On 6/28/2014 4:05 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 2014-06-28 3:42 PM, jmcquown wrote:
>
>>> Why not? You will indulge all sorts of idiocy online. I don't know
>>> anyone who enjoys being constantly interrupted by phone calls at home,
>>> often during the dinner hour. It became a big enough problem that
>>> governments introduced Do Not Call registries, and heavy penalties to
>>> enforce them. The pests got around the registries by moving the call
>>> centres off shore where they figure our federal laws do not apply. The
>>> hack numbers to disguise their real numbers and company names.
>>>
>> So don't answer the phone. It's really not a big deal. If it's someone
>> you know who really wants to talk to you they'll leave a message. Unless
>> you have voicemail via the phone company you can hear them. Either pick
>> up the phone or call them back.
>>
>
> I have not yet reached the point of being so curmudgeonly or paranoid
> that I won't answer the phone because it might be someone trying to sell
> me something or scan me.
>
I'm not paranoid, I simply don't answer the phone unless it's someone I
know or I'm expecting the call. It's pretty simple and easy enough to
ignore the phone. It's not like it's ringing forever.

>>> I didn't ask them to call me. On the contrary. I put myself on the
>>> registry specifically to stop them from calling. If I can keep them on
>>> the line that means that much less time for them to be calling other
>>> people and annoying them.
>>>
>> Why do you care if they're annoying other people? They have the same
>> option of not answering the phone as anyone. It's not your problem.

> I guess the reason I care is that as long as they get a good ratio of
> sales per hour spent they are being profitable.

Again, not your problem. If someone *else* chooses to buy something
from a telemarketer there's nothing you can do about it. Hanging on the
phone with ONE PERSON won't change that.

> If I can put a dent in
> that profit it gives them less incentive to call all the time and maybe
> they will pack it in.

Highly doubtful.

> Maybe they will develop some software to allow
> them to skip the people like me who will waster their time.

Also highly doubtful.

>> You do realize they use auto-dialers, right? That next number will be
>> dialed no matter how long you keep that one telemarketer on the phone.
>
> Yes. I know they are auto dialers. If i don't answer within a set number
> of rings it will automatically dial the next number on its list.
>
Yeah, so you keeping *one* person on the phone isn't stopping anything.
Perhaps you're keeping them in a job, I guess that's a good thing.

> BTW.... don't believe any polls you read about. For some reason I am
> randomly picked way too often. I am under no obligation to tell them
> the truth. I will even tell them opposing answers. For example, I was
> polled about our recent provincial election. The asked asked me which
> party leader I liked the most, which party I liked the best, which
> candidates I would be most likely to vote for and I have to confess that
> I lied about them.

I don't pay much attention to opinion polls.

Jill