Question:

 Crimes

http://www.homestead.com/prosites-prs/files/bodysmall1.jpg http://www.homestead.com/prosites-prs/files/bodysmall2.jpg — * See the REAL ‘Religion of Peace’, Islam, on this site – EXCELLENT * http://www.mathematik.net/homepage/islam/islam.htm * Translated:  http://tinyurl.com/2ooqh

Response:

Exposure of Zionist Crimes PALESTINE REFUGEE RIGHTS GROUP DEMANDS FULL EXPOSURE OF ZIONIST CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY CALLS TORTURE OF PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS UNDER ZIONIST OCCUPATION A TEMPLATE FOR US AGGRESSION AGAINST IRAQ Decades of torture, humiliation and physical abuse endured by the people of Palestine under Zionist occupation have served as a template for the tragedy the US has created in Iraq and all of the Arab world . In addition, land theft, home demolitions and the depletion of the Palestinian social structure defies every tenet of international humanitarian law. Al-Awda, The Palestine Right of Return Coalition joins the Arab peoples in the world-wide condemnation of the United States occupation of the sovereign nation of Iraq, which flaunts all international rules of law. We also condemn the use of mercenaries in Iraq ("sub-contractors") in its attempts to privatize war in an effort to remove it from the glare of public scrutiny. US actions in Iraq are now being held up to a mirror for all the world to see. We demand no less for the people of Palestine: A full accounting of the crimes against humanity perpetrated upon the Palestinian people since the imposition of the Zionist state, to be overseen by The International Criminal Court. That the United States be held accountable to all international laws regarding its complicity in the maintenance of the years long Zionist occupation of Palestine. Along with calls for holding responsible all aggressors involved in the preemptive and illegal war against the people of Iraq, we demand the same hold true for all parties responsible for the condition of the Palestinian people, based on laws governing the Geneva conventions prohibiting the use of torture, cruelty and other forms of mistreatment. In addition, the distortion and outright defiance of all UN resolutions regarding the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to return to their homes and lands (since 1947 until today) must be seriously addressed by international bodies. While what continues to be a humanitarian disaster of epic proportion for the Palestinian people, it must be understood that the war against Iraq has its roots in the imposition of the Jewish Only state in the Middle East, since 1947. Only when the Palestinian refugees return to the homes and land they were uprooted from, can stability return to the region. Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition is one of the largest networks of grassroots activists dedicated to Palestinian human rights. Our website may be viewed at http://al-awda.org

Response:

Question:

There’s no accounting for tastes. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I just found this … KASSEL, Germany : A self-confessed cannibal went on trial in Germany, accused of murdering a man who was apparently a willing accomplice in his videotaped death, dissection and consumption. In chilling, matter-of-fact detail, Armin Meiwes told the hushed court how his obsession with cannibalism developed as a child and eventually led him to kill and eat a fellow human being. The suspect and victim met in early 2001, after Armin M is said to have posted a personal ad on several websites and in chatrooms asking for "young, well-built men aged 18 to 30 to slaughter", the German daily newspaper Bild reported at the time of his arrest. The advertisement read in part "Are you max 30 years old, with a normal body, then you are just right for me. I want to slaughter you and consume your delicious flesh." Sex on the Internet is well known. But cannibalism? It’s out there too. One particular web forum has an explicit board containing messages such as from Diana, looking for "an experienced butcher" for "conventional slaughter" at her home. A man offers to get rid of women aged up to 40 who have become "useless and a burden." Other visitors offer to sacrifice a foot, a hand or an ear. German criminologist Rudolf Egg (!) said it reflected on society as a whole. "People should ask themselves what they like about it, why they do it and what that actually reveals of their personality and their sexual frustrations in society." The victim in this particular case was a 43-year-old Berlin computer technician who had sold his car, written a will and taken the day off work to sort out what he called a "personal" matter. He then went to Armin M’s home, where the pair reportedly agreed to cut off his penis. Police declined comment on reports that they first flambeed the organ in spirits, then, after tasting it, decided to fry it. The macabre case is unprecedented in German legal history and has gripped the country in horrified fascination. Meiwes, a 42-year-old computer technician who says he regrets what he did, admits the killing but insists it was not murder as he was only doing what he had been asked. Testifying Wednesday on the opening day of his trial for murder, he said his fantasy first developed between the ages of eight and 12. He would imagine killing, carving up and eating schoolfriends whom he liked. Meiwes, dressed smartly in a dark jacket and tie, said he felt lonely as a child and longed for a younger brother, his father having abandoned the family. His longing for a brother led him to imagining binding a friend to him for ever by consuming him. It also aroused him sexually, he admitted. "Slim and blond, that would have been the type," he told the court. Meiwes said horror films and watching animals being slaughtered heightened his imagination. "I had the fantasy, and in the end I fulfilled it." Television pictures earlier showed him laughing and chatting easily to his lawyer moments before the trial opened in Kassel, central Germany. The case is legally complex as cannibalism is not a crime in Germany. Legal experts have doubted whether prosecutors will be able to sustain the charge of murder for the purposes of sexual satisfaction. Nevertheless, prosecutors argue that even though the victim, Bernd Juergen Brandes, had an apparent death wish, Meiwes is still guilty of murder because he was always intent on killing him. If convicted, he would be liable for life in prison. He is also accused of "disturbing the peace of the dead" for carving up the body. Defence lawyers argue that, at worst, he is guilty of "killing on demand," which would be punishable by up to five years in prison. It was unclear whether the videos taken during the incident in March 2001 would be shown in public or behind closed doors. Investigators who have scanned them have spoken of scenes like "in a horror film." Meiwes, who has admitted his actions to investigators and in interviews in newspapers, has said he made contact with Brandes, a 43-year-old Berlin engineer, on the Internet after advertising for someone willing to be killed and eaten. Brandes travelled to his house in Rotenburg, near Kassel, where Meiwes cut off his penis, which they partially ate together. Then Meiwes stabbed him, carved up the body, ate some of the flesh, stored some more in a deep-freeze for later consumption and buried bones and the skull in his garden. The whole scenario was recorded on video, again with the apparent agreement of Brandes. In an interview released Tuesday, Meiwes said it was not a case of murder because Brandes "used me as a tool" to help him die. "My friend enjoyed dying, death. I only waited horrified for the end after doing the deed. It took so terribly long," he said. The case did not emerge until an Austrian student spotted another advertisement placed by Meiwes on the Internet and alerted police. Officers who studied the 16 computers, 221 hard drives, 95 CD-Roms, nearly 1,800 diskettes and 307 videos found at his home tapped into a hitherto hidden cannibal scene. Apparently the victim lied about his age so he could participate! Obviously the cannibal swallowed his story. berko

– If you want to be free, there is but one way; it is to guarantee an equally full measure of liberty to all your neighbors. There is no other. Carl Schurz (1829-1906)

Response:

There’s no accounting for tastes. He then went to Armin M’s home, where the pair reportedly agreed to cut off his penis. Police declined comment on reports that they first flambeed the organ in spirits, then, after tasting it, decided to fry it.

Apparently one man’s meat is another’s penis. berko

Response:

I just found this … KASSEL, Germany : A self-confessed cannibal went on trial in Germany, accused of murdering a man who was apparently a willing accomplice in his videotaped death, dissection and consumption. In chilling, matter-of-fact detail, Armin Meiwes told the hushed court how his obsession with cannibalism developed as a child and eventually led him to kill and eat a fellow human being. The suspect and victim met in early 2001, after Armin M is said to have posted a personal ad on several websites and in chatrooms asking for "young, well-built men aged 18 to 30 to slaughter", the German daily newspaper Bild reported at the time of his arrest. The advertisement read in part "Are you max 30 years old, with a normal body, then you are just right for me. I want to slaughter you and consume your delicious flesh." Sex on the Internet is well known. But cannibalism? It’s out there too. One particular web forum has an explicit board containing messages such as from Diana, looking for "an experienced butcher" for "conventional slaughter" at her home. A man offers to get rid of women aged up to 40 who have become "useless and a burden." Other visitors offer to sacrifice a foot, a hand or an ear. German criminologist Rudolf Egg (!) said it reflected on society as a whole. "People should ask themselves what they like about it, why they do it and what that actually reveals of their personality and their sexual frustrations in society." The victim in this particular case was a 43-year-old Berlin computer technician who had sold his car, written a will and taken the day off work to sort out what he called a "personal" matter. He then went to Armin M’s home, where the pair reportedly agreed to cut off his penis. Police declined comment on reports that they first flambeed the organ in spirits, then, after tasting it, decided to fry it. The macabre case is unprecedented in German legal history and has gripped the country in horrified fascination. Meiwes, a 42-year-old computer technician who says he regrets what he did, admits the killing but insists it was not murder as he was only doing what he had been asked. Testifying Wednesday on the opening day of his trial for murder, he said his fantasy first developed between the ages of eight and 12. He would imagine killing, carving up and eating schoolfriends whom he liked. Meiwes, dressed smartly in a dark jacket and tie, said he felt lonely as a child and longed for a younger brother, his father having abandoned the family. His longing for a brother led him to imagining binding a friend to him for ever by consuming him. It also aroused him sexually, he admitted. "Slim and blond, that would have been the type," he told the court. Meiwes said horror films and watching animals being slaughtered heightened his imagination. "I had the fantasy, and in the end I fulfilled it." Television pictures earlier showed him laughing and chatting easily to his lawyer moments before the trial opened in Kassel, central Germany. The case is legally complex as cannibalism is not a crime in Germany. Legal experts have doubted whether prosecutors will be able to sustain the charge of murder for the purposes of sexual satisfaction. Nevertheless, prosecutors argue that even though the victim, Bernd Juergen Brandes, had an apparent death wish, Meiwes is still guilty of murder because he was always intent on killing him. If convicted, he would be liable for life in prison. He is also accused of "disturbing the peace of the dead" for carving up the body. Defence lawyers argue that, at worst, he is guilty of "killing on demand," which would be punishable by up to five years in prison. It was unclear whether the videos taken during the incident in March 2001 would be shown in public or behind closed doors. Investigators who have scanned them have spoken of scenes like "in a horror film." Meiwes, who has admitted his actions to investigators and in interviews in newspapers, has said he made contact with Brandes, a 43-year-old Berlin engineer, on the Internet after advertising for someone willing to be killed and eaten. Brandes travelled to his house in Rotenburg, near Kassel, where Meiwes cut off his penis, which they partially ate together. Then Meiwes stabbed him, carved up the body, ate some of the flesh, stored some more in a deep-freeze for later consumption and buried bones and the skull in his garden. The whole scenario was recorded on video, again with the apparent agreement of Brandes. In an interview released Tuesday, Meiwes said it was not a case of murder because Brandes "used me as a tool" to help him die. "My friend enjoyed dying, death. I only waited horrified for the end after doing the deed. It took so terribly long," he said. The case did not emerge until an Austrian student spotted another advertisement placed by Meiwes on the Internet and alerted police. Officers who studied the 16 computers, 221 hard drives, 95 CD-Roms, nearly 1,800 diskettes and 307 videos found at his home tapped into a hitherto hidden cannibal scene. Apparently the victim lied about his age so he could participate! Obviously the cannibal swallowed his story. berko

Response:

Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -There are so many accounting packages out there that you will effectively be reinventing the wheel. The one exception is that you will tailor your package for your particular client. Do you realize the work involved with this? Is the client willing to wait while you get this off the ground and assist with working the bugs out? Is the client willing to pay for a brand new software package? Between the ability of some packages to be customized either by the end user or the vendor *and* the ability of companies to be flexible and adjust their own requirements… there *is* a pre-existing accounting package that will fit your client’s needs. I’ve been through this so many times at the corporate level from the IT side in organizations 10,000 employees. Management at the companies always start off by saying their requirements are *not* flexible… but then when the realities of the whole thing start to sink in those requirements suddenly become flexible enough that along with some customizations of an existing package we find a fit.

I wholly agree with you, and this is why I’m asking. No, I was not aware of how many packages are out there that can be customized. My impression is that there are big ‘uns in the 100k + range – and part of the reason I’m doing this research is to figure out which would be more expensive; my time to "reinvent the wheel" or the purchase of a third-party package + my time to "customize the wheel". I’m no pollyanna – I realize this could be an enormous effort. But from my perspective so far, it seems that extending my QB "Shadow" would end up being less costly than investing in some package. Which brings me back to asking about finding strategies for constructing an accounting package.. In light of your comments, maybe I should ask for tips in shopping for customizable packages.. Maybe this is too vague of a request – I understand that. But the great beauty of Usenet is that there are experts everywhere, if you can just find them and ask the right questions. =) Thanks BLink Brian Link in St. Paul, Minnesota

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – There are so many accounting packages out there that you will effectively be reinventing the wheel. The one exception is that you will tailor your package for your particular client. Do you realize the work involved with this? Is the client willing to wait while you get this off the ground and assist with working the bugs out? Is the client willing to pay for a brand new software package? Between the ability of some packages to be customized either by the end user or the vendor *and* the ability of companies to be flexible and adjust their own requirements… there *is* a pre-existing accounting package that will fit your client’s needs. I’ve been through this so many times at the corporate level from the IT side in organizations 10,000 employees. Management at the companies always start off by saying their requirements are *not* flexible… but then when the realities of the whole thing start to sink in those requirements suddenly become flexible enough that along with some customizations of an existing package we find a fit. I wholly agree with you, and this is why I’m asking. No, I was not aware of how many packages are out there that can be customized. My impression is that there are big ‘uns in the 100k + range – and part of the reason I’m doing this research is to figure out which would be more expensive; my time to "reinvent the wheel" or the purchase of a third-party package + my time to "customize the wheel". I’m no pollyanna – I realize this could be an enormous effort. But from my perspective so far, it seems that extending my QB "Shadow" would end up being less costly than investing in some package. Which brings me back to asking about finding strategies for constructing an accounting package.. In light of your comments, maybe I should ask for tips in shopping for customizable packages.. Maybe this is too vague of a request – I understand that. But the great beauty of Usenet is that there are experts everywhere, if you can just find them and ask the right questions. =)

there are literally hundeds of accounting software programs and the customizable features are periodically reviewed in magazines such as Journal of Accountancy , CFO magazine, etc. You would be well advised to talk with other companies in your field and find out what they are using – you would be surprised how much you can learn by joining trade associations or just visiting a CFO/controller in another company similar to yours.    Trying to design your own accounting package is like re-inventing the wheel !!

Response:

Maybe you’re being too discouraging. Depending on which theory you favour for the origin of the human race, it probably took from 20,000 to 200,000 years to develop the wheel. The first versions of most accounting programs probably took only about 2-5 years with teams of 5-10 programmers.  The currently-popular programs probably took, on average, another 3-5 years with teams of about 5-20 programmers to become reasonably reliable and reasonably full-featured and user-friendly.  About 10 years ago I counted more than 300 English-language North-America-suitable programs within a fairly narrow price range, and estimate that at least another 300 had died and gone wherever dead programs go.  On the basis of some quite arbitrary but reasonable assumptions, I suggest that an investment of about $1 million and 5 years has almost a 50% chance of resulting in an accounting program that works.  Seems like it must be a lot easier than re-inventing the wheel. Given that no-one has yet succeeded in creating an accounting program that is generally acknowledged as "pretty good" (or better) by more than a handful of satisfied users, I think we should ENCOURAGE Brian to give it a try. A different question on the same topic – Why do so few people do similar arithmetic?  Why do so many programmers with no accounting experience and accountants with no programming experience think it must be "easy" to build a better accounting program? Go for it, Brian!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – There are so many accounting packages out there that you will effectively be reinventing the wheel. The one exception is that you will tailor your package for your particular client. Do you realize the work involved with this? Is the client willing to wait while you get this off the ground and assist with working the bugs out? Is the client willing to pay for a brand new software package? Between the ability of some packages to be customized either by the end user or the vendor *and* the ability of companies to be flexible and adjust their own requirements… there *is* a pre-existing accounting package that will fit your client’s needs. I’ve been through this so many times at the corporate level from the IT side in organizations 10,000 employees. Management at the companies always start off by saying their requirements are *not* flexible… but then when the realities of the whole thing start to sink in those requirements suddenly become flexible enough that along with some customizations of an existing package we find a fit. I wholly agree with you, and this is why I’m asking. No, I was not aware of how many packages are out there that can be customized. My impression is that there are big ‘uns in the 100k + range – and part of the reason I’m doing this research is to figure out which would be more expensive; my time to "reinvent the wheel" or the purchase of a third-party package + my time to "customize the wheel". I’m no pollyanna – I realize this could be an enormous effort. But from my perspective so far, it seems that extending my QB "Shadow" would end up being less costly than investing in some package. Which brings me back to asking about finding strategies for constructing an accounting package.. In light of your comments, maybe I should ask for tips in shopping for customizable packages.. Maybe this is too vague of a request – I understand that. But the great beauty of Usenet is that there are experts everywhere, if you can just find them and ask the right questions. =) there are literally hundeds of accounting software programs and the customizable features are periodically reviewed in magazines such as Journal of Accountancy , CFO magazine, etc. You would be well advised to tal k with other companies in your field and find out what they are using – you would be surprised how much you can learn by joining trade associations or just visiting a CFO/controller in another company similar to yours. Trying to design your own accounting package is like re-inventing the wheel !!

Response:

Given that no-one has yet succeeded in creating an accounting program that is generally acknowledged as "pretty good" (or better) by more than a handful of satisfied users, I think we should ENCOURAGE Brian to give it a try.

LMAO True, so true. — Paul A. Thomas, CPA, PC Athens, Georgia

Response:

If this outfit is so small or dislikes spending money so much that they chose a two or three hundred dollar accounting package like quick books, I have only one question for you. How much do you think they would be willing to pay you to develop a custom package for them and go through all the debugging which could realistically take years?

Response:

If this outfit is so small or dislikes spending money so much that they chose a two or three hundred dollar accounting package like quick books, I have only one question for you. How much do you think they would be willing to pay you to develop a custom package for them and go through all the debugging which could realistically take years?

Actually, try about 6k. It’s no SAP or anything, but for a small firm that’s a few pounds o bacon. I mean, they’re not General Motors or anything. BLink Brian Link in St. Paul, Minnesota

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If this outfit is so small or dislikes spending money so much that they chose a two or three hundred dollar accounting package like quick books, I have only one question for you. How much do you think they would be willing to pay you to develop a custom package for them and go through all the debugging which could realistically take years? Actually, try about 6k. It’s no SAP or anything, but for a small firm that’s a few pounds o bacon. I mean, they’re not General Motors or anything. BLink Brian Link in St. Paul, Minnesota

Brian, I am doing a similar thing. ?SQL + J2EE front end. I am not an accountant, and realise that I really can’t be bothered with fiddling about with the ledgers, tax and all the rest of it. I am using a half-way house solution, where all of the "core" operational data such as the stock control system and sales/purchase order processing is part of the (custom) ?SQL DB. Anything more on the accounting side than that (such as entries to ledgers…) is done using proprietary accounting software. That way, the accounts dept have their own package, and everyone else can use a decent and versatile system. I think that making the split is better than either of the two alternatives: 1. use proprietary software all round. (Expensive + hard to customize) 2. Code the lot from scratch. (You need to know accounts inside out and have a LOT of time on your hands) Regards John

Response:

There are so many accounting packages out there that you will effectively be reinventing the wheel. The one exception is that you will tailor your package for your particular client. Do you realize the work involved with this? Is the client willing to wait while you get this off the ground and assist with working the bugs out? Is the client willing to pay for a brand new software package? Between the ability of some packages to be customized either by the end user or the vendor *and* the ability of companies to be flexible and adjust their own requirements… there *is* a pre-existing accounting package that will fit your client’s needs. I’ve been through this so many times at the corporate level from the IT side in organizations 10,000 employees. Management at the companies always start off by saying their requirements are *not* flexible… but then when the realities of the whole thing start to sink in those requirements suddenly become flexible enough that along with some customizations of an existing package we find a fit. — "Its the bugs that keep it running."                                       -Joe Canuck

Response:

After programming to Quickbooks and finding it wanting, I’m half-considering writing my own accounting package. With my current project, I have to shadow almost everything QB does except payroll, since the client’s reporting needs are somewhat more sophisticated than QB allows for, and the non-robustness of a single (corruptible, deletable, fubar-able) company file has my teeth chattering. So I thought I’d barge into this group and see if I could find any pointers on starting a project like this. I don’t have an accounting background, but the concepts behind double-entry accounting are fairly familiar to me now. The industry is healthcare, and so there are various idiosyncracies having to do with multiple payors for a single charge. The claims management piece is done and sits on top of the accounting system. What resources would you suggest for getting a good grounding in accounting system design? I’d like to find some sort of comprehensive set of standard requirements or best practices that I can rely on to make sure I’m being thorough. Are there any free packages that may provide a solid starting point? Books? I’d need General Ledger, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Payroll and Collections. This is a service industry, so I don’t need inventory management. Frankly, just seeing a good database schema would go a long ways… Thanks in advance for any info you can pass along. BLink Brian Link in St. Paul, Minnesota

Response:

Question:

I am starting a small home bookkeeping and payroll service.  What would be the best software package for me? I will probably have up to 8 to 10 companies at the most. I have experience mostly with Peachtree Complete Accounting, MS Money and QuickBooks 99.  Is Quickbooks 99 still available to purchase, QuickBooks 2000 scares me as I have not heard anything good about it.  Thanks for your help! * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!

Response:

I have a small home bookkeeping business (11 small businesses) and I use both Quickbookspro 99 and 2000.  I use both because some of my clients use QB 99 and some use 2000.  I didn’t like 2000 at first but now that I have used it for a while and have become accustomed to it, I like it somewhat better than the older versions (have used QB since version 2 for DOS).  My clients range from medical offices to construction and QB works well for all of them. Angela Remember:  That which doesn’t break us makes us stronger.

Response:

Question:

>Yes!! Ellen Ripley. I was driving myself crazy. Don’t you hate that? you know >the answer and any other time could spout if off, but the minute you think >about it, it leaves your brain.

Yep, or you get something stuck in your mind that you KNOW isn’t right. Happened the other night when Barry White was a guest star. He came out and I said ‘What IS his name???’ Hubby couldn’t remember, guessed ‘Lou Rawls.’ I KNEW that wasn’t it, but all I could do was think ‘B! It starts with a B! BB King? NO!!’ and then couldn’t get BB King out of my head! — Tracey — "I used to think that life should be fair. But then I realized it’s better that life is unfair.  If life is fair, it would mean we deserve all the terrible things that happen to us." – Marcus, Ranger extrordinaire.

Response:

In article <19990830130704.11340.00001…@ng-bd1.aol.com>, lilca…@aol.com (Tiger pad softly…) wrote: > I’d like to put a theory out, and see what other people think…. > My theory is this:  Men, in general, look at "sexy" women, and women, in > general, look at "cute" men.  In other words, men look at women who are > sexually attractive to them, ie. their bodies; while women look at men who are > aesthetically pleasing, ie. their faces.   > Keep in mind this is all "in general." > Nikolette

Greetings May I suggest the book Manwatching by Desmond Morris? It will tell you a lot about how we see each other and the clues we exhibit. As to your theory, guys will focus on their favorite part of the anatomy; breast, crotch, legs or butt first. Guys look at all women. It is only when there is more than one to look at that the "sexy" one gets more attention. One guy might find sexy legs and another guy looking at the sexy bust on someone else so the same women is not necessarily getting all the attention. I do remember one exception to this. A girl in college with me who had long hair to her knees and wore it down everyday. Guys did not just look, they stopped what they were doing and stared. Women look at another person’s eyes first. If they are looking at a man, it is to see what part he is focusing on. If they are looking at another woman, the eye contact will lead to a gesture of acknowlegement; smile or eyebrow movement. An interesting discussion is the use of makeup. Is it for the guys or other women? The guys are not looking at your face anyway so it is not really for them. Wendy Bernadette

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -On Thu, 02 Sep 1999 12:05:49 GMT, gretc…@nls.net (Kynvelyn) wrote: >In article <19990830130704.11340.00001…@ng-bd1.aol.com>, >lilca…@aol.com (Tiger pad softly…) wrote: >> I’d like to put a theory out, and see what other people think…. >> My theory is this:  Men, in general, look at "sexy" women, and women, in >> general, look at "cute" men.  In other words, men look at women who are >> sexually attractive to them, ie. their bodies; while women look at men who are >> aesthetically pleasing, ie. their faces.   >> Keep in mind this is all "in general." >> Nikolette >Greetings >May I suggest the book Manwatching by Desmond Morris? It will tell you a >lot about how we see each other and the clues we exhibit. >As to your theory, guys will focus on their favorite part of the anatomy; >breast, crotch, legs or butt first. Guys look at all women. It is only >when there is more than one to look at that the "sexy" one gets more >attention. One guy might find sexy legs and another guy looking at the >sexy bust on someone else so the same women is not necessarily getting all >the attention. I do remember one exception to this. A girl in college with >me who had long hair to her knees and wore it down everyday. Guys did not >just look, they stopped what they were doing and stared. >Women look at another person’s eyes first. If they are looking at a man, >it is to see what part he is focusing on. If they are looking at another >woman, the eye contact will lead to a gesture of acknowlegement; smile or >eyebrow movement. >An interesting discussion is the use of makeup. Is it for the guys or >other women? The guys are not looking at your face anyway so it is not >really for them. >Wendy Bernadette

Phooey, that book sound like a waste of trees to me … I am as much a guy as anyone here or elsewhere …when I see a woman I look first at the face (preferably with minimal makeup) and than at the overall body to see if she is reasonably fit … if my intent is to ask her out.   If I am looking for conversation or knowledge, I do not care what she looks like … then only intelligence matters. Floridanewbie

Response:

Yes!! Ellen Ripley. I was driving myself crazy. Don’t you hate that? you know the answer and any other time could spout if off, but the minute you think about it, it leaves your brain. I agree, she didn’t look like an Ellen at all. Althea In article <19990831132410.13949.00003…@ngol04.aol.com>, rbranch…@aol.com – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -(Tracey) wrote: >In article <JbSy3.122$e4….@news1.iquest.net>, vandi…@iquest.net (Althea) >writes: >>Althea (what the heck is Sigourney Weaver’s character’s name in those movies. >>I’m drawing a blank and it’s driving me crazy. I’ve seen those movies so many >>times.) >Ripley…….Can’t quite remember if she had a first name….Ellen? >She sure didn’t *look* like an Ellen. >Tracey

Response:

In article <JbSy3.122$e4….@news1.iquest.net>, vandi…@iquest.net (Althea) writes: >Althea (what the heck is Sigourney Weaver’s character’s name in those movies. >I’m drawing a blank and it’s driving me crazy. I’ve seen those movies so many >times.)

Ripley…….Can’t quite remember if she had a first name….Ellen? She sure didn’t *look* like an Ellen. Tracey

Response:

I personally find certain personality types appealing for long term pursuit. Short term appeal, that would get my attention is of course all physical, since that’s all any of us have to work with when first meeting someone in person…but then the traits that appeal to me are not the norm. The *ideal* woman looks like all the other supermodels, but the one that would get the *most effort* from me at a social event, meaning I would pursue the most, is not the supermodel. She would be about 5′-5′8", around 125-150lbs ‘ish, have ample breasts, a pretty face, a round butt, and a little bit of a pooch on her stomach, some fat here and there to make her soft and huggable, and long hair of most any color. The point is model figures are not the most appealing to me, the ‘hot babes’ more often have a bad attitude. The girl next door types are much more appealing to me. But the personality is far more important than looks, and obnoxious personality will not be overlooked in lieu of a perfect body ever, by me. A nice person, who is sweet, intelligent, honest, and dedicated, could look most any way and still be appealing to me. I think anyone who limits themselves to only people who meet a certian level of visual appeal, are limiting themselves much more than they probably will ever appreciate. Just my POV Egoslayer1 Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

Dana > wrote in message … > Men look at women and women look at men looking at women.

I think this is what the average male would "like" to believe. Perhaps while the men are looking at "other" women, there is another man looking at "your" woman, and she’s looking back at him? How would you know … your looking at other women? — Spiderweb =} "Real women don’t have hot flashes, they have power surges"

Response:

Yeah, he likes the non-alien infested one!! She was scary wasn’t she, when she kicked the crap out of that one guy who thought he could get with her. (The guy who played Vincent in that "Beauty and Beast" series with Linda Hamilton years ago. Althea (what the heck is Sigourney Weaver’s character’s name in those movies. I’m drawing a blank and it’s driving me crazy. I’ve seen those movies so many times.) In article <19990830231649.16897.00004…@ngol02.aol.com>, rbranch…@aol.com – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -(Tracey) wrote: >In article <dNGy3.89$e4….@news1.iquest.net>, vandi…@iquest.net (Althea) >writes: >>When you ask him about actresses he says >>"Sigourney Weaver in Alien," or some other actress in some other movie. >I hope he means one of the first three, because she’s DAMNED >scary in the last one <shudder>. >Tracey ><who could and does watches all of the Alien movies over and >over…and over….and over….and over….>

Response:

In article <dNGy3.89$e4….@news1.iquest.net>, vandi…@iquest.net (Althea) writes: >When you ask him about actresses he says >"Sigourney Weaver in Alien," or some other actress in some other movie.

I hope he means one of the first three, because she’s DAMNED scary in the last one <shudder>. Tracey <who could and does watches all of the Alien movies over and over…and over….and over….and over….>

Response:

>because she’s DAMNED >scary in the last one <shudder>.

LOL Nikolette

Response:

Men look at women and women look at men looking at women. Tiger pad softly… <lilca…@aol.com> wrote in message news:19990830130704.11340.00001654@ng-bd1.aol.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I’d like to put a theory out, and see what other people think…. > My theory is this:  Men, in general, look at "sexy" women, and women, in > general, look at "cute" men.  In other words, men look at women who are > sexually attractive to them, ie. their bodies; while women look at men who are > aesthetically pleasing, ie. their faces. > Keep in mind this is all "in general." > Nikolette

Response:

My experience is that there is no accounting for taste. Tiger pad softly… wrote in message

<19990830130704.11340.00001…@ng-bd1.aol.com>… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I’d like to put a theory out, and see what other people think…. >My theory is this:  Men, in general, look at "sexy" women, and women, in >general, look at "cute" men.  In other words, men look at women who are >sexually attractive to them, ie. their bodies; while women look at men who are >aesthetically pleasing, ie. their faces. >Keep in mind this is all "in general." >Nikolette

Response:

Hmmm, I tend to go for a certain "type" or attitude. For example, I think Brad Pitt is cute, but I’d have a heart attack if Sean Connery spoke to me. Tom Cruise is handsome, but Ed Harris makes my knees weak. Hubby tends to be the same way. When you ask him about actresses he says "Sigourney Weaver in Alien," or some other actress in some other movie. He’s talking about the type of woman they are or portray, not how they look. He goes for the strong, independent yet open to partnership type of woman. Althea In article <19990830130704.11340.00001…@ng-bd1.aol.com>, lilca…@aol.com – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -(Tiger pad softly…) wrote: >I’d like to put a theory out, and see what other people think…. >My theory is this:  Men, in general, look at "sexy" women, and women, in >general, look at "cute" men.  In other words, men look at women who are >sexually attractive to them, ie. their bodies; while women look at men who are >aesthetically pleasing, ie. their faces.   >Keep in mind this is all "in general." >Nikolette

Response:

I’d like to put a theory out, and see what other people think…. My theory is this:  Men, in general, look at "sexy" women, and women, in general, look at "cute" men.  In other words, men look at women who are sexually attractive to them, ie. their bodies; while women look at men who are aesthetically pleasing, ie. their faces.   Keep in mind this is all "in general." Nikolette

Response:

Question:

I need some help in an assignment question. If OE = Owners Equity at the beginning of the period     K = Contributions by owners during the period     D = Drawings by owners during the period     R = Revenues during the period     E = Expenses during the period     A = Assets atthe end of the period     L = Liabilities at the end of the period Based on the accounting equations ( A=L + OE or A – L=OE), then which of the following relationships are correct? a)  A + R            = OE + K – D + L – E b)  E                   = L + OE + K – D – A + R c)  L + OE + K   = A – R + E + D d) OE                  = A + L – R + E – K + D e)  A + E             = OE + L + K – D + R One, several or all may be correct. Can anyone help shed some light on this?? Irene

Response:

Simple: Assign a value to each variable.  If the equation is equal, then that is the correct equation.  I haven’t tried each of them, but there may be more than one answer. : I need some help in an assignment question. : : If OE = Owners Equity at the beginning of the period :     K = Contributions by owners during the period :     D = Drawings by owners during the period :     R = Revenues during the period :     E = Expenses during the period :     A = Assets atthe end of the period :     L = Liabilities at the end of the period : : Based on the accounting equations ( A=L + OE or A – L=OE), then which of the : following relationships are correct? : : a)  A + R            = OE + K – D + L – E : b)  E                   = L + OE + K – D – A + R : c)  L + OE + K   = A – R + E + D : d) OE                  = A + L – R + E – K + D : e)  A + E             = OE + L + K – D + R : : One, several or all may be correct. : Can anyone help shed some light on this?? : : Irene : : : :

Response:

Question:

Fuck the fighting back, it’s about time California put those multiculturalists in their place.  I hope the other 49 states learn a lesson and implement it also.  America is one society, where all acheievement should be based on personal merit, not race or gender.  That is defined as racism.  It should not be allowed, ever.

Response:

**Fightback begins vs California Prop. 209** (Reprinted from the November 16, 1996 issue of the People’s Weekly World. May be reprinted or reposted with PWW credit. For subscription information see below) By Marilyn Bechtel OAKLAND, CA – Following passage of anti-affirmative action Prop. 209 in last week’s election, civil rights, labor and community organizations are challenging the measure in court. At the same time, cities where 209 was defeated are vowing to keep their affirmative action programs. The day after the election, a statewide coalition of civil rights, labor, education and business organizations and individuals mounted a powerful legal challenge in U.S. District Court to block implementation of the measure. ACLU chapters in Southern and Northern California, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and the Employment Law Center were joined by the California Labor Federation, California NAACP, the NOW Legal Defense & Education Fund, the Asian Pacific-American Legal Center and other organizations and individuals. The suit charges that 209 violates the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause because minorities and women are barred from seeking protective race- or gender-conscious legislation while other groups are free to seek preferential treatment, Eva Paterson, executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, told the World. She said the suit also states that 209 violates federal civil rights laws. Paterson said formation of "a wonderful broad coalition" – multiracial, multinational, men and women, young and old, to fight the measure before and after Election Day shows that "the racial wedge did not work." In Los Angeles County, 209 was defeated by a 55 to 45 percent margin. The Los Angeles City Council strongly opposed the initiative from the beginning. In the after math of the election, council members said they would not change any of the city’s affirmative action programs and that the city would have to be sued to mandate enforcement. "Clearly the vote in Los Angeles County, and in the city itself which was 60 percent against 209, shows the tremendous amount of organizing here has paid off," said Joselito Laudencia, Southern California Director, Californians for Justice. Laudencia said the Metropolitan Alliance, which spearheaded area grassroots anti-209 work, united different communities that had not previously worked together in a struggle that "sparked a new civil rights movement in California." San Francisco County voters rejected Prop. 209 by a whopping 71 to 29 percent. Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Cruz and Marin Counties also rejected the measure by substantial margins, while in Santa Clara County the vote was still too close to call. In San Jose, where voters turned down Prop. 209 by a 51 to 49 percent margin, City Attorney Joan Gallo told the City Council last week that the city’s affirmative action plan "does not provide preferences but has been designed to encourage outreach and to demonstrate that there has been no discrimination." Based on the Third District Court of Appeals’ statement last summer that Prop. 209 does not bar outreach programs, Gallo proposed modifying the present program. The new proposal would involve setting a percentage of women and minority subcontractors likely to be part of a bid package in the absence of discrimination or preference, based on the number of such firms in the area. Contractors failing to hire the specified percentage would have to show they had neither discriminated nor given impermissable preferences. Gallo told the World she believes minority and women contractors will be hired because they give good service and are competitive. Banning preferences "cuts into the tendency to contract with people you know," she said. "We believe we should be opening doors." The council, which strongly opposes 209, was expected to consider Gallo’s proposal later this month. Meanwhile, hundreds of University of California students marched and demonstrated to protest 209’s passage and the UC president’s statement that campus chancellors should implement the measure immediately. The University of California Student Association said demonstrations would continue, leading to statewide walkouts the week of Dec. 6. In Washington, following calls for action by the Rev. Jesse Jackson and women’s movement leader Eleanor Smeal, the Clinton administration said at the end of last week it was considering either filing its own lawsuit or joining the suit already filed. Jackson called 209 "a classic state’s rights act challenging federal authority." He praised President Clinton for opposing the measure during his campaign, but emphasized that more than talk is needed now. Prop. 209’s backers paid millions of dollars for its passage. Another example of huge spending by the ultra-right was the campaign which overwhelmingly defeated labor- and community-backed Prop. 211 to protect retirement savings from fraud. Corporations headed by accounting, insurance and Silicon Valley firms and the New York Stock Exchange gave nearly $40 million to sink it. ##30##        ****  235 W. 23rd St. NYC 10011      ***      *   **    ****   *  $20/yr – $1-2 mos trial sub    *  ****    * Tired of the same old system: Join the Communist Party, USA            http://www.hartford-hwp.com/cp-usa

Response:

Question:

              CAR BATTERY FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 2.0                            September 8, 1996

Very interesting.  Thanks for posting this.     A.  If BELOW freezing, determine that the electrolyte is NOT frozen in the dead battery.  If frozen, allow to thaw BEFORE proceeding.  A discharged battery, i.e., battery voltage or 12.0 volts or less or specific gravity of 1.140 or less, will freeze at approximately 8 degrees F (-15 degrees C).

I’m on the northern edge of the prairies so it gets reasonably cold here in Alberta in winter hence my next question: Somebody once told me that if your battery is dead, ie you need a jump start, and you let the battery freeze, the battery is destroyed by the freezing and you need a new battery.  Is this correct? 8.  HOW DO I INSTALL A BATTERY?     E.  Place the replacement battery so that the NEGATIVE cable will connect to the NEGATIVE terminal.  Reversing the polarity of the electrical system will severely damage or DESTROY it.  

Precisely what is it in this case?  The battery or the electrical system.  Which will be damaged? Thanks, Tony —- Tony Toews, Independent Computer Consultant Jack of a few computer related trades and master (or certified) of none. Microsoft Access Hints & Tips: Accounting Systems, Winfax Pro, Reports and Books at http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm

Response:

<<<SNIP 8.  HOW DO I INSTALL A BATTERY?     E.  Place the replacement battery so that the NEGATIVE cable will connect to the NEGATIVE terminal.  Reversing the polarity of the electrical system will severely damage or DESTROY it.   Precisely what is it in this case?  The battery or the electrical system.  Which will be damaged?

They’re talking about your vehicle’s electrical system.  The battery couldn’t care less (it looks like a short to the battery, and it will just dump it’s charging system is running – such as the case with a jump start) but all the electronics will pitch a fit – and all the smoke will probably leak out. Mike *   *   *   *   * The Clan MacDude – Where anyone can be a Scotsman. http://www.macdude.org *   *   *   *   *

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – <<<SNIP 8.  HOW DO I INSTALL A BATTERY?     E.  Place the replacement battery so that the NEGATIVE cable will connect to the NEGATIVE terminal.  Reversing the polarity of the electrical system will severely damage or DESTROY it.   Precisely what is it in this case?  The battery or the electrical system.  Which will be damaged? They’re talking about your vehicle’s electrical system.  The battery couldn’t care less (it looks like a short to the battery, and it will just dump it’s charging system is running – such as the case with a jump start) but all the electronics will pitch a fit – and all the smoke will probably leak out.

It is a little known fact – but we teach all new BBC Engineers, that electronic equipment works by smoke. If it leaks out then the equipment will shortly stop working and I have never found a way to get the smoke back inside properly. Chris. (opinions are my own, not necessarily those of my employer)

Response:

    A.  If BELOW freezing, determine that the electrolyte is NOT frozen in the dead battery.  If frozen, allow to thaw BEFORE proceeding.  A discharged battery, i.e., battery voltage or 12.0 volts or less or specific gravity of 1.140 or less, will freeze at approximately 8 degrees F (-15 degrees C). Somebody once told me that if your battery is dead, ie you need a jump start, and you let the battery freeze, the battery is destroyed by the freezing and you need a new battery.  Is this correct?

        If you don’t thaw it first, the EXPLOSION that’s reasonably likely to occur will remove all doubt about the battery’s status. The freezing itself may or may not ruin the battery.  The expanding ice crystals will try to push things around and may or may not do damage depending on the battery’s structure and the pattern of freezing.  I have the impression (no experience to back it up) that car batteries used to survive OK; may not be true anymore with changes in plate materials (may be more brittle and might fracture as the ice expands). 8.  HOW DO I INSTALL A BATTERY?     E.  Place the replacement battery so that the NEGATIVE cable will connect to the NEGATIVE terminal.  Reversing the polarity of the electrical system will severely damage or DESTROY it.   Precisely what is it in this case?

        Either or both.  In a vehicle with an alternator, connecting the battery backwards will short it through the alternator diodes. Depending on the wiring, fuses or fusible links, and connection resistances you could blow fuses or fusible links, detonate the alternator diodes, and/or start an electrical fire.  Not to mention the nice things this might do for you engine computer, stereo, and other electronic goodies if they aren’t properly protected from reverse polarity (you just never know when somebody will decide to save a few cents…).           The battery itself is likely to survive the event until the fire gets it (be sure to either extinguish the fire or get away before that happens).  Note that extinguishing the fire may prove quite difficult since the battery will still be happily pumping out energy to reignite it, and then there’s the bonus risk of a hydrogen explosion.         Moral of the story:  DON’T GET THE POLARITY WRONG!  Ever. —– Greg Thoman:  The opinions expressed herein are mine alone, and I am               solely irresponsible for them.

Response:

: Somebody once told me that if your battery is dead, ie you need a jump : start, and you let the battery freeze, the battery is destroyed by the : freezing and you need a new battery.  Is this correct? :         If you don’t thaw it first, the EXPLOSION that’s reasonably : likely to occur will remove all doubt about the battery’s status. : The freezing itself may or may not ruin the battery.  The expanding : ice crystals will try to push things around and may or may not do : damage depending on the battery’s structure and the pattern of : freezing.  I have the impression (no experience to back it up) : that car batteries used to survive OK; may not be true anymore with : changes in plate materials (may be more brittle and might fracture : as the ice expands). I’ll second that. Make SURE that the battery is not frozen. How do ya check? Well, pulling off the caps and looking in there does not always work!!! When I was a kid, a guy pulled into our gas station late one night in the middle of a winter storm. The headlights were dim and he told us he’d just jumped the car to get it started and wanted us to leave our charger hooked up to his battery for a few hours. We had him park beside the station, checked the fluid levels in the battery, which seemed fine, hooked up the charger, saw that it was taking a charge and lowered the hood down until the safety latch caught. This was an early sixties car, only about 2-3 years old then. There was lots of room under the hood for the battery cables and clamps. We just lowered the hood to keep the snow outta the engine compartment. About 1/2 hour later a loud noise got our attention. The battery had exploded. The whole upper 7/8 of the battery had launched itself upwards through the hood of the car. This was a hood made of real metal, not the tinny junk of todays new cars. There was nothing left of the cable clamps, either. A few days later, our battery supplier came by and looked at what was left of the battery we pried out of the tray. His diagnosis was frozen battery. I guess he’d seen dozens of ‘em. It turned out our battery looked ok from the top but was frozen down in the bottom. Moral: If in doubt, leave the battery in a heated area for a day or so before attempting to charge it. And yes, this one time it would be nice to set the battery up on a piece of wood, so that the bottom warms up as quickly as the top, not left on a concrete floor. Later I learned that an engine block water heater and one of those flat plastic battery heaters that fit under a battery will get your car started under VERY cold conditions if you’ve got some electrical power nearby. Bill

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –               CAR BATTERY FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 2.0                            September 8, 1996 Very interesting.  Thanks for posting this.     A.  If BELOW freezing, determine that the electrolyte is NOT frozen in the dead battery.  If frozen, allow to thaw BEFORE proceeding.  A discharged battery, i.e., battery voltage or 12.0 volts or less or specific gravity of 1.140 or less, will freeze at approximately 8 degrees F (-15 degrees C). I’m on the northern edge of the prairies so it gets reasonably cold here in Alberta in winter hence my next question: Somebody once told me that if your battery is dead, ie you need a jump start, and you let the battery freeze, the battery is destroyed by the freezing and you need a new battery.  Is this correct? 8.  HOW DO I INSTALL A BATTERY?     E.  Place the replacement battery so that the NEGATIVE cable will connect to the NEGATIVE terminal.  Reversing the polarity of the electrical system will severely damage or DESTROY it. Precisely what is it in this case?  The battery or the electrical system.  Which will be damaged?

    I think that both could be damaged, but I know for a fact that if you connect the neg bat cable to the pos bat terminal you will short the electrical system, possible melting wires and causeing hundreds of dollars in damage… A freind of mine ( thought he knew it all ) connected his car bat backwards after I told him it went the other way, smoke came from under the dash and hood… needless to say his car never started. — Latez, Purple Haze

Response:

               CAR BATTERY FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 2.0                             September 8, 1996 A word of caution.  Batteries contain a sulfuric acid electrolyte which is a highly corrosive poison, that will produce gasses when recharged and explode if ignited.  This will hurt you–BAD!  When working with batteries, you need to have plenty of ventilation, remove jewelry, wear protective clothing and eye wear, and exercise caution.  Whenever possible, please follow the manufacturer’s instructions for testing, jumping, installing and charging.  This FAQ assumes a six cell, 12 volt negatively grounded system found in most cars, light trucks or vans. The technical stuff is in [brackets].   CONTENTS      1.  WHAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE?      2.  WHY BOTHER?      3.  HOW DO I PERFORM PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE?      4.  HOW DO I TEST A BATTERY?      5.  HOW DO I KNOW IF THE CHARGING SYSTEM IS OK?      6.  HOW DO I JUMP START MY CAR?      7.  WHAT DO I LOOK FOR IN BUYING A NEW BATTERY?      8.  HOW DO I INSTALL A NEW BATTERY?      9.  HOW DO I RECHARGE MY BATTERY?      10.  WHAT IS PARASITIC LOAD?      11.  HOW CAN I INCREASE THE LIFE OF MY BATTERY?      12.  WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF PREMATURE BATTERY             FAILURES?      13.  WHAT ARE THE MYTHS ABOUT BATTERIES?      14.  WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFO ON BATTERIES?     1.  WHAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE?      A.  Perform regular preventative maintenance, especially during HOT weather and before COLD weather,  (See Section 3)      B.  Remove surface charge before load testing and check the specific gravity in each cell and the terminal voltage,  (See Section 4)      C.  Keep the battery charged, but do NOT overcharge,  (See Section 9)      D.  Buy the freshest and largest Reserve Capacity (RC), non-sealed battery that will physically fit with a Cold Cranking Amp (CCA) rating for     your climate that meets or exceeds the car’s Original Equipment Manufacturer’s (OEM) cranking amp requirement, and  (See Section 7)      E.  Retest after deep discharges or jump starts for latent damage.   (See Section 4) 2.  WHY BOTHER? Because only the rich can afford cheap batteries….. A good quality battery will cost between $50 and $100 U.S. and, if properly maintained, it should give you an average of five years of service.  The primary purpose of a car battery is to start the engine, filter or stabilize the power, and provide extra power for the ignition, lighting and other accessories when their combined load EXCEEDS the capability of the charging system, i.e., when the engine is idling.   Secondarily, a car battery provides power to the electrical system when the charging system is not operating.   A battery "ages" as the active plate material sheds (or flakes off) due to the expansion and contraction that occurs during the discharge and recharge cycles.  Deep discharges, heat and vibration accelerate this "aging" process.  Eventually, the sediment builds up and the cell shorts out or the active material in the plates can no longer sustain a discharge current and the battery "dies".  In a hot climate, the harshest environment for a battery, a recent survey of junk batteries revealed that the AVERAGE life of a good qualify battery was 37 months, whereas, for a poor quality battery, it was 23 months.   Slow cranking, especially on a cold day, is another good indication that your battery is going bad and it should be tested. Deeply discharged batteries almost always occur at the most inopportune times, e.g., AFTER you have jump started your car, at the airport returning home from a long trip, during bad weather, late at night in a dark parking lot, or when you are late for an appointment.  You can easily spend the cost of a new battery or more for an emergency jump start or tow.   Most of the "defective" batteries returned to the manufacturer  are good.   This suggests that most SELLERS of new batteries do not know how to properly test batteries. 3.  HOW DO I PERFORM PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE? Maintaining the correct electrolyte levels, tightening loose hold-down clamps and terminals, removing corrosion, and checking the alternator belt tension is normally the ONLY preventative maintenance required for a battery.  The preventive maintenance frequency is dependent upon climate and battery type, but you should perform at least once before cold weather starts and once a month in hot weather. If the electrolyte levels are low, add DISTILLED water to the level indicated by the battery manufacturer or to 1/8" BELOW the bottom of the filler tube (vent wells).  DO NOT OVERFILL, especially in hot climates! 4.  HOW DO I TEST A BATTERY? The are four simple steps to test a car battery–inspection, remove surface charge, state-of-charge test and load test.  To test a battery (or to troubleshoot charging or electrical systems), you will need a digital voltmeter with .5% or better accuracy.  A digital voltmeter can be purchased at an electronics store and will cost between $20 and $200 U.S.   If you have a non-sealed battery, you will need a temperature compensating hydrometer which can be purchased at an auto parts store for approximately $5 U.S.            A.  INSPECTION Visually inspect for obvious problems, e.g., loose alternator belt, low electrolyte, corroded cable or terminal clamps, loose hold-down clamps or cable terminals, or a damaged case.      B.  REMOVE SURFACE CHARGE If you have just recharged you battery or driven your car, eliminate any surface charge by one of the following methods; otherwise, go to the next step:           1.  Allow the battery to sit for two to three hours,           2.  Turn the headlights on high beam for five minutes and                 wait five minutes, or           3.  With a battery load tester, apply a load at one half the                 battery’s CCA rating for 15 seconds and wait five minutes.      C.  STATE-OF-CHARGE TEST Using the following table, determine the battery’s state-of-charge:        Open Circuit          Approximate           Average Cell     Battery Voltage      State-of-charge       Specific Gravity          12.65                100%                  1.265          12.45                 75%                  1.225          12.24                 50%                  1.190          12.06                 25%                  1.155          11.89                  0%                  1.120 [If the temperature of the electrolyte is below 70 degrees F (21.1 degrees C), then add .012 volts (12 millivolts) per degree below 70 degrees F to the reading.] Check both the specific gravity in each cell with a external hydrometer AND the battery terminal voltage with a digital voltmeter without the engine running.  For sealed batteries, measuring the battery’s voltage without the engine running with a digital voltmeter is the only way you can determine the state-of-charge.  Some batteries have a built-in hydrometer which only measures the state-of-charge in ONE of it’s six cells.  If the indicator is clear or light yellow, then the battery has a low electrolyte level and should be refilled before proceeding, or if sealed, the battery should be replaced. If the state-of-charge is BELOW 75% using either the specific gravity or voltage test or the built-in hydrometer indicates "bad" (usually dark), then the battery needs to be recharged BEFORE proceeding.  Replace the battery, if one or more of the following conditions occur:            1.  If there is a .050 or more difference in the specific                  gravity reading between the highest and lowest cell, you                  have a weak or dead cell(s),            2.  If the battery will not recharge to a 75% or more                  state-of-charge level or if the built-in hydrometer still                  does not indicate "good" (usually green, which is 65%                  state-of-charge or better),            3.  If digital voltmeter indicates 0 volts, you have an open                  cell, or            4.  If the digital voltmeter indicates 10.45 to 10.65 volts,                  you have a shorted cell.  [A shorted cell is caused by                  plates touching, sediment build-up or "treeing" between                  plates.      D.  LOAD TEST If the battery's state-of-charge is at 75% or higher or has a "good" built-in hydrometer indication, then load test the battery by one of the following methods:           1.  Turn the headlights on high beam for five minutes,             2.  Disable the ignition and turn the engine over for 15                 seconds with the starter motor,           3.  With a battery load tester, apply a load equal to one half                 of the CCA rating of the battery for 15 seconds, or           4.  With a battery load tester, apply a load equal to one half                 the OEM cranking amp specification for 15 seconds. DURING the load test, the voltage on a good battery will NOT drop below 9.7 volts with the electrolyte at 80 degrees F (26.7 degrees C).  [If the electrolyte is above 80 degrees F, add .1 volt for every 10 degrees  above 80 until you reach 100 degrees.  If below 80 degrees F, subtract .1 volt for every 10 degrees until 40 degrees.]  After the load is removed, wait five minutes and the battery should "bounce back" to the 50% state-of-charge level or above.  If the battery drops below minimum test voltage, does not bounce back, or will not start the engine, then you should replace it.  If the battery passes this test, you should recharge it to restore it to peak performance. 5.  HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHARGING SYSTEM IS OK? A car’s charging system is composed of an alternator (or DC generator), a voltage regulator, battery and indicator light or gauge.  While the engine is running, it’s purpose is to provide power for the car’s electrical load, … read more »

Response:

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –                    THE STORY OF THE BUCK ACT                               by                        Richard McDonald                            edited by                         Mitch Modeleski     In order  for you  to understand  the full import of what is happening, I must explain certain laws to you.     When passing  new statutes,  the Federal  government  always does everything according to the principles of law.  In order for the Federal  Government to  tax a  Citizen of  one of the several states, they  had to create some sort of contractual nexus.  This contractual nexus is the "Social Security Number".     In 1935,  the federal government instituted Social Security. The  Social  Security  Board  then  created  10  Social  Security "Districts".   The combination of these "Districts" resulted in a "Federal area"  which covered all the several states like a clear plastic overlay.     In 1939,  the  federal  government  instituted  the  "Public Salary Tax  Act of  1939".   This Act  is a  municipal law of the District of  Columbia for taxing all federal and state government employees and those who live and work in any "Federal area".

It is a law for the United States of America.  It is not a municipal law.     Now, the government knows it cannot tax those state Citizens who live and work outside the territorial jurisdiction of Article 1, Section  8, Clause 17 (1:8:17) or Article 4, Section 3, Clause 2 (4:3:2) in the U.S. Constitution.  

The 16th Amendment changed this.  That is why it is called an "Amendment".  Note that "state Citizens" are also "US citizens" according to the 14th Amendment. So, in 1940, Congress passed the "Buck  Act", 4 U.S.C.S. Sections 105-113.  In Section 110(e), this Act  authorized any  department of the federal government to create a  "Federal area" for imposition of the "Public Salary Tax Act of  1939".   This tax is imposed at 4 U.S.C.S. Sec. 111.  The rest of  the taxing  law is  found in  the Internal Revenue Code. The Social  Security Board  had already  created a "Federal area" overlay.     4 U.S.C.S.  Sec. 110(d).   The  term  "State"  includes  any     Territory or possession of the United States.

Evidently for the purposes of this law.  It would be far better for them to have defined another term to include states, territories, and possessions for the purposes of the law.  Note that this definition of "State" still includes the constituent states of the USA.     4 U.S.C.S.  Sec. 110(e).   The term "Federal area" means any     lands or  premises held or acquired by or for the use of the     United States or any department, establishment, or agency of     the United  States;  

Note the semicolon ends the first definition.  A second definition of another term follows.     and any  Federal  area,  or  any  part     thereof, which  is located within the exterior boundaries of     any State,  shall be  deemed to  be a  Federal area  located     within such State.

So Fort Meade, in addtion to being a Federal area, is also a Federal area located within Maryland.     There is  no reasonable  doubt that  the federal  "State" is imposing an excise tax under the provisions of 4 U.S.C.S. Section 105, which states in pertinent part:

The following Sec. 105 grants no taxation authority.  It states that the labeling of an area as a Federal area does not exempt that area from existing local and state taxes.  This quoted section in no way imposes any tax, excise or otherwise.     Sec. 105.  State, and  so forth,  taxation affecting Federal     areas;  sales or use tax     (a) No  person shall  be relieved from liability for payment     of, collection  of, or  accounting for  any sales or use tax     levied by  any State,  or by  any  duly  constituted  taxing     authority therein,  having jurisdiction to levy such tax, on     the ground  that the sale or use, with respect to which such     tax is levied, occurred in whole or in part within a Federal     area;   and such  State or  taxing authority shall have full     jurisdiction and  power to  levy and collect any such tax in     any Federal  area within  such State  to the same extent and     with the  same effect  as though such area was not a Federal     area.

I.e. state and local authorities have their collection of tax unaffected by whether a location is labelled a Federal area.  E.g. at NIH, you have to pay MD state sales tax at the gift shop.  This seems like it should mean that PX’s should also charge the local and state sales taxes.  My understanding was that they didn’t.  Could someone explain this dichotomy?     Irrespective of what the tax is called, if its purpose is to     produce revenue, it is an income tax or a receipts tax under     the Buck Act [4 U.S.C.A. Secs. 105-110].     Humble Oil & Refining Co. v. Calvert, 464 SW 2d. 170 (1971),     affd (Tex) 478 SW 2d. 926, cert. den. 409 U.S. 967, 34 L.Ed.     2d. 234, 93 S.Ct. 293.

I.e. the Buck act labels taxes whose purpose is to produce revenue as either income or receipts taxes.  Fine definition.  What point is being raised?     Thus, the obvious question arises: What is a "Federal area"?

Why does this become an "obvious question"?  It was defined above, and then a passage was quoted which stated the irrelevance of such designation for one purpose.  Nothing so far posted indicates any reason why we should be concerned with such a designation. A  "Federal   area"  is   any  area  designated  by  any  agency, department, or  establishment of  the  federal  government.  

This is contrary to the defintion posted above:     4 U.S.C.S.  Sec. 110(e).   The term "Federal area" means any     lands or  premises held or acquired by or for the use of the     United States or any department, establishment, or agency of     the United  States;  

It has nothing to do with "designation";  it means areas "acquired" or "held", i.e. land occupied by the federal governement. This includes the  Social Security  areas  designated  by  the  Social Security Administration, any public housing area that has federal funding, a  home that  has a  federal bank  loan, a road that has federal  funding,   and  almost   everything  that   the  federal government touches  through any  type of  aid.    Springfield  v. Kenny, 104  N.E. 2d 65 (1951 App.).  

This would be a very strange conclusion given the text above.  Could you quote from the above citation to support this claim?  Other con- clusions in this piece are poorly supported.  I see no reason to track down a case only to see that it does not support a wild claim based upon it. This "Federal area" attaches to anyone  who has  a Social  Security  Number  or  any  personal contact with  the federal  or state  governments.   Through  this mechanism, the  federal government usurped the Sovereignty of the People, as  well as  the Sovereignty  of the  several states,  by creating "Federal  areas" within  the boundaries  of  the  states under the  authority of Article 4, Section 3, Clause 2 (4:3:2) in the federal Constitution, which states:

Labelling something a "Federal area" does not make it the property of the USA.  The US does not own the contents of each zip code, or each Federal Reserve District, or the holder of each Social Security number.     2.   The Congress  shall have  Power to  dispose of and make     all needful  Rules and  Regulations respecting the Territory     or other  Property  belonging  to  the  United  States,  and     nothing in  this Constitution  shall be  so construed  as to     prejudice any  claims  of  the  United  States,  or  of  any     particular State.

Certainly if a property were owned by the US, the US could make rules respecting it.       Therefore, all  U.S. citizens [i.e. citizens of the District of Columbia]  residing in  one of  the states  of the  Union, are

Citizens of each state are US citizens, as are DC citizens.  Anyone born in any state is a US citizen, as are those whose parents are US citizens. classified as property, as franchisees of the federal government, and as  an "individual entity".  See Wheeling Steel Corp. v. Fox, 298 U.S. 193, 80 L.Ed. 1143, 56 S.Ct. 773.   Under the "Buck Act", 4 U.S.C.S.  Secs. 105-113,  the federal  government has created a "Federal area"  within the  boundaries of all the several states.

Nothing has been quoted from the Buck act to support this conclusion.  Nothing quoted from the Buck act has given the Federal government any powers over what is designated, solely for the purposes of that act, "Federal areas".  Any taking of property by the government is restricted in the Bill of Rights.  Such a wholesale taking as claimed herein would be unconstitutional on its face. This area is similar to any territory that the federal government acquires through  purchase, conquest  or treaty, thereby imposing federal territorial  law upon  all people in this "Federal area". Federal territorial  law is  evidenced by  the Executive Branch’s yellow-fringed U.S.  flag flying  in  schools,  offices  and  all courtrooms.

I have heard this claim disputed.  Could someone provide a basis for this claim–why we should believe it to be true? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –     You must  live on  land in one of the states in the Union of several states, not in any "Federal State" or "Federal area", nor can you  be involved  in any activity that would make you subject to "federal  laws". You  cannot  have  a  valid  Social  Security Number, a "resident" driver’s license, a motor vehicle registered in your  name, a  "federal"  bank  account,  a  Federal  Register Account  Number   relating  to  Individual  persons  [SSN],  (see Executive Order  Number 9397,  November 1943), or any other known "contract implied  in fact"

… read more »

Response:

                    THE STORY OF THE BUCK ACT                                by                         Richard McDonald                             edited by                          Mitch Modeleski      In order  for you  to understand  the full import of what is happening, I must explain certain laws to you.      When passing  new statutes,  the Federal  government  always does everything according to the principles of law.  In order for the Federal  Government to  tax a  Citizen of  one of the several states, they  had to create some sort of contractual nexus.  This contractual nexus is the "Social Security Number".      In 1935,  the federal government instituted Social Security. The  Social  Security  Board  then  created  10  Social  Security "Districts".   The combination of these "Districts" resulted in a "Federal area"  which covered all the several states like a clear plastic overlay.      In 1939,  the  federal  government  instituted  the  "Public Salary Tax  Act of  1939".   This Act  is a  municipal law of the District of  Columbia for taxing all federal and state government employees and those who live and work in any "Federal area".      Now, the government knows it cannot tax those state Citizens who live and work outside the territorial jurisdiction of Article 1, Section  8, Clause 17 (1:8:17) or Article 4, Section 3, Clause 2 (4:3:2) in the U.S. Constitution.  So, in 1940, Congress passed the "Buck  Act", 4 U.S.C.S. Sections 105-113.  In Section 110(e), this Act  authorized any  department of the federal government to create a  "Federal area" for imposition of the "Public Salary Tax Act of  1939".   This tax is imposed at 4 U.S.C.S. Sec. 111.  The rest of  the taxing  law is  found in  the Internal Revenue Code. The Social  Security Board  had already  created a "Federal area" overlay.      4 U.S.C.S.  Sec. 110(d).   The  term  "State"  includes  any      Territory or possession of the United States.      4 U.S.C.S.  Sec. 110(e).   The term "Federal area" means any      lands or  premises held or acquired by or for the use of the      United States or any department, establishment, or agency of      the United  States;   and any  Federal  area,  or  any  part      thereof, which  is located within the exterior boundaries of      any State,  shall be  deemed to  be a  Federal area  located      within such State.      There is  no reasonable  doubt that  the federal  "State" is imposing an excise tax under the provisions of 4 U.S.C.S. Section 105, which states in pertinent part:      Sec. 105.  State, and  so forth,  taxation affecting Federal      areas;  sales or use tax      (a) No  person shall  be relieved from liability for payment      of, collection  of, or  accounting for  any sales or use tax      levied by  any State,  or by  any  duly  constituted  taxing      authority therein,  having jurisdiction to levy such tax, on      the ground  that the sale or use, with respect to which such      tax is levied, occurred in whole or in part within a Federal      area;   and such  State or  taxing authority shall have full      jurisdiction and  power to  levy and collect any such tax in      any Federal  area within  such State  to the same extent and      with the  same effect  as though such area was not a Federal      area.      Irrespective of what the tax is called, if its purpose is to      produce revenue, it is an income tax or a receipts tax under      the Buck Act [4 U.S.C.A. Secs. 105-110].      Humble Oil & Refining Co. v. Calvert, 464 SW 2d. 170 (1971),      affd (Tex) 478 SW 2d. 926, cert. den. 409 U.S. 967, 34 L.Ed.      2d. 234, 93 S.Ct. 293.      Thus, the obvious question arises: What is a "Federal area"? A  "Federal   area"  is   any  area  designated  by  any  agency, department, or  establishment of  the  federal  government.  This includes the  Social Security  areas  designated  by  the  Social Security Administration, any public housing area that has federal funding, a  home that  has a  federal bank  loan, a road that has federal  funding,   and  almost   everything  that   the  federal government touches  through any  type of  aid.    Springfield  v. Kenny, 104  N.E. 2d 65 (1951 App.).  This "Federal area" attaches to anyone  who has  a Social  Security  Number  or  any  personal contact with  the federal  or state  governments.   Through  this mechanism, the  federal government usurped the Sovereignty of the People, as  well as  the Sovereignty  of the  several states,  by creating "Federal  areas" within  the boundaries  of  the  states under the  authority of Article 4, Section 3, Clause 2 (4:3:2) in the federal Constitution, which states:      2.   The Congress  shall have  Power to  dispose of and make      all needful  Rules and  Regulations respecting the Territory      or other  Property  belonging  to  the  United  States,  and      nothing in  this Constitution  shall be  so construed  as to      prejudice any  claims  of  the  United  States,  or  of  any      particular State.      Therefore, all  U.S. citizens [i.e. citizens of the District of Columbia]  residing in  one of  the states  of the  Union, are classified as property, as franchisees of the federal government, and as  an "individual entity".  See Wheeling Steel Corp. v. Fox, 298 U.S. 193, 80 L.Ed. 1143, 56 S.Ct. 773.  Under the "Buck Act", 4 U.S.C.S.  Secs. 105-113,  the federal  government has created a "Federal area"  within the  boundaries of all the several states. This area is similar to any territory that the federal government acquires through  purchase, conquest  or treaty, thereby imposing federal territorial  law upon  all people in this "Federal area". Federal territorial  law is  evidenced by  the Executive Branch’s yellow-fringed U.S.  flag flying  in  schools,  offices  and  all courtrooms.      You must  live on  land in one of the states in the Union of several states, not in any "Federal State" or "Federal area", nor can you  be involved  in any activity that would make you subject to "federal  laws". You  cannot  have  a  valid  Social  Security Number, a "resident" driver’s license, a motor vehicle registered in your  name, a  "federal"  bank  account,  a  Federal  Register Account  Number   relating  to  Individual  persons  [SSN],  (see Executive Order  Number 9397,  November 1943), or any other known "contract implied  in fact"  that  would  place  you  within  any "Federal area"  and thus  within the  territorial jurisdiction of the municipal  laws of  Congress.  Remember, all acts of Congress are territorial  in nature  and only apply within the territorial jurisdiction of  Congress.   (See American  Banana Co.  v. United Fruit Co.,  213 U.S.  347, 356-357  (1909);   U.S. v. Spelar, 338 U.S. 217,  222, 94 L.Ed. 3, 70 S.Ct. 10 (1949);  New York Central R.R. Co.  v. Chisholm, 268 U.S. 29, 31-32, 69 L.Ed. 828, 45 S.Ct. 402 (1925).)      There has  been created  a fictional Federal "State within a state".   See Howard v. Sinking Fund of Louisville, 344 U.S. 624, 73 S.Ct.  465, 476,  97 L.Ed. 617 (1953);  Schwartz v. O’Hara TP. School Dist., 100 A. 2d. 621, 625, 375 Pa. 440.  (Compare also 31 C.F.R. Parts 51.2 and 52.2, which also identify a fictional State within a state.)  This fictional "State" is identified by the use of  two-letter   abbreviations  like  "CA",  "AZ"  and  "TX",  as distinguished from  the authorized  abbreviations like  "Calif.", "Ariz." and  "Tex.", etc.   This  fictional State  also uses  ZIP codes which  are  within  the  municipal,  exclusive  legislative jurisdiction of Congress.      This entire  scheme was accomplished by passage of the "Buck Act", 4  U.S.C.S. Secs.  105-113, to implement the application of the "Public Salary Tax Act of 1939" to workers within the private sector.   This subjects  all private  sector workers  who have  a Social Security number to all state and federal laws "within this State",  a  "fictional  Federal  area"  overlaying  the  land  in California and  in all other states in the Union.  In California, this is established by California Form 590, Revenue and Taxation. All you have to do is to state that you live in California.  This establishes that you do not live in a "Federal area" and that you are exempt  from the  Public Salary Tax Act of 1939 and also from the California Income Tax for residents who live "in this State".      The following  definition is  used  throughout  the  several states in  the application  of their municipal laws which require some sort of contract for proper application.  This definition is also included  in all  the codes  of California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and New York:      "In this  State" or "in the State" means within the exterior      limits of  the State … and includes all territories within      such limits owned or ceded to the United States of America. This definition concurs with the "Buck Act" supra which states:      110(d) The term "State" includes any Territory or possession      of the United States.      110(e) The  term "Federal  area" means any lands or premises      held or  acquired by  or for the use of the United States or      any department,  establishment,  or  agency  of  the  United      States;  and any Federal area, or any part thereof, which is      located within  the exterior  boundaries of any State, shall      be deemed to be a Federal area located within such State.      So, do  some research.   I  have given  you all  the  proper directions in  which to  look for  the jurisdictional  nexus that places you within the purview of the federal government.

Response:

Question:

Whenever I walk out into bright sunlight, I always sneeze once or twice, and when I feel a sneeze coming on but can’t quite follow through with it, looking at a bright light will invariably follow it through.  Most people don’t have this problem, but I know I’m not the only one.  Does anyone have any background info on this, i.e. what the biological underpinning of this is?  It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Kirk Heber

Response:

Whenever I walk out into bright sunlight, I always sneeze once or twice, and when I feel a sneeze coming on but can’t quite follow through with it, looking at a bright light will invariably follow it through.  Most people don’t have this problem, but I know I’m not the only one.  Does anyone have any background info on this, i.e. what the biological underpinning of this is?  It would be greatly appreciated.

    I too look at a strong light to bring on a sneeze– but I know someone who swears that they can *stop* a sneeze by looking at a bright light– so maybe the effect is psychosomatic (sp?).

Response:

Whenever I walk out into bright sunlight, I always sneeze once or twice, and when I feel a sneeze coming on but can’t quite follow through with it, looking at a bright light will invariably follow it through.  Most people don’t have this problem, but I know I’m not the only one.  Does anyone have any background info on this, i.e. what the biological underpinning of this is?  It would be greatly appreciated.    I too look at a strong light to bring on a sneeze– but I know someone who swears that they can *stop* a sneeze by looking at a bright light– so maybe the effect is psychosomatic (sp?).

I do the same thing. Anytime I walk into a bright light I will sneeze. I’ve read that it is due to the optic nerve being close to something in the nose, and the system gets overloaded, then you sneeze. Caffeine is known to make people’s skin more sensitive to sunlight. (At least I read that somewhere lately.) It would seem to follow that the eyes may be more sensitive to sunlight after drinking caffeine. Anybody? Later, Morgan — John Morgan Morris Department of Mathematics and Computer Science Georgia State University University Plaza Atlanta, GA. 30303-3083 Telephone: (404) 651-2253 FAX: (404) 651-2246

Response:

Whenever I walk out into bright sunlight, I always sneeze once or twice, and when I feel a sneeze coming on but can’t quite follow through with it, looking at a bright light will invariably follow it through.  Most people don’t have this problem, but I know I’m not the only one.  Does anyone have any background info on this, i.e. what the biological underpinning of this is?  

Hi!  I’m new to this group… Me Too!  Everyone thinks I’m weird, as I don’t know anyone else who has this problem (although I figured you were out there somewhere).  Unfortunately, I don’t know of any scientific info or explanation, but I’d sure like to hear from someone who does…         To the person posting the other "Re:", I’m almost sure its not psychosomatic, as it happens to me no matter what I’m doing or thinking at the time, every time I go out into sunlight or even bright non-sunny light.

Response:

: Whenever I walk out into bright sunlight, I always sneeze once or twice, and : when I feel a sneeze coming on but can’t quite follow through with it, looking : at a bright light will invariably follow it through.  Most people don’t have : this problem, but I know I’m not the only one.  Does anyone have any background : info on this, i.e. what the biological underpinning of this is?   : Hi!  I’m new to this group… : Me Too!  Everyone thinks I’m weird, as I don’t know anyone else who has this : problem (although I figured you were out there somewhere).  Unfortunately, I : don’t know of any scientific info or explanation, but I’d sure like to hear : from someone who does…         According to Cecil Adams,   "What you’re talking about is the ‘photic sneeze reflex,’ which occurs   in something like one-sixth to one-quarter of the population…   the trait is passed on genetically, with a 50 percent chance of   inheritance…nobody’s exactly sure what causes photic sneeze reflex.   But you’ve got a lot of nerves crammed together in the front of   your head, and some researchers guess that there can be leakage of   sorts from one nerve pathway to another. So maybe the reflex is just   a case of congenitally crossed signals."   – More of the the Straight Dope, pp.303-304. not very edifying, but at least you know you’re not alone. Clark Verbrugge —  HONK HONK BLAT WAK WAK WAK WAK WAK UNGOW!

Response:

Whenever I walk out into bright sunlight, I always sneeze once or twice, and Me Too!  Everyone thinks I’m weird, as I don’t know anyone else who has this problem

EVERYONE (who isn’t blind that is!) will suffer this to a lesser or greater extent. The reflex for sneezing can be triggered by very strong stimulation of the optic nerve — ie bright light.  I have vague memory of the reason being that the optic nerves and nasel passage nerves are close together and so a very strong signal in the optic nerves can also excite the nasel passage sensory nerves — and so make you sneeze. Over here in Britain, the sun is rarely bright enough to cause me to sneeze. But down in sunny Australia and I’d give a good sneeze everytime I stepped outside into dazzling sunlight. The cure? — Wear super cool sunglasses!! Martin.

Response:

: Whenever I walk out into bright sunlight, I always sneeze once or twice, and : when I feel a sneeze coming on but can’t quite follow through with it, looking : at a bright light will invariably follow it through.  Most people don’t have According to Cecil Adams,  "What you’re talking about is the ‘photic sneeze reflex,’ which occurs  …  But you’ve got a lot of nerves crammed together in the front of  your head, and some researchers guess that there can be leakage of  sorts from one nerve pathway to another. So maybe the reflex is just  a case of congenitally crossed signals."  - More of the the Straight Dope, pp.303-304.

Here’s my theory, and I think it’s a lot better than a leaky nerve theory (come on, how many nerves are leaky! look at our brains, they don’t leak much!) Bright sunlight causes distress and pain in my eye and brain, for good reason. The eye can be damaged by sunlight. Sneezing forces my eyes to close(!) for several seconds and forces my head to face downwards, which is always away from bright sunlight. My guess is that this provides some protection to the eye until its sensitivity can be adjusted. — "In one recent accounting, [the] Bureau of Indian Affairs financial wizards valued three chain saws at $99 million each."    – U.S. News & World Report, 2/22/93

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Whenever I walk out into bright sunlight, I always sneeze once or twice, and when I feel a sneeze coming on but can’t quite follow through with it, looking at a bright light will invariably follow it through.  Most people don’t have this problem, but I know I’m not the only one.  Does anyone have any background info on this, i.e. what the biological underpinning of this is?   Me Too!  Everyone thinks I’m weird, as I don’t know anyone else who has this problem (although I figured you were out there somewhere).  Unfortunately, I don’t know of any scientific info or explanation, but I’d sure like to hear from someone who does…         To the person posting the other "Re:", I’m almost sure its not psychosomatic, as it happens to me no matter what I’m doing or thinking at the time, every time I go out into sunlight or even bright non-sunny light.

I believe the explanation lies in the fact that the eyes and nose are connected by the sinuses.  You continually produce tears to wash the surface of the eye, and this liquid then drains through the sinuses, into the nasal passages, where it evaporates as you breathe out. When you get a cold, the resulting blockage of the sinuses is responsible for getting "puffed-up" eyelids, as the liquid can no longer drain away properly. In your case, when you go out into bright sunlight, your eyes water, the liquid flows down the sinus passages into your nose, and you feel an urge to sneeze. Thus it could be that this "symptom" actually shows that your tear ducts are doing a good job of keeping your eyes clean and well-watered! BTW, do you wear contact lenses?  Does anyone else who has this symptom? If the theory above is correct, anyone who sneezes when exposed to sunlight should find it particularly *easy* to wear contacts, as one of the main reasons why they are unsuitable for some people is that their eyes are *too dry*. —

Response:

I believe the explanation lies in the fact that the eyes and nose are connected by the sinuses.  You continually produce tears to wash the surface of the eye, and this liquid then drains through the sinuses, into the nasal passages, where it evaporates as you breathe out. BTW, do you wear contact lenses?  Does anyone else who has this symptom? If the theory above is correct, anyone who sneezes when exposed to sunlight should find it particularly *easy* to wear contacts, as one of the main reasons why they are unsuitable for some people is that their eyes are *too dry*.

Yes, BTW, I do wear contacts. Good theory — seems plausible. Someday when I get more time, I’m going to do a little research on this… (I’m a library science grad student, right now going to school full time, working part time, planning a wedding, and remodeling a house!) …I’ll let everyong know if I find anything out.

Response: