HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: acheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Albert Cheng)
Subject: Re: Secured Credit Cards
Originator: acheng@shalom.ncsa.uiuc.edu
Organization: Nat'l Ctr for Supercomp App (NCSA) @ University of Illinois
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 17:37:36 GMT


In article <1992Dec14.093428.20549@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com>, billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:
>jamshed@gradient.cis.upenn.edu (Jamshed Masood) writes:
>: 
>: 
>: Hi
>: Could somebody please post me the list of banks/institutions that
>: offer secured credit cards.
>
>Why would you want one of those? Why would you want to pay a bank interest
>on a card for which they had absolutely no risk? Nor are they loaning you
>money - you are using your own.

The only secured credit visa card I ever checked, but did not apply,
said I open a saving account with them, then my VISA credit is equal to
the account current balance.  I still get saving rate interest on the
balance and the account is FDIC insured.  They don't automatically take
money out of the account for the VISA charges.  I still have to pay the
bill separately.  The account is only as a collacteral.  The bank I
checked also did not charge an annual fee.  It was a pretty good deal
for anyone who has a hard time getting a charge card the "usual" way.
I did not apply because I just don't like the idea that they can take
my money in case there is a dispute in the VISA bills.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,soc.culture.japan,sci.electronics,alt.sex,soc.culture.african.american,misc.education,misc.entrepreneurs
From: bob@ncube.com (Bob Kehoe)
Subject: Re: DOES AMERICA SAY YES TO JAPAN? - Off track!!
Organization: nCUBE Computers, Beaverton, Oregon, U.S.A.
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 23:19:35 GMT

In article <BzH7uq.CEu@ncube.com> bob@ncube.com (Bob Kehoe) writes:
>I hope to get a look at the new Camaro/Firebird and the
>Continental MKVII pretty soon.
>

Whoops - make that 'MKVIII'.

bk

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: gordon@sneaky.lonestar.org (Gordon Burditt)
Subject: Re: Dumb finance question?
Organization: Gordon Burditt
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 16:31:55 GMT

>Here's a (maybe) dumb question for you ... given a fixed-rate no
>prepayment penalty mortgage of 10% (for example),  is paying down
>the mortgage the same as getting a 10% return on your money?  I
>THINK that it is, but something about it makes me nervous.

(Assuming US tax laws)

TAXABLE income cancels DEDUCTIBLE expenses.
NON-TAXABLE income cancels NON-DEDUCTIBLE expenses.
Something is deductible only if you can use it to advantage; mortgage
interest is deductible only if you have enough itemized deductions to
make it worthwhile to itemize.

You have a choice of two investments:

(1) Invest a bunch of money at 10%, yielding TAXABLE INCOME.
(2) Pay down a bunch of money on your mortgage, deleting DEDUCTIBLE INTEREST
(assuming it is deductible).
In case (1), you have extra taxable income and deductible interest in
equal amounts, and they cancel.

In this case, the yield is equivalent.  The liquidity is not:  you
can't easily get your money back out of the mortgage if you need it,
but you could probably sell the bonds or whatever (1) was to get your
money out.  True, second mortgages exist, but they involve quite a bit
of expense and hassle to get.  The risk may not be the same, either.
Investments that have the same yield as mortgages likely have some risk
of losing part of the principal.

If the mortgage interest is not deductible, because it's getting phased
out, you hit some limit, or you don't have enough itemized deductions,
then you're better off paying down the mortgage, as investing in
some other investment gives you taxable income and non-deductible
interest in equal amounts, and you end up paying taxes on the taxable
income.  OR, a yield of some other investment at, say, 13% (depends on
your tax bracket) could give the same after-tax income to make up for
the 10% mortgage interest.

If the income from the investment is non-taxable (municipal bonds, say),
and the interest is non-deductible, then the two options provide the
same yield.  If the yield of a non-taxable investment equals the yield
of mortgages, there is probably significant investment risk of losing
the principal.

					Gordon L. Burditt
					sneaky.lonestar.org!gordon
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: lola@lucid.com (Lola McCrary)
Subject: Re: Insurance impossible for out-of-state vehicle purchase?
Organization: Lucid, Inc.
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 92 06:55:39 GMT

In article <Bz443I.3M3@news.cso.uiuc.edu> acheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Albert Cheng) writes:


   But the original person, who asked the question, has motorcycle
   insurance, not car insurance.  His insurance company would not
   sell him car coverage without seeing the car first.  (This would
   imply his motorcycle policy does not cover cars.)

   How about this?  If the pickup current owner is willing, the buyer may
   drive the pickup back to CA first, then do the transaction.  So, the
   2000 miles trip is covered by the current Missouri owner's policy.
   Many insurance policy (e.g. State Farm's) covers temporary driver.

   OR just go buy a junk car in CA, buy liability insurance for it.  Then
   drive back the pickup, sell the junk car and transfer the policy to the
   pickup.

As I remember it, from the last time I changed vehicles, the transfer policy is
the same for the new car as for the old car.  Most motorcycle insurance would
not meet any legal minimums for a car, nor would a policy for a clunker or
motorcycle cover all the necessary things for a brand, spanking new car about
to be taken on a long journey across country.

Why not ask an insurance agent as a general question and get a qualified
answer? 

Lola
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: richg@hatch.socal.com (Rich Greenberg)
Subject: Re: Telescopes?
Organization: Hatch Usenet and E-mail.  Playa del Rey, CA
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 01:51:11 GMT

In article <28562@oasys.dt.navy.mil> odell@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Bernard O'Dell) writes:
>Son who just moved to San Fran overlooking the Bay has
>asked about a telescope for Christmas-I guess I should

Before buying, determine if he wants a terrestrial or an astronomical
type of scope.  The optics are arranged differently, and using an
astronomical scope to look at things on land will result in everything
being upside down.

Other considerations:  reflecting vs refracting.  Power.  objective size.
etc etc etc.....

Suggest to him that he purchase it locally, and you will reimburse him.
Telescopes are kind of delicate to be shipped cross country casually.
-- 
Rich Greenberg      Work: rmg50@juts.ccc.amdahl.com   310-417-8999
N6LRT               Play: richg@hatch.socal.com       310-649-0238
What?   Me speak for Amdahl?  Surely you jest....
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: richg@hatch.socal.com (Rich Greenberg)
Subject: Re: OK..why shouldnt I get an extended car warranty?
Organization: Hatch Usenet and E-mail.  Playa del Rey, CA
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 00:34:13 GMT

In article <1992Dec16.143215.29151@noose.ecn.purdue.edu> rjwade@rainbow.ecn.purdue.edu (Robert J. Wade) writes:

>warranties on all kinds of goods a while back...same bottom line...don't buy
>extended warranty on anything...cars...electronics...appliances etc!!!! 

In general, you are correct.  The one area where it MAY be worthwhile
is mechanical audio/vidio gear such as a VCR.  Even then its iffy.

A good line somebody posted a while ago to use on the sallesdroids
when they get pushy is "If this ... is so likely to break down and
need the extended coverage, mabe I shouldn't buy it because I want
a reliable ..."
-- 
Rich Greenberg      Work: rmg50@juts.ccc.amdahl.com   310-417-8999
N6LRT               Play: richg@hatch.socal.com       310-649-0238
What?   Me speak for Amdahl?  Surely you jest....
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: Headlight of cars
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 09:11:01 GMT

egreen@east.sun.com (Ed Green - Pixel Cruncher) writes:
: In article 20010@porthos.cc.bellcore.com, dje@mail.bellcore.com () writes:
: >
: >Albert.. get real! 'Ya gotta be kidding. You're talking a $2.98 sealed
: >beam.
: 
: $15 + change.  (halogen)

They cost about $6 here.

Bill
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,soc.culture.japan,sci.electronics,alt.sex,soc.culture.african.american,misc.education,misc.entrepreneurs
From: PAPAI@kcgl1.eng.ohio-state.edu (Jonathan Papai)
Subject: Re: DOES AMERICA SAY YES TO JAPAN? - Off track!!
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 21:54:42 GMT

joemays@bsu-cs.bsu.edu (Joseph F. Mays) objects:

>BZZT! WRONG! (I think this damned buzzer is about to break from overuse!)
>
>Honda plants in America are assembly plants which build cars out of parts
>made and imported from Japan.  Read:  far fewer jobs, and less skilled
>ones.
>
>Joe

Don't want to interject facts, but, Honda's parts are supplied in the
following fractions:

37 % 	Imported from Japan
46 %	Domestic parts from Keiretsu and in house
17 %	American owned companies.

Joe seems to have hit the nail on the head.

"Come work for Honda, Americans.  If you work hard and are loyal,
you can rise straight to the middle." - me

-Jon
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Exercise equipment: Stepping vs Skiing
From: erkamp@janus (Bob Erkamp)
Date: 14 Dec 92 11:44:39 MDT
Reply-To: erkamp@janus
Organization: Alberta Research Council

In article <147450001@hpindda.cup.hp.com>, inna@hpindda.cup.hp.com (Inna Lauris) writes:
>
>We are looking for an exercise equipment for our home, so far 
>we've looked at two types: a stepper and a skiiing machine. What I would
>like to have is a machine that allows me to exercise upper and lower body,
>Imd allows me to watch TV while doing it :). In that respect a skiing machine 
>looks better as it exercises both arms and legs. We could not though find any 
>recommendation on the "skiing" type of equipment, Consumers report was
>done for "steppers" ony. The ones we saw we liked was "SEA Alpine tracker"
>which is supposed to be similar to NordicTrack. 
>
>So I have two questions for the net:
>
>- would you recommend skiing versus stepping
>- which equipment did you buy and are you happy with it.
>
>

How about rowing? I seem to recall that one of the consumer mags stated the best 
single piece of excercise equipment is a rowing machine.

Bob
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,alt.visa.us
From: shekar@bnr.ca (Shekar Benakatti)
Subject: Can one be denied insurance based on citizenship?
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Richardson, Tx.
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 22:04:09 GMT

I was recently denied Insurance because I am not a citizen
of USA, but a permanent resident.  I have been informed that
they cannot legally do this to a permanent resident just
because he is not a citizen.  Does anyone know what I can
do?  The insurance company is refusing to put this in
writing.

I wonder if one day a grocery store refuses to sell me food
because I told them that I am not a citizen?
   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Shekar Benakatti         |  My Opinions only; NOT BNR/NT's  
  Bell-Northern Research   |  EMail: shekar@bnr.ca            
  Richardson TX 75083      |  Phone: (214)-684-4795 (ESN 444) 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Shekar Benakatti         |  My Opinions only; NOT BNR/NT's  
  Bell-Northern Research   |  EMail: shekar@bnr.ca            
  Richardson TX 75083      |  Phone: (214)-684-4795 (ESN 444) 
Organization: Sophomore, Physics, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,comp.sys.mac.comm,comp.sys.mac,comp.sys.ibm.pc,misc.misc
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 09:05:32 -0500 
From: Faisal Nameer Jawdat <fj05+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: PRODIGY New and improved STILL SUCKS, HORRIBLE as before
	<1992Dec17.075003.3502@news.acns.nwu.edu>

alasnik@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Adam Lasnik) writes:
> The perception, in part, was caused by dos-idiots noticing "pieces
> of their text files" embedded in a cache file created by Prodigy.
> The "pieces of info" were just deleted text segments that DOS took
> over when a new file was created.

I don't know prodigy's specific case, but dos puts all sorts of nasty
stuff on the disk sector after the eof all the time.  Take Norton
Utilities and just start looking around at files with the hex editor,
and on any sufficiently large files you'll start to notice all sorts
of wierd stuff that looks like it's in the file, but isn't when you
open it up using any sort of text editor, etc.

> Prodigy has:
-Niftier censorship
> In my opinion, Compu$erve is highly overrated, ridiculously
> overpriced, and terribly unfriendly.  So there.

I don't know about the terribly unfriendly, but I'd have to agree with
the other two...


-- faisal jawdat                  | "Certainly the game is rigged.
email: fj05+@andrew.cmu.edu       | Don't let that stop you;
if mail handler barfs             | if you don't bet, you can't win." 
fj05@andrew.cmu.edu               |        -Lazarus Long
From: lbr@holos0.uucp (Len Reed)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Financial software
Date: 14 Dec 92 16:59:26 GMT
Organization: Holos Software, Inc.

In article <1992Dec13.005245.10253@u.washington.edu> mlustig@stein.u.washington.edu (Mitch Lustig) writes:
>jimh@pacdata.com (Jim Harkins) writes:
>
>>I'm thinking of getting my dad a financial package for christmas.  Do any
>>of you have any opinions on whats out there?  I seem to think Andrew Tobias
>>is good, while I understand lots of people like Quicken.  My parents are
>>both retired, solidly middle class, have no plans to start a business.  All
>>they need is something to manage stock portfolios, social security, taxes,
>>and all that other baffling BS.  Oops, I should mention he's got a PC
>--------------------------
>
>Quicken, Quicken, Quicken.
>
>It was designed for computer idiots, like me.  Cant go wrong.  Besides, its
>much cheaper than MYM.

It's cheaper for a reason.  Quicken is a glofied ledger, with a little
financial planning tossed in.  (I like it and use it.)  MYM is touted to
be a more sophsiticated financial planner.  (I don't use it since I
don't have a complicated enough portfolio enough to consider its price.)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.misc,comp.sys.mac.comm,comp.sys.mac,comp.sys.ibm.pc
From: jmmaye@monsanto.com (Jim Mayer)
Subject: Re: good keyboard with midi capability
Keywords: midi capability
Organization: Monsanto
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 23:16:31 GMT

In article <Bz47v6.CF5@unx.sas.com> sasjhc@maxwell.unx.sas.com (Joe Croos) writes:

>2) We're thinking of buying Pro Audio Spectrum 16-bit card( costs about $200 at PCZone) and 
>   MIDI cable. Sounblaster Pro is 8-bit and cheaper( Egghead sells for ~$130) but according to
>   PC Magazine(forgot the issue date) Pro Audio Spectrum card is superior.

   The PAS-16 requires an additional box (Midi-mate) that lists for either 
$69 or $79 (I forget).  The SB-pro comes in two versions.  One version 
includes a midi cable the other (labeled basic in small print) does not 
include the special midi cable.  The basic version is about $130, while the 
"full" version is more like $190.  The midi kit is also available as a 
separate item.  The midi cable attaches to the game port on the sound card.
I think some software is also included.

Jim
From: ken@wybbs.mi.org (Ken Jongsma)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Financial software
Date: 18 Dec 92 02:39:41 GMT
Reply-To: jongsma@benzie.si.com
Organization: Smiths Industries

hbb@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (harlan.b.braude) writes:

>When you call, they also offer "membership" for an additional $15 which
>gets you a newsletter, toll-free software support number (non-members
>get a toll number,) free media replacement (the copy protection scheme
>allows the sftw to be loaded from the floppies once; if your HD crashes,
>a new copy of the MYM diskette is required,) a copy of Tobias's book,
>free upgrades that occur during the year (the guy said they don't expect
>any for another year) and a discount on the upgrade after the year.

Minor correction: MYM is *NOT* copy protected. The replacement guarantee
in the Plus Plan is strictly if you failed to make a backup.

-- 
Ken Jongsma                                     jongsma@benzie.si.com
Smiths Industries                                    ken@wybbs.mi.org 
Grand Rapids, Michigan                      73115.1041@compuserve.com
From: john@zygot.ati.com (John Higdon)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Tell me about electric blankets
Date: 17 Dec 92 21:46:31 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Green Hills and Cows

In article <1992Dec14.091907.20005@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com> billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:

>So, what advantage would there be in a DC EM field over an AC EM field?

When I heard the author of _Currents of Death_ speak once, he spent the
good part of an hour relating this elaborate theory about "resonances"
and "vibrations" of cells supposedly caused by 60 Hz electromagnetic
sources. His entire premise hinged on the concept of 60 Hz current.

It was highly amusing, therefore, to hear a caller ask about living
near BART (a SF Bay Area transit train system) tracks, which have a
third-rail. After all of this psuedo-scientific babble about the
destructive nature of 60 Hz fields, the author cautioned that caller
that indeed, there would be much concern about living in the vicinity
of a BART third-rail.

BART runs on direct current, as do virtually all electric train
systems. So much for science.
-- 
 John Higdon  |   P. O. Box 7648   |   +1 408 264 4115     |       FAX:
 john@ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | 10288 0 700 FOR-A-MOO | +1 408 264 4407
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:20855 misc.misc:4112 comp.sys.mac.comm:12193 comp.sys.mac:537 comp.sys.ibm.pc:1002
From: acheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Albert Cheng)
Subject: Re: TRW Credit Reports
Originator: acheng@shalom.ncsa.uiuc.edu
Organization: Nat'l Ctr for Supercomp App (NCSA) @ University of Illinois
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 17:39:13 GMT


I wrote:
>: I heard from others the following trick: If you have a card, ask them
>: to raise the limit to $15,000.  When denied (assume you are not
>: that credit worthy), ask for a credit report.  If you don't have a
>: card, go apply the most expensive one like AE platinum.  Denied?
>: Demand a credit report.

[A few people have explained Platinum cards are by invitation only.]

Okay, folks, so I made a cardinal mistake of using AMEX platinum.  My
point was and is, apply for a card that you know you are NOT qualified
to get the free report.  So, if you are a lowly homeless bum, go for a
gas card.  If you are so rich that all cards are begging for the honor
of your presence, you have no worry about your credit.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: nau@ssesco.com (William Nau)
Subject: Re: OK..why shouldnt I get an extended car warranty?
Organization: SSESCO
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 15:32:51 GMT

In article <BzBxu0.M4@cup.hp.com>, staggers@cup.hp.com (Ken Staggers) writes:
|> I just bought my new car, a Mercury Tracer LTS.  Today's session with
|> the sales people was to talk financing and "other options".  They made
|> the extended car warranty sound OH SO GOOD.  After listening to him,
|> I couldnt remember anything the net has said about these warranties.
|> I need to be reminded...why are they such a bad deal?  On principle, it
|> sounds great.  For $660 I can get an extra 2 years of coverage.  And the
|> brochure they give indicates a lot of things that are covered.  I have
|> a lot of power options like door locks and windows.  Couldnt they fail
|> during years 4 and 5?  What didnt the sales guy tell me?  What was he
|> leaving out?
|> 
|> Yeah, I turned it down.  But they will be "giving me another chance" to
|> take it when I pick up the car.  I wonder how many other chances will I
|> get afterwards?
|> 
|> --Ken
|>   staggers@cup.hp.com

The first thing you have to do is think to yourself "Why do they want me
to buy an extended warrenty?".  Think about it.  They do it because it
makes them money.  If it makes them money, you lose money.  The typically
payback from an extended warrenty is not very good.  From that aspect,
it's a bad deal.

However, you are buying 'peace of mind'.  You have to decide if it's worth
that much for 'peace of mind'.

Don't let the power stuff affect your decision.  It's not that big of a 
deal.  I had all that stuff on my car as well.  After 10 years, I had
to fix a power window and a power lock myself.  The power window cost
me $20 to do myself ($300 to have the dealer do it for me).  The power
lock didn't cost me a penny (a connector slipped off).  Power windows
and locks are pretty reliable.  More reliable than the rest of the car.

P.S. How long do you plan on owning the car?  Don't expect the warrenty
     to increase the resale value by $660.
-- 
William R. Nau
Supercomputer Systems Engineering and Services Company (SSESCO)
511 11th Avenue South, Suite 216
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415-1536
(612) 342-0003

nau@SSESCO.com
From: charleen@net.bio.net (Charleen Bunjiovianna)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Calling consumer 800 numbers and general complaining
Date: 18 Dec 92 22:56:45 GMT
Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Biology

Some months ago, someone here suggested calling the 800 number for
consumer relations for various companies, because many times they
send you free coupons even though you called to complain about the
product.

I called Burger King's number (1-800-YES-1-800, I keep wanting it to
be a palindrome) because the containers they serve their salads in
are too small.  The lettuce is packed in there, and when you peel
the top off and add dressing & croutons, it all slides off.  A very
polite man made a note of my comments, but didn't take my name or
anything.  Oh well.  Burger King's consumer relations department is
in Florida, BTW.

Complaining to a magazine about missed issues did help, though.  I've
been moving about every 6 to 9 months on average, but always informed
_Bon Appetit_ well in advance of the move.  Yet, each time I'd miss
one or two issues before they'd "find" me again.  This time, they 
couldn't seem to get the magazines to me, but gee, their renewal notices
kept coming, one after the other.  That ticked me off, so I wrote and
told them they had a lot of nerve asking me to renew when I've already
missed the October and November issues.  I got a letter back letting
me know that they're extending my subscription for free.

Charleen


Newsgroups: misc.consumers,soc.culture.japan,sci.electronics,alt.sex,soc.culture.african.american,misc.education,misc.entrepreneurs,soc.culture.usa