Dave Barry is a very funny man. Except when he gets junk phone calls. Then, the syndicated columnist becomes a very angry man. So angry, in fact, that he has twice published the phone number of a powerful telemarketing lobby, the American Teleservices Association, in his weekly humor column. His advice to readers: "Tell them what you think."
USA Today

When I used to recieve solicitors I would often toy with them. Sometimes perversely. My wife son got caller id and if we didn't recognize the number we didn't answer.

Now we have no regular line. Only cell phones and we don't get solicitors. Just incase though... I don't answer my cell phone unless I recognize the ring. I have seperate rings set for each person who would primarly being calling me. If it's the "i don't know" ring i let it go to voice mail.

This is a good way to go, using cell phones. We had stopped answering to unknown name on our caller id. Then our son went off to college. When he used a calling card it would come up with unknown name. So, we had to answer those calls.

I detest the solicitors who try to use guilt to get me to donate money for whatever their cause is.

I received one call for donating to the police. The solicitor seemed to think that I was unsympathetic to those gentlemen who risk their lives for me. I finally told him that I personally knew several officers and if I felt I had money to donate, I would go over to their houses and give it to them directly so I could be sure they got the whole sum!

I, too, use caller ID to screen my calls, but indeed, some still come in as "unknown" that turn out to be people I want to talk to, family and friends.

As for telemarketers, I did sign up on that do-not-call list that went out to the public sometime last year, and it did help. I get much fewer soliciting calls now. When I do, I am polite but firm, cutting them off at first sentence with a request to put me on their do-not-call list. No ifs, ands, or buts. Other than that, I realize the messenger is not really the one I wish to nab. But once I state this, I hang up.

Zee

I also use caller ID for screen my calls. I have set my phone so 'blocked' telephone don't ring through. I have AOL as my internet as my provider so when I am on the telephone I missed calls from people I wanted to talk to. I signed up for something called CallWave for a couple of dollars per month. Callwave lets you see the name/# and hear the telephone message of who is calling. I have set this also against blocked calls because generally those blocking their telephone numbers are solictation calls.

It is a very sad state that we have take these measures just to get a little privacy from strangers :-( I also signed up for do-not-call last year and it has helped tremendously.

Vannie(~.~)

So now what to do about all that spam in our inboxes....

Argh.


Zee

Hey Zee,

From your mouth to HIS (or HER) ears. The spam is outrageous. I don't know if there is a solution to this. The internet is a two edged sword with its opportunities. I have learned not to open anything that starts with "re:" when it comes from an unknown person or source :-(

I know this topic is "Americans Want to be Left Alone" but I suspect that this is not just a USA problem. It's wonderful to be able to receive good e-mail world-wide but the down side is that we now get foreign junk <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> and porn <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> mail.

Vannie(~.~)