Professer 
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Just came across possibly the greatest way of stopping cold calls and thought I would share it with you all.
If you get lots of calls trying to sell you services and goods that you neither want, or need it can be an exasperating experience that brings out the Mr Hyde in all of us.
Despite being ex-directory and TPS registered, I get still get a fair number and the best I have achieved was to play along, get the guy to give me his name and company and then had the TPS successfully prosecute ADT alarms who he worked for. Prosecution was satisfying, but it fails to go that extra step that your Mr Hyde wants... Revenge!
As a christian I couldn't possibly suggest revenge is good, or something one should seek. However, not everyone on this list has a voice saying "Don't do it. Forgive him, he's just doing his underpaid job and he knows not what he does", so in the interest of social inclusion think it's right I pass on this example of "The extra step" to get revenge on the telemarketers.
This example is American so you will need to come up with a variation for the UK, but the stunt Tom Mabe carried out on one such caller, I think you will have to agree, is solid, 24 carat gold.... Genius!
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rBfsdkGeMc8
Reply #4881. Jul 16 12, 5:51 AM
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| lesley153
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Jake, spaghetti? I'd have come for that!
Gary, that is so beautifully done, I almost feel sorry for the caller.
Yesterday I went to London to an engagement party for my nephew. I met Jonathan at the tube and we walked there together, which was nice. It was at a niece's house. My brother and SIL came, so did most of their other children, most of whom are married and have children of their own, so it was a lovely, busy gathering.
Coming home I missed a train and expected to wait half an hour for the next one. It would stop only once and take 40 minutes. The next train was 20 minutes later. Like an idiot, I got on it. It took an hour and ten minutes. Moral: next out doesn't mean first home.
A passenger asked the men on the platform how long it would take to get to St Albans - about twenty minutes? They didn't know, and she was angry and mildly sarcastic. In the end, they agreed with her. It actually took 25, which means that the man she phoned for a lift home might have had to wait an extra five minutes. He might not have minded too much.
I think the least the railwaymen could have done was have the decency to commit the entire British Rail timetable to memory. |
Reply #4882. Jul 16 12, 8:01 AM
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Professer
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We should all try that next time we get a unsolicted phone call, scare the living daylights out of them.
Lesley you could claim to be DCI Tennyson (aka helen mirren)
here is my script,
Can i ask who is calling, what is your purpose, well i am DCI Jack Frost the person you are calling has been brutally murdered and as you are not listed on his phone , or address book , i need your full name and address as you are now a suspect in his murder.
then say jones get a car from (insert city ) police to go arrest (callers name) he is the prime suspect in this murder.
Just polish it up to suit yourselves :)
Reply #4883. Jul 16 12, 8:22 AM
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| lesley153
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| I'd love to do that. I just don't think I could keep it up without laughing. |
Reply #4884. Jul 16 12, 9:01 AM
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Jazmee27
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My thought exactly.
Reply #4885. Jul 16 12, 10:15 AM
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| lesley153
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New glasses are a disappointment. They look a bit different but I can see better with the old ones. Probably because the news ones are wonky. Put them on the table and you can practically see-saw on them. Going back when I get a minute.
More sensible to look for a new optician. I did that a few years ago. Got fed up, found a new chain, and now the new chain's been bought up by the old chain, so I'm back where I started.
Exercise group tomorrow afternoon. Going out for a meal with them in the evening. After I said yes to the meal, I was invited to a barbecue by one of the best cooks I know. He's cooking for tomorrow, and posting pictures on facebook. Not fair. What pub meal can compare with a home-made imam bayaldi? |
Reply #4886. Jul 17 12, 7:28 PM
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Professer
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Enjoy your meal Lesley, my eyesight improved 5 years or so ago when i had my cataracts done, which i am pleased i had done seeings whats happening now with the NHS.
Was a amazing improvement, only need glasses now for pooter and reading paper or a book.
Reply #4887. Jul 18 12, 1:45 AM
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| lesley153
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Thanks, Gary, I didn't. They chose a local pub, within walking distance - two-thirds of a mile, uphill, in the rain, but I got a lift home (phew).
I've gone to that pub before, for lunch. People go there for lunch from work, and I have no idea why - it’s not a place to go to if you’re in a hurry or hungry. Both times, the service was appalling and the food wasn't good enough to compensate, hence only two visits. On one occasion, two of arrived around noon, while there were only a couple of customers, and asked for the simplest things on the menu - baked potato, both with cold fillings. No signs of life from the kitchen, and very little sign of life from anywhere else. We told the waitress we’d ordered half an hour ago, and she said “Only half an hour? That’s not bad!”
On another occasion, two of us wanted exactly the same thing. We waited... At last we learnt that ordering was electronic, and the waitress hadn't known how to order two of the same thing, so it hadn't been ordered.
Last night, I ordered the dish mysteriously described as mushroom risotto with bruschetta. It was an enormous yellow mound with a greenish garnish. I imagine the recipe is something like this.
- Boil short-grain rice till fairly soft but still starchy.
- Fry thickly-sliced mushrooms.
- Grate strong Cheddar cheese.
- Cut a slice from a small uncut white loaf, and spread with tomato paste, salt and herbs.
- Arrange half a cup of mushrooms round the edge of a large soup dish.
- Mix a cup of boiled rice with a cup of grated cheese, and cram the mixture onto the soup dish, so that it hides the mushrooms.
- Top with the bread, then mask the entire dish with more grated cheese.
- Garnish with a couple of scraps of greenery and two diagonal cucumber clices, and place in front of wide-eyed, speechless customer.
I took home a doggy bag, for evidence.
Never again.
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Reply #4888. Jul 19 12, 8:37 AM
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Professer
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Thats awful Lesley places like that should be shut down!
Am hoping to get to the best resturant in the highlands whilst away, where the food is divine the service is sublime and the staff have more then one brain cell between them, unlike the place you were at.
I hope my fav is on menu rib eye steak red onion and sweet potato chips
Reply #4889. Jul 19 12, 9:26 AM
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| lesley153
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Not sure, Gary - maybe I just got unlucky. The reviews are fairly evenly divided between pleasantly surprised or delighted, and wouldn't go again if you paid me.
Sometimes it's the customers who need an extra brain cell. One couldn't praise the Sunday roast and the service enough, but said it was spoilt by roaming children, including [shock horror] a ten-year-old girl sitting on a bar stool. What is the world coming to! The clue is in the fact that the pub says children welcome.
I've just returned from leaving a review of my own, titled third time unlucky, as well as a brief message to the brewers who own the pub. I don't think it needs to be closed down: it just needs twice as many staff, and kitchen staff who understand food.
Good luck with your favourite! |
Reply #4890. Jul 19 12, 10:15 AM
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| lesley153
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PS I didn't say anything at the time because I am a coward. I've only ever eaten our with one friend who was prepared to tell the staff exactly what she thought of the food - hers and mine. Everyone else wants to smile sweetly and pretend that everything in the garden is lovely, and roll their eyes at anyone who doesn't want to. The larger the group, the worse it tends to be.
There was one group I used to go out with regularly from work, and they would roll their eyes and groan if I dared find fault with anything. No customer loo? Stop complaining, cross your legs. Ice-cold food, melting ice cream? Close your eyes and get it down you. Not allowed to say a word. Groan-oh-god-lesley-what-is-it-now. I suppose the idea is that it doesn't matter if my pleasure is spoilt, as long as I don't spoil theirs. It's OK, I left them behind when I left London, and can barely remember their names now.
Guess I've allowed myself to be browbeaten by idiots. |
Reply #4891. Jul 19 12, 10:48 AM
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Professer
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Before MSN shut the site down i had a website for my holidays in scotland where i wrote about places visited sites seen and a returaunt guide of places i had eaten at.
It went down well with the visitors mainly from usa who visited scotland for holidays also europeans, i used to average about 50 emails a year from people who used the eating places i reccomended and always seemed to get positive feedback over two years, one place i went to in Inverness called the waterfront as it was on the banks of the river ness, i got to know owner quite well was there with my friend once when this american couple came in said did they have a table the guy said he was full be a hour possibly before a table was free as we'd eaten and paid the bill just finishing our drinks, the american said he had been reccomended to the place so guy asked by whom and he said my website not knowing it was me. So told Chef/owner was proably mysite so he asked for website got his lap top out saw what i'd put and said next meal you have here is on the house. Had a fire in march in kitchen so hoping thats open too..
What you have done is always the best way if they want opinions as hopefully it will see changes for the good Lesley. I remember once when my mum came up to inverness for a holiday with my niece and we took her there, she was amazed by the food and quality of it the steak pie which was a house speciality was like half a cow on your plate a seperate flaky pastry top, with a 5 bowls of veg, potatos and a basket of chips My mum never stopped telling folk how good the food was, they even did a bowl of pasta for my niece which was not on menu. Thats what i call a good place to eat.
Reply #4892. Jul 19 12, 11:08 AM
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| lesley153
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What was the site that MSN shut down? I hope you kept a copy of all your reviews. That's the sort of thing that makes a lovely travelogue.
It would be lovely if it did make a difference.
That's the sort of place you want, with staff who go out of their way to keep everyone happy, rather than the sort that is satisfied if the majority's happy. I never have wanted to be s statistic. |
Reply #4893. Jul 19 12, 11:44 AM
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| lesley153
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| Never an edit button around when you need one. |
Reply #4894. Jul 19 12, 11:45 AM
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Professer
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Sadly no i did not keep a copy Lesley, something city the site and my site was my scottisah hols.
I not only had restraunts and eating establishments on it but had sites of intrest, guest houses, car rental as well.
Also put the web site links for trains, cinemas was a all round good site people liked. Resturaunts etc were not just inverness area but aberdeen, edinburgh and glasgow included, guest houses were for the west coast mainly.
I did on food outlets put bad reviews of places on it like the brewers fayre in Fort William where the food was disgusting service was none exsistant and the staff were throwbacks from the dark ages.
If you get to Glasgow and like italian food then i recommend Fazzis fantasti food service etc, example of Fazzis was waiting for my friend from inverness to arrive and was with my mum explained to staff my friends train was late shed be there shortly the staff said not a problem refreshed our drinks FOC and when she arrived did our order was fab food and was only £35 for 3 main meals all great.
Reply #4895. Jul 19 12, 12:47 PM
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| lesley153
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| Another MSN coup - well done MSN. :( |
Reply #4896. Jul 19 12, 1:36 PM
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| lesley153
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I seem to have an assignation with a young gentleman in central London. Last week, he and his girlfriend went to the Science Museum. He said one particular exhibit was just like sitting in the middle of an orchestra.
He also said I would like it and he would take me. No idea when because he's so busy his life is a jigsaw right now. He's just said Sunday. Shouldn't be fun. I've walked past the S Ken museums, even recently, but haven't been inside one for years. |
Reply #4897. Jul 19 12, 7:43 PM
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| lesley153
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| *Should* be fun! (How did that happen?) |
Reply #4898. Jul 19 12, 7:43 PM
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Jazmee27
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Happens to the best of us.
Enjoy yourself.
Reply #4899. Jul 20 12, 2:03 PM
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| lesley153
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Thanks, Jazmee. We can do the sound bit, and I spotted some prosthetic feet, which figured in his degree, so we're planning to go to the medical section too.
Straw poll: I ate out on Wednesday evening, and pretended that the meal was fine till I got home and was able to write a review (which was published this afternoon). I pretended because I have been shouted down by other members of a group I used to eat out with.
Is it just me, and just that group, or has anyone else had similar experiences? |
Reply #4900. Jul 20 12, 3:20 PM
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