Today's Dave Barry column-Telemarketers beware!

Cafe Society
#1

I don’t know how many of you read Dave Barry. I don’t all the time, although his column appears in our paper. Today, though, I am glad I did.

Dave gives an account of how he gave out the telephone number of the American Teleservices Association in an earlier column. Says Dave “If the ATA feels it’s member have a constitutional right to call you then surely the ATA feels you have an equally constitutional right to call the ATA.” Turns out the ATA didn’t feel that way, and complained about the time wasted when one of their employees had to field all those calls for six whole days! They ended up disconnecting the number.

Dave then wonders if it would be correct to give out their email address(which he proceeds to do) or their new phone number(also given). But the ATA surely doesn’t want you to call again. It’s inconvenient! And to insist on calling somebody who doesn’t want to be called, even if you have the legal right to call, well, that’s just plain rude. So I am taking the high road.

Does anyone else remember the episode of WKRP in Cincinatti in which Dr. Johnny Fever encourages people to throw their garbage on the steps of City Hall? And when forced to apologize, he(cough, cough) just happens to mention the address of the mayor? Today’s Dave Barry makes me think of that.

#2

Dave Barry for president! He||, if Ahnult can be governator I don’t see how Barry could do any worse than Shrub. At least Barry would be funny when he meant to be.

#3

Here’s that earlier column.

Here’s today’s follow-up.

#4

Dave Barry is brilliant. Simply brilliant. /kudos

#5

I already loved the man. Now I love him even more, if possible.

My only dilemma is that our newspaper runs his column on Fridays. It’s the highlight of my morning that day. So do I go ahead and read it online now, spoiling the Friday experience, or do I save it, torturing myself with the knowledge that I could be reading it right now?

You all know which one I chose, right?

#6

Oh definitely read the links now. They have the phone number and the website.

Back in 1988 when Michigan State went to the Rose Bowl a popular local DJ in Lansing Michigan gave out the phone number of the sports desk at the LA paper. One of the writers had made a derogatory comment about “Michigan farmers.” So people listening to the DJ took him at his word and called the paper, tying up their phone lines. They called back and apologized and asked the DJ to call off the dogs, which he did.

#7

Hey, I think I just came up with an answer for that thread about which celebrity I would have sex with!