I have no problem with telemarketers as long as they pay for the medium. Advertisers get in by paying for the newspaper, for TV & radio shows, for Internet web sites, for the roads their billboards sit on, and for the phone book. But when a telemarketer uses my phone, I expect him to pay for that phone and phone line.

Same also applies to those road signs that read "Work at Home" or "Finally Health Insurance at...". You want to advertise on a utility pole? Then you pay Peco or Verizon for access to that pole and the local governments for the zoning variance. We know those signs are outright scams. We know that utilities do not permit advertising. They want to advertise without paying like honest business do - as they also scam those who respond.

This is not a free speech issue. This is tresspassing. If he wants to use my phone to sell his product, then he damn well can pay for the medium. However the telemarketer has found a way around that. Instead, it is cheaper to purchase a congressman.

So, Maggie. You had cast iron manhole covers implanted? I'd always wondered about that.

No, dear...in fact *nothing* was implanted.

But like every good maintenance job, there were some parts left over when the doc was done. Some I had no use for...the good parts were kept, but moved to new locations, wiring intact.

What a wonderful mental image. I look forward to waking up every night in a cold sweat with fear in my eyes for years to come.

Most people are probably aware of this, however it may still help some. If you are called by telemarketers in the US, answer in a friendly fashion, and merely request to be put on their 'do not call' lists. They are usually federally mandated to do that, and can be fined a lot of money if they fail to comply with your request.

Of course it's entertaining for about three seconds to be sarcastic and cutting to the poor guy at the other end of the line, but he may just turn out to be equally cutting by putting your name on all of their affiliates' "promising customer - call lots" lists.

Quote:
"Politely inform the caller it would be against the law if they call you again. (In the United States, the law is US Code of Federal Regulations 16, Part 310, Specifically: 310.4(b)(1)(ii).) You should never hear from them again. If you do, you can check with a legal advisor to find out the damage award you might claim against the caller. "

Reference:
http://www.december.com/simple/live/stopjunk.html

BTW: Nigeria is the world's most populous 'black' country, and it is generally considered to be the forerunner for being the economic and political regional leader in Northern and Central Africa.

X.

of course it's entertaining to be sarcastic to telemarketers, but it's their job to call you, just like it may be your job to sell computers or whatever. when i was a surveyor, i certainly did not appreciate assholes who got pissy just because a computer i happened to be using dialed their phone number.

If my job is a murder, and I go murder your mom, certainly you can't get mad at me just because I'm doing my job.

Cut me a break. Telemarketing is annoying, it's interrupting, and there's no reason why consumers should have to put up with it. If a person doesn't want to get yelled at by irate persons who are getting taken away from their dinner by a fucking phone call, well, then maybe one should not get a job calling people that never asked to be called.

they pay more :D

RE: Adventures in Telemarketing
 

I had this kind of call 30 minutes ago. I've got my second phone-call from some Indian sounding people, with call-centre nose in the background. Usually I never get any telemarketing calls on my phone, so why such a weid one? The first one a couple of months ago was from a lady and her country code was from Sri Lanka. Today it was a gentleman with a hidden number, but the questions where exactly the same as I was assumed to be a young business professional. I don't know what they are up to

I know what YOU'RE up to...