HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa,alt.tv.simpsons
From: jdonald@us.oracle.com (John R. Donald)
Subject: Surreal  (Was:The Simpsons in U.S. culture?)
Organization: Oracle Corporation
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 01:46:38 GMT
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by an unauthenticated user
              at Oracle Corporation.  The opinions expressed are those
              of the user and not necessarily those of Oracle.

>Lately i think the series has bordered on the surreal, with the trait
                                               ^^^^^^^
>exemplified by each character being thrown into sharp relief in fairly
>ridiculous circumstances and slapstick, it hasn't lost what I watch it for.
>
definitely!  in fact i think they have been a bit schizophrenic lately -
there seem to be two sorts of shows, and two audiences - one audience likes
the more bizarre episodes, like Itchy and Scratchy The Movie, and doesn't like
more subtle episodes, such as the most recent one, as much.  The other 
audience has opposite tastes.  This is what I gather from recent posts.
Am I off base here?
-jd





-- 
"Good Idea, Boss."	- Homer Simpson

Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa
From: jyc@leo.Stanford.EDU (Jon Corelis)
Subject: Re: To the Clinton supporters
Organization: DSO, Stanford University
Distribution: usa
Date: 15 Nov 92 20:35:19 GMT

crosmun@crosmun.rtp.dg.com (William Crosmun) writes:

   [regarding tax cheat Leona Helmsley]

>That arrogant cake-eater was tossed in jail for not paying $1,500,000 dollars
>in taxes over the course of ten years.  During those ten years she did pay
>$350,000,000 in taxes.  I'm sorry but I can't get upset over someone who pays
>350 million in taxes instead of 351 million.  She should have received our
>thanks not a jail sentence. 

   Well I can get plenty upset about someone who's so greedy that she has
to add to the umpteen millions she already has by robbing more millions
from the public till -- which means from my pocket.

   If you honestly want to express gratitude to greedy millionaires for
paying any taxes at all, may I suggest that you send a hefty check to
the IRS, along with a letter explaining that you're concerned about all
those rich people groaning under their tax loads and would they please
deduct an amount equal to your check from the tax bill of the fat cat of
their choice.  But don't expect me to give away my money for that
purpose.

   [Note to Randroids who are about to start pounding the table and
screaming that taxes are just stealing anyway so how can it be wrong if
one person avoids them and thus gets robbed less than another:  save it
for your dorm bull sessions.  I live in the real world, and in the real
world I have to pay tax, you have to pay tax, and if you don't pay your
share then I have to pay it for you.  Period.]    
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa,alt.tv.simpsons
From: aderidde@major.cs.mtu.edu  (Adam DeRidder)
Subject: Foreign TV Shows
Organization: Michigan Technological University
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 03:42:21 GMT

  I find it interesting that American shows and movies are shown all over the 
world and yet in America we don't have any foreign shows (excluding the odd 
British program on Public Broadcasting Stations. 
  I suppose they must translate American shows into the native languages, but I
wonder if non-Americans don't still see alot more of other cultures and get 
more exposure to other languages than Americans. They probably get more 
language training too.
 This is sort of a shame since the US does have a large influence on the rest 
of the world, yet it knows little about it. I wouldn't be surprised if some 
non-Americans knew as much about the US elections as some Americans and 
certainly more than most of us know about their systems of government.
 The networks are all looking for something new and inventive and are trying 
out pilot shows and when they fail, the networks try something else ... Why 
don't they get some good foreign shows with a little more substance than Al 
Bundy, the stereotypical white trash sitting around getting teased by his wife 
about his poor sex drive? 
  Any ideas/comments from non-Americans? Don't you think that you have some
shows in your countries that are good enough to "export"? 
 Cool that we can get a little international exposure over the Internet though.

Adam DeRidder aderidde@major.cs.mtu.edu  CS major at Michigan Tech University
Respect is a reward not a right. -adr
Xref: sparky soc.culture.usa:8571 soc.culture.french:8522
From: blaise@dbmac.fdn.org (Blaise THAUVIN)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa,soc.culture.french
Subject: Re: Ecole pas obligatoire? (et personne ne m'avait rien dit?)
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 92 20:25:46 +0100 (MET)
Organization: Individual
Reply-To: blaise@dbmac.fdn.org (Blaise THAUVIN)
X-Mailer: uAccess - Macintosh Release: 1.6v1


In article <1992Nov13.213341.28970@dsg.cs.tcd.ie> (soc.culture.usa,soc.culture.french), sloubtin@dsg.cs.tcd.ie (Sylvain Louboutin) writes:
> In <1992Nov13.002241.3309@mips2.ma30.bull.com> raffin@fhr.ma30.bull.com (Patrick Raffin) writes:
> 
> >Another little known thing in France is that going to school is not at all
> >mandatory. You can learn at home or what you want... until you're 16.
> >--
> >Patrick RAFFIN, raffin@fhr.bull.com 
> >  __       Just a French tourist,
> >  \/       doesn't speak English, nor Unix
> 
> Can someone develop on this?  I always thought that schooling was
> mandatory until 16.  The only exemptions possible being if the parents
> can demonstrate (what are the requirements?) that they can do it at
> home...

You're right, but I don't know more than that.


-------------------------------------
Blaise THAUVIN  94100 Saint-Maur   FRANCE
blaise@dbmac.fdn.org
From: wenz@ucs.orst.edu (Wen Zongyao)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa
Subject: questions of the Korean War
Date: 20 Nov 92 03:24:47 GMT
Article-I.D.: gaia.1ehlpvINNbl
Distribution: world
Organization: University Computing Services - OSU
NNTP-Posting-Host: ucs.orst.edu

Dear netters,

I recently saw a program of the Koeran War.
I wonder why the U.S. didn't get a victory
in that war.  The U.S. troops are much stronger
than North Koeran and Chinese troops by the
mean of equipments.  The same force with the 
same general, General McArthur, defeated Japanese
troops in the Pacific, but were frustrated by
North Korean and China.

Which side did most Korean people support?
Was the conflict between General McArthur and
President Truman(spelling ?) a big cause of
the non-victory ending?
Did the U.S. force fight as hard as they did
in the WWII?
Did North Korean and Chinese forces push the 
U.S. force back by vast number of troops?

Should or shouldn't the U.S. enter the war if the UN
didn't make a decision to help South Korean?
Should or shouldn't China enter the war?

What was the reason of North Korean's invasion at
the beginning of the war?  

The program I saw called the Korean War a forgotten
war.  What do you think is the biggest reason
that most Americans don't talk about this war so much?

Thank you for your attention.

Wen Zongyao
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa,alt.tv.simpsons
From: rcarter@nyx.cs.du.edu (Ron Carter)
Subject: Re: The Simpsons in U.S. culture?
X-Disclaimer: Nyx is a public access Unix system run by the University
	of Denver for the Denver community.  The University has neither
	control over nor responsibility for the opinions of users.
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 92 19:31:41 GMT

ctalbott@mksol.dseg.ti.com (christopher j talbott) writes:

>I would imagine that the President-Elect probably does not
>watch the Simpsons.

I dunno...  Just read an article that said the Bill Clinton
likes to sit down and watch `American Gladiators' with his
first-child-elect Chelsea, on occasion...  He says he likes
the `camp' atmosphere of the show, and it's good for laughs.

OFF is probably only a heartbeat away from the prez-elect,
and it's about time!
--
Ron Carter \ Director \ Center for the Study of Creative Intelligence
 CSCI \ Denver, CO USA \ "A ... mind stretched by a new idea can never
  rcarter@nyx.cs.du.edu \ go back to its original dimensions."  -Holmes
From: irvine@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Brent Irvine)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa
Subject: Re: To the Clinton supporters
Date: 18 Nov 92 16:30:52 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.Bxx77H.JKp
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

In article <1992Nov18.033410.10358@pegasus.com> tleylan@pegasus.com (Tom Leylan) writes:
>silva@pangea.Stanford.EDU (Holly Silva) writes:
>
>>	Garbage. The IRS works people over _all the time_ for 0.5% errors
>>in their tax records, not just the mega-rich. Helmsley had battalions of
>>accountants to track this sort of thing and to keep it from happening by
>>accident. A jail sentence may be unusual in these circumstances but 
>>that is more an indictment of the pampering our white collar criminals 
>>receive than a indication of unreasonable treatment. 
>
>Holly:  God forbid the day that anybody uses the actions of the IRS to
>justify any behavior.
>
>You wouldn't pay your accountant $10 to track $1 and people who make
>millions aren't going to pay somebody $1,000's to go over everything a
>dozen times.  The invoices were posted, the tax was paid at what point
>do you decide to close the books on years past ?

There are statutes of limitations, I am unaware of the IRS's.

That is SO wrong, when you pay an accountant to go over your returns or
to do them, you are paying someone to NOT MAKE MISTAKES.  If you knew
an accountant were going to make mistakes especially when you pay
many $1000's to go over it you'd find another accountant.  Stop babbling
nonsense.  


>
>I think it was around a year ago that Stanford was caught cheating (in
>no uncertain terms) on their tax returns... perhaps an example should
>have been made to the other "pampered colleges and universities" and
>they should have closed the place.

It wasn't just the tax, it was mostly the way the grant money from the
government was spent.  In fact the whole scandal was that.  There was
a *big* shakeup there.

Trying to compare institutions to people is incorrect however.  An 
individual is guilty, by shutting down an institution you punish
people with no connection to the fraud.  Again stop babbling nonsense.

>
>It is a matter of degree and the power's in charge blew it big time with
>Helmsley, now your tax dollars go to paying for her upkeep in prison.

No they did not.  She is guilty and is in jail - I am more than happy to 
pay the 25c or so I do a year to keep her ilk in jail (income tax cheaters).

It almost sounds like you are trying to justify her deliberate fraud.
(She DID commit fraud)

>
>tom
>


-- 
+-------------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| Brent L. Irvine         |These opinions are the opinions of the majority of |
| irvine@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu | space aliens currently in residence in the USA.   |
+-------------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa,alt.politics.clinton,alt.politics.bush,alt.politics.perot,alt.politics.election,talk.politics.misc
From: gulliver@sol.cs.ritsumei.ac.jp (Roberto Lopez Gulliver)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa
Subject: Testing
Date: 20 Nov 92 07:50:26 GMT
Distribution: soc.culture.usa
Organization: Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan.


Sorry This is just a test. 
--
   $@!i!@!i!@!i!@!i!@!i!@(J R. Lopez   G U L L I V E R  $@!i!@!i!@!i!@!i!@!i!@!i!@(J
 $@!?(J    $@!@(J  $@!@(J  $@!@(J  $@!@(J  $@!@(J Ritsumeikan Computer Sci$@!?(J  $@!?(J  $@!?(J  $@!?(J  $@!?(J  $@!?(J    $@!@(J
 $@!@(J    $@!?(J  $@!?(J  $@!?(J  $@!?(J  $@!?(J      Kyoto, Japan       $@!@(J  $@!@(J  $@!@(J  $@!@(J  $@!@(J  $@!@(J    $@!?(J
   $@!@!?!@!?!@!?!@!?!@!?(Jgulliver@sol.cs ritsumei.ac.jp $@!?!@!?!@!?!@!?!@!?!@!?(J

     ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        $@!Z(J $@N)L?4[Bg3X(J $@M}9)3XIt(J $@>pJs9)3X2J(J   $@F@4]!&EOIt8&5f<<(J M2(?) $@![(J
           Roberto Lopez Gulliver   gulliver@sol.cs.ritsumei.ac.jp
     ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Xref: sparky soc.culture.usa:8544 alt.tv.simpsons:6523
From: tdlg9831@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Tracey Dianne Layng)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa,alt.tv.simpsons
Subject: Re: The Simpsons in U.S. culture?
Date: 16 Nov 92 16:39:38 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.BxtIA4.3KK
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

This is in response to the question about the Simpsons.  Personally, I think
it is a stupid program and don't watch it. I watched it several times because
many people were raving about it. I fail to see its allure.  My family, which
includes three nephews of mine aged 11, 9, and 2, don't watch it very often
either. We always seem to have better things to do. 

I have noticed though that when The Simpsons are on, it is very easy to tune
out and go about one's business. No offense to the Simpson devotees.

Tracey
UIUC
From: orpheus@reed.edu (P. Hawthorne)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa
Subject: Re: The Simpsons in U.S. culture?
Date: 19 Nov 92 08:09:21 GMT
Article-I.D.: reed.1992Nov19.080921.17962
Organization: Reed College, Portland, OR


  jkp@cs.HUT.FI (Jyrki Kuoppala) writes:
: What is the TV station / cable system in USA like? NBC, CBS and ABC are
: the "big networks", what about FOX?  Others?

  Fox is a Hollywood movie studio's attempt at founding a fourth major TV
network. It has had a lot of good shows, has no small financial backing, is
often willing to let a good show stay on the air even though the ratings
are low, and is broadcasting, as far as I know, in every large TV market.

  Being a broadcast network is a distinct advantage since only 20% of the
US has cable at this point, last I heard. For instance, FOX is seen by many
more viewers in the US than, say, CNN.

  The Simpsons are a very boomer family. They're... un-pretentious.

  Theus (orpheus@reed.edu)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa,alt.folklore.urban
From: carlos@morgan.ucs.mun.ca (Miguel Borges)
Subject: Re: Bush's Mom Dies...
Organization: Memorial University of Newfoundland
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1992 16:33:05 GMT

thor@daimi.aau.dk (Torsten J|rgensen) writes:
>irvine@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Brent Irvine) writes:
>>A say day -- Bush's Mom died today of a stroke (she was 91).
>>My condolances to all that are affected...
>Who is Bush?

She's not dead.  I saw her on CNN the other day.  She was welcoming
Hilary Clinton to the White House or something.

Barbara Bush _IS_ George Bush's mother, right?  Or is she his
_grandmother_?
-- 
   ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
  // C. Miguel Borges               A.K.A.                Carlos M. Borges //
 // carlos@morgan.ucs.mun.ca                    carlos@garfield.cs.mun.ca //
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Xref: sparky soc.culture.usa:8634 soc.penpals:3945
Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago
Date: Monday, 23 Nov 1992 08:26:14 CST
From: <U61618@uicvm.uic.edu>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa,soc.penpals
Subject: Re: Question on Thanksgiving...

ADAM IS WRONG THANKS GIVING IS CELEBRATED NOT NOVEMBER 26 BUT THE LAST THURS-
DAY OF NOVEMBER WHAT EVER DATE IT FALLS ON IT COULD BE THE 25,26,27.... ANYWAYS
IT IS ALWAYS CELEBRATED THE LAST THURSDAY OF NOVEMBER.
                                           G-MAN.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa
From: irvine@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Brent Irvine)
Subject: Re: Reagan dodged the draft!
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 22:20:17 GMT

In article <1992Nov18.143607.122216@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu> gaf5@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (Gail A. Fullman) writes:
>In article <92322.1411262893684@QUCDN.QueensU.CA>, 2893684@QUCDN.QueensU.CA (and
>y) writes:
>Seriously, my opinion of Clinton is that he won't be so trigger happy to get
>into a war:  Ronnie swaggered around like he had a six-shooter on his hip (but
>can you imagine where Saddam would be today if Ronnie had been president?).

Probably in the ionosphere in the form of ionized plasma. :)

>With nuclear bombs being built in Middle East countries, Far East countries,
>how can Georgie claim we and our children can go to sleep better at night?

Ignorance is bliss, and most people do not know that (or take it seriously).
:)


-- 
+-------------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| Brent L. Irvine         |These opinions are the opinions of the majority of |
| irvine@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu | space aliens currently in residence in the USA.   |
+-------------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa
From: pngai@adobe.com (Phil Ngai)
Subject: Re: Trigger happy or gun crazy?
Organization: Adobe Systems Incorporated
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1992 07:08:50 GMT

In article <1992Nov13.151402.14929@menudo.uh.edu> nagappa@Rosie.UH.EDU writes:
>Last month a Haloween trick-or-treater was blown away for just stepping
>into the wrong house.

Of course, it was more than a week before Halloween, but why
bother with minor details like that?

-- 
My opinions are my own.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa,alt.politics.clinton,alt.politics.bush,alt.politics.perot,alt.politics.election,talk.politics.misc
From: rz@mips.complang.tuwien.ac.at (Richard Zach)
Subject: Re: Foreign TV Shows
Reply-To: zach@csdec1.tuwien.ac.at
Organization: Technische Universit"at Wien
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 08:22:45 GMT

In article <1992Nov17.034221.24071@mtu.edu>, aderidde@major.cs.mtu.edu (Adam DeRidder) writes:
|>  This is sort of a shame since the US does have a large influence on the rest 
|> of the world, yet it knows little about it. [...] Why 
|> don't they get some good foreign shows with a little more substance than Al 
|> Bundy, the stereotypical white trash sitting around getting teased by his wife 
|> about his poor sex drive? 
|>   Any ideas/comments from non-Americans? Don't you think that you have some
|> shows in your countries that are good enough to "export"? 

The problem is, foreign (eg European) TV shows are either
produced American-style: Then they normally are NOT good enough
to export--the Americans are better at doing that sort of thing--
or they have characteristics peculiar of the country where
they are produced: Then they wouldnt appeal to the broad
American audience, simply because it wouldnt understand
them. After all, as Adam pointed out, "Eastenders" only
runs on pbs. Why do you think that is?

|> Adam DeRidder aderidde@major.cs.mtu.edu  CS major at Michigan Tech University
|> Respect is a reward not a right. -adr

"A man doesn't automatically get my respect. He has to get down in
the dirt and beg for it" --Jack Hendley, _Deep Thoughts_

-- 
Richard Zach                         Technische Universitaet Wien
[zach@csdec1.tuwien.ac.at]     Abteilung fuer Formale Logik 185.2
Xref: sparky soc.culture.usa:8558 alt.tv.simpsons:6546
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa,alt.tv.simpsons
From: skister@dvlseq.us.oracle.com (Scott Kister)
Subject: Soylent Green
Organization: Oracle World HQ, Redwood Shores, California
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 01:25:27 GMT
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by an unauthenticated user
              at Oracle Corporation.  The opinions expressed are those
              of the user and not necessarily those of Oracle.

I saw the following posted on rec.video and thought I would post it here for
those people who wanted to watch Soylent Green, despite knowing the ending.

--- Included Message ---

Yesterday's paper had an article saying TNT would present all letterboxed 
movies on Sunday, November 29.  Line-up, beginning at 9 AM (Central I 
believe), is:

Forbidden Planet                (1960)
Brainstorm                      (1983)
The Wind and the Lion           (1975)
Victor/Victoria                 (1982)
How the West Was Won            (1963)
Westworld                       (1973)
Soylent Green                   (1973)
The Teahouse on the August Moon (1956)
--
Mitch Kazel (N9HDQ)                                PHONE:  (217) 333-1259
Department of Journalism                             FAX:  (217) 244-3348
University of Illinois                          INTERNET:  kazel@uiuc.edu

--- End Included Message ---

Scott Kister
From: irvine@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Brent Irvine)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa
Subject: Re: The Simpsons in U.S. culture?
Date: 17 Nov 92 16:31:55 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.BxvCL9.3q1
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

In article <1992Nov17.122910.5597@nntp.hut.fi> jkp@cs.HUT.FI (Jyrki Kuoppala) writes:
>In article <Bxto4s.6wG@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, irvine@uxh (Brent Irvine) writes:
>>I believe it is shown by FOX stations, but in an area without FOX, 
>>sometimes NBC, CBS or ABC affiliates buy and air the shows (I guess
>>under the impression that if FOX moves into the area, no more 
>>NBC, ABC, CBS airing)
>
>What is the TV station / cable system in USA like?  NBC, CBS and ABC
>are the "big networks", what about FOX?  Others?
>
>Do the big stations have a country-wide chain of broadcasting
>stations, are they available everywhere?  Are there local broadcasting
>stations?

Yes, you hit the nail on the head.  The networks have two statuses of 
stations - either they are directly owned, so only show what the
home network wants (usually at least 1 in a really big city), or
they are 'affiliates' which are privately owned, but can use the
network programming (there are rules), but have a little flexibility
for time slots and what they show (like _The Simpsons_).

You can get at least 1 of the stations no matter where you live in
the US, but if you get a satellite dish or cable hook-up, you can get
anywhere from 26-80+ channels (in ST LOUIS MISSOURI I can get 51
channels, here in the Grad Dorm at UIUC, they pipe in 26).

Anyone else care to comment?


>
>Thanks for the many replies I have seen.
>
>//Jyrki


-- 
+-------------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| Brent L. Irvine         |These opinions are the opinions of the majority of |
| irvine@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu | space aliens currently in residence in the USA.   |
+-------------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: soc.culture.usa,soc.culture.french
From: Jerome.Euzenat@imag.fr (Je'ro^me Euzenat)
Subject: Re: Ecole pas obligatoire? (et personne ne m'avait rien dit?)
Organization: IRIMAG-LIFIA, Grenoble, France
	<1992Nov13.002241.3309@mips2.ma30.bull.com>
	<1992Nov13.213341.28970@dsg.cs.tcd.ie>
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 11:05:53 GMT


   In <1992Nov13.002241.3309@mips2.ma30.bull.com> raffin@fhr.ma30.bull.com (Patrick Raffin) writes:

   >Another little known thing in France is that going to school is not at all
   >mandatory. You can learn at home or what you want... until you're 16.

It is possible provided that you are teached by people with
governmental agreement:
- your parents are themselves teachers,
- you pay one or several teachers (pre'cepteurs) to teach you at home.

Thus: instruction is compulsory until 16 and it has to be delivered by
agreed people. Going to school is not compulsory.

PS. This was not my case :-)
--
        __
        /
      _/                                      Je'ro^me.
     /_)
    (______________________________________________________________
    / Je'ro^me Euzenat                       Jerome.Euzenat@imag.fr
   / IRIMAG-LIFIA,                            euzenat@lifia.imag.fr
 (/ Ba^t. HITELLA, 46 Avenue Fe'lix Viallet, F-38031 GRENOBLE CEDEX

Xref: sparky soc.culture.usa:8637 soc.penpals:3951