Room 101

[Gunjaman5000 30]

Has anyone ever actually used a service offered via a cold call?

Last year I signed up to get phone, interweb and cable TV from the same supplier after a 'nice young man' knocked on the door. It's worked out well, the three together costing as much as phone and net by themselves previously. Telemarketeers I don't mind too much, they're only trying to make a living. Pretend to speak less english than they do, dear old Boris from Russia's got me out of a few tight telemarketing tussles.

 

Back on topic, people who use fingers for quotation marks should be hung, drawn and quartered.

[VSBfromH 74]

Taking the theme of people of cell phones in public a step further (or is it farther, I can't ever keep that straight)...

 

In my office it has become de rigueur to use your cell phone in the restroom. I don't get it. I can't believe that anyone I was speaking with would want to witness the environment of the restroom, even if only through the phone.

 

I'm totally with you on that one CarolAnn!

 

Combining the subjects of mobile phones and telemarketing, I was once contacted on my home phone by one of the big mobile companies (TMobile I think - are they still going? do I care?). The person asked me how much I spent per month on my mobile phone bill. When I answered (truthfully) "about £1", they said "no, per month, not per day". I reiterated "about £1". There was a hushed silence, which I translated as "how can anyone HAVE a mobile phone and not use it EVERY WAKING MINUTE OF THEIR DAY?". They then asked me whether there was anyone else in the house who had a mobile phone. Again, I replied truthfully "no". "Is there anyone else in the house who would like a mobile phone?". "Only my dog" I replied (this was in the days before Mrs. V had moved in) "I could ask him, but I don't think he'd be interested". In a somewhat bemused tone, they thanked me for my time and hung up.

 

Sometime it helps to just say it like it is.

 

A double glazing company once rang me up. I told them I was emigrating to Australia the next week. They told me how lucky I was and wished me well. So lying through your teeth sometimes works also.

 

By the way, I would also recommend TPS. I agree that it doesn't work 100%, but we certainly don't get anything like as many as before.

[Octopus of Odstock 1,850]

I thought of another one.

 

All those stupid studies, like this one announced yesterday, Short-term memory loss "may be" a sign of Alzheimers

 

NO?!?!! Memory loss a symptom of Alzheimers? Well, that is news to me! I would have never linked the two otherwise.

 

I mean these studies cost a fortune, and, generally, do one of two things

1) tell us what we already knew years ago when our mother told us as a child

2) contradict what the last study said about a health matter.

 

Not that I listen to these studies, anyway. I do, eat & drink what I want.

 

Not all studies are bad & a waste of time, but there are a hell of a lot of pointless ones, and people being paid a hell of a lot of money to be pointless.

[Six 22]

I've just discovered a whole new hate, lucky me eh?

 

Regional Coding Enhancement.

 

I've been trying to get my hands on a film I saw, and loved, as a child; The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. I can buy it from Amazon.com ( brand new/used/ collectible ) ( DVD or VHS ) at a very good price, but I've just found out about this RCE rubbish. So far, I've discovered that each DVD/video is set for Region 1, but I'm in Region 2. A Region 1 DVD/Video wouldn't play on my sets, apparently.

 

This is all new to me. If anyone out there knows more about it, or a way around it, or if it even matters, please let me know. That wonderful film is just waiting for me to buy it...

[Brinsworth House Baiter 12]

I've just discovered a whole new hate, lucky me eh?

 

Regional Coding Enhancement.

 

I've been trying to get my hands on a film I saw, and loved, as a child; The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. I can buy it from Amazon.com ( brand new/used/ collectible ) ( DVD or VHS ) at a very good price, but I've just found out about this RCE rubbish. So far, I've discovered that each DVD/video is set for Region 1, but I'm in Region 2. A Region 1 DVD/Video wouldn't play on my sets, apparently.

 

This is all new to me. If anyone out there knows more about it, or a way around it, or if it even matters, please let me know. That wonderful film is just waiting for me to buy it...

 

I'm no expert, Six, but I'm pretty sure that some DVD players allow you to switch between the two. I'm sure my LG did before I broke it.

 

Failing that & I am talking crap, which I'm sure I will be told, why not move to the country which is in the DVD region? That way you get to see your film and take in a change of scenery!

 

Anyway, Six, you know these films that we remember as being good from our childhood rarely strike as such when we watch them as adults. I'm thinking most of the Elvis Presley back catalogue here.

 

Save yourself the inevitable disappointment and buy a Dicky O boxset instead.

[Tempus Fugit 212]

I've just discovered a whole new hate, lucky me eh?

 

Regional Coding Enhancement.

 

I've been trying to get my hands on a film I saw, and loved, as a child; The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. I can buy it from Amazon.com ( brand new/used/ collectible ) ( DVD or VHS ) at a very good price, but I've just found out about this RCE rubbish. So far, I've discovered that each DVD/video is set for Region 1, but I'm in Region 2. A Region 1 DVD/Video wouldn't play on my sets, apparently.

 

This is all new to me. If anyone out there knows more about it, or a way around it, or if it even matters, please let me know. That wonderful film is just waiting for me to buy it...

 

 

Most DVD players can be made region free, by a simple hack, but doing this does invalidate your warranty.

 

What's the make and model number of your player?

[TLC 9]

Right then.... (in no particular order)

 

Street performers. Not funny or entertaining, except very rarely and always inadvertently.

 

Kenny G. Hair, Saxophone, I rest my case.

 

Garnish on food. If it's not supposed to be eaten, don't put it on my plate.

 

Telesales people, but specifically the bit when they cold call and then demand that you answer security questions before they proceed. I know they have to ask (data protection act etc. the abuse of which drives me mental too but that's a bit work specific) but it winds me up no end, or it did until we had our land line removed. Better than TPS.

 

Christian Rock. What?

 

The Chuckle Brothers. Extensively covered elsewhere, but a breach of the Trades Description Act if ever there was one.

 

Bad adverts. Quote me happy? F*ck right off. Far too many to mention all of them. I'm lovin' it? I don't f*cking think so.

 

The dinnerladies. Crimes against comedy, guilty as charged, no right to appeal, life with no parole. Case closed.

 

'To be perfectly honest...', as if that's proof of truthfulness. You're hardly going to start a sentence with 'I might be lying a bit...' whether you are or not.

 

The Daily Mail. The tabloid that pretends otherwise, which makes it even worse. Still got their black shirts pressed & ironed in case extreme nationalism ever takes hold in the UK.

 

'No win no fee' companies. Some claims are justified of course, but these days everyone is encouraged to claim thousands for sprained ankles and the like; then everyone bitches when insurance premiums rocket. I also refer you to bad adverts.

 

And adverts for loan companies, usually in abundance during daytime TV. Enough to make me want to go to work.

 

Socks & sandals, a terrifying combination. Especially if white socks pulled up nice and straight to mid-calf are involved.

 

Students, but only specific types. Including floppy velvet hats, uni scarf tossed casually across the shoulder for no neck warming purposes, laughing at lecturers jokes whilst sitting at the front with a dictaphone, rag week hi-jinks, growing dreadlocks but getting mummy & daddy to collect the washing each weekend etc. This is from a man who was a Politics student (hi Windsor!) in my day, and had a healthy hatred of many student habits whilst still erm, studying. I have nicked a traffic cone though, so I'm not guilt-free here.

 

This is not a goodbye, but au revoir. We shall meet again, my friends.

[TLC 9]

Jings! I nearly forgot this excruciating piece of audio drivel courtesy of the New Zealand tourist board. It's been played to death on British TV, but I have for you the 12" re-re-remix*.

 

It's not so much the appallingly cliched images, but the song. The link to said atrocity is here, possibly the worst tune I've ever heard. The Lighthouse Family are cutting edge musicians by comparison, and even typing the name of that band makes me vomit in my mouth a little bit, due to their utter blandness.

 

After a very small amount of research, it turns out the song has only been slightly re-written for the advert, and had actually been previously released as an album track on its own merits. Good grief.

 

*I'm assuming that's the case due to the length of the clip, as my work PC has no sound card.

[Schism 2]

Yep - as far as I know, TPS is only legally binding within the UK, so as a heck of a lot of calls come from Asia, they will still get through.

 

Has anyone ever actually used a service offered via a cold call?

 

 

 

 

No matter what they are selling my reply is always the same, "It's ok matty, i have a machine upstairs that makes them". Whatever it may be they are trying to sell me, all be it double glazzing,soffit's,new internet providers.

[Handrejka 1,840]

I'd like to add to the list:

 

Shop assistants or anyone else who doesn't know you calling you "hun"

 

Kate Winslett

 

Jeremy Kyle

 

Little Britain

 

The Daily Mail

[DevonDeathTrip 2,288]

I know I've mentioned if before, but I would like to reiterate that the following people are evil:

 

Ellen McArthur

 

The Chuckle Brothers

 

John McCririck

 

[Six 22]

Thanks to Tempus for trying to help with the RCE thing... it's all sorted now and the DVD has been ordered. Also, thanks to BHB for your wonderfully helpful suggestions too - I would very much like to move to the said 'Region', but my husband wouldn't appreciate the commute to work. I hope you're wrong in suggesting that the film won't match up to my expectations of it... I'll let you know.

 

Some very good rants on this thread. I agree with most of them totally, especially the Chuckle Brothers, and that New Zeland song is dire

 

I'm quite upset that nobody has mentioned carrot cake yet, but there must be others out there who think carrots and cake shouldn't go together.

[Magere Hein 1,397]

I'm quite upset that nobody has mentioned carrot cake yet, but there must be others out there who think carrots and cake shouldn't go together.

I'm not fond of carrots anyway, but carrot cake is the subject of a joke:

 

A rabbit walks into a bakery and asks the baker: "Do you have carrot cake?" The baker answers: "No." The rabbit leaves.

 

Next day, the same rabbit returns to the bakery and asks the baker: "Do you have carrot cake?" The baker again answers: "No." The rabbit leaves.

 

The day after, the rabbit again goes into the bakery and asks the baker: "Do you have carrot cake?" The baker answers yet again: "No." The rabbit leaves.

 

The baker thinks: "Hey, there might be business in that stuff", so the next day he bakes a carrot cake. When the rabbit comes in and asks: "Do you have carrot cake?" the baker proudly answers: "Yes, I do." The rabbit replies: "Yucky, innit?"

 

regards,

Hein

[Six 22]

[Anubis the Jackal 76]

SUVs, especially on city streets. I don't get it. If you need a big car, buy a big

car, or, better yet , a truck. But why these huge dinosaurs on wheels that nobody

can seem to learn how to drive let alone park. Rant over.

 

Ditto.

The ones that really annoy me are those that buy SUVs jsut because they have two children and the only thing they use them for are to go grocery shopping.

 

Also people who buy pick-up trucks and never use them for their intended purpose

 

 

 

They're the reason God invented door keys... they'll get the message eventually.

[Anubis the Jackal 76]

The phrase " I'm not being funny or nuffin' "

 

 

 

You will never be.

[Gunjaman5000 30]

...I agree with most of them totally, especially the Chuckle Brothers, and that New Zeland song is dire

I couldn't agree more. Bloody awful, although the writer is a local legend, or was before he stopped drinking and found Jesus. I'd like to add to the list anyone who uses the words 'clean' and 'green' in conjunction with matters environmental, along with musicians who stop drinking and find Jesus.

[Tempus Fugit 212]

...I agree with most of them totally, especially the Chuckle Brothers, and that New Zeland song is dire

I couldn't agree more. Bloody awful, although the writer is a local legend, or was before he stopped drinking and found Jesus. I'd like to add to the list anyone who uses the words 'clean' and 'green' in conjunction with matters environmental, along with musicians who stop drinking and find Jesus.

 

What about Jesus's who stop drinking and find music.

[Lady Grendel 137]

The dinnerladies. Crimes against comedy, guilty as charged, no right to appeal, life with no parole. Case closed.

 

Thankyou TLC, I thought I was the only person in Britain who hates this so called 'comedy' with a passion, you have just restored a small (very tiny) bit of my faith in humanity.

 

May I also add

 

'The Office' I'm sure I'm the only person in the world that thinks this programme is complete shite .

[Tempus Fugit 212]

 

The dinnerladies. Crimes against comedy, guilty as charged, no right to appeal, life with no parole. Case closed.

 

Thankyou TLC, I thought I was the only person in Britain who hates this so called 'comedy' with a passion, you have just restored a small (very tiny) bit of my faith in humanity.

 

May I also add

 

'The Office' I'm sure I'm the only person in the world that thinks this programme is complete shite .

 

No I can't stand it either or "Extras" which was even worse, Gervais is an overrated twat.

[DevonDeathTrip 2,288]

 

The dinnerladies. Crimes against comedy, guilty as charged, no right to appeal, life with no parole. Case closed.

 

Thankyou TLC, I thought I was the only person in Britain who hates this so called 'comedy' with a passion, you have just restored a small (very tiny) bit of my faith in humanity.

 

May I also add

 

'The Office' I'm sure I'm the only person in the world that thinks this programme is complete shite .

 

No I can't stand it either or "Extras" which was even worse, Gervais is an overrated twat.

 

Ally McBeal, Friends, Sex In The City, Desperate Housewives. The cast and production crew of the aforementioned programmes should be lined up and shot.

[Lady Grendel 137]

 

The dinnerladies. Crimes against comedy, guilty as charged, no right to appeal, life with no parole. Case closed.

 

Thankyou TLC, I thought I was the only person in Britain who hates this so called 'comedy' with a passion, you have just restored a small (very tiny) bit of my faith in humanity.

 

May I also add

 

'The Office' I'm sure I'm the only person in the world that thinks this programme is complete shite .

 

No I can't stand it either or "Extras" which was even worse, Gervais is an overrated twat.

 

Agreed TF, you missed out 'annoying'.

[DevonDeathTrip 2,288]

Anneka Rice, Anthea Turner, the whole Royal Family, David Cameron, Jade Goodie, Graham Norton, Geri Haliwell, Angus Deaton, Alistair Campbell, Robert Mugabe, that awful woman from The Good Life and To The Manor Born whose name escapes me at the moment, Alex Ingletorpe, Jeremy Irons, PJ and Duncan, Kevin Costner, Anthony Worral-Thompson, Cherie Blair, Richard Branson. The world would be a much better place if they were thrown on a mass bonfire tomorrow morning.

[Six 22]

Anneka Rice, Anthea Turner, the whole Royal Family, David Cameron, Jade Goodie, Graham Norton, Geri Haliwell, Angus Deaton, Alistair Campbell, Robert Mugabe, that awful woman from The Good Life and To The Manor Born whose name escapes me at the moment, Alex Ingletorpe, Jeremy Irons, PJ and Duncan, Kevin Costner, Anthony Worral-Thompson, Cherie Blair, Richard Branson. The world would be a much better place if they were thrown on a mass bonfire tomorrow morning.

 

Do you mean Penelope Keith?

 

If those clothes were still around now, I'd have to have them thrown into Room 101, too.

[DevonDeathTrip 2,288]

Anneka Rice, Anthea Turner, the whole Royal Family, David Cameron, Jade Goodie, Graham Norton, Geri Haliwell, Angus Deaton, Alistair Campbell, Robert Mugabe, that awful woman from The Good Life and To The Manor Born whose name escapes me at the moment, Alex Ingletorpe, Jeremy Irons, PJ and Duncan, Kevin Costner, Anthony Worral-Thompson, Cherie Blair, Richard Branson. The world would be a much better place if they were thrown on a mass bonfire tomorrow morning.

 

Do you mean Penelope Keith?

 

If those clothes were still around now, I'd have to have them thrown into Room 101, too.

 

That's her!

 

I really shouldn't post on this website after midnight. I was obviously overtired which always makes me start ranting. I would never dream of posting something like that during daylight hours.