HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: nick@socrates.umd.edu (Nick Lemberos)
Subject: Mail order jewerly info
Organization: University of Maryland University College
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 16:04:32 GMT


Does anyone know of any companies that sell jewerly via mail order?  u know, 
watches, rings, etc..


I am looking for "puzzle rings".  The good ones seem to be hand made by
one company, (I have seen the same brochure at two shops) but I dont
know who they are....any help here?


nick
-- 
Nick Lemberos					nick@socrates.umd.edu 
   Academic Computing				     ^ sew-crates
      "Doing life with no chance for parole"       -L. Anderson
From: bkwg0457@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Brent Whitlock)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Cablevision and the CNBC pre-empt during Olympics
Keywords: Cablevision CNBC olympics
Date: 19 Aug 92 20:34:36 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.Bt8ztp.EF7
Reply-To: bwhitlock@uiuc.edu
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

Around the time of the Olympics there was a number of messages regarding
Cablevision &/or other cable companies pre-empting the CNBC channel
in order to provide the Olympics PPV triplecast.  Several people commented
that they complained and got credited something like $9.95 or got
a free movie channel for a month including free hookup and disconnection
to compensate for the loss of that channel.  I just called my local
Cablevision to complain about that, and they said that it was NBC's fault
that CNBC was not being shown.  They said that NBC pre-empted CNBC to
replace it with one of their triplecast PPV olympic channels.  They also
said that when they were putting the three triplecast PPV channels' video
onto CNBC for those two days to advertise the service, NBC only broadcast
that for one hour each day.  The rest of the time, NBC broadcast one of
the triplecast PPV channels in place of CNBC.  Cablevision also told me
that they had not and were not issuing any sort of credit for compensation
of the pre-emption of CNBC.

This seems to contradict what I had read earlier both here and in the
newspaper.  If someone saved those articles, could they please email
them to me?  I would also like to know what cities the cable companies
were in that issued the credits and free movie channels.  I was told the
manager would be calling me to discuss this sometime. I would like to
have cold hard facts to present to him.  

Thanks.


-- 
    * * * * * * --> DISCLAIMER:  I speak only for myself. <-- * * * * * *
Brent Whitlock		Beckman Institute for Advanced Science & Technology
bwhitlock@uiuc.edu	Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering
			University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: gld@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Gary L Dare)
Subject: Re: Boric Acid--the best roach killer!
Reply-To: gld@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Gary L Dare)
Organization: Curious Goods (formerly Louis Vendredi Antiques)
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 05:18:49 GMT

mpeter@OAVAX.CSUCHICO.EDU writes:
>
>Some cruisers brought back a boatload of roaches from the tropics. 
>Rather than go the aerosol bomb route, they mixed a little sugar 
>with the borax. A few days later, "No problem, Mon."

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a desperate plea for anti-cockroach
strategies (after foolishly dumping backissues of New York magazine
with homebrew formulae) and many netters suggested:

	1. Roach-bombing affected rooms (maybe even cover the
	entire apartment ... maybe if you live on Melrose Place,
	but we're talking little Manhattan live-in closets (-;).

	2. Boric acid, sometimes laced with sugar.

We considered roach-bombing to be too extreme since we had visitors
coming in a couple of days, but we took a variation of #2 ... after
finishing off a gourmet ice-cream (we split a pint of Haagen-Dazs
Extraas, the Capuccino w/chocolate chunks), we cut the container into
quarters length-wise and misted boric acid over them as well as the
plastic seal that was across the top (but cleaned off first (-;).  The
thin, sticky layer of ice cream left along the sides captured the
boric acid powder quite nicely.  The laced container quarters and the
seal were put into five spots around the kitchen and bathroom, and by
the time that our visitors arrived nary a pest appeared at inopportune
times.

From now on, we're recycling our weekly pint of ice-cream this way!

gld

PS: Many thanks to everybody who replied to me via e-mail the first
time!!! (-;
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Je me souviens ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gary L. Dare				Elections 1992-93:
> gld@cunixB.cc.columbia.EDU		* Jean Chretien (Canada)
> gld@cunixc.BITNET			* Perot^H^H^H^H^H Elvis! (USA)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: kd1hz@anomaly.sbs.risc.net (Michael P. Deignan (KD1HZ))
Subject: Re: Where to Report a Credit Card Scam?
Organization: The Rhode Island Internet Systems Cooperative Network
Distribution: na
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1992 12:42:31 GMT

robin@ntmtv.UUCP (Robin Coutellier) writes:

>This has all the earmarks of a scam to me.

Nope, its quite real. 

Like just about every other piece of junk mail, however, it is not what
your pre-conceived thoughts have you reading into the pitch.


>The "terms" refer to the card as a "Global GOLDX" card.

Bingo! This doesn't say "Mastercard" or "Visa" now, does it?


MD
-- 
--  Dr. Michael P. Deignan (deg.pend.)      /   "Its okay dear,
--  Domain: kd1hz@anomaly.sbs.risc.net     /     you can show me...
--    UUCP: ..!uunet!anomaly!kd1hz        /      I'm a Doctor..."
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: case@ucs.sdsu.edu (Steve Case)
Subject: Questions on umbrella coverage
Organization: San Diego State University, Data Communications
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 23:21:37 GMT

Questions on umbrella policies:


1. If one purchases a 1 Million dollar umbrella policy, couldn't you 
save money by lowering your homeowner and car insurance liability amounts to 
the bare minimum? I have seen prices of around $200-300 for a 1 Meg policy. 
That's less than the cost for the 300K (max) liability amounts I have on my 
car and homeowner policies.

2. Does an umbrella policy cover all types of liability? Does the coverage 
automatically kick-in when you are held liable or do you have to be sued 
first? (Note: This is why I still keep medical on my auto insurance. Sure, I 
have medical coverage, but if a passenger does NOT, he/she will have to 
*sue* me to receive benefits. If you have medical coverage on your auto 
policy, this person would be covered automatically up to the limit of the 
coverage--or so explained my former agent)

Thanks for your help. I would have called my insurance agent, but I can't 
stand dealing with them. BTW, it's 20th Century. Have home and auto with 
them. Good prices, but have never put in a claim. Supposedly, according to 
the Calif. Insurance Commissioner's satisfaction poll, they have a pretty 
good record. However, 50% of the time I call for changes to my policy, it 
seem I end up talking to someone who just got hired off the street and 
really isn't interested in helping me.  
--
Steve Case (case@ucs.sdsu.edu) | "Cover for me!"
Data Communications Group      | "Oh, good idea, boss!"
University Computing Services  | "It was like that when I got here."
San Diego State University     | - Homer's standard disclaimers.
San Diego, California 92182    | "My opinions only" - my standard disclaimer
From: jfb200@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (joseph.f.baugher)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: More Video Rental Horror Stories
Keywords: video horror stories and various tales of woe
Date: 17 Aug 92 00:55:21 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories -  Naperville, Illinois

This thread on video rental horror stories reminds me of the hassle I had
a couple of years back with  University  Video, a video rental place here
in Hyde  Park in  Chicago.  I did business  with them since  they were so
convenient, only a block from my apartment.  However, one day my wife got
a telephone call from University Video, complaining that we had failed to
return one of their  movies.   This  was rather odd,  since  we had never
rented the movie in question.

After  a couple  of rather  acrimonious sessions  with the  clerk and the
manager of University Video,  I was finally able to convince  them that I
had never rented the movie in question. However, I immediately terminated
my membership  at University  Video,  fearing  that such  a screwup could
easily happen again.  I found out later that several other people  in the
neighborhood had had similar problems with University Video.

Speaking of Blockbuster Video, there is one of their stores just down the
block.  They bought out Erol's Video, which failed a couple of years ago.
It seems that Blockbuster is rapidly forcing  "mom and pop"  video stores
out of business.  Blockbuster seems  to have  a larger  selection  of new
releases than most other places.   I only  had to  wait a couple  of days
before I was able to rent a copy of  *JFK*.   One of the features  I like
about Blockbuster is the fact that you can see at  a glance  which movies
are in and which are not.   At the  previous  video  rental  store that I
patronized, you had to stand in line and wait while  a gum-chewing  teen-
ager went to check if the movie you wanted was in.  After an interminable
period, she would come back--"Sorry, that tape is out."

As far as credit card numbers being required for video rental,  I haven't
been to very many video rental places where it  WASN'T  required.  If you
didn't have a credit card, you were usually out of  luck unless  you were
willing to leave a big deposit.


Joe Baugher			**************************************
AT&T Bell Laboratories		*  "I'm shocked!  Shocked to find    *
2000 North Naperville Road	*  that gambling is going on here!"  *
P. O. Box 3033			**************************************
Naperville, Illinois 60566-7033		
(708) 713 4548				
ihlpl!jfb                  Who, me?  Speak for AT&T?  Surely you jest!	
jfb200@cbnewsd.att.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: barbehen@milton.cs.uiuc.edu (Michael Barbehenn)
Subject: Selecting a Mover in NYC
Summary: which are good/which are bad
Organization: University of Illinois, Dept. of Comp. Sci., Urbana, IL
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 13:56:04 GMT

Hopefully there are lots of people from Columbia U. out there
that will read this :-)

I have a friend who's moving from Brooklyn to the Upper West Side
(near Central Park).  He says there are 100000000 moving companies
in the phone book, and so far, everyone he's asked has complained
about their broken valuables resulting from their most recent move.

Does anyone have any moving companies they can recommend?

Thanks in advance,
--
-Michael Barbehenn
 AI Group/Beckman Institute
 U. Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: bd670@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Russell I. Dyreng)
Subject: Re: Homeowners insurance scam (State Farm)...
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, (USA)
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 92 20:35:25 GMT


aep@icd.ab.com (Alexander E. Pensky) writes

>In article <1992Aug19.144644.1603@falcon.aamrl.wpafb.af.mil>,
>bkottmann@falcon.aamrl.wpafb.af.mil (Brett Kottmann) writes:

>>       State Farm got zapped in Ohio for overcharging.  They 
>>made a big deal about "giving customers a rebate".  The funny 
>>thing is that some long time State Farm people actually thought
>>it was neat!  The idea that they had been ripped off for years 
>>didn't seem to sink in.
>>
>>       State Farm probably overcharges until they get caught.  
>>Interest free money until they have to return it.
>
>Are you quite sure about this?  Remember, State Farm is a mutual
>insurance company and, as such, pays its policyholders dividends
>on its profits every year (except bad years, of course).  
>Perhaps you know someone who received their dividend check and 
>assumed it had something to do with a consent decree.

Consent decree or not, we must all remember how an insurance 
company earns its money.  Thus these "dividends" which you 
receive from a mutual insurance company are nothing more than
the return to its customers of excess premiums that they have
paid in during the year.

And you're right the company has used this excess cash interest
free, and are now returning it to the "lenders".

Russ
From: lbaum@bcsaic.boeing.com (Larry Baum)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: bread makers
Date: 20 Aug 92 13:27:08 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Boeing Computer Services AI Center, Seattle

In article <1992Aug19.214705.37208@evolving.com> root@evolving.com writes:
: does anyone have any knowledge regarding brands of breadmakers made in the
: usa.  in particular i am interested in peoples experiences with different
: brands.
: thanks,
: dxs@evolving.com

I could be wrong, but I think all available breadmakers are
made in Japan.


-- 
Larry Baum
Computer Science Organization
Boeing Computer Services     uucp:       uw-beaver!bcsaic!lbaum
(206) 865-3365               internet:   lbaum@atc.boeing.com
From: kenny@osf.org (Kenneth Crudup)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Terrible Experience With Alamo
Summary: Fine with me
Date: 14 Aug 92 00:48:31 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Open Software Foundation


Funny, I *like* Alamo, and use them all the time. 

I just came from a trip to Dallas. Ordered my car about a week in advance, and
asked for the smallest size available w/a tape (for the CD; Dallas has some
great radio stations). They told me *some* Fullsize models ($150/wk) have
them, but the Premium class all do. Since the Prem class are barges like 
Caddies and Park Avenues, which are softly-sprung Grandaddymobiles I won't
drive, I decided to take my chance and go for a Fullsize Lumina. Of course,
there are no specific model guarantees, which is industry standard. I scribbled
down my confirmation #, and said goodbye.

Get to DFW, and after getting on the shuttle bus (I honestly didn't know there
was any other way of getting to a rental office from an airport- I've always
used offsite companies), arrive to find all the Lumina are gone. Ask if
anything in my class has a tape, they say no.  Since the tape's the only reason
I didn't get my usual Midsize, I tell them I just want a Midsize, and get one.

Two exits down Hwy 114E, I don't like how the car's sprung. U-turn, and tell
them "I don't like the car" (first time this's happened in 6-7 rentals). By
this time, a Lumina has come back and been prep'ed. I get it, and for the cost
of the Buick I had.

Some notes from what I've seen of this thread:

  They've got a record of my rental history in the computer. They know I don't
  get the CDW, etc, (AMEX) and don't even ask. May have something to do with
  the decent treatment I've seen.

  I've never been "slammed" into a bigger car.

  I usually get the gas option, as I'm always late and out of gas at return
  time. Their price is cheaper than local, as well.

  Some locations have better cars than others. I loved the Mitsu Galant I
  got at ORD (Chicago) two years ago.

  If they don't have anything I like, and it's an active time, and I've got
  a minute, a couple of times I've just waited 20 mins and one has come out
  of prep more to what I want.

I'm on my way back to Chicago in two weeks. I figure things will be about the
same. I guess I'll let y'all know.

	-Kenny
-- 
Kenneth R. Crudup, Contractor, OSF DCE QA
OSF, 11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142	+1 617 621 7306
kenny@osf.osf.org			OSF has nothing to do with this post.
Not one of the "PC" weenies.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: niebuhr@bnlux1.bnl.gov (david niebuhr)
Subject: Re: Questions on umbrella coverage
Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 22:15:48 GMT

In article <case.15.714352897@ucs.sdsu.edu> case@ucs.sdsu.edu (Steve Case) writes:
>Questions on umbrella policies:
>
>
>1. If one purchases a 1 Million dollar umbrella policy, couldn't you 
>save money by lowering your homeowner and car insurance liability amounts to 
>the bare minimum? I have seen prices of around $200-300 for a 1 Meg policy. 
>That's less than the cost for the 300K (max) liability amounts I have on my 
>car and homeowner policies.
>
>2. Does an umbrella policy cover all types of liability? Does the coverage 
>automatically kick-in when you are held liable or do you have to be sued 
>first? (Note: This is why I still keep medical on my auto insurance. Sure, I 
It only kicks in after all of your regular insurance has been
exhausted per occurrance.  You have to be sued first.

Example: 300K basic liability and 1M umbrella.  The umbrella covers
the additional 700K, not 1M.

Dave

-- 

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

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: kai1@dasher.uucp (Kai Chiu)
Subject: Re: Rental Car in Florida (Also AAA Hotel Rates)
Reply-To: kai1@dasher.UUCP (Kai Chiu)
Organization: Bellcore, Piscataway, NJ
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 92 12:47:54 GMT

In article <1992Aug14.150929.17349@hplabsz.hpl.hp.com> connors@hplabsz.hpl.hp.com (Tim Connors) writes:
>I'm trying to reserve a car in Orlando for early November.  I've always
>thought that in Florida the competition was tough and rates were very low.
>The well known agencies are quoting $150+/week, over double what I paid
>two Novembers ago.  What's the scoop?
>
>Some agencies I'm not familiar with (Tropical, Superior, USA) are quoting
>more reasonable rates, but I'm leery.  Any hints on these?
>
>Thanks, Tim


A travel angency in New Jersey, Liberty Travel, is quoting 110/wk for
Alamo cars. You can probably call them to reserve one, if you
are interested (call 18005551212 to get their 800 number). It is 
true that we don't see many special $79/wk promotions nowadays. Don't
know why.
 
I am trying to get a car in S. California (L.A. and S.D.), can
someone provide me with local rate information?

While I'm planning my trip to cal., I have found something interesting,
and thought you are interested also. The finding is that the AAA
discount rates stinks! Well, maybe not all of them, but here are some
examples (compared with reserving through Am. Exp.):
 
 Hotel                      AAA Rate           AE Rate

Doubletree Htl, S.D.       $105-120             $77
Town & Country, Htl. SD      72-110              69
Holdy Inn Montgomery Fd, SD  74-104              69

Holdy Inn Westwood Plz, LA  105-115              85
Marriott LA Airport         129-160              89
Hilton, LA Airport          125-155              87
 
Note: AAA rates are for 1P1B, AE's are flat single rm rates! AE
also offer other services such as "price promise": you always get
the lowest price including hotel's promotional rate. 

Any comments? Or more information on better hotel rates? 

I have no affiliation with AE, but I'm gonna throw away my AAA 
tour books. 



Kai Chiu
kai1@dasher.cc.bellcore.com
Bell Communications Research, Inc.              
Tel: (908) 699-7338
From: jwc@netx.com (Jeff Comer)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Health vitamin scam?
Date: 20 Aug 92 21:11:13 GMT
Organization: The Chaos Bobs

lief@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Lief Sorensen) writes:
>My wife received in the mail today one of those "You have been selected to
>definitely receive one of these gifts"!
>
>     (1) Cadillac Coupe Deville (not to exceed $20,000)
Odds - 1:10,000,000
>     (2) $7500 in cash
Odds - 2:10,000,000
>     (3) Big Screen Stereo Tv ($2500 market value)
Odds - 3:10,000,000
>     (4) Diamond Sapphire Tennis Bracelet ($1200 market value)
Odds - 4:10,000,000
>     (5) $1000 in cash
Odds - 5:10,000,000
>     (6) Hawaiian vacation (average room cost more than $500)
Odds - 9,999,985:10,000,000

>The letter made a big deal about not being a contest, or a drawing, or a
>sweepstakes, or a lottery.  Instead, it claimed that it was a valid premium
>incentive offer.  For more details, she was to call Professional Marketing
>Inc. in Las Vegas -- which she did.

Yeah, that's what they all say. What the hell is "a valid premium offer?"
Just some other mumbo-jumbo to make them seem different from the other
scams.

>The girl who answered the call asked my wife for some code that appeared on
>the letter.  When my wife gave her the code, the girl informed my wife that
>the code on my wife's letter just happened to be the lucky number to qualify
>her for a second award from the above list.

Wow! How about that! Who would have guessed!?

>Basically, they want my wife to send them $598 for a 9 month supply of some
>new fangled health vitamins!  Her first award would be included with the
>first order.  Her second award would be determined 45 to 60 days later -
>guarranteed!

>     - When you look at the list, you figure the worst prize is the vacation.
>       These are usually so worthless that one would never use it anyway.
>       The restrictions are ridiculous.

Like, the hotel stay has to be booked through the agency's travel office,
which lists hotel rooms at $500/night and up; air travel must also be
booked through them, so there is no open competition for your ticketing;
there are blackout dates, like January 1 through December 31....

>     - But this is different!  You are guaranteed 2 of these prizes!  It looks
>       to me like the next prize would be the $1000 cash!  Of course, I don't
>       mind sending $598 since they will send me a prize that is at least
>       worth $1000!

That's what they're *counting* on folks to think. "Two prizes? Wow! Well,m
the vacation since that's the worst, but $1000 cash!? Cool!!"

>     - WRONG!  With the carefully worded statements, the second prize will
>       also be one of those worthless vacations!  After all, nowhere have
>       they guarranteed that the second prize has to be different than the
>       first one!

Congratulations! It's good to see that you cut through the b.s. to figure
their game out.

--
Jeffrey W Comer * jwc@netx.com * 703-749-2369 (v) * 703-749-2375 (fax)
"We will, we will, rock you!" -George Bush (U-2)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: mmeyer@m2.dseg.ti.com (Mark Meyer)
Subject: Re: Request: trouble-free car recommendations
Organization: TI DSEG, Spring Creek, Plano, Tx.
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 18:40:24 GMT

In article <1992Aug18.122954.3291@nynexst.com> schwartz@nynexst.com (S. H. Schwartz) writes:
> I bought my 89 Mercury Sable sedan last November.

	NOTE: One saves a LOT of money by buying a 2-year old car.

	I got a different car last May, an '89 Ford Taurus.  No, wait
- it's not different.  Taurus = Sable.  Anyway, I've had no problems
except for a corroded battery cable which is really my own fault for
not properly maintaining it.  Kids, watch those battery cables!
That's one thing you don't want going wrong on the highway!  I like
the Taurus.

-- 
Mark Meyer                                               | mmeyer@dseg.ti.com |
Texas Instruments, Inc.                                  +--------------------+
Every day, Jerry Junkins is grateful that I don't speak for TI.
                "I just had a deja vu experience."  "Hey, just like last time!"