Irritations

[Herlock Sholmes]

People who say, or even write, "should of" when they mean "should have".

Yeah, that’s annoying.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I'm currently irritated by constant spam calls from con people. I have learned to set up a voice mail message on my cell saying I don't answer unlnown numbers, and if this is important, please leave a message and your number to call back.
i try to label legitimate businesses in contacts, in case I missed a bill or something.
i've read up on common scams and how to recognize specific types of cons by the prefix the number uses.
Prize scams, "Publisher Clearing House" prizes, packages that need money sent to be claimed, "Pacs" for electing people to support police, fire, children's charities, good grief!.
My phone now says "identified spam" after many of my ignored calls.

That’s a good one Pat. It’s irritating but it can be even more so for older people. I have an aunt who is 86 who suffers from anxiety who I’ve instructed to ignore these calls but she still calls me after she gets one though because they really worry her. She can’t really get past the idea that some unknown person has her phone number. ‘Bank security’ is a regular one which I get too. Or someone tells you that your insurance is about to expire on something that you don’t own.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Well I have over a 100, but here's a few to start with...


1) When a politican says "let me be clear".


RD

I’d add…when politicians says ‘I’ve been very clear on this.’ It’s only because they’re so overjoyed they’ve actually hit upon the vanishingly rare time when a subject is being discussed that they haven’t spent their life lying, changing their mind or obfuscating about.

[c.d.]

I get scam calls all the time. I try to keep them on the phone as long as I can and waste their time. Got one the other day from the local power company. Clearly it was not really them. Heavy foreign accent. They said as a long time customer they could offer me a free home inspection and correct any problems they find right on the spot. I said that would be great. I told the guy that sometimes the lights in my living room flicker and what did he think that could be? He said it could be anything but they would check it when I made the appointment. I said I think it is just a loose connection or bad wiring. Did he think that could be the cause? He said it could be but they will check it when they come out. I then said a friend of mine told me it could mean you have a ghost in your home and they are trying to get your attention. Did he think it could be a ghost? He started getting a little irritated and said sir we will check but you have to make the appointment. I then asked him if it was a ghost could they get rid of it or do I need to call a priest? Even more frustration on his part and he said sir just make the appointment and we will check it. I then asked him if they worked with any priests on a regular basis that they could recommend? I said I would call a priest and make an appointment for him to come out and then call the power company so that they could be here when the priest is here so they could consult with each other. He finally hung up.

c.d.

[c.d.]

I also use to get calls from "the IRS" saying I owed thousands in back taxes and if I didn't pay today they will issue a warrant for my immediate arrest. I went along with it for quite some time. My feeling is that as long as they are on the phone with me it means they aren't scamming some elderly person. I was told I owed around $6,000. I pretended to be shocked but said I would pay it since I didn't want to be arrested. I then told "the IRS agent" that I only have $5,000 in my checking account and would it be possible to pay $5,000 today and then set up some sort of monthly payment plan to pay off the balance? I could tell he thought he had me. Said he needed to check with his supervisor to get approval for that. Of course his supervisor approved it. I expressed my gratitude over and over that the IRS was willing to work with me. Then I said hey I was thinking, would it be possible to pay a dollar today and then a dollar a month for the next 6,000 months? He said are you mocking me? I said yes because you are not the IRS you are a scammer. That was met with an outpouring of profanity and him hanging up.

c.d.

[c.d.]

There is a guy who has a YouTube channel and he posts videos of him responding to scammers who ask for his credit card number. He has a number of different sound effects on his computer. My favorite is barking dogs. He'll start to give the number and then right in the middle he will turn on the barking dogs. The scammer repeatedly asks him to repeat what he said until they give up in frustration. Very funny and clever.

c.d.

[John Wheat]

If I get Spam calls I ask them if they're wearing something sexy .

[c.d.]

Politicians who wear flag pins on their lapels. Pretty much all of them do it. I guess it is to show that they are a Patriot and love the country. Yeah, because it takes such sacrifice to buy a two dollar pin and attach it to your lapel.

c.d.

[c.d.]

Street preachers. Those obnoxious people that stand on the street corner with a microphone or bull horn telling you to repent and get right with the Lord.

c.d.

[c.d.]

Those ***holes who throw paint on works of art or glue themselves to it to bring attention to Climate Change. Yeah, that is really going to make people sympathetic to your cause. If I was in charge I would have them beaten senseless and dragged through the streets. Maybe they should bring back tar and feathering. Better yet let them remained glued till they die and rot. That should make a statement.

c.d.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Street preachers. Those obnoxious people that stand on the street corner with a microphone or bull horn telling you to repent and get right with the Lord.

c.d.

Definitely.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Those ***holes who throw paint on works of art or glue themselves to it to bring attention to Climate Change. Yeah, that is really going to make people sympathetic to your cause. If I was in charge I would have them beaten senseless and dragged through the streets. Maybe they should bring back tar and feathering. Better yet let them remained glued till they die and rot. That should make a statement.

c.d.

[Herlock Sholmes]

TV weather reports and reporters. It’s simple, just tell us what the weather is going to be like tomorrow. I don’t need to know what part of the planet the wind is coming from and I never need to hear the words ‘low pressure’ or ‘isobars.’ And I certainly don’t need the person giving the report to do it as a kind of choreographed performance art piece.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Those ***holes who throw paint on works of art or glue themselves to it to bring attention to Climate Change. Yeah, that is really going to make people sympathetic to your cause. If I was in charge I would have them beaten senseless and dragged through the streets. Maybe they should bring back tar and feathering. Better yet let them remained glued till they die and rot. That should make a statement.

c.d.

100% right. It achieves absolutely nothing and they know that it achieves absolutely nothing. It just makes them feel heroic.

[c.d.]

I visit Arlington National Cemetery frequently. They have signs up welcoming visitors to "The Nation's Most Sacred Shrine" and asking people to conduct themselves with dignity and respect at all times and to please remember that these are hallowed grounds.

Every time I read that I think Good Lord! what a sad commentary on society that they actually need to post something like that.

c.d.