HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: egreen@East.Sun.COM (Ed Green - Pixel Cruncher)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Killing burglars.
Date: 20 Aug 92 15:42:39 GMT
Reply-To: egreen@East.Sun.COM
Organization: Sun Microsystems, RTP, NC
NNTP-Posting-Host: laser.east.sun.com

In article 92Aug19174710@rotor.watson.ibm.com, lowry@watson.ibm.com (Andy Lowry) writes:
>In article <1992Aug19.191133.18443@cc.gatech.edu> duggan@cc.gatech.edu (Rick Duggan) writes:
> > 
> > However, the main point is that at
> > 2:00 in the morning, I know nothing about the motive of the invader
> > in my home.  It is merely prudent to worst-case the scenario and
> > assume you (and/or your family) are going to be harmed.  
>
>Gee, you might better blast away at that person who's running toward
>you down the dark sidewalk at 2:30am.  
>Or for that
>matter, the motorist who's speeding toward the intersection you happen
>to be crossing *might* be intoxicated and about to run you down, 

Both these analogies are fatally flawed.  I **KNOW** the stranger in my
home at 2:00 am is a criminal.  By definition, he is breaking the law.
He is not exercising his right to walk down the sidewalk or drive down
the street, he is committing a felony.  And he knows it, which is why
it is reasonable to assume he is dangerous.

>You play the odds.  The intruder is not likely to intend you or your
>family harm beyond depriving you of some articles that are probably
>insured anyway.  They *might* be after more than that, but to assume
>the worst is ridiculous. 

Wrong.  To assume the worst is prudent.

>Reasoning by worst-case scenarios is very rarely useful as a guide for
>decision making.  It's mostly useful when you want to put a bound on
>the damage or cost you risk incurring.  That is, you use it to
>understand your risk, but not as a basis for deciding a course of
>action.  Generally, if you want to maximize your benefits, think in
>terms of likely scenarios, not worst-case.

Bovine Feces.

I make a living making decisions on a worst-case basis, exclusively.
It's called sound engineering.

Every time I ride my motorcycle, I wear a helmet, boots, gloves,
leather pants and jacket.  The most likely scenario:  I will not need
any of it.  

Worst-case analysis is *demanded* in *any* situation where the
unfavorable outcome, whatever its perceved odds, is unacceptable.  You
can maximize your benefits by considering probable over worst-case in
trading stocks, all you can lose is money.  When your life is on the
line, only an idiot would ignore the worst case possiblity.

---
Ed Green, former Ninjaite |I was drinking last night with a biker,
  Ed.Green@East.Sun.COM   |and I showed him a picture of you.  I said,
DoD #0111  (919)460-8302  |"Go on, get to know her, you'll like her!"
 (The Grateful Dead) -->  |It seemed like the least I could do...
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: bellas@soldev.TTI.COM (Pete Bellas)
Subject: Re: Relocation buyout
Reply-To: bellas@soldev.TTI.COM (Pete Bellas)
Organization: Transaction Technology, Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 15:33:49 GMT

In article <MACRAKIS.92Aug10110927@next4.osf.org>, macrakis@osf.org
(Stavros Macrakis) writes:
> In article <1992Aug8.234453.1106@sparky.imd.sterling.com>
jsautter@IMD.Sterling.COM (John Sautter) writes:

>    If a company relocates someone, what is the normal procedure for 
>    disposal of a house an employee owns?

> Like everything else, this is negotiable (with or without a relocation
> policy).  Only you can decide how to negotiate, how much leverage you
> have with the company, etc.  

If the company approached you with:
	"We could really use your expertise setting up this new sattelite
	 office and would like you to relocate..."
Then you have lots of leverage.

If the company approached you with:
	"We are moving our headquaters, if you still want to work for us
	 you can in the new location..."
Then you have no leverage.

I have seen both, one company used the later as a means of laying off 
people ("you can relocate to Bismark, North Dakota, that's where the
project is being transfered to").

			-Pete-


* Pete Bellas                   "Cogito ergo spud"                         *
* Citicorp/TTI                       I think therefore I yam.              *
* Santa Monica, CA                                                         *
* bellas@gamma.tti.com                                                     *
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: games@max.u.washington.edu
Subject: Need advice on buying a rota-hammer
Organization: 
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 17:51:21 GMT

I need to buy a rota-hammer in order to do about 10 separate projects.
(mostly drilling into concrete so that I can set in some drop-in anchors)

I also am thinking about using the thing to do (later) some demolition work.

I do not want to rent it because it costs about $30 every time I would do so,
and over the course of the 10 projects (none of which can really be done at the
same time as some are at rental houses, etc...) I would spend about $300.

I know that the bosch makes a variable speed, D-type handle for about $200,
and I know that milwaulkee makes one in the same price range, but it is not
as good (or so I have heard).  When I went to the rental store to check on
prices they have the Bosch.

But I used to use a powder activated gun made by Hilti quite extensively, now
I don't want to buy a powder activated gun, but Hilti is quite a good name
in the fastner type business.  I know that they make a rota-hammer.  I just
have never seen or used one.  (I have actually used the bosch several years
ago.)

In terms of ratings, they tend to have 2;  The maximum hole size you can drill,
and the number of blows per minute.

Does Porter cable make a rota-hammer?  Does anyone else that is worth
considering?  Does anyone have experience with these beasts?

I don't want to buy one of the real big ones (they cost on the order of $500),
but if I am going to buy one, I want one that can do a good job.

	Any suggestions?

		John Stevens-Schlick
		games@max.u.washington.edu
From: jhp@sactoh0.sac.ca.us (Jim H. Puga)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Replacing windows.  Which type?
Date: 14 Aug 92 03:07:16 GMT
Reply-To: jhp@sactoh0.SAC.CA.US (Jim H. Puga)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Sacramento Public Access Unix, Sacramento, Ca.

I'm looking into replacing the windows in a house I am remodeling.
I've had two estimates with one place telling me aluminum windows
are fine and the other telling me to go with vinyl.

My question is, which is better, vinyl or aluminum?

I'd appreciate any and all advice.

Thanks in advance.

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------
- jhp@sactoh0.SAC.CA.US    What else can I say?             -
-------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: wartik@software.org (Steve Wartik)
Subject: Help! Washing Machine Spews out Flakes
Originator: wartik@software.software.org
Organization: Software Productivity Consortium, Herndon, Virginia
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 15:34:04 GMT


This weekend, my 5-year-old Sears washing machine started emitting
little green-gray flakes of something or other.  I can't quite figure out
what they are.  They don't look like fabric, and anyway I haven't
seen any of the flakes in the wash tub, so I'd guess that there's
something in the drainage system that might be disintegrating.

I called Sears, but was informed that they aren't permitted to let me
talk to a repair person.  However, I could call a 900 number... before
I waste megabucks, I thought I'd appeal to the net and see if anyone
has a clue about what this might be.

				Thanks in advance,

					-- Steve Wartik
					   wartik@software.org
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: richg@hatch.socal.com (Rich Greenberg)
Subject: Re: Adding electric range service
Organization: Hatch Usenet and E-mail.  Playa del Rey, CA
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1992 04:04:39 GMT

In article <1992Aug21.142222.2161@vixvax.mgi.com> mcnamara@vixvax.mgi.com writes:
>	What is involved in adding service for an electric stove and range?
>I assume they need 50 amp, 220 volt feeds.  How do I find out if my
>imcoming service has this capability?

Find the main fuse/breaker.  Its rating is (usually) the same as the
service capacity.
-- 
                
Rich Greenberg - N6LRT - 310-649-0238 - richg@hatch.socal.com
From: brooksp@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Peter Brooks)
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 17:30:13 GMT
Subject: Re: Hardwood Kitchen Floors
Organization: the HP Corporate notes server
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house

I've had a *softwood* kitchen floor (originally tongue and groove
underlayment for linoleum) that has been used as a "hardwood"
floor for about a year.  This is probably a worst case situation,
since there are gaps between boards (impossible to seal, due to
the nature of the fir's expansion).  I have 2 coats of McClosky
Gymseal on it (not recommended; see my article in the FAQ for
my resons why), but its installation problems notwithstanding,
it has done a very good job at keeping th water out.

I have two cleaning methods.  When the floor isn't too crusty, I'll
spray a little cleaning goop and damp mop.  I've used: Mop & Glow,
Formula 409, and Perk with varying amounts of success.  Actually
the waxless cleaners do better, though 409 leaves too much residue.
For nasty cleaning, I'll use Spic & Span or Murphy's oil soap
and a scrub brush.  Other netters have been told by their flooring
people that Murphy's will screw up adhesion for evantual recoating
of the floor.  This is not a factor for me; the Gymseal is effectively
not recoatable to begin with, and I am more likely to remove the 
T&G fir in favor of oak when I do get around to the inevitable kitchen
remodel.

I don't worry about water; if I spill some on the floor, I'll wipe it
up, but I don't hesitate to get the floor good a wet in a cleaning.  I
don't let it stay that way, though.

BTW, ceramic crocks (like 4 gallon pickle crocks) can get wet on the
bottom if there is water in the crock.  I screwed up an old floor
by washing a crock and leaving it covered.  There was about an
ounce of water left in the crock when I discovered this, and I had
rather bad cupping problems under the crock.  This was strip floor and
easily repairable, but the moral is to watch long term water sources
on a hardwood floor.  Be particularly careful of planters and such.

Pete Brooks
From: rlm@cnmss.tredydev.unisys.com (Randall L. Martin)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Installing Carpet in a Basement
Date: 17 Aug 92 14:01:23 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Unisys Corporation, Tredyffrin

I'm thinking about installing carpet in a basement Rec room. It
currently has old 9" tile on the floor. I don't want to glue 
down the carpet because a pad will give playing kids more cushion.
Instead of paying for installation, I can rent a kicker and an
electric stapler for $25. I have a few questions including is it
worth the aggravation :).

Questions:

1. Do you use tackless strips on stairs?

2. How do you wrap outside edge of the stairs?

4. How many (and where) staples on the steps? 

5. How far away from the wall does the tackless get installed? 
   (I will install a baseboard after the carpet is installed.)

6. How do I install the tackless to the tiled cement floor?

7. Does the pad get fastened to the tiled cement floor?

8. How do I install around a post?
___
Randy Martin             rlm@cnmss.tredydev.Unisys.COM
(215)648-3733            tredysvr!cnmss!rlm@gvls1.GVL.Unisys.COM
From: davek@informix.com (David Kosenko)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: question on washers/dryers
Date: 19 Aug 92 18:16:13 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Informix Software, Inc.

In article <Bt5nq5.3nv@world.std.com> ibe@world.std.com (ira b ekhaus) writes:
>hello,
>
>Are there any references or recommendations for brands of washers to buy?
>How about the issues in buy them used (what to look for , % of new price) ?

When I bought my house, it came with a washer and dryer.  The dryer was
a Kenmore and died shortly after I moved in.  The washer is a Maytag.  It
has a label on the back that has written on it what I assume is the
installation date: July 2, 1965.  It runs like a charm.  I now believe
those Maytag ads I've seen all these years (though they have toned
down the lonely Maytag repairman bit).  I would not hesitate to buy
Maytag (assuming the quality is still the same).

Dave
-- 
Disclaimer: These opinions are not those of Informix Software, Inc.
**************************************************************************
The heart and the mind on a parallel course, never the two shall meet.
						-E. Saliers
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: cab@col.hp.com (Chris Best)
Subject: Re: Garage Door Opener Regulations
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 19:32:49 GMT
Organization: your service

>I just purchased a Genie Garage Door opener and it has a mechanism built in that
>causes the door to automatically open if something is in it's path.  I don't
>see any need for an optical device to do the same thing.

----------

I do.  As the door nears the fully-closed position, the force is incredible, due
to the geometry of the bracket and drive chain.  Sure, it'll bounce off your
car hood with no damage, since that's mid-travel, but something smaller (like a 
kid's skull) could easily be crushed.  It would take LOTS of resistance at this 
point to make the motor/clutches/whatever "see" that few pounds of resistance.

I say this after looking at MY openers - it may very well be that others are 
installed differently.  
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: macrakis@osf.org (Stavros Macrakis)
Subject: Re: Advice needed on ovens and ranges
Organization: OSF Research Institute
Distribution: usa
Date: 19 Aug 92 18:30:24

In article <1992Aug19.184403.14073@ryn.mro4.dec.com> abbott@priory.enet.dec.com (Robert Abbott) writes:

   I was recently told that home gas ovens have more temperature
   fluctuation than home electric ovens.

This sounds plausible enough, but I don't know.

   Commerical gas ovens solve this problem by adding mass to the oven
   walls. The mass evens out the temperature fluctuation. The downside
   is that they take longer to preheat and longer to cool off. Also
   they will dump a lot more heat into your kitchen.

This seems true.  Our restaurant range (Vulcan 148L) keeps the oven
pretty warm all the time, just from the pilot.  It does take fairly
long to preheat (they recommend 30 minutes), since in a restaurant it
would be kept going from the beginning of the working day to the end.
But it gives fabulously even temperature.  As I understand it, by the
way, much of the heat transfer to food in a conventional oven actually
comes from heat radiation from the walls, not conduction from the air.
In a convection oven (more accurately called a forced convection
oven), the air circulation keeps the air close to the food hotter, and
therefore you get more conductive transmission.  (Conduction from the
heating element to the air, convection to get the heat from the
heating element to next to the food, conduction from the air to the
food.)

You can get as even temperature without the inconvenience of a
restaurant range using a convection oven.  Of course, the cavity on a
standard home convection oven is much smaller.

	-s
From: srivatsa@karna.Eng.Sun.COM (Chakra Srivatsa)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Green Tree group for Home insurance - READ THIS
Date: 18 Aug 1992 21:58:33 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems
Distribution: usa
Reply-To: srivatsa@karna.Eng.Sun.COM
NNTP-Posting-Host: karna

In article 18506@fid.morgan.com, joec@fid.morgan.com (Joe Collins) writes:
>
<insurance company with a difference> edited
>

>For me, instead of paying about $500/yr, I would pay about
>$4800 once and then thats about it. And when I sell, I get my
>money back.
>
Same as investing the money and paying the premium with the returns.

Seems like ~10% annual return to me...  Is that good?  For now, yes.
In a few years?  Who knows?  I'll probably make 15% in some good
mutual funds over the long haul.

I'll pass this one up.
---
The one l lama, he's a priest. 		srivatsa@eng.sun.com
The two l llama, he's a beast.
And I will bet a silk pajama, 
there isn't a three l lllama!		says Ogden Nash
From: macrakis@osf.org (Stavros Macrakis)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Sears Garbage Disposal Repairs?
Date: 21 Aug 92 19:30:45 GMT
Organization: OSF Research Institute

In article <58850034@hpscit.sc.hp.com> dick@hpscit.sc.hp.com (Dick Lucas) writes:

   ...garbage disposals are available for anywhere from $30 to $100 at
   home supply stores....

After talking to my contractor, his plumber, various salespeople, and
so on (but not checking Consumer's Reports or whatever), it seemed to
me worthwhile to go for a model with at least a 4 year warranty.
These are typically 1/2hp units and are made by Emerson Electric
(among others), and sold under the names Emerson, In-Sink-Erator,
Kenmore, etc.  A good price for this model is $99.

	-s
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: joannl@vlsisj.uucp (Joann Loos)
Subject: Re: ?? Indoor Water Fountain: Calif Style ??
Reply-To: joannl@vlsisj.uucp (Joann Loos)
Organization: Compass Design Automation/VLSI Technology, Inc. (San Jose)
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 92 21:46:53 GMT

Are you talking about the one's that look like a piece of
driftwood with little copper leaves on it?  These have started
to go out of style.  My dad found one at the flea market a
few months ago, but I haven't seen any new for a while.

  One thing to consider is that they are made of copper,
and if you have any dogs, cats, birds or any other loose
pets this could be a problem. Animals should not be
allowed to drink out of them.

   joannl@compass-da.com
    std. disclaimer applies
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: mryan@stsci.edu
Subject: Re: How to Hang a Carpet Face Down on the ceiling?
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
Distribution: na,local
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 19:09:58 GMT

In article <1992Aug14.172016.25530@porthos.cc.bellcore.com>, din@dasher.uucp (Dinesh Nettar) writes:
> We have a 9'X6' silk hand-knotted carpet that is too big for our walls.
> We don't want it to be on the floor (its intended purpose) yet.
> 
> In the interim, we want to hang it face down from the living
> room ceiling.
> 
> Can I use adhesive tape?  Will it take the weight?
> 
> 

This is a method I heard of for hanging an oriental rug on a wall.  Sew
a strip of fabric across the back of the rug to make a pocket for a curtain
rod to slide into.  Mount the curtain rod on the wall and hang the rug.

You could probably try a variation on this, using a curtain rod for each
end of the rug, mounted securely to your ceiling.

Adhesive tape probably wouldn't hold and might leave glue residue on your rug.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: pradeep@bkd.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Pradeep Deshpande)
Subject: Re: Masking tape residue
Reply-To: pradeep@bkd.b11.ingr.com
Organization: ISGS, Intergraph Corporation. Huntsville, AL-35894.
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 19:39:14 GMT

In article <1992Aug17.212328.7236@hpcvusn.cv.hp.com>, jbb@hpcvxjb.cv.hp.com (Jim B. Byers) writes:
|> I picked up a little bottle of some stuff called Desolve-it (not sure
|> of the spelling) at HomeClub a while back on a whim.  Latter I had to try
|> to remove those little white double stick pads from a varnished door.  I
|> also removed tape residue from a refrigerator.

	Well, talking of atape residue, we had some party at my place and some
of my (so called) friends stuck some flowers to the wall using some Cello tape.
The tape when taken out has left some marks on the painted walls. 

	I talked to the Home depot expert and he advised me to repaint the
wall. Same with K-Mart and WalMart experts. Any ideas here. 

-- 
-Pradeep.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pradeep Deshpande			    |"The only tyrant I accept in 
Intergraph Corporation. Huntsville, Alabama |this world is the 'still small
INTERNET: pradeep@bkd.b11.ingr.com	    |voice' within me."
UUNET   : ...uunet!ingr!b11!bkd!pradeep	    |	-Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: bruce@gordian.com (Bruce Hafford)
Subject: Re: Address of IKEA
Organization: Gordian
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 16:39:06 GMT

>>As a Scandinavian, my wife misses her local access to the IKEA stores back

>I just happened to get a catalogue day before yesterday. There are seven in
>the US.

Well, there's 5 or 7 in the LA/Orange County alone, so I kind of
doubt your total.  Keep in mind most Stor's became or are becoming
Ikeas....


Bruce

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.uucp (24224-guthrie)
Subject: Re: Marble in shower
Reply-To: patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 92 23:54:27 GMT

In article <1992Aug13.213307.16667@sequent.com> irened@sequent.com (Irene Dale) writes:
>We have to redo the tiled shower in an upstairs bathroom.
>My husband has suggested using marble on the walls.
>If you use 12inch squares, the cost shouldn't be too prohibitive.
>It seems that I've heard marble gets water stains.  Anyone
>out there have marble in their shower or have any ideas
>about why it is a good or bad idea?

I put it down in my bathroom. The first mistake I made was to use a felt
tip pen to mark the cuts for the edge pieces. I marked them on the back
and numbered each one. This helped a lot when installing them. I came in
the next morning, and there were large red numbers on the marble. The
red ink had bled through 3/8" of marble to the surface.

Luckily, soaking the floor with Clorox full strength took that out, but
it also put a slight discoloration into the marble.

Then the Spring rains came and one day I found a few inches of filthy
water all over the floor. By the time I managed to get all the water
seepage problems stopped (have you ever tried to "beta test" some
water-proofing?) several years had passed. The floor is now badly
stained. To top it off, I had to replace two tiles which came up because
of water damage, so it's highly obvious they're stained.

I have tried TCP, and have a few other compounds to try. If all else
fails, I'll stain the new ones to match.

Anyway, - Yes, marble stains very easily and is very porous. Be very
carefull putting it up (use pencils for markers) and don't use the
bath until it's all grouted and sealed. They make sealers for marble.
Buy one and apply it ASAP and you should be OK.

Oh - one more thing. It scratches fairly easily too. This is not
necessarily a bad thing - it produces what some people refer to as a
patina.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    |
George Patterson -  | I don't know if I believe in love at first sight.
                    | I've never seen a Porsche full of money.
                    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house