HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dhe@ncratl.AtlantaGA.NCR.COM (Duanfeng He)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Can one be denied insurance based on citizenship?
Date: 22 Dec 92 13:54:43 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: NCR Engineering and Manufacturing Atlanta -- Atlanta, GA

In <JDESAI.92Dec21165120@sundeck.East.Sun.COM> jdesai@sundeck.East.Sun.COM
(Jatin Desai -- Contractor) writes:


>Incidently, I am looking at another insurance coverage for health with
>$1 million lifetime limit per family. While the figure sounds 
>big at the moment, I am afraid 15 years from now, $1 million may not
>be enough. Am I worrying too much i.e. If they stick $1m worth of
>organs/needles/fluids in my body, who cares if I live? 

Well, the intent is interesting, but I don't think it will work out 
even if you get to buy the insurance.

I vaguely remember recently there was a case the US Suprime Court 
refused to hear.  In it some people sued the insurance companies
for dropping their insurance and refuses to pay after they are 
found to have serious illness.

In essence, the Suprime Court seems to be saying that although
you bought $x million health insurance, at the moment you found 
you need that much, or any other sizeable chunk, the insurance 
company can drop you.

Rephrase it in even another way, it feels like the insurance 
business encourages us to become self-insured for any real health
problem.  But if we are healthy and don't need the insurance (at
least at the moment -- who cares about the long run!), we are
welcome to contribute money to them.

I'm sure there is something wrong here.  I hope Clinton has a
fix for it.


Duanfeng He
-- 
Duanfeng He (Jackson)           Duanfeng.He@AtlantaGa.NCR.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: strnlght@netcom.com (David Sternlight)
Subject: Re: Interplak vs. Braun
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 21:30:37 GMT

In article <1992Dec23.150625.15413@asl.dl.nec.com> alie@csl.dl.nec.com (Andrew Lie) writes:
>I would like to know more about Braun, too.
>My Interplak just broke down two weeks ago (it no longer recharges).


There have been a lot of complaints about the Interplak, which has a
number of major design failings. Some have been corrected in the newest
model.

I have had two fail on me. I switched to the Braun about six months ago,
have been very satisfied, and since then have had a very good dental
checkup.

Braun's design is like a fortress. The entire unit is sealed against
water, and the switch is a sliding magnet on the outside of the case,
with the electrical goodies sealed inside. Charging is by magnetic
induction from the base, not electrical contact. There is no way the Braun
or its base can rust out, as the Interplak often did, and I'd guess you
could take a bath with the base and not get a shock.
.

-- 
David Sternlight
RIPEM key on server
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:21273 sci.electronics:21687 misc.entrepreneurs:3774
From: behnke@FNALF.FNAL.GOV
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,sci.electronics,misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: Re: Help needed looking for info on Internet!!
Date: 29 Dec 92 16:55:51 GMT
Reply-To: behnke@FNALF.FNAL.GOV
Organization: Fermi National Accelerator Lab
NNTP-Posting-Host: fnalf.fnal.gov

In article <1h501eINN81o@bigboote.WPI.EDU>, broberts@wpi.WPI.EDU (broberts) writes:
>
>	Hi, I'm new to the Internet, and the amount of information
>	seems overwhelming! Can anyone help me find some online
>	information about consumer info or any other interesting
>	sutff. Thanks alot!


Try
	misc.consumer.house

    for starters

Mike "This 24GB database will be the end of me" Behnke
My opinions are my own, and MOST of them don't mean a thing !

mb
From: egreen@east.sun.com (Ed Green - Pixel Cruncher)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Fines for not registering a vehicle?
Date: 29 Dec 1992 17:49:24 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, RTP, NC
Distribution: world
Reply-To: egreen@east.sun.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: laser.east.sun.com

In article 22461@nynexst.com, schwartz@nynexst.com (Steven Schwartz) writes:
>
>Is CA different? 

Yes.

Not that it matters, but the specific question was:

>In NY, there's no legal obligation to register a
>vehicle unless it is to be driven on public streets.  If you want to
>drive it around your backyard, you don't need plates.  

CA used to be that way, now they're broke.  You are required to
register every vehicle, and if one is not going to be driven on public
streets, you must so certify... AND pay some $5/yr. to register it as
such.

---
Ed Green, former Ninjaite |I was drinking last night with a biker,
  Ed.Green@East.Sun.COM   |and I showed him a picture of you.  I said,
DoD #0111  (919)460-8302  |"Go on, get to know her, you'll like her!"
 (The Grateful Dead) -->  |It seemed like the least I could do...

Newsgroups: misc.consumers,soc.men,misc.misc
From: stank@cbnewsl.cb.att.com (Stan Krieger)
Subject: Re: Levi Strauss DEFUNDS Boy Scouts
Organization: Summit NJ
Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1993 17:04:29 GMT

>   Most of the front line leadership of the BSA could care less what
>   orientation, or theistic beliefs a boy has.  We are in the business
>   of guiding boys into becoming moral and stable men.....
>   oaths and replace that with something more applicable.  
>
>Can you do this without getting in trouble with BSA?  I remember
>seeing on TV some family losing a lawsuit against BSA because BSA
>refused to let their kid join because he would not perform the oath
>saying he believed in God (because, for him, that would be lying in an
>oath).  People's attitude seemed to be that the kid should just take
>the damn oath so he could join the scouts--after all that's what
>everyone else does.  Some way to make moral men, by making them swear
>a dishonest oath before they can even join.  I wonder whether
>Weinberger, Macfarlane, Ollie North, and all those other people who
>lied under oath in the name of morality got their start as boy scouts.
>
>I was interested in scouting as a teenager but refused to get join up
>on account of the religious stuff.  (I did get involved with an
>explorer post which cared less about these things).

All that is being discussed here has been discussed in the newgroup
rec.scouting.  Since rec.scouting does not appear on the Newgroups line,
it's possible that the poster of the original news item is not aware
of that newsgroup.

To save ourselves a lot of bandwidth, the bottom line is that nothing
gets solved or even agreed upon.  Atheists challenge the fundamental
assumption that a belief in a Supreme Being is necessary as a foundation
for one's adult life; homosexuals challenge the assumption that their
lifestyle is immoral.   And nothing can get solved, agreed to, or even
discussed inteliigently when points that each side considers axiomatic
are in dispute.
-- 
Stan Krieger                 All opinions, advice, or suggestions, even
UNIX System Laboratories     if related to my employment, are my own.
Summit, NJ
smk@usl.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,soc.culture.japan,sci.electronics,alt.sex,soc.culture.african.american,misc.education,misc.entrepreneurs
From: thomasd@tps.COM (Thomas W. Day)
Subject: Re: America Doesn't have a Clue (was Say Yes to Japan)
Organization: TPS
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 22:20:19 GMT

In article <7556@bigbird.hri.com.hri.com> blamb@hri.com (Bill Lambert) writes:

>Japanese business is aggressive and effective, it's true.
>However, the goals as stated above are not their goals
>in any more of a sense than they are the goals of the US.

Which goals are not theirs?  That they want to dominate the world economy?  

>The goals of Japanese business and their partnership
>with government and each other is to establish these
>economic targets as a means of securing their national
>defense. 

That is true.  What I am calling a war is not the traditional definition 
with bombs and guns.  It is still a war with the goal of winning control of 
resources and people.

>I don't see their view can be considered a fault any
>more than we would consider the military actions and
>political moves the US has made in the last 50 years
>to be totally immoral or unfair.

"Totally immoral" would be putting anything out of perspective, but I still 
don't consider Viet Nam a moral war and I'm not saying that Japan fighting 
for control of the U.S. is immoral from their point of view.  I'm saying it 
is a war and we are too dumb and lazy to fight it.  

>It's the same attitude in a different domain, and the
>only domain in which the world at large would allow them to 
>play in. That they have done well at it without effective
>political or military influence is a testimony to their 
>efforts. Had we put the same energy in to the same sorts
>of endeavor as they, instead of into the military and political
>spheres, it might be a different story in the economic arena.

Right.  Exactly what I am talking about.  But if we don't fight the war the 
same way they do, we are foolish and bound to lose.
From: rrw@sunset.cse.nau.edu (Bob Wier)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Levi Strauss DEFUNDS Boy Scouts
Date: 31 Dec 92 06:09:22 GMT
Distribution: na
Originator: rrw@sunset.cse.nau.edu

Call me cynical (ok, youre cynical :-) but it wouldn't also
happen to be that Levi Strauss also USED to have the 
concession to manufacture part of the boy scout uniform
but recently lost that contract, would it?  Just wondering
if there might be something beyond the covers ....


- Bob Wier

  ---------- insert favorite standard disclaimers here ----------
                   College of Engineering
      Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff Arizona
  Internet: rrw@naucse.cse.nau.edu | WB5KXH | fax:602 523 2300
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: henry@ADS.COM (Henry Mensch)
Subject: Re: Low Fee Credit cards with Freq Flier Mileage
Organization: Advanced Decision Systems; a div of Booz, Allen & Hamilton
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 22:09:50 GMT

ehill@rose.hp.com (Eric Hill) wrote: 
->First card gives United miles...1 mile for every dollar. $60.00 per year

the subject does say "low fee credit cards."  

rather than thinking of the fee for the card, consider that, for
$60/year, you are buying many thousands of miles.  in programs where
you are permitted to buy mileage (to top off your account so you can
claim an award), you have to pay lots more than $60 ... if you charge
$5,000/year, your sixty dollar fee is buying you the same mileage 
that you would get if you had travelled cross-country round trip (the
bargain basement fares for such a trip look something like $348).

in short: if you make several thousand dollars in charges each year
and you pay your bill in full each time, the $60 fee isn't necessarily
a bad deal.

--
# henry mensch / booz, allen & hamilton, inc.  / <henry@ads.com>
# "fight the real enemy."  -- sinead o'connor, and many others.
#     for information on the league for programming freedom, 
#                     write to lpf@uunet.uu.net
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:21286 soc.culture.japan:12988
From: carl@Cayman.COM (Carl Heinzl)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: America doesn't have a clue: (was DOES AMERICA SAY YES TO JAPAN? - Off track!!)
Date: 29 Dec 92 20:35:43 GMT
	<1992Dec28.170620.2157@island.COM> <1992Dec28.190946.12722@netcom.com>
Followup-To: misc.consumers
Organization: Cayman Systems Inc., Cambridge, MA
In-reply-to: strnlght@netcom.com's message of 28 Dec 92 19:09:46 GMT


>The Lockheed case was an isolated incident acknowledged to have been
>wrong. People were, presumably, punished.

As the crook always says... I only did this it *once*...

Yea, right...
--
From: jcao@rnd.GBA.NYU.EDU (Jingbin Cao)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Answering machines that don't record
Date: 30 Dec 92 06:10:29 GMT
Organization: NYU Stern School of Business

My GE 2-9860 answering machine died after 5 years of service. Thinking
other brands may be more durable, I bought a Phone Mate (don't have
the model # now) from J&R Music World for about $50 including tax. I
liked it initially for its digital out-going message and conversation
recording capability. Then I realize it uses the annoying
voice-activated recording, meaning it will stop recording after 3
seconds of relative silence. I really hate it since it misses
recording some of the important calls, and I don't want to announce to
the callers that my machine sucks unless they speak continuously. And
the machine does not blink, indicating to me that someone called,
unless the caller leaves a message.

In comparison, my GE machine performed much better in this regard. It
recorded everything faithfully and did not hang up until the caller
did. I always enjoyed playing records of callers talking away from the
phone, usually be my Chinese friends bewildered by the English
announcement.

So I exchanged the Phone Mate for a Panasonic KC-T1452, this time for
about $60. It turns out that the Panasonic also uses voice activated
recording. I dislocated the manual. But there is a switch on the
machine giving me the choice between VOX or 1 min, both of which
unacceptable to me. And the darn thing has already recorded a
half-halted message. Additionally, it cannot record phone
conversations.

Now I need to exchange the machine again. Since J&R Music World does
not carry GE machines, and I am hooked by their no-refund policy, the
remaining choices are AT&T, Sony, and probably ITT. Salesmen there are
not helpful, so I'd like to ask if anyone knows which brand does a
decent job and does not hang up prematurely? From what I understand,
some machines have problem detecting hangup by the caller and have to
resort to voice activated recording or a one minute time-out.
Apparently, Phone Mate and Panasonic fall into this category.

Thanks in advance.
From: jordan@IMSI.COM (Jordan Hayes)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Foreign ATM Fees
Date: 31 Dec 92 20:02:43 GMT
Organization: Investment Management Services Inc., NYC

Tony Konashenok <avk@hafnium.cchem.berkeley.edu> writes:

	There still are banks which won't charge you a penny for using
	other banks' ATMs. Most of them are very small, have only a few
	ATMs ...

Like Citibank (on Cirrus)!

:-)

/jordan
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: kieran@world.std.com (Aaron L Dickey)
Subject: Re: How to get a new SSN (was Re: Very old account - can still collect?)
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1992 06:26:14 GMT

dong@umiacs.umd.edu (Dong Chen) writes:

>How is it possible to get a new SSN legally ?

From "Get the Facts on Anyone", by Dennis King:

"Under Social Security regulations any SSN holder may change his or her
SSN by applying to the Social Security Administration and showing good
reason.  Some people do it because of suspicion that their SSN and name
are being used by someone else for fraudulent purposes....(etc.)"

The only thing you have to worry about is keeping all activity with your
new number TOTALLY separate from your old number.  If you get a new SSN
and then go out and apply for a new credit card at your same old address,
not only will you probably not get the card (assuming you've got a crappy
credit rating), but your NEW SSN will end up in TRW's computers right next
to your old one.

--Aaron

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: chiu@gpb-mac.sps.mot.com (Norman Chiu)
Subject: How to pick a Title company
Followup-To: misc.consumers
Organization: Motorola Inc.
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 19:09:22 GMT

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.

-Norman
chiu@gpb-mac.sps.mot.com
From: barrett@aminet.uucp (Keith Barrett)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Dedicated ATM card?
Date: 1 Jan 93 17:05:10 GMT
Reply-To: barrett%aminet@nuconvex.com
Distribution: usa
Organization: Waterbury USENET/UUCP
X-Copyright: (c) 1992 Keith Barrett; May be distributed freely, Not for sale
X-Disclaimer: Statements expressed are not representitive of any employer
X-NewsSoftware: XRN V6.17 Amiga UNIX SVR4

>there are still places where plus machines won't work with cirrus
>cards (and vice versa); these are usually outside the usa.

That's not quite true, there are places within the US. I
travel a lot. And I have found that cards are either CIRRUS or PLUS-24
compatible. There are a few places where a card from one system doesn't work
in another. When I visited MADISON WI and MINNIAPOLIS, my CIRRUS card (which
My card seems to work EVERYWHERE, including CA, CT, and canada) didn't
work in one of those cities (I forget which one - I think it was MADISON)
because it was PLUS-24.

It was weird that for the first time, I was in a city that no ATMs would
take my card.

-- 
-kgb

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UUCP: nuconvex.com!aminet!barrett             Keep circulating the tapes - MST3k
DDN: barrett%aminet.uucp@decwrl.dec.com    // My life is my own - the prisoner
Alternate: barrett@pamsrc.enet.dec.com   \X/  Amiga 3000UX - The Next Generation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:21319 soc.men:21913 misc.misc:4194
From: holzman@d0gslb.fnal.gov (Daniel B. Holzman)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,soc.men,misc.misc
Subject: Re: Levi Strauss DEFUNDS Boy Scouts
Date: 30 Dec 92 22:07:37 GMT
Organization: Fermi National Accelerator Lab
NNTP-Posting-Host: d0gslb.fnal.gov

In article <1992Dec30.210842.18704@netcom.com>, strnlght@netcom.com (David 
Sternlight) writes:
> What do I mean by "by implication". (Fasten seat belts: even more
> controversial material ahead. Note that I'm reporting, not
> advocating.) Well, "reverent" and a belief in God is part of the
> Boy Scout ethos. If the Boy Scouts interpret that to include what
> God said in the Bible (dunno if they do or not), then the God of
> the Bible unequivacally forbids male homosexuality as "an
> abomination". (Reminder-just reporting, here. Whew!). Thus
> it may be that the Boy Scout prohibition is justified by them
> in this way.

This question can be solved quite simply: The Boy Scouts does not promote or
require belief in the Biblical God.  Any God will do, much like the Masons
require.  If memory serves, there are not only Hindu Boy Scouts, but a Hindu
Boy Scout Religious award.

-- 
Daniel B. Holzman                    | Eight Words the Witch's Rede Fufill:
HOLZMAN@FNAL.BITNET                  | An It Harm None, Do What You Will
HOLZMAN@FNALC.FNAL.GOV.INTERNET      |
                                     | All Acts of Love and Pleasure are
Love doesn't subtract,               | Her Rituals
   it multiplies    - Heinlein       |
                                     | Speak the Word.
Disclaimer:  Fermilab's far too large to have an opinion, let alone mine.
From: sritacco@wet.UUCP (Steve Ritacco)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: What is a Good Brand of Breakmaker
Date: 28 Dec 92 05:40:19 GMT
Organization: Wetware Diversions, San Francisco

Hi,

I have a Panasonic/National for about 2 years now, and I like it.
If you are intending to use the timer feature a lot, these are good
machines to consider (because of the yeast dispenser).  Otherwise, I
haven't heard anything bad about any of the brands.

Steve

Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.legal,soc.misc,alt.conspiracy
From: sebert@andy.bgsu.edu (kim)
Subject: Re: How does a PI locate somebody?
Organization: Bowling Green State University B.G., Oh.
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1993 22:26:38 GMT

The hardest poeple to find are the ones not trying to hide. Most people 
leave a trail, Professional orginazations, church, family, etc.
I family will not help, check the minister, they sometimes have trancefers
of memberships. You could check former employers. Of course always make up
a good story. In most cases the truth is something that people have a hard
time believing. But I have tried it and sometime it does work.

I often thought that if I wanted to hide I would go to a small town and
chech the newspaper archive for some one who died that was about my age
and then request a birth cirtificate from the health department. With
that you could get a ssn and then even get a drivers license with the 
story that some one stole your wallet or purse. What ever you do don't
stay in town the person was from. It would be even better if you knew
something about the town incase some one ask you about where you were
from. 

So much for my ramblings. Please forgive the misspellings.

Kim
sebert
sebert@andy.bgsu.edu

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: hubcap@hubcap.clemson.edu (System Janitor)
Subject: Re: rechargeable batteries and recycling fees
Organization: Clemson University
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 14:53:13 GMT

murthy+@EDRC.CMU.EDU (Sesh Murthy) writes:

>Using rechargables just takes a little bit of organization.  I just need to 
>make sure that I have a set charged always.  If people can do this for their
>camcorders I don't see why I cannot do this for my toys etc.  In any case
>if there was a fee, I think people would discover this rather quickly.

With some (all?) rechargables, the drastic way that they poop out makes them
unacceptable for some work. You're running your laptop, and all of a sudden the
low bat light comes on and then a second later, you're dead and you've lost
the last bit of work you were doing. Or you're using your Mag light to 
change your flat tire and all of a sudden - darkness...  Disposables ramp down
slower, giving you a chance to do the right thing. Some of the new disposables
aren't nearly as toxic as the older ones... although what they are based on 
escapes me at the moment. I'll check it out and repost if no one else 
chimes in...

-Mike
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: Tell me about electric blankets
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Distribution: na
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1992 21:14:19 GMT

kolstad@cae.wisc.edu (Joel Kolstad) writes:
: 
: >: Trust me.  Hook up one of your HP constant current power supplies to a coil
: >: of wire or a resistor.  Set it to pump out 1A DC, constant current.  I
: >: guarantee you that any E field you measure by the coil is not being
: >: produced by that coil.  (Try inducing a voltage in another nearby coil for
: >: starts.  It isn't going to happen, because you need an EM field to induce
: >: voltages, and you only have a M field.)
: >
: >Nope - all you have to do is move the other coil. It is a simple high
: >school physics experiment. Any conductor moving in that field is going
: >to generate a changing electric current, with its associated electic field.
: 
: That's true, but the assumption is that people don't move very much while
: sleeping, no?

Hm. But they do, at least, in my experience. People tend to continuously
toss and turn - some, more than others. I am one of the "more" crowd. 

Bill

Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: ggawron@comm.mot.com (Glenn Gawron)
Subject: Carpet Cleaning... Opinions Wanted!!!!
Organization: Motorola
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 08:02:05 GMT

We recently closed on our first house and need to do some cleaning before 
moving in.  The carpets are in good shape but the previous owner has a dog 
and we would like to get the carpets cleaned.  I have a couple of questions 
about this.
1.  Is it better to rent a carpet "steam cleaner" from the local super market
    or have a professional service come in and do it?  (Are cleaning fluids 
    the same and is the equipment comparable?)  
2.  If we have a professional do it then what questions should I ask 
    potential services (cleaning fluids, suction equipment etc...)?
3.  Should we go with the stain guard and other "extras"?

Thanks for all your help in advance!!
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Glenn Gawron                          | Internet: ggawron@comm.mot.com|
|Motorola Central Systems Engineering  |    X.400: C10836@email.mot.com|
|1301 E. Algonquin Road - IL02 Rm 0436 |    Voice: (708) 538-3756      |
|Schaumburg, Illinois. 60196 USA       |      Fax: (708) 576-5640      |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
>> Disclaimer-Opinions expressed are those of the sender NOT Motorola <<
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,misc.kids