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OT: rant, rant, rant...

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dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers - 18 Nov 2004 14:48 GMT
Okay, sorry it's OT, but I am in need of a minor rant...

Over here in Old Blighty, we have this thing called the Telephone Preference
Service. It's a system where the public and businesses can register their phone
numbers to indicate they do not wish to receive unsolicited calls. Works
wonders for stopping the calls from double glazing sales :-) So as well as
being ex-directory, the TPS registration has meant virtually all unsolicited
calls have gone. *Bliss*

BUT

In the last month, I am totally p*ss*d off. The number of companies from across
the pond making unsolicited phone calls. AAAGGHHH!! Like I'm going to buy
anything from any company making an unsolicited call, let alone one thousands
of miles away... So far I have retained a polite tone saying, "You do realise
you are breaking UK law by ringing this number with an unsolicited phone call,
don't you?" Just had another one this afternoon and I am rapidly getting to the
point where I am about to become less than polite and stop retaining the
British stiff-upper-lip ;-)

Rant over, normal service now being resumed :-)

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om$

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--
jmcquown - 18 Nov 2004 15:14 GMT
> Okay, sorry it's OT, but I am in need of a minor rant...
>
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
> Cheers, helen s

We have a similar law and service, the National Do Not Call Registry (there
are also similar registries in most U.S. states).  You don't have to lose
your stiff upper lip; just say, "Put me on your DO NOT CALL list".  If it's
a company in the USA they (technically) have to comply.

It's very odd you'd be getting long distance calls for unsolicited services
from, as you say, thousands of miles away.  I've never had anyone in the UK
try to do telephone solicitations even though I have purchased an item from
a UK web site.  Hmmmm.  I wonder if the automatic dialers so many
telemarketing firms use have been now programmed to dial any number,
including country codes outside of the USA?

Jill
Magic Mood Jeep? - 18 Nov 2004 15:20 GMT
>> Okay, sorry it's OT, but I am in need of a minor rant...
>>
[quoted text clipped - 37 lines]
>
> Jill

90% of it is done by computer - so if the computer list that this company
bought has an international dailing code # in it, it just dials away.  Poor
sap doing the selling may not even know that they are making overseas calls
until it's too late.  In the words of Nelson Munts "Ha Ha" to them LOL

--?
The ONE and ONLY
lefthanded-pathetic-paranoid-psychotic-sarcastic-wiseass-ditzy
former-blonde in Bloomington! (And proud of it, too)? email me at
nalee1964 (at) insightbb (dot) com
http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep
Magic Mood Jeep? - 18 Nov 2004 15:18 GMT
> Okay, sorry it's OT, but I am in need of a minor rant...
>
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
> --Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is
> switched off--

Over here, on the other side of the pond, we have the Do Not Call registry,
but it does not apply to charities & companies you do business with.  The
state I live in had their own before the National list started.  I am
registered on both (both land line & cell phones, and I made sure my mother
& MIL were both on it as well)), and there is a web site where you can fill
in an online form for complaints agains a company, in which case they get
fined, sometimes in the tens of thousands of dollars, for each offense.  Is
there such a thing for you over there?  Maybe you should start collecting
their information, and turn it over to the authorities????

--?
The ONE and ONLY
lefthanded-pathetic-paranoid-psychotic-sarcastic-wiseass-ditzy
former-blonde in Bloomington! (And proud of it, too)? email me at
nalee1964 (at) insightbb (dot) com
http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep
dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers - 18 Nov 2004 15:35 GMT
>Over here, on the other side of the pond, we have the Do Not Call registry,
>but it does not apply to charities & companies you do business with.  The
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>there such a thing for you over there?  Maybe you should start collecting
>their information, and turn it over to the authorities????

Your Do Not Call seems to be the equivalent to our Telephone Preference Service
& ex-directory numbers. Over here the "do not call" can apply to both private
and business numbers. I shall be making complaints!

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om$

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--
David Stevenson - 18 Nov 2004 16:03 GMT
>Okay, sorry it's OT, but I am in need of a minor rant...
>
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
>Rant over, normal service now being resumed :-)

  Tell them you are thinking about and going to get some article you
have read on the subject.  Leave the phone, go and watch TV [or read
RPCA] and they will pay transatlantic charges till they get bored.

Signature

David Stevenson              Storypage:  http://blakjak.com/sty_menu.htm
Liverpool, England, UK         <cat2@blakjak.com>         Emails welcome
Nanki Poo: SI O+W B 11 Y L+ W++ C+ I T+ A- E H++ V- F Q P+ B+ PA+ PL SC
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Yoj - 18 Nov 2004 18:26 GMT
I don't blame you for ranting, Helen!  That is an invasion of privacy.
We have the same sort of thing here - it's called the "Do not call
list".  There are a lot of exceptions, though - charities, political
parties and people you have done business with in the past six months
can ignore the list.  I haven't gotten any overseas calls, though.
That's a new thing.  It doesn't seem to me that it would be worth the
expense, but I guess there are ways you can make free calls using
computers, so that's probably what they're doing.  I wish I had a
suggestion for you, but all I can offer is sympathy.

--
Joy

Things turn out best for the people who make the best out of the way
things turn out.
-- John Wooden

> Okay, sorry it's OT, but I am in need of a minor rant...
>
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
>
> --Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--
Jeanne Hedge - 18 Nov 2004 19:19 GMT
>I don't blame you for ranting, Helen!  That is an invasion of privacy.
>We have the same sort of thing here - it's called the "Do not call
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>computers, so that's probably what they're doing.  I wish I had a
>suggestion for you, but all I can offer is sympathy.

If these are American companies calling, maybe asking to be removed
from their calling list will keep them from calling back. The law in
the US (in Illinois anyway) is that if they call and you tell the
caller to remove you from their list, they have to do it right away.

Jeanne Hedge, as directed by Natasha

============
http://www.jhedge.com
Yoj - 18 Nov 2004 19:40 GMT
> >I don't blame you for ranting, Helen!  That is an invasion of privacy.
> >We have the same sort of thing here - it's called the "Do not call
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> Jeanne Hedge, as directed by Natasha

Yes, I can do that with businesses, and thank goodness there shouldn't
be any more political calls for a while, but charities and non-profit
organizations are exempt.  They can call whoever and whenever they
want - and there are a lot of them!

Joy
Yowie - 19 Nov 2004 00:04 GMT
> Yes, I can do that with businesses, and thank goodness there shouldn't
> be any more political calls for a while, but charities and non-profit
> organizations are exempt.  They can call whoever and whenever they
> want - and there are a lot of them!

Generally its charities that phone our place too - just at the critical
Arsenic Hour of Greatest Chaos (6-7pm).

I know usually its some poor person in a call centre who is getting paid
minimum wage to have a bunch of profanities yelled at them, and that they
are just following a script, but I hate hate HATE it when their script says
to say something like "so its *OK* with you that there are starving people
in Africa / animals suffering from neglect / kids going blind because of the
lack of research etc etc" when you've said "no" to giving money to them.

No, its not OK with me at all, but I only have so much money to go around,
and my *first* priorities have to be looking after my own family. I give $60
to charities every month, enter every single  ticket going at work, purchase
all the little charity doo-dads at the Cafeteria, over-indulge on the
charity chocolates, sponsor all the kids in the street for their walk-athons
or read-athons or whatever and help people out when I can, and I don't even
*count* what I throw into the offering tray at church when I go. How dare
they imply that I don't care or don't give generously to the community at
large.

However, I hold my wrath, because I know the person on the other end of the
line didn't write the script, and are just some poor call centre flunky
doing a miserable job for a pittance. Nor do I "punish" the charities that
do do that sort of thing, because even though I find it abhorrent, if I do
withold my donations, its the people in need who suffer, not the git that
wrote the script or the one who endorsed it for use. I just wish said
charities would change the script to "well, thankyou anyway and sorry for
bothering you", like some of th emore enlightened ones already have.

And while I'm ranting :-) I get calls from that go
"Hi, can I speak to Mrs Chapman please?"
"This is She."
"Hello Mrs Chapman, this is XXX on behalf of Telstra [my telephone company]
making sure you have the best phone plan with you. Now, before I start I
need your birth date for security reasons".

They often get confused when I tell them that if they are actually calling
from Telstra they'd already have my birthdate, otherwise it could be any old
person calling, and I'm certainly not going to give my birth date out to
anyone on the phone who just happens to *claim* that they are from Telstra.
"Ah," they say, "But I need it to confirm that you are actually Mrs
Chapman", to which I reply "Well, you rang Mrs Chapman's phone number, you
asked for Mrs Chapman and I said I was that person, that ought to do. Now
what I need is for *you* to show *me* I am dealing with a Telstra
representative rather than some kid trying to scam my birthdate out of me.
How about you tell me something only Telstra and I should know".
"I can't access your private information without your birthdate."
"Well, I'm not going to give you my birthdate unless youcan convince me you
are a Telstra representative, so I guess we are both stuck"

Poor call centre people, I try hard not to be rude, but they often can't
understand why I'm not giving them the information they want without
confirmation that they are who they say they are, and get stroppy - not the
way to do business, especially if they *are* genuine Telstra
representatives. I'm not *trying* to be difficult with them, but I wish they
could see that really, they could be anyone, and giving out my birthdate
which they admit will give them access to my Telstra account is not a Good
Idea unless I'm sure they are who they say there are. Some see it from my
point of view, but many of them - probably because its such a brain dead job
and they've switched their thinking faculties off and not because they are
actually that stupid - just don't get it.

These days when they call I say "You'll ask for my birthdate, which I'll
refuse to give, and we'll then both be wasting our time. Do you wish to
continue?". Its quicker that way.

Yowie
Yoj - 19 Nov 2004 00:23 GMT
> These days when they call I say "You'll ask for my birthdate, which I'll
> refuse to give, and we'll then both be wasting our time. Do you wish to
> continue?". Its quicker that way.
>
> Yowie

Yes, I believe in cutting these calls as short as possible too.  When
they want to sell me something, ask for a donation, or switch my phone
service, I politely wait for the first break in their spiel.  Then I
say, "No, thank you" or "I'm not interested".  Then I gently hang up the
phone before they can respond.

Joy
Cheryl Perkins - 19 Nov 2004 01:09 GMT
> Yes, I believe in cutting these calls as short as possible too.  When
> they want to sell me something, ask for a donation, or switch my phone
> service, I politely wait for the first break in their spiel.  Then I
> say, "No, thank you" or "I'm not interested".  Then I gently hang up the
> phone before they can respond.

I've got a variation: if I don't recognize the voice immediately, I say,
politely, may I ask who's speaking? And I do this even if he's asking
about my health and well-being. As soon as I hear enough to realize it's a
telemarketer, I say, interrupting and speaking over him if necessary
'Sorry, I'm not interested', and I hang up. I think, under the
circumstances, even my parents who tried to teach me good manners would
excuse me. The whole procedure takes a couple of seconds, max. And if it's
inconvenient - I'm in the bathroom or whatever - I simply let the Message
Manager deal with it.

I never give money to or buy anything from someone who gives me an
unsolicited phone call. There's lots of other worthwhile charities and
businessses.

Signature

Cheryl

Seanette Blaylock - 19 Nov 2004 10:52 GMT
Cheryl Perkins <cperkins@mun.ca> had some very interesting things to
say about Re: rant, rant, rant...:

>I've got a variation: if I don't recognize the voice immediately, I say,
>politely, may I ask who's speaking? And I do this even if he's asking
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>inconvenient - I'm in the bathroom or whatever - I simply let the Message
>Manager deal with it.

It's usually a dead giveaway when someone hideously mangles my name or
asks for "Robert" [DH goes by Bob].

My mother has no problem with hanging up on callers she deems rude,
such as telemarketers [DH and I call them telespammers], and neither
do I. :-)

>I never give money to or buy anything from someone who gives me an
>unsolicited phone call. There's lots of other worthwhile charities and
>businessses.

A lot of companies have lost any hope of ever seeing my business
because they spammed me by phone or e-mail.

Signature

"The universe is quite robust in design and appears to be
doing just fine on its own, incompetent support staff notwithstanding.

:-)" - the Dennis formerly known as (evil), MCFL
O J - 19 Nov 2004 01:44 GMT
Joy wrote:

---------------------<snip>----------------------
>When
>they want to sell me something, ask for a donation, or switch my phone
>service, I politely wait for the first break in their spiel.  Then I
>say, "No, thank you" or "I'm not interested".  Then I gently hang up the
>phone before they can respond.

I used to do that, now I just hang up.  On the subject of phone scams,
I don't know if this has happened to you yet, but we got a message
requesting a reply to a number in The Bahamas.  Had we returned the
call, we would have been charged a 'special connection fee' of $25 to
$40 dollars.

Regards and Purrs,
O J
Howard Berkowitz - 25 Nov 2004 04:28 GMT
> > These days when they call I say "You'll ask for my birthdate, which
> I'll
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> say, "No, thank you" or "I'm not interested".  Then I gently hang up the
> phone before they can respond.

Even before the Do Not Call list in the US, I long ago lost all
patience, tolerance, or desire for courtesy for telemarketers. While I
am on the Do Not Call list, I still get cold calls because I work from
home, and, until I tracked it down, Dun & Bradstreet listed my phone
number. Apparently, if a telemarketer thinks they are calling a
business, they are under no requirement to check the Do Not Call list.  
This is actually, though, something I intend to check through some of my
contacts in communications law.

On occasion, I might find it amusing to play with little minds. On one
pre-do-not-call-list solicitation, I was informed that they had become
aware that my neighbors' basements were leaking.

Me: "How wonderful!"
TM: "What? I said their basements leaked."
Me: "But we are ampbibians here! Ribbit? Ribbit?"

Charities get different responses, especially if they start not with a
businesslike introduction but some emotional appeal. "How are you, Mr.
Berkowitz" still occurs early, and I find "Constipated. And you?" tends
to disrupt the script.

One especially annoying "charitable" call type are fundraisers for
police benefit organizations, of which the professional fundraiser gets
almost all the revenue. As they start telling me about how the Virginia
Sheriffs want me to wear my seatbelt, I variously have:

  --said that I knew, and gone into extremely graphic descriptions of
    injuries in car accidents, with and without seat belts.
  --pointed out that not wearing a seat belt is a minor violation in
    Virginia, and refuse to answer questions without an attorney
  --suggested that police receiving funds other than from tax revenues
    is an invitation to the slippery slope of corruption.
Steve Touchstone - 19 Nov 2004 21:55 GMT
<snip>
>These days when they call I say "You'll ask for my birthdate, which I'll
>refuse to give, and we'll then both be wasting our time. Do you wish to
>continue?". Its quicker that way.

You have more patience than I do ;-) Usually I cut them off as soon as
possible and tell them I'm not interested. Ocassionally, I get a call
from some one who talks so fast it's hard to cut in and tell them I'm
not interested, or who, when told I'm not interested they go on with
"Yes, but...". when I get those I've been known to just lay the phone
down and let them talk while I go about my business.
Signature

Steve Touchstone,
faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit and Rocky (RB)

stouchst@JUNKsirinet.net [remove Junk for email]
Home Page: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html
Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html

Yowie - 20 Nov 2004 00:16 GMT
> <snip>
> >These days when they call I say "You'll ask for my birthdate, which I'll
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> "Yes, but...". when I get those I've been known to just lay the phone
> down and let them talk while I go about my business.

I can't be rude to telemarketers. I know too many people who have worked
those jobs, and know just how crappy and demoralising it is to have everyone
hate you. They often get paid (either in full or in part) as a percentage of
how much money they can raise. I hate that tactic, it seems disgusting to
me, but if your only way of surviving through University is to work crappy
hours at a call centre trying your hardest to make the difference between
another night of two minute noodles and actually eating a real meal, well,
then you start to see why I hate the companies that use these poor people
and horrid tactics, but can't blame the people who have to support
themselves that way. They are as much the victims of the unethical companies
or charities as the hapless person at the other end of the phone - which is
why I cannot be rude unless they get rude at me first.

Yowie
Cheryl Perkins - 20 Nov 2004 03:11 GMT
> themselves that way. They are as much the victims of the unethical companies
> or charities as the hapless person at the other end of the phone - which is
> why I cannot be rude unless they get rude at me first.

I agree with you, but I will use limited rudeness, as I mentioned before.
And at least, they get to move on to someone else quickly without getting
cursed at or insulted.

And *someone* must buy or donate based on telemarketing, or the companies
wouldn't do it. I figure I get the caller off my back ASAP and give them
more chances to reach someone who wants to talk to them.

Signature

Cheryl

Adrian - 20 Nov 2004 15:36 GMT
>> themselves that way. They are as much the victims of the unethical
>> companies or charities as the hapless person at the other end of the
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> companies wouldn't do it. I figure I get the caller off my back ASAP
> and give them more chances to reach someone who wants to talk to them.

I find it amazing what people will respond to. I recently read about a
spammer who sent millions of emails. He got a response from 1 in 30,000
but that netted him about $750,000 per month. No wonder ther's so much
spam about.
Signature

Adrian (Owned by Snoopy & Bagheera)
A house is not a home, without a cat.

Howard Berkowitz - 25 Nov 2004 04:37 GMT
> > <snip>
> > >These days when they call I say "You'll ask for my birthdate, which
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
> is
> why I cannot be rude unless they get rude at me first.

Respectfully, I can't accept that argument, "I'm just doing my job."  
Indeed, if I don't get an immediate hangup, I will, at times, go to my
equivalent of aversion therapy, trying to make the experience so
unpleasant for the telemarketer that, if that becomes a pattern, they
will quit. If enough people make life difficult for telemarketers,
eventually the advertisers will give up when they can't economically
staff the johs.
Cheryl Perkins - 20 Nov 2004 03:08 GMT
> You have more patience than I do ;-) Usually I cut them off as soon as
> possible and tell them I'm not interested. Ocassionally, I get a call
> from some one who talks so fast it's hard to cut in and tell them I'm
> not interested, or who, when told I'm not interested they go on with
> "Yes, but...". when I get those I've been known to just lay the phone
> down and let them talk while I go about my business.

If I can't break it, I'll speak over them and hang up right away. That
saves time because I don't have to go back and hang up the phone when it
starts making that annoying beeping noise. I never, never get into
conversations with telemarketers. I try not to be extremely rude to them,
because they are often people in economically-depressed areas (like here!)
trying to make an honest living. But I don't talk to them, aside from
'Sorry, not interested" and I'll say that and hang up while they are still
talking if they don't let me get a word in edgewise.

Signature

Cheryl

Howard Berkowitz - 25 Nov 2004 04:35 GMT
> <snip>
> >These days when they call I say "You'll ask for my birthdate, which I'll
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> "Yes, but...". when I get those I've been known to just lay the phone
> down and let them talk while I go about my business.

If I get one like that, I occasionally tell them they need to speak to
my financial manager, Rhonda, and put them on the speakerphone. As long
as somebody says her name periodically, Rhonda will respond with "eee"
or "eeep" such that at first, it might be a conversational human noise
rather than a curious cat.
Christina Websell - 19 Nov 2004 00:16 GMT
> Okay, sorry it's OT, but I am in need of a minor rant...
>
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
>
> Cheers, helen s

I'm on the UK telephone preference service (and the mail one too)
I've never got calls from abroad, just the odd one from here that go away
quickly when I point out that not only is my telephone number ex-directory,
but I'm on the phone preference service too.  I ask them to delete me from
their lists, they always say they will.
The mail preference service works well.  I hardly ever get junk mail.  Maybe
once or twice a year.  If there are mail-back envelopes in these, I always
mail them back, empty. That'll teach' em ;-)

Tweed

I have a rant too, I'll send it in another post.
Sherry - 19 Nov 2004 05:49 GMT
>I'm on the UK telephone preference service (and the mail one too)
>I've never got calls from abroad, just the odd one from here that go away
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
>Tweed

You hardly ever get junk mail?? That's all I get! My box is crammed and 90% of
it goes in the trash. I am sick of it. I give regularly to a few charities, but
now I get solicitation  from dozens of charities. I wish I knew which one of
them "sold" my name/address to all the rest of them. I get dozens of credit
card offers every week. I've asked the postmaster if there's a way to stop it,
but as I understand it, there's really not. It would filter out also the
correspondence from the charities I *do* welcome, and I want to keep getting
those.

Sherry
dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers - 19 Nov 2004 10:15 GMT
>You hardly ever get junk mail?? That's all I get! My box is crammed and 90%
>of
>it goes in the trash. I am sick of it.

As with Tweed, as well as being on the Telephone Preference Service I'm with
the mail & fax preference services. As a result, I hardly ever get junk mail
and junk faxes have all but disappeared. It's *wonderful*.

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om$

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--
David Stevenson - 19 Nov 2004 12:24 GMT
>>You hardly ever get junk mail?? That's all I get! My box is crammed and 90%
>>of
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>the mail & fax preference services. As a result, I hardly ever get junk mail
>and junk faxes have all but disappeared. It's *wonderful*.

  I have *never* had a junk fax!

Signature

David Stevenson              Storypage:  http://blakjak.com/sty_menu.htm
Liverpool, England, UK         <cat2@blakjak.com>         Emails welcome
Nanki Poo: SI O+W B 11 Y L+ W++ C+ I T+ A- E H++ V- F Q P+ B+ PA+ PL SC
Minke: SI W+Cp B 2 Y L W+ C++ I T A- E H++ V++ F- Q- P B PA+ PL+ SC-

dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers - 19 Nov 2004 16:10 GMT
>   I have *never* had a junk fax!

I could send you one if you really feel left out ;-)

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om$

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--
David Stevenson - 19 Nov 2004 18:05 GMT
>>   I have *never* had a junk fax!
>
>I could send you one if you really feel left out ;-)

  Actually that would be good: it is so long since I received any Fax
that I wonder whether it still works.

  There you are, my Xmas wish: Xmas faxes from RPCA members to

  +44 870 055 7697

  0870 055 7697 from the UK!

Signature

David Stevenson              Storypage:  http://blakjak.com/sty_menu.htm
Liverpool, England, UK         <cat2@blakjak.com>         Emails welcome
Nanki Poo: SI O+W B 11 Y L+ W++ C+ I T+ A- E H++ V- F Q P+ B+ PA+ PL SC
Minke: SI W+Cp B 2 Y L W+ C++ I T A- E H++ V++ F- Q- P B PA+ PL+ SC-

Helen Miles - 19 Nov 2004 18:14 GMT
>    Actually that would be good: it is so long since I received any Fax
> that I wonder whether it still works.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
>    0870 055 7697 from the UK!

LMAO! Are you sure that the cats aren't using it on the QT to send their
own junk faxes? ;o)

--
Howard Berkowitz - 25 Nov 2004 04:32 GMT
> >>You hardly ever get junk mail?? That's all I get! My box is crammed and
> >>90%
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
>    I have *never* had a junk fax!

I have an enormous volume, such that I send directly from the computer
and, even though I have a separate fax line, leave the machine off
unless I'm expecting a fax. There is pending legislation to change the
law on business fax such that some sort of business relationship and
permission must be documented before faxing.  Nevertheless, the bulk of
the junk is mortgage refinancing, vacation, and home improvement
material.
Sherry - 19 Nov 2004 15:35 GMT
>As with Tweed, as well as being on the Telephone Preference Service I'm with
>the mail & fax preference services. As a result, I hardly ever get junk mail
>and junk faxes have all but disappeared. It's *wonderful*.
>
>Cheers, helen s

They told me at the post office that when the "Do Not Call" registry got in
place, and the telemarketers couldn't call anymore, we would start getting even
more junk mail. I think that's true. I get my mail at the post office, they
have a huge trash can by the counter, it's always full from people tossing that
stuff. It's a waste! It's not only a waste of paper/trees,but it's greatly
taxing on the post office employees too, to sort and carry all that crap.

Sherry
Howard Berkowitz - 25 Nov 2004 04:29 GMT
> >I'm on the UK telephone preference service (and the mail one too)
> >I've never got calls from abroad, just the odd one from here that go
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
> getting
> those.

In  the US, you can cut some of it down by contacting the Direct Mail
Association (or is it Direct Marketing) and fill out their "Mail
Preference". This needs to be updated periodically.
Bob M - 19 Nov 2004 19:05 GMT
> > Okay, sorry it's OT, but I am in need of a minor rant...
> >
[quoted text clipped - 40 lines]
>
> I have a rant too, I'll send it in another post.

I started to put little useless items back into the envelopes and mail
it to them. They have to pay the postage. Just yesterday I put in 2
twist ties from garbage bags, a rubber band and some sprinkles of used
coffe grounds. The worse is Verizon. I already have their DSL service
and the idiots call 3 times a week wanting me to subscribe to DSL. Not
only that I get an ad in the mail at least once a week from them for the
same thing. Idiots.

 Bob
Yowie - 20 Nov 2004 00:21 GMT
> > > Okay, sorry it's OT, but I am in need of a minor rant...
> > >
[quoted text clipped - 48 lines]
> only that I get an ad in the mail at least once a week from them for the
> same thing. Idiots.

Wonder what would happen if you got enthusiastic and agreed to sign up with
their DSL knowing you already have it?

Yowie
Howard Berkowitz - 25 Nov 2004 04:41 GMT
> Wonder what would happen if you got enthusiastic and agreed to sign up
> with
> their DSL knowing you already have it?

They will send out a new modem almost instantly. I had accepted an
offer, but found out almost immediately -- within a few minutes -- that
the service was technically incompatible with my needs. Telling them to
cancel, within a legal repudiation period, made no difference.  

Verizon voice customer service had improved significantly, but the DSL
push is getting me to the point of changing carriers. I tend to open the
call by saying "This is Howard Berkowitz and I do not want your DSL."  
They may start trying to find out why I don't want it, and try to get me
to talk to "technical support". I suggest to them that technical support
should buy my books on networking, and perhaps they will learn why their
service is inappropriate for me. I do offer a consulting rate to educate
customer service.
 
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