Telemarketers (again)

[Daddles]

errr , can we get a muzzle for Clinton? I'm a tad scared here ...

Richard

[Jack E]

if they are so desperate for work, then to join the army and get a good wage.

Not a good idea mate. These people are only just smart enough to knock on a door or operate a phone and you want them to join the Army, a job that requires dedication and the ability to operate fire arms

Jack.

[namtrak]

I give the telemarketers as much grief as the next person - probably more, but at the end of the day - it is just a punter trying to earn a buck. And if they are working from India, then it is a very hard earned buck I imagine.

[craigb]

errr , can we get a muzzle for Clinton? I'm a tad scared here ...

Richard

Actually, I think that racist post needs an aplication of the delete axe. :mad:

[Ianab]

A few years back we had a plague of door to door sales(people) ....
Usually with a line like 'do you care about our childrens health / eduction' ...

I found the most effective way to deal with them was to start a chainsaw....

Well I did have a big stack of logs out back that needed cutting up, but try selling something to a hairy 6'2" guy that's trying to start a chainsaw..

Max bonus points goes to my mate...
'do you care about our childrens education'
"I dont have any children, but if you are offering..."

That was the end of that sales pitch

I know most of them are kids just trying to make a buck, but if you want a simple job, flip burgers or pump gas.... You are earning an honest $ and I'll thank you if you wipe my windsceen.
If you call around here trying to sell me a $500 vacumn cleaner for $1400...
Lets see how many pulls the Stihl needs...

:eek:

[Daddles]

Now I've never been to sure of whether I approve of the actions I'm about to describe but now, twenty years after they were described to me, I still have a good laugh.

I worked with a bloke in Squidley who wasn't known for suffering fools with any sort of sympathy. He owned a house in the Blue Mountains ... at the end of a mud track. Well, this winter was particularly cold and particularly wet, even by their standards. For some reason best left to conjecture, he was digging a trench under his house. On this day, he was five foot down in this trench, standing in about six inches of clay slurry, trying to dig or do something equally foolish down there. A couple of Jehova's Witnesses came up and asked if they could talk to him. He smiled (always a bad sign) and told them that he'd gladly talk to them if they joined him in the trench. The silly buggers did ... cheap suits, polished shoes and all. Once he had them standing ankle deep in clay slush, he asked them who they were. They introduced themselves again to which he replied - Nah, don't want you mob on me land. **** off.

He was a fun bloke. About 5'7" with a thick red beard - we used to call him Yosemite Sam because he looked like the cartoon character. He was driving deck spikes into a road one day - marking out some new road construction. These things need to be driven in with a sledge hammer. Despite the cones and warning signs, cars kept coming far too close so eventually, he drove the sledge hammer into the side of an errant car. The driver got a tad upset and took him to court. The magistrate listened to all the evidence, told the driver that if he was close enough to be hit with a sledge hammer he was 'too damned close', and threw the case out of court.

We didn't have telemarketers in those days. I suspect they would not have been received with much affection by Yosemite Sam.

Cheers
Richard

[Groggy]

I guess anyone who has been to America or lived there knows where this is going, but in case you don't, I'll tell you. If you encourage telemarketing by not asking them to remove you from their database, eventually you will receive 10-15 calls during the dinner hours.

The buggers don't even ring you themselves, a computer does, and if a voice answers the computer switches to an operator while you stand there wasting your time and saying "Hello? Hello?"

The US had to pass telemarketing legislation to force them to remove you from their call lists if you ask them to. They also had to establish a database where people could register not to be annoyed. Companies had to check the dB before calling or be fined heavily, so people got the use of their phones back.

You may think it is amusing now, and abuse a few, but when they really get going your evenings will be ruined. It is a bit like email spamming, if they get a live one that doesn't ask to be removed from the database, they'll pass your number on to others.

This is a pet hate of mine (in case you hadn't picked up on it) and I think the practice is both rude and intrusive. You can put a "No Junk Mail" sign on your letterbox but these buggers come right into your loungeroom.

About the best fun I have had though, is to look at the Caller Id, then answer "Hello, Consumer Affairs!" in a cheery voice. On a good day you get to hear one swallow his tongue...

[Clinton1]

Craigb - If it was the "white anglo" that caused offence - I am one. If it was the "lack of excuse" - I sympathise with people trying to find work when their language skills hold them back (i.e. recent immigrants). My point is that I do not believe that door to door is a legitimate activity and I fear for my wife as she is home alone when I work shifts (who is the 'legit' door knocker, and who is the serial rapist we have running around my suburb at the moment? - true). Also, there must be a time that I can have to "choose my reality", and must I have it disturbed by someone trying to gouge a buck out of me?
Apologies if I offended - my own family is too multi-racial for that

[craigb]

Craigb - If it was the "white anglo" that caused offence - I am one. If it was the "lack of excuse" - I sympathise with people trying to find work when their language skills hold them back (i.e. recent immigrants). My point is that I do not believe that door to door is a legitimate activity and I fear for my wife as she is home alone when I work shifts (who is the 'legit' door knocker, and who is the serial rapist we have running around my suburb at the moment? - true). Also, there must be a time that I can have to "choose my reality", and must I have it disturbed by someone trying to gouge a buck out of me?
Apologies if I offended - my own family is too multi-racial for that

Well I'll accept your apology, but my advice to you is to be careful what you post.

I can't see you. I don't know if you are red, white or brindled and what's more I dont care.

I also don't know if you have a smile or a sneer on your face.

If, as you say, your family is multi racial then you should have some idea of how easy it is to be a victim of racism.

Enough.

Lets move on.

[Gingermick]

The US had to pass telemarketing legislation ..

Can't happen here.

[zymurgy]

For some funny (mp3) conversations with telemarketers, visit CallComedy

[Caliban]

errr , can we get a muzzle for Clinton? I'm a tad scared here ...

Richard

What did he say? Why do I miss the juicy posts 50% of the time? Why didn't I miss the picture of Oz in his birthday suit :eek:
Craig
It is unlike you to be this grumpy so it must have been a doosey