"You're a public servant...." *shudder*

[BeeMused]

Ah, the important rules of the consulting business: Never ever piss off the secretary/PA of the boss, those people know the ins and outs and everything of the company. They grant or deny access to the boss, and when they don't like you, you're SOL.
It's the same with janitorial staff, having the head janitor/caretaker on your side makes all the difference. Those people have keys to almost every room, and they have tools like a crowbar, when you need to pry open the false floor boards to check the cables in a server room.

When I did those consulting jobs, my younger, mostly male coworkers ignored the rules and learned it the hard way.

[Andara Bledin]

In the future, when this happens again, may I suggest Free Cell instead of solitare?

Freecell is solitaire.

^-.-^

[Broomjockey]

Freecell is solitaire.

^-.-^

No, the most accurate would be saying it's a solitaire variant. To call it solitaire would be akin to... to... well, calling a Mercury a Ford. That's about the best thing I can come up with. Mercuries are MADE by Ford, use some same parts, etc. But they're still separate entities on some level. So no. Freecell is NOT solitaire. Different rules, different setup, different scoring.

[Bandit]

It's the same with janitorial staff, having the head janitor/caretaker on your side makes all the difference. Those people have keys to almost every room, and they have tools like a crowbar, when you need to pry open the false floor boards to check the cables in a server room.

And, most importantly, they know where the bodies are buried, and can help if you have an <ahem> "Emergency issue" to dispose of.

B

[HYHYBT]

It's much more like saying that a Mercury is a car.

[Jester]

If they mangled it, though, then he wasn't in, can I take a message?

(And if he took the call himself and heard someone breaking his teeth trying to pronounce it, the first words out of his mouth were "What are you selling?")

Anyone who calls and asks for Boss Man or Owner and butchers their name (easy enough to do, neither is a Smith or Jones), I know immediately that they are either selling something, trying to get a job, or trying to book a musical gig.

On a similar note, I have mentioned here a few times about my mom and her invincible defense against telemarketers. Mom never took Stepdad's last name. Everything is in Stepdad's name. Mom almost always answers the phone. So the average telemarketing call goes something like this...

MOM: "Hello?"
TM: "Hello, Mrs. Smith?"
MOM: -click-

Since, of course, there IS no Mrs. Smith.

...akin to... to... well, calling a Mercury a Ford. That's about the best thing I can come up with. Mercuries are MADE by Ford, use some same parts, etc. But they're still separate entities on some level.

Actually, a lot of Mercuries ARE Fords. Perfect example (and I freely admit, this may have changed over the years, but it still applies to many Mercuries on the road) is the Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable. Same fucking car, different ID badges and trim. Period.

[Andara Bledin]

No, the most accurate would be saying it's a solitaire variant. To call it solitaire would be akin to... to... well, calling a Mercury a Ford.

See, solitaire is any card game that is played by one person. The one most people call solitaire is actually named Klondike. Solitaire is the type of game, not the name of it.

I used to be able to deal out about 20 different solitaire variants without having to look up the layouts. I love solitaire. I used to have a Hoyle book of solitaire that had something like 200 different layouts. I miss that book.

^-.-^

[Magpie]

On a similar note, I have mentioned here a few times about my mom and her invincible defense against telemarketers. Mom never took Stepdad's last name. Everything is in Stepdad's name. Mom almost always answers the phone. So the average telemarketing call goes something like this...

MOM: "Hello?"
TM: "Hello, Mrs. Smith?"
MOM: -click-

Since, of course, there IS no Mrs. Smith.

I did the overly polite version of this (phone was in my flatmate's name), and just explained that there was no one here by that name. Of course, they would then just ask to speak to the person who paid the bills for X, and I could easily say that that person wasn't in at the time. It wouldn't work if I actually had any bills in my name. As it was, it backfired every now and then when they'd just want to talk to me anyhow.

[Jester]

I did the overly polite version of this (phone was in my flatmate's name), and just explained that there was no one here by that name.

My mom used to do that early on, but as you pointed out, then the telemarketer would just continue, so now my mom just doesn't even bother, and hangs up on them. Not rudely, just *click* and done.

Mom's in her 70's. She has no use or need for telemarketers. I know a lot of people who would deal with such callers far more rudely than Mom does, to be honest. And frankly, at this point in her life, I say she has earned the right to tell them to piss off if she felt like it.

Mom is far nicer than I am.

[Magpie]

I know a lot of people who would deal with such callers far more rudely than Mom does, to be honest.

I quite agree with that statement. I try not to be one of those people, but showing that level of restraint results, every so often, in me getting pushed to the point where I just flip my lid entirely (only happens after they're being stupid, e.g. "You don't watch TV? But we can give you a really good deal on it.").

[Jester]

And that, my friends, is why I think Mom's approach is the best. She just hangs up on them. Doesn't give them a chance to bother her with their spiel, and if you think about it, she is doing them a favor as well, as she is not wasting their time with a call that is going to result in absolutely no sale.

Dad was in sales, advertising, and marketing. So was Stepdad.

Mom knows a few things about pitches, and is not one to be taken in easily by some glib words on the phone!

[Andara Bledin]

I take the time to say, "I'm not interested, please remove me from your list," and then I hang up.

^-.-^

[BeeMused]

And, most importantly, they know where the bodies are buried, and can help if you have an <ahem> "Emergency issue" to dispose of.

B

Shhhhhh, that's a secret, don't tell them.

[Arcade Man D]

It's the same with janitorial staff, having the head janitor/caretaker on your side makes all the difference. Those people have keys to almost every room, and they have tools like a crowbar, when you need to pry open the false floor boards to check the cables in a server room.

John Dorian never learned that lesson, either ^_^. (Granted, that Janitor was a bit nuts, to boot.)

[Jester]

Saw something very amusing today. Y'all know that classic comment these type people make about public officials, cops, government employees, etc., regarding how they pay their salaries? "CSI: Miami" had a great take on that in their latest episode.

PAIN IN THE ASS WOMAN BEING ARRESTED: "I pay your salary!"
C.S.I. CALLEIGH DUQUESNE: "Then I need a raise."

Classic!