Re: OT and Personal

[Terrell Miller]

"John Beaderstadt" > wrote in message
...

> far, the only call has been from the Republican National Committee,
> performing some sort of poll; the pollster didn't want to hang up,
> even when we told him why we were keeping the line free (this may be
> worth a quick note to the news media).

Telemarketers are specifically trained to keep you talking as long as
possible (makes it harder to say no) and to steer you away from being able
to politely say things like "no thanks" or "I'm not interested". They will
shamelessly exploit people's reluctance to be rude.

**** 'em, as soon as you can get a word in edgewise, just say "thanks, not
interested" and hang up in their face. Who gives a damn whether their
feelings get hurt?

Will keep your son in our prayers, and when you get a chance pass along the
fact that we're all VERY proud of him and his buddies!

--
Terrell Miller


"We pay for love, but the hate comes free"
-Gordon Sumner

[John Beaderstadt]

I was reading in the bathroom when I ran across an item written by
"Greg D. Moore \(Strider\)" > on Sat, 12 Jul 2003
18:12:54 GMT, which said:

>Actually in NY, some other states and now east of the Mississippi, you can
>get on "Do Not Call Lists."

We've been on Vermont's Don't Call list for three-four years.
Unfortunately, they don't apply to politicians or businesses with whom
you've had recent transactions, or a few other categories.

---------------
Beady's Corollary to Occam's Razor: "The likeliest explanation of any phenomenon is almost always the most boring."

[John Beaderstadt]

I was reading in the bathroom when I ran across an item written by
"Terrell Miller" > on Sat, 12 Jul 2003 13:46:34
-0400, which said:

>Will keep your son in our prayers, and when you get a chance pass along the
>fact that we're all VERY proud of him and his buddies!

Will do, and thanks.

---------------
Beady's Corollary to Occam's Razor: "The likeliest explanation of any phenomenon is almost always the most boring."

[John Beaderstadt]

I was reading in the bathroom when I ran across an item written by
"John Whisenhunt" > on Sat, 12 Jul 2003 11:44:43
-0500, which said:

>I have some use for prayer: your son will receive an input from this sector.

Thanks.

>As one who has been over there a couple of times, I emphathize with your
>worries. Despite the current media portrayal of what is of course a tough
>mission, he is well-prepared, and has good leaders looking after him.

Oh, I know. I've met a few of them.

> A big
>roger on the baby wipes and beef jerky - worth their weight in precious
>metal.

We figure to be sending a package per week.

>Now, if only the signal to noise ratio in this group would readjust a bit,
>you might find some solace in a space history discussion...

Actually, it's not bad. See my "Gilgamesh" posts. This session,
there were supposedly 52 posts to ssh, and NewsProxy took out the
following before they got to me (several others, I assume, were
deleted by Agent's filters). Notice all the anonymous remailers that
I don't have to deal with (btw, all of these were taken out by my 3+
crossposting rule, which is what the "1" refers to):

1 sci.space.history >
1 sci.space.history
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---------------
Beady's Corollary to Occam's Razor: "The likeliest explanation of any phenomenon is almost always the most boring."

[Greg D. Moore \(Strider\)]

"John Beaderstadt" > wrote in message
...
> I was reading in the bathroom when I ran across an item written by
> "Greg D. Moore \(Strider\)" > on Sat, 12 Jul 2003
> 18:12:54 GMT, which said:
>
> >Actually in NY, some other states and now east of the Mississippi, you
can
> >get on "Do Not Call Lists."
>
> We've been on Vermont's Don't Call list for three-four years.
> Unfortunately, they don't apply to politicians or businesses with whom
> you've had recent transactions, or a few other categories.

Yeah, well there is that. :-)

The best fun I ever had with a telesales person was when the local newspaper
called up. I HAD been planning on subscribing, so as soon as they
identified themselves I said, "Yes, I want to subscribe." You could almost
literally hear her in the background flipping her chart to figure out what
to do with a callee that WANTED the call. :-)


>
> ---------------
> Beady's Corollary to Occam's Razor: "The likeliest explanation of any
phenomenon is almost always the most boring."

[Scott Lowther]

Terrell Miller wrote:

> Telemarketers are specifically trained to keep you talking as long as
> possible (makes it harder to say no) and to steer you away from being able
> to politely say things like "no thanks" or "I'm not interested". They will
> shamelessly exploit people's reluctance to be rude.
>
> **** 'em, as soon as you can get a word in edgewise, just say "thanks, not
> interested" and hang up in their face.

Well, that's no fun. Berate them. Point out that since this is the best
job they coudl get, clearly they are poor excuses for humanity. That
sort of thing.

That, and just setting the phone down and walking away. Or even
better... let 'em go through their whole spiel, with you going "uh-huh"
for as long as possible... take up as much of their time as you can.

Best of all: try to sell THEM something. Ronco turnip twadlers, or some
such.

--
Scott Lowther, Engineer

"Any statement by Edward Wright that starts with 'You seem to think
that...' is wrong. Always. It's a law of Usenet, like Godwin's."
- Jorge R. Frank, 11 Nov 2002

[Mike Speegle]

In news:Greg D. Moore (Strider) > typed:

> The best fun I ever had with a telesales person was when the local
> newspaper called up. I HAD been planning on subscribing, so as soon
> as they identified themselves I said, "Yes, I want to subscribe."
> You could almost literally hear her in the background flipping her
> chart to figure out what to do with a callee that WANTED the call. :-)

One *great* trick I learned is to say "Wait, uh, can you excuse me,
there's someone at the door. Hold on." And set the phone down. IQ's
are then inversely proportional to the amount of time before the phone
starts squealing at you. I've gone 5 minutes on 2 occasions. <tee hee>
--
Mike
__________________________________________________ ______
"Colorado Ski Country, USA" Come often, Ski hard,
Spend *lots* of money, Then leave as quickly as you can.

[Dave Kenworthy]

"Scott Lowther" > wrote in message
...

> That, and just setting the phone down and walking away. Or even
> better... let 'em go through their whole spiel, with you going "uh-huh"
> for as long as possible... take up as much of their time as you can.
>
> Best of all: try to sell THEM something. Ronco turnip twadlers, or some
> such.
>

A friend of mine has a nice routine - the exchange would be along the lines
of:

"Yes, I'm very interested indeed in your product, but I've just got home
from work. What time do you work 'til tonight?"

"I'm here until 10pm Mr Smith"

"Fine - I'll give you time to get home, relax, grab something to eat...how
about I call you at about midnight...what's your home number?"

--
Dave Kenworthy
-----------------------------
Changes aren't permanent - but change is!

[Thad Floryan]

"Terrell Miller" > wrote in message >...
> [...]
> Telemarketers are specifically trained to keep you talking as long as
> possible (makes it harder to say no) and to steer you away from being able
> to politely say things like "no thanks" or "I'm not interested". They will
> shamelessly exploit people's reluctance to be rude.
>
> **** 'em, as soon as you can get a word in edgewise, just say "thanks, not
> interested" and hang up in their face. Who gives a damn whether their
> feelings get hurt?

True, but why waste time with them at all? For some <nominal> monthly fee
one can subscribe to Caller ID service. If you ever see "No data" or see
"No Name; No Number" (contrasted to ID Blocked) you know it's a telemarketer
spammer on a CT1 (Channelized T1) so you just pick the phone up and replace
it back in its cradle.

What I did back in 1998 is a bit more sophisticated using a $70 CID device
which interfaces to a computer. Long story short, the phone never EVER rings
at home if it's a telemarketer spammer who's immediately sent to answering
machine (and, of course, never leaves a message). Over 5,000+ such calls
(since 1998) and I've never even aware they've called (unless I peruse the
computer records as I just did :-)

[Greg D. Moore \(Strider\)]

"Thad Floryan" > wrote in message
om...
>
> What I did back in 1998 is a bit more sophisticated using a $70 CID device
> which interfaces to a computer. Long story short, the phone never EVER
rings
> at home if it's a telemarketer spammer who's immediately sent to answering
> machine (and, of course, never leaves a message). Over 5,000+ such calls
> (since 1998) and I've never even aware they've called (unless I peruse the
> computer records as I just did :-)

5,000? That's what, about 3 a day?

I guess I don't worry to much about telemarketers since we never got nearly
that many. Not even before the NYS Do Not Call list.

Wow.

[Jorge R. Frank]

"Greg D. Moore \(Strider\)" > wrote in
:

> "Thad Floryan" > wrote in message
> om...
>>
>> What I did back in 1998 is a bit more sophisticated using a $70 CID
>> device which interfaces to a computer. Long story short, the phone
>> never EVER
> rings
>> at home if it's a telemarketer spammer who's immediately sent to
>> answering machine (and, of course, never leaves a message). Over
>> 5,000+ such calls (since 1998) and I've never even aware they've
>> called (unless I peruse the computer records as I just did :-)
>
> 5,000? That's what, about 3 a day?
>
> I guess I don't worry to much about telemarketers since we never got
> nearly that many. Not even before the NYS Do Not Call list.
>
> Wow.

It would actually be a bit low for Houston. Typically, I come home from
work and see at least two "UNAVAILABLE" IDs on the Caller ID log. And I
can count on at least two more before I go to bed. I never answer them, of
course. Caller ID is the second most important invention for keeping
Houston habitable, behind air conditioning.

It will be interesting to see the effect of the national "no-call" list
this autumn.

--
JRF

Reply-to address spam-proofed - to reply by E-mail,
check "Organization" (I am not assimilated) and
think one step ahead of IBM.

[Kevin Willoughby]

Mike Speegle said:
> One *great* trick I learned is to say "Wait, uh, can you excuse me,
> there's someone at the door. Hold on." And set the phone down. IQ's
> are then inversely proportional to the amount of time before the phone
> starts squealing at you. I've gone 5 minutes on 2 occasions. <tee hee>

I learned how to read by reading MAD magazine. One of the first issues
I read had exactly this technique. The graphic showed a phone off the
hook and a kitchen blackboard listing the length of time before various
telemarketers (did that word exist back then?) would finally hang up.
--
Kevin Willoughby

We'd spend the remaining time trying to fix the engine.
-- Neil Armstrong

[Mike Speegle]

In news:Kevin Willoughby > typed:
> Mike Speegle said:
> > One *great* trick I learned is to say "Wait, uh, can you excuse
> > me, there's someone at the door. Hold on." And set the phone
> > down. IQ's are then inversely proportional to the amount of time
> > before the phone starts squealing at you. I've gone 5 minutes on 2
> > occasions. <tee hee>
>
> I learned how to read by reading MAD magazine. One of the first issues
> I read had exactly this technique. The graphic showed a phone off the
> hook and a kitchen blackboard listing the length of time before
> various telemarketers (did that word exist back then?) would finally
> hang up.

Then that's probably where the guy I heard it from got it. Nice to
know that good ideas have staying power, regardless of the source. ;-)
--
Mike
__________________________________________________ ______
"Colorado Ski Country, USA" Come often, Ski hard,
Spend *lots* of money, Then leave as quickly as you can.

[OM]

On 13 Jul 2003 01:08:32 GMT, "Jorge R. Frank" >
wrote:

>It will be interesting to see the effect of the national "no-call" list
>this autumn.

....What *should* happen is that it should go automatically to the
extreme. Ergo, every phone number in the country is automatically on
the no-call list, and the only way a telemarketer can call a number is
if they opt-in. And since the odds of anyone doing that voluntarily is
about the same as the Maxsons leaving here on their own two feet,
telemarketing would be virtually extinct within two months of a
complete no-call list going into effect.

....Of course, one thing I've personally noted is that since the list
signup site went online, the number of telemarketer calls I've gotten
has quintupled. I think they're attempting to get in as many calls as
they can before they go out of business.

Personally, I all hope they go to Hell, don't pass "go", and don't
collect $200....


OM

--

"No ******* ever won a war by dying for | http://www.io.com/~o_m
his country. He won it by making the other | Sergeant-At-Arms
poor dumb ******* die for his country." | Human O-Ring Society

- General George S. Patton, Jr

[Doogie Hoosier]

"Dave Kenworthy" > wrote in message >...
> "Scott Lowther" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > That, and just setting the phone down and walking away. Or even
> > better... let 'em go through their whole spiel, with you going "uh-huh"
> > for as long as possible... take up as much of their time as you can.
> >
> > Best of all: try to sell THEM something. Ronco turnip twadlers, or some
> > such.
> >
>
> A friend of mine has a nice routine - the exchange would be along the lines
> of:
>
> "Yes, I'm very interested indeed in your product, but I've just got home
> from work. What time do you work 'til tonight?"
>
> "I'm here until 10pm Mr Smith"
>
> "Fine - I'll give you time to get home, relax, grab something to eat...how
> about I call you at about midnight...what's your home number?"

Dealing with telemarketers...Go here:
http://www.bidstrup.com/phone.htm

Scroll down to this paragraph:

"One way to filter calls is to use a telephone answering machine to
answer the phone with a special recording..."

There is a link to the three-note tone you get when you dial a number
that is no longer in service. Record it onto your answering maching.
As soon as a telemarketer's dialer hears it, it will identify your
number as one that has been disconnected and remove it from the list.
There is a device that sells for some $70 that does the same thing
(Tele-Zapper?). Be sure to say something on your answering machine
immediately after the tone so that your friends will not think your
number's been changed.

Or you can do what I do (when I have time to waste). I keep the
fukkerz on the line as long as I can, asking stoopid questions about
their product/service until they get mad and ask if I'm just wasting
their time..."Why, yes! That's exactly what I'm doing," I tell them.
That will probably get your number taken off their list too.

[Terrell Miller]

"Doogie Hoosier" > wrote in message
m...

> Or you can do what I do (when I have time to waste). I keep the
> fukkerz on the line as long as I can, asking stoopid questions about
> their product/service until they get mad and ask if I'm just wasting
> their time..."Why, yes! That's exactly what I'm doing," I tell them.
> That will probably get your number taken off their list too.

I can't even imagine having that much empty time on my hands...

--
Terrell Miller


"We pay for love, but the hate comes free"
-Gordon Sumner

[John Maxson]

Giganews hosts/posts Bob Mosley's ongoing abuse for
Illuminati Online.

--
John Thomas Maxson, Retired Engineer (Aerospace)
Author, The Betrayal of Mission 51-L (www.mission51l.com)


OM <om@our_blessed_lady_mary_of_the_holy_NASA_research _facility.org>
wrote in message ...
> On 13 Jul 2003 01:08:32 GMT,
> "Jorge R. Frank" > wrote:
>
> >It will be interesting to see the effect of the national "no-call" list
> >this autumn.
>
> ...What *should* happen is that it should go automatically to the
> extreme. Ergo, every phone number in the country is automatically on
> the no-call list, and the only way a telemarketer can call a number is
> if they opt-in. And since the odds of anyone doing that voluntarily is
> about the same as the Maxsons leaving here on their own two feet,
> telemarketing would be virtually extinct within two months of a
> complete no-call list going into effect.
>
> ...Of course, one thing I've personally noted is that since the list
> signup site went online, the number of telemarketer calls I've gotten
> has quintupled. I think they're attempting to get in as many calls as
> they can before they go out of business.
>
> Personally, I all hope they go to Hell, don't pass "go", and don't
> collect $200....
>
>
> OM
>
> --
>
> "No ******* ever won a war by dying for | http://www.io.com/~o_m
> his country. He won it by making the other | Sergeant-At-Arms
> poor dumb ******* die for his country." | Human O-Ring Society
>
> - General George S. Patton, Jr

[Kevin Willoughby]

Doogie Hoosier said:
> > There is a device that sells for some $70 that does the same thing
> (Tele-Zapper?).

Since Christmas, the price has dropped to half that. It works. It is
also built into some recent answering machines. Recording the beep on
the answering machine, however, cheaper still. Nice idea, whish I'd
thought of it.
--
Kevin Willoughby

We'd spend the remaining time trying to fix the engine.
-- Neil Armstrong

[Doug...]

John, your son is in my prayers. I fervently hope that he and all of our
other men and women in the armed services around the world get the chance
to come home safe and sound, and enjoy a safer world.

--

It's not the pace of life I mind; | Doug Van Dorn
it's the sudden stop at the end... |

[John Beaderstadt]

I was reading in the bathroom when I ran across an item written by
(Gene DiGennaro) on 13 Jul 2003 19:08:49
-0700, which said:

>Hey guys and gals,
>Here's something we can all agree on.

I wish! I've apparently (according to reports) drawn fire from one or
two assholes, but I expected to. That's one reason I made sure my
filters were good and tight. If I can't see them, they don't bother
me.

> Let's all keep our hopes and
>prayers up for a safe return for Beady's boy and for all our fighting
>men and women. Let's not forget those of our allies too. My own two
>boys( ages 6 and 9 ) made care packages at their summer camp last
>week.
>
>Hang in there man, we're all pulling for ya,

Thanks, to you and to all the others.

---------------
Beady's Corollary to Occam's Razor: "The likeliest explanation of any phenomenon is almost always the most boring."

[Greg D. Moore \(Strider\)]

"John Beaderstadt" > wrote in message
...
> I was reading in the bathroom when I ran across an item written by
> (Gene DiGennaro) on 13 Jul 2003 19:08:49
> -0700, which said:
>
> >Hey guys and gals,
> >Here's something we can all agree on.
>
> I wish! I've apparently (according to reports) drawn fire from one or
> two assholes, but I expected to. That's one reason I made sure my
> filters were good and tight. If I can't see them, they don't bother
> me.

Eh, ignore them.

The non-assholes among us are hoping for his safe and quick return.

[John Beaderstadt]

I was reading in the bathroom when I ran across an item written by
Doug... > on Mon, 14 Jul 2003 07:43:55 GMT, which
said:

>John, your son is in my prayers. I fervently hope that he and all of our
>other men and women in the armed services around the world get the chance
>to come home safe and sound, and enjoy a safer world.

Thank you. I'll never again be able to listen to the news with quite
as much detachment as I did before now. I remember a few years ago,
when my elder son was stationed at Fort Campbell, hearing on the radio
that seven men were killed there in a training accident. I remember
the relief when I found out that he was OK. Then the thought struck
me, it was someone else's kids.


---------------
Beady's Corollary to Occam's Razor: "The likeliest explanation of any phenomenon is almost always the most boring."