Sunday, June 24, 2012

Who Let My Number Out??

As much as I love technology (and as much as it doesn't love me back, alas), I have to admit that I loathe the cellphone. It's useful no doubt - it's helped me get un-lost when I got a friend on the phone to help me out of a wrong turn, it allowed me to call for help when I needed help, and it facilitates the online payments I make through my bank's online banking services by texting me the top secret codes that allow me to do so. At the same time however, I also am at the receiving end of a slew of rubbish, from salesmen calling me to sell me insurance I don't need, strange messages asking me to watch some sexy dance by a hot (insert name of neighbouring country here) dancer, to some messages from the government, one which annoyed me endlessly was when they sent me wishes for the New Year earlier this year.

The other day, I received a message, this one from an *independent research company asking me if I thought the current state government (PakRa) or the current state opposition (BeeNd) (which is the Federal Govt) would 'bring back the glory of the state' in the next elections. It also said that only 1 sen would be charged for my answer. I haven't answered them because I think that your vote ought to be a secret, but another part of me thinks that maybe I should just mess with them and answer who I'd rather not vote for....

*Independent research company, yeah right. With a phrase like 'bring back the glory of the state', it doesn't take too many braincells to figure out whose side they are on. For those of you outside of Malaysia, the elections of 2008 led PakRa into ruling the state I live in from the very first time from BN who have ruled the state for decades. This theory on how un-independent the research coompany is was proven one day later when the same number sent me another text promoting a concert organised by BeeNd near where I live.

17 comments:

  1. Cell phones really should be unlisted. If I had stuff like that coming to my phone I'd change numbers in the hopes it stops. I doubt that would stop governmental people talking to you.

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    1. It is unlisted,but all phone numbers must be registered to a legit user. The thing is, I suspect these agencies either steal this info or buy them from someone and then end up bugging our lives. Changing my number is an option, I guess... I'm sure the spam will drastically reduce.

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  2. I hate those unsolicited phone calls selling insurances too! My thing is, if I want a service, I'll call for it. I really don't need a phone call every second day while I'm busy with more important things to see to.

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    1. Exactly. If I ever find out who's been leaking out the phone number...

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  3. I got a robocall earlier this year from some homophobic agency that wanted people to vote against a certain candidate.

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    1. Who do they think they are, calling us and asking opinions and stuff...

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  4. Really? I've gotten maybe five spam texts and three calls. But I have unlimited text messaging so I just delete those and I let any call from a number I don't recognize go to voicemail.

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    1. I usually ignore the calls from unknown numbers as well, but texts do come in all the time. If I could split them into folders like I do with e-mails, it would be awesome...

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  5. haha yeah this can be quite the pain, just meow like a cat and they go away.

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    1. Yup, such a nuisance. I need to hang out with cats more to get the meowing right ;)

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  6. Really? you have to pay to give your opinion to a research company???? Over here they pay you $50.00 to taste test products and pass opinion on them. Or they pay you to take home different brands of washing powder and say which one you like the best.

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    1. Usually the service is free, and 1 sen is practically nothing. What bugs me is how these people have my number.

      I don't think I've ever been paid to test products either. They usually just set up a stall in the mall and give you samples. If you like it, you buy it, if not, then you don't have to.

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  7. You loathe the cell phone?. Well, that makes two. Almost. Maybe I should say I don't care for cell phone addicts. Ever noticed the herd of cell phone addicts crossing our streets, walking like zombies too focussed on their cell to notice anybody else on the planet? Or people pretending to be visiting you while they're busy texting other people? HERE's what I think of it...

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    1. It irritates me to no end, I assure you. Why bother visiting/going out then? Might as well stay at home and text away.

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  8. In the UK, the government uses state sponsored 'charities' to do its research and lobbying - it's a cynical way of convincing the public that research is independent.

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    Replies
    1. It could be fashioned after a similar model here.

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