HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: RJM@psuvm.psu.edu (Ray Masters)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Cherry Furniture Recommendation?
Date: 19 Aug 92 14:50:49 GMT
Article-I.D.: psuvm.92232.105049RJM
Organization: Penn State University

Last February my wife and I ordered a not-inexpensive cherry bedroom set
(bed + 3 case pieces) in a Shaker style.  After a 5-month wait, we were
extremely disappointed with the workmanship and quality.  Warped, cupped,
out-of-square, drawers-wont-close, faked details (non-functional dovetails,
but the photos looked good!), etc., etc.  We returned the furniture and
got our money back.  We're still interested in solid cherry, Shaker-style,
but are somewhat apprehensive about a manufacturer since this last exper-
ience was supposedly with a "quality" manufacturer.  Can anyone offer any
recommendations?
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: JULIE.KADASHEVICH@OFFICE.WANG.COM ("Julie Kadashevich")
Subject: Follow-up: ordering SIMMs through PC mags adds
Organization: Mail to News Gateway at Wang Labs
Date: 18 Aug 92 11:59:20 EST

Thank you (again) to everyone who responded to my post regarding
buying PC components through mail order.  The information and support
was greatly appreciated!

A number of you requested to know the name of the company who gave
me trouble.  Their name is Microchip Components (Tustin, CA).

They never mailed me anything.  They would repeatedly admit to not mailing
my order, and assuring that it was mailed "yesterday."  Their excuses ranged
from rediculous to silly.
They charged me $7.50 for 2 day UPS delivery, but when I requested
UPS tracking number they addmitted to using 2 Day Air Post (through Post
Office) which does not provide tracking numbers.  By the way, 2 Day Air
Post costs $2.50.
Finally, my charge account was charged promptly on the day I placed my
order, even though nothing was mailed.  And, as I suspected, I am having
trouble getting them to post the credit.
I am persueing the matter with Attorney General's office and my credit
card company.
Julie
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: norden@andy.bgsu.edu (Lee Norden)
Subject: Miracle Ear--Worth the $'s?
Keywords: Hearing
Organization: Bowling Green State University B.G., Oh.
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 13:04:36 GMT

A relative is thinking about getting the Miracle Ear system
for $1,700-$2,100.  Is this a good product?  Is there another
brand (cheaper) that's just as good?  I'm guessing that a
good %'age of the cost goes for advertising and marketing.
But it would be worth it if the system works as advertised.

Thanks



Lee Norden                          |        419-372-8664
Head of Systems                     |    fax 419-372-7996
115 Jerome Library                  |   home 419-866-8440
Bowling Green State Univ.           |
Bowling Green, OH  43403  USA       | norden@andy.bgsu.edu
-- 
Lee Norden                          |        419-372-8664
Head of Systems                     |    fax 419-372-7996
115 Jerome Library                  |   home 419-866-8440
Bowling Green State Univ.           |
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.consumers.house
From: gopi@indetech.com (Prakash Gopinath)
Subject: ADVICE NEEDED: Former Apartment deducted $300 from rental deposit without reason
Organization: Independence Technologies, Inc. Fremont, CA
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 00:02:15 GMT


I lived in an apartment complex in Cupertino (California) for about 6 months.
I had paid $350 as rental deposit. Due to transfer of job to Fremont, I had to
move to Fremont, after giving 1 month notice of moving(as per the agreement 
signed). When asked for my rental deposit, they said they would send it in 2 weeks.
     After about 10 days, they (my former apartment) sent me just $70 along with a
letter which vaguely said that "not clean", "needs cleaning", "needs painting", 
"unusual wear of painting" etc. We are sure that we left the apartment in almost 
the same state as it was when we had moved in. We (especially my wife)
maintained the apartment very well and spent the last week of our stay there
cleaning almost every inch of the apartment. This being the case, I do not know
on what basis they can deduct about $300? I am very astonished how can they cheat
public this way.
     Under the above situation, what option I have to recover my rental deposit
back? I shall be grateful, if any one of you can provide me with information.

Thanks in advance.


-- 
____*_  Gopinath Prakash            gopi@indetech.com
\  / /  Independence Technologies   
 \/ /   42705 Lawrence Place        FAX: 510 438-2034
  \/    Fremont, CA 94538           Voice: 510 438-8777
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: thuyan@ravel.udel.edu (Thuy-An Hartman)
Subject: Mazda MX-3/ Bank Loans
Organization: University of Delaware
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 19:17:54 GMT


I have 2 questions for anyone out there that can help.

1. Has anyone seen write ups on the Mazda MX3?  I am thinking about
   buying one, but since it is fairly new, and I haven't seen too much 
   consumer info on it.

2. What are the pros and Cons of going through the car dealer to get a
   loan?  Can he get you a loan that you might not normally get?  Does he
   get a kick back from the bank?

Thanks, Thuy-An
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1992 00:40:17 EDT
From: <U4400@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Walkman AM/FM query

IMHO, I really like the sound quality on my Aiwa better than the Sonys I
have had.  I have a higher end model (with stereo cassete recording for
interviews I do) with digital radio tuning, and it works extremely well.
I have no problem recommending it.  (Mine is is a HS-J470, about $129.)
|
/--------------------------/----------------------:
|      Eric T. Meyer      /   u4400@wvnvm.bitnet  |
|                        / u4400@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  |
|-----------------------/-------------------------|
|  Our life is more than our work, and            |
|  our work is more than our job.                 |
|                                 - Charlie King  |
:-------------------------------------------------/
|
In article <1992Aug20.231443.5057@bnr.ca>, labiche@crchh561.BNR.CA (Maurice
LaBiche) says:
>
>I'm looking into purchasing a AM/FM walkman. Any suggestions about
>a good brand to buy?  Sony? Panasonic? Aiwa? etc?  I'm leaning toward
>the Digital tuning ones but have gasped at the price comparision.
>Analog is about $15-20, while digital is $45-50.  Which ones tune-in
>better?
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: rogerv@sco.COM (Roger Vortman)
Subject: Re: AVIS screws us big time
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 21:26:29 GMT


>>	Here's the story:
>>	About two weeks before our trip to New England I call AVIS and inquire
>>about the availability of 5-passenger cars using our Entertainment Card
>>discount.  Yes, they have them.  No problem.  $33/day with the card + one day
>>free.
>>	Fine (so far), a week before we get there my brother calls and reserves
>>a car.
>>	The day we arrive they call and confirm.
>>	The day we are to pick it up we call to make sure one is ready.
>>	"Anytime after noon".
>>	We drive to the local airport.
>>	"We don't have *anything* right now, but if you wait 15 minutes we can
>>rent you a Geo Prizm."
>>	Thanx AVIS.  We'll be sure and never use you again.  (Along with
>>Alamo.)  Geez we're down to National.

We had a similar experience happen when we had to make an emergency trip
to Detroit over Christmas...we reserved a car at an unnamed car rental
agency.  Called again the night before we left to confirm our reservation.
Since we had a "confirmed reservation", we didn't know that we needed to
call when the plane arrived.  Anyway, due to a hangup in getting the
baggage off the plane, we (me, my wife, and my two young daughters,
1 and 4 years old, and too much luggage which included a stroller) arrived
at the car rental place about 1 hour and 15 minutes after the plane came
in.  We were told that we were considered "no-shows" since we got there
more than one hour after the plane arrived, and that our car had been
rented to someone else.

Well, we were rather stressed out by this, considering that the emergency
was an illness in the family, and my mother had expressed the fact that
she could not pick us up at the airport due to the fact that she didn't
think she could do the drive.  And it was holiday time, so there wasn't
another rental to be had.  And we were cold and very tired from hauling
the kids and luggage out to the rental place and it was getting on towards
9PM on a very long day for all of us due to time-zoning from CA to MI...

We ended up taking a limosine to a motel near where my mother lives, and
she picked us up there, but then we had to share her car for the week, and
we'll never forgive the rental company for doing that to us at that time
of the year when we had zero chance of getting another car and and and...

That's the car rental business, I guess.  They can't care about individual
people as much as their bottom line.  Pretty short-sighted, it seems.

-Roger
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:15174 misc.legal:16011 alt.peeves:13492 rec.skiing:5256
From: vaccaro@novavax.UUCP (N. Trafford Vaccaro)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.legal,alt.peeves,rec.skiing
Subject: wrong health care, and still having to pay for it
Keywords: misdiagnosis, malpractice, negligence, miscreant doctors
Date: 14 Aug 92 05:02:24 GMT
Organization: Nova University, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Hello, everyone,

You may have noticed the large number and variety of newsgroups I
am posting this to. I am rather angry at being ripped off by 
a small town medical operation in Winter Park, Colorado, called
the "Seven Mile Clinic".

I was on a ski trip to Winter Park 6 years ago when I had to visit the
Seven Mile Clinic. I had terrible abdominal pain, I could hardly
walk, and I was chalk-white. They kept me there all day, until
five o'clock. Then, they told me to leave. Just like that! One
of the women that worked there told me to take aspirin.

That night, I requested an ambulance. Instead, the man at the front
desk of the hotel we were staying at gave me a ride 14 miles to the
emergency room of the nearest hospital. In the ER, it was discovered
that I had a high white blood cell count and a possible obstruction
of the bowl. The doctor on duty requested an ambulance to send me to
Denver for further care. At the hospital in Denver, it was discovered
that I had internal bleeding of the spleen, that it was swollen to
four times its normal size, and that it had to be removed. I also
had a collapsed lung. 

Several weeks later, the Seven Mile Clinic sent me a bill for $300.
They did not refer me to another hospital, they did not give me
advice other than to take pain medication, which I understand is
not done for severe abdominal pain. The staff at the Seven Mile Clinic
was incompetent and negligent, and I don't want to pay them. However,
the smug doctor at the clinic said, "You'd better pay it, Charlie.".

Is there any recourse, or how do I get out of paying for shoddy work?
If it were my car being repaired, I could contest the bill. 
They kicked me out of their clinic, bleeding to death! And charged me
$300! A collection agency now has the account. What should I do? Should
I pay the bill, or take them to small claims?


N.V.
From: lstowell@pyrnova.mis.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: halogen lamps
Date: 19 Aug 92 14:56:58 GMT
Reply-To: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA
Originator: daemon@sword.eng.pyramid.com

In article <1992Aug18.083437.22661@newstand.syr.edu> ldstern@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Larry Stern) writes:
>
>On more or less the same subject, can someone tell me exactly why you
>shouldn't touch a halogen bulb?  

   o  If it is on, it will burn the whee out of you.

   o  The oils on your finger stick to the lamp bulb.  The bulb gets
      hot enough to turn these to carbon or even metallic ash.  This
      builds up small hot spots on the lamp which can cause
      premature failure..usually due to cracking of the bulb.

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: wtr@mitre.org (Bill Ralston)
Subject: Re: Terrible Experience With Alamo
Organization: The MITRE Corporation
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 23:55:52 GMT

In article <5696@vp.COM>, yms@vp.osc.com (Yuh-Ming Shyy) writes about an 
Alamo bait and switch tactic [text deleted]

Yes, Alamo is scum.  I don't consider them a viable option for renting 
after showing up in Las Vegas with a travel agent printed confimation of a 
car reserved at a favorable rate, and being told it may not be honored 
because their computers were down and they could not verify it.  This was 
after waiting almost 2 hours in line.  I was told I could take the car, 
but they wouldn't tell me what rate they were going to charge me until I 
returned it.  I held my ground, and made them fill out the rental form per 
my reservation confirmation.  They insisted on annotating a "subject to 
verification" note near the rates, to which I advised them that if they 
tried to charge me anything different, they would find themselves tangling 
with CitiBank over a disputed credit card charge.  When I returned the 
Car, the computers were up, and it took the manager a lot of messing 
around with the computer before he printed the final agreement.  It has 
the agreed rates, but it was pretty clear that if I hadn't made a stink, 
they would have tried to gouge me.

---------------
wtr@mitre.org
** Opinions are mine only, and not my employer's **
From: pjl2@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Paul J Landsberg)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Terrible Experience With Alamo.......NOT!
Date: 13 Aug 92 18:16:35 GMT
Reply-To: pjl2@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Paul J Landsberg)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Columbia University

Yuh-Ming Shyy writes:
>Here is the story of my own terrible experience with Alamo. 
>Personally, I'll NEVER EVER do any business with ALAMO again. 
[horror story deleted]

Ok, so we have n data points saying Alamo ain't so good.  However,
let me show you the flipside.  One, Hertz has a nasty surcharge for
NYC residents.  Of course it is lowest in Manhattan where our city
official (punks) reside.  Why should I ever rent from a place that
discriminates based on the county you live in.

Back to Alamo.  I was in San Diego about two months ago, and I had
a reservation for a rolling breadbox at Alamo. (Geo)  At the airport
the driver says, "all outta cars, Alamo is gonna stand behind you.
Go anywhere else and we'll cover the difference."  Great!  I walk
3 feet to the next bus in line, National, and rent a neat Chevy 
Beretta.  Cost, $30 per day versus the $15 per day deal at Alamo.
On my way back outta town I stop at Alamo to check up and they 
give me a form to send in to their offices.  Off that form goes
and in two weeks I get a check for the difference, $15 per day,
totaled up to $60.  
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: acheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Albert Cheng)
Subject: Re: ChexSystems Purgatory
Originator: acheng@shalom.ncsa.uiuc.edu
Organization: Nat'l Ctr for Supercomp App (NCSA) @ University of Illinois
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 15:06:54 GMT


In article <1992Aug10.013408.11813@bnlux1.bnl.gov>, niebuhr@bnlux1.bnl.gov (david niebuhr) writes:
>If recalcitrance is shown in any form, then I'd pursue the legal action
>while not notifying the other party I was doing so.  Why put them on the
>alert that you are seeking legal redress for this (sneaky, yes;
>somethimes necessary)?

Depends.  If you just want the matter solved, a form letter from your
attorney may get it all solved in your favor.  Going to court is
expensive and time consuming.  There are better things to do than
having a date with the guy/gal in black robe.
From: acheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Albert Cheng)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Marketing Research on New Product; Handling charges
Date: 12 Aug 92 14:58:04 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Nat'l Ctr for Supercomp App (NCSA) @ University of Illinois
Originator: acheng@shalom.ncsa.uiuc.edu


In article <1992Aug07.020019.28241@highlite.uucp>, burgoyne@highlite.uucp (J. Robert Burgoyne) writes:
>Give me a break guys. If you're buying mail order you are probably 
>able to avoid sales tax, saving you a little right there. Mail order
>folks have to base the shipping and handling cost on the actual
>expense they incur shipping one product directly to your door.

The sales tax is irrelevent to shipping charge.  The tax goes to
government but shipping charge to the merchant.  After all, do 
they waive S&H if it is an in-state sale that the customers have
to pay the state sales tax?

>Handling charges can easily add up when you consider the cost of an
>envelope or box, packing material, the time spent printing a mailing
>label and the effort behind it, as well as insurance charges and
>general overhead expenses related to running a reasonable shipping
>department that tries hard to get your product shipped to you promptly.

Well, if I go to a store to buy a bottle of shampoo priced at $1.50.
At the check out counter, the cashier rings up $1.50, then tax, then
his/her handling fee, then handling fee if you write a
check, or handling fee for depositing your cash, then the cost of the
paper beg, cost for winter heating or summer A/C, then parking lot fee,..
Final bill, $5.99.  This sounds like a new car dealer ripoff scheme.

>Mail order purchases save Americans untold millions of dollars every
>year, and prevent the states from collecting more sales tax to waste
>on social programs.

And they have to rip me off on non-specified S/H fee to save us from
the Evil Government?  More often than not that the S/H is way higher
than the sales tax.  (e.g. $19.99 two casette, S/H $3.00 => 15%)  So,
my money either goes to the wasteful government or some CEO vocationing
in mid-pacific.
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:15171 misc.invest:10618
From: timlee@public.btr.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.invest
Subject: Credit Union Deposit (Share) Interest (Dividend) Calculations
Date: 14 Aug 92 05:20:49 GMT
Followup-To: misc.consumers
Distribution: usa

Based on the credit union that I just became eligible to use,
and some information from people using other credit unions, it
seems that it is much more common among credit unions to use
tricky or sleazy ways of calculating interest payments.  For
example:

	* lowest balance of the month or quarter
	* deposits after the 10th of the month do not gain
	  interest until the 1st of the next month
	* deposits from the 1st to the 10th of the month
	  gain interest from the 1st of the same month
	* funds withdrawn before the interest is posted
	  do not earn interest

Every other depository institution that I've asked (bank,
savings & loan, industrial loan company) pays interest based on
daily balance or average balance of the month or quarter.
The only real trick that I've seen is that accounts being
closed do not earn interest for the last month (this appears
fairly common at banks, less so at other depository institutions).
I've heard of banks paying 88% of the advertised rate, but that
doesn't happen in this area.

Since credit unions are supposed to be run only in the interest
of their members, why is it that tricky or sleazy interest
calculations seem to be more common with credit unions?
Shouldn't members of such credit unions use their voting
power to change the credit unions' interest policies?

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Timothy J. Lee                 timlee@btr.com  ...!decwrl!btr!timlee
This message comes with no warranty, not even an implied warranty of
fitness for any particular purpose.
From: gemmellj@merrimack.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: reserve credit rates in Mass.
Date: 12 Aug 92 08:47:11 GMT
Organization: Merrimack College, No. Andover, MA, USA

I was wondering on what the major banks in Mass. charges for an interest
rate on reserve credit.  What is the story on the rates on reserve credit
for the following banks?
1) Bank of Boston
2) Fleet Bank
3) Baybanks
4) Shawmut
Thanks in advance

john
From: emolinar@stake.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Elizabeth Molinaro)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Request: trouble-free car recommendations
Date: 18 Aug 92 18:23:32 GMT
Reply-To: emolinar@stake.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Elizabeth Molinaro)
Organization: Stakeholder Relations, NCR Corp in Dayton,OH

In article <cindy.8@berkp.uadv.uci.edu> cindy@berkp.uadv.uci.edu (Cindy
Windham) writes:
>I'm looking for a car that is large enough to seat two adults and two small 
>children (and their carseats) comfortably, enough room to tote a stroller, 
 etc.


        VW Jetta (I know Consumer Reports hates it, but others
                  LIKE it.)

        Volvo.  Any.

        
        Proud owner of both a VW & a Volvo, Elizabeth

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: wb8foz@skybridge.SCL.CWRU.Edu (David Lesher)
Subject: Re: GEICO car insurance rate increases every six omonths
Reply-To: wb8foz@skybridge.scl.cwru.edu (David Lesher)
Organization: NRK Clinic for habitual NetNews abusers - Beltway Annex
Distribution: na
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 92 13:25:03 GMT

Others said
# 	It seems that GEICO keeps raising its insurance rates on
# my car every six months.  First they told me that my insurance
# would be $400 a year.  However, this was based on a six month
# plan.  At six months the rate went up $60.  Now that one year
# is coming up, they want $520 for the year BASED ON A SIX MONTH
# POLICY.

This is EXACTLY the stunt they pulled on me.

1) Ask them for a one-year policy. They refuse to write such, as
then they can only raise the rates once a year ;-]
2) But for No Extra Charge - Get BS for answers as to why you are
getting screwed.

Note that I'm not exactly a high-risk driver - it's been 12 years since
I had a speeding ticket, I don't drive to work [Metro] and I own a
real high-performance beast - an 82 Datsun 210 ;-}

I switched to a real insurance company, with an agent, and my
rates went down 35%.

--
A host is a host from coast to coast..wb8foz@skybridge.scl.cwru.edu
& no one will talk to a host that's close..........................
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:15386 misc.consumers.house:11061
From: tony@scotty.dccs.upenn.edu (Anthony Olejnik)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.consumers.house
Subject: Request for (mail-order ?) parts for Rainbow Vacuum Cleaner
Date: 20 Aug 92 14:22:14 GMT
Followup-To: misc.consumers
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

I recently purchased a used Rainbow vacuum cleaner that`s in need of repair.
The motor is worn (thus, I`d like to get a new one) and the 'beater' (the
tubular shaped thing with the brushes loacated in the power nozzel) is beat.

The three local shops (including the local authorized Rainbow repair center)
want an arm and a leg for these parts.  They want about $300 for the motor and
$60 for the 'beater'.

QUESTION:  Is there a place where I can purchase these parts at a decent price?

Any help would be *GREATLY* appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

--tony

From: susanw@hpcvra.cv.hp.com (Susan Wechsler)
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 23:15:02 GMT
Subject: Need Info on Compact Fluorescents
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Corvallis, OR, USA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers

I know a while back there was a lengthy note string that compared
the features of various compact fluorescent bulbs.  But,
unfortunately, I didn't make a copy.  I am particularly interested
in the color of the light since I don't care for the starkness of
'typical' fluorescent light.  Does anyone have information 
comparing the various vendors and rating their attempts at 
duplicating incandescent-type light?  I'll take information from
people who have personal opinions on this, as well as a pointer to
an existing FAQ on the subject.  Thanks much,

Susan
Newsgroups: misc.consumers