totm nov 2023 Thread to discuss negative things in a very general way, just see where it goes y'know?

[AlamoVampire]

Spam/scam calls are getting out of hand!! Since 01-26-25 i have received 96!!! Im not sure what this obscene surge is all about but its ridiculous! This isnt even counting the several hitting my hard line! This bs goes in waves but geez this is nuts. Im trying to sleep but its hard when my phone is busy skittering around like a demon possessed buzzing maraca. Its on silent but just wow. Ive gotten 9 so far today in just the last 2 hours and change and based on the pattern ive seen over the last 8 days i expect at least 9-10 more by time i get up this afternoon  095802032025 new page!

…since posting this: 6 more! Ever 1-3 minutes!!! I had to turn on silence unknown callers… going to leave this setting on for a bit to see if it helps.  And another rolled in.. bloody hell. 101702032025

since 0800 today, just 2h29 minutes ago: 17 spam calls. 17!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 102902032025

Edited Monday at 04:29 PM by AlamoVampire

[Nuke]

im wondering why i have so many unfinished projects sitting around the 90% complete mark. one waiting for me to write a couple dozen lines of code, another one requiring final assembly, one where its complete except a peice broke and i just have to print another one. i was headed somewhere with this post but i forgot where.

[AlamoVampire]

Well, i just woke up and since my post 29 more came in. Totaling 46 spam calls. This is outrageous. Days not over. More will come. 170902032025 

142 spam calls since 01-26-2025….

171502032025

143  174402032025

145  175402032025

146  175702032025

147  182202032025

Edited Tuesday at 12:22 AM by AlamoVampire

[Superfluous J]

9 hours ago, AlamoVampire said:

Spam/scam calls are getting out of hand!! Since 01-26-25 i have received 96!!! Im not sure what this obscene surge is all about but its ridiculous! This isnt even counting the several hitting my hard line! This bs goes in waves but geez this is nuts. Im trying to sleep but its hard when my phone is busy skittering around like a demon possessed buzzing maraca. Its on silent but just wow. Ive gotten 9 so far today in just the last 2 hours and change and based on the pattern ive seen over the last 8 days i expect at least 9-10 more by time i get up this afternoon  095802032025 new page!

…since posting this: 6 more! Ever 1-3 minutes!!! I had to turn on silence unknown callers… going to leave this setting on for a bit to see if it helps.  And another rolled in.. bloody hell. 101702032025

since 0800 today, just 2h29 minutes ago: 17 spam calls. 17!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 102902032025

If you're on android, do this. I did and it's wonderful:

• Save a blank file, name it 'silence.mp3' and copy it to your phone.
• Set it as your default ringtone.
• Go through the list of people you want your phone to ring for (For me, it's like 3 people) and give them a custom ringtone that actually makes sound.
• Profit

[AlamoVampire]

@Superfluous J iphone actually. I have “silence calls from unknown callers” enabled but it does nothing for the notifications. This obscenity will pass sooner or later but 51+ calls in ONE DAY is infuriating. Id get robokiller but paying over 50$ a year for a wave type problem is not a thing im willing to do. Just need to ride this out, just wish i could kill the notifications. 201502032025 id use ur idea if i could. Oh and my phone is perpetually in silent mode

Edited Tuesday at 02:15 AM by AlamoVampire

[Superfluous J]

15 minutes ago, AlamoVampire said:

@Superfluous J iphone actually. I have “silence calls from unknown callers” enabled but it does nothing for the notifications. This obscenity will pass sooner or later but 51+ calls in ONE DAY is infuriating. Id get robokiller but paying over 50$ a year for a wave type problem is not a thing im willing to do. Just need to ride this out, just wish i could kill the notifications. 201502032025 id use ur idea if i could. Oh and my phone is perpetually in silent mode

I can do similar for texts (silence is the notification sound, and then custom sounds for friends and work). No clue on iPhone if something similar is possible.

Paying extra to block phone calls sounds borderline Machiavellian (not on your part) to me.

I have a similar gripe: You (as an app developer) can give your notifications categories, so I can accept notification from my doorbell if - say - someone rings it but I can have it not bother me if it notices the neighbor walking by on the street.

For a while every app seemed to use it, but now they realize we'll just filter out the stuff we won't want to see (aka ads) so Amazon - for example - won't notify me that my package has been delievered unless I blanked approve all notifications, including "Hey we say you bought X and because of that here's some Y and Z to look at!"

Edited Tuesday at 02:31 AM by Superfluous J

[AlamoVampire]

@Superfluous J the notifications in this case are popup banners saying (using you as if you were in my contacts, but this applies to all calls/texts) “Missed Call @Superfluous J” or “Missed Call 202-555-5432” i cant stop these from showing up. Well I can but its i have 0 notifications regardless if in contacts or not or i can be stuck as is. 203702032025

[AlamoVampire]

It is early AM for me, and the sun is just coming up. I am soon to retire to sleep, but, a nagging thought wont let me alone. If I got north of 50 spam calls yesterday, what will today bring? Later in the day, sometime this afternoon I will be checking with the National Do Not Call registry here in the US to see if my number is registered and register it if it isnt. Will that help? Maybe? I hope it does. But, as I said earlier in this thread, I have my phone now set to silence calls from unknown callers, so my phone will not be skittering around like a demon possessed buzzing maraca at least. But,  what will the number of spam calls be? I just hope the lull comes sooner rather than later... wish my poor cellphone luck guys. Wish my sanity luck too! 072102042025

[DDE]

On 2/3/2025 at 6:58 PM, AlamoVampire said:

Spam/scam calls are getting out of hand!! Since 01-26-25 i have received 96!!! Im not sure what this obscene surge is all about but its ridiculous! This isnt even counting the several hitting my hard line! This bs goes in waves but geez this is nuts. Im trying to sleep but its hard when my phone is busy skittering around like a demon possessed buzzing maraca. Its on silent but just wow. Ive gotten 9 so far today in just the last 2 hours and change and based on the pattern ive seen over the last 8 days i expect at least 9-10 more by time i get up this afternoon  095802032025 new page!

…since posting this: 6 more! Ever 1-3 minutes!!! I had to turn on silence unknown callers… going to leave this setting on for a bit to see if it helps.  And another rolled in.. bloody hell. 101702032025

since 0800 today, just 2h29 minutes ago: 17 spam calls. 17!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 102902032025

The record is 13k calls over the New Year week.

...I'm afraid you're set to beat that.

3 hours ago, AlamoVampire said:

Later in the day, sometime this afternoon I will be checking with the National Do Not Call registry here in the US to see if my number is registered and register it if it isnt. Will that help? Maybe?

Depends. I know the comparable Russian law of Do Not Call By Default does absolutely nothing. A typical phone spammer/scammer op relies on VoiP or unscrupulous local operators. If these avenues get closed off (last month, all messenger to mobile voice calls have been legislatively banned) there's always the possibility to set up a whole battery of "private" sim cards and route the calls through them, changing numbers faster than anyone can ban them.

[Lisias]

Last week was a pain the SAS. This week is not going better.

We finally found (hopefully) the last focus of termites on this home. It's a disaster - there're boxes everywhere, I don't have where to seat other than my computer desk (I need to work), I don't have where to eat, and I'm happy that I still have where to sleep. For while.

It's absolutely incredible how these insects can ruin your day - I'm considering replace my wooden furniture and floor by steel, acrylic, plastic and ceramics.

==== DUSTY EDIT ====

And dust. Jesus Christ, there's dust everywhere... I'm wearing a mask...

Edited Tuesday at 05:58 PM by Lisias
dusty edit

[AlamoVampire]

6 hours ago, DDE said:

The record is 13k calls over the New Year week.

...I'm afraid you're set to beat that.

9 hours ago, AlamoVampire said:

39. 39 more hit whilst I was asleep. Tally since 01-26-2025 now stands at 186.
 

If the Do Not Call stops even a fraction i will be happy. Laws are dual state. Proactive for those who will obey and reactive for who wont. Same with the registry. But if im on the registry each of those calls can cost the caller between $1500 and $50k if i sue or file claims with the ftc. 163102042025

187  163302042025

188  165302042025

189  165902041025 170002042025 (fat fingered that edit from 188 into 189, didnt like not clarifying) 170902042025

Edited Tuesday at 11:09 PM by AlamoVampire

[Superfluous J]

3 hours ago, AlamoVampire said:

each of those calls can cost the caller between $1500 and $50k if i sue or file claims with the ftc.

I'm sure that computer in Siberia is scared.

Laws do nothing. Fines do nothing. There are so many ways around all that it's like playing whack-a-mole with a mole that splits into 100 moles every time you whack it, and 150 moles every time you miss.

The best and only way to stop it is to ignore it on your phone until they move on to someone else.

[AlamoVampire]

45 minutes ago, Superfluous J said:

I'm sure that computer in Siberia is scared.

Laws do nothing. Fines do nothing. There are so many ways around all that it's like playing whack-a-mole with a mole that splits into 100 moles every time you whack it, and 150 moles every time you miss.

The best and only way to stop it is to ignore it on your phone until they move on to someone else.

Oh i agree 100% but seeing how things have stripped hope from me that i have to place the seed of hope somewhere right? Right? 

211602042025

[Lisias]

55 minutes ago, Superfluous J said:

The best and only way to stop it is to ignore it on your phone until they move on to someone else.

There's another way.

Install an Answering Machine in your mobile (with AI if you are brave enough), program it to take the call and play a pre-recorded tape with you faking you are answering the phone. Every 30 or 40 seconds, complains that the quality of the call is low and ask to repeat again. Rinse, repeat.

They are paying for the call, use this against them and see how they put you on a "do not call" list pretty quickly.

Be absolutely sure, however, that your Answering Machine software do not accept collect calls.

Trust me on this one...

[boriz]

2 minutes ago, Lisias said:

play a pre-recorded tape with you faking you are answering the phone

Ha. I did this the first time I had an answering machine. Pretended it was me answering but couldn't hear them properly and kept asking them to repeat themselves. It was fun, until someone important rang...

[Nuke]

id have solved that problem with a large hammer by now. going phoneless has its perks.

Edited Wednesday at 04:17 AM by Nuke

[Grenartia]

3 hours ago, boriz said:

Ha. I did this the first time I had an answering machine. Pretended it was me answering but couldn't hear them properly and kept asking them to repeat themselves. It was fun, until someone important rang...

That's why I wish the "AI" answering thing on my phone had an option to change the introductory message, because even legitimate callers don't understand that I'm using it as a call screener, and just hang up. 

[Lisias]

5 hours ago, boriz said:

Ha. I did this the first time I had an answering machine. Pretended it was me answering but couldn't hear them properly and kept asking them to repeat themselves. It was fun, until someone important rang...

I never had this problem, no one important ever rang me... hummm... .I wonder why?

[Nuke]

thats why i never hand out my email. so that if sombody sends me an unsolicited email, i immediately know its a scam and delete it.

though to be fair this policy has made me miss jury duty a couple times. good thing no crime ever happens around here or the cops would be looking for me. i only live 2 blocks from the courthouse anyway.

Edited Wednesday at 01:10 PM by Nuke

[ColdJ]

22 hours ago, Lisias said:

We finally found (hopefully) the last focus of termites on this home. It's a disaster - there're boxes everywhere, I don't have where to seat other than my computer desk (I need to work), I don't have where to eat, and I'm happy that I still have where to sleep. For while.

It's absolutely incredible how these insects can ruin your day - I'm considering replace my wooden furniture and floor by steel, acrylic, plastic and ceramics

Sorry to read that you have Termites. You could always keep them out using our method.

We have a big ants nest, ants hate termites and actively kill them, the ants may eat any food they find lying around, but they won't eat your house.

We have a lizard that lives under the fridge that hopefully eats most of the cockroaches.

Sadly it has invited a mouse over. The mouse and I are going to be having words.

The family of Kookaburras in the backyard make sure we don't get snakes.

Edited Wednesday at 04:34 PM by ColdJ

[adsii1970]

5 hours ago, ColdJ said:

Sorry to read that you have Termites. You could always keep them out using our method.

We have a big ants nest, ants hate termites and actively kill them, the ants may eat any food they find lying around, but they won't eat your house.

We have a lizard that lives under the fridge that hopefully eats most of the cockroaches.

Sadly it has invited a mouse over. The mouse and I are going to be having words.

The family of Kookaburras in the backyard make sure we don't get snakes.

All you are missing is the chupacabra in your garage and the cousin of the Loch Ness Monster in the backyard swimming pool (or local drainage ditch). Does everybody have their Bingo cards ready? 

It's been an interesting week at the community college campus. This week (and it is only Wednesday), I have been asked:

• By a student if she has to take the exams for the course. (Not if you don't want to pass. In that case, no, she does not have to take the exams). 
• By a student if it is possible to quit coming to class and do the coursework online. He feels that signing up for an 8:00 a.m. course was a mistake. (Too bad. If I have to be there, so does he). 
• By an online student, if it is possible only to do the exams and skip the rest of the work. He hates online classes and feels it is unfair to be expected to do online assignments (Too damned bad, he signed up for it). 
• By a student if she has to use the writing center for her writing assignments. I explained to her orally what I meant in the syllabus (we are now in week three of the semester), What the syllabus, and as I explained again to her today, is that if a student is weak in writing, utilizing the writing center is strongly encouraged (Each visit will get them two points of extra credit; for the major writing projects, it is ten for each of the three). However, if a student fails the first major writing assignment of the course, it will be required for the second one. Her response was, "Screw you, you're forcing me to go! I can't write very well; it's always been my weakness... (she began to cuss me out from that point)" You'd think when a professor encourages a student to do something that benefits them (and offers extra credit), they'd be grateful and NOT hostile. Nah, she promptly cussed me out this afternoon. 

There are days like today when I wish life had pushed me to choose a different career path. 

[AlamoVampire]

The parade of spam continues sadly. 37 so far today. New tally is 226. 170302052025

227  171102052025

I just checked with the do not call registry and each of those 227 calls violated the law. My numbers been registered since 2009… not that matters apparently… 171702052025

228  172602052025

229  172902052025

230  175902052025

Edited Wednesday at 11:59 PM by AlamoVampire

[Superfluous J]

13 hours ago, Nuke said:

thats why i never hand out my email. so that if sombody sends me an unsolicited email, i immediately know its a scam and delete it.

though to be fair this policy has made me miss jury duty a couple times. good thing no crime ever happens around here or the cops would be looking for me. i only live 2 blocks from the courthouse anyway.

A friend of mine has his own email server and website. Whenever he signs up for anything that requires an email, he uses "company@hisurl.com" where "company" is who he's signing up for. So he wants a loyalty card to HEB he uses "heb@hisurl.com" (obviously I'm obfuscating his url).

Whenever he wants a laugh, he goes in and sees who has sold his email address to whom.

[AlamoVampire]

@Superfluous J when did heb bring back their loyalty thing? Ive shopped there for decades and dont recall the program being pushed hard or being mentioned at all since 2022… 005602062025

[Superfluous J]

50 minutes ago, AlamoVampire said:

@Superfluous J when did heb bring back their loyalty thing? Ive shopped there for decades and dont recall the program being pushed hard or being mentioned at all since 2022… 005602062025

Haha I picked a grocery store at semi-random. I don't actually shop there; there aren't any nearby.