Singing Potatoes
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Monday, 24 November 2003
Why has nobody invented this?

I'd pay good money for a telephone that rings differently when the phone number and/or caller's name doesn't come over the Caller ID, especially if the audible ring could be totally disabled for "No Information Available" calls. I'd pay even more money if the phone could remember numbers and/or names that you never wanted to hear the ring from.

Few things induce weekend grumpiness like being woken up early on a weekend morning because the Police Athletic League wants me to give them money. (Sure, I could turn off the ringers before I go to bed, but what if an actual important call needed to get through?)

Posted by godfrey (link)
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Comments
One of the reasons I don't like the caller ID system (#1 being it costs money) is that people don't answer if it's an unidentified caller. I've tried to call people in situations that were not necessarily emergencies, but urgent or at least time-sensitive, and not gotten an answer. Payphones, restaurant or store phones, other people's cells, and sometimes even my own cell, come up as unknown.

Call me old-fashioned, I don't like caller ID, call waiting, any of that stuff. Lisa can't believe I give the time of day to these callers, but I know what a freaking hard job it is. As long as they're not rude, and intelligible, I wait for an opportunity to say "No thanks" whereas she hangs up immediately.

Sunday mornings, however, no holds are barred. I nearly turned the hose on some JWs for getting me up on a Sunday morning.
Posted by Lunchbox on 24 Nov 2003 11:27
I wish I could have seen the JW potential hosing incident.
Posted by Ginevra on 24 Nov 2003 11:40
Also, on our caller ID, if it has a phone number with the description "unavailable", I'm more likely to answer, as opposed to the plain "unavailable", which is always a telemarketer.
Posted by Ginevra on 25 Nov 2003 07:31
"a phone number with the description "unavailable", I'm more likely to answer, as opposed to the plain "unavailable","
You've lost me on the difference here.
Posted by Lunchbox on 25 Nov 2003 11:50
She means one with a phone number with no name showing, versus one with no information at all.

Posted by Godfrey on 25 Nov 2003 12:13