HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: sundare@watson.ibm.com (C. Sundaresan)
Subject: Sagging floors, adding joists, "raising spine of house"
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 18:20:56 GMT
Distribution: ny
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM T.J. Watson Research Center

I need a referral to a contractor experienced in dealing with older
houses in need of additional support.  My two-story colonial needs
help, and the recommended solution involves a steel I-beam under the
house, 3 new joists, and a LOT of money.  Has anyone had this type of
work done?  I'm a 50 miles N. of NYC.

Chris Sundaresan
From: clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca (Chris Lewis)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: 12 gauge vs 14 gauge wiring price
Keywords: electrical wiring
Date: 26 Aug 92 04:33:15 GMT
Organization: Elegant Communications Inc., Ottawa, Canada

In article <1992Aug24.210136.678@cs.cornell.edu> chrisb@cs.cornell.edu (Chris Buckley) writes:
>Anybody have a rough ballpark figure for the cost of building a
>new house with 12 gauge wiring instead of 14-gauge?

>We're having a 4 bedroom, 2400 sq ft house built in central NJ,
>and the price the builder has quoted us is $2100.

Is this total cost for materials?  Materials plus labour?  Just
the incremental cost for 12ga over 14?

The incremental cost for a whole house shouldn't be more than a
hundred or perhaps two hundred at the outside.  14ga is on
sale more often, so the price increment can vary a bit.

While I don't know the going rates down there, $2100 is a pretty
good price here.  We've spent that much and more on materials
alone (and this was with contractor discounts).  Depends on how
many dimmers you're going to use, heating options (or other "optional"
high power features such as central A/C), service size and panel size.

$2100 is probably a steal for a house with a 200A service and circuits
to match.

>A major reason we want the 12 gauge is more reliable power so we can
>plug in computers anywhere in the house.  Does anybody have other
>suggestions?

I wouldn't do 12ga just for computers.  They're pretty minor in the
scheme of things.  12ga doesn't enhance reliability, just reduces
line losses a bit in long wiring runs.  I wouldn't bother except
for runs longer than 75-100 feet, or on runs where there's going to
be big loads or motors.  Like kitchens, garages, workshops, furnace
circuits, clothes washers, wall-mount air conditioners etc.

A piddly little PC ain't going to make no difference, unless you're
foolish enough to put it on the same circuit as something nasty
like a 12000 BTU A/C or arc welder.  In the latter case, 12ga
ain't going to save you anyways.

It depends.  Someplaces insist on 12ga for 15A circuits anyways.
Some people insist on it.  I personally reserve it for special
circumstances.
-- 
Chris Lewis; clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca; Phone: Canada 613 832-0541
Psroff 3.0 info: psroff-request@ferret.ocunix.on.ca
Ferret list: ferret-request@ferret.ocunix.on.ca
From: cscon0151@uoft02.utoledo.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Celluar&cordless&scanners(was Telephone Outlets)
Date: 27 Aug 92 18:13:30 EST
Organization: University of Toledo, Computer Services

jfw@jfwhome.FUNHOUSE.COM writes:
> drevik@utkvx2.utk.edu (Drevik, Steve) writes:
>>Does this mean the ShadioRack scanner's no longer cover the cellular
>>voice band?  What is the frequency in question?
> 
> "800-something" :-).  I don't know offhand.  I don't know if RS scanners
> currently cover cellular; I'd guess not, since they've been big on promoting
> the non-existant security.
> 
The celluar band

    824 - 851 Mhz  Mobiles only - only person with cell phone heard
    869 - 894 Mhz  The 'cells'  - both sides of conversation heard

The bandwith is 30Khz. These are within 1Mhz accurate.

>>Is the modulation technique FM?
> 
> Yes.
Yessum.

>>Also is the bandwidth of an individual channel such that the scanner will pick
>>up only one caller?
> 
> A scanner will (probably) just pick up one caller at a time, but note that
> calls are switched from channel to channel by the cellular system to optimize
> channel re-use and coverage.  (I say probably since I don't know for certain
> that every scanner ever made will channelize the appropriate region of the
> spectrum the same way that the cellular system does.  Try it and find out :-).

Yes, only one phone call can be heard at one time.

Some of the new scanners (Realistic and Uniden) have the celluar bands
'locked-out' in response to the ECPA law. But these scanners are easily
modified to cover celluar bands, and will even scan in the proper 30Khz
channel spacing.  While some scanners do not even need to be modified to
receive the celluar bands.

In most states, CORDLESS phone transmissions are legal to be received. 
Although some state legislatures have passed laws against 'unauthorized
reception'.  The >validity< of these state laws has seriously been questioned,
as only the Feds are to regulate the airwaves.  There is no Federal law against
cordless phone listening.

It is illegal to decrypt 'scrambled' communications unless you are 'authorized'.

The strength of the ECPA law is regularly debated, as well as similiar state
laws, is regularly (and currently) being debated in the alt.radio.scanner
newsgroup.

Brad Steinman
University of Toledo Computer Services
cscon0151@uoft02.utoledo.edu
From: badger@allegro.urbana.mcd.mot.com (Wayne H. Badger)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Advice sought on Central A/C and furnace
Date: 31 Aug 92 15:02:13 GMT
Reply-To: badger@urbana.mcd.mot.com
Organization: Motorola Computer Group, Urbana Design Center

In article <1992Aug29.032120.2511@ee.eng.ohio-state.edu>, sca@dopey.eng.ohio-state.edu (Stan Ahalt) writes:
|> last much longer anyway.  I have recieved a quote of about $4,000 for
|> replacement of the A/C and furnace (Trane equipment, A/C CER 10,
|> furnace 78% efficient).  I am curious as to whether this seems to be 
|> reasonable deal....

We just replaced our furnace and AC:
	2.5 ton (30000BTU), 10 SEER AC (Lennox)
	100000BTU input, ~80% efficient Heil furnace

The total cost was $2700.  We live in Central Illinois, so the weather
is mostly similar.  We had three independent bids.  I suggest that you
do the same.  Even though we told each of the bidders that they were
bidding against each other, one of the bids came in at almost $6000!
This was from the Carrier guy.  I had to pick up my jaw from the floor.

One of the bids was lower than the $2700, but we decided against this
bid because of other factors.

I suggest that you ask at least three different companies to bid your
house.  Make sure that they know of the existence of the other bidders,
but don't tell them who they are bidding against.  They will come and
measure windows, floor area, etc. and run the figures through a grinder
and come up with the size of furnace and AC that you need.  Two of our
three bids were for the same size furnace and AC, but the other one
(Carrier) was different.  We have been pleased with the AC.  The furnace
hasn't run yet.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: ahill@boi.hp.com (Andy Hill)
Subject: Re: Eletric dryer - running but not drying
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 16:38:49 GMT
Reply-To: ahill@boi.hp.com
Organization: LaserJets by Bill & Dave
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3

In addition to the most likely reasons (open element and bad breaker), there
can also be other reasons, such as a bad switch/relay or an open wire.  I
just finished fixing my dryer where a wire-nutted connection to the element
had melted down, opening the connection (as well as more-or-less vaporizing
six inches of wire).  A cheap Radio Shack volt/ohm meter is invaluable for
tracing down the non-obvious problems...
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: masticol@cadenza.rutgers.edu (Steve Masticola)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: ARGH! Crickets!
Keywords: ARGH! Poison 'em all before they chirp again!
Date: 2 Sep 92 13:45:21 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

nick@socrates.umd.edu (Nick Lemberos) writes:

@= Its that time of year again...I can hear them outside just 
@= waiting to sneak just ONE into my bedroom behind an
@= unmoveable piece of furniture.  3AM you hear it, track it down,
@= begin to close in..and it stops chirping...you emtpy half
@= a can of raid in the general direction....

@= I seem to remember the best way of getting rid of them is to
@= get them while they are still outside....does anyone know/remember?

Saturate the area around your house with Agent Orange to defoliate,
followed by Chlordane to eliminate the insect life. For a really
thorough job, call in the Apaches for a small tactical incendiary
strike with Napalm -oops- Incendigel. If any persist, follow up with
A-10s and depleted uranium shells. Go nuclear only if you really feel
like it.

Seriously, though, I think crickets are nice to listen to at night.
Although having one in the bedroom would be annoying, I don't see why
you should risk poisoning yourself and others to kill it. Just keep
the window screens and doors tightly closed. If one gets inside,
borrow a cat - they'll have fun chasing it.

- Steve (masticol@cs.rutgers.edu).
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan)
Subject: Re: Can/Should I talk to the owners?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 18:07:00 GMT


In article <laird.715274225@stable.ecn.purdue.edu> laird@stable.ecn.purdue.edu (Kyler Laird) writes:
>
>the bank is managing it for some sisters who are willing to sell it,
>but don't need the money.  (It's been on the market for >2 years.)
>
>I went to the bank again this morning to find out who the sisters
>are so that I could talk with them about financing the purchase.
>The manager said that he could not give out the names, and that they
>have no interest in anything but a cash sale.
>
>I suspect his motives - he gets paid to manage the land, right?  I'd
>still like to talk to the owners.
>
>So...what do you think?  Should I try to find the owners?  If so,
>what's the best route?

The county assessor will have the info on who pays taxes on the land,
and will probably lead you directly to the owner(s). I don't think it
would hurt to talk to them, maybe send them a letter. The worst they can
do is say precisely what the Bank One guy told you.

Xref: sparky misc.consumers:15774 rec.food.drink:2775 ba.food:2988
From: rat@erg.sri.com (Ray Trent)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.food.drink,ba.food
Subject: Re: The coffeemaker I bought
Date: 27 Aug 92 18:26:50 GMT
Reply-To: rat@erg.sri.com (Ray Trent)
Distribution: usa
Organization: SRI International, Menlo Park, CA

In the referenced article, cjackson@adobe.com (Curtis Jackson) writes:
>On the recommendation of several people, I picked up the Braun 800
>at Price Club for $60. I have yet to take it out of the box, however,
>because I don't have any of the cone-shaped no. 4 filters it needs
>and it was too late at night when I bought it to get some.

Oh, that reminds me, I *did* measure the water temperature on our
Braun 800 (I think that's the number...also from Price Club :-) and
you'll be happy to hear that it came out at very nearly exactly 180F.

(A slight extrapolation, because the unit is fairly well closed up
when operating...I measured the water trapped in the filter area with
the pause feature engaged after allowing it to warm up a
bit...temperature was 175F according to the pre-warmed candy
thermometer. Since it was down to 165F by the time it got to the pot,
I suspect it normally hits the grounds at damn near 180F).

Funny, though, the one I bought came with a small pack of about 10
filters.

-- 
"When you're down, it's a long way up
 When you're up, it's a long way down
 It's all the same thing
 And it's no new tale to tell"                      ../ray\..
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: kpc@pluto.arc.nasa.gov (k p c)
Subject: recommendation against phonemate
Originator: kpc@kronos-arclan.arc.nasa.gov
Reply-To: kpc@ptolemy.arc.nasa.gov
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center AI Research Branch (Sterling).
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 04:50:21 GMT

In article <92232.38966.Mr_b@lmsc.lockheed.com> Mr_b writes:

   I have a PhoneMate 4300 phone recorder.  I've used one before,
   loved it,

lest anyone buy a phonemate on this recommendation, i will tell you
that i am not pleased with my phonemate and would not recommend the
company from my experience.

there are bugs built into the design, bugs not built into the design,
and bad customer service, in my opinion.

in mine, there is a battery that keeps message count, time, etc.
current.  the built in bug is that there is no fail safe.  if the
battery runs out (it is supposed to last 6 hours) then all new
incoming messages overwrite any messages that you had.  it is not set
to not answer or to leave the head at the end of the tape like other
machines.

a non built-in bug is that callers get cut off randomly.  the setting
of the cpc switch does not affect this behavior.  another non built-in
bug is that the battery doesn't work.  if the power goes off for only
a few minutes, then the machine resets as described above.  another
problem is that you can't set the personal memo remotely.

when i called phonemate i was shunted to non-800 numbers.  they had me
on hold for a while and did not have competent staff answering (they
tried to tell me basics of operation instead of listening to the
description of the two types of bug displayed by the unit).  they were
not interested in standing by the product and would not fix the built
in bug under the warranty or not.  the procedure for fixing the non
built in bugs under the warranty were prohibitive and not promising.

i recommend against phonemate.  comments are welcome.
--
i'm open to comparing research career notes with other young cogsci people.
-- 
i'm open to comparing research career notes with other young cogsci people.
From: donrm@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Don Montgomery)
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 21:31:52 GMT
Subject: Re: Epilady or Remington Smooth&Silky?
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Santa Rosa, CA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers

In misc.consumers, linda@wendy.uucp (Linda Hill) writes:

 >    My brother-in-law gave my sister the Epilady for Christmas.  They both
 >    agreed it was a cruel form of torture (my brother-in-law tried it on
 >   himself as a joke).  I think you would have to be a masochist or a lame-
 >   brain to use one of those things.

 A thread about these things appeared here over four years ago.  One
 respondent said it made a better Klingon interrogation device than
 hair-removal instrument.

 Don Montgomery
 donrm@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:15741 rec.food.drink:2765 ba.food:2965
From: jet@win30.nas.nasa.gov (J. Eric Townsend)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.food.drink,ba.food
Subject: Re: The coffeemaker I bought
Date: 27 Aug 92 13:36:29 GMT
	<1992Aug27.070242.12782@adobe.com>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation, NASA Ames

"Curtis" == Curtis Jackson <cjackson@adobe.com> writes:

Curtis> 800 at Price Club for $60. I have yet to take it out of the
Curtis> box, however, because I don't have any of the cone-shaped no.

Uh, my braun came with a cheesy plastic filter and a few paper
filters.  You might want to dig around in the box....

--
             J. Eric Townsend --  jet@nas.nasa.gov -- 415.604.4311
           '91 CB750, soon to be replaced by a '92 R100R, DoD# 0378
      "Heads.  Heads.  Heads.  Heads.  Heads.  Heads." -- R & G Are Dead
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:15724 rec.food.drink:2762 ba.food:2958
From: brad@optilink.UUCP (Brad Yearwood)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.food.drink,ba.food
Subject: Re: Looking for a *great* coffeemaker
Date: 27 Aug 92 05:32:51 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Optilink Corporation, Petaluma, CA

In article <1992Aug25.164622.338@BofA.com>, dan@BofA.com (Dan Brockman) writes:
# 
# perhaps you gurus de cafe can tell me a good story about 
# Java Eastern Estate coffee.  I have always liked this 
# stuff, but I do not know what makes it different from
# the others, even different from nearby varieties like
# Sumatra or Celebes.  What's the lore on this?

I'd expect that variation in flavor comes from difference in local soil,
altitude, and climate.  Volcanoes look like a good mechanism for causing
wide variations in all three.

Don't know specifically about Java Eastern Estate (I've never seen any
labelled that way), but I would like to say that the best coffee I can
recall was Java Estate Kuyamas from around 1979-80.  It was well rounded,
and had a subtle and wonderful spicy component which I haven't found in
other coffees.  This component disappeared for a year or two, then came
back for another year or maybe two before disappearing again.

The stuff labelled Java Estate (no Kuyamas) that I've been seeing for
the last few years is not close.

If anyone sees any Java specifically labelled Estate Kuyamas, I'd appreciate
hearing.

I don't know if they're still around, but the coffee seller whose selection
and attitude I was most impressed with was Polly's in Long Beach.  They
had the integrity to tell you that their Jamaica Blue Mountain (it came
from some supplier in fancy labelled cans pre-roasted) was overpriced and
not really worth it - they carried it because people insisted.  They'd
have as many as 3 different Sumatras (Mandheling, Blue Lintong, and Blue
Boengie), and would sell either green or roasted (green at a small discount).

To Curtis Jackson: glad to hear that you don't like Arabian Mocha (presumably
this means Yemeni Mocha) - that leaves more for me!  This seems to have come
back after disappearing for several years - I believe [then South] Yemen was
under embargo for harboring terrorists or something.

There does seem to be a disturbing correlation between good coffee and
bad politics.

Peets: gak, phooee.  I haven't seen anything there that hasn't been roasted
to a greasy crisp.

Brad Yearwood   brad@optilink.com   {uunet, pyramid}!optilink!brad
Petaluma, CA
From: reza.naima@uttsbbs.uucp (Reza Naima) 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: capachino machines
Date: 25 Aug 92 12:13:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: The Transfer Station BBS, Danville, CA - 510-837-4610/837-5591
Reply-To: reza.naima@uttsbbs.uucp (Reza Naima) 

   About a year back we bought a capachino machine, but we were forced to 
return it due to lack of steam.  Ever since then I have always been under 
the impression that thoes small capachino machines just produce a small 
bit of steam, not enough to make foam in the milk.  In just under a month, 
I'll be heading to a college for the first time, and I am considering 
buying a capachino machine, but I'm reluctant to due to steam problem.  
Was that a common occurance, or just an isolated incident?  Can anyone 
recommend any machine that is excellent, but not extremely expensive?

Reza Naima
reza.naima@uttsbbs.uucp

--- WinQwk 1.10a #0
                                                                                                                              
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.food.drink,ba.food
From: strnlght@netcom.com (David Sternlight)
Subject: Re: Looking for a *great* coffeemaker
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 92 20:25:18 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Distribution: usa


Monica Waldman asks about storing coffee. My take on it, from both
experience and the advice of others, is to freeze roasted beans,
refrigerate but do not freeze ground coffee, and keep green beans
at room temperature. For other than green beans it helps a lot to
keep as much oxygen out as possible--keep beans or ground in full
containers, or plastic bags from which one can exhaust a lot of air;
if the coffee is in an unopened valve bag, squeeze the bag to get
as much air/vapor out as possible.

Note that beans will outgas as they cool; thus a bag packed when
the beans are hot will end up filled with air. Trader Joe's
uses nitrogen flushed cans to try to eliminate at least the original
oxygen; it provides a pressure limiting the outgassing. Vacuum
packed cans don't to that; the gas happily fills the vacuum,
defeating the purpose. That's what led to pressure-packed or
valved containers.

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: packer@amarna.gsfc.nasa.gov (Charles Packer)
Subject: Is $40 best price for this phone?
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Organization: Dept. of Independence
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 12:11:00 GMT

Radio Shack sells a standard desk telephone for $40
that has exactly the three features I need:

1. Traditional "K" style handset.
2. Switch to turn off ringer.
3. Button to redial previously dialed number.

Can I get a phone with these features anywhere else for
significantly less, say $30?
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.food.drink,ba.food
From: citrin@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Wayne Citrin)
Subject: Re: Looking for a *great* coffeemaker
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 20:11:09 GMT

In article <z9anfdp.strnlght@netcom.com> strnlght@netcom.com (David Sternlight) writes:
>
>I understand stomach cancer started to decline dramatically when
>filter paper coffee makers (Melitta and Mr. Coffee types) became
>common in the U.S. I'm also told some physicians will allow their
>ulcer patients paper-filtered coffee (which removes even the fine
>sediments) but no other kind.
>
>On that basis the use of the French Plunger Pot, and the cold
>extraction pot mentioned earlier are probably both very bad ideas.

This is the first I've ever heard about this - do you have a reference?
I'm interested because I use a gold mesh filter.  (I prefer it over the
taste of paper-filtered, and I object to having to throw out all those used 
paper filters.)

Maybe it's wishful thinking, but consider that what the drip
machines replaced were not French Plungers but rather percolators.  (Remember
them?)  Perhaps percolation had something to do with this cancer?

Wayne

-----------
Wayne Citrin   citrin@soglio.colorado.edu   citrin@cs.colorado.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.video,sci.electronics,sci.misc
From: frank@rover.uchicago.edu (Frank - Hardware Hacker - Borger)
Subject: Re: VCR Maintenance Advice Wanted.  Head Cleaners Any Good?
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Reply-To: frank@rover.uchicago.edu
Organization: Joint Center for Radiation Therapy
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 00:25:00 GMT

In article <34kn3bj.noring@netcom.com>, noring@netcom.com (Jon Noring) writes...
>Hello,
> 
>We have our VCR in the repair shop for the second time in two years, and
>again it is a very dirty head.
> 
>Anyway, what I'd like to know is the current state-of-the-art of VCR head
>(and capstan, etc.) cleaners, as well as other maintenance systems.  The
>repair person stated that there is no good system to clean the heads, rollers,
>etc., other than getting in there with a soaked q-tip.  However, I really
>don't yet believe him since such advice is self-serving - I'd like to get
>VCR maintenance advice from knowledgeable yet impartial people.

	Go out and buy the following:

	1/ A bottle of alcohol and q-tips.

	2/ A book from the local electronic jobber, (not radio shack, but
	   something that caters to the trade,) and get a basic book on
	   VCR repair.

	Then clean it yourself. Taking the cover off is the hardest part.


   Frank R. Borger - Physicist    __       Internet:  Frank@rover.uchicago.edu
Michael Reese - Univ. of Chicago |___      Phone : 312-791-8075 fax : 567-7455
  Center for Radiation Therapy   | |_) _   
    2929 South Ellis Avenue        | \|_)  I used to be Snow White, but I
    Chicago, Illinois 60616           |_)  drifted. Mae West
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.consumers.house,misc.invest.real-estate