Unsolicited calls....

Too good to be true

As we drift from 2014 into 2015 , it would be a wonder if most of us managed to avoid the ubiquitous salesman. They catch is by phone, by email, spam or simply cold calling.

A number of years ago , it was possible to put your name down on an official "Do not contact"list and be assured that your days would be carefree without having to make excuses as to why you couldn't buy the newest roof tiles for a mere $30000.00 or the latest computer driven investment program that would guarantee $10000.00 per moth..no worries.With the latter, of course, it begs the question that if this magic program were so good , why is the person trying to sell it? This list however, seems to have dropped off into cybersphere.

Charities are of course the hardest as they make you feel mean, curmudgeonly and thoroughly miserable in not wanting to fork out another load of shekels. If you do happen to agree and subscribe to one of the million raffles going around in the name of charity, the word seems to get round and for months afterwards you are plagued with dinner time phone calls asking for your help in solving the world's problems.

The sales people listed above are really just trying to do their job and earn a few bucks commission so they in turn can feed their fledgling families. No?

The most sneaky callers are those that tend to came from overseas. You can tell who they are, as there is a pause while they rush from veranda where they have been having a quick cheroot to get to the phone.Once answered there is the unmistakable sound of a murder of crows cawing and carrying on as they hang onto ancient telegraph wires in the 115 degree heat (Fahrenheit of course).
With names like Johnny, Debra or Bill they will endeavour to gain control of your computer under the guise of Microsoft or Telstra technicians.  Do not engage with these people , even as they try to curry favour with you! I don't even bother.At the telltale sign of the initial pause, I hang up. Some are more aggressive than others, one even calling me back demanding to know why I had hung up.

Anyway. Happy New Year and as they say, if it sounds too good to be true...it usually is a lie.

"......and add it to your feet!"

Fun together

Narendra Modi's wishes come true or

the joy of doing things together

America the "unchangeable principal enemy" of North Korea

Wrong 'un Kim

North Korea experienced sweeping and progressively worse Internet outages extending into Monday, with one computer expert saying the country's online access is "totally down." 
Newsmax Friday 26th December 2014


Extract from North Korean General Ding Dong's diary smuggled out of the country  before his mysterious disappearance two days ago

"Our supreme leader in response to America's act if war by backing the Sony film has heroically taken matters into his powerful hands and attempted to uncover the evil hackers himself. 

The effort was worthwhile. All communications between North Korea and the world have been effectively cut. Our supreme leader has again saved us from the ravages of American rumour mongers. "

Apeus Corpus

In an unprecedented decision, an Argentine court has ruled that the Sumatran orangutan 'Sandra', who has spent 20 years at the zoo in Argentina's capital Buenos Aires, should be recognized as a person with a right to freedom.

The ruling, signed by the judges unanimously, would see Sandra freed from captivity and transferred to a nature sanctuary in Brazil after a court recognized the primate as a "non-human person" which has some basic human rights. 

Of guns .....

....and roses

"What happened in that cafe  (Lindt hostage incident, Sydney) would have been most unlikely to have occurred in Florida, Texas, or Vermont, or Alaska in America.., " so declared Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm  promoting the need for guns in "self defence" .

A number of things are also most unlikely to occur in the U.S. such as social welfare for the under-privileged, job security, tolerance for the less fortunate and so on. The Senator was advocating the right of Australian citizens to bear arms after the siege incident earlier in the week, More likely to occur are shootings and rampages that have seen innocents and students gunned down by some delusional maniac.

Thankfully his remarks were dismissed by most sane people including the former PM John Howard who oversaw the surrender of a vast number of illegal arms after the Port Arthur massacre in April 1996.

The ensuing floral tribute in Martin Place says much more than the Senator's mutterings.