HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: weemba@libra.wistar.upenn.edu (Matthew P Wiener)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Ask Marilyn Again
Keywords: Marilyn
Date: 8 Apr 92 18:35:28 GMT
Reply-To: weemba@libra.wistar.upenn.edu (Matthew P Wiener)
Organization: The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology
In-reply-to: vince@cadence.com (Vince Gibboni)

In article <1992Apr8.000205.18741@Cadence.COM>, vince@cadence (Vince Gibboni) writes:
>    Could someone _PLEASE_ explain this one to me. (Perhaps I've just
>    never heard the thing fully specified). Does Monty know which 
>    door the prize is behind ? Will he never intentionally reveal the
>    prize ?

That's the assumption behind the puzzle.

It's certainly not operative regarding the real show: Monty never reveals
a goat under such circumstances, but instead comes up with another box or
curtain for the contestant to choose from.

>	     If Monty will intentionally avoid revealing the prize
>    then obviously it is better to switch (as there is a 2/3 chance
>    that the prize is behind one of Monty's two doors - and he has
>    ruled one out for you) - but this seems too simple for anyone
>    to argue with.

"No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American
people."--Churchill, or maybe Disraeli

>		    If Monty doesn't know where the prize is, then
>    obviously all doors have an equal chance (as no special pre-selection
>    has been done), and there is no reason to switch (I will, happily
>    bet _lots_ of money on this). So where's the catch ? Why is
>    there an argument ?! Am I missing something ?! 

Yes.  You're assuming people can understand simple probability.  Hah!
-- 
-Matthew P Wiener (weemba@libra.wistar.upenn.edu)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: GC.SUL@forsythe.stanford.edu (Sullivan)
Subject: Re: Why did the chicken cross the road?
Organization: Stanford University, California, USA
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 22:18:15 GMT

In article <1992Apr14.184436.24315@beaver.cs.washington.edu>,
mckenzie@cs.washington.edu (Neil McKenzie) writes:
>Here are two ULs I have just heard from a friend.  They are not in the
>FAQ list (my copy, at least).
>
>1.  Turkeys, when left to themselves in a rainstorm, will drown.

that is self-evident.  Anyone who drowns themselves in a rainstorm
is a turkey. (do I really need a :) on this?)

>2.  If you tuck a chicken's head under its wing, it will fall asleep due
>    to the dark.  If it is not disturbed, it will stay asleep and in time
>    will starve to death.

It will stay asleep for a while but I don't know about the 'starve
to death' part, and I don't know if it is because of the dark, or
what.  When we had a rooster that was particularly nasty this fall,
beating up on one particular hen, I put the sleeper on him.  the
hens pecked at him pretty viciously, and he stayed asleep until one
of them knocked his head away from his wing.

It may not be true of all chickens.  I was unable to put all of our
chickens to sleep at the same time one day (as a prank on my wife
who at the time did not know this trick) because a couple of them
would keep bouncing back up immediately once I set them down.
Maybe something wrong with my method.

Pheasants are much easier.

Mike 'The real trick is to get them to pee by tucking the head in
the wing and leaving a foot in the water dish' Sullivan

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: Radio UL
Organization: Hewlett-Parkard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 23:37:42 GMT

: >: 	them sound more 'in tune' and 'brighter' to those of use with
: >: 	less-than-perfect pitch.  No idea how it affects people that are
: >: 	afflicted with perfect pitch.  Sends them screaming from the room,
: >: 	I suspect.
: 
: >The reason for the tempering is to make the notes sound "fuller" or
: >"broader". The notes would sound brighter if the slightly sharp and
: >flat strings were damped. 
: >
: The reason for tempered tuning is to allow the instrument to play equally
: well in all keys:  basically it makes everything a bit out of tune.  
: Fifths played on brass instruments are in tune.  On a piano, they're not.
: String players know the difference between C# and Db, harp players can
: make both notes mechanically.

Guess what the piano tuner - as well as my mother who was a concert
violinist, were wrong. Not too surprised about my mother, piano was
only her second instrument - it does surprise me about the piano
tuner, however.

: >The tempering is so slight that it does not bother a person with even
: >perfect pitch. If the tuning was even one Hz off, then there would be
: >a 1 Hz beat note in the sound. That could be very disturbing - such
: >sounds are common with a piano that has not been tuned in a long time,
: >although the variance between strings is usually much greater, so the
: >beat note is unnoticable.
: 
: I've heard harpsichords and clavichords with "melodic" tuning.  They sound
: great in a few keys, nasty in others.

Yep, you have to be careful or many chords will sound terrible.

: You sure know a lot about ballistics, though.

Thank you. Ballistics is an area I have studied - I have problems getting
sound out of a kazoo. I do ok with basic rhythms on a doumbek, however.

Bill
From: unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (resU nwonknU ehT)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Iron in blood setting off metal detectors
Date: 15 Apr 92 19:17:06 GMT
Article-I.D.: darkstar.32987
Organization: University of California, Santa Cruz; Open Access Computing


In article <1992Apr15.134230.1@vm2.cis.pitt.edu> tjw@vm2.cis.pitt.edu writes:
}Urban Legend.  There was an episode on Star Trek The Next Generation where
}a young female alien warns Wesley that a SUPERMAGNET could suck the iron
}right out of his blood.  According to the trekies (eeek, TREKKERS) on
}the Star Trek Newsgroups, this makes it CANON (or CANNONS or Steve Cannon)
}and therefore it MUST be true.

	So why do you seem to think it's false?

	Doesn't iron still have magnetic properties even when it's bound 
up in some other kind of molecule?

	If that's true, a big enough magnet would be kinda bad!
-- 
/unknown@ucscb.ucsc.edu GS SIMM mem card & trackball WANTED  Apple II Forever!\
\Mail me:Get INFOCOM GAMES RERELEASED,ULT VI GS done,for UNIX GS&CHEAP CD info/
From: masticol@cadenza.rutgers.edu (Steve Masticola)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Watermarks (was Re: Taboo loot (was Re: VDB pennies (was Re: Initials on the Subway Token)))
Date: 7 Apr 92 18:29:24 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

phil@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Phil Gustafson) writes:

>Watermarks are generally made by forcibly squishing the image into
>the paper at a late state in its manufacture.  Picture a printing
>press with a lead image and no ink squeezing into wet, semiformed
>paper.

>Phil

The Nova show on counterfeiting a few weeks ago showed a different
method of making a watermark. In an early stage of manufacture, paper
was being formed by straining pulp through a screen; the paper sheet
formed on top of the screen, where the pulp fibers strained out. The
watermark was made by making a bas-relief image on the screen.

I think you might be thinking of embossing, a different kettle of fish
altogether.

- Steve.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: wjeuerle@athena.mit.edu (William J Euerle)
Subject: Re: Falling bullets on Marilyn's Parade
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 14:29:15 GMT

In article <1992Apr8.013957.8139@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com>, billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:
|> subbarao@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Kartik Subbarao) writes:
|> : 
|> : Let's assume that the doors are labeled A, B and C. Assume A and C have goats 
|> : in them, and B has the car.
|> : 
|> : Let's say you pick A. He shows you C. Switching will get you the car.
|> : Let's say you pick C. He shows you A. Switching will get you the car.
|> : Let's say you pick B. He shows you either A or C. Switching will get you a goat.
|> : 
|> : So is the line of reasoning like this? If you DO switch, there is a 66% chance 
|> : (2/3) of getting the prize. Since 66 > 50, you should switch.
|> : 
|> : Right? Or am I missing something?
|> 
|> Well, look at it this way. After you pick a door, there are 4 possibilities.
|> Assume the doors are as you describe.
|> 
|> Pick A and be shown C - switch and get a car.
|> Pick C and be shown A - switch and get a car.
|> Pick B and be shown C - switch and get a goat.
|> Pick B and be shown A - switch and get a goat.
|> 
|> Work it out for yourself.
|> 
|> Bill

Congrats.  you just proved that it ISN'T worth switching.  Look at the 4
possibilities that arise.  2 favor switching and 2 don't.  Why should you switch
if it doesn't increase your chances of winning?  (I hope that is what you were
trying to show.)

Bill Euerle
From: phil@adam.adelaide.edu.au (Phil Kernick)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Peeling labels off beer
Date: 8 Apr 92 08:25:37 GMT
Organization: University of Adelaide, South Australia

salantel@dssv01.crd.ge.com (E. L. Salant) writes:

>>If you can peel the label off a beer bottle without tearing it, this shows
>>you're a virgin.

>I heard this too while I was in school at McGill, in Montreal.  Maybe it is
>a Canadian legend.

Well I have heard the similar legend, that if you pull the label off a beer
bottle that you are sexually frustrated, I definitely don't live in Canada.


Phil.

-- 
   _-_|\    Phil Kernick                E-Mail: phil@adam.adelaide.edu.au
  /     \   Departmental Engineer       Phone:  +61 8 228 5914
  \_.-*_/   Dept. of Psychology         Fax:    +61 8 224 0464
       v    University of Adelaide      Mail:   GPO Box 498 Adelaide SA 5001
From: ecovingt@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Maiko Covington)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: "Coke" in Chinese
Date: 6 Apr 92 16:19:04 GMT

I always thought "Coca Cola" in Chinese was pronounced 
Ke3 Kou3 Ke3 Le4 (Ke\/ Kou\/ Ke\/ Le`). At least this is how I have
heard people from Taiwan say it.
	But when you say 2 3rd tones in a row the first ones become
2 tone so it is Ke2 Kou2 Ke3 Le4 when said fast, I guess.
		Maiko Covington
From: morris@anasaz (Bob Morris)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Falling bullets on Marilyns Parade
Date: 6 Apr 92 17:13:41 GMT
Organization: Anasazi, Inc.  Phoenix, Az

Well, I read Ms vS/s column in the Sunday newspaper yesterday and noticed
that she claims to be in the Guinness Hall of Fame (not just the book)
as the highest IQ ever.  Can anyone confirm/deny this?

Bob "who's in second?" Morris
aka morris@anasazi.com  (new address)
anasaz!morris@asuvax.eas.asu.edu (old address still works)
My opinions only, of course...
From: uspam@mcl.mcl.ucsb.edu (Tom Maynard)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Today's conspiracy theory
Keywords: that's an old joke, sonny.
Date: 8 Apr 92 06:37:14 GMT
Article-I.D.: mcl.uspam.702715034

In <ku1q2tINN2ma@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM> linden@positive.Eng.Sun.COM (Peter van der Linden) writes:

>Here's a re-posting from another group, from someone who generally knows
>what he's talking about.  How much evidence is there for the 4 claims:
>    1.  Hanford radiated more in one day than Chernobyl in 5 years
>    2.  The breast cancer rate tripled with the current generation
>    3.  Carnivores are three times likelier to get colon cancer
>    4.  Cancer cures are likely in a few years?

>Wow!  Pretty surprising stuff, if true.  But how much of this is based
>in fact?  Maybe I should just "ask Marilyn"...
>Maybe someone from Oregon or Washington should tackle the Hanford claim.

>---------------- start of today's conspiracy theory -------------------
>I believe that the two principal causes of higher cancer rates are nuclear
>radiation and chemicals in the food supply.

One significant cause of "higher" incidence of cancer is the significant
increase in life-span.  When people don't die of heart disease or tuberculosis
or some other disease, you see cancer at later ages.  This doesn't mean that
there _has_ to be an unnatural cause of this cancer, just that it was
previously masked by early death.

Although I wouldn't be surprised to see some overall increase in certain
forms of cancer caused by agents that the government isn't talking about,
those kind of things ususally at least find their way into the media
eventually...

As far as rad waste, there's a lot of misinformation out there.  On the one
hand, some government operations (ie: Hanford) spewed waste in extremely 
unhealthful amounts.  However, much of this horrible polluting wasn't
necessarily malevolant, as in the 40's there wasn't a clear understanding
of the dangers of radiation.

However, the paranoia that exists today is quite the opposite.  There are
fights to the death over disposal of "low level waste" (some only radioactive
on paper), when in fact this waste is probably less radioactive than the
soil they're burying it in (background).


On the subject of cancer, there's a lot of interesting research out there...

In particular, a set of studies by Bruce Ames of UC Berkeley, which compared
the mutagenicity of common "natural" compounds with the terrible, horrible
toxins produced by the chemical companies.  Nature does surprisingly well
sometimes...  I'll have to look up my notes on this subject, if there's
interest...


>On a positive note, I believe that cancer cures will be available in the
>next few years.  Biotechnology is making great strides with recombinant
>DNA.  At Genentech they are using Macintoshes to design molecules that
>can combine with and neutralize pathogens.  Whether a cancer cure will
>make me feel OK about pesticides and nuclear radiation, I don't know.
>---------------- end of today's conspiracy theory -------------------

Always better to err on the safe side...

--Tom Maynard
  Bio-Geek at large
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
From: thf2@ellis.uchicago.edu (Ted Frank)
Subject: Re: Using popcorn in chicken to test doneness
Keywords: popcorn chicken
Reply-To: thf2@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 15:55:36 GMT

In article <13180@bwdls58.bnr.ca> Henry.Troup@BNR.CA writes:
>In article <ku00apINNj5v@langtry.cs.utexas.edu>, bergeron@cs.utexas.edu
>(James D. Bergeron) writes:
>|>
>|>My sister told me that she heard of a way to tell if
>|>a chicken (or turkey I guess) is done by putting popcorn
>|>inside the bird before cooking.  She doesn't remember how
>|>you determine when the chicken is done though.
>|>
>|>Has anyone ever heard of using this technique?
>
>Urban legend cooking alert!  Popcorn chicken/turkey doesn't work. 
>Consider - corn pops at an internal temperature over 212 F 100 C, right?
>A done bird is 180 F internal.  If the corn pops, the bird is burnt.

Well, the secret is to take the bird out of the oven half an hour *before*
the corn pops. 

-- Ted "Jeez, everyone knows that" Frank.
-- 
Ted Frank          + "He wanted to be the car rather than the thimble or the
1307 E 60 St, #109 +  hat."  -- District attorney explaining Marc Cienkowski's
U o' C Law Skool   +  murder with bow and arrow of Michael Klucznik in
Chi, IL 60637      +  Doylestown Borough, PA over a game of Monopoly.
From: sheaffer@netcom.com (Robert Sheaffer)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: The Philadelphia Experiment (?)
Keywords: Duke, Michigan, basketball, marijuana, linoleum
Date: 9 Apr 92 00:14:40 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest)


    We had a long thread about that old fable on "sci.skeptic"
    recently. Here is some background on it:


Article 19354 of sci.skeptic:
From: perry@Unify.Com (Perry Clarke)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Let's Make a Deal (was: Digits in the Driver's license number
Summary: UK Licence Plates
Keywords: licencen
Date: 8 Apr 92 01:58:19 GMT
Article-I.D.: Unify.9fhjihr
Organization: Unify Corporation

fehr@ms.uky.edu (Jeff Davis) wrote:
>Heard any good Delaware stories lately? Didn't think so.
>
>In Delaware the license numbers are simply the consecutive numbers of their
>issue, and if you want, you can retain that number through your entire
>Delaware driving experience. That number is a property and can be
>sold, like Essau's birthright. Certain low numbers are reserved for
>government use, but others (lower than 10 I think) are in the private
>"pool" and are bought and sold by collectors. Some fetch, so I'm told,
>impressive boodle.
>-- 
>Jeff Davis <davis@keats.ca.uky.edu> 
>Now, I'll sign it as a witness, you wretch.

In the UK licence plates are treated similarly.  They started at A1 and
worked their way up.  In 1960 (?) they added a letter to the end
"ABC 123 A" and when that ran out they (after much discussion) switched
to "A 123 ABC" (the single letter changes each year so it easy to tell in
which year most cars were registered).

This leads to a interesting case of supply vs demand.  Until recently it
was not possible to choose one's licence plate so if you wanted one with
your initials on it then you had to find who it had been issued to and buy
it from them.  Generically interesting plates get the most money.

For example, Rowan Atkinson (famous Brit comedian) has "COM1C" on his Aston
Martin.  Someone advertised "VIP 1" in the Sunday Times at UKL 100,000 (and
apparently got the money, in cash, the following day).  Single letters with
low digits get the most money but you can figure on UKL 5,000 for something
like "DPC 100".

Quite a business has grown up matching buyers to sellers (somewhere there
is a computer program that figures out words that fit the "rules" of
licence plate numbering).  Even the government has joined in.  For the past
couple of years they have allowed the public to buy unissued numbers; so
when the "H" year arrived they sold off plates such as "H15 TOY" (his toy)
at a premium.  It turns out that they have kept back interesting plates
from years gone by ("ANN1E", girls name, was one I think) and are selling
these off as well.

Legend has it that the government wont issue any plate with the number
"666" in it because of the disasterous accident record of the few vehicles
this number was issued to.

So, at least in the UK your licence plate may be worth more than your car!

--
Perry Clarke                 perry@unify.com             (916) 928 6287
                   Unify Corporation, Sacramento, CA
From: lsmith@unssun.nevada.edu (Larry Smith)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Business cards
Date: 8 Apr 92 12:48:46 GMT
Reply-To: lsmith@unssun.UUCP (Larry Smith)
Organization: University of Nevada-Reno

In article <1992Apr4.171438.8856@athena.cs.uga.edu> mcovingt@athena.cs.uga.edu (Michael A. Covington) writes:
>
>Actually my sources say he was treated successfully and is still alive
>(but no longer 7 years old).
>-- 

 Ok we all know Craig Shergold doesn't need cards, but I have a project
that I'd like the people who would send him one to help with.

	My daughter's school is having a "penney drive" to buy new
books for the school library. Each child has been asked to go out and
solicit pennies (nothing larger please). The child who collects the
most pennies by June 1st. gets taken out for ice cream by the principal.

	If you'd like to help, please send all the pennies you can spare
to:
       Keeley Smith
       bx 20278
       Reno, Nv 89515

	Thanks for all your help.

 Just the facts ma'm.....
                         LAPD Sgt. Joe Friday
 Facts? I don't need no stinkin' facts!
                                     Rush Limbaugh
From: eepee@polaris.utu.fi (Esa-Pekka P{lvim{ki)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Flute tuning (Re: Radio UL)
Date: 9 Apr 92 18:28:01 GMT
Organization: University of Turku, Finland

In article <STEINAR.92Apr9194309@faust.solan.unit.no> steinar@faust.solan.unit.no (Cindy Kandolf) writes:
>Also, i'm not so sure i'd say the flute is "often" a tuning reference.
>I've played in concert bands, orchestras, and a jazz band, and we almost 
>never used the flute....it's just too quiet to be heard clearly unless 
>the ensemble is quite small.

Well, the piano is a bummer to start tuning on stage, so that's what we use
for tuning reference..

/ep
From: tjw@vm2.cis.pitt.edu
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: McMouse!
Date: 12 Apr 92 04:22:09 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh

In article <STEINAR.92Apr11140304@faust.solan.unit.no>, steinar@faust.solan.unit.no (Cindy Kandolf) writes:



> When i was working at a fast food place that shall remain nameless (except
> for those of you in Pittsburgh it's the one on the ground floor of the
> Cathedral of Learning), 

When I was in grad school, we called it "BURGHER DEATH!"

> And then there's the time i slipped and fell in the refrigerator and had
> ketchup all over me, but i think that's enough fun for one day.

And Peter thinks we don't know how to enjoy ourselves, here in the Burgh.

Terry "Have it your way" Wood
Xref: sparky alt.folklore.urban:12134 alt.mcdonalds:440
From: dc4l+@andrew.cmu.edu (Dean Calloway)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,alt.mcdonalds
Subject: Re: McMouse!
Date: 12 Apr 92 19:57:51 GMT
	<1992Apr11.002744.13251@watson.ibm.com>
Distribution: na
Organization: Masters student, Urban and Public Affairs, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

Excerpts From Captions of netnews.alt.mcdonalds:
11-Apr-92  Re: McMouse!                   Scott C. Kennedy@watson. (1566)   
>Interesting side effect: I had extremely limited heat sensation in both hands
>. (After
>the "incident" I could flip steaks & burgers without using utensils. But, sna
>tching 

I can't recall the exact mechanics (undergrad biology course), but this
could be attributable to nerve damage to the receptors in the afflicted
area.  We really only "feel" warm and cool (as opposed to hot and cold).
 Extreme sensations are registered as a result of excessive stimulation
of warm and cool receptors.  I burned my hands in a hibachi accident (go
figure) several years back.. Combined with weightlifting and subsequent
development of callouses, I am now able to pick up pots or kettles
directly off the stove with my bare hands and hold them for extended
periods of time. 

DCAL

BTW I found a bone in a cheeseburger from McDonalds one time.  Does this
qualify?
From: linden@positive.Eng.Sun.COM (Peter van der Linden)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: If you lie with maps, you will rise with fleas
Date: 17 Apr 92 04:16:24 GMT
Organization: Phil's House O' Diodes
NNTP-Posting-Host: positive

OK, everyone who hasn't been living in a cave for the last four years
(all you posters from Arizona, rest easy) knows that the US Government
is sponsoring an initiative to map the Human genome -- that is,
to determine the location of the 100,000 human genes, and also find out 
whether their parents know where they are on Saturday night.

No, just kidding.  The second aim is to analyze the structure of DNA
(UL alert! UL Alert!) Dr Watson & Holme's famed Nobel prize-winning double 
helix.

My question is: whose genome is being mapped?  We can put certain 
requirements on the subject: not obviously prey to any genetic disorders,
probably living, probably a child?  But (and this is a question I have
not seen previously raised) WHO PRECISELY ARE THEY MAPPING???

Check out the Nov '91 "pinup" issue of CACM, featuring the photospread
of Cherri Pancake on page 52 for more details, but fewer answers.

--
Peter van der Linden    linden@eng.sun.com
Reality check #34:  Gallagher has a weird haircut, but is not very funny.