HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: tarl@sw.stratus.com (Tarl Neustaedter)
Newsgroups: ne.general
Subject: Re: more registry fees - A Call to Arms
Date: 7 Apr 92 04:39:44 GMT
Distribution: ne
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.

In article <nxljkbl.allyn@netcom.com>, allyn@netcom.com (Mark Allyn) writes:
> [use a bicycle]
> It can be done. It is good for your health. 

Not in Massachussets. Riding a bicycle in Mass. traffic is equivalent to
committing suicide. 
-- 
         Tarl Neustaedter	tarl@sw.stratus.com
         Marlboro, Mass.	Stratus Computer
Disclaimer: My employer is not responsible for my opinions.
Newsgroups: ne.general
From: ccrazy@athena.mit.edu (Ellen Kranzer)
Newsgroups: ne.general
Subject: Re: More like WEEI every day
Date: 14 Apr 92 21:04:14 GMT
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

In article <kum8s9INNc69@news.bbn.com> rnewman@bbn.com (Ron Newman) writes:
>But I do wonder what's going to happen when the Christian
>Science Monitor broadcasting system goes pfffffft later 
>this week.  WBUR runs their radio show several times
>each day.

So far, it's just the Christian Science *cable* network that is
folding.  The radio news service and channel 68 aren't affected by
that.  (However, with the church's financial troubles who knows how
long those will last.)

Ellen Kranzer
ccrazy@athena.mit.edu
From: sean@think.com (Sean Colbath)
Newsgroups: ne.general
Subject: Re: more registry fees - A Call to Arms
Date: 7 Apr 1992 21:11:41 GMT
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge, MA (USA)
Distribution: ne
NNTP-Posting-Host: merlin.think.com

In article <b0pj7zb.allyn@netcom.com> allyn@netcom.com (Mark Allyn) writes:
>In article <BMBn89.A60@world.std.com>, kenny@world.std.com (Kenneth R Crudup) writes:
>> ...and what of us *with* a life?
>> 
>> -- 
>> Kenny Crudup, Unix Systems Consultant	kenny@world.std.com
>> 16 Plainfield St. Jamaica Plain, (Boston), MA 02130-3633
>> Home +1 617 524 5929 	Home Fax +1 617 983 9410
>> 							Lick Bush in '92!
>
>
>What do you mean by that
>statement? Are you implying that people who do not have cars and
>who get around by bicycles have no lives? 

No, just bikers who ride in the greater Boston area.  They stand a good
chance of not having a life (read: getting killed).

NB:  I think bikers *should* have a fair share of the road.  However,
the fact that the roads in Boston are hardly suitable for cars generally
means they are even less suitable for bikes.

>I have had a very happy and
>fulfilling life because I dont have a car and I can survive with
>a bicycle. Thing are far cheaper so I can spend my money on more
>important things like computers, ham radio, and entertainment such
>as opera and ballet.

And this is all well and good.  Netcom.com appears to be out of San Jose
(why *are* you getting the ne. groups anyway?).  Obviously, you have no
winter.  Here in New England, we have 9 months of winter, and 3 months of
mighty poor sleddin'.  Biking is just not an option.  Snowmobiling -- now
that might be an option.

>P.S. Happeness is riding a bicycle loaded down with ham radio gear 6 
>miles in the rain to the opera, parking the bike *free* in the lobby
>of the opera house (not paying 10 to 15 dollars for the garage), and
>getting to the show on time rather than being late due to some traffic.

Tell me, is the opera very enjoyable if it decides to downpour half way
there, wrecking your suit, or if you come out afterwords and find all your
ham radio gear gone?

-- 
Sean Colbath
sean@think.com					...harvard!think!sean
"...and now for something completely different..."
Newsgroups: ne.general
From: kenny@world.std.com (Kenneth R Crudup)
Subject: Re: How real are Boston parking ticket threats for NH residents?
Organization: Software Tool&Die, (Boston), MA
Distribution: ne
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 15:51:43 GMT

In article <_8rj3q#.allyn@netcom.com> allyn@netcom.com (Mark Allyn) says:
>   I have never heard of parking tickets for bicycles.

Oh man, never visit Purdue University! We've got (had?) about 10-15 over-
weight donut disposal units who used to act like they were the LAPD! I've
seen tickets given to bikes for parking, *speeding*!!, going the wrong
way down one-way streets (that you could barely drive on as they were so
small), failure to signal (a lot of people were signaling the cops, to be
sure :-), and using the handicap ramps (if there's no wheelchair, go for
it I figure).

-- 
Kenny Crudup, Unix Systems Consultant	kenny@world.std.com
16 Plainfield St. Jamaica Plain, (Boston), MA 02130-3633
Home +1 617 524 5929 	Home Fax +1 617 983 9410
							Lick Bush in '92!
Newsgroups: ne.general,misc.forsale.computers
From: pschmidt@athena.mit.edu (Peter H. Schmidt)
Subject: Re: FOR SALE: Hot PCs (posted for friend-of-friend)
Followup-To: /dev/null
Summary: NOT "stolen" - "high performance"
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 00:43:31 GMT

Oops, as someone pointed out, my choice of adjective was unfortunate.

The machines are not, repeat NOT, stolen.  I just meant that they weren't
crufty old 286 machines.

OK? --Peter



--
Peter H. Schmidt	| ...mit-eddie!winter!pschmidt
26 Berkshire Road	| winter!pschmidt@mit-eddie.mit.edu
Waltham, MA 02154	| -- Speaking for myself.
Newsgroups: ne.general
From: bill@unixland.natick.ma.us (Bill Heiser)
Subject: Re: more registry fees - A Call to Arms
Organization: Unixland Public Access Unix  (508) 655-3848
Distribution: ne
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 22:31:31 GMT

tarl@sw.stratus.com (Tarl Neustaedter) writes:
>Not in Massachussets. Riding a bicycle in Mass. traffic is equivalent to
>committing suicide. 

That's right.  I spend $500 on a bicycle a couple of years ago, and have
only ridden it about a hundred miles!  Part of the reason, granted, was
laziness, but the biggest reason was the fact that it is SOOO unpleasant
to ride on the roads around here!  (Natick MA).  Of course the pothole-
ridden roads don't help either when you're riding a racing-style bike.
Maybe one of those "mountain bikes" with big tires would be better!
-- 
bill@unixland.natick.ma.us   ...!uunet!{think,world}!unixland!bill
Public Access UNIX / USENET / E-MAIL Accounts are available! (508) 655-3848
5 lines  -  Located in Natick, MA   USA    Supporting V.32/PEP/V.42bis, etc.
Newsgroups: ne.general
From: campbell@redsox.bsw.com (Larry Campbell)
Subject: Re: more registry fees - A Call to Arms
Organization: The Boston Software Works, Inc.
Distribution: ne
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 1992 04:45:45 GMT


In article <1930@transfer.stratus.com>, tarl@sw.stratus.com (Tarl Neustaedter) writes:
> In article <nxljkbl.allyn@netcom.com>, allyn@netcom.com (Mark Allyn) writes:
> > [use a bicycle]
> > It can be done. It is good for your health. 
> 
> Not in Massachussets. Riding a bicycle in Mass. traffic is equivalent to
> committing suicide. 

Funny, I don't feel dead yet...
-- 
Larry Campbell             The Boston Software Works, Inc., 120 Fulton Street
campbell@redsox.bsw.com    Boston, Massachusetts 02109 (USA)
From: jhamill@BBN.COM (John Hamill)
Newsgroups: ne.general
Subject: Looking for 3rd housemate in Newton, MA
Date: 7 Apr 92 21:48:09 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.ku464pINNe2q
Reply-To: jhamill@BBN.COM (John Hamill)
Distribution: ne
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge MA
NNTP-Posting-Host: bbn.com


	My roommate and I are looking for a 3rd person to fill out
a 3 bedroom house in Newton. Rent is $333 a month, utilities extra. 
Parking available. Residential neighborhood. We are looking for someone
similiar to ourselves, professionals, late twenties, into music, also
preferably a non-smoker. The house is located off Rt. 16 near Watertown
Square, about a 15 min drive to BBN (5.1 miles). 
	Opening available on 4/1/92.
 
John 873-4243 (9-6pm) or email.
From: adamg@world.std.com (Adam M Gaffin)
Newsgroups: ne.general
Subject: Re: More like WEEI every day
Date: 15 Apr 92 03:04:06 GMT
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA


And Andrea Carneiro (sp?) is now a p.r. person for the state Department
of Environmental Protection.
 
Of course, if you want classic 'EEI, you can always look for Jack Harper
on TV...
-- 
Adam Gaffin
Middlesex News, Framingham, Mass.
adamg@world.std.com
Voice: (508) 626-3968. Fred the Middlesex News Computer: (508) 872-8461.
From: richb@kronos.com (Rich Braun)
Newsgroups: ne.general
Subject: Bicycling (was Re: How real are Boston parking ticket...)
Date: 14 Apr 92 14:25:46 GMT
Distribution: ne
Organization: Kronos Inc. / Waltham, MA
Disclaimer: This posting is a personal opinion and not that of Kronos Inc.

jik@athena.mit.edu (Jonathan I. Kamens) writes:
>Now, I'm just as disgusted with some of the laws in this state and
>this country as the next guy.  I'm just as uncomfortable about people
>using "It's the law!" as a justification for something.  However, in
>this case, following the law DOES make sense, and breaking the law
>DOES have ill effects.

I should followup my earlier posting about quitting biking due to a
couple of traffic accidents nearly ten years ago:  one of them was
while I was taking advantage of that bicyclist's freedom to disobey
traffic laws.

A lot of streets have ridiculous one-way rules which force a motorist
to go three times the distance to get somewhere.  So, the temptation is
obvious for a bicyclist to take a shortcut.  This works out fine so
long as motorists are looking out for bikes.

In my March 1983 incident, a motorist approaching a stop-sign looked
in the direction of "expected" traffic, but not in the other direction
of "unexpected" traffic (namely, me, on my bike).  Seeing no approaching
vehicles, he cruised through without slowing down.  Until his bumper hit
my bike and I screamed for him to stop.

So even the one-way rule is something bicyclists should pay attention
to.  As for me, I shun the bike and obey the rules.

-rich
P.S.  Don't be confused by the law's lack of clarity in defining bicyclists
	as "pedestrians" for some purposes and "vehicles" for others...
Newsgroups: ne.general
From: bsmith@serverx.osf.org (Bruce Smith)
Subject: Re: Bike Paths
Organization: Open Software Foundation
Distribution: ne
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 18:49:51 GMT

In article <1992Apr13.170245.17966@kronos.com> richb@kronos.com (Rich Braun) writes:
>fmbutt@mrbt.sw.stratus.com (Farooq Butt) writes:
>>Frugal (aka "cheap") 
>>New Englanders apparently do not consider bike paths a useful
>>thing to fund with their taxes.  While I can understand pinching 
>>one's pennies in a recession like this, to my knowledge this sorta
>>"frill" has never been funded in this state _except_ in a very 
>>few locals near Boston and "The People's Republic" :-) of Cambridge...
>
>In Florida, the situation's worse.  During my 2-year stay in Broward
>County, I learned that there were 60 miles of official "bike paths" in
>the county (population 1 million, area ~500 sq mi).  Taxpayers had
>approved them in the form of repainted lanes on a few major roads: a
>three-foot swath along the edge of the road (usually littered with
>broken glass tossed from passing cars) was designated as a bike path.
>

I visited my brother last year, when he lived near Sarasota, FL, in a place
called Longboat Key. A long bike path ran between Longboat Key and Sarasota,
but it was really too hot and humid for biking, at least for this northerner.
Sometimes you really can't win, I guess. I made up for not biking by swimming
in the Gulf of Mexico. 

We do have some bike paths here in eastern Massachusetts. There are several
on Cape Cod, for instance. These are recreational and help no one get to work,
though. I have read that a bike path is being constructed between Bedford, MA
and Alewife Station in Cambridge, along an old railroad bed. Having been
talked about for some time, this path would actually be helpful in commuting.
Estimated completion date: about 2110.


Bruce Smith
From: peterco@eff.org (Peter A. Cohen)
Newsgroups: ne.general
Subject: Re: Registry of Motor Vehicles (was Re: a driving law question)
Date: 25 Mar 92 16:44:30 GMT
Article-I.D.: eff.1992Mar25.164430.7828
Organization: ON Technology, Inc.
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1a2

In article  Scott Riegelhaupt-Herzig, scott@kronos.com writes:

>state aid (as opposed to cities' contributions) to the T, I still
>wonder if any of the Registry-collected $$$ is really going to mass
>transportation and road work.

The actual road work and mass transit maintenance only represent a
fraction of the cost- there are also tons of administrative costs, and
maintenance costs for construction vehicles, parts, supplies, etc.  I
have no doubt that some of the money is mismanaged, misappropriated, or
just plain not used too well, but that's what the money is there for, and
ultimately, that is how it gets used.

Does any of it get used, you ask?  Keep in mind that this is
Massachusetts.  Graft, avarice, greed, influence peddling, and corruption
are artforms in state and local government here.  Just ask Billy Bulger
and Bob Crane.

- Peter
Newsgroups: ne.general
From: bill@unixland.natick.ma.us (Bill Heiser)
Subject: Re: more registry fees - A Call to Arms
Organization: Unixland Public Access Unix  (508) 655-3848
Distribution: ne
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 1992 19:50:55 GMT

campbell@redsox.bsw.com (Larry Campbell) writes:
>> 
>> Not in Massachussets. Riding a bicycle in Mass. traffic is equivalent to
>> committing suicide. 

>Funny, I don't feel dead yet...

Maybe you just *think* you have a life, but really don't?  


:)


-- 
bill@unixland.natick.ma.us   ...!uunet!{think,world}!unixland!bill
Public Access UNIX / USENET / E-MAIL Accounts are available! (508) 655-3848
5 lines  -  Located in Natick, MA   USA    Supporting V.32/PEP/V.42bis, etc.
From: jlacey@cbnewsl.cb.att.com (james.w.lacey)
Newsgroups: ne.general
Subject: Re: Bike Paths
Date: 13 Apr 92 22:05:49 GMT
Distribution: ne
Organization: AT&T

Just had to add my two cents.

I visited a cousin in Berlin last year, and many/most major
streets had bike paths.  In some cases, there were separate
traffic signals for bikes to enable the bike to start into
the intersection before the cars.  Also, in many cases, the
bike path was on the (very wide) sidewalk and was painted red.

It was easier and safer to get around Berlin by bike than the
average Massachusetts suburb outside of 128 (for example).

My cousin attributed the quality and quantity of the bike
paths to the political activity of the Greens.


-- 
Jim Lacey          
my own opinions    
email:  att!cbnewsl!jlacey  or  jlacey@cbnewsl.cb.att.com
Xref: sparky ne.general:1286 ne.housing:445 ne.wanted:503
From: nate@cpoint.clearpoint.com (Nate Harel)
Newsgroups: ne.general,ne.housing,ne.wanted
Subject: Apartment/House wanted for June/July
Date: 13 Apr 92 19:20:18 GMT
Article-I.D.: cpoint.18087
Followup-To: ne.general
Distribution: ne
Organization: Clearpoint Research Corp., Hopkinton MA

I am looking for an apartment or house (furnished) for one or two months 
in the summer. My parents are coming to visit from Florida and would like 
to have a place for a short period of time. Preferrably a place close to 
shops like Brookline. The apartment does not need to be large but should be
clean and a quiet place.

If you have anything or know anyone that can rent out for a month or two
please call me or email to "nate@clearpoint.com". My work number is
508-435-7431.


thanks...


nate
From: fms@sw.stratus.com (Faith Senie)
Newsgroups: ne.general
Subject: MA Bicycling hazards (was: more registry fees - A Call to Arms)
Date: 10 Apr 92 21:36:04 GMT
Article-I.D.: transfer.2108
Distribution: ne
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.

In article <2100@transfer.stratus.com>, fmbutt@mrbt.sw.stratus.com (Farooq Butt) 
writes:
> 
> [...]  Frugal (aka "cheap") 
> New Englanders apparently do not consider bike paths a useful
> thing to fund with their taxes.  [...]
> 

Frugal (aka "cheap") New Englanders also apparently don't consider road shoulders
to be a useful thing to fund with their taxes, either.  The roads I grew up
riding in central New York state all had lovely 1-2 foot wide shoulders, with
a 3-5 foot dirt patch beyond that before you got off into grass/trees/cliffs/etc.
And that was a county road, not even a marked highway.  

Here in central MA, you're lucky if the trees and phone poles are more than
a foot or two away from the right-hand edge of the driving lane... <sigh> I
miss riding a bike -- I don't dare around here...


Faith

-- 
Faith M. Senie            InterNet: fms@vos.stratus.com
Stratus Computer, Inc.    InterNet: fms@hoop.sw.stratus.com
55 Fairbanks Blvd.       Pkt Radio: n1jit@ka1srd.ma.usa.na
Marlboro, MA 01752           Phone: (508)460-2632

"I'm afraid I don't know very much about Romulan Disruptor settings" --Spock
Newsgroups: ne.general
From: richb@kronos.com (Rich Braun)
Subject: Re: more registry fees - A Call to Arms
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 17:27:31 GMT
Distribution: ne
Organization: Kronos Inc. / Waltham, MA
Disclaimer: This posting is a personal opinion and not that of Kronos Inc.

sean@think.com (Sean Colbath) writes:
>given the choice, I would not
>travel *AT ALL* to get to work.  I would stay in the comfort of my own
>home, logged in remotely, listening to my stereo, eating meals out of my
>kitchen, and causing no pollution or road congestion.  Unfortunately, in
>today's society that is not yet an option.

Indeed, I hope this never becomes the prevalent option.  Technology, used
improperly, often leads to isolation and a resulting lower quality of
life.  Isolated, we have little reason to cooperate with one another on
a variety of issues, and this is IMHO one of the reasons for the declining
participation in politics and the gridlock in boardrooms and governments
everywhere.

So if "having a life" means toting a beeper, calling in for voice-mail
messages every so often, dialing into a computer, and watching pay-per-
view, I'd rather not have one.  I'd rather go to a workplace with real
live people, go to a cinema and feel the stickiness under my feet, and
answer my own phone.

But of course, some of my time does get used for USENET, the Village Green
of technology.

-rich
Newsgroups: ne.general
From: peterco@eff.org (Peter A. Cohen)
Subject: Re: more registry fees - A Call to Arms
Organization: ON Technology, Inc.
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 13:54:11 GMT

In article <1930@transfer.stratus.com> tarl@sw.stratus.com (Tarl Neustaedter)
writes:
>
>Not in Massachussets. Riding a bicycle in Mass. traffic is equivalent to
>committing suicide. 

Yeah, I've got to agree with you on this one.  I was driving down Brookline
Ave. a few weeks ago when I saw a VW Cabrio plow into a courier on a ten speed.
 The courier had the right of way.  It was ugly.

- Peter

Disclaimer: My employer doesn't give a damn about my opinions.
Newsgroups: ne.general
From: rdonahue@spdcc.com (Bob Donahue)
Subject: Re: How real are Boston parking ticket threats for NH residents?
Organization: insert anything here
Distribution: ne
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 03:00:08 GMT

kenny@world.std.com (Kenneth R Crudup) writes:
>In article <_8rj3q#.allyn@netcom.com> allyn@netcom.com (Mark Allyn) says:
>>   I have never heard of parking tickets for bicycles.

>Oh man, never visit Purdue University! We've got (had?) about 10-15 over-
>weight donut disposal units who used to act like they were the LAPD! I've
>seen tickets given to bikes for parking, *speeding*!!, going the wrong
>way down one-way streets (that you could barely drive on as they were so
>small), failure to signal (a lot of people were signaling the cops, to be
>sure :-), and using the handicap ramps (if there's no wheelchair, go for
>it I figure).

	Sigh.  I iwsh they did this around here.  It's really annoying to
have bicyclists run red lights in front of you, weave around you, etc.
Contrary to popular belief, bicyclists ARE bound to the same rules of the
road as drivers.  This is mostly a problem in Cambridge I 've found that
virtually no one there knows about turn signals (motorist or bicyclist)
and everyone seems to make New Mexican turns (always cross to the
opposite lane of traffic when turing)...  Blech.

BBC
From: rnewman@bbn.com (Ron Newman)
Newsgroups: ne.general
Subject: Re: How real are Boston parking ticket threats for NH residents?
Date: 9 Apr 1992 20:34:57 GMT
Organization: Bolt, Beranek & Newman, Inc.
Distribution: ne
NNTP-Posting-Host: spcsun25.bbn.com

One reason that Boston is more enlightened than a lot of
other places is that the local police totally ignore us bicyclists.
This often allows us to move faster than automobile traffic,
since we can proceed (carefully) through red lights, go (cautiously)
against one-way traffic, ride between lanes of stopped traffic,
and so forth.

This is probably not a conscious decision to favor non-polluting
vehicles over others, but it's good policy nevertheless.

-- 
Ron Newman		rnewman@bbn.com
Newsgroups: ne.general
From: dbrooks@osf.org (David Brooks)
Subject: Re: More like WEEI every day
Organization: Open Software Foundation
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 20:06:17 GMT

In article <kum8s9INNc69@news.bbn.com>, rnewman@bbn.com (Ron Newman) writes:
|> But I do wonder what's going to happen when the Christian
|> Science Monitor broadcasting system goes pfffffft later 
|> this week.  WBUR runs their radio show several times
|> each day.

Well, they could do worse than feed us more BBC World Service.  But then
I'm biased :-).  Other newsgroups are currently expressing their
appreciation of some of the lighter BBC programs.

On the other hand, we could get more of Bob Oakes live from Dorchester.
-- 
David Brooks				dbrooks@osf.org
Systems Engineering, OSF		uunet!osf.org!dbrooks
Newsgroups: ne.general
From: hrose@eff.org (Helen Trillian Rose)
Subject: Re: How real are Boston parking ticket threats for NH residents?
Organization: The Electronic Frontier Foundation
	<_8rj3q#.allyn@netcom.com> <BMG6q7.7yu@world.std.com>
	<6257@bigbird.hri.com.hri.com> <ku9ajhINN7jm@news.bbn.com>
Distribution: ne
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 21:31:07 GMT

 Ron> == Ron Newman <rnewman@bbn.com> 

 Ron> One reason that Boston is more enlightened than a lot of other
 Ron> places is that the local police totally ignore us bicyclists.
 Ron> This often allows us to move faster than automobile traffic, since
 Ron> we can proceed (carefully) through red lights, go (cautiously)
 Ron> against one-way traffic, ride between lanes of stopped traffic,
 Ron> and so forth.

I dunno about this. This morning, my fiance and I were riding to work.
We take the 87 bus to Lechmere. The bus had just left the intersection
at Somerville Ave next to Bradlees and the Burger King to go up to
McGrath/O'Brien Hwy when a bicycle rider sped in between the bus we were
on and the cement truck next to us. Had the T-bus driver been any less
careful, the bike rider would have been in bike-rider heaven (as the
cement truck was taking up *all* of the next lane over -- it was the
T-bus swerving that saved this poor helmet-less guy). 

I don't think that all bicyclists are necessarily like this, but I don't
think, as a rule, that bicyclists should be able to cut between
traffic... I also think, however, if bicyclists are going to go risking
their life around the town, whether it's with or against the law, that
they should be wearing helmets to at least protect themselves from the
hazards of traffic.

--Helen


--
Helen Trillian Rose             	email eff@eff.org for EFF info
Electronic Frontier Foundation   	irc operators: operlist@eff.org
Systems and Networks Administration	Flames to: 
<hrose@eff.org, hrose@cs.bu.edu>	women-not-to-be-messed-with@eff.org