HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: merz@rrc.chevron.com (Paul Merz)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Thank you, LUCKY Supermarket
Date: 24 Jul 92 16:35:38 GMT
Organization: Chevron, Richmond, California

The other evening, my wife was in the LUCKY supermarket.
[Located in El Cerrito, CA nearby the corner of San Pablo and Moser.]

She purchased goods worth approx $10 and paid via a check for
$40 over purchase.

Unfortunately, she then walked out of the store forgetting both
the cash and the receipt.  My wife did not realize her error until
the next evening when she looked in her wallet.

Given that such a long period of time had passed, 
we both assumed that the money was likely irretrievable.
But, she phoned the LUCKY market and described what had happened.
The concrete information was very sparse: the approximate time
of day, the dollar amount of purchase, the amount of the check, 
and a description of the employee at the checkout stand.

The bookkeeper at the supermarket listened and said he would look into it.

The following day (approximately 48 hours after my wife left the 
cash behind) she went to the LUCKY market.  The bookkeeper greeted her
and gave her the $40.

Thank you LUCKY supermarket chain.  You have two happy customers.



Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: niebuhr@bnlux1.bnl.gov (david niebuhr)
Subject: Re: Supplemantal Health Insurance??? Does it exist???
Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 26 Jul 1992 11:47:31 GMT

In article <1992Jul24.230941.2258@crd.ge.com> joseph@c2a.crd.ge.com (joseph) writes:
>
>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 turns out the deductable is $450 a year (from 1/92
>>to 12/92 so it is not a full year for us as we have not used the
>>deductabe yet!) plus $100 deductable per hospital admittance, plus
>>20% of all bills.  It will not include any physicals, including the
>>baby's first physical after birth, or well - care for the baby.  It
>>
[ ... some text deleted -- see original post ... ]

>  It has been my experience that most insurers who allow free choice
>  of doctors/facilities have significant deductibles. And they typically
>  don't cover well baby care.  However, most HMOs do not have significant
>  deductibles, cover well baby care, and allows you to do away with the
>  paper work, in return for using their doctors and their approved
>  facilities in non-emergency situations.
>
[ ... text describing an HMO deleted ... ]

I, too, have an HMO for a few reasons.  The main one was "the doctor's
on vacation this week" followed by "the office is closed call Dr. XXX
if you need assistance".  Mine didn't want to be bothered one iota
after the office closed for the day.

Since joining the HMO, there were four instances of operations being
needed (no, we aren't unhealthy; the law of averages caught up with
us), two of which were for conditions that the original doctor just
plain ignored.

My total medical costs have dropped, care improved dramatically and
my family is better off medically now than before.

Dave

-- 

Dave Niebuhr      Internet: niebuhr@bnl.gov / Bitnet: niebuhr@bnl
Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton, NY 11973  (516)-282-3093

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: acheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Albert Cheng)
Subject: Re: Airline Antitrust Litigation
Originator: acheng@shalom.ncsa.uiuc.edu
Organization: Nat'l Ctr for Supercomp App (NCSA) @ University of Illinois
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 06:24:55 GMT
Keywords: airlines antitrust litigation refund

It is a nightmare to adminstrate such a refund.  It probably costs more
to verify the records.  Why didn't the judge tell the airlines to
reduce the price for all current flights (like power companies do) or
just send the overcharge to Uncle Sam to reduce the national debt?
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: jingsha@eng.umd.edu (Jingsha He)
Subject: Re: United Consumer Club .... What's the scoop?
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 92 19:09:25 GMT
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park, College of Engineering

In article <6090049@hpfcbig.SDE.HP.COM> fritz@hpfcbig.SDE.HP.COM (Gary Fritz (tmp)) writes:
>In misc.consumers, rboudrie@chpc.org (Rob Boudrie) writes:
>> - High up front fees
>> - Tremendous sales pressure
>> - A warning that if you refuse to sign a contract on-the-spot, ...
>
>All true, and all of which should set your "scam alarm" clanging off the wall.
>They are pressuring you to make an investment with no chance to consider it,
>look at competitors, or talk to previous customers.  There's a very good
>reason for that.
>
>I know a number of people who joined UCC and similar groups.  I think one
>of them felt he got his money's worth, and that was because he was building
>a house and used UCC to purchase all his appliances and furniture.  And
>even then he was very disgruntled by the poor selection, inability to see
>a product before buying, etc.
>
>My advice to people who are considering UCC & similar deals:  save your
>time and energy.  Don't even bother going to the presentation.
>
>Gary

I was invited to a UCC seminar two years ago and got the same high pressure
to join in immediately. I asked two questions. (1) Can I have some time
to consider it? The answer was "no". (2) Does UCC refund the membership
fee if I change my mind? The answer is "sure" but I was assured not to be
disappointed. This is very funny because how they could be so sure that
I would not change my mind. I then asked the saleman to show me where in the
membership agreement the refund policy was. He said there was no such
clause in the agreement but he would personally guarantee me of this. What
a nice organization. I immediately stood up and walked out of the door.

Jingsha He
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: rcm@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (randall.c.moline)
Subject: Re: PPV Olympics: Oh, so now it's free
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 15:20:00 GMT

In article <1992Jul30.152728.28760@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu> banchy@aplcen (Banchy thomas g (410) 461-2216) writes:
>
>This whole PPV debacle is kind of like watching a train wreck in slow
>motion: you feel a sort of detached concern for all the money that is
>being hemorrhaged, but you can't tear your eyes away from the carnage.
>All I can say is, those sleazy jerks in the cable industry deserve to
>get bankrupted for such a greedy, shortsighted ploy, and it's a real
>shame that the consumer is probably going to end up paying for the
>cleanup (just like always).
>
>$24/month for basic cable?!?!  Just say NO!!!
>
>Tom
>

Why is it such a greedy, shortsighted ploy? It is an experiment. They
felt they were offering the public something they wanted and that the
public would be willing to pay for it. Granted, maybe they charged too
much (no, they charged too much!) but hopefully they will
learn for their mistakes. I've gotta believe that if it was $75 instead
of $125 they would have had well over twice as many people sign up. 

But hey, if you don't want to pay, don't do it. There is still NBC
coverage. Nobody is forcing anyone to pay. I felt that it would be 
worth it for me. I hate watching commercials and stories about Matt
Biondi's sister's cousin's friend's dog. :-) (slight exaggeration).
Since last Sunday the TV has almost overheated. Everyone in the house
(except for our 9 mo old) are olympic fanatics and love watching
end to end commercial free events. (Heck, watching that first Volleyball
game against Japan that went to 5 sets (Live) was almost worth it alone).
Some of the swimming qualifying heats have been more exiting than the
finals.

Sure I wish it was cheaper. I had to think about it quite a while before
I signed up. So far I have been happy I took the plunge. I can't afford
a Corvette ZR-1 and I think it is way too much money to pay for a car
but I don't think Chevy should go bankrupt because they offer it. 

Just another viewpoint from one of the few that actually has the OTC.

Randy
att!ihlpe!rcm
From: ky04@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (KUN YU)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Health Insurance w/ optional coverage
Date: 22 Jul 92 21:50:07 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

My school requires that either I buy the student's insurance or show
proof of other coverage. The school's is, I 'd assume, pretty good.
$100 deductible, covers first $1000, pays 80% up to $25000. The
premium is $430.
Since I am young and perfectly healthy, the premium seems high to me.
I would like higher deductible and lower premium. But the policy is
all set, and I have no choice.
Is there any company that offers coverage to my needs? Or with
selective coverages? 
-- 



                                                          _                  
ky04@lehigh.edu                                         / _ \
KYu, BioProcessing Institute                          /\ _|_ /\
111 Lehigh University                                    /|\
From: tjoa@cory.Berkeley.EDU (Richard Tjoa)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Airline Antitrust Litigation
Summary: Track people down?  Ha!
Keywords: airlines antitrust litigation refund
Date: 24 Jul 92 00:32:50 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Mine

In article <BruM1H.JJr@news.cso.uiuc.edu> tamu@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Todd Henderson) writes:
>>|> I wrote in some article:
>>|> Me too!  I hope you saved your ticket stubs/receipts...
>
>It seems like it would be a little much to ask to require the individuals to
>have receipts that for back.  Shouldn't the airline have records of passengers
>and such.  If they do they should be required to make an effort to track
>of these folks down.
>
>>In anticipation of needing info for whatever comes back in response
>>to my letter, I got copies of all my travel receipts starting in 1989 
>>from the travel agency I use.  Took about a week.  Still waiting to
>>get a response from this Committee.
>
>I hope I can do the same thru my travel agent.  What carriers and destinations
>are in this thing.

Could you imagine the millions of people who are eligible?  Yow!  Carriers:
Most of the major, non-bankrupt scheduled carriers.  (I think it also had
something to do with the computer reservation systems that they owned, so
it would be United and American, at the very least.  Continental, TWA and
the REALLY bankrupt carriers are out of the question, so forget them...)

If anyone hears from "the Committee", I'm sure we'd like to konw what they
said.


-Richard
Gee, I can picture something like:  Here's $5 for you and $5 for you and...
From: marks@ssdevo.enet.dec.com (Randy Marks)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Compressors & Air Tools
Date: 27 Jul 92 17:49:27 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Digital Equipment Corp. - Colorado Springs


In article <KOSOWSKY.92Jul27121559@esaki.harvard.edu>, kosowsky@esaki.harvard.edu (Jeffrey J. Kosowsky) writes...
>Does the Craftsman lifetime warrantee include drill bits? (After all, I
>might be using them in a hand drill and hence they should qualify as
>hand tools)

No.  I don't believe any power tool accessories are covered by the
lifetime warranty.
	Randy Marks
(UUCP)	                {decvax,ucbvax,allegra}!decwrl!ssdevo.enet!marks
(INTERNET)              marks@ssdevo.enet.dec.com
(domain-based INTERNET) marks%ssdevo.enet@decwrl.dec.com
..........................................................................
	"No man's life, liberty, or property is safe
	while the legislature is in session."
..........................................................................
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: Late night infomercials
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 01:13:17 GMT

colette@bwdls46.bnr.ca (Colette George) writes:
: In article <1992Jul29.044012.15561@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com>, billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:

: |> Well, Ginsu knives are at least worth the postage - I don't know how much
: |> more. I want my knives to slice through food, not saw through it.
: |> 
: |> The only time I can think of a serrated knife being useful is for cutting
: |> hard crust french bread.
: |> 
: Sorry, but I have to disagree.  My grandparents gave me a set of Ginsu knives
: when I got my new apartment, and I just *love* them (especially the big, square
: knife). It always give a clean cut and never needs sharpening.  I find it easy
: to chop up any food with that knife. The steak knives are just fine for cutting
: meat, although I wouldn't use them for anything else.  

OK - maybe I should have said that they were also good for people who did not
know how to sharpen knives, so did not know what a sharp knife is. 

On final arguement - if they are so good, then why don't the professional
butchers use similar knives in their work? Why don't professional chefs use
them? It is because they are harder to use than a properly sharpened knife.

Bill
From: Brady_David@Tandem.Com (David Brady)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Middle-class salary range
Date: 30 Jul 92 00:09:51 GMT
Organization: Tandem, Inc.

In article <1992Jul29.030840.12983@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com> billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com
(bill nelson) writes:
>Brady_David@Tandem.Com (David Brady) writes:
>: 
>: Thanks for backing me up on this.
>: 
>: Also, the first $25,000 (or so) of your income is taxed at one rate. 
>: Everything after that is taxed at a higher rate.	
>: 
>: A simple example (details left out!): I
>: 
>: f I make $30,000 and S.O. is making $20,000...
>: 
>: Single :  ($45,000 * lower rate) + ( $5,000 * higher rate) = much lower
taxes
>: Married: ($25,000 * lower rate) + ($25,000 * higher rate) = much higher
taxes
>
>There is a small difference - however, the government figures that a married
>couple uses some things in common - so there is more that should be taxed.
>
>In your example, the married couple would pay about $900 more - rough figure
>only. This takes into account such things as a common house and furnishings.
>
>I personally think the married tax rates are overly generous.
>
>Bill
>

Shall I read "overly generous" as "married people have it easier"?  :-/   How
would you change it?

Actually, married couples where ONE person is working DO have it easier. 
(This, however, has been discussed to death here and I don't want to start a
new thread on this....)  Married couples where both work (and make relatively
similiar salaries) have a harder time of it - tax wise, that is.  My taxes went
up significantly when I got married or, alternatively, my take home pay went
down significantly.

Also, $900 dollars - at least to me - is a significant amount.  For me, that is
a month's rent.  (I must add that we lost more that $900 dollars when we were
married.  More like $2500.  Which could be used to make a down payment on a
house and back to the original point I was making - but I shan't continue....
:-) )
  
About "uses things in common":  When I lived with my girlfriend (now my wife)
we used things in common, but we weren't taxed for it.  It seems like the
additional tax burden which punishes people for being thrifty.  If roommates
can pool their resources (like college students or communes or best friends or
whatever) to save money without a tax bite, why can't married people?  Or
should roommates be taxed like married people.  That'll go down well.

It'll be hard to convince me that I'm better off now (post marriage)  - but you
can keep on trying!  :-)

David
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.auto
From: aland@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Alan D.)
Subject: Tire replacement/warantee question
Keywords: Help, cheap replacement, warantee?
Reply-To: aland@cs.brandeis.edu
Organization: As little as possible
Distribution: ne
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 02:18:18 GMT


Hi -- I had a blowout on I-84 this afternoon, and need to replace a
tire.  The tire is for a 1992 Honda Accord EX Sedan (Michelin (MXR-V?)
195/60 (I think) R15).  I was quoted $120 by a Michelin dealer in
Conn., and I'm going to the Honda dealer tomorrow afternoon to try to
see what I can do.

My questions are as follows:  First of all, does anyone know of a good
place for me to buy the tire in the Boston (Waltham -> Newton ->
Boston) area?  Any better Honda dealer than Herb Chambers?

Secondly, should this 'blowout' (considered a "Road Hazard") be
covered under my warantee, &/or would it be covered by another brand
of tire?

I'll be on the net from 8:30am to 1pm tomorrow, so if you can let me
know your comments & suggestions, I will be most appreciating.

Thanks,
	-=Alan
From: banchy@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu (Banchy thomas g (410) 461-2216)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Just Say NO! (Was: PPV Olympics: Oh, so now it's free)
Date: 31 Jul 92 20:22:20 GMT
Reply-To: banchy@aplcen (Banchy thomas g (410) 461-2216)
Distribution: na
Organization: Johns Hopkins University

In article <stqmbj.tweek@netcom.com> tweek@netcom.com (Michael D. Maxfield) writes:
>In article <1992Jul30.152728.28760@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu> banchy@aplcen (Banchy thomas g (410) 461-2216) writes:
>>$24/month for basic cable?!?!  Just say NO!!!
>>
>Yes, I did say no to my cable company, and I now use antiquated technology
>to snatch my TV signals out of the air.  (TV Antenna)  It works, and gets 
>me channels that the cable company does not provide, as well as channels
>which they black out because of duplications rules...

This reminds me of an ad I saw for a set of rabbit-ears with a fake plastic
parabolic dish attached.  The copy read something like: "actually pulls
the TV signal RIGHT OUT OF THIN AIR!!  NO cable fees, NO satellite fees,
etc. etc. etc."  How quickly they forget.  That ad was hysterical!

>          I'd rather get my cable service from the phone company,
>                than my phone service from the cable company.

Amen to that!

-- 
=============================================================================
 Tom Banchy       banchy@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu      banchy@tron.bwi.wec.com
 "babble, burble, banter, bicker...bicker...bicker"  -King Crimson
=============================================================================
From: mgm@clipper.ingr.com (Mike Marfell)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: PPV Olympics
Date: 21 Jul 92 15:28:03 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Intergraph Advanced Processor Division - Palo Alto, CA

> >>A couple of days ago the same Mike Francessa did a very funny routine wherein
> >>he analyzed who the 5000 PPV subscribers would be.  After you subtract
> >>the friends and families of the olympic participants, the families of some
> >>of the crew and announcers, and the advertisers and executives, he concluded
> >>that 6 people in the entire U.S had subsribed the telecast.  6 people!!!
> >
> >On a more serious note, don't forget that the Olympic pay-per-view is a
> >joint venture between NBC and Cablevision.  If they lose their shirts,
> >as most analysts expect they will, don't be too surprised to see a larger
> >than normal increase in your monthly Cablevison bill.  Without question a
> >good part of these losses will be passed right on to the subscribers.

         Keep in mind that if they dont lose their shirts, we'll 
have to pay for it by watching more Pay-Per-View! I mean that our
cable company will take, say, HBO and make it PPV and pay $3-5 per
day! Soooooo, we'll end up paying one way or another!! 

                       * I hate cable! *                                            

-- 
            "Just a little knowledge can be dangerous"  ....Burmashave

Mike Marfell                                      mgm@clipper.ingr.com
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Cheap, Sturdy Bookcases?
Date: 29 Jul 92 06:36:30 GMT
Article-I.D.: hpcvaac.1992Jul29.063630.18915
Distribution: na
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA

meltsner@crd.ge.com (Kenneth J Meltsner) writes:
: 
: 
: In article <1992Jul24.061943.6388@ncsa.uiuc.edu>, acheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu
: (Albert Cheng) writes:
: 
: 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

Plywood will creep less than regular lumber. To minimize sag - put
a reinforcement strip at the front and back of the shelf - unless the
back of the shelf is nailed to the bookcase back.

: 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.

Some pressboards and particle boards should not be spaced more that 24"
for hardcover books. 

Plywood is best for dimensional stability. You can use trim veneer to cover
the raw edges.

Bill
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:14765 misc.taxes:2882
From: joseph@emmax5crd.ge.com (joseph)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.taxes
Subject: Re: Wierd CA Sales Tax Law
Date: 31 Jul 92 20:46:56 GMT
Reply-To: joseph@c2a.crd.ge.com (joseph)
Organization: GE Research


Brenda J. Roder writes:
>>Oh, I forgot to mention another piece of the insanity.  The Togo's manager
>>also told me that he has to note whether a cookie has nuts in it or not
>>because if it has nuts it doesn't get taxed, but if it has no nuts it
>>gets taxed.  This one makes even less sense.
>
>This could have to do with nutritional value.  The nuts give the cookie some
>protein and therefore it is no longer a 'junk' food item.

  I think this has more to do with the nuts in the legislature than
  the nuts in the cookie (having any nutritional value).

  james joseph              joseph@c2a.crd.ge.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: doughty@tramp.Colorado.EDU (Susan K Doughty-Moore)
Subject: advice needed for dealing with dentist/insurance
Keywords: dentist, insurance
Organization: University of Colorado at Boulder
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 16:30:34 GMT

I need some advice in dealing with my dentist.  I recently had an initial appointment, followed by extraction of 4 wisdom teeth.  The total bill was about
$900.00.  I paid for the first appointment in cash (credit card) because of
"office policy for new patients".  They were supposed to submit the claim
to the insurance company.  3 weeks later, the insurance company still had 
received no claim.  Turns out, the receptionist "forgot" to put the claim
number on the form.  She supposedly resubmitted the form, along with the
new form for my wisdom teeth.  Again, three weeks later, the insurance 
company has no record of a claim ever being submitted.  
To make a bad story worse, the receptionist "forgot" to apply the money I
initially paid to my balance.  After a couple of letters, they finally 
conceded to credit my account for the money, but they now want me to pay
on the new balance.  I do not want to pay them any more money if they 
aren't even submitting the claims correctly!  I am scheduled to return
to the office next week for a followup visit.  I do not really want to
deal with the abusive manner of the receptionist when I go
(it seems that if you question the filing of claims,
she gets very verbally abusive and defensive).  Needless to say, I will not
be returning to this dentist, but I still have 4 unhealed teeth to attend
to in the meantime.

Is there anything I can do?  Is this insurance fraud?

Thanks in advance for any help,

Susan
From: jordan@IMSI.COM (Jordan Hayes)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: $$$ for middle class
Date: 21 Jul 92 15:09:22 GMT
Organization: Investment Management Services Inc., NYC

Someone With Broken News Software writes:

	Middle class: single return under $110K
	              joint return  under $150K

	Any opinions?

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

/jordan
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.taxes