Beautiful Morning - What could possibly darken this beautiful, cool (59°), clear morning? I imagined that nothing could!
Following several wickedly hot (triple-digit) days, the cool morning seemed nearly dream-like. I drove to mine office and began the day. I soon received an email confirming my appointment as a Dealer by Hogue, Inc. (the premier manufacturer of pistol grips, rifle stocks, etc.). I was joyous!
THEN the telephone rang. The Caller ID said, "CA Gov." I thought that was odd, but thought it best to answer the call.
ME: "California Technologies."
CALLER: "Yes may I to speak to Mr. David please?"
ME: "What is this concerning?"
CALLER: "Is this Mr. David?"
ME: "What is this concerning?"
CALLER: "Yes may I to speak to Mr. David?"
ME: "No."
CALLER: "Is this Mr. David?"
ME: "No."
CALLER: "Urgent matter to speak to Mr. David."
ME: "What is urgent to you may well not be urgent to him. What is the nature of this call?"
CALLER: "Is this Mr. David?"
ME: "I grow weary of this banter and am now exiting. PLONK"
Nearly immediately, the telephone rang, displaying the same Caller ID. I let it go to voice mail, and the caller left no message.
I shall not allow this to darken my day!
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Beautiful Morning
Wednesday, July 08, 2015
Brrrrr!, Discourtesy, and Roadkill Cars
Brrrrr! - It is difficult to acclimate to this sudden change in the weather—going from triple-digit highs only a few days ago to a forecast high of 77° tomorrow! While a drop in temperature was certainly welcome, the quickness with which it took place puts a strain on one's system.
At the moment, it is a relatively brisk 66°. For the brief period that I was outside—walking a few yards from my home to my vehicle and then from my vehicle to my office—I found the coolness to be restorative and invigorating.
I arrived at my office and scurried to disable the alarm system. I heard the telephone ringing as I unlocked the front door. Clients were awaiting me. I said, "Come in and excuse me while I answer my telephone."
I answered the telephone. The caller said his computer would not allow him to connect to any of several Web sites that he routinely visited without issue. I told him that I was with clients but would be pleased to look at his computer this afternoon. He said maybe I could just tell him what to do over the phone to get it working so he didn't have to bring it to me.
I told the caller that it was unlikely his computer could be fixed in that manner and attempting to do so would be grossly unfair to the clients who were waiting to speak to me.
The caller became agitated and said he needed the computer fixed right away. I said, "I must go now. Should you decide to bring your computer here, I have unscheduled time this afternoon after 1 P.M. He sid nothing and ended the call.
Tuesday, July 07, 2015
Cooler Weather and Evil Telemarketers
Cooler Weather - Watching the local news broadcast on television this morning, I became gleeful upon hearing the weatherperson forecasting cooler weather for the next several days. Evil Telemarketers - Most telemarketers are not evil—although they are all distruptive and appear to be fully ignorant of the "Do Not Call" database—but some telemarketers are "selling" a "service" the need for which they created!
In place of the triple-digit weather we have been suffering, the forecast this morning predicted a high of 93° today, 89° tomorrow, 82° Thursday, and temperatures remaining in the 80s through the weekend!
Forecasts call for partly cloudy conditions through Saturday and possible thunderstorms on Thursday.
Rain would certainly be welcomed with joy!
I am referring to those heinous cretins who infest a computer with a pseudo virus then offer a "service" to rid the system of the infection.
Such an infection was the cause of woe that faced a client yesterday. I determined the culprit to be a "program" called Driver Pro.
Driver Pro is a paid system optimizer program that is typically added when one installs another free software application. This program is also bundled within the custom installer on many reputable download sites, so if you have downloaded a software from these websites, chances are that PC Utilities Pro – Driver Pro was installed during the software setup process.
I ran Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, and it found a plethora of PUPs. PUPs range from registry cleaners that claim to speed up your PC, to various toolbars, convenience apps, and all-in-one PC performance boosters. These utilities can be simply annoying and misleading or harmful and dangerous. That is why the output logs produced by scanners may use words such as "Potentially" and "Optional." Most of this software is not an infection such as a virus, but it may make false claims, serve ads, conflict with other installed applications, or is a trial with a goad to purchase a full version to finish the task it promised to do.
The foul purveyors of such malware—often termed "ransomware," because it holds the computer for ransom and forces the user to pay the ransom in order to release the computer from the thrall of the infection.
Driver Pro purports to scan the system and find missing or incorrect drivers and alerts the user that the full version of the program must be purchased in order to correct the problem.
In reality, Driver Pro's report is totally bogus. In this instance, a telephone number was given that was stated to be a Microsoft technical support number. Of course, the number has no connection with Microsoft.
Attempting to remove Driver Pro by using the Control Panel / Uninstall Programs method returned a message that the program did not exist.
Revo Uninstaller removed Driver Pro and released the computer from bondage.
Unfortunately, not all infections may be addressed similarly. There are many variants of PUPs that appear as a result of the installation of Driver Pro.
I recommend that one purchase the Pro version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. It is $24.95 per year for a three-PC license. This will go far toward ensuring that you do not fall victim to malware.
If your system does become infected, however, I recommend that you have the issue addressed by a professional.
Wednesday, December 03, 2014
Telemarketers, In the News, Zeus, and Enjoy
Telemarketers - Telemarketers are vile! In the News - They walk among us! Enjoy - Relax and enjoy these images and videos!
Please note that I said telemarketers are vile. I did not say telemarketers are evil. While there is certainly the possibility that they are, in fact, evil, that is not a determination I find to be of issue at this juncture.
Yesterday, apparently, was a day in some fashion special to telemarketers. I say this because the number of telemarketer calls to my office number was significantly higher yesterday than is common. Generally, I receive an average of 3 to 5 calls each day. Yesterday, I received over 20 telemarketer calls.
I have no notion of why the calls increased so dramatically yesterday. I can only assume it was some sort of telemarketer event day that was celebrated by telemarketers.
I have a telephone system that speaks the Caller ID aloud. If I suspect the call to be a telemarketer, I simply do not answer, and the telephone system prompts for a message to be left by the caller. While I generally, then, do not answer the call, it is yet a time-consuming task that requires me to direct attention to the call.
I sincerely hope that telemarketer calls return to the earlier frequency!
Laura photographed Zeus helping me change the batteries in our bedside clock!
Wednesday, January 08, 2014
Vanished, In the News, and Enjoy
Vanished - Yesterday morning, a client came to mine office and said, "I see your neighbors are gone." I replied, "Of what neighbors are you speaking?" The client replied by pointing in the direction of the building to the left of mine office. In the News - They walk among us! Enjoy - Relax and enjoy these images and videos!
I said, "Really?" and investigated. Friday, the building had been filled with apparel. The building was now completely empty, and there was a sign announcing, "For Rent."
I was astounded. Apparently, the building must have been vacated on Saturday and Sunday. It had been there only a few months. I shall watch with great interest to see what next occupies this building.
The building still bears the marquee of the prior business, Coffee Club Bistro. Mine office is situated between that building and H&R Block.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Avoiding Telemarketers, In the News, and Enjoy
Avoiding Telemarketers - Consumers will be able to opt not to receive unsolicited telemarketing calls starting this week. In the News - They walk among us! Enjoy - Relax and enjoy these images and videos!
The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said that on January 2 it will open the Do Not Call Registery, a Web site designed to help people avoid telemarketing calls.
Consumers who want to use the service can register their mobile or home telephone numbers via the Web site at Do Not Call Registery
Telemarketing firms must check the registry at the do-not-call Web site to ensure they do not disturb consumers on the list before they make calls to consumers.
Consumers can file complaints to the FTC or the Korea Consumer Agency concerning telemarketing calls to homes and mobile phones that they receive after registering their numbers on the list, and violators can face fines.
As telephone numbers are private information, they will be stored in the form of codes and will only be used as a method to reveal that a customer with a certain number does not want to receive a call from telemarketing firms.
But placing one's number on the registry will stop most, but not all unsolicited calls, because the measure can only regulate firms that are officially registered as telemarketers. There were about 5,500 telemarketing firms registered as of 2012. Consumers cannot bar unsolicited text messages and faxes from telemarketers or survey calls.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Telemarketers, In the News, and Enjoy
Telemarketers - Telemarketers are sub-human entities that fall easily under the heading of "time vampires," since they suck one's free time and bleed one of one's virtual blood. In the News - They walk among us! Enjoy - Relax and enjoy these images and videos!
I have registered my telephone numbers with the National Do Not Call Registry. I have done so many times, in fact, and the calls continue.
When a telemarketer calls, I generally do not answer. I either allow the phone to continue ringing until the telemarketer grows weary and disconnects, or I open the line and say nothing—leaving the vile creature to occupy himself with the sounds of whatever movie or television show I am watching.
When time permits, I entertain myself by answering, "You have reached a number that is no longer in service," or, "You have reached an active crime scene," or "I know who you are; I saw what you did," etc.
Telemarketers are an abhorrent group. The only group that I find more loathsome is spammers. I must stop there, else I would certainly fall quickly into a spewing so opprobrious that I would thereby embarrass even the most seasoned of visitors!
Monday, April 01, 2013
The Telemarketer
The Telemarketer - AH. the telemarketer: Easily one of the most loathsome creatures to slither upon the earth!
Generally, I recognize them and quickly end their telephone solicitations by either saying something witty ("You have reached an active crime scene. Do not disconnect. An agent will be with you shortly. Be certain to answer honestly. Do not disconnect.") or by simply ending the call by returning the handset to its perch.
This morning, however, I allowed The Telemarketer to engage me in conversation. (I quickly put the number displayed by Caller ID into Google and determined it to be a telemarketer.) This is the text of this conversation:
I have heard no more from The Telemarketer.
Friday, March 22, 2013
Friday Thoughts
Friday Thoughts - Weatherpeople forecast today to be dry, warm, and sunny. They also predict a continuance of the wind that plagued us yesterday—with expectations that the wind will reach 40 MPH and above. Wind serves no useful purpose—at least none of which I am aware.
Pop-ups are controlled nicely by settings in Chrome. I generally use only Chrome as my Web browser (on all Windows and Android devices) and Google as my search engine. Both are produced by Google, and I find them to work well together.
This is an amazing story: Pilot Impersonator Reaches Cockpit
I am watching The Delinquents Here is the IMDB listing. This movie was intended to serve as a guide for teenagers in the 1950s. It is a HOOT! I recommend it.
The Delinquents (1957)
72 min - Drama - 1 March 1957 (USA)
5.6 Your rating: -/10 Ratings: 5.6/10 from 244 users
Reviews: 11 user | 4 critic
A frustrated young man, separated from his younger girlfriend, gets involved in a juvenile gang.
Director: Robert Altman
Writer: Robert Altman
Stars: Tom Laughlin, Peter Miller, Richard Bakalyan
Robert Altman is famous for his films MASH (1970), McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971), and Nashville (1975)
Tom Laughlin is famous for his Billy Jack films.
Monday, January 07, 2013
Telemarketers
Telemarketers - I loathe telemarketers, and I find their calls to be disruptive, invasive, and fully without merit.
I shared with a client last Friday how I generally answer telephone calls that appear to be from telemarketers. If the Caller ID for an incoming call shows any of a number of displays I have come to associate with telemarketers, I usually answer the call by saying:
"You have reached an active crime scene. Who are you, and how did you get this number?"
Generally, the call is quickly and quietly ended by the caller at this point.
Should a telemarketer be unusually tenacious and attempt to initiate his spiel, I continue,
"Your phone number is being traced. Do not disconnect! An agent will be on the line soon to conduct an interview. Do not disconnect!"
That generally does it.
My client was most impressed and will, I have no doubt, soon be using this technique to deal with telemarketers!
Monday, October 08, 2007
No Fooling!, Law of the Land, -and- Cop Gone Wild
No Fooling! - woman sues Kmart over toilet paper tax
Law of the Land - court orders judge back to law school for refresher
Cop Gone Wild - off-duty deputy sheriff kills six
On this day in history: October 8, 1871 - Catherine O'Leary's cow starts the Chicago Fire, killing 250 and destroying 17,000 buildings.
Born on this day in history: October 8, 1920 - Frank Herbert (1920 - 1986) science fiction writer He is best known for "Dune" and its sequels; won Nebula, 1965 and Hugo, 1966.
Scripture of the Day: "I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed. I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God." (Isaiah 43:11-12)
Video of the Day: Lev and Thumpbot play Crazy - submitted by Darin
Telemarketers! Yikes! It is a foul way to begin the day indeed with an obnoxious call from a persistent telemarketer at 7:30! This telemarketer would not accept my polite, "Thank you, but I am not interested" reply and continued to read from her script. I then said, "I do not accept calls from telemarketers who block Caller ID," but the prattle continued. At that point, I had no alternative: I replaced the receiver.
Within a few seconds, the telephone rang again. Caller ID displayed "UNKNOWN NAME," as it had previously. I said, "Yes?" The woman said, "Oh, yes, I guess we were cut off." "We were not cut off," I said. "You were cut off, and listen: It is happening again!" I replaced the receiver. The telephone remains silent 30 minutes later.
Friday evening, we had one of the new DiGiorno Ultimate Pepperoni pizzas. This pizza is wonderful! The sauce and cheese are great, the pepperoni is tasty and plentiful, and the crust is amazing. The crust comes out of the oven looking like it had an egg wash on it. It is a beautiful, delicious pizza. DiGiorno has a real winner here!
Saturday, I marinated a huge London broil in Merlot, extra-virgin olive oil, teriyaki sauce, sea salt, ground black pepper, ground cumin, and garlic powder for six hours. I poached some asparagus and sliced red bell pepper for 3 minutes, sprayed with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, seasoned with sea salt and ground black pepper, and refrigerated. Laura grilled the London broil, some red potatoes, and some large white mushrooms. One of my brothers joined us for dinner. We had a wonderful meal and enjoyed Jose Cuervo margaritas.
For dinner last evening, I sautéed sliced mushrooms, sliced onion, garlic, red potato, and the leftover asparagus, red bell pepper, and London broil. It was a delightful meal.