HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: niebuhr@bnlux1.bnl.gov (david niebuhr)
Subject: Re: How to pick a Title company
Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973
Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1993 02:37:31 GMT

In article <chiu-311292131154@222.8.248.8> chiu@gpb-mac.sps.mot.com (Norman Chiu) writes:
>Hello,
>    I am doing a refinance on my house, and the new lender asked me to
>choose a title company.  Now what exactly does a title company do?
>Is there anything, any question, that I need to ask for?  Thanks for
>any help.  Happy New Year.
>

A title company ensures that your property is free and clear of any
liens and/or encumbrances and states so in a legal document.  If there
are any encumbrances such as rights-of-way for utilities (easements)
this will be shown in the policy that it issues.

Banks want this to insure their investment in the property.  You should
get a policy of your own also because some years down the road you are
going to have a nice equity stake in your home.

Dave

-- 
Dave Niebuhr      Internet: niebuhr@bnl.gov / Bitnet: niebuhr@bnl
Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton, NY 11973  (516)-282-3093
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: lachman@netcom.com (Hans Lachman)
Subject: Re: HELP - ANTS
Organization: Netcom
Distribution: na
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1993 01:45:50 GMT

In article <1992Dec30.173151.2417@netcom.com> jono@netcom.com (Jonathan Levine) writes:
>I've had good luck with "Grant's Ant Spikes."
>Jon

I put a "Grant's Kills Ants" in my bathroom, and it has been "servicing"
a stream of ants almost continuously for more than a month now.  Ant
traffic is less than before, but at least some keep coming.  Doesn't this
device run out of bait eventually?

Hans Lachman
lachman@netcom.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: giand@opencon.com (Deepak S. Gianchandani)
Subject: Re: long distance calling
Summary: AT&T and rates
Organization: OpenCon Systems, Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 26 Dec 1992 19:35:09 GMT

In article <44029@zygot.ati.com> john@zygot.ati.com (John Higdon) writes:
>In article <Bzq3x5.A36@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu> thomasl@silver.ucs.indiana.edu ((thomasl)) writes:
>
>>thomasl@silver is about to begin phone service.  It is necessary to
>>choose a long-distance carrier.  Which carrier is most recommended?
>
>What a way to start up a major debate and flame war. No one can answer
                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Ok lets get one
		going :-). Just kidding.

>that question for you. You must evaluate your calling patterns and
>check each carrier for plans that fit your requirements the best.
>
>......... Some stuff deleted ........
>
>And be sure that you throw out yours and others' preconceptions. I use
>AT&T. Why? Because none of the other carriers can touch the rates I get
>from AT&T for the places and times I call. I'll bet you never thought
>someone would choose AT&T on price. That fact that the service is
>superior is a bonus.

   	Sir, since you have already compared prices, especially for
the difficult areas you try to reach (I can't believe the
others can't reach it, since mostly, AT&T had lines up there and
were forced to share lines with MCI and SPRINT after the break
up).  For price comparison's it would be hard for me to believe
that MCI could not beat AT&T, I call India a lot ($200 above
each month) and call within the USA over 3hours each month, so
for MCI has been the cheapest.  Customer service is another
topic.  For price, among the top three, i.e. AT&T, MCI and
SPRINT, AT&T almost always looses. Thats because they provide
better service, and it's not a bonus its build into the cost,
from my point of view :-).

	India Discount Plan (world Plan $3.00 a month)
	AT&T			MCI			SPRINT
	1.35 (15% discount	1.55 (two numbers 	1.23 a minute
		included)	at 1.23 a minute)

With reference to your earlier statement:
>that question for you. You must evaluate your calling patterns and
>check each carrier for plans that fit your requirements the best.

	You are valid, that the person needs to check his calling
patterns and see which plans best suits him.  In the example I have
chosen, If someone calls more than two numbers in India, SPRINT would
be the cheapest, MCI next and AT&T last.

Please note: I'm not promoting any LC company.  I'm just reinforcing
the statement that, MR. Higdon made that each person must look at his
calling patterns and then decide.
	

>
>-- 
> John Higdon  |   P. O. Box 7648   |   +1 408 264 4115     |       FAX:
> john@ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | 10288 0 700 FOR-A-MOO | +1 408 264 4407


-- 
____________________   .    .   __         .       | Deepak S. Gianchandani
\___________________|) .____.--"--"---._____       | E-mail:giand@opencon.com
     .      ||       /_____/  NCC_1701  __/ .  . . |   To Boldly Go Where 
.       .   ||      /--/--._________.----/   .     | No One Has Gone BEFORE
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Dedicated ATM card?
From: me@stile.stonemarche.org (Mark Eklof)
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 09:37:57 -0500
Distribution: na
Organization: Stonemarche Network Cop
X-Newsreader: Arn V1.00

In article <6222@naucse.cse.nau.edu>, Bob Wier writes:
> From article <1992Dec30.234736.22322@ads.com>, by henry@ADS.COM (Henry Mensch):
> > lchoqu%asylum.cs.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Lee Choquette) wrote: 
> > ->Same here.  However, at least in Utah, the latest trend seems to be *against*
> > ->free interchangeability.  Last June, a Utah bank with a lot of ATMs started
> > ->charging $1 to use the ATM if the user does not have an account with that bank,
> > ->and another bank with a lot of ATMs will start doing the same January 1. 
> > ->
> > ->Is this same unfortunate trend happening elsewhere?
> > 
> > happening?  it's done.  this is the standard in most large cities.
>  
>   Yup - that's what I've found.  Virtually everywhere I've had bank
>   accounts in the last 10 years charge a fee for using "foreign" atms.

	But that, as I understand it, wasn't the question.  I believe
the original poster was talking about a $1 fee charged by the bank
that runs the ATM you use, which would be in addition to any fee your
bank charged for using a 'foreign' ATM.  So, you use one of these ATMs
to withdraw, say, $50.  On your statement, you see a withdrawal of
$51, plus a foreign ATM fee of $1.  The bank that owns the ATM you
used keeps the extra $1.  Pretty slimey, and I've only heard of it
once before, supposedly by a small bank in remote Maine.  I do hope
it's a trend which doesn't develop.

	Also, FWIW, my bank doesn't charge foreign ATM fees, so that
trend is not universal.  They think it's good for business.  Since
that's why they became my bank (though I've since found other reasons
to stay), I'd have to agree.

Mark
-- 
Mark D. Eklof
Cos Grange
Brookline, New Hampshire, USA

me@stile.stonemarche.org

I remember when all this will be again.
From: dave@frackit.UUCP (Dave Ratcliffe)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Can one be denied insurance based on citizenship?
Date: 28 Dec 92 19:11:51 GMT
Followup-To: misc.consumer
Distribution: usa
Organization: Data Factory Services, Harrisburg, Pa.


 > shekar@bnr.ca (Shekar Benakatti) said:
 >I was recently denied Insurance because I am not a citizen
 >of USA, but a permanent resident.  I have been informed that
 >they cannot legally do this to a permanent resident just
 >because he is not a citizen.  Does anyone know what I can
 >do?  The insurance company is refusing to put this in
 >writing.

Well, it IS Texas you're talking about :)

[ ... ]

 tinkess@cambridge (Randall Tinkess) replied (with less than full knowledge):
 > That insurance company is full of crap. I purchased and received full 
 > insurance coverage immediately upon entry into this country and my 
 > coverage was 100% for the full time when I was simply on a work visa. 
 > This includes home (apartment), auto and life insurance.
 > 
 > Now I am a permanent resident and there has been no change to my 
 > insurance. Look for another insurance company...they're obviously 
 > trying to get rid of you.

Randall, they're obviously in a different state than you are as well and
you have no idea what the laws regarding insurance in Texas are.  They
may NOT be full of crap as laws vary from state to state. 

Shekar needs to contact the Texas Insurance Commissioners Office (or
whatever it's called there) and ask if what happened to him was legal.
If it isn't then he should file a formal complaint against the insurance
carrier in question. In the meantime he should check into other
insurance companies for coverage and see what happens with them. 

Disclaimer: My wife is an insurnace adjuster licensed in the
            Commonwealth of PA and problems like this are common
            discussion topics around here. One thing I've learned is if
            there's a question about your coverage, CALL THE STATE'S 
            GOVERNING BODY! 

-- 
 vogon1!compnect!frackit!dave@psuvax1.psu.edu            |  Dave Ratcliffe  |
 - or - ..uunet!wa3wbu!frackit!dave                      |  Sys. <*> Admin. |
                                                         | Harrisburg,  Pa. |
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: shekar@bnr.ca (Shekar Benakatti)
Subject: Handheld Shower Massages
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Richardson, Tx.
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 18:24:56 GMT

I would like to know which handheld shower massages is the
best in terms of functionality/reliability/water
consumption.  The one's I have looked at are Teledyne
Waterpick, Pollenex.  Appreciate your input by email/net.
-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Shekar Benakatti         |  My Opinions only; NOT BNR/NT's  
  Bell-Northern Research   |  EMail: shekar@bnr.ca            
  Richardson TX 75083      |  Phone: (214)-684-4795 (ESN 444) 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: kolstad@cae.wisc.edu (Joel Kolstad)
Subject: Re: Tell me about electric blankets
Organization: U of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering
Distribution: na
Date: 26 Dec 92 06:10:22 CST

In article <1992Dec26.092731.3215@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com> billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:
>cab@col.hp.com (Chris Best) writes:
>: > : Your DC blanket will, of course, generate a magnetic field -- just not an
>: > : electric one.  Whether or not this is better or worse from the health
>: > : standpoint is, as you point out, a good question.
>: > 
>: > Bullshit. It will produce a DC electromagnet field. That field will build
>: > and collapse as the blanket thermostat cycles.
>: 
>: Maybe a few hundred times a night, but not 1.7 million, which was the original
>: point.  Is there ANYthing on your body that resonates at the thermostat's
>: cycle rate?  Not likely.
>
>Ah, but it would - unless the person built a power supply with built in
>capacitors and a voltage regulator. I suspect that such a contrivance
>would be rather hazardous.

Perhaps if you used 177V DC right off the AC line, although I've heard that
120V 60Hz AC is actually worse. :-)  But perhaps... if so, transformers
could always be used to step down the voltage.  Granted, this is
expensive.

>If the person simply rectified the current then - with a half-wave rectifier,
>the current would pulse at 60 hz (1/2 that of a 60 hz AC voltage, which 
>pulses at 120 hz)  or - with a full-wave rectifier, the current would pulse
>at 120 hz.
>
>It is questionable that anything in the human body resonates at either 60 Hz
>or 120 Hz either.

Bill, Bill, Bill... DC DC DC!  Not pulsating DC, ok?  When you go buy a "DC
power supply" for your computer, it doesn't pulsate, now does it?
Likewise, a "DC electric blanket" would not pulsate.  (Or at least not more
than a miniscule amount.)

						---Joel Kolstad
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.consumers.house
From: mpb@troy.cc.bellcore.com (bunz,marcus p)
Subject: Re: Wood Burning Stoves vs Screened Fireplace
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 92 14:55:31 GMT
Followup-To: rec.humor

In article <1992Dec24.012657.24025@porthos.cc.bellcore.com>, patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r) writes:
> In article <BzqMuz.5n0@srgenprp.sr.hp.com> wesw@sr.hp.com (Wes Whiteley) writes:
> >I'm not positive about this, but I think that a wood burning stove requires
> >the fan to be running for it to work.  Therefore, if you lose power during a
> >storm, you may not be able to use a wood burning stove....
> 
> Wood burning stoves have been around for centuries. Some have fans which
> drive air through tubes in the chimney, but I'm not familiar with any
> which have to have electricity to operate.
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>                     |
> George Patterson -  | When you're working on a project and drop
>                     | something, it will never reach the ground.
>                     |
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Technically, you are correct, the wood burning part of the stove 
does not require electricity to operate, however the built in
automatic damper adjustment/clock radio/cordless phone/answering
machine won't operate, unless you have the built-in co-generation
option. :-)

Marc

I wonder if anyone in Applied Research is looking into such a thing?

Xref: sparky misc.consumers:21317 misc.invest.real-estate:1147
From: charleen@net.bio.net (Charleen Bunjiovianna)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.invest.real-estate
Subject: Re: Manufactured Housing (not a mobile home)
Date: 30 Dec 92 22:09:07 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Biology

In article <1992Dec30.185653.26661@rigel.econ.uga.edu> skip@rosalyn.stat.uga.edu (Skip Gundlach) writes:
>In article <1992Dec30.164738.24680@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov> ktong@shannon.jpl.nasa.gov (Kevin Tong) writes:
>>
>>Does anyone out there know anything about manufactured housing or
>>has any experience with a house built using manufactured housing.  
>>I'm not referring to a mobile home, I'm referring to a house that 
>>is built in a factory and then shipped to the site and assembled
>>together.  The finished product should look no different than a
>>stick built house.
>>
>>I'm doing research on this to see if this is a good (and cheaper)
>>alternative to custom building a home on a lot.
>>
>>Information that I would like to get is
>>
>>	* Companies and/or factory that manufactures this type
>>	of house in the Southern Calif. area.

Unless they have gotten out of the manufactured home business since I
worked for them seven years ago, Kaufman and Broad, Inc. builds
manufactured homes in California, Arizona, New Mexico and other
states.  Their corporate headquarters is in West Los Angeles.

My memory is a bit hazy on this, but when K&B built a development in
Pomona consisting solely of manufactured homes (on very small lots),
I seem to recall that it had to be approved by the local government.
You might want to see what your local laws are with regard to zoning.

Charleen

Xref: sparky misc.consumers:21282 misc.consumers.house:16149
From: lonnie@meaddata.com (Lonnie Barnett)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.consumers.house
Subject: Henkle-Harris Desk For Sale
Date: 29 Dec 1992 20:45:12 GMT
Organization: Mead Data Central, Dayton OH
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: wedge.meaddata.com




This is a solid cherry desk that is destined to be an antique.

If you are familiar with Henkel-Harris, they are considered the
premier manufacturer of high quality furnature.  

This piece is a Queen Anne secretary that was originally purchased
for $1100.  This piece has been discontinued so the value should 
increase.  If you are interested, reply via email or give me a call at
(513) 777-4419 in the evening (7-10pm EST).

I am asking $800 for the desk and a chair that matches it (although the
chair is not Henkle-Harris).  This price includes shipping (UPS - COD) in
the contential US.


Lonnie Barnett
Mead Data Central					     (513) 865-1038
P. O. Box 933					        lonnie@meaddata.com
Dayton, Ohio 45401				  ...!uunet!meaddata!lonnie
--
Lonnie Barnett
Mead Data Central					     (513) 865-1038
P. O. Box 933					        lonnie@meaddata.com
Dayton, Ohio 45401				  ...!uunet!meaddata!lonnie
From: tzs@stein.u.washington.edu (Tim Smith)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Foreign ATM Fees Re: Dedicated ATM card?
Date: 3 Jan 1993 05:23:17 GMT
Organization: University of Washington School of Law, Class of '95
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: stein.u.washington.edu

carlp@frigg.isc-br.com (Carl Paukstis) writes:
>Seafirst (now owned by Bank of America) charges $0.50 for using your
>Seafirst Versateller (Plus-compatible) ATM card at any non-BRANCH ATM.  
>Even if it's the Seafirst ATM at Costco (or some other place), unless
>it's at a Seafirst branch, you pay.  I'm not thrilled by this, but
>their branch locations are convenient for me, so I seldom pay.  There
>may be a higher charge for using a non-Seafirst ATM; I'll find out
>when I get this month's statement.

It depends on what account you have.  The FirstChoice Versatel account, for
example, is no-fee at non-branch Versateller machine.  It's also no
monthly fee and no minimum balance.  The only thing it seems to lack that
the other FirstChoice plans have is the ability to talk to a person for
free.  If you conduct non-ATM business on a FirstChoice Versatel account, they
charge.  I go into a bank about once every five years or so, so that is
OK with me.


--Tim Smith
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:21256 soc.culture.japan:12949
From: lstowell@pyrnova.mis.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: America doesn't have a clue: (was DOES AMERICA SAY YES TO JAPAN? - Off track!!)
Date: 28 Dec 92 22:34:13 GMT
Reply-To: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Followup-To: soc.culture.japan
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corporation


    First off, I don't suppose you guys could move this
    "fascinating" discussion OFF misc.consumers to a more
    appropriate group?


In article <1992Dec28.190946.12722@netcom.com> strnlght@netcom.com (David Sternlight) writes:
>
>Mike Fester mentions the Lockheed case as an attempt, one assumes,
>to justify Japanese buying of influence here.
>
>The Lockheed case was an isolated incident acknowledged to have been
>wrong. People were, presumably, punished.

   If you honestly believe that Lockheed was "an isolated case",
   then you are verrrrrry naive or "isolated" yourself.   
>
>Japanese influence-buying here is massive and consistent with
>Japanese policy. That's a very big difference.
>
   Is it that you are just jealous because they appear to be
   BETTER at it than some competitors...including just about every
   major US industry sector and individual company?
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:21046 alt.visa.us:775
From: westbrook-jeffery@cs.yale.edu (Jeffery Westbrook)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,alt.visa.us
Subject: Re: Can one be denied insurance based on citizenship?
Date: 21 Dec 1992 16:24:01 -0500
Organization: /homes/theory/westbroo/.organization
Distribution: usa
	<92356.085639RMCCU@CUNYVM.BITNET> <1992Dec21.180336.12495@bnr.ca>
NNTP-Posting-Host: hickory.theory.cs.yale.edu
In-reply-to: shekar@bnr.ca's message of Mon, 21 Dec 1992 18:03:36 GMT


   > shekar@bnr.ca (Shekar Benakatti) writes:
   >
   >I was recently denied Insurance because I am not a citizen
   >of USA, but a permanent resident.  I have been informed that
   >they cannot legally do this to a permanent resident just
   >because he is not a citizen.  Does anyone know what I can
   >do?  The insurance company is refusing to put this in
   >writing.
   >
   >The Insurance company's name is AMICA and they are rated #1
   >by consumer's report!!  

I am a permanent resident non-citizen and I *am* insured by AMICA,
both auto and home.

Strange...Their policy may vary from state to state. As I recall
GEICO also inquired about citizenship.

-Jeff
From: jas@ISI.EDU (Jeff Sullivan)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: MAGAZINE discounter Bob Pellegrino
Date: 28 Dec 92 23:12:20 GMT
Distribution: misc
Organization: USC-ISI


Has anyone heard anything recently from Magazine discount broker Bob
Pellegrino?  I know about 7-8 months back he said his distributor went
bust, but since then he cashed a check of mine and I haven't seen boo
of the mags, nor heard from him despite 3-5 email attempts.  I have no
address or phone number to contact him, and I don't know what to do.

I bought some magazines from him the year before, and had no problems
other than a delay in the startup time.

Has anyone any news?

jas
--
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeffrey A. Sullivan             | Research Scientist et al.
jas@isi.edu (Internet)          | Information Sciences Institute
72511,402    (Compuserve)       | University of Southern California
From: john@zygot.ati.com (John Higdon)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: long distance calling
Date: 25 Dec 92 02:16:59 GMT
Organization: Green Hills and Cows

In article <Bzq3x5.A36@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu> thomasl@silver.ucs.indiana.edu ((thomasl)) writes:

>thomasl@silver is about to begin phone service.  It is necessary to
>choose a long-distance carrier.  Which carrier is most recommended?

What a way to start up a major debate and flame war. No one can answer
that question for you. You must evaluate your calling patterns and
check each carrier for plans that fit your requirements the best.

I will wager that you will get responses that will include a
recommendation for just about every LD company in existence. You might
as well ask, "What kind of car should I buy?" And even after you have
made your selection, you need to keep checking because rates change
about as often as the price of gold.

And be sure that you throw out yours and others' preconceptions. I use
AT&T. Why? Because none of the other carriers can touch the rates I get
from AT&T for the places and times I call. I'll bet you never thought
someone would choose AT&T on price. That fact that the service is
superior is a bonus.

Now stand back and watch all the recommendations come in from people
who do not have a clue concerning where you call, when you call, or
your total volume. And you can take them all with a grain of salt. Then
go out and do your own shopping.
-- 
 John Higdon  |   P. O. Box 7648   |   +1 408 264 4115     |       FAX:
 john@ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | 10288 0 700 FOR-A-MOO | +1 408 264 4407
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: henry@ADS.COM (Henry Mensch)
Subject: Re: Levi Strauss DEFUNDS Boy Scouts
Organization: Advanced Decision Systems; a div of Booz, Allen & Hamilton
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 20:08:21 GMT

jess@engx25.trt.com (Jess Alvarado) wrote: 
->As a scout leader, I recieve a monthly magazine called SCOUTING.  In a 
->recent issue ( about 3-4 months ago ) the issue of HOMOSEXUALITY and
->the BSA was addressed, in which the reader was informed of several companies
->and banks that have siezed funding of the BSA because of alleged 
->discrimination against homosexuals.

ahem.  nothing was "siezed" (sic) ... funding wasn't granted, but
funds which were awarded were not rescinded.

--
# henry mensch / booz, allen & hamilton, inc.  / <henry@ads.com>
# "fight the real enemy."  -- sinead o'connor, and many others.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,sci.electronics,soc.culture.japan,misc.education,misc.entrepreneurs
From: naiming@eng.umd.edu (Naiming Shen)
Subject: Can I cut the wings on VU-75 and fit the antenna in my attic?
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 92 21:34:35 GMT
Organization: College of Engineering, University of MD, College Park

Naiming Shen

Followup-To: 
Distribution: 
Organization: Electrical Engineering, University of Maryland
Keywords: 


Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: nav@apollo.hp.com (Navaneet Kumar)
Subject: Low Fee Credit cards with Freq Flier Mileage
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 15:04:37 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Corporation, Chelmsford, MA

I wonder whether there are any credit cards that 
have no/low annual fee and that give Frequent Flier
mileage.    

I am aware of the American Advantage Citibank Credit Card which
charges $50 annual fee. I would prefer a card that has
an annual fee close to $20. 

Please respond directly to me or post on the net. I'll 
summarize.

Thanks

Navneet Kumar
Newsgroups: misc.consumers