HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: analyst@netcom.com (David Sternlight)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Wierd CA Sales Tax Law
Date: 31 Jul 92 17:38:29 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)


Then there was the famous pre-Passover matzo-cracker debate about
whether matzos were taxable or not. In his wisdom, the decision-maker
ruled that since the bible said matzos were "the bread of affliction"
they were bread and not crackers, and thus non-taxable.

Everyone breathed a huge sigh of relief.

-- 
David Sternlight        David Sternlight Inc.        email:analyst@netcom.COM
From: sdlee@seqp4.sequoia.com (Sang Daz Lee)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Need Bread Maker Recommendations
Date: 28 Jul 92 18:49:29 GMT
Organization: Sequoia Systems Inc., Marlboro, Mass.

I need recommendations for a good bread maker.

Thanks,

Craig

E-mail: craigm@sequoia.com
From: swisher@cs.utexas.edu (Janet M. Swisher)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: "Unsecured" loan w/ life insurance
Date: 30 Jul 1992 12:15:42 -0500
Organization: CS Dept, University of Texas at Austin
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: boogie.cs.utexas.edu

I'm sure this has come up before, but I didn't see it covered in the
FAQ.  I received an offer in the mail for an "unsecured" loan of
$5,000 - 50,000.  The catch is that it requires life insurance to
cover the loan.  You can buy the insurance from the company offering
the loan (terms and premiums *not* detailed in the offer), or assign
an existing or new policy from someone else to cover it.  The interest
rate is 15.95% (i.e., competitive with many credit cards, but not
outstanding).

How much of a scam is this? If you don't buy their life insurance, how
does it compare with a credit card at the same rate?

I wouldn't normally consider this, but I have a short-term need for
extra funds in the next couple of months.
From: monty%roscom@think.com (Monty Solomon)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Cellular Phone Service
Date: 26 Jul 92 16:05:52 GMT
Article-I.D.: proponen.1992Jul26.160552.4005
Reply-To: Monty Solomon <roscom!monty@think.com>
Distribution: na
Organization: Proponent

In article <1992Jul19.160409.2057@unixland.natick.ma.us>  
bill@unixland.natick.ma.us (Bill Heiser) writes:
> cdost+@pitt.edu (Constantin D Orogo) writes:
> >Anybody out there have experience with cellular phone service.
> >Assuming the phone itself is the same from both places, which
> >one looks better? It looks like service 1's only advantage
> >is the double off-peak allowance:
> >  Activate  Monthly Fee  PeakRate  Off-PeakRate  PeakAllow  Off-PeakAllow
> >1) $50      $17.95       $.65/min  $.15/min      0 min      200 min
> >2) $40      $10.95       $.65/min  $.15/min      0 min      100 min
> 
> All I can say is that's a heck of a lot cheaper than service 
> in the boston area!

Cellular One/Boston offers the Leisure Plan for $29/month which includes  
unlimited off-peak airtime.  Peak airtime is $0.50/minute.

Call Waiting, Call Forwarding, and Message Plus are included.

Choice of long distance carriers are limited to AT&T, MCI, & Sprint.

-- 
# Monty Solomon / PO Box 2486 / Framingham, MA  01701-0405
# monty%roscom@think.com
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Cheap, Sturdy Bookcases?
Date: 29 Jul 92 06:32:15 GMT
Article-I.D.: hpcvaac.1992Jul29.063215.18767
Distribution: na
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA

acheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Albert Cheng) writes:
: >Blocks-and-boards shelving frequently gets dismissed as tacky college-
: >student stuff, but if sturdy storage space on the cheap is more important
: >than matching your interior-decoration scheme, it's impossible to beat. 
: 
: I used to have those Blocks-boards shelving but started to worry they
: come crashing down if someone bumps it.  With a little daughter now, I
: even worry more.  There is no way to secure them to walls.  Am I
: paranoid?

If they are not wobbly, then there shouldn't be a problem.

However, you can secure them to a wall.  Just fasten a ledger strip on
the back bottom of one or two of the shelves.  Then nail the ledger strip
to the wall - or fasten it with some sort of anchors meant to hold in walls.

Bill
Organization: The American University - University Computing Center
Date: Wednesday, 22 Jul 1992 19:36:45 EDT
From: Joni Snyder <JSNYDER@auvm.american.edu>
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: universal card payments

In article <Jul.21.17.33.37.1992.20357@math.rutgers.edu>,
kuplinsk@math.rutgers.edu (Julio Kuplinsky) says:
>
>I mailed a payment to ATT's Universal Card on July 1st, which was posted on
>the
>13th, so that finance charges were assessed. It is possible (but
>unlikely) that my letter was 12 days in the mail.
>
>Has anyone in the net experience the same problem?
>
I had it happen once or twice and just called the 800 number
and they refunded the finance charges.  They also couldn't have
been nicer about it.

Joni Snyder

>Julio Kuplinsky
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: georgec@eng.umd.edu (George B. Clark)
Subject: Re: Fitness Machines
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 92 19:03:53 GMT
Organization: University of Maryland
Distribution: na

In article <1992Jul22.181300.28015@cs.tulane.edu> fs@cs.tulane.edu (Frank Silbermann) writes:
>
>I'm looking into home strength-training machines.
>
>Some of these use weight-stacks, some thick rubber bands,
>and others use things that look like automobile shock-absorbers
>for the resistance.  Any opinion on which approach is best/worst?
>My own inclination is to avoid the weight-stacks
>as being less safe with small children in the house.

Most people involved in strength training get a sense of
psychological satisfaction from handling weights. Pistons and
rubber-band type machines don't provide that satisfaction, even
though in principle they can make you just as strong. 

>The shock absorber type machines (e.g. Trimax & Nordic Track Gold)
>are pretty expensive, except for one brand that didn't offer
>a full range of exercises.

I dislike everything Nordic Track makes and sells, and I've tried
everything they make and sell. Much of what Nordic Track sells is
gimmicky stuff aimed at the business-executive types. It's
expensive stuff that is non-competitive with alternatives you
can pursue for a similar investment.

My brother owns a Trimax, but he never uses it. He is involved
in other strength training, however. Doesn't say much for Trimax.

>I believe competition will drive the prices down before long,
>and/or lead to significant product improvements.
>Therefore, to test my working-out resolve I am considering
>a cheap $300 Sears rubber band model while I wait for
>the really good machines to become affordable.
>How good are these cheaper models?

Just look in the classified ads and buy a used set of free 
weights. They will take you a long ways, and they will give
you the best value for your money, until you decide on
exactly which home gym to buy.

I'm also interested in buying a home gym, so I hope you get lots
of feedback. My problem is space, not money.

Most of the home gyms seem to be of similar design. They differ
only in quality, and hence price. I've checked out Image, 
Muscle-Tech, California Gym, etc. The nicest one I saw was an
$1800 Muscle-Tech. It was a pleasure to use.
From: sher@bbn.com (Lawrence D. Sher)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: MSG
Date: 29 Jul 92 12:35:33 GMT
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge MA
NNTP-Posting-Host: bbn.com

I have read this thread on MSG with much interest, since I have an
unusual dietary sensitivity to MSG that I have not seen mentioned:
18-24 hours after I eat something prepared with MSG, I get a mild dull
headache of ~18 hours duration and pronounced insomnia.

It took me many years and painstaking dietary recording to find this
cause/effect relationship.  I suspect that other people have a similar
reaction (the insomnia can be quite unpleasant) but have not made the
connection.

Defects in glutamate clearance from the brain was recently reported as
being linked to ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease, or amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis).  Glutamate is also known to be neuroexcitatory, and I have
wondered whether that is the basis for its "flavor enhancer" qualities.
It certainly could be the basis for insomnia.

             .---------------------------------------------------------------- 
            /Internet email: sher@bbn.com
Larry Sher <        US Mail: BBN, MS 6/5A, 10 Moulton St., Cambridge, MA 02138
            \     Telephone: (617) 873 3426    FAX: (617) 873 3776
	     `----------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: lpj@col.hp.com (Laura Johnson)
Subject: Re: $$$ for middle class
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 18:56:40 GMT
Organization: HP Colorado Springs Division

carl@Cayman.COM (Carl Heinzl) writes:
> 
> I'd say the "middle class" would probably be the middle "third" of the
> salary sample which would make the range from somewhere in the mid 20s
> up to the 80's (which I had saved that article now).  Yea, I know,
> that's a large range, but in some parts of the county you can live on
> 20k *almost* as good as you can on 80k in the expensive areas (perhaps
> (?) better in some cases).
> 
> -Carl-
> --

This ($25-85K) sounds about right for this town (Colorado Springs).
Today's newspaper had a chart showing that Col.Springs cost of living
is 4.6% below national average.

No, a family making $25k can't easily buy a house here, but a
really careful, really hardworking family at that level might
eventually be able to swing it. Anyway, I think
of the lower-middle-class as including a lot of renters. 
-- 
lpj@hpctdls.col.hp.com
Opinions expressed are my own, but may be licensed for a nominal fee.
From: dmatthews@uap.umd.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Car Buying Service in Maryland
Date: 30 Jul 92 19:07:14 GMT
Reply-To: dmatthews@uap.umd.edu
Organization: IPST, U. of Maryland, College Park

In article <RDONG.92Jul30135954@xterminal.mat.jhu.edu>, rdong@PLAYMATE.MAT.JHU.EDU (Rui - Tao  Dong) writes:
>
>	I read from the local newspaper a while ago that there was a car
>buying service in here Maryland, which would give you at least 5 bids from
>local car dealers for a fee (about $100). Their price were very good
...
Washington Consumers Checkbook, 202-347-7283.  Ask for Car Bargains.  
Dr. David L. Matthews, IPST, Univ. of Maryland, College Park MD 20742-2431 
Telephone  (301)405-4830	Internet   dmatthews@uap.umd.edu
FAX 	   (301)314-9363	NSI/SPAN   UMDUAP::DMATTHEWS
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.autos,rec.autos.tech
From: louis@Tandem.com (Louis Meadows)
Subject: Re: WARNING: 1987 Mazda 323 Defect
Organization: Tandem Computers
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 02:24:17 GMT

  Call The Auto Safety Hotline (800) 424-9393.  The line is run by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).   You will get a voice response 
system that will direct you to the correct information.  One of the services will send you a copy of all recalls and problems.  Another of the services will send you the forms to file inorder to have the car recalled.  I use this line before I buy a car or Truck.  After all its our tax dollars at work.


   Louis

  Email: Meadows_louis@tandem.com

  Vmail: (408) 285-4269









In article <1992Jul30.011444.18680@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com>, billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:
|> louise@cc.gatech.edu (Louise Penberthy) writes:
|> : In article <1992Jul29.044442.15682@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com> billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:
|> : >
|> : >Forget the CSP. Writing to Mazda was a good idea. You might also
|> : >contact your State Attorney General's Office - fraud division.
|> : >They might have some insight into the matter.
|> : 
|> : Also try your local Better Business Bureau.
|> 
|> Generally, the local BBB is useless. I might call them, but I certainly
|> would not expect them to do anything.
|> 
|> Bill
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,news.answers
From: meltsner@crd.ge.com (Kenneth J Meltsner)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Cheap, Sturdy Bookcases?
Date: 24 Jul 92 14:30:45 GMT
Reply-To: meltsner@crd.ge.com
Distribution: na
Organization: GE Research and Development Center



In article <1992Jul24.061943.6388@ncsa.uiuc.edu>, acheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu
(Albert Cheng) writes:
|>
|>>Blocks-and-boards shelving frequently gets dismissed as tacky college-
|>>student stuff, but if sturdy storage space on the cheap is more important
|>>than matching your interior-decoration scheme, it's impossible to beat. 
|>
|>I used to have those Blocks-boards shelving but started to worry they
|>come crashing down if someone bumps it.  With a little daughter now, I
|>even worry more.  There is no way to secure them to walls.  Am I
|>paranoid?

Be paranoid.  Our kid loves to climb on bookshelves and when we move,
every bookshelf unit will be secured.  And make sure built-ins (like
the metal adjustable standards) are well-secured -- a professor I knew
had an entire wall full of books come down.

Remember: books are really heavy.  Particle board and most woods creep
(deform slowly under load).  Processed wood (particle, wafer,
hardboard, plywood) definitely creep the most. Fully loaded Doxey
shelves will develop a noticable bend in a few years -- ours did.
Don't space supports more than every 36" for paperbacks or 30"
(depending on book size) for hardcovers.  Atlases, dictionaries, etc.
may require 24" spacing.  When mixing processed wood and natural wood,
remember that natural woods expand non-isotropically as humidity
increases (ie the boards lengthen significantly with the grain).  For
serious book types, bookshelf designs requires real engineering.


===============================================================================
Ken Meltsner                        | meltsner@crd.ge.com (518) 387-6391
GE Research and Development Center  | Fax:  (518) 387-7495
P.O. Box 8, Room K1/MB207	    | Nothing I say should be attributed
Schenectady, NY 12301               | to my employer, and probably vice-versa
================ Materials and Manufacturing, World O' Stuff ==================
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: mason@lambda.msfc.nasa.gov (Jim Mason)
Subject: AMISCO futon frames
Organization: NASA/MSFC
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 17:14:58 GMT

Does anyone have a contact number or address for AMISCO?  They
are a manufacturer of metal futon bed frames.

I'd like to be able to either deal with them directly or call them to
find out who their retailers are in this area.

Thanks
-Jim

  ACTION == LIFE
        \     	   Jim Mason                              --------------
         \    	   NTI Systems Group                         Standard  
        / \   	   NASA/Marshall Space Flight Centre        Disclaimer 
       /   \  	   +1 205 544 2122                        --------------
 SILENCE == DEATH
From: chrz@tellabs.com (Peter Chrzanowski)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Supplemental Health Insurance??? Does it exist???
Date: 27 Jul 92 22:59:01 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Tellabs, Inc.

In article <BrwIDt.4w0@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, weller@osiris.cso.uiuc.edu (Bonnie Weller) writes:
> My husband and I were astounded this week when we figure out how much
> it will cost us in medical bills to have our baby, and this with an
> 80%- 20% plan.  

...

>It will not include any physicals, including the
> baby's first physical after birth, or well - care for the baby.  It
> will also not cover any vacinations for the baby.  
> Are there supplemental coverages that will help capture the 20% 
> plus some of the maintenance care not covered under our original 
> policy?  Do any capture the deductable?  Is it worth buying the extra 
> insurance if it is available?  
> Bonnie

Certain expenses associated with providing good care for a baby are 
absolutely predictable:  for example, well-baby care, immunizations, etc.

I don't quite understand the logic of having insurance pay for predictable,
probability-one expenses. 

That is, I mostly need insurance to pay for low-probability, high-cost
losses: catastrophic medical care, for example, or the loss of my home.

The saying that comes to mind is, "nobody will insure a burning building".
If Bonnie has, say, $1500. in predictable, uncovered expenses next year
it would be surprising if anyone would contract to pay these expenses 
(supplemental insurance) for any less than $1500.  Would you?



kstell@cbnewsl.cb.att.com (kevin.l.stell) writes: 
> Stinks doesn't it!

> I have 3 children. Two were covered by conventional means (80%,20%) and 1 taken care of by an HMO. THe HMO ordeal was painless, but had more upfront costs 
> (read: bigger bite out of paycheck). Checked the price of shots lately?

> Soapbox mode on:

> I find it ostounding, that well baby care is not covered, but achohol and
> drug rehab is....

> We need Health Care reform now !!!!!

> Soapbox mode off...

If the only purpose of "Health Care reform" is to get someone else to pay,
I doubt we'll be happy -- since we're all the "someone elses".  I mean, you
don't expect to get, say, $1000. in medical expenses without seeing your
taxes rise at least $1000. ?

I understand why people buy insurance to pay for low-probability, high-cost
events such as, say, treatment for spina bifida or cancer.  But what is the
purpose in having insurance pay for routine stuff like office visits (other
than to allow providers to raise prices) ?  It's as though we all took out
food insurance, and then filed claims whenever we went to a food store.


It's not as though things somehow, magically become "free" when someone 
else pays.  Who's this "someone else", other than you and me? 

I agree with you about the alcohol and drug rehab, though ... lots of us
are skeptical of the "disease" approach to treating drug/alcohol problems. 
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:14347 rec.autos.tech:10011 rec.autos:18318
From: williamsk@gtephx.UUCP (Kevin W. Williams)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.autos.tech,rec.autos
Subject: Re: Compressors & Air Tools
Summary: Craftsman
Date: 22 Jul 92 17:44:37 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: gte

In article <1992Jul20.182720.26606@bnr.ca>, (Eric Youngblood) writes:
> In article <1992Jul20.153457.20046@cbfsb.cb.att.com>, rjc@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (robert.cook) writes:
> |> Sorry for the cross posting, but I'd like some input.
> |> 
> |> I'm planning on buying an Air Compressor nad Air Tools.  I'm wondering of some-
> |> one on the net has such equipment, Good/Bad.  Maybe I could get some feedback
> |> on what's good and what's not.
> |> 
> |> I'm looking at 5hp, 80 Gal tank, cast iron, compressor.  I'd like to buy equip-
> |> ment and tools ONCE.  So I'm looking for GOOD stuff that won't break down on me.
> |> 
> |> TNKS - Robert
> 
> WOW! I envy you! You must have a dedicated work shop. I cant say much about a 
> compressor that large, but I will relate my experience purchasing a 3.5 HP 25
> gal unit. Paid $299 at Sears. After close inspection this *is* a high quality
> piece of equipment. It has a 120/240 15/17.5 amp GE electric direct drive motor.
> The compressor pump is 11.9 cfm DeVilbiss single stage unit. The 25 gallon tank
> is also built by DeVilbiss and is rated at 150+psi. Cut-in pressure is 100 psi,
> and cut-off pressure is 125 psi. The whole thing weighs a little over 100 lbs so
> it can still be considered portable. I dont know how I got by without it! It has
> come in handy for so many projects. My advice is to get the biggest unit you can
> afford. You cannot have too much air, but too little sure will spoil your day.
> 
> $0.02
> Ericy

I will second a recommendation for Craftsman. Mine is a 5 HP 30 Gallon unit.
Works great, lasts a long time. I would question a 80 gallon tank, however.
Your air will last a long time, but take a long time to build pressure as
well. When you just want to use an impact wrench for 10 seconds, waiting
a couple minutes for pressure can be frustrating. I would at least consider
a smaller main tank for fast fill, and an auxilliary for added capacity when
you really need it.


Kevin Wayne Williams
     UUCP : ...!ames!ncar!noao!asuvax!gtephx!williamsk

               Remember : Brute force has an elegance all its own.
From: rudolph@sparc20.hri.com (David Rudolph)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Telephone Answering Machines
Date: 23 Jul 92 20:06:39 GMT
Reply-To: rudolph@sparc20.hri.com (David Rudolph)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Horizon Research

In article <BruIM8.BLD@acsu.buffalo.edu>, v148rb5b@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu
(COLLIN MCCULLEY) writes:
> 
> 	Well, phone company message services aside, I can recommend if
> you want a *traditional* answering machine, stay away from AT&T products,
> especially their phone-and-answering machine combinations.  I've had
> no end of trouble with them.  Actually, the answering machine itself is
> generally ok, except features keep going out in the whole system, including:
> 
> 	-The answering machine won't answer remote commands anymore
> 	-The redial feature rarely remembers the previously dialed number
> 
> and various other problems.

I'll second that. I've had nothing but trouble with my AT&T machine
since I got it. Among the problems are:

Usually counts messages even when the person hangs up right away. Often
records 10-20 seconds of dial tone after a hangup. My cheap $30
RecordaCall machine at work does a much better job of ignoring hangups
than the $130 AT&T machine.

Remote function was always flakey - it worked with some touch tone
phones, not with others, despite the claim on the box that it would
work with all.  The first one was returned after a couple of weeks
because it stopped working from my office phone, even though it
initially had worked fine.  The second one worked from some phones for
the first year and a half, but now it doesn't work at all.

Occasionally cuts off people.

Usually loses the greeting on power failure, even though it's supposed
to recover it from tape.  State appears to be random after a power
failure - sometimes it remembers all settings, sometimes it comes back
at various points in the middle of the programming procedure - for
example, waiting for me to set the time. This happens even with fresh
batteries and a 2 minute failure. 

Often screws up the date-time stamp, so instead of hearing the voice
announce the date and time before the message, I hear a bunch of beeps. 

If I accidently let it pick up while I'm home, it doesn't hang up when
I pick up the phone like it's supposed to - it plays the entire message
and then records the whole phone call. 

There are others that I can't think of now too. It seems that very few
of the features work the way they're supposed to.


------------------------------------------------------------------------

David Rudolph                   |       phone: (617) 466-8370
Horizon Research, Inc.          |       email: rudolph@hri.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: michaet@hubcap.clemson.edu (michael dale townsend)
Subject: Re: Buying Furniture from North/South Carolina
Organization: Clemson University
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 12:10:03 GMT

frankie@osc.edu (Frankie Harris) writes:

>A few years back, I recall hearing people speak about what a good deal
>they got buying furniture from manufacturers in either North or South
>Carolina (can't remember which) via catalogs. 

>Frankie

I haven't bought any furniture before, but I don't believe that South
Carolina has any extraordinary values.  High Point North Carolina is the
city that calls itself "The Furniture Capital of the World."  Maybe you
could call information and find the number of the chamber of commerce of
High Point.  They'd be glad to get you information that would increase
their revenue, I'd think.
 
Michael					michaet@hubcap.clemson.edu
P.S.  Its pronounced Hah Point, with at least 3 syllables.   :-)


Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.consumers.house,misc.rural