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General discussion

WJW: Idiots

Mar 10, 2004 2:46AM PST

IDIOTS IN SERVICE
This week, My phone went dead and I had to contact the telephone repair people.
They promised to be out between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
When I asked if they could give me a smaller time window, the pleasant
gentleman asked, "Would you like us to call you before we come?"
I replied that I didn't see how he would be able to do that, since
our phones weren't working. He also requested that we report future
outages by email. I asked him, "Does YOUR email work without a telephone line?"

IDIOTS AT WORK:
I was signing the receipt for my credit card purchase when the
clerk noticed I had never signed my name on the back of the credit card.
She informed me that she could not complete the transaction unless the
card was signed. When I asked why, she explained that it was necessary
to compare the signature I had just signed on the receipt. So I signed
the credit card in front of her. She carefully compared the signature to
the one I had just signed on the receipt. As luck would have it,
they matched.

IDIOTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
I live in a semi rural area. We recently had a new neighbor call
the local township administrative office to request the removal of the
Deer Crossing sign on our road. The reason: "too many deer were
being hit by cars" and he didn't want them to cross there anymore.

IDIOT ON THE PROWL
The stoplight on the corner buzzes when it's safe to cross the street.
I was crossing with an intellectually challenged coworker of mine
when she asked if I knew what the buzzer was for. I explained that
it signals blind people when the light is red. Appalled, she responded,
"What on earth are blind people doing driving?"

MECHANICAL GENIUS, COMMON IDIOT
When my husband and I arrived at an automobile dealership to pick up
our car, we were told the keys had been locked in it. We went to the
service department and found a mechanic working feverishly to unlock
the driver's side door. As I watched from the passenger side, I
instinctively tried the door handle and discovered that it was unlocked.
"Hey," I announced to the technician, "It's open!" To which he replied,
"I know - I already got that side."

Discussion is locked

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Re:WJW: Idiots
Mar 10, 2004 3:03AM PST
"Does YOUR email work without a telephone line?"

Well....actually.....yes, mine does. I have cable.

Wink

I never understood people who refuse to sign the backs of their credit cards. They say it prevents people from forging their signatures, apparently not realizing that if you don't sign it, the thief can and he/she doesn't have to know what your signature looks like.
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Re:Re:WJW: Idiots
Mar 10, 2004 3:15AM PST

Can anyone get their real signature on the little, tiny strip they put on credit cards? I know I can't fit my flamboyant, yet illegible, ascenders and descenders within it's confines.

Dan

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Write smaller. (NT)
Mar 10, 2004 5:58AM PST

.

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'Profound as usual' -nt
Mar 10, 2004 6:17AM PST

.

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Pragmatist. (NT)
Mar 10, 2004 8:23AM PST

.

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Re: A credit card sig trick.
Mar 10, 2004 9:50AM PST

Hi, KP.

I used to have a problem with the signature wearing off my most frequently used card before the three years are up. So now I sign and very carefully put a piec of Scotch Satin tape over my sig, being careful that it doesn't hit the magnetic stripe. (Not an original idea, btw -- I forget where I heard about it). One thing that now ticks me off is that Target wants to see a photo ID, but insists you take it out of your wallet Sad

-- Dave K, Speakeasy Moderator
click here to email semods4@yahoo.com

The opinions expressed above are my own,
and do not necessarily reflect those of CNET!

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Re:Re: A credit card sig trick.
Mar 10, 2004 10:34PM PST

You must be suspicious looking, Dave. Wink They never asked me for a picture ID. I'm not sure what I'd do if they did. The only one I have is my passport and I don't carry that around.

Dan

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You don't have a driver's license? -NT
Mar 10, 2004 10:55PM PST

.

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I do, but there's no picture on it. -nt
Mar 10, 2004 11:50PM PST

.

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Re:WJW: Idiots
Mar 10, 2004 7:43AM PST

I used to put "Ask for id" on the backs of mine. Unfortunately, most of the time now the clerk never sees the card - just swipe them. So I just sign them.

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Re:WJW: Idiots
Mar 10, 2004 8:00AM PST
"Does YOUR email work without a telephone line?"

I have DSL and I actually had a case where we had no dial tone but the DSL still worked on the same pair of copper. Turned out it was some filter in the line between the switch station and our house had gone bad.

I never understood people who refuse to sign the backs of their credit cards.

I sign mine "See Photo ID" and more often than not I am asked for my license when I use my card.

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Re:Re:WJW: Idiots
Mar 10, 2004 11:02PM PST

The photo ID thing is a good idea, assuming they actually check for a signature, which I find happens rarely. Even in the wake of 9/11, NJ still doesn't require photo drivers' licenses for reasons I don't understand. Since the DMV here is a place I wouldn't send my worst enemy to (you have to go there to get a photo license but you can renew a non-photo license via the Internet), I don't have a photo on mine.

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Re:Re:Re:WJW: Idiots
Mar 10, 2004 11:52PM PST

Where are you in NJ, Josh? I'm just north of Lakewood. Over the border into Monmouth County.

Dan

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Re:Re:Re:Re:WJW: Idiots
Mar 11, 2004 12:33AM PST

E-mail me at NOSPAMJoshua_Katz@zdcommunity.com.

I'd rather not get specific in the forum.