Friday, September 29, 2017

An idea for app developers

I used to get unsolicited calls on my home telephone line. These days I am also getting such calls on my mobile phone. These calls are a nuisance and should be responded to with vengeance.

Here is an idea. Calling all app developers: make an app that is able to deal with unsolicited calls in the most punitive way. What would you do with the call once your phone recognizes it as an unsolicited call?

How about.....
1. Accept, don't block, the call. Then let it listen indefinitely to an endless music stream.

2. Respond with a different answering machine message, reserved for this purpose. Prepare a message that will give the caller an earful.

3. Prepare a list of seemingly valid options to waste the caller's time. For example, "Dial 1 if you are a family member, dial 2 if you are a friend..... etc. Then if 1 is chosen, "Dial one if you are an ex-wife, dial 2 if...."

4. Any other ideas?

Sunday, September 17, 2017

Never say never

In 1982, I visited the Petrified Forest National Park. It was quite by chance, actually. I just happened to be in the region and I decided to visit the place. Last month, I traveled to the US for a holiday and I made it one of the stops in my itinerary. Will that be my last visit? It could well be, but I like to tell myself that I might come back again. Never say never!