Daryl wrote --

While the scammers are likely to change their numbers more than one
changes their underwear, I'm going to keep blocking those numbers.

I love how quick they hang up when I answer, in an authoritative voice,
"Lt Mackey speaking". Silence. I repeat that and "click" they're gone. I have the power to get telemarketers to hang up on me! :)
A co-worker said he wished he could do that and I said merely answer with officer/sergeant so-and-so.
In the late '90s I worked one winter for a survey company. We weren't selling anything, but asking about products and services, sometimes
businesses.
The vast majority of the time the people were nice about it.
I got Joan Embry's answering machine once. She was with the San Diego
Zoo and on tv often with some critter.
I also got the answering machine for a state supreme court judge in the
state of Washington.
In those cases we just marked down AM (answering machine) and the
computer dialed the next number.
They were dialed in sequence starting with xxx-xxx-xxxx1 then
xxx-xxx-xxxx2, and so on.
We traveled across time zones as the shift wore on, with PST being the
last.
These surveys lasted from two to five minutes, except for the one
everyone hated, the dreaded alcohol survey.
Usually the script was "I'm calling about Brand X. Do you now or have
you in the past used it? What is your opinion of it?" and so forth, paid for by the maker of that brand.
The alcohol survey could last up to an hour or more and almost always
someone would agree when it was close to quitting time. We could tell when someone got one at that time for the sighing and language from that caller. :)
They went into deep questioning about brands, types, how often one used
it, how they used it, etc.
I got a fella one time who was drinking at the time and the more we
talked the more he drank and he was pretty sloshed when we finally finished. I could hear the sounds of ice cubes put in yet another glass, his pouring whatever, sipping, etc.
We had no names of who we were calling or anything.
Joe

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Hello JOE!

** On Thursday 25.02.21 - 06:16, you wrote to DARYL STOUT:

I love how quick they hang up when I answer, in an
authoritative voice, "Lt Mackey speaking". Silence. I
repeat that and "click" they're gone. I have the power to
get telemarketers to hang up on me! :)

That is a good trick. It may work better for people who hold
such designations.

Back in the day when tape-based answering machines connected to
home-phones were common, some people had a lot of fun with intro
scripts that were pretty funny. Some were purely imaginary or
used celeb voices: Spock, Shatner, etc..

A co-worker said he wished he could do that and I said merely answer with officer/sergeant so-and-so.

But that would be lying. :/

But there is no law against having fun with your own version of
"hello".

In the late '90s I worked one winter for a survey company. We weren't selling anything, but asking about products and services..

Omg. I (still) hate those kinds of calls.

In those cases we just marked down AM (answering machine) and the computer dialed the next number.
They were dialed in sequence starting with xxx-xxx-xxxx1 then xxx-xxx-xxxx2, and so on.

Some of those calls just work their way through the phonebook, alphabetically. My name actually appears twice in the phonebook,
one right after the other. When I hear both phones ring, I can
be pretty sure it's a survey!

Usually the script was "I'm calling about Brand X. Do you now or have you in the past used it? What is your opinion of it?" and so forth, paid for by the maker of that brand.

Did it pay well?

I got a fella one time who was drinking at the time and the more we talked the more he drank and he was pretty sloshed when we finally finished. I could hear the sounds of ice cubes put in yet another glass, his pouring whatever, sipping, etc.

Some entertainment for ya!

--
../|ug

--- OpenXP 5.0.49
* Origin: Things end but memories last forever. (2:221/1.58)

BY: August Abolins(2:221/1.58)


|11AA|09> |07
|11AA|09> |10But there is no law against having fun with your own version of |07
|11AA|09> |10"hello".|07

|14I often will answer "WOLS Radio, you're live on the air! What song would you |07|14like to hear next?" or sometimes some musical trivia question. There's always |07|14a brief pause, then *click*.|07

|14WOLS radio is a defunct AM station in the town where I grew up, and I worked |07|14as a DJ there in high school. Fond memories of that place, which is why I |07|14keep the name alive just for telemarketers.|07


--- WWIV 5.7.0.development
* Origin: ** The Trading Post [SOUTH] BBS - Columbia, SC ** (1:123/126)

Hello CRAIG DOOLEY!

** On Thursday 25.02.21 - 08:54, CRAIG DOOLEY wrote to August Abolins:

|14I often will answer "WOLS Radio, you're live on the air! What song would you |07|14like to hear next?" or sometimes some musical trivia question. There's always |07|14a brief pause, then *click*.|07

|14WOLS radio is a defunct AM station in the town where I grew up, and I worked |07|14as a DJ there in high school. Fond memories of that place, which is why I |07|14keep the name alive just for telemarketers.|07

That is so funny! My version of that would "Hello.. WTF Radio.
You're on the air!.."

I like the part about asking a trivia question. The only caveat
would be if they actually play along and the conversation drags
on. I'd rather hear the caller hang up - fast.

--
../|ug

--- OpenXP 5.0.49
* Origin: Things end but memories last forever. (2:221/1.58)

Joe,

I love how quick they hang up when I answer, in an authoritative
voice, "Lt Mackey speaking". Silence. I repeat that and "click"
they're gone. I have the power to get telemarketers to hang up on me!
:)

Rank has its privileges, sir. <G>

A co-worker said he wished he could do that and I said merely answer with officer/sergeant so-and-so.

If it was with Trade Wars 2002, it'd be "Fleet Admiral". <G>

In the late '90s I worked one winter for a survey company. We
weren't selling anything, but asking about products and services, sometimes businesses.

I worked for a survey firm many years ago.

I got a fella one time who was drinking at the time and the more we talked the more he drank and he was pretty sloshed when we finally finished. I could hear the sounds of ice cubes put in yet another
glass, his pouring whatever, sipping, etc.

As W.C. Fields noted "Inflation has gone up over a dollar a quart",
and "Someone left the cork out of my lunch". <G>

Daryl

... If it WALKS out of your refrigerator, LET IT GO!!
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August,

That is so funny! My version of that would "Hello.. WTF Radio.
You're on the air!.."

Or impersonate Dr. Ruth Westinheimer..."Hello...you are on the air.
Does your tallywacker taste different lately??" <G>.

I like the part about asking a trivia question. The only caveat
would be if they actually play along and the conversation drags
on. I'd rather hear the caller hang up - fast.

Or keep asking "Why?"...like the kid who is constantly curious.

I knew a couple who were about to get "romantically involved", when
a telemarketer call came in. Not wanting to let a good session of
"whoopee" go to waste, they pulled out all the stops, with all these
orgiastic noises, etc. (it made it sound like a porn line). The
telemarketer was so embarrassed, that he hung up. <G>

Daryl

... News Headline: Male infertility can be passed to children.
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August,

That is a good trick. It may work better for people who hold
such designations.

Having the voice for it, helps too. <G>

Back in the day when tape-based answering machines connected to home-phones were common, some people had a lot of fun with intro
scripts that were pretty funny. Some were purely imaginary or
used celeb voices: Spock, Shatner, etc..

There's a YouTube video of a Southwest Airlines Flight Attendant,
doing the Looney Tunes characters after the flight has just landed
at its destination, and is on its way to the terminal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCVV4pRmvFE

But there is no law against having fun with your own version of
"hello".

I originally had a recording with various sound effects.

"Hello there. This is Daryl Stout".

[static, then audio from "Terrible Tuesday", the film about the
Wichita Falls, Texas F-5 tornado on April 10, 1979, when a ham
radio operator, Glenn Whatley, first spots the monster tornado
(although the video at the time was from Cabot, Arkansas in 1972)].

"Anyone within the sound of my voice...there is a tornado on the
ground. Please take cover".

(I cut out the part about "near the Sikes Center in Wichita Falls, Texas"...that was a big shopping center, and it was right in the
path of the monster tornado (a mile and a half wide). Shoppers
inside knew the tornado was coming, but tragically did NOT know
what to do...as a result, panic ruled).

The full video is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoJqVEylxto --
the part of the audio is at the 16:55 mark].

[tornado siren revving up and steady in the background]

"Unfortunately, this is the time of year in Arkansas...when severe thunderstorms with large hail, high winds, flash flooding, and
tornadoes...can develop, and move into an area very rapidly".

There is another film on the Super Outbreak of 1974, where
Xenia, Ohio was blasted by an F-5 tornado...called "The Day
Of The Killer Tornadoes"...it's at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UArq6EGEn6s

It was 148 tornadoes in 12 hours...The Weather Channel also
had a program on it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biGVS8t04yI

Another one is the on the EF-5 Greensburg, Kansas tornado.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3azBlCKusE

[tornado siren revving down, switching to sound of howling hurricane
force winds]

"Because of this, I'm currently gathering important weather data,
and can't come to the phone at this time. So, please leave your
name, message, and callback number after the tone...and I'll get
back with you as soon as I can. Thank you".

Years ago, two of the local TV meteorologists were Ron Sherman
(who now runs Ron Sherman Teleproductions in southwest Little Rock),
and Tom Bonner (who now is on the board of Arkansas Children's
Hospital). One of the local TV anchors (formerly a DJ at a local
radio station), created the character "Sherman Bonner". <G> So,
that's who I was referred to as by my brother. :)

Ironically, our spring tornado season starts Monday, the same
day as the start of meteorological spring. Ironically, on March
1, 1997, we had "The I-30 Tornado"...from just south of Interstate
30, it ravaged portions of Arkadelphia, then moved northeast, just
missing the Little Rock National Airport, before it dissipated.

We've also had tornadoes in the dead of meterological winter
(which starts December 1).

Dec. 2 and 24, 1982 -- it was unnerving hearing tornado sirens
during Christmas Eve services. The sky was dark green with hail
nearby from the Dec. 2 storm.

Jan. 21 and 22, 1999 -- 56 tornadoes...most in just a 6 hour
period on Jan. 21. One of them was only a mile from my home
(I saw the rain wrapped curtain around it, just down the street;
that's how close it was). That same storm dropped a tornado just
south of downtown Little Rock...and dropped another tornado on
a high school at Beebe, northeast of Little Rock. They had been
playing a basketball game there, but had been monitoring the ham
radio operators and Skywarn Spotters traffic. They stopped the
game at halftime, and evacuated the premises. Thirty minutes later,
the tornado made a direct hit on the school and gym, flattening
both. A pharmacist at a local store was killed when the tornado
hit the building, but glass bottles on the shelf were untouched.

Feb. 5, 2008 - a 122 mile long (a state record) F-4 tornado from
west central, northwest, and north central Arkansas.

Omg. I (still) hate those kinds of calls.

There's a post I've shared out in the past, in numerous ways
to get even with telemarketers. Ask them "Do you enjoy getting
annoying phone calls at home?". When they say "No", you reply
"Neither do I", and hang up. <G> This was before you told me
about that jollyrogertelephone.com deal.

Some of those calls just work their way through the phonebook, alphabetically. My name actually appears twice in the phonebook,
one right after the other. When I hear both phones ring, I can
be pretty sure it's a survey!

I like where this one comic strip (I think it was "Shoe") had the
character recording a message for the answering machine. He said
"Leave your name and number at the sound of the frap". He then
drops his pants and underwear, and lets out a huge fart...then
says "That should make some telemarketers consider career changes". <G>

Did it pay well?

I know that was directed to Joe, but as I recall, mine did.

I got a fella one time who was drinking at the time and the more we talked the more he drank and he was pretty sloshed when we finally finished. I could hear the sounds of ice cubes put in yet another glass, his pouring whatever, sipping, etc.

Some entertainment for ya!

Whoopee!! <G>

Daryl

... Deliver a pizza? Whoever heard of a liver pizza?
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Aug wrote --

A co-worker said he wished he could do that and I said merely answer with officer/sergeant so-and-so.

But that would be lying. :/

Not if he/she were a officer or sergeant.

Usually the script was "I'm calling about Brand X. Do you now or have you in the past used it? What is your opinion of it?" and so forth,

Did it pay well?

Got me through the winter. :)
This a third job I had at one time.
First was working as a temp, before I did any real security work other
than ball games, which is what I started doing for extra part time cash.
The good thing about this survey job it was only a couple of blocks away
and inside nice and warm. :)
Joe
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Joe,

Did it pay well?

Got me through the winter. :)

It reminds me of one of the questions they asked on Hollywood Squares.
The question was directed to Charlie Weaver (he's long since dead and
gone, as most of the others are)...but while I don't remember the question,
he replied "It got me out of the army". Also, the responses from the late
Paul Lynde are a riot. <G>

Daryl

... Where there's a Will, I want to be in it.
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Hello Daryl!

** On Thursday 25.02.21 - 10:00, you wrote to me:

Or keep asking "Why?"...like the kid who is constantly
curious.

I knew a couple who were about to get "romantically
involved", when a telemarketer call came in. ...they
pulled out all the stops,..

Some people might want to call back thinking that it's a fun
prank to hear.

I remember when some 1-800 numbers were set up just to offer a
daily joke of the day. Not sure how something like that was
viable (1-800 numbers were not free to have).

--
../|ug

--- OpenXP 5.0.49
* Origin: Things end but memories last forever. (2:221/1.58)

August,

I remember when some 1-800 numbers were set up just to offer a
daily joke of the day. Not sure how something like that was
viable (1-800 numbers were not free to have).

Free to those calling the number...not free to those who had it.

Daryl

... Goverment Version: Pentago, Pentagoing, Pentagon.
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Re: Re: Telemarketers
By: Daryl Stout to August Abolins on Thu Mar 04 2021 00:25:00

I remember when some 1-800 numbers were set up just to offer a
daily joke of the day. Not sure how something like that was
viable (1-800 numbers were not free to have).

Free to those calling the number...not free to those who had it.

not all 1-800 numbers are toll-free ;)


)\/(ark
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Hello Daryl!

** On Friday 05.03.21 - 20:46, you wrote to mark lewis:

not all 1-800 numbers are toll-free ;)

That's true...some of those get routed to 900 numbers.

I've never heard of that! I couln't find anything about that on
the 'net.


--
../|ug

--- OpenXP 5.0.49
* Origin: Time moves in one direction, memory in another. -WG- (2:221/1.58)

Mark,

I remember when some 1-800 numbers were set up just to offer a
daily joke of the day. Not sure how something like that was
viable (1-800 numbers were not free to have).

Free to those calling the number...not free to those who had it.

not all 1-800 numbers are toll-free ;)

That's true...some of those get routed to 900 numbers.

Daryl

... A failure will not appear until after the final inspection.
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