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Post Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 8:23 pm 
 

simonmwh wrote: Its the same model three times!  


Maybe that is intentional, like a bunch of clones.

  

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Post Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 8:40 pm 
 

a) I have bought Girl Scout Cookies and magazine subscriptions from college or high school kids before.
b) No.
c) No.

I once worked at a telemarketing firm, part time when I was in college (around 96).  I sold credit card offers and then we were selling books for AOL.  AOL, what a lame company, pushing useless crap on their customers.

Anyway, when a call was completed we would input a code letter to classify the contact (don't call back - sale completed, don't call back, call back later, etc.).  There were plenty of hangups and "rude" responses (in reality, as the telemarketers, WE were the rude people!), and you just had to brush that off.  As a small measure of revenge, however, if anyone was truly obnoxious to me, I would input code letter "P" for "Call Back - Spanish Speaking."   :twisted:

  

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Post Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:30 pm 
 

Maybe that is intentional, like a bunch of clones.


Yup possibly...but why are they transparent? :?:

  


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Post Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 6:29 am 
 

Grug Greyskin wrote:
I once worked at a telemarketing firm, part time when I was in college (around 96).  I sold credit card offers and then we were selling books for AOL.  AOL, what a lame company, pushing useless crap on their customers.



Maximum respect mate.  That is a tough job.  My first job when I arrived in London was also a telemarketing job, working for a morally bankrupt IT box-shifting company, selling to other businesses and shops.  Grim work - always with one eye over your shoulder at the other workers, and the other on your boss.   You do everything you can to hit your daily target - steal clients from your colleagues, lie to the customer, sell units you don't have.  And at the end of the day, you go out and get hammered. Next day, it all starts again.

But now years later, when I am recruiting, and I see that the candidate has done a telemarketing job (and lasted oh, more than one day) I always put them in the positive pile.  You do cold calling, you can do anything   :wink:


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Post Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 7:10 am 
 

Avurax wrote:\short rant

In the last nine days I have had three door to door salespeople try to sell me alarm monitoring service.  At least two were different companies (I didn't really give the third guy a chance to even get started on his spiel so I don't know if he was offering anything new or not).  Last night, my doorbell rang again at about 8:30.  I didn't even bother to answer at that hour but my blood pressure rose a few points.  The reason for this short rant is to ask a question.  In regards to someone you didn't know*, have any of you ever bought anything from:

A) A door to door sales person
B) A telemarketer
C) An unsolicited email (SPAM)

For me, the answer to all three is a very big NO!  For some reason while reading the "Intro" thread here today, I started wondering if others felt the same way or if I am becoming/have become an old curmudgeon.

/short rant

* I went with someone you didn't know so situations like your neighbor's kids selling Girl Scout cookies or coupon books to support public schools would be excluded from any discussion.  


I just had some guy trying to sell something at my door from a company called APEX. I'd neglected to lock my outer screen and he had it open, one foot on my doorstep, ringing the doorbell and pounding on the door.

I dislike door to door salesmen intensely but normally I try to be polite before telling them, sorry, not interested. This guy was older, late 20's or early 30's, my size, and russian. He immediately starts leaning into the house like he is going to push past me shoving some 'free' offer under my nose. I'm telling him I'm not interested and he's not listening, and not backing off my front step. I ended up yelling at the guy to get off my fekking property and using my cell phone to call the police as he backed off down my sidewalk (not that they ever showed up).

This guy was a low-life. Door to door salesman can simply be conmen, or people desperate enough or young enough to take these awful jobs, or they can be crooks looking to see what kind of things worth stealing you might have. It's crazy but we get enough burglaries and home invasions here sitting between Baltimore, Philadelphia and New Jersey, that it is worth taking into consideration.

Someone knocks on my door at night and I have my shotgun handy. They're getting a big no from me as well.

  

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Post Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:24 am 
 

a) yes, all from kids
b) yes, charity stuff
c) no, but am weakening against a persistent emailer from Nigeria

And on the coffee front, I don't like sweet coffee, so no go on the flavored stuff, but during the holidays I add about a third of a cinnamon stick to the beans before I grind them - it's subtle and a nice change.


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Post Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:29 am 
 

The best thing you can do is get a sign saying "Beware of Dog". I don't have a dog, but I put the sign on the front door. You'll never be bothered by thieves, and most solicitors.


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Post Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 11:25 am 
 

Deadlord39 wrote: You'll never be bothered by thieves, and most solicitors.


:oops:  And to think that in this country my profession is considered (reasonably) respectable. :oops:

I've never bought anything from anyone selling door to door.  I did however for the first time sign up to something from a telemarketer.

I've changed my gas and electricity to British Gas after "Matt" called me to tell me about their great deals.  I took down all the details and asked him to call me back the next day.  Researched tarriffs and BG's was indeed the cheapest for me.  I had been meaning to switch.

As to Coffee I buy columbian from a stall at the farmer's market in the village.  I brew it through a moka express/bialetti.

  

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Post Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 3:15 pm 
 

Avurax wrote:\short rant

In the last nine days I have had three door to door salespeople try to sell me alarm monitoring service.  At least two were different companies (I didn't really give the third guy a chance to even get started on his spiel so I don't know if he was offering anything new or not).  Last night, my doorbell rang again at about 8:30.  I didn't even bother to answer at that hour but my blood pressure rose a few points.  The reason for this short rant is to ask a question.  In regards to someone you didn't know*, have any of you ever bought anything from:

A) A door to door sales person
B) A telemarketer
C) An unsolicited email (SPAM)

For me, the answer to all three is a very big NO!  For some reason while reading the "Intro" thread here today, I started wondering if others felt the same way or if I am becoming/have become an old curmudgeon.

/short rant

* I went with someone you didn't know so situations like your neighbor's kids selling Girl Scout cookies or coupon books to support public schools would be excluded from any discussion.  


I bought from a telemarketer once.  That was back in college.

I make mistakes from time to time but I like to think I learn from them.


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Post Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 12:56 pm 
 

I know there are a few fans of the movie Tron around here.  Check out this bootleg clip from ComiCon of the sequel:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x692m3 ... up-001_fun

Kinda crap at first but then it starts to look pretty good.  I knew they were throwing the idea of a sequel around but didnt know that it was a definite.  Looks like Jeff Bridges' character Flynn may now be the bad guy.  8O


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Post Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:20 pm 
 

Kingofpain89 wrote:I know there are a few fans of the movie Tron around here.  Check out this bootleg clip from ComiCon of the sequel:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x692m3 ... up-001_fun

Kinda crap at first but then it starts to look pretty good.  I knew they were throwing the idea of a sequel around but didnt know that it was a definite.  Looks like Jeff Bridges' character Flynn may now be the bad guy.  8O


It has been taken down by the tron police.


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Post Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:55 pm 
 

Blackmoor wrote:
It has been taken down by the tron police.


Bastards.  :x   I found several other sites, including YouTube that were displaying it as well and all of them have taken it down.  Oh well....I am sure it is still out there somewhere.


You don't like your job, you don't strike. You go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way. - Homer Simpson

  

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Post Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:56 am 
 

Kingofpain89 wrote:
Bastards.  :x   I found several other sites, including YouTube that were displaying it as well and all of them have taken it down.  Oh well....I am sure it is still out there somewhere.


Here is one website I was able to find that not only has a larger version of the new movie trailer (still sucky bootleg copy) but has the original movie trailer as well:

http://tron-2-trailer.blogspot.com/

Man....I forgot just how cheesy 80's movie trailers were.  :lol:


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Post Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 11:55 am 
 

Kingofpain89 wrote:
Here is one website I was able to find that not only has a larger version of the new movie trailer (still sucky bootleg copy) but has the original movie trailer as well:

http://tron-2-trailer.blogspot.com/

Man....I forgot just how cheesy 80's movie trailers were.  :lol:


Very cool, it has new MMORPH written all over it.  Can't wait :)


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Post Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 10:02 am 
 

Hi

apparently theres been a bit of research into old jokes, such as:

"
One Roman joke dating back to the 1st Century BC details the Emperor Augustus touring his realm and coming across a man who bears a striking resemblance to himself.

Intrigued, he asks the man: "Was your mother at one time in service at the palace?"

The man replies: "No your highness, but my father was."
"

and

Egyptian 1600BC joke:
"How do you entertain a bored pharaoh? Sail a boatload of young women dressed only in fishing nets down the Nile - and urge the pharaoh to go fishing."

The Roman one is still quite funny.  :D

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Post Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 2:08 am 
 

Wow, besides being swept by the Cubs recently, the Brewers seem to have some serious problems with their personnell, hope this all works out..... :wink:

Mike B.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/c_c_sabathia_prince_fielder_keep


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Post Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 6:49 am 
 

Badmike wrote:Wow, besides being swept by the Cubs recently, the Brewers seem to have some serious problems with their personnell, hope this all works out..... :wink:

Mike B.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/c_c_sabathia_prince_fielder_keep


Would have expected this from King.

Maybe that would explain the standings for this: Race Standings Fielder seemed to be the fastest last year.

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Post Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 10:19 am 
 

Plaag wrote:
Would have expected this from King.

Maybe that would explain the standings for this: Race Standings Fielder seemed to be the fastest last year.

ShaneG.


The Onion is pure genius.

Here's one for the Packer fans:

July 31, 2008

Favre: I've Always Had A Passion For Stopping Things, Then Starting To Do Things Again


KILN, MS—Embattled quarterback Brett Favre attempted Monday to explain his recent actions concerning his recent reversal of his decision to retire by holding a press conference in which he explained his lifelong love for quitting things briefly before resuming those same things after a certain interval of time had passed. "I'm just that kind of guy, I guess—a gunslinger on one hand, but on the other, a man who knows when to stop, at least at first, but then it turns out I really didn't know when to stop after all," Favre said. "I guess you could say I'm a guy who quits, then realizes I don't know the meaning of the word quit." A number of the journalists present were later heard to wonder, in light of Favre's recent inexplicable behavior, if perhaps drinking heavily were one of the things the first-ballot Hall of Famer had stopped doing before starting again.


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