HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: pasek@ssd.dl.nec.com (Marv)
Subject: Re: What does your car sound like?
Organization: NEC America, Switching Systems Division
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 14:34:15 GMT

In article <3830061@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com> olney@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Doug Olney) writes:
>
>
>Howdy!
>
>I've noticed that my new Plymouth Voyager (with Mitsubishi V6 and
>automatic transmission) has what I would call a rough idle.  When I come
>to rest at a stop light, the engine will let out a little foomph every
>second or so.  Its enough to hear and feel, but is subtle enough
>that the radio would drown it out.
>
>Now, a neighbor who bought the same van just took it in for this same rough 
>idle and was told that this is normal behavior and not to worry.  This bothers
>me because my 4 cylinder manual shift cars never gave me cause to notice
>the idle.  Besides, why should a computer controlled, electronically ignited, 
>fuel injected engine at idle go foomph?
>
>And so I thought I'd tap some net.experience.  Do larger vehicles with
>automatic transmissions have more audible idles?  What do you hear when
>you come to a stop light with the radio off?
>
>I have an appointment with the Dealer soon, and I would greatly
>appreciate any insight.  I've posted this here because I'm interested in
>what is normal more than how to fix it.
>
>
>
>							  Doug Olney
>							  Santa Rosa, CA
>
>
>ICYC (In Case Your Curious) my Voyager is not American, despite Lee 
>Iocacca's posturing.  Made in Canada with a Japanese engine.

I have a Chrysler van with the same engine/transmission and have no such
problem. In fact it idles so smoothly I sometimes look at the tach to be
sure its running. I have rode in many others with both 4 cylinders and
6 cylinders and haven't noticed this.

Good luck.

Marv
From: nyp00@cd.amdahl.com (Nick Pang)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: AirMiles: Any members out there?
Date: 10 Apr 92 15:03:40 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA

I saw a full page ad in Wall Street Journal on something called Air Miles.
Looks like a collection of companies getting together to give airline mileage
credit on United, American, US Air, and Air Canada on purchases.

Reward plan looks better than any frequently flyer plan I have seen.
If a destination is 300 miles away, you need only 600 miles credit to
get a return ticket. It is not clear if $1 equal 1 mile earned.

Free enrollment per household. Saturday stayover required and there are
blackout
date.

Any experiences? Or additional info?

 
Nicholas Pang         nyp00@cd.amdahl.com       
Amdahl Corporation
From: jdietz@natinst.com (Jennifer Dietz)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Ranger or S-10?
Date: 9 Apr 92 22:09:22 GMT
Distribution: all
Organization: National Instruments, Austin, TX

In article <204540@unix.cis.pitt.edu> anlst2@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Arthur N. Lilley) writes:
>
>Hey ya'll.  I'm looking to buy a mini-truck here in the next few weeks.  I was
>wondering if anyone out there could tell me which one was picked by Consumer
>Reports, Ford Ranger or Chevy S-10.  As I can gaurantee you I will buy
>American, I'm only interested in these two.  I'm not looking for a lifetime out
>of this truck, just a few years.  I suppose it will probably come down to looks
>and price, but I am interested which was rated higher(reliability, resale, 
>etc.).  I'm also interested in experiences you may have had that turned you off
>to one of these models(but let's not have a Ford - Chevy battle please).
>
>
>                                  Any information at all is appreciated,
>                      
>                                                           Art




I love our '89 Ranger XLT Supercab.  We even tend to use it more on
long trips than we do the car we bought for the great mileage.  The Ranger
is just more comfortable.  And I love driving it.  We'll be trading it
in, though, for a F150 if we ever get the money scraped up!  No bad
experiences, just extreme satisfaction.  

Give me a FORD anyday!

Jennifer Dietz

jdietz@eagle.natinst.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: kmldorf@utdallas.edu (George Kimeldorf)
Subject: Re: Air cleaners/filters
Organization: Univ. of Texas at Dallas
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 00:53:35 GMT

In article <15APR199215025353@bestsd.sdsu.edu> mccurdy@bestsd.sdsu.edu (McCurdy M.) writes:
>	My office mate and I are looking for the best gosh-darned 
>little air cleaner on the market, one that will not leave our walls 
>covered with negative ion induced black particulate matter.
>
>	The cleaner would be for an approx. 12' x 20' foot room. Any 
>comments/recommendations would be appreciated.
>
>
Yes, I have a recommendation.  The air cleaner is an Enviracaire, and it has
a HEPA filter.  It was recommended by Consumer Reports.  I believe it is now
available from various discount houses.  It is cylinder-shaped, with a
diameter which exceeds its height.  Because it uses a fan to circulate the air
through the filter, it makes a fair amount of noise.  You might want to
buy one which you can return should you find the noise excessive.
From: jorourke@ocf.berkeley.edu (Jason O'Rourke)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Outrageous telephone rate for local calls..
Date: 10 Apr 1992 09:07:22 GMT
Organization: U.C. Berkeley Open Computing Facility
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: bigbang.berkeley.edu

On the other side of the bay, Pac Bell is charging about 40 for
installation, and 13.xx per month for the unlimited calling.
$8 sounds like the metered local rate.

As for UCB dorms, we were not charged for installation, and 
I believe it is $9 per month for unlimited local now.  (and who
could believe the Regents would turn down such an easy source of
money?!)

jason o'rourke
From: "reg lafontaine" <reg.lafontaine@canrem.com>
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: new canadian lotto sc
Date: 15 Apr 92 17:08:56 EST
Reply-To: "reg lafontaine" <reg.lafontaine@canrem.com>
Distribution: misc
Organization: Canada Remote Systems


MT>I just received in the mail an offer to depart with $9.95 to
MT>participate in the Canadian lottery.  Text below, then a couple
MT>questions about it's scam-i-ness:

MT> "YOU have been selected for entry in a special Canadian Lotto
MT> 6/49 group program. You and your group get 84 sets of computer
MT> selected Lotto numbers in the official Canadian Lotto 6/49 game
MT> for the next 10 drawings.  You and 249 other Americans in your
MT> group will share all the proze money won duriong the 5 weeks of
MT> play. (Prizes are drawn twice weekly, on Wednesday and Saturday)
MT> The total prize money given away in prizes over 10 drawings should
MT> be well over $100 million dollars. All prize money is paid out
MT> lump sum, and no taxes are paid in Canada on lottery winnings."

Figuring 250 people at ~$10 each = $2500 U.S.  (Remember that U.S. $
are worth $.20 more than Canadian $.  The cost of buying 84 tickets over
the next 10 drawings is $840 Canadian.  Therefore the sponsors of this 
scam make a tidy $1700+.  Now why didn't I think of that?!!!

I would suggest you send the letter and the address of the people you 
received it from to the Ontario Provincial Police, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
I'm quite sure that their fraud unit will have some words to say to these 
folks.  Better still send the address of this group to the net as a whole
and if noone else does, I will be happy to report it to the Lotto officials 
and to the Provincial Police.

     Reg Lafontaine
---
  DeLuxe 1.1 #4756  The best defense against logic is stupidity.
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario/Detroit, MI
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044
From: jorourke@ocf.berkeley.edu (Jason O'Rourke)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Sales Tax on Mail Orders
Date: 15 Apr 1992 12:43:28 GMT
Organization: U. C. Berkeley Open Computing Facility
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: monsoon.berkeley.edu

From page 10 of the 1992 California 540A/540 Tax form booklet:

if you purchased goods from an out-of-state retailer (such as a mail-order 
firm) and sales tax would have been charged if you had purchased the goods 
in California, you owe use tax on your purchase if the out-of-state retailer
did not collect the tax.  [calculate by rate * purchases and send to state
board of equalization ]


Some states tried to pass laws requiring mail vendors to collect the tax
regardless of their location, but I believe the Supreme Court ruled that
invalid.  In either case,  the law exists, if randomly followed.

Jason O'Rourke
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.autos
From: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Thermostats
Date: 8 Apr 92 23:36:55 GMT
Reply-To: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA

In misc.consumers, monty%roscom@think.com (Monty Solomon) writes:
>
>>A HVAC installer recommended powering the thermostat via a different  
>>transformer from the one in the furnace.  He claims that transients and surges  
>>could occur when the motor comes on and would have a detrimental effect on the  
>>thermostat.

   It isn't a bad idea for modern thermostats AND those modern
   furnaces which don't have a continuous pilot flame.  These use a
   spark coil to start a small flame, which ignites the main
   burners.  
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: berger@atropa (Mike Berger)
Subject: Re: Complaining about a hospital bill...
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 19:36:24 GMT

stank@cbnewsl.cb.att.com (Stan Krieger) writes:
>Finally, here's a book answer of mine.  After the guy who drives a
>BMW while I drive a Chevy or whose kid goes to a prestigious high-priced
>college while mine goes to a state college charges me more than what
>the insurance considers "reasonable and customary", and who gives me
>a lecture about Travelers not setting his prices, my response is simply
>that if it weren't for the boss' medical plans, he'd be lucky to do
>half the business he's doing, because nobody could afford his prices
*----
If everybody had that attitude, nobody would want to sell anything
to me here at the University of Illinois.  It can take 3 months to
get paid by a state institution.  And I know that medical insurers
aren't often faster than that.

I'll take your statement a step further.  If it weren't for your
boss's medical plan, the care-provider might demand cash-on-delivery
in exchange for lower prices.  Would you be prepared to front the
costs out of pocket while YOU wait for reimbursement?

And finally, the costs of certain drugs or organ transplants may
seem pretty high, but your complaint reminds me of the people that
used to complain that "a computer shouldn't cost $ 2000.  The
components probably don't add up to $ 500."  What about all the
research and development that led to the production of those
components?  What about the expertise that went into integrating
the system?  Who do you suppose covers the cost of after-sales
support if it's not built into the selling price?  If you want to
beat the high cost of drugs or organ transplants, I'll give you
the same answer I tell people who don't want to pay the computer
expert's fee.  Do it yourself.
--
	Mike Berger
	Department of Statistics, University of Illinois
	AT&TNET     217-244-6067
	Internet    berger@atropa.stat.uiuc.edu
From: bkottmann@falcon.aamrl.wpafb.af.mil (Brett Kottmann)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: ***WARNING: BE CAREFUL WHEN DEALING WITH ALLSTATE
Date: 9 Apr 92 11:17:38 EST
Distribution: usa
Organization: Logicon Technical Services, Inc.

In article <1992Apr9.001136.6358@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>, kh43543@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Ford Prefect) writes:
> 
> ****Don't buy Allstate Insurance--- You'll have a hard time getting money
> from them when you need it.....****
> 
>...[story of Allstate agent's BS]...
> 
> So if you have to deal with Allstate, be very very careful.....And if it's
> within you power, don't buy their insurance. Talk to a State Farm agent first
> before you decide.....
> 

	It's not Allstate that's screwing you, it's the agent.  I had an
accident (my fault), and Allstate (my insurer) paid my claim and the other
person's claim immediately.

> If anyone has any advice, I'll be glad to hear it. I already have an attorney
> working on it. There's no way I'm going to back down! I'm going to do my 
> best to cause them to lose customers.

	Go over the guy's head to the state/regional office.  Raise some hell. 
Get him in some hot water, he's slime.

Brett---------------------------------------------------------------------------
____________The best thing about morning________________________________________
__________________________________is that it's over by noon.____________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: smith@NCoast.ORG (Phil Smith)
Subject: Re: capturing caller id data
Reply-To: smith@ncoast.org (Phil Smith)
Organization: North Coast Public Access *NIX, Cleveland, OH
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 18:51:59 GMT
Followup-To: misc.consumers

As quoted from <1992Apr3.203700.3116@tandem.com> by Lyon_Jim@Tandem.Com (Jim Lyon):
+---------------
| 
| If available, I would buy equipment that matches the numbers of incoming calls
| against a list of phones from which I don't want calls, and route the calls
| directly to an answering machine without ringing the phone.  I would slowly
| populate this list with the numbers of known telemarketers and phones from
| which I have received harassing calls.  I would probably also route incoming
| calls that had blocked the CallerId info directly to the answering machine.
| 
| 
| Note that this picture has lots of room for mistakes.  A business can use
| incoming numbers as unique identifiers, pissing off customers and losing
In my original article (where this whole current thread started),
I mentioned seeing an ad in Computer Shopper for a 
fax/modem/answering_machine/caller_id_box card for putting in a PC.
Jim thinks the same way I am (from a consumer standpoint),
collect or program the numbers of friends, family, enemies, teleslime
in a PC. Then use the data to determine where to route incoming calls.
Teleslime/harassing to /dev/null or answering machine without alerting 
me to the incoming call, certain wanted calls ring phone asap, any
other calls would be screened for desirability.
-- 
"If you had left when these credits began you would be home be now."
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: skannan@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Suresh Kannan)
Subject: BMG 800 number
Organization: The Ohio State University
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 18:06:06 GMT


The number is 1-800-WAMADEUS.  (S is extra)

-Suresh

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: berger@atropa (Mike Berger)
Subject: Re: Discrimination at Mitsubishi
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 18:54:13 GMT

mpb@troy.uucp (27331-bunz) writes:
>Ah, but warrentee work IS a money maker, they simply charge back
>to the manufacturer!  In general, the money maker for a car dealership
>is the SERVICE department.

>I can see why the dealer might be a little miffed after spending a lot
>of time with a customer not to make the sale, but this is rediculous.
>They should have serviced the car and worked to build up a relationship
>so that he would buy there next time, even if the price were a little
>higher.
*----
According to my cousin, who recently sold his Ford dealership, 
warrantee work is reimbursed by the factory at a flat rate that
doesn't necessarily cover his costs.  But they're obligated to do
it regardless of where the vehicle was purchased.

While I agree with your last paragraph in principle, most of us
don't buy new cars very often.  The days when people traded in
their car every year (or every other year) are long gone, so
dealers don't depend a lot on repeat buyers.  And finally, the
"remote" dealer where the car was finally purchased probably 
knows that somebody is unlikely to bring his car 40 miles for
warranty service when another dealer is much closer.  Maybe he
quoted a lower price for that reason.  The Nashua dealership
doesn't sound like the kind of place I'd want to have my business,
and I don't know all the details of the sale, but it is often
worth paying a little more to buy from a local dealer.
--
	Mike Berger
	Department of Statistics, University of Illinois
	AT&TNET     217-244-6067
	Internet    berger@atropa.stat.uiuc.edu
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:10226 alt.privacy:982
From: sao@athena.mit.edu (Andy Oakland)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,alt.privacy
Subject: Re: capturing caller id data
Date: 8 Apr 92 20:04:55 GMT
Article-I.D.: athena.1992Apr8.200455.23021
Distribution: usa
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology


(Man, and I was swearing I'd stay out of it this time around!)

In article <f0KJ02SJc1ms00@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com> jsp@pls.amdahl.com writes:
>All I've ever tried to do on this subject is to tell you that what I want
>is different from what you want.  I've never expected you to "declare me
>right", I've only asked you to acknowledge that I want something different
>than what you want, and that CID might just possibly fill my needs better
>than answering machines and/or secret codes.  If you have had the attitude 
>that one of us must be "right", then it's no wonder that we just keep going 
>round and round.

I think the problem is that many hear you saying, "I want caller-id because
it does this, and that, and this other thing for me."  (correct me if I'm
mis-paraphrasing here.)

But then someone else says, "Well, <something else> does this, that, and
the other thing, and without any of the bad side effects of caller-id,"
to which he gets a response something like, "But I don't want <something
else> because it doesn't do what I want, and caller-id DOES do what
I want."

The somebody else can't understand why you still want caller-id, when the
<something else> he suggested does everything you say you want caller-id
for.  And you keep insisting that his <something else> doesn't do
everything you want caller-id for.

And the painted ponies go up and down....

(Okay, I'm out of it once more.  I'll respond to any email, but I won't be
posting again on this subject.)

	:Andy Oakland
	sao@athena.mit.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: rcarter@isis.cs.du.edu (Ron Carter)
Subject: Phone company `checks'; FAQ or definitive answer produced?
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.
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 92 21:50:08 GMT


Well, I have two of those phone company `incentive' `checks' and
was wondering if there ever was a definitive answer or FAQ produced
to answer whether there was any way of cashing these -without-
changing service as per the `contract' on the back?

It came to me that someone might be able to `modify' or add a
clause on the back (ie `I do -not authorize...') or just sign
-below- the writing (as opposed to signing at the X) or both.

Adding a clause does not alter the back, it serves to modify it;
signing anyplace else than at the X (especially below the writing)
might not validate the `contract'?

I just figure the best way to stop these companies from sending 
these to me would be to find a way of getting them to pay for the
time used to go through these mailers...

Just wonderin', Ron.

--
Ron Carter | rcarter@nyx.cs.du.edu  rcarter GEnie  70707.3047 CIS 
  Director | Center for the Study of Creative Intelligence
Denver, CO | Knowledge is power. Knowledge to the people. Just say know.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: berger@atropa (Mike Berger)
Subject: Re: Discrimination at Mitsubishi
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 18:49:47 GMT

masticol@cadenza.rutgers.edu (Steve Masticola) writes:
>Wow. I've taken shit from dealerships before, but never like that.

>I think you have a case for lawsuit and criminal prosecution of Mr.
>Avery on grounds of slander and racial harassment.
*----
I don't see how.  If the conversation was recorded illegally, it is
probably not admissible.  If it wasn't recorded at all, there is no
proof that it took place as described, and remember that a third party
claimed to listen to the conversation and denied that it happened as
transcribed here.

I have doubts myself.  The original note seems to be literate, with
proper grammar and spelling, but the phone conversation transcription
is riddled with obvious errors.  It makes me wonder how accurate it
is.

I guess I don't understand why it went on as long as it did.  You
won't get anywhere arguing with an idiot. 
--
	Mike Berger
	Department of Statistics, University of Illinois
	AT&TNET     217-244-6067
	Internet    berger@atropa.stat.uiuc.edu
From: rinehart@aramis.rutgers.edu (Mark J. Rinehart)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: ***WARNING: BE CAREFUL WHEN DEALING WITH ALLSTATE INSURANCE!***
Date: 9 Apr 92 16:31:16 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

In article <1992Apr9.001136.6358@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> kh43543@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Ford Prefect) writes:

> ****Don't buy Allstate Insurance--- You'll have a hard time getting money
> from them when you need it.....****
> Hi everyone, I'm currently in a claim dispute with Allstate Insurance Co.
> On Feb 28 of this year, I got into an accident with one of their insured
> with a car I barrowed from my Aunt. Eventhough the accident was clearly
> their insured's fault, Allstate is refusing to pay for damages. Here is 
> what happened:  Their insured and I were both southbound on a two-lane
> one way street. I was in the left lane and he was in the right lane. Their
> insured then made a left turn from the right lane and being unable to avoid
> him, I struck him. Champaign Police was called to the scene and he was 
> ticketed for an illegal turn. The police report stated clearly that it
> was his fault along with a statement from a witness that said it was his
> fault also. 

This is where you go to your insurance company and have them fight for
you. My car was involved in similar circumstances awhile back. The
other guys insurance man told me I was 20% at fault just for being
where the accident occurred, even though his insured caused the
accident by making an illegal turn, for which he was ticketed. I then
took it to my insurance company, who dragged their feet on it until I
got pissed at them. It took 6 months, but I got all the money my
insurance initially put out to get my car fixed. I also got my
deductible back in full, so the accident didn't cost me a dime, and
wasn't a chargable accident against my policy. But I had to fight with
both insurance companies to accomplish this feat. Good luck!!

Mark

btw, ALLSTATE SUCKS bigtime!! They're threatening to pull out of NJ. I
say, good riddens. 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,comp.sys.next.misc