HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: andre@farside.slc.mentorg.com (Andre' Hut)
Subject: Re: neighbor's tree
Organization: Mentor Graphics
Date: 16 Apr 92 10:25:45

In article <1992Apr15.201132.21144@donner.SanDiego.NCR.COM> shin@.SanDiego.NCR.COM (Chang Shin) writes:
   >Hi, netters!

   >I got a problem with my neighbor, and I want some advice from the net.land.

   >I live in a house on the hill with a little bit of view thru the fence. There
   >is a slope by the fence and there are trees starting to block my view. I asked
   >my neigbor if that slope belongs to him. He said he has easement on the slope.
   >When I asked whether I can trim the tree politely, he was upset saying
   >we don't have privacy so leave the tree alone. He even said he would like
   >to plant a hugh tree so that we won't see anything. I was kind of surprised
   >from his reaction. We hardly watch over their land or don't care what they
   >were doing in their yard. I apolozied to him if I offended him in any way and
   >left him. Any suggestion to resolve this conflict would be appreciated.

Help him plant the new huge tree, and enjoy the view of the tree.  You may lose
your precious view, but gain a friend.
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------
My opinions are solely my own, and do not necessarily reflect those
of my employer.

Andre' Hut       andre@slc.mentorg.com  or  utah-cs!caeco!andre
Mentor Graphics, Suite 300, 5295 South 300 West, Murray, Utah 84107
-------------------------------------------------------------------
From: sysmgt002@spacm1.spac.spc.com (Steve Zeller)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Oriental Style Rug Advice Needed
Date: 13 Apr 92 22:16:39 PDT
Organization: Security Pacific Automation Co., LA, CA

Attention rug experts:

I wish to buy an inexpensive oriental style rug.  I have a 10 month old baby, so
a big concern is stain resistance.  Any suggestions as to what material is best
from this point of view.  How about durability? Any other factors to consider?

Thanks in advance for your comments!

Steve Zeller

"It's not what you look like when you're doing what you're doing.  It's what
you're doing when you're doing what you look like you're doing"
From: rme@msi.com (Richard Emberson)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Relays
Keywords: relay
Date: 7 Apr 92 16:50:39 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Molecular Simulations, Inc.


 I am planning to wire all of the wall switches in my house with
low-voltage
(5v or 12v) wires that come together in a breadbroad/punchdown closet.
All of the fixtures and receptacles will be 120v but whether they get
power
or not will be determined by the state of a relay in each of their power
lines. The relays will be actuated via a low-voltage signal. With this
arrangement I have a configurable electrical system and with some
smarts someplace (like a PC or Mac) I could make it very dynamic.

Question: What type of relay (or family of relays based upon power
rating) should I use. Solid state relays I think would be best.
Which relays are good for high induction power lines (lines with motors
connected to them)?
For high induction power lines should I combine the relay with surge
protectors? What combination?
Any experience in this area.

Richard Emberson
rme@msi.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,misc.forsale,misc.wanted,nj.wanted,nj.forsale
From: gkj@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (girish.jain)
Subject: LAWN MOWER FOR SALE
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: nj
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 16:20:21 GMT
Followup-To: wmsa!gkj
Keywords: 5HP, JUST LIKE NEW, GREAT BARGAIN


   GOOD BUY FOR HOMEOWNERS LOOKING FOR A CLEAN AND GREENER LAWN THIS SUMMER
   ========================================================================

   FOR SALE !!!!


   MURRAY Gas Lawn Mower Just Like New


   5.0 Horse Power Briggs & Straton Gas Engine

   22 Inch wide cutting width

   Rear Bagger for easy access to narrow grass patches

   Large Hard case grass catcher for convenient disposal

   Very well kept, One season old only, Hardly used.


   Asking $179.99.  First time home owners $10 discount.
   Purchase price $269.99

   Will also give 5 Gallon Gas container with the purchase.


   Call Girish Jain,   (908)615-4789 - Week Days
                       (908)251-2707 - Evenings and Weekends
                       or Leave message any time any number.
From: krause@hpindda.cup.hp.com (Mike Krause)
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 20:33:39 GMT
Subject: Re: Are skylights suitable for high pitch roofs?
Organization: HP Information Networks, Cupertino, CA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house

/ hpindda:misc.consumers.house / rudoff@mdd.comm.mot.com (Doug Rudoff) / 11:36 am  Apr  7, 1992 /

>Does anyone have any information on ease of installation for the
>average person, recommeded brands, costs, and any other useful advice?
----------

Skylights are not that difficult to do.  I installed one with the help of
one other person through the attic and into a room, along with all of the
framing in about 6 hours.  We had to align it with a couple of other
skylights already in place so it took some additional time.  This was just
for the framing and sealing.  The sheetrocking and such takes a couple of 
hours to do.  The skylight we got was a 24x72 inch model with double pane
and white glass.  It ran about $250 with flashing.  I would recommend getting
the Reader's Digest do it yourself book which shows an installation and just
go for it.  They are worth the trouble and I am not that talented of a 
carpenter.  One thing: take your time with it and make sure everything is 
measured exactly since you only get one shot at cutting the hole.  If you
have to guess, error on being smaller rather than larger and work your way
out.  Also, remember to take the angle of the roof into account since
many people do not and then they end up with it too near one wall or the
other.  Good luck...it definitely opens a room up.
Xref: sparky misc.consumers.house:6173 rec.pets.cats:4717
From: lcornell@milton.u.washington.edu (Linda Cornell)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re:    Alarm systems and cats
Date: 9 Apr 92 18:59:34 GMT
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

Hi there,

We bought our house from a couple who had several Golden Lab mixes and a
motion detector.

>There is supposed to be something called a "pet lens" which the security
>firm didn't have. Does it reflect/disperse the beams to restrict coverage?
>Can anything be done manually to restrict its coverage, such as covering
>the lower part of the lens with an opaque or translucent material?

This one had a sensitivity setting, so that only a human-sized moving
object would trigger it....however, by the time they got it set so that 2
or 3 large dogs wrestling in the living room wouldn't set it off, it was
almost useless!  However, you'd have to have quite a cat fight going to
create the equivalent of a human-sized moving object :)!

This is probably only applicable to the brand we had, but I'm sure almost
every brand will have some way of compensating for pets.

Hope this helps!

Linda Cornell
lcornell@u.washington.edu
From: rogerv@sco.COM (Roger Vortman)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: My smoke alarm is a pain in the neck...
Date: Mon, 06 Apr 92 20:51:15 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.


>Grrrr...   This morning at 6am the smoke alarm in my hallway
>decided to go off.  My brother (who is staying with me) had
>just exited the bathroom, and a cloud of steam from the shower
>came with him.  (I just finished renovating this bathroom, so
>we haven't used the shower before.)

>The smoke alarm is on the opposite wall from the bathroom door,
>and hence got the full effect of the steam cloud.

>Are smoke alarms really insensitive to the difference between 
>smoke and steam?

There may be other smoke alarms that would be able to tell the difference
between smoke and steam, or a location that will still protect and be
heard in the bedroom(s) but more away from the bathroom.  However, I had
the same problem and simply made sure that anyone who used the shower
either opened the window in the bathroom and/or turned on the bathroom
exhaust fan.  If you have large enough clouds of steam coming out of
your bathroom to trigger your smoke alarm, chances are there is not enough
ventilation, and you will pay for that in other ways.  Excessive moisture
can be very damaging.

-Roger
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,pdx.general
From: markco@cabezon.uucp (Mark Collins)
Subject: Kitchen Remodeling: Need Advice getting started
Organization: Logic Automation Inc of Beaverton Oregon
Distribution: or
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 92 15:38:59 GMT

MISSION STATEMENT:
I am about to embark on a COMPLETE kitchen remodel and only
plan to do what I can't screw up. I will be replacing all the 
cabinets, removing some of the soffits and adding soffit other 
places, or possibly removing all the soffits (suggestions?).
New flooring, countertop, lighting, appliances.... like I said
COMPLETE. I will even be re-framing a window.

QUESTIONS: Please give me any information you may have as a 
result of going through this process either as a do-it-yourself 
job or having it fully contracted. Curretly I am planning to have
professional contractors do nearly everything. Although I have 
not yet decided whether I should try to do everything with one 
firm or if trying to get the best deal on cabinets and floors 
and counters at various outlets and have a contractor do the 
installations is the way to go.

BACKGROUND:
I am especially interested in getting recommendations on local 
kitchen contracting firms, both postivie and negative experiences!

I have so far only talked to two very different firms. It seems
that they are at the opposite end of the spectrum: 

1) Neil Kelley, which is a design/build (i.e. everything) firm, 

   -and-

2) Pay-N-Pak which has contractors that they deal with after 
   purchasing cabinets, counters, etc from them.

Please reply with any opinions, insights, information or general
kitchen babble that you think will be useful.

With much appreciation,

*********************************
Mark Collins
Logic Modeling Corporation.
19500 N.W. Gibbs Dr.
Beaverton, OR 97075
---------------------------------
E-mail: uunet!sequent!lauto!markco
Phone: (503) 690-6900 ext. 7561
Fax: (503) 690-6906
*********************************
From: ars@n5pph007.uucp (Andrew Snedeker)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: home rug cleaners
Keywords: any good?
Date: 8 Apr 92 12:50:16 GMT
Reply-To: ars@n5pph007.UUCP (Andrew Snedeker)
Distribution: na
Organization: Northern Telecom,  Research Triangle Park,  North Carolina

In article <1992Mar30.155953.24111@cbnewsd.cb.att.com> kendell@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (daniel.w.kendell) writes:
>
>What are peoples experiences with renting home rug cleaning (Rug
>Doktor)??  Is this a difficult job?  How different is the process 
>from having someone come in and do it?  Will I be able to clean 
>stairs?  From what I've read at the local hardware store, it uses 
>water & shampoo to steam clean the carpet.  It looks to be better 
>than what one can purchase for home use but not quite what a
>professional might use.
>
>Is it worth the effort($ savings & cleaning quality) to do it 
>myself?  The carpets aren't terribly bad.  We're a working couple,
>the carpets were installed by a builder 3 yrs ago; no kids - at
>least until next septermber:-).

It just so happens that we rented a Rug Doktor this weekend.  I must say it
worked pretty impressively.  Operation was very simple and quick with all
directions listed on the cleaner itself.  We've never had a professional
cleaning so I can't compare it to that.  But we probably saved close to
$70-100 to clean 1200 sq.ft. of carpet not counting money saved by cleaning
our couch as well.  The price break-down:

Vacuum Rental:              $17.95
Steam Cleaner Solution:       8.95
Stair/Upholstery Attachment:  3.00
Upholstery Cleaner Solution:  6.95
Anti-Foaming Solution:        3.95 (needed for upholstery or if your carpet
                                    has been steam cleaned before )
----------------------------------
Total:                      $41.00

The cleaner has two reserviors - one for the cleaning solution, one for dirty
water return.  This frees you up from a hose to the sink that I've seen with
other models.  You will not believe the color of the water when you empty
this thing after cleaning a carpet that you think looks reasonably clean.
It was also very effective on a bad dirt spot where our cat tipped over a
huge potted plant.  And I'm talking about white carpet.  It also does a good
job of bringing up the carpet mat even where furniture has been.  Just watch
out for smudging from the black rubber wheels and don't forget to put
something under furniture feet after cleaning the carpet.  Our couch has
metal screws on the bottom of the bun feet that left stubborn rust spots
on the carpet the next morning...

Andrew
Xref: sparky misc.consumers.house:6223 misc.rural:1090
From: babs@jfwhome.FUNHOUSE.COM (Babs Woods)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,misc.rural
Subject: query: mailorder kitchen-sized composters?
Date: 11 Apr 92 14:22:57 GMT
Article-I.D.: jfwhome.1992Apr11.142257.19407
Organization: Our Lady of Perpetual Mirth (Pacifica)



Since I don't get misc.rural, but can have this go to them too, I'm 
asking folks on misc.rural (and anyone on misc.consumers.house who has
any info.:

Do any of you have mail order addresses that you can email to me for 
eco-friendly companies that carry kitchen-sized composters?  I'll
actually accept anything that's simply eco-friendly, but I live in an 
apartment and not only don't have room for a full-sized composter, my 
Old Country Italian landlady would plotz if she saw one.  I'm not
looking for worm-based composters.  

		thanks,

				-babs
-- 

"Excuse me, while I dance a little jig of despair."
	- hadley@ics.uci.edu (Tedd Hadley)
From: drevik@utkvx1.utk.edu (Drevik, Steve)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Info needed on mulching mowers
Keywords: lawnmowers
Date: 16 Apr 92 23:59:00 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: University of Tennessee Computing Center
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <2279@selway.decvax.UUCP>, mewes@decvax.UUCP (Jim Mewes) writes...
>I'm considering purchasing a mulching mower that is currently on sale ($220)
>at Sears.  Any recommendations/experiences concerning Sears (or other brand)
>mulching mowers would be greatly appreciated.
>-- 
> 
>Jim Mewes                               mewes@selway.umt.edu
>ULTRIX Administration                   University of Montana

Interesting factoid: turn your regular lawn mower into a mulching
mower via a store bought kit @ Sears, or even cheaper, drill a few
holes & bolt an old licence plate over your grass exit chute.
-s
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: mparker@adobe.com (Mike Parker)
Subject: Re: Wall construction
Organization: Adobe Systems Incorporated, Mountain View
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1992 18:31:10 GMT

In article <16APR199208450336@utkvx2.utk.edu> drevik@utkvx2.utk.edu (Drevik, Steve) writes:

>>A builder I am talking to uses 2x4 studs in all walls.
>>Many people have told me to use 2x6 in the exterior walls instead, giving
>>R-19 instead of R-11 insulation.
>>An architect I just interviewed recommends using 2x4 with 3/4" Thermax panels
>>on the inside, behind the wallboard. He claims this provides R-24.
>>Does anyone have any experience with this style of construction?
>> 
>>On another note, the same builder says that he normally doesn't use kiln-dried
>>wood, and wants to charge me extra for it. Is this a shlock builder?
>
>(who ARE these people?)
>
>Steer clear of the second guy (unless the 'standard' house is real
>inexpensive and the cost of an upgraded house is acceptable).  It's
>not unreasonable to use "green" wood, but *I* would not!
>
>-steve
>

Ah, yes, usenet advice, worth every penny you pay for it.  Steve, people
just do not build with kiln-dried anymore.  I build today (I built with
KD back in the 70's too).  KD just costs too much.  Lumber yards hardly
even stock the stuff (real lumber yards, Home Depot has some KD for those
of you that just can't accept change).  For stud walls, S-Dry lumber cuts
easier, nails easier, and is as straight or straighter if it isn't allowed
to dry on site for too long.  For joists, headers, etc, there is the cross-
grain shrinkage problem, but there are plenty of details that alleviate
this.  Also, many builders now use plywood I-beams for joists and micro-lam
for headers.  The second guy sounds O.K. to me.

On the subject of the wall thickness.  The 2x4 wall with thermax has several
advantages.  First, it'll cost less money.  Second, it'll insulate better
since the thermax is continuous, whereas the 2x6's act as thermal conductors
through the thicker wall.  Also, a 2x6 wall with fiberglass insulation will
have many small gaps ion the insulation, nomatter how carefully you install 
it.  Third, the total wall thickness will be slightly less.  This makes the 
rooms bigger (every inch counts).  More importantly, it makes the door and
window details easier to do as you won't need such a deep jamb.

As has been mentioned here before.  Keep up with current trends, teo of the
best publicatons on the subject are Fine HomeBuilding and The Journal of
Light Construction, check them out.

mike
From: pjh@mccc.edu (Pete Holsberg)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Real Estate Lawyers
Date: 15 Apr 92 17:43:27 GMT
Organization: The College On The Other Side Of Route One

In article <92104.171816SAUDA@MAINE.MAINE.EDU> SAUDA@MAINE.MAINE.EDU writes:
=Does anyone have any tips as to what to look for when trying to
=line up a lawyer to assist in buying a house?  (To deal with
=purchase agreements, titles, etc.)

I don't mean to frighten you, but even if you get a lawyer that
specializes in real estate and has 20 years experience in local real
estate, double check everything he proposes to do and everything he
tells you. I didn't and he made a freshman error that nearly cost me
more than $22,000!

I would ask every real estate agent you talk to to recommmend at least 3.

Pete
-- 
Prof. Peter J. Holsberg      Mercer County Community College
Voice: 609-586-4800          Engineering Technology, Computers and Math
FAX: 609-586-6944            1200 Old Trenton Road, Trenton, NJ 08690
Internet: pjh@mccc.edu       Trenton Computer Festival: April 17-18, 1993
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,sci.med,misc.consumers
From: shin@.SanDiego.NCR.COM (Chang Shin)
Subject: Re: Rainbow Vacuum Cleaner ( allergies to dust )
Reply-To: shin@tara.SanDiego.NCR.COM (Chang Shin)
Organization: NCR Corporation, Rancho Bernardo
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 20:47:40 GMT

In article <29E36CF7.5490@noiro.acs.uci.edu> jfarran@orion.oac.uci.edu (Joseph Farran) writes:
> Some weeks ago, I posted an article requesting information regarding the
> Rainbow vacuum cleaner for someone who has allergies to dust.  I received
> over 20 replies.   ALL were positive.  Actually, I was overwhelm at the
> large number of positive remarks.
>
>                

[ Good stuff deleted ]

>
> If you have any questions, I would be most happy to answer it.
> It's a fantastic vacuum - specially for people with allergies.
>
> 

What is better for allergies between a very good air cleaner and
a very good vacuum cleaner like Rainbow ???


-Chang
From: stigle@cs.unca.edu (Sue Stigleman)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: No Zoning/Building Permits
Date: 16 Apr 92 22:45:38 GMT
Organization: University of North Carolina at Asheville

In investigating a house that my husband and I are considering
making an offer on, we have learned that the owner may not
have gotten zoning or building permits for the two car garage
and poolhouse he added.  At least, the city planning office
says they don't have any record of the permits being issued.

None of the books on house buying that I've read have covered
this aspect of house buying very well.  I understand that
the city has to issue a certificate of occupancy for the house.
What does the city do when issuing a certificate?  Inspect
the property?  Check to see if the necessary permits were
obtained?  Make sure any buildings meet zoning and building
requirements?  (I'm assuming they do all of this, but would
like some reassurance.)

If we were to make an offer on the house, when in the process
is the CO done?  After we've arranged for and paid for the
inspection?  Could we ask that the CO be done before we
shell out any money for inspections?

My present inclination is to have "our" real estate agent contact
the seller's agent and ask some questions about the additions,
including asking the sellers to show us copies of the zoning
and building permits, and to do all of this *before* making
an offer on the house.  I'm not good at measuring distances
by memory, but I'm pretty sure that both the garage and poolhouse
don't meet the minimum set-back requirements in the zoning
ordinance, so this is a very serious issue for us to
consider.

Sorry this went on a little long.  I've found the discussions
of home buying in this group to be invaluable, especially the
constant litany of "real estate agents work for the seller" 
(unless you hire a buyer's broker).   :-))   I hope
people can shed a little light on this particular point for
me.  

My email address is stigle@cs.unca.edu.  I also read this
group regularly.  I'll post a summary of replies if
there is interest.

Thanks!

Sue Stigleman
stigle@cs.unca.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: macrakis@osf.org (Stavros Macrakis)
Subject: Re: Things to look for when buying a house
Organization: OSF Research Institute
Date: 6 Apr 92 19:44:58

In article <1992Apr01.232259.5326@sco.COM> rogerv@sco.COM (Roger Vortman) writes:

   >...a home in the location that we want that is about 40 years old
   >but in great shape....

   The critical factor to me about a house of that vintage and size is
   how much insulation is there? 

Although heating costs are non-trivial, calling this the `critical'
factor in buying a house seems to me exaggerated.  You can easily
enough find out how much heat costs by asking the current owner for
last year's utility bills (or getting their authorization to find them
out from the utility directly).  You can also get an energy audit
(usually free from the local utility under their conservation
programs).  Then you can figure out rationally how this fits your
budget.  There are often also low-interest loans available for
insulation improvements.  A few hundred dollars' investment in
weatherstripping and attic insulation can make a big difference.

   ...  40 years old means that it was made in the early 50's, when
   energy was cheap cheap cheap. ... houses constructed in the last
   5-10 years are much better insulated and engineered for the current
   high costs of energy.

Actually, current energy prices are quite low when adjusted for
inflation.  In fact, they may be lower in real dollars today than 40
years ago!  (I'm afraid I don't have my statistics here.)  Certainly
much lower compared to mortgage payments for similar houses (real
estate has gone up a lot, and interest rates, although relatively low
today, are higher than in the 50's).  Energy prices were at historic
lows in the early 70's (just before the oil shock, surprise,
surprise), and are probably not much higher now.

   ... why should you believe that the house has been better
   maintained than it was decorated?...  In my opinion you need to do
   some research on this stuff, have a home inspector with a good
   reputation go over the house carefully

In my opinion, these are much more critical issues.

Good luck.

	-s
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house