HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: erkamp@JANUS.ARC.AB.CA (Bob Erkamp)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: How can I stop telemarketers from calling??
Date: 15 Oct 92 18:31:32 GMT
 <1992Oct13.082118.3417@scott.skidmore.edu> <1992Oct14.233331.16279@samba.oit.unc.edu>,<1992Oct14.235934.15817@newshub.sdsu.edu>
Reply-To: erkamp@JANUS.ARC.AB.CA
Organization: Alberta Research Council

>
>I agree! You should be polite:
>
>"Hello, I'm from MCI and I would like to ask you a few questions..."
>
>Me:  "Actually, I'm a customer of AT&T. But I really hate those
>horrible, patronizing AT&T commercials (<the truth>), so I have 
>seriously been considering changing (<a lie>)...."
>
>MCI: "Great!!! Have you heard of our...."
>
>Me, interrupting:  "Oh, could you excuse me for a second? My food is 
>burning! Please don't go away, I'll be back in a second."
>
>Whereby I go back to the TV and continue watching the Simpsons. 15 
>minutes later, I'll check the phone (during the commercials, maybe),
>and see if the slime is still there.  If so, I'll ask them to please
>wait, my potatoes are burning.
>
>Hanging up staightaway doesn't waste enough of their time ;-)

I like what happened in a recent "Seinfeld" show. He get's a call and states 
that he has company.

"Can I get your HOME number and call YOU back???"
.
"What you don't want to be called at home???"
.
"Well then I guess you know how I feel"...<click>

Bob
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: n933x@pnet16.cts.com (Et2 Rich)
Subject: Re: Futons-do they last?
Organization: People-Net [pnet16], NCTAMS EASTPAC
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 02:56:13 GMT

Dave (djensen@claven.idbsu.edu) asks about life expectancy and comfort of
futons.  well dave, i bought a queen size bed (name brand) after my wife and i
went looking and decided this was the one.  a few months later we had a
relative come to stay with us for a while and had no place to put him.  we
decided to look at futons because we both detest sofa hide-a-beds (they're so
damn uncomfortable!)  we looked at many used ones and most seemed to have held
up well, but eventually decided on a new one, mainly because we wanted a
really thick one.  we made the right choice.  after the relative left i tried
the futon myself because the bed turned out to be a back-breaker for me.  i
couldn't believe how comfortable it was.  my wife now sleeps on it too and we
are both disgusted over what we paid for the bed.  we never have bought a
frame for the futon, as we're waiting to buy a koa wood frame which we just
can't afford right now.  i can't say much for the longevity since we've only
had ours for about six months.  yes, it does get matted but it seems to be ok
as long as you keep changing the "shape" occaisionally.  good luck!

UUCP: humu!nctams1!pnet16!n933x
ARPA: humu!nctams1!pnet16!n933x@nosc.mil
INET: n933x@pnet16.cts.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: strnlght@netcom.com (David Sternlight)
Subject: Re: whose advertising? (was Re: Cable Bill Rip-off)
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 18:29:26 GMT


jking's argument about Public TV carried by cable is flawed. Public
TV raises money from the public via pledge week broadcasts. Since those
broadcasts are also carried by cable, the cable viewer is in exactly
the same position with respect to funding public TV as the over-the-air
viewer.

In fact, in some areas the local cable company not only voluntarily
contributes to the Public TV station, but provides personnel to
help man the phones during pledge weeks. Thus the public TV stations
are getting an extra good deal from the cable companies, and should
such public TV stations attempt to charge, giving the cable company
an excuse to replace them with one more home shopping channel, it
is the public and the public TV stations which would be worse off.
The viewership for public TV on cable is much lower than for other
cable channels, and it is only to appease a vocal minority that many
cable companies carry such traffic now. (I'm a member of that minority,
so I'm not throwing stones.)

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: saseph@hal.unx.sas.com (Ed Hughes)
Subject: Re: hummingbird feeder formula
Originator: saseph@hal.unx.sas.com
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 14:39:13 GMT
Organization: SAS Institute Inc.


In article <92287.092237SAHRABI@auvm.american.edu>, <SAHRABI@auvm.american.edu> writes:
>I was given to understand that humming birds cannot digest complex
>sugars such as sucrose.  They will gorge themselves on the sugar solution
>because it tastes sweet, but they get no nourishment from it.
>A glucose solution using honey is much better for them since they can
>digest glucose.
>
I recall reading in a hummer book that you absolutely SHOULD NOT feed
honey to hummers.  I don't remember why, but I do remember that
admonition.

--ed
-- 
Ed Hughes, SAS Institute  | "I'm human; now shut up and pass the salt!"
Cary, NC                  | --Crow, "Rocketship X-M," MST3000
                          |
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: brein@gpvax.jpl.nasa.gov (Barry Rein)
Subject: Re: Differences in disposable contacts??
Followup-To: misc.consumers
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 17:36:02 GMT

I have been wearing J&J Acuvue for about three years.  I change them every
two weeks.  I admit the vision is not quite as sharp as spectacles, but I
am happy to make the compromise for the convenience.

I mail order them from F&R Lens in Alabama (800-833-0486).  I have had no
problems with these people.  They charge about $105 for a 24-week supply of
this type of lens.  They also carry other types.

******************************************************************************
*                               Barry Rein                                 
 *
*                        brein@dsfvax.jpl.nasa.gov                         
 *
******************************************************************************
*                              No clever comment.                          
 * 
******************************************************************************
From: larryf@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Larry Ferreira)
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 17:25:25 GMT
Subject: Re: hummingbird feeder formula
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Santa Rosa, CA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers

In misc.consumers, <SAHRABI@auvm.american.edu> writes:

>  >
>  Stuff deleted
>  >
>  I was given to understand that humming birds cannot digest complex
>  sugars such as sucrose.  They will gorge themselves on the sugar solution
>  because it tastes sweet, but they get no nourishment from it.
>  A glucose solution using honey is much better for them since they can
>  digest glucose.

>  Perhaps some experts can comment.


I'm no expert, but I saw a program on PBS that said exactly the same thing.
The person who said it WAS an expert.  She was deeply concerned about most
store bought solutions being harmful to humming birds.  Replacing honey
for sugar was her recommendation.

>  Sajjad Ahrabi

Larry
From: tzs@stein.u.washington.edu (Tim Smith)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Cable Bill Rip-off
Date: 12 Oct 92 03:08:24 GMT
Article-I.D.: u.1992Oct12.030824.28676
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

strnlght@netcom.com (David Sternlight) writes against the Cable Act.

Have you read the Cable Act?

--Tim Smith
From: egreen@east.sun.com (Ed Green - Pixel Cruncher)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Extended Warranties
Date: 7 Oct 1992 18:20:42 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, RTP, NC
Distribution: world
Reply-To: Ed.Green@east.sun.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: laser.east.sun.com

In article 30o@encore.com, mpalmer@encore.com (Mike Palmer) writes:
>chrisp@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU (Chris Pelkie) writes:
>>Consumer Reports determined a couple years ago that extended warranties
>>were darn close to the biggest scam going. 
>
>I bough a canon camcorder with a 5 year ext warranty from Electroin 
>Wholesalers.  It developed a problem, so I sent it to Canon for repair.  

I am glad Mike got his money out of his warranty.  

Generally speaking, however, testimonials about how an extended
warranty saved someone a boatload of money are about as valid as the
occasional cases where a person is thrown from an automobile when not
wearing a seat belt, where the roof later collapsed, and they would
surely have died had they been wearing a seat belt.  While no one
doubts the validity of the story, and we are all glad for the happy
ending, it is idiotic to use such a testimonial as the basis for a
decision on whether or not to wear seat belts in the future.

For everybody who comes out "ahead" on an extended warranty (EW), there
are many who never use it, and for whom it is a waste of time.  If the
situation were otherwise, the company underwriting the EW (whether it
is the original manufacturer or not) would not make a profit, and the
EW would not exist.

The very term "extended warranty" is a misnomer.  It is not a true
warranty at all, rather a service contract.

I won't burden the net with my EW file, it was posted just a month
ago.  If you'd like a copy, email me.


---
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...

Xref: sparky misc.consumers:17678 misc.kids:25755 rec.autos:23757
From: oispeggy@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy Brown)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.kids,rec.autos
Subject: Re: Child Safety Seats
Date: 10 Oct 92 15:04:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <920909.144155.2211@circus.Camex.COM>, kathynv@circus.Camex.COM (Kathy Nicklas-Varraso) writes...
> 
>The people who manufactured the car seat, Fisher Price, replaced
>the "used" one, even though it showed no signs of damage.  They sent
>the replacement via overnight, weekend delivery mail, and even
>picked up the cost of returning the old seat!  Definitely a 
>first-class outfit, in my book.
> 
I was thinking of buying 1 new infant and 1 new toddler carseat, 
and a used one of each for our 2nd car.

If there is an accident we probably couldn't return it to the 
manufacturer.

Any advice about buying used carseats?  

- Peggy -
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:17863 misc.jobs.misc:7170
From: xxarden@lims02.lerc.nasa.gov (ARDEN TOHILL)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.jobs.misc
Subject: Re: Allen & Ass.
Keywords: headhunters
Date: 15 Oct 92 20:50:00 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <4176@novavax.UUCP>, vaccaro@novavax.UUCP (N. Trafford Vaccaro) writes...
>Thanks, everyone, for the e-mail about A&A. I received a lot of
>response about this firm, and was advised by many to stay away
>from them. 
> 
>Now, does anyone know a reputable headhunter? I tried Source EDP,

Try Sanford Rose Associates.  I believe that they have offices all over the
U.S.  Over the years, I've had very good success with them.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: cobarruvias@asd2.jsc.nasa.gov
Subject: Re: How do I handle Phone harassment?
Organization: NASA/JSC
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 19:28:19 GMT

Write to the following. Ask to be removed from all telephone lists. Provide
name, address, and phone number. It wont stop all of them, but it could help.


Telephone Preference Service 
Direct Marketing Association
11 West 42nd St
P.O. Box 3861
New York, NY 10163-3861




*****************************************************************
John R. Cobarruvias, Texas A&M Class of '78, 
NASA Johnson Space Center Houston Tx.
(713)483-9357

"And to think..................I hesitated" (Hellraiser II)
*****************************************************************

Xref: sparky misc.consumers:17604 rec.boats:6964
From: jimh@pongo.Eng.Sun.COM (jim hori)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.boats
Subject: Re: Houseboating on Lake Powell
Date: 8 Oct 1992 21:08:28 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mt. View, Ca.
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: pongo

In article <1992Oct8.183941.25931@pony.Ingres.COM> reb@Ingres.COM (Phydeaux) writes:
>So, where the heck is Lake Powell?  I've  never heard of  it except in
>this newsgroup...

You mean, where the heck WAS Lake Powell. Lake Powell was created
when the Glen Canyon dam was built, but of course that dam was
destroyed by the Monkey Wrench Gang.



....
jimh@west.sun.com

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: cdash@moet.cs.colorado.edu (Charles Shub)
Subject: boat horns in ears
Organization: University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Date: Sat, 17 Oct 1992 00:02:47 GMT

savoia@sw.stratus.com (Rick Savoia) wrote: 
=>  The things listed to do to teleslime so far have actually been quite mild.  
=>  I find the freon boat horn, applied directly to the microphone, to be
=>  quite effective. 
=>  
=> This is down right rude and can also be dangerous to the person
=> on the other end. 

henry@ADS.COM (Henry Mensch) responded
=>  unsolicited telemarketing is rude.  the boat horn is an occupational
=>  hazard.

yeah, but you really want to run the boat horn in management's ear,
not labor's ear.  Nobody has suggested how to do THAT yet.
-- 

charlie shub  cdash@cs.Colorado.EDU       -or-         (719) 593-3492     
on leave at the University of Iowa  cdash@cs.uiowa.edu (319) 335-0739
From: oneil@cwis.unomaha.edu (Sharon O'Neil)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Revenge on a telemarketer!
Date: 16 Oct 92 04:01:55 GMT
Article-I.D.: cwis.oneil.719208115
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha

richg@hatch.socal.com (Rich Greenberg) writes:

>In article <sch.719090578@gargoyle> sch@unx.sas.com (Steve Holzworth) writes:
>>My best results to date have been with the following:
>>
>>(stm = scummy tele-marketer)

>The way I like to do it is:
>(ring)
>me:  Hello?
>stm: Hello. May I speak to Mr. Holzworth?
>me(If I don't recognize the voice): Who is calling please.....?
>stm: This is John Doe with Long Distance R Us.
>me: Hold on, let me get him for you.
>    (I then put the phone on HOLD and hang up.  It has taken as
>     long as 10-15 minutes before the line_in_use line goes out.)

The reason is because the poor folks who work the phones, and I confess I
have done magazine renewals outbound, are not allowed to hang up the phone.
At the place where I worked, I had to get a supervisor to give me permission
to hang up the phone.  

Again, I've said it before: why not do something proactive and ask the 
telemarketing company to remove your name from their calling list?  Any
reputable telemarketing company will do that for you.  Also, submit your
name to the Direct Marketing people who will remove your name from their
lists, which are quite extensive.  Furthermore, you might consider NOT
using your telephone number when you send in registration cards for
software or inquiry cards.  It won't stop really dishonest telemarketers
and it won't stop people who use telephone book listings -- which are 
generally cold calls anyway -- but it will reduce the number of calls 
you get.

By the way, telemarketing is pretty lucrative.  I worked magazine renewals
and made quite a bit of money to get me through student teaching.  People
do often buy, and I'll tell you one thing: most people I call are actually
pretty nice.  They realize that I was just making a living, trying to get
through school.  Of course, I also called for magzines that they already
received.

Sharon
oneil@cwis.unomaha.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: charleen@ADS.COM (Charleen Bunjiovianna)
Subject: Re: Revenge on a telemarketer!
Organization: The Original Estrogen-Crazed Lust Bunnies
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 23:30:07 GMT

In article <oneil.719207596@cwis> oneil@cwis.unomaha.edu (Sharon O'Neil) writes:
>
>The fact of the matter is, yes, the company does burn up money keeping the
>connection open.  But why punish the poor stiff on the other end who is
>merely trying to pay his way through college?  

I find it extremely difficult to believe that it's impossible to work
one's way through college without invading other peoples' homes.  But
if that's so, you should have tried breaking and entering.  It probably
pays better.

You don't seem to get it, Sharon.  Most people don't want telemarketing
calls.  Most people find them intrusive, irritating and a waste of time.
Until telemarketing phone calls cease altogether, I think the recipient
is perfectly justified in indulging in a little return harassment.

Charleen

--
They say New Tide can take blood stains out of a T-shirt.  I say that
if you're getting blood stains on your T-shirt, then maybe laundry
isn't your biggest problem.   -- Jerry Seinfeld
From: thogek@cco.caltech.edu (Thomas G. Kiefer)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Revenge on a telemarketer!
Date: 16 Oct 92 22:02:41 GMT
Organization: uh, what number did I reach?
NNTP-Posting-Host: globie.caltech.edu

In article <jnrpylj@dixie.com> jgd@dixie.com (John De Armond) writes:
>Sorry, dear, YOU'RE the one who invaded my privacy, interrupted my
>sleep, supper, TV show or made me get out from under my car to
>answer your telesleeze call.  Even if I were doing nothing more than
>contemplating my bellybutton, one second of that time is worth more to me
>than your whole life as a teleslime.  You are fair game for whatever trick
>I can come up with to make your personal life miserable.  It is YOU
>who strapped on the headset and started dialing.  It is YOU who
>should be punished.  I'm amazed to read such rationalizations 
>as yours for anti-social behavior.  I suppose by your rationalization
>that it would be OK to, say, steal in order to "survive?"

I've gotten enough teleslimecalls to be generally annoyed by their existance.
There must be real salespeople out there somewhere, but the only sales calls
I've ever gotten have been teleslimes.

But this claim is a little ridiculous...

John, nobody MADE you answer your phone.  You bought the phone, installed it,
and decided to answer it when it rings.  Since you have installed it, someone
can dial your number and REQUEST (via ringing your phone) that you pick up
your phone.  They can only request: when it rings, you can CHOOSE to answer
it or not to answer it.  (You can even turn off that request announcer -- the
ringer -- or unplug the phone if you wish.)  When you do pick up the phone,
you are ALLOWING it to interrupt your privacy, and accept the risk that some
telesleeze might be calling to sell you something.  Even if you do answer but
don't like what you got, you can hang up anytime, or proceed to waste their
time (IF the caller chooses to stay on while you waste), or whatever.  But
you cannot realistically accuse them of "stealing" the time you willingly
gave to them.

Just hadda be said.  Now, back to your regular teleslime-bashing.  (And/or
bellybutton-contemplation.)

-- 
------------------------+----------------------------------------
Thomas Kiefer           |  Why sell cigarettes?  Why not just
thogek@cco.caltech.edu  |  sell phlegm and cut out the middleman?
------------------------+----------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: jls@hela.iti.org (Janet L. Smith)
Subject: Sweepstakes
Summary: Worldwide Clearing House Sweepstakes
Organization: Industrial Technology Institute
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 19:44:59 GMT

I just received a notice that I had "successfully completed the
first two stages of the All-American Sweepstakes and Promotion"
and I am ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEED to receive at least one of the
following 5 items
	o  Chrysler LeBaron of $10,000 cash (they pay sales tax)
	o  2 round trip airfares to Bahamas (hotel as low as
	   $27/night)
	o  Sony 32" color tv
	o  Sony camcorder/VCR
	o  $1,250 cash

Now,  I know I have never entered a sweepstakes and they say the
mailing list was drawn up from "credit and other criteria to target
people most likely to be interested in this offer."     They say you
are guaranteed to get something and then give odds for the awards -
the vacation being 249,969:250,000.    Is this a time-share scam?
They don't mention this anywhere in the "Certificate of Award" but
require you to call an 800 number for more details.   

Anyone else get one of these?

jls@hela.iti.org
-- 

Janet L. Smith
Industrial Technology Institute
P.O. Box 1485  Ann Arbor, MI 48106
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: sam@wa4phy.ampr.org (Sam Drinkard)
Subject: Re: Red Wing Boots
Organization: Garden City Gateway, Augusta, GA
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 12:10:28 GMT

As an added "boot" (pun intended) for Red Wing products, a couple of 
years ago, I purchased a pair of lowquarter work shoes from the store in
Fairfield, CA.  After wearing them for about 2 weeks, I noticed they 
really started smelling terrible..(yeah, I washed my feet too!) Turns out,
that the leather was improperly tanned, because the next time I was in 
the store, I mentioned it to the manager, and he immediately swapped them
for a new pair, no questions asked.  Very fine product, and commendable
business practices.

-- 
     Sam Drinkard		internet: wa4phy!sam@galois.nscf.org
     WA4PHY			amprnet:  wa4phy@wa4phy.ampr.org

Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.taxes
From: cep@taligent.com (Christophe Pettus)
Subject: Re: mail order sales tax
Organization: Taligent, a little subsidiary of two really big companies.
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 22:53:10 GMT

In article <1992Oct14.175555.3477@wvus.org> pete@wvus.org (Pete Gregory) writes:
>Example: I, a CA resident, would pay no sales tax if I buy something mail
>order if that company is in any other state.

It is, of course, more complicated than that.  Any company with a
subsantial business presence in California (that usually means offices,
warehouses, or such) must collect California sales tax for sales made
into California.

Companies without such a presence do not need to collect sales tax.
However, you, the consumer, are responsible for voluntarily collecting
the appropriate sales tax based on the address to which the article was
shipped, and sending it to the State Board of Equalization.  Compliance
with this latter provision of the sales tax law is, um, spotty, to say
the least.

There was a recent Supreme Court decision (Grayarc vs. North Dakota, I
believe), that reaffirmed that a company which does not have a
substantial business presence in a state is not responsible for collect
that state's sales tax.
--
-- Christophe

"He presented it with a length of string, and then passed on to the
Statue of Corrupted Endeavor, there to await the arrival of autumn."
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,alt.politics.elections