HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: misc.consumers

 I have used a Coleman "white Gas" stove for about 15 years now, and I don't
 even look like Firemarshal Bill. Just use a little common sense. They are
 less convinent than propane because you have to pump the tank. I have a
 freind who ran his on unleaded gas station gas and it didn't work as well
 as the coleman stuff. I didn't think that saving about $100 per weedend was 
 worth it. 
 I know someone else who uses the propane set w/ a big refillable tank and even
 a lantern that is tied into the system, but it set him back about $100 and
 IMHO it is a pain the butt to haul it around.
 If you are useing the little propane trhow aways the, the white gas stoves are  much more economical. As far as running them on gas station unleaded is neat
 in a pinch but the Colman white gas would probably burn a little cleaner.

 Jeff (burning down the house) Brown
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:15715 sci.environment:10895 sci.med:16465
From: ens@ccu.umanitoba.ca
Newsgroups: pdx.consumer,misc.consumers,sci.environment,sci.med
Subject: Re: Avoiding radioactive household products
Date: 27 Aug 92 01:31:34 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada

In <1992Aug26.195222.12179@gasco.com> dlc@gasco.uucp (Darci L. Chapman  x5930) writes:

>> >cbettis@unlinfo.unl.edu (clifford bettis) responds with:
>> For that matter, how about nuke-free bananas?  
>> (Bananas contain potassium, and potassium is one of many elements which,
>> in the naturally occurring mixture of isotopes, are slightly radioactive.
>> People have never lived in a radiation-free environment.)

>So that's why it's okay to add more radiation into our environment?? Because
>we were never radiation free to begin with? Wow, the logic is stunning.

It is really stunning that people are happy to accept one
benefit (bananas) in spite of the risk (40K) when
they shirk from another much smaller risk (radioactivity
in smoke detectors) at the price of much greater benefit
(smoke detection).
From: ed@wente.llnl.gov (Ed Suranyi)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: How to request airline antitrust claim packet?
Date: 29 Aug 92 19:58:17 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: UC Davis Dept of Applied Science at LLNL

In article <1992Aug29.131948.2210@esseye.si.com> jongsma@benzie.si.com writes:
>I would have thought the address was in your wife's packet, but for those 
>that need it, all you have to do is write to Airline Antitrust Litigation
>PO Box 267, Pennsauken, NJ 08110-0267 and request the form.

Actually, the forms (which I just got) list three or four addresses,
depending on which version of the form you need to fill out.  None
of which is the Pennsauken address, as far as I remember.  They've
really spread the paperwork all over the country!

Ed
ed@wente.llnl.gov

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: MCLHAGEE@UKCC.UKY.EDU
Subject: Mortgage Scam??
Organization: University of Kentucky
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 02:15:43 GMT

I'm in the process of selling my house. We have a buyer and have run
into something that seems kind of underhanded dealing with our
original mortgage company that we'll be paying off. Let's call that
company LoanUs Mortgage out of JR, Texas.
 
We set a closing date for Aug 31.  LoanUs was notified (as is the
common procedure) a week before that closing date.  On the phone, we
were told that it would take 6 days to process and they could not fax
or give any details over the phone. The business day before the
closing the paperwork had not arrived. The closing was rescheduled for
the following Tuesday, Sept. 3. When the paperwork arrived we found
out that our FHA loan has a stipulation that if we pay off the loan
after the 1st of the month we'll be charged the full interest rate for
the new month (in our case $425).
 
Essentially, we're being charged 27 days interest *after* we have paid
back the loan! For me, that's more than a week's wages.
Due to other considerations, we are unable to wait until the end of
Sept. (closing on the house we're buying, etc.).
 
Summary
-------
 
LoanUs's 6-day/no fax/phone policy caused us to miss our end-of-month
closing. Now they're getting our September. payments as well as
loaning that same money to someone else! This sounds like some kind of
"Paper Moon" scam...
 
What can we do? Does anybody know if these policies are unusual or
leaning towards illegal?
 
Ironic, the FHA loans are supposed to help "poor" folks buy houses.
How many of you can afford to throw $425 down the drain like that?
 
                             Thanks,
 
                           Jon Hagee
 
Please reply to: MCLHAGEE@UKCC.UKY.EDU
 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: gfowler@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (george h. fowler)
Subject: How to request airline antitrust claim packet?
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 21:01:50 GMT

My wife has received a packet of forms and info so that she can claim 
some airline antitrust settlement certificates. I myself have not gotten
one. However, during the last 5-6 years, we have never traveled by air
except when we were travelin together. So I assume that I am just as
entitled as she is. Can anyone tell me, by posting or by Email, how
to get such a claim packet?
     Thanks.
D    GFowler@IUBACS.Bitnet
     GFowler@UCS.Indiana.EDU

     F
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: hubcap@hubcap.clemson.edu (System Janitor)
Subject: Re: PARALYZER CS tear gas (long followup)
Organization: Clemson University
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1992 17:31:18 GMT


Now that I've read about these tests, I have only one question:

  How can I re-pressurize my capstun canister after I spray out all the
  capstun and refill it with reagent-grade ammonia?

-Mike
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: duggan@terminus.gatech.edu (Rick Duggan)
Subject: Re: ADVICE NEEDED: Former Apartment deduct
Organization: College of Computing
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 01:55:42 GMT

In article <BtLnnM.IJH@news.cso.uiuc.edu> bwhitlock@uiuc.edu writes:
>reb@Ingres.COM (Phydeaux) writes:
>
>>In article <1992Aug24.131520.18936@nynexst.com> schwartz@nynexst.com writes:
>>>Has anyone considered videotaping the cleaned, moved-out-of apartment?
>>>(Don't forget to set the date feature on the camcorder.)
>>>How secure is such evidence in court?
>
>>Setting the date proves nothing, you  can set it  to whatever date you
>>want.  But -- buying a newspaper and videotaping the headline and date
>>along with the rest of the apartment will probably work.
>>								reb
>
>Unfortunately, even this can be tampered with, so it doesn't prove that
>a tape was made on a certain day.  It can prove that a tape wasn't made
>before a certain day, however.  

All of the methods can be tampered with.  After all, you could
reseal the envelope that you sent to yourself.  Your tape is
only as good as your credibility.  If the judge believes your
story to begin with, the tape is icing on the cake.  If the
judge doesn't believe you, the tape does you no good.  The
same goes for still photos.  

-rick

"Random acts of violence just don't do it for me anymore.  Call it 
 maturity.  Bang!  Bang!  Heh, heh." - Cactus Jack WCW Saturday Night 07/04/92
Rick Duggan | duggan@cc.gatech.edu | CS1410 TA - Section A
Office Hours (CC 103): Tue 1:30-3:00 Thu 1:30-2:30
Organization: The American University - University Computing Center
Date: Thursday, 3 Sep 1992 11:50:42 EDT
From: Joni Snyder <JSNYDER@auvm.american.edu>
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Should I buy extended warranty?

In article <1992Sep3.004022.7631@leland.Stanford.EDU>,
triumph@leland.Stanford.EDU (Chung-kao Hsieh) says:
>
>Dear netters,
>
>        I recently went to Circuit City to buy a refrigerator, a washer, and
>a dryer.  All three machines are made by Whirlpool.  The salesperson was
>pushing me into buying their extended warranty.  I remember reading somewhere
>saying that it's not worth buying it.  Could someone share theire
>knowledgeable
>experience with me?  Thank you very much
>
Someone I know is a district manager at Circuit City and he
recommended NOT to buy the extended warrenty, because it's
usually not necessary.  It is very lucrative for Circuit City
and that is why they have this high pressure sales approach.
I dislike Circuit City very much for this reason and only
go there as a last resort.

I did purchase an extended warrenty on a car once.  Luckily I
never had to use it, but it made the sale when I sold that car.

Joni Snyder

>-- Chung-kao Hsieh
>triumph@leland.stanford.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.food.drink,ba.food
From: shla@spf.trw.com (Sheila Wallace)
Subject: Re: Looking for a *great* coffeemaker
Organization: TRW Sensor Data Processing Center, Redondo Beach, CA
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 92 22:21:18 GMT

In article <32=n49a.strnlght@netcom.com> strnlght@netcom.com (David Sternlight) writes:
>
>The Bunn they sell, for about $40-$50 has one big advantage, though. It
>keeps water hot all the time, and thus takes 3 minutes to brew a
>pot. On the other hand, this uses electricity so it's less energy-
>efficient than the Krups.
>
I've had my Bunn since 1983, and have recently stopped using it because
it no longer makes good coffee.  The water in the resevoir seems to get
stale easily.  I only make coffee once or twice per week, so that 
could have something to do with it.  For a while, I was running one pot
of water through it before making coffee with it, but that didn't seem to 
help.

FWIW, Consumer Reports refused to rate the Bunn solely because the water
stays in the resevoir and tends to get stale.  They said the coffee it
made was so much worse than the other models tested that there was no
basis for comparison.

Sheila
-- 
Sheila Wallace		(shla@spf.trw.com)
TRW, One Space Park, R2/2162, Redondo Beach, CA 90278
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: reb@Ingres.COM (Phydeaux)
Subject: Re: ADVICE NEEDED: Former Apartment deduct
Reply-To: reb@Ingres.COM (Phydeaux)
Organization: E 4th St Home For The Overeducated Underemployed - Chicago Div.
Date: 25 Aug 92 23:11:38 GMT

In article <1992Aug24.131520.18936@nynexst.com> schwartz@nynexst.com writes:
>Has anyone considered videotaping the cleaned, moved-out-of apartment?
>(Don't forget to set the date feature on the camcorder.)
>How secure is such evidence in court?

Setting the date proves nothing, you  can set it  to whatever date you
want.  But -- buying a newspaper and videotaping the headline and date
along with the rest of the apartment will probably work.
								reb
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:15862 misc.forsale:24984
From: 154s@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Mona Hatfield)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.forsale
Subject: Re: NSA Air Purifiers
Date: 31 Aug 92 19:01:36 GMT
Reply-To: 154s@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Mona Hatfield)
Followup-To: misc.consumers
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD

In misc.consumers, cosc176t@menudo.uh.edu (Jason Asbahr) writes:
>My grandmother is considering the purchase of a "NSA Environmental
>Air System", a small air purifier.
>I've seen the thing, and it seems to work nicely.  It's a small
>plastic box, fairly light, obviously consisting of a fan and various
>air filters.  It's about 3/4 the size of my NeXT cube.  :)
>The problem?  The NSA purifier costs ** $175 ** !  Grandmother

Jason,

Try looking at Sears or Wards, the one's I've seen there are 1/3
of the cost.

Also, I don't know if you have any Price or Pace clubs in Texas,
but I have a large unit (floor model) environcare that cost
less than $176, I believe the sale price was $135.
(I'm not sure since it was a Christmas present).  However, my
mother is currently in the market for a larger one (she has one as you
described and she only paid $60 for it, it uses charcoal filters and
is more on the line of an ionizer than a purifier.

Good luck

Mona
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: de5@ORNL.GOV (Dave Sill)
Subject: Re: Radioactivity and Superstition; was: Re: Are Your Light Bulbs Radioactive?
Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab, Oak Ridge, TN
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 13:25:33 GMT

In article <BtMI3G.M8E@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu>, amirza@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (Anmar Caves) writes:
>In article <l9ns6oINNmol@utkcs2.cs.utk.edu> de5@ORNL.GOV (Dave Sill) writes:
>
>Dave, have you any idea of what .25 microgram of Americium, and it's
>associated radioactivity is?  Your kid will be exposed to more
>radiation today breathing than he would get from ingesting the
>incredibly tiny amount of mildly active material, which happens to be
>encapsulated and could not be absorbed into the body by ingestion.
>Even were such a scenario to happen his risk of developing cancer from
>such a source is hundredfolds less than from his yearly dental x-ray.

I didn't before, and I do now.  It's amazing what a little information can do. 
All the pro-nuke overreactions with their condescending tones didn't really help
address the fears of the original poster(s) in this thread.  I, personally, was
pretty confident that the threat was insignificant, but when I saw people jumping
all over other people for being concerned, I had to step in and defend them.

>Yes, radiation, especially to children, is a bad thing.  You waste
>your efforts in warning people about such hazards.  Efforts which
>could be better spent encouraging people to learn about *real* dangers
>to themselves and their children.  

Warning people about the threat of these hazards isn't my crusade.  It's
encouraging the flow of information in a polite manner.

>>No kidding.  Gee, thanks for that patronizing little message, Mike.  Now, for
>>extra credit explain why "natural" does not mean "good".
>
>I think the little message Mike sent was one that many people often
>forget, and should be reminded of.  

I have no problem with the *message*, it's the patronizing/condescending mode of
delivery that offends me.  I'll argue against that regardless of the validity or
importance of the message.

>Now, of course, you are perfectly welcome to worry about such things,
>it's your right.  Please don't ask the rest of us to worry about them
>as well.

I never did.  I only objected to those who made fun of concerned people and
suggested they should never have raised their concerns.

-- 
Dave Sill (de5@ornl.gov)	   For every Bill Joy there is a Kirk McKusick.
Martin Marietta Energy Systems     For every Bill Gates there is a Richard
Workstation Support                Stallman.                     --Paul Graham
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:15794 misc.consumers.house:11489
From: heintz@netcom.com (Patrick Heintz)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: ADVICE NEEDED: Former Apartment deducted $300 from rental deposit without reason
Date: 28 Aug 92 16:12:54 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest)

>In California, normal wear and tear can't be charged to the tenant, but they
>always try to do it anyway.  I have a friend who was told she had to clean
>the carpet, drapes, and screens in addition to all the other stuff in order
>to get her deposite back.  This was after two years of tenancy.  The screens
>are exterior maintenance, and the carpets and drapes are normal wear and tear.
>If you leave before one year they can charge you a pro-rated amount for 
>cleaning things like carpets but never the whole amount.

At my apartment complex, (Mountain View, CA) I was told that a dirty carpet
is NOT  "wear and tear" because it isn't "wearing out"; it's just dirty, and
as such, must be cleaned before moving out.  I intend to check into
this since I'm the assistant manager of our complex and have been telling
people this based on what the owner of the complex has told me.

>Another thing people often don't realize is that the landlord can only charge
>you his/her/their actual cost for repairs.  For example, many apartment
>complexes will charge something like $150 for painting.  If you can determine
>that the painting was done by an employee of the complex, then they can only
>charge you their cost which is the cost of the paint itself since they pay
>their employee anyway, whether they paint your apartment or trim the hedges.

If I (the assistant manager) paint an apartment, I get paid an additional
hourly wage from the owner.

>And, besides, the painting comes under the normal wear and tear category
>and must be pro-rated in the first year of tenancy, after which it is assumed
>that they would have to paint anyway.

Are you able to cite a California law that specifically states that painting
and carpets fall under "wear and tear"?  I wonder if "wear and tear" is
actually defined anywhere?!?!

>When you hassle with a landlord, it pays to let them know that you are aware
>of your rights on these issues so they know you have the ability to beat them
>in court.  This will usually get your deposit back without having to actually
>go to court.

-Pat
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: tony@nexus.yorku.ca (Anthony Wallis)
Subject: "Bak to Skule" and other seasonal junk pushes.
Organization: York University
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 20:05:20 GMT

Argh !  I've just made my monthly visit to my used-to-be-favorite
stationary store and hardly recognised the place.  Festooned with gaudy
and hideous promotional garbage to do with "Back to School".  All sorts
of stupid stereotyping about "School".  It would appear that the great
unwashed masses don't bother to provide their children with learning
materials, such as pencils, paper, rulers, ..  until they have to go
back to the dreaded institutions after their summer release.
Consequently, much of the quality regular stationary stock is moved out
to make room for the Back to School junk specials.

I learned long ago to avoid certain mainline department stores during
"Christ"mas shopping (which begins Nov 1 in Canada) after finding them
actually moving good quality mechandise off the shelves to make room
for stuff that nobody would buy in their normal non-"'Tis the season to
be stupid" minds.

--
tony@nexus.yorku.ca = Tony Wallis, York University, Toronto, Canada
From: reza.naima@uttsbbs.uucp (Reza Naima)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Prodigy
Date: 26 Aug 92 09:22:00 GMT
Reply-To: reza.naima@uttsbbs.uucp (Reza Naima)
Organization: The Transfer Station BBS, Danville, CA - 510-837-4610/837-5591


  Everyone seems to be saying that Prodigy sucks, and I get the message.  
I am currently an America Online user, and I don't have any quarrels with 
them.  They helped me though my school stock assignment, have software 
utilities that I really need, and their encyclopedia has also been a good 
use.  How do the rest of you America Onliners feels about it.  (I've been 
a member since the good old days of AppleLink!)

Reza Naima
reza.naima@uutsbbs.uucp
 

--- WinQwk 1.10a #0
                                 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,sci.environment,sci.med
From: tony@nexus.yorku.ca (Anthony Wallis)
Subject: "Small amounts" of radioactivy (was: Light Bulbs)
Organization: York University
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 14:24:02 GMT

Cameron Randale Bass corrects Someone:
> Someone > .. a radioactive element OUTSIDE the body is usually
>   ""    > harmless in small amounts.  Once inside, the damage begins
>   ""    > (so don't munch on your fluorescent tubes)
> Inside it is harmless in small amounts as well.  Your existence
> is proof.

This correction is fundamentally true with respect to natural
background sources in naturally eon-diluted form, but needs more
precise quantification with regard to natural sources concentrated by
technology and the assortment of artifical nucleotides bouncing around
the environment in microscopic particulate form.

For a start, due to their varying penetrating powers, there's orders of
of magnitude difference between the effects of diffused exposure to
alpha, beta, and gamma radiations. I don't ever want to be anywhere
near a low intensity gamma source, but am not too concerned about a
thousand specks of alpha-emitter taking up daily temporary residence on
the *outside* of my epidermis.  I _am_ concerned about the possibility
of a sub-microgram bit of Chernobyl (or French, Chinese, .. atmospheric
nuclear test) alpha/beta emitter taking up permanent residence in my
lungs.

(Failing to be quantitative about radioactivity seems to me to be on
 par with those "anti-nuclear" activists unclear on the difference
 between a vessel being nuclear-powered and being nuclear-armed.)

--
tony@nexus.yorku.ca = Tony Wallis, York University, Toronto, Canada


Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan)
Subject: Re: Another Scam
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 17:11:17 GMT


In article <RJOHNSON.92Aug31110544@conus.shell.com> rjohnson@shell.com (Roy Johnson) writes:
>For those who don't know: if you win something, you do not have to pay
>anything for it.  If you see a dollar figure on what appears to be a
>prize claim form, it is not a prize claim form.

[Story omitted.]

>So, what we have here is something that looks like you won a prize and
>need to claim it, and pay postage.  Only, it's really a "sales solicitation"
>made to look like a sweepstakes prize.  I don't care if the cost per roll
>of the film comes out to as low as 13 cents a roll, these people are scum
>and I'm convinced it's a rip off.

Interesting that you should bring this up. Last night on CNN I caught a
"Special Assignment" segment about what looks like this very same
company. They outlined the way the business works, with some of the
scams being just as you described, others involving 800 and 900 numbers
with high per minute charges, etc. Others involving "Gold Cards" (e.g.
the VISTA Gold Card) which lead you to believe that they are regular
credit cards like VISA or MC but in reality are only good for the
purchase of products sold by the same people who issue the card.
They also interviewed the sleazebag who owns all these businesses, lives in
a million dollar home, has boats, planes, cars, etc. He got pissed at
the reporter, terminated the interview early, and kicked the CNN crew
out. Of course, CNN happily showed this in the report. ;-)

The report also said that the parent company, Allied Marketing(?) from
Texas, is being sued by the Attorneys General of several states for
these scams.

They tend to repeat these Special Assignment bits, so you may be able to
catch it again.

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: lenny@bmerh187.BNR.CA (Len DePalma)
Subject: Re: For consumers in Toronto, Ont. area.
Keywords: Toronto Ontario
Reply-To: lenny@x400gate.bnr.ca
Organization: BNR Ottawa, Fiber Systems Development
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 03 Sep 92 18:09:45 GMT


In article <6837@tekig7.PEN.TEK.COM>, erikt@tekig1.PEN.TEK.COM (Erik
Teose) writes:
|> Back when I lived in Toronto (almost 8 years ago), Loblaws had this great
|> "food newsletter" that showed up every once in a while, that would describe
|> all sorts of great stuff that Loblaws' buyers had found.

"Great"?  (You're the first person I've run into who actually likes
direct mailings.)

|>                                                          Was a fellow named

|> Dave Nichol associated with this?? Was (is) he the president of Loblaws??

Yes and Yes.

|> If so, his operation has wound its way down to Portland OR. Kinda neat.

Have his annoying radio and TV commercials made the trip too... if so,
my condolences to you folks in Portland!

FYI, Loblaws is in many parts of Ontario (including Ottawa)... it is 
also one of (if not the) highest priced retail grocery chains in town.
Your mileage may vary.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
INTERNET: lenny@bnr.ca                 Any opinions expressed are mine.

"You get the most noise from the emptiest barrels."  (Burton Cummings)