOV
ICBM:  41.55N 87.40W  h:828 South May Street  Chicago,  IL 60607  312-733-3090
w:reb Ingres 10255 West Higgins Road Suite 500 Rosemont, IL 60018 708-803-9500
==============================================================================
"You've got  to know when  to code 'em,  know when to load 'em,   know when to 
emulate,  know when to run.  You never count your money,  when your sittin' at 
the keyboard: there'll be time enough for countin', when the software's done."
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: giand@opencon.com (Deepak S. Gianchandani)
Subject: Baggae Checking and Bomb Scare (Re: Damn those airlines!)
Organization: OpenCon Systems, Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 01:13:16 GMT

In article <lch5mgINNsrb@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM> malladi@shanti1.Eng.Sun.COM writes:
>In article IKH@hpuerca.atl.hp.com, der@hpuerca.atl.hp.com (Dave Ritchie) writes:
>>Evidently the Israeli airline handles it this way:
>>
>>1. All bags are lined up on the tarmac.
>>
>>2. The passenger retrieves his bags and gives them to the baggage 
>>handlers. The passenger then boards the plane.
>>
>>3. Unclaimed baggage is left.
>>
>>This is third hand info, of course..... I have not flow overseas.
>>
>>-- Dave Ritchie
>>der@hpuerca.atl.hp.com
>>
> This how it has been done in India -both domestic and inernational
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	Yeah! and how current is this news :-).

	Not in April 1991 (Pan Am) -- And don't any one start up on
	Pan-Am flight 103 :-). They did have this checking right
	after flight 103 problem.

	I should add one more thing, if this is such a Major problem,
	i.e. baggage checking, with people then WHY is that majority of the 
	US companies don't do this ?? (One idea -- because baggage is
	just one way of blowing up a plane -- look at other security
	risks as reported on the News -- The majority of the Airports
	are in the open -- one doesn't have to have a bomb in the BAG
	to blow up a plane)




-- 

Deepak S. Gianchandani
E-mail:giand@opencon.com
From: mjln_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Mikeey Jean Lin)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Northwest frequent flier program (how long do they keep my record?)
Date: 1 Oct 92 20:25:04 GMT
Organization: University of Rochester - Rochester, New York

In <19811@ector.cs.purdue.edu> lin@cs.purdue.EDU (Chueng-Hsien Lin) writes:


>   I have questions about Northwest Frequent Flier program (World Perks). How
>long do they keep a customer's mileage record? Is there an 800 number I can
>call and ask about my mileage record?

>Thanks,
>--lin@cs.purdue.edu

	I believe it's (800)692-8687.
It not, try (800)44-PERKS or (800)225-2525.
Hope this helps! 8-)

				Mikeey
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: niebuhr@bnlux1.bnl.gov (david niebuhr)
Subject: Re: Is PC Richards Chapter 11?
Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 16:25:04 GMT

In article <1992Sep26.023106.8368@panix.com> kgs@panix.com (Karen Schneider) writes:
>Sorry for the crude grammar--I've recently relocated to the East Coast,
>and I hear that P.C.Richards, the chain of electronics/appliance stores,
>has declared bankruptcy.  Does  anyone know if this is true?  I think I
>would be better off buying a microwave oven from a solvent company--
>though I imagine a company in trouble might be more willing to bargain,
>particularly for cash.
>
>Facts/opinions/ideas all welcome...
>
>kgs@panix.com

It isn't PC Richard's that is out of business; it is Newmark and
Lewis, a direct competitor.  PC Richards took over some of the N & L
stores as a way of expanding their customer base.

PC Richards is a reliable consumer appliance retailer and stands by
what it sells.  I've never bought from them but have heard nothing
but good reports.

Dave


-- 

Dave Niebuhr      Internet: niebuhr@bnl.gov / Bitnet: niebuhr@bnl
Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton, NY 11973  (516)-282-3093

Xref: sparky misc.consumers:17199 aus.general:1719
From: fpaterra@kong.gsfc.nasa.gov (Frank Paterra - CTA)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,aus.general
Subject: Re: Why you shouldn't buy Nestle
Summary: honest question
Date: 28 Sep 92 12:49:22 GMT
Organization: Huh?

I'm asking this question because I really don't know.  I thought it was
possible for a woman to milk herself (for lack of a better phase) and
save her milk in for later consumption by their child.  If this is indeed
the case, and in fact children have trouble eating without a bottle 
after being fed formula, couldn't the mothers simply put their breast
milk in bottles for the children if they could not afford the formula?

Please don't flame, this is an honest question.

Thanks,
From: jms@vision.sarnoff.com (Jerry Shapiro x2420)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: How long for refund from HUD (lump sum MIP)
Date: 30 Sep 92 21:10:32 GMT
Reply-To: jms@vision.sarnoff.com
Organization: David Sarnoff Research Center

I refinanced at the end of Feb. 
I sent my notarized form at the begining of April
I got my refund in July.
The check cleared!!!

Jerry
From: vanover@bcsaic.boeing.com (Jann VanOver)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Quicken Checks not from Intuit?
Date: 30 Sep 92 23:02:01 GMT
Organization: Boeing Computer Services AI Center, Seattle

In article <FAIGIN.92Sep29081853@soldan.aero.org> faigin@aero.org (Daniel P. Faigin) writes:
>On 28 Sep 1992 19:04:13 GMT, egreen@east.sun.com (Ed Green - Pixel Cruncher)
>said: 
>> If you want all your loans, insurance policies, stocks, bank accounts,
>> tax records, and wine collection in one place, where you can push the
>> "net worth" button and watch it all add up, use MYM.  If you do all
>> that on your own (computer S/W there or not), but you want to put your
>> checking account and maybe a few mutual funds on line, use Quicken.
>
>Actually, you can do all of that with Quicken. Loans are liability accounts;
>insurance policies are asset accounts; stocks are investment accounts; bank
>accounts are self-explanatory; tax record are based on the allocations of
>accounts and expense categories as taxible (including tax form lines); and
>wine collections are asset accounts.
>
>Daniel
>--

Let me guess - Ed Green has seen Quicken for the Mac, Daniel has Quicken
for the PC.  The Mac version does not have investment accounts.  We must
be careful that we know what we're talking about.

Anyway, this has moved away from misc.consumers and into comp.misc.
Back to where to buy checks...

-- 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
VanOver@atc.boeing.com
       "Why don't y'all go home?"     Bette Davis in The Little Foxes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
From: faigin@aero.org (Daniel P. Faigin)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Quicken Checks not from Intuit?
Date: 29 Sep 92 08:18:53
Organization: The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: soldan.aero.org
In-reply-to: egreen@east.sun.com's message of 28 Sep 1992 19:04:13 GMT

On 28 Sep 1992 19:04:13 GMT, egreen@east.sun.com (Ed Green - Pixel Cruncher)
said: 
> If you want all your loans, insurance policies, stocks, bank accounts,
> tax records, and wine collection in one place, where you can push the
> "net worth" button and watch it all add up, use MYM.  If you do all
> that on your own (computer S/W there or not), but you want to put your
> checking account and maybe a few mutual funds on line, use Quicken.

Actually, you can do all of that with Quicken. Loans are liability accounts;
insurance policies are asset accounts; stocks are investment accounts; bank
accounts are self-explanatory; tax record are based on the allocations of
accounts and expense categories as taxible (including tax form lines); and
wine collections are asset accounts.

Daniel
--
[W]:The Aerospace Corp. M1/055 * POB 92957 * LA, CA 90009-2957 * 310/336-8228
[Email]:faigin@aerospace.aero.org              [Vmail]:310/336-5454 Box#13149
   "You can't be a rationalist in an irrational world. It isn't rational!"
	       Dr. Rance, in Joe Orton's "What the Butler Saw"
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Date: Fri,  2 Oct 1992 19:14:24 -0400 
From: "Rudolph R. Zung" <ru+@CMU.EDU>
Subject: Waterbed question about heaters

I want to know if anyone has heater problems with their waterbed heaters
like what I'm about to describe.

I have a waterbed correctly set up: frame, heater pad, liner, water bag,
thermal sheet/pad, sheets, comforter/blanky.

Now, try this with your water bed. You need two people, including yourself.
Get one person to get on the water bed, and the other person stands next to
the bed but not touching it. (I'm not sure if this is significant, but when
I was doing this, we were skimpily dressed...) Now, one person should
lightly run his/her finger along the helix of the other persons ear (helix
is the external part of the ear.) Alright, when we did this, the person
whose ear was rubbed would hear buzzing, and feel some slight vibration
from the finger. Anyway, out came the multimeter: I held one probe, and my
girlfriend held the other probe; with the heater unplugged, the reading was
some small number (can't remember what it was, but it was not zero); with
the heater plugged in, the voltage jumped up to something in the teens.
I was not happy. I drained the bed, went out and bought a NEW heating pad
and controller (made by different manufacturer) and installed that. Did the
same experiment again with the same damn results. I'm pretty certain that
it is the heater that is causing all this, because none of the buzzing and
vibration would occur if the heating pad is unplugged.

So am I just plain unlucky with heating pads? Is something else causing
this? Or is this some unavoidable thing because the heating pad is doing
something by induction or whatever and is happily charging up my water
bag? Anybody else have this problem.

--
...Ru     Names and places have been identified to protect the anonymous.
   mcmxcII
   Make the world a better place.
   Give the gift of kindness.


InterNet: ru+@cmu.edu          BITnet  : rz02+@andrew 
UUCP    : ...!{ucbvax, harvard}!andrew.cmu.edu!rz02+         
R Zung \ (412) 681-6468 \ CMU Box 231 \ Pittsburgh PA 15213
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:17210 misc.legal:17792
From: bkorb@starbase.Convergent.Com (Bruce Korb)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.legal
Subject: Re: Bar Code == Mark Of The Beast ???
Date: 28 Sep 92 16:55:34 GMT
Reply-To: bkorb@convergent.com
Followup-To: misc.consumers
Distribution: usa
Organization: Unisys Open Systems Group, San Jose

The guy that wrote the original article had a little difficulty understanding
the significance of some of the prophesies in the book of Revelation.
His concern was that Armageddon was coming and it is being heralded
by bar coding coming into widespread use and that *both* bar coding and
magnetic striping were sinful to use.

I know that this fellow is earnest in his concerns, but I think he may
be a little over excited:

1.  The sinful use of markings comes from two specific properties:
    First, and most important, it will be used to decide who will be allowed
    to purchase necessities through "normal" commercial channels.
    (Perhaps due to massive shortages caused by the death of the oceans
    and the loss of productivity on the land?  Such a scenario might
    lead governments to draconian measures to limit populations, perhaps
    making people "illegal persons" and thus ineligible to participate
    in society.  This is a sin because God loves *all* people, unconditionally.
    Secondly, the marker will be imbeded in the hand (thus preventing
    forgery or multiple use).  This is a mutilation of one's body.
    Note that this is not the same as scanning a fingerprint.  This is
    the embedding of a device for the purpose of id.

    The enabling technology for this is not in and of itself sinful.
    It is currently in use for identifying pets and probably cattle.
    A very reasonable and legitimate use.  And it undoubtedly not a
    bar code or a magnetic stripe that they embed beneath a dog's skin!

2.  Before any of this happens, a lot of other things have to happen.
    This will be a world-wide identifier, so before it comes into use
    there must be a world-wide authority.  (The U.N. ain't there yet.)
    Before that happens, the world must amalgamate into 10 mega-nations.
    These trading blocks are a start in that direction, but they won't
    be unifying tomorrow, either.

3.  Then, of course, there are the environmental issues that "force"
    these decisions:  The oceans *are* beginning to die, but there
    is still a fair amount of life left.  People are expected to start
    coming down with a lot of skin disease (melanoma?), and the ozone
    layer is getting weaker.

What it comes down to is this:  if you are afraid of the coming of
armageddon (a reasonable thing to do -- it won't be any fun), then
there are three things you can do:

1)  Try to prevent it.  Not by labeling enabling technology as sinful,
    but by avoiding the *conditions* that "force" it to happen
    (global ecological catastrophies) or that allow a single earthly ruler
    to take control.

2)  Prepare for it.

3)  Pretend it isn't going to happen.

-- 
   Bruce Korb  -  bkorb@convergent.com  -  (408) 456-5507
   Convergent Technologies, aka Unisys, aka Sperry Univac, aka Burroughs
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: wynee@eagle.larc.nasa.gov (WLJ)
Subject: Re: Optifast
Organization: NASA/Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 18:39:50 GMT

The cold feeling is do to the reduced blood volume, not reduced metabolism.  
It doesn't slow down your metabolism.  Most people who are heavy already have
slow metabolisms.  You are usually encouraged to exercise because,as a rule,
exercise can help increase an already sluggish metabolism.
--
************They're my opinions and you can't have them!*************

Wynee Johnson 				Assoc. Programmer Analyst
Unisys/NASA-Langley Research Center	Hampton,VA 23666
wynee@eagle.larc.nasa.gov		(804) 864-7419
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: mahesh@amnese.eng.uab.edu (B.G. Mahesh)
Subject: Recommendation wanted for GRUNDIG Yatch boy radio
Originator: mahesh@amnese.eng.uab.edu
Reply-To: mahesh@evb.com
Organization: SETT, Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 02:47:00 GMT

Hi,

I am thinking of buying a 12 band GRUNDIG yatch boy 220
shortwave  radio. DAMARK is selling it for $79. Free
shipping and handling. Is this is a good radio? Please
respond by email only as I don't have direct access to this
group.

thanks


-- 
B.G. MAHESH                           | Email : mahesh@evb.com
Software Engineer                     |         
SETT Inc. (Affiliated to EVB Software Engineering, Inc.)
Frederick MD                          
Newsgroups: misc.consumers