HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science

In alt.folklore.science, pete@extro.ucc.su.OZ.AU (Peter Alexander Merel) writes:

> >> Could it be because the population of mainland China largely consists
> >> largely of "morons"? 
> 
> They certainly do, but here I use the word "moron" as defined earlier in
> this thread, as someone whose 'moron memes' preclude their learning effective
> or 'intelligent' methods of dealing with events outside of a restricted domain.

Actually the memes of mainland China are simular to those of Japan, that it is
very important that children do well in school.  (See December Scientific
American)  So China should do quite well, they can educate parts of their
population and develop them while leaving other sections underdeveloped until
later.  As a matter of fact they have been doing this very successfully.

BDR
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: hudel@waterloo.hp.com (Chris Hudel)
Subject: Re: Celsius and Farenheit Scale Determination
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 16:57:26 GMT
Organization: Hewlett Packard (Panacom Division)
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.4 PL7]

DMARTIN@vm.ucs.UAlberta.CA (DMARTIN@vm.ucs.UAlberta.CA) wrote:
: Body temperature, or so I understand. With a "normal" body temperature of
: 98.6, calling it 100 isn't that far off.
:                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You wouldn't say that if your body temperature was consistently 100. 
;-)
--
                                                         Chris Hudel
business: hudel@waterloo.hp.com                         519/883-3080
pleasure: chudel@watarts.uwaterloo.ca             
(Pleasure forwards to business...)       - all comments are mine, not HP's - 
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: frank@rover.uchicago.edu (Frank - Hardware Hacker - Borger)
Subject: Re: Champagne bottles won't go flat with spoons?
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Reply-To: frank@rover.uchicago.edu
Organization: Joint Center for Radiation Therapy
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 17:09:00 GMT

In article <1993Jan4.225818.8575@cssc-syd.tansu.com.au>, mos@cssc-syd.tansu.com.au (Michael O'Sullivan) writes...
>rf@cl.cam.ac.uk (Robin Fairbairns) writes:

>I missed the past discussion. I have tried the spoon trick with a bottle
>of beer, and it did work. The beer was not flat 24 hours after the spoon
>was put in. I don't think it would last for days, but the spoon definitely
>prolonged the beers carbonated life (so to speak). I too want to know,
>how does it work?

	The October 1991 issue of Physics Today contained an article titled
	"Throught a Beer Glass Darkly" which described in detail the formation
	of beer bubbles and the subsequent physics of same.

	In terse mode, "bubbles begin as invisible clusters or microbubbles
	of CO2 molecuees that grow on rough spots, called "Nucleation sites..."
	(very similar to the formation of raindrops around dust particles.)
	This explains why some people pour a little salt or sugar into their
	beer to create more foam.

	Also it is noted, "CO2 molecules collect at the nucleation site until
	the resulting bubble reaches a critical size and is able to break
	away..."

	The hypothesis is very simple. The spoon must interfere with the
	nucleation process. Hypothesis expansion follows:

	A/ Spoon collects bubbles (we've all seen this,) and slows down the
	   rate of bubble formation by trapping the bubbles due to increased
	   surface tension.

	B/ Spoon collects bubbles, and resultant supply of microscopic dust
	   particles which are sources of nucleation. (Normally after bubble
	   bursts, dust particle drops down, becomes source of another bubble,
	   but particle adheres to spoon, no longer is active nucleation site.)

	Ok folks, now what?

   Frank R. Borger - Physicist    __       Internet:  Frank@rover.uchicago.edu
Michael Reese - Univ. of Chicago |___      Phone : 312-791-8075 fax : 567-7455
  Center for Radiation Therapy   | |_) _   
                                   | \|_)  By the time we've made it, we've 
    "Birthplace of Softball"          |_)  had it. - Malcom Forbes
From: carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Carl J Lydick)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Tesla Coil
Date: 9 Jan 1993 23:50:57 GMT
Organization: HST Wide Field/Planetary Camera
Distribution: world
Reply-To: carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol1.gps.caltech.edu

In article <rlcarr.09j9@animato.network23.com>, rlcarr@animato.network23.com (Rich Carreiro) writes:
>Hello.
>A few questions on Tesla Coils...
>
>(1) What's the theory of operation of them?

Maxwell's Equations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl J Lydick | INTERnet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU | NSI/HEPnet: SOL1::CARL

Disclaimer:  Hey, I understand VAXen and VMS.  That's what I get paid for.  My
understanding of astronomy is purely at the amateur level (or below).  So
unless what I'm saying is directly related to VAX/VMS, don't hold me or my
organization responsible for it.  If it IS related to VAX/VMS, you can try to
hold me responsible for it, but my organization had nothing to do with it.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: cel@nsscmail.att.com (clayton EDward LEIHY iii)
Subject: Re: Computer theft
Followup-To: alt.folklore.urban
Organization: NCR Systems Support Center - New Jersey
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 20:58:13 GMT

In article <1993Jan3.050838.29514@netcom.com> bml@netcom.com (Brian Leibowitz) writes:
>I heard this story many years ago and was wondering if it really happened.

[story about a bank programmer who put /cents into his own account]

Sounds like a good sub-plot for a Superman(R) movie...
From: neil@robots.ox.ac.uk (Neil Townsend)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: scientology
Date: 6 Jan 93 17:12:49 GMT
Organization: None evident here.
Originator: neil@lucrece.robots

[Various peoples comments on book publishers buying their own
publications to get them into the bestseller charts deleted.]

Wayne McDougals follows up:

>Yup I've heard that too, so it must be true.

AFU motto?

[`So do record companies, only more so' paragraph deleted.]

>I've also been told that ONLY records are included in the charts; tapes and
>CDs are excluded, which suggests and increasingly biased chart. If this was
>true, I would suspect only in New Zealand and other backward countries
>(eg Australia, United Kingdom, etc)

For what its worth, in the UK, the record charts consist of a singles
chart and an albums chart. The decline in the overall volume of sales
of singles (45s, whatever) has meant that this chart is increasingly
less representative of what people buy to listen to and easier for the
record companies to fix. A FOAF `who would know' has claimed that the
charts `are completely fixed', which I doubt. I mean, what about Bryan
Adams? The albums chart, which, I'm pretty sure but have no proof for,
counts CDs and tapes, is correspondingly more representative and
harder to fix (and would represent a much higher outlay on the part of
the record company) but is given much less publicity. Incidentally,
the British were even astute enough to create a separate album chart
for compilation `Now that's what I call blatant commercialism 14'
albums to ensure that the album chart actually reflected peoples taste
rather than their unsurprising habit of keeping `up to date' by buying
2 (double) albums a year rather than 20 or so singles. No, the maths
doesn't work, but would you have bought all the singles on the last
album you bought?

ObObviously: This is refering to the `official' charts in the UK, ie
the one used by (hushed tones) the BBC. Independant broadcasters
follow, I believe, a similar schema. Independant music charts are,
doubtless, subtly different again.

ObUL: The Shamen's `Ebenezer Goode' isn't about drugs, its a song
about a fictional character inspired by 8 DJ's who are currently
moving the London scene.
ObTruth: That's what Mr. C. Shamen said (On MTV-Europe.) Just before
explaining that he was glad to be back in the south-east [of England]
because people there really appreciated `experimental dance music.'

Neil `Rave off' Townsend
-- 
--
Neil Townsend | neil@uk.ac.ox.robots | 'nuff said
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: PAPAI@kcgl1.eng.ohio-state.edu (Jonathan Papai)
Subject: Re: Net's Funniest Kitche
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 02:18:02 GMT

billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) asks:
>Do they actually use picric acid to etch metal samples? How do they handle
>the metallic pirates that are formed?

The pirates have to walk the plank.

Picric acid is used in an etchant called picral (4 g picric acid
in 100 ml ethanol) to metallographically etch steels and irons.

Picric acid is also diluted in various other substances (water,
methanol, etc.) at about the same concentration to etch aluminum,
magnesium, tin, and indium.

Etchants made from safer raw materials then picric acid are preferred.

Reference:  Smithell's Metals Reference Book, ISBN 0-408-71053-5.

Warning: Exposing metals to strong acids can produce dangerous
fumes, and should only be attempted in a hood by professionals.

Jon "Will etch for food" Papai
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,rec.sport.baseball
From: niepornt@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (David Marc Nieporent)
Subject: Re: Trademarkability of personal names (Was: Re: Babe Ruth Candy Bar)
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 03:36:10 GMT

In<1993Jan10.154046.19010@midway.uchicago.edu> pynq@midway.uchicago.edu writes:
>In <1993Jan8.213043.7416@photon.com> jbn@photon.com (Joe Naiman) writes:

>>Allegedly the Baby Ruth bar was named for President Cleveland's daughter,
>>but since Cleveland was out of office for decades, it's popular belief
>>that the Curtis Candy Company wanted to avoid paying the Yankee slugger
>>royalties and claimed that it was named after the President's daughter.

>Does this make any sense?  I'm pretty sure that people's names are not
>trademarks.  I could make a Richard Nixon candy bar, and I doubt I would
>have to pay royalties to any of the Richard Nixons in the US or anywhere
>else.

I'll leave it to Ted to answer *that*, but this next sentence doesn't
follow from that.  As an aside, why the hell would you want to name a
candy bar after Richard Nixon?  Who would buy it?  :)

>This, of course, leads to the funny legal positions of, e.g., somebody
>named "Joe MacDonald" opening a restaurant named ...

No.  The fact that you can't trademark your name doesn't mean that you
can use your name in violation of a trademark. McDonalds is a trademark,
irrespective of whether it is also someone's name.

And believe me, McDonalds is VERY aggressive at protecting that
trademark.  Use McAnything as the name of your store, and you're likely
to find a lawsuit waiting for you.

-- 
David M. Nieporent   | "We don't need anymore [sic] wretched refuse.  It's 
niepornt@phoenix.    |  time to send the Statue of Liberty somewhere else"
   princeton.edu     |      -- Jack "Not a bigot" Schmidling, 1/7/93
Baltimore Orioles 93 |
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: lawson@acuson.com (Drew Lawson)
Subject: Re: Ethnicity & SS# RESULTS!
Reply-To: lawson@acuson.com (Drew Lawson)
Organization: ACUSON, Mountain View, CA
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 18:56:36 GMT

In article <93005.055348MIWHC@CUNYVM.BITNET> <MIWHC@CUNYVM.BITNET> writes:

>     Out of almost 250 responses, the ethnicity was 34% Black, 14% Jewish,
>6% Asian, 12% Hispanic, 34% White, with everyone who replied as mixed being
>classified non-white. And...
>     All but 4 blacks had even middle numbers. 1 Asian (Thai) had an even
>number. 3 Hispanics (1 Cuba, 2 Colombian) had odd middle numbers, AND ...
>about 1/4 of the Whites had ODD middle numbers with EVERY ONE coming from
>fairly old families, and 2 from mixed Jewish families.
>     Statistically speaking there is something bizzarre going on, but I'm
>sure someone on the net will figure out what it is. I regret not asking their
>ages, it may have shed some light on this UL.

Forgive me if I misinterpret the data without a scatter plot, but what
you seem to be saying is that the vast majority of EVERYBODY has even
"middle numbers" in their SSN:
  - nearly all blacks
  - all hispanics (re: yourt correction that only the Thai lady had an ODD)
  - 75% of whites

And this is statistically bizzarre?


Drew "more deviation than standard" Lawson
-- 
Drew Lawson                      If you're not part of the solution,
lawson@acuson.com                you're part of the precipitate
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: PAPAI@kcgl1.eng.ohio-state.edu (Jonathan Papai)
Subject: Trucking ULs
Organization: The Ohio State University
 <1993Jan07.124534.17985@ncrcae.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM>
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 02:33:11 GMT

quentin@spike.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM (Quentin x6506) writes:

>Quentin "Dude with truck posting to the net" Neill

Over Xmas, I spoke with my brother, a truck driver.  Discussion
truned to GPS recievers and satellite communication of position
of all company trucks to central dispatchers.  He said "They do
that because alot of guys will take a job just because they want
to get across the country, and then they just abandon the truck
in a lot when they get there.  The truck could sit there for
weeks before they found it.  This way they know where it is."

Has my brother been listening to too much CB?

Jon "F150, 5l inline 6" Papai
From: twcaps@tennyson.lbl.gov (Terry Chan)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: AFU person of the year (c'est moi).
Date: 8 Jan 1993 19:49:00 GMT
Organization: Department of Redundancy Department
Reply-To: TWChan@lbl.gov (Terry Chan)
NNTP-Posting-Host: 128.3.12.117

In his acceptance speech as AFU Man of the Year, trelford@trelford.Eng.Sun.COM 
   (the Great Trelford Pinkerton - AFU Man of the Year) mentions his
   nomination of two other dead net.personalities for AFU Person of the Year:

  +I was going to nominate two other [DEAD] possibilities for this office:

    [Nomination of the late, great Obik deleted]
  
  +    2.  Stein, poor Cynthia Kandolf's surviving spouse.
  +        The microwave accident was most unfortunate, although
  +        of course Cindy was partly to blame for believing anything
  +        in the "Antichrist's Cookbook".  No cards please, by request.

I wanted there to be a period of morning before I broke my 
silence over Cindy's recent demise.  But since Trelford 
Pinkerton has mentioned it, I feel it is time to be completely
honest with my fellow readers.

Let this be a lesson to all.  If Cindy, a veteran of a.f.u. 
who even has her name at the bottom of the FAQ list, had
completely read the FAQ list, she would have been aware of
the potential consquences of following anything in the AC
and this great tragedy could have been avoided.

Let's all read the FAQ list three times over.  That's the
way she would have wanted it.

Terry "It could happen to you" Chan
--
Energy and Environment Division   | Internet:  TWChan@lbl.gov
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory      | 
Berkeley, California  USA  94720  | Yeah, right.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: dsegard@nyx.cs.du.edu (Daniel Segard)
Subject: Re: Why care what percentage? (was: Gay Likelihood)
X-Disclaimer: Nyx is a public access Unix system run by the University
	of Denver for the Denver community.  The University has neither
	control over nor responsibility for the opinions of users.
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
 <1993Jan8.231903.596@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu>
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 93 16:36:25 GMT

In article <1993Jan8.231903.596@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu> flaps@dgp.toront
.edu (Alan J Rosenthal) writes:
>dsegard@nyx.cs.du.edu (Daniel Segard) writes:
>>Please explain how those of us who don't fool around with
>>anyone and don't do drugs, etc are going to contract AIDS?
>
>By being raped.  No one is absolutely safe from that.


 
      I had previously heard that AIDS infected individuals were
intentionally commiting rape so as to spread AIDS further.  Frankly I had
previously thought this was a varient of the "AIDS Mary" "Welcome to the
world of AIDS" sort of urban legend.  Are you passing an urban legend
here, or do you have any proof that people are spreading AIDS in this
method?
From: walsh@optilink.COM (Mark Walsh)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Unusual strength, IS:Mother Lifts Car Off Child. Uh huh.
Date: 8 Jan 93 19:58:17 GMT
Organization: Optilink Corporation, Petaluma, CA

From article <1ihuhsEINNlul@uni-erlangen.de>, by sngoetze@cip.informatik.uni-erlangen.de (Sebastian Goetze):

> ...woman stretched muscles or so... It's estimated, that this
> pregnant woman lifted about 800 pounds (if my memory serves me right).

This is as easy as saying "S O C, K S!"

> The bones in your leg can carry
> about 2 tons, so there's no real limit here...

No real limit?  I dunno.  When I was an athlete in college,
the leg press machine only went up to 750 pounds.  Those of
us who wanted to press more merely moved the weight faster.
I thought it was fun to see how far I could get the pedals
to leave my feet; the tough part was catching the weight on
its way down, and I'll bet the peak force encountered was at
least double the amount of the weight.  Kids, don't try this
at home.

They call me:  Mark "Stress Fractures 'R' Us" Walsh
-- 
Mark Walsh (walsh@optilink) -- UUCP: uunet!optilink!walsh
AOL: BigCookie -- Amateur Radio: KM6XU@WX3K -- USCF: L10861
"What, me worry?" - William M. Gaines, 1922-1992
From: twcaps@tennyson.lbl.gov (Terry Chan)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Microwave Fun
Date: 8 Jan 1993 18:30:22 GMT
Organization: Department of Redundancy Department
Reply-To: TWChan@lbl.gov (Terry Chan)
NNTP-Posting-Host: 128.3.12.117

bwilson@austin.ibm.com writes:
  +
  +ObUL-the army is working on a microwave "gun" that will instantly turn all of
  +the moisture in a person's body to steam, causing a violent reaction that not
  +only kills the person in question, but can seriously injure those around the
  +target.

Plus, it will automatically press the uniform afterwards.

Terry "Gotta account for all those costs AND benefits" Chan
--
Energy and Environment Division   | Internet:  TWChan@lbl.gov
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory      | 
Berkeley, California  USA  94720  | Yeah, right.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: ilaine@panix.com (Liz Stokes)
Subject: Re: terry awards
Organization: Panix Public Access Internet & Unix, NYC
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 14:09:42 GMT

In article <1993Jan4.231016.8865@nezsdc.icl.co.nz> derek@nezsdc.icl.co.nz (Derek Tearne) writes:

>If someone got a pair of scissors out in a subway most people would run 
>away very quickly!
	naaah, I take scissors out on the subway all the time. Guess the
embroidery frame makes me look harmless.
	Now wool combs, those are scary looking.

	Liz "razor sharp implements of textile production" Stokes

-- 
Liz Stokes         | 	Ilaine's E-Z Garb Workshop
Ilaine de Cameron  | 	We're going to try an experiment now. Instead of using
                   | 	a loom, we're going to wind all the yarn into balls
ilaine@panix.com   |    and adopt an infinite number of kittens...
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Unusual strength, IS:Mother Lifts Car Off Child. Uh huh.
From: derek@nezsdc.icl.co.nz (Derek Tearne)
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 93 19:55:20 GMT
Organization: Fujitsu New Zealand

In article <13847@optilink.COM> walsh@optilink.COM (Mark Walsh) writes:
>From article <1ihuhsEINNlul@uni-erlangen.de>, by sngoetze@cip.informatik.uni-erlangen.de (Sebastian Goetze):
>
>> ...woman stretched muscles or so... It's estimated, that this
>> pregnant woman lifted about 800 pounds (if my memory serves me right).
>
>This is as easy as saying "S O C, K S!"
>
>> The bones in your leg can carry
>> about 2 tons, so there's no real limit here...
>
>No real limit?  I dunno.  When I was an athlete in college,
>the leg press machine only went up to 750 pounds.  Those of
>us who wanted to press more merely moved the weight faster.

And of course there is the film of the long jumper breaking his leg on 
starting the jump.  Looks a bit odd in mid air apparently with bone sticking 
out and all.  I wonder what was going through his mind at the time with all 
that sand ahead!

Derek "Ooh that smarts" Tearne

-- 
Derek Tearne.   --   derek@nezsdc.icl.co.nz   --    Fujitsu New Zealand   -- 
 _______
 _______} This is a Usenet condom<tm>.  Roll the condom over the .signature 
	  file before posting to protect yourself from .sig retro-virii
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: bam@Bang.UUCP (Bret A. Marquis)
Subject: Re: Federal Reserve Notes (Re: I Live to FAQ!)
Reply-To: bam%bang@trout.nosc.mil
Organization: Marquis Property Development Co., San Diego
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 23:00:04 GMT

Liz Stokes (ilaine@panix.com) wrote:
: In article <1993Jan3.031036.12753@samba.oit.unc.edu> Bruce.Tindall@launchpad.unc.edu (Bruce Tindall) writes:
: 
: >There's a fellow who has an exhibit of specimens of such bills.  He set up
: >his show at the North Carolina state fair a couple of years ago, right next
: >to the World's Smallest Horse, and charged 50 cents or a dollar for 
: >admission.  Check it out at your local carnival.
: 	don't waste your money, you can see them free at your local
: Federal Reserve Bank. If you visit the one in NY, you can even look at the
: piles of pretty gold bricks. Tours are free, but you have to make an 
: appointment. They give you a little packet of shredded money too.
: 							-Liz

One of the large casinos in Las Vegas has a display of One Million in
cash using very large bills.  Its been years since I saw it, I believe
they were $100,000 notes.


Bret Marquis
From: renault@CAM.ORG (Pierre Renault)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Norman Travels??
Date: 11 Jan 93 22:47:17 GMT
Organization: Communications Accessibles Montreal, Quebec Canada

"I...heart that...the Normans...were in fact...based in Sicily".

There is a very old tale "La chanson de Roland" that dates back to the
beginings of the Carolingian kings.  There was, among others, a paladin named
Roland who came from "somewhere in Italy". 

His name was "Orlando. Anyone who understands archaic french pronounciations
can see how one gets from "Orl" to "Rol". The "o" gets dropped quite quickly.

To complicate matters, there are the McCrimmons...

The story goes that some Scottish mercernary working in Italy hears this
flute player and invites him to his castle on the Highlands.  He acceps
and gains quite a bit of fame in Scotland.  Problem is: no one can pronounce
his name.  They (the Scots) refer to him as "the Roman".  His sons become
McRomans.  Bogue things a bit and you get McCrimmon.

Things were very very tight between the French and the Celts of 
the British Isles (Read Scott's Le Morte d'Arthur and the too-sad tale of
Tristan and Yseult - or Isolde).
From: Terry.Smith@f870.n800.z3.fidonet.org (Terry Smith)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: kpix SCREWS UP (was Re:    Skyscraper FALLS DOWN.)
Date: Sun, 03 Jan 1993 04:32:34

 Br> be a danger to the world, blah blah blah.  Of course, anyone who's ever
 Br> read _1984_ knows  that computers are not even mentioned in the book
    
     I'll duck 'coz I can't give citations, but I believe the book was
originally titled '1948', but the publishers wanted it changed.
Terry



 * Origin: Elizabeth Park BBS (3:800/870.0)

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban