modern day annoyances

>> Just paid a bill online with my credit card. Simple except that the
>> form required an email address and a phone number and the company is
>> in the US!
>>
>> I wish them luck calling my modem.
>
> It has occurred to me that companies should, perhaps, settle on a few
> smaller sets of information that are sufficient. Email plus mailing
> address, perhaps. Or phone plus mailing address.
>
> But this business of, every time a new way to contact people is
> invented, adding on MORE boxes to fill out in their forms, and making
> ALL of them required...
>
> Yeargh.
>
> The other day, I wanted to fill out a "questions about our WWW site?"
> form. Yet a physical mailing address was a required part of the form.
> To send an email, about a WWW site issue, my address and phone number
> are necessary?
>
> So I live at 55 Irrelevant Ave, Nowhere, CA. And my number is
> 555-555-5555. (The number always used on telephone shows, since it is
> reserved as the "not a real number" number.)
>
> I also like Noneofyourbeeswax Lane.
>
> sigh.

I think I have been through Nowhere CA.

Some forms are programmed to not accept bogus area codes, so I use
570-555-1212, the number for information, or used to be before 411.

My usual fake email is noway DeleteThis @jose.com.

--
I'm glad my Mom named me Aaron,
That's what everybody calls me.

Hemidemisemideity of Anonymous Eponymity
Patron Saint of Hair Color Changing
Currently: Dark Intense Red - Hydrience 3RR.
Holder of a provisional pedant licens/ce
(limited to the area of physical sciens/ce)
Member of ABMLNCSC - Base singer, very base
"Mommy, make daddy stop singing".

I dye my hair so much my driver's license
has a color wheel. Nancy Mura
 >> Stay informed about: modern day annoyances 

In article <13t196cmbfp7677 RemoveThis @corp.supernews.com>,
"m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]"
<"m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]"@earthlink.net> wrote:

> The other day, I wanted to fill out a "questions about our WWW site?" form.
> Yet a physical mailing address was a required part of the form. To send
> an email, about a WWW site issue, my address and phone number are necessary?

But of course! You're worthless (to mailing-list generators) without
real-world contact info.

> So I live at 55 Irrelevant Ave, Nowhere, CA. And my number is
> 555-555-5555. (The number always used on telephone shows, since it is
> reserved as the "not a real number" number.)

Actually, *ANYTHING* in the form (###)555-#### is a perfectly valid
"invalid" phone number - No number in a 555 exchange, regardless of area
code, will EVER connect to any customer phone - although in some area
codes, it MIGHT, depending on the exact switch that handles the area
code/exchange combination, connect to a tone generator or a recorded
loop. (but that's getting rarer and rarer as switches and software get
updated - These days, probably more than 90% of area codes will connect
a 555 exchange call to either dead air, or a continuous ring)

--
Don Bruder - dakidd RemoveThis @sonic.net - If your "From:" address isn't on my whitelist,
or the subject of the message doesn't contain the exact text "PopperAndShadow"
somewhere, any message sent to this address will go in the garbage without my
ever knowing it arrived. Sorry... <http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd> for more info
 >> Stay informed about: modern day annoyances 

Aaron wrote:
<snip>
>> It has occurred to me that companies should, perhaps, settle on a few
>> smaller sets of information that are sufficient. Email plus mailing
>> address, perhaps. Or phone plus mailing address.
>>
>> But this business of, every time a new way to contact people is
>> invented, adding on MORE boxes to fill out in their forms, and making
>> ALL of them required...
>>
>> Yeargh.
>>
>> The other day, I wanted to fill out a "questions about our WWW site?"
>> form. Yet a physical mailing address was a required part of the
>> form. To send an email, about a WWW site issue, my address and phone
>> number are necessary?
>>
>> So I live at 55 Irrelevant Ave, Nowhere, CA. And my number is
>> 555-555-5555. (The number always used on telephone shows, since it is
>> reserved as the "not a real number" number.)
>>
>> I also like Noneofyourbeeswax Lane.
>>
>> sigh.
>
> I think I have been through Nowhere CA.
>
> Some forms are programmed to not accept bogus area codes, so I use
> 570-555-1212, the number for information, or used to be before 411.

415 555-5555. 415 is a major area code in the Bay Area, where there are
about a bajillion people. I believe phone companies, in general, do not
hand out any 555-5555 numbers in the USA.

> My usual fake email is noway.RemoveThis@jose.com.

Oooooooooo... I like that one!

I usually don't fake my email address -- that is the one way I *want* the
companies to contact me. It is selling off my physical address or ringing
me up at any ol' hour on my home phone I want to avoid.

--
Megan
Journeyperson Dancing Barbarian
Keeper o' the FAQ: http://home.earthlink.net/~m_thomas3/abml/
 >> Stay informed about: modern day annoyances 

Don Bruder wrote:

> In article <13t196cmbfp7677.TakeThisOut@corp.supernews.com>,
> "m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]"
> <"m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]"@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>>The other day, I wanted to fill out a "questions about our WWW site?" form.
>> Yet a physical mailing address was a required part of the form. To send
>>an email, about a WWW site issue, my address and phone number are necessary?
>
> But of course! You're worthless (to mailing-list generators) without
> real-world contact info.

It is a goal of mine to be worthless to mailing list generators. :>

I've even gone to the Direct Marketing Association and filled out their
"don't send me snail mail" form -- I know, I know, the DMA has the highest
motivation to snail mail bomb me. I'm hoping it was a legit form. And
I've been ringing up 1-800 numbers listed in the unwanted catalogs that
arrive in my box, telling them to remove me from their lists.

Dunno why. Sometime earlier this year junk mail started to BUG me.

>>So I live at 55 Irrelevant Ave, Nowhere, CA. And my number is
>>555-555-5555. (The number always used on telephone shows, since it is
>>reserved as the "not a real number" number.)
>
> Actually, *ANYTHING* in the form (###)555-#### is a perfectly valid
> "invalid" phone number - No number in a 555 exchange, regardless of area
> code, will EVER connect to any customer phone - although in some area
> codes, it MIGHT, depending on the exact switch that handles the area
> code/exchange combination, connect to a tone generator or a recorded
> loop. (but that's getting rarer and rarer as switches and software get
> updated - These days, probably more than 90% of area codes will connect
> a 555 exchange call to either dead air, or a continuous ring)

555-555-5555 takes the least time to type. All one keyboard key. :>

Has anyone ever suspected that cats and dogs invented novels and movies to
get people to sit still for long stretches, so that the people would be
better pillows?

--
Megan
Journeyperson Dancing Barbarian
Keeper o' the FAQ: http://home.earthlink.net/~m_thomas3/abml/
 >> Stay informed about: modern day annoyances 

On 3/6/2008 6:03 PM, m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage] wrote:
[major snip]
> Has anyone ever suspected that cats and dogs invented novels and movies
> to get people to sit still for long stretches, so that the people would
> be better pillows?
>
Ye---[sounds of struggle][*How did the humans figure it out?* *I don't
know, but you'd better do something about it.*]

[in flat voice] I enjoy being a lap-person. It makes my life complete.
[*Think the other humans will catch on?*]

--
victoreia
Goddess of Dark Chocolate
[*with help from Kyuri and Ezri* *Don't tell them /that!/*]
 >> Stay informed about: modern day annoyances 

In article <13t1f5mk0qpdicc DeleteThis @corp.supernews.com>,
"m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]"
<"m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]"@earthlink.net> wrote:


> > My usual fake email is noway DeleteThis @jose.com.
>
> Oooooooooo... I like that one!

I've always liked "<whatever>@dont.bother.its.invalid" where <whatever>
is replaced by whatever witty thing you might like to say - As long as
<whatever> consists solely of letters and/or numbers and/or dots, it's
absolutely 100% legal anywhere online, doesn't mess with anybody's mail
server (since the ".invalid" TLD is guaranteed by the DNS standards to
resolve to no valid IP number) and I have yet to see ANYTHING that it
fails to go through without a hitch.

--
Don Bruder - dakidd DeleteThis @sonic.net - If your "From:" address isn't on my whitelist,
or the subject of the message doesn't contain the exact text "PopperAndShadow"
somewhere, any message sent to this address will go in the garbage without my
ever knowing it arrived. Sorry... <http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd> for more info
 >> Stay informed about: modern day annoyances 

victoreia wrote:

> On 3/6/2008 6:03 PM, m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage] wrote:
> [major snip]
>
>> Has anyone ever suspected that cats and dogs invented novels and
>> movies to get people to sit still for long stretches, so that the
>> people would be better pillows?
>
> Ye---[sounds of struggle][*How did the humans figure it out?* *I don't
> know, but you'd better do something about it.*]
>
> [in flat voice] I enjoy being a lap-person. It makes my life complete.
> [*Think the other humans will catch on?*]
>
> --
> victoreia
> Goddess of Dark Chocolate
> [*with help from Kyuri and Ezri* *Don't tell them /that!/*]

<snicker, snicker>

--
Megan
Journeyperson Dancing Barbarian
Keeper o' the FAQ: http://home.earthlink.net/~m_thomas3/abml/
 >> Stay informed about: modern day annoyances 

On Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:13:28 -0800, "m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]"
<"m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]"@earthlink.net> wrote:

>John Oliver wrote:
>> Just paid a bill online with my credit card. Simple except that the
>> form required an email address and a phone number and the company is
>> in the US!
>>
>> I wish them luck calling my modem.

>But this business of, every time a new way to contact people is invented,
>adding on MORE boxes to fill out in their forms, and making ALL of them
>required...

Yes, its the required that is really annoying. Leave the box blank and
they reject the form.

>So I live at 55 Irrelevant Ave, Nowhere, CA. And my number is
>555-555-5555. (The number always used on telephone shows, since it is
>reserved as the "not a real number" number.)

I must remember that but it won't work in Australia. Our numbers are
nn nnnn nnnn and an area code of 55 is impossible.
 >> Stay informed about: modern day annoyances 

On Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:25:06 -1000, victoreia
<inkypaws.RemoveThis@hawaii.nospam.rr.com> wrote:

>On 3/6/2008 6:03 PM, m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage] wrote:
>[major snip]
>> Has anyone ever suspected that cats and dogs invented novels and movies
>> to get people to sit still for long stretches, so that the people would
>> be better pillows?
>>
>Ye---[sounds of struggle][*How did the humans figure it out?* *I don't
>know, but you'd better do something about it.*]
>
>[in flat voice] I enjoy being a lap-person. It makes my life complete.
>[*Think the other humans will catch on?*]

I'm sure Madam Mischief believes it. Although she's more of a
chest-sitter than a lap sitter. When she was a tiny handful of fluff
this was fine. Now, though - she's 4 kg (9 lb) of concentrated muscle
and growing rapidly! She's almost certainly of Van blood which means
an average weight of 6 - 10 kg (13 - 22 lb) by the time she finishes
growing around the age of 3. She's just had her 1st birthday,
complete with a Fish Dinner to celebrate.

My chest isn't built to support that kind of weight, even with a Good
Firm Bra. So I usually have to put up my left arm to help keep her
there without her driving in pitons - sorry, extremely sharp claws -
on the soft, cushiony bits.

I love Madam Mischief, but there are times I wish she had designated
another member of the family to be Her Human (another very Van-like
trait). She loves to jump on her Mummy any time of the day or night
and has no trouble jumping to my chest height even if I'm standing up.

Mummy Az the extremely owned by cats.
 >> Stay informed about: modern day annoyances 

Mummy Az wrote:
> On Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:25:06 -1000, victoreia
> <inkypaws DeleteThis @hawaii.nospam.rr.com> wrote:
>
<snip>
> I love Madam Mischief, but there are times I wish she had designated
> another member of the family to be Her Human (another very Van-like
> trait). She loves to jump on her Mummy any time of the day or night
> and has no trouble jumping to my chest height even if I'm standing up.
>
> Mummy Az the extremely owned by cats.

Ok, that's a worrisome mental image. I hope she doesn't make those jumps
while you are, say, chopping vegetables or otherwise waving around sharp tools!

--
Megan
Journeyperson Dancing Barbarian
Keeper o' the FAQ: http://home.earthlink.net/~m_thomas3/abml/
 >> Stay informed about: modern day annoyances 

"Don Bruder" <dakidd.RemoveThis@sonic.net> wrote:
> "m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]" wrote:

>> The other day, I wanted to fill out a "questions about our WWW site?"
>> form.
>> Yet a physical mailing address was a required part of the form. To
>> send
>> an email, about a WWW site issue, my address and phone number are
>> necessary?
>
> But of course! You're worthless (to mailing-list generators) without
> real-world contact info.
>
>> So I live at 55 Irrelevant Ave, Nowhere, CA. And my number is
>> 555-555-5555. (The number always used on telephone shows, since it is
>> reserved as the "not a real number" number.)
>
> Actually, *ANYTHING* in the form (###)555-#### is a perfectly valid
> "invalid" phone number - No number in a 555 exchange, regardless of area
> code, will EVER connect to any customer phone - although in some area
> codes, it MIGHT, depending on the exact switch that handles the area
> code/exchange combination, connect to a tone generator or a recorded
> loop. (but that's getting rarer and rarer as switches and software get
> updated - These days, probably more than 90% of area codes will connect
> a 555 exchange call to either dead air, or a continuous ring)

Um...I don't think that's right. The NANP (North American Numbering Plan)
specifies that the 555 exchange is to be used for "a wide variety of
information services." The ficticious numbers are 555-01xx (for all area
codes); others are valid but are (supposedly) never to be assigned except to
an "information service" and even then only when specifically requested as
alternate numbers for an existing (non-555) number. I won't guarantee it,
but I think that the availability of the 555 exchange for real numbers began
in the mid-1990s.

And, of course, 555-1212 is the long-distance information operator for all
area codes.

h'mmm...just looked at the Wikipedia article on 555. It agrees with what I
just wrote, but also notes that there are some long-established bogus
numbers outside of the 01xx series. (The article includes a screenshot of
"Ghostbusters" with the fake ad for their services, and a phone number -
555-2368.)

Joe Morris
 >> Stay informed about: modern day annoyances 

In article <_xiAj.47$Qy3.11@trnddc03>,
"Joe Morris" <j.c.morris.DeleteThis@verizon.net> wrote:

> "Don Bruder" <dakidd.DeleteThis@sonic.net> wrote:
> > "m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]" wrote:
>
> >> The other day, I wanted to fill out a "questions about our WWW site?"
> >> form.
> >> Yet a physical mailing address was a required part of the form. To
> >> send
> >> an email, about a WWW site issue, my address and phone number are
> >> necessary?
> >
> > But of course! You're worthless (to mailing-list generators) without
> > real-world contact info.
> >
> >> So I live at 55 Irrelevant Ave, Nowhere, CA. And my number is
> >> 555-555-5555. (The number always used on telephone shows, since it is
> >> reserved as the "not a real number" number.)
> >
> > Actually, *ANYTHING* in the form (###)555-#### is a perfectly valid
> > "invalid" phone number - No number in a 555 exchange, regardless of area
> > code, will EVER connect to any customer phone - although in some area
> > codes, it MIGHT, depending on the exact switch that handles the area
> > code/exchange combination, connect to a tone generator or a recorded
> > loop. (but that's getting rarer and rarer as switches and software get
> > updated - These days, probably more than 90% of area codes will connect
> > a 555 exchange call to either dead air, or a continuous ring)
>
> Um...I don't think that's right. The NANP (North American Numbering Plan)
> specifies that the 555 exchange is to be used for "a wide variety of
> information services." The ficticious numbers are 555-01xx (for all area
> codes); others are valid but are (supposedly) never to be assigned except to
> an "information service" and even then only when specifically requested as
> alternate numbers for an existing (non-555) number. I won't guarantee it,
> but I think that the availability of the 555 exchange for real numbers began
> in the mid-1990s.
>
> And, of course, 555-1212 is the long-distance information operator for all
> area codes.
>
> h'mmm...just looked at the Wikipedia article on 555. It agrees with what I
> just wrote, but also notes that there are some long-established bogus
> numbers outside of the 01xx series. (The article includes a screenshot of
> "Ghostbusters" with the fake ad for their services, and a phone number -
> 555-2368.)
>
> Joe Morris

Then they've changed things since I as last paying attention. The last
quasi-official information I had was pretty much exactly what I said.
Then again, the last time I was playing in the circles that passed out
such quasi-official information was also in the mid-nineties...
Coincidence?

--
Don Bruder - dakidd.DeleteThis@sonic.net - If your "From:" address isn't on my whitelist,
or the subject of the message doesn't contain the exact text "PopperAndShadow"
somewhere, any message sent to this address will go in the garbage without my
ever knowing it arrived. Sorry... <http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd> for more info
 >> Stay informed about: modern day annoyances 

"Don Bruder" <dakidd.TakeThisOut@sonic.net> wrote:

> Then they've changed things since I as last paying attention. The last
> quasi-official information I had was pretty much exactly what I said.
> Then again, the last time I was playing in the circles that passed out
> such quasi-official information was also in the mid-nineties...

You mean that the way people do things actually *CHANGES* while we're not
looking??? <gd&r>

Joe Morris
 >> Stay informed about: modern day annoyances