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Supreme Court Backs Do-Not-Call List

The Ghetto Imp writes "According to CNN Money, the Supreme Court has rejected the appeal of telemarketing companies, which were claiming that the do-not-call list violated their free speech rights. "

20 of 446 comments (clear)

  1. *unplugs phone* by Kumorigoe · · Score: 5, Funny

    Violation of free speech? Excuse me? They think that they have a RIGHT to interrupt my dinner, sex life, or gaming? Or, even more importantly, Slashdotting? I THINK NOT

    --
    "What I cary in this box is your utter subjugation."
  2. Re:FP! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    You are in a dark place. Everyone is laughing at your FP failure. You are likely to be eaten a grue.

  3. from TFA: by antimatt · · Score: 5, Funny
    The telemarketers argued that ... less restrictive regulations already allow consumers to block unwanted calls.

    In related headlines, robbers worldwide have begun arguing that they don't like it when their victims carry guns.

    ...

    This really seems like an argument from desparation.
  4. Profit through annoying people by erroneus · · Score: 4, Funny

    I know I can't be the only one who is simply amazed at the success people have gained through activities that simply annoy most people.

    After giving this some careful thought I have been developing a marketting plan that will exploit other things that annoy people as a means of marketting.

    Given that many of the most popular foods served in the U.S. often result in halitosis and/or flatulation (which are both annoyances) I have decided to develop this as a marketting scheme that not only benefits the hungry and homeless out there (an important public service) but also spreads the word about any given human consumable food or drink on the market, present and future.

    My scheme, known as "Fartketting," consists of hiring low-cost employees and volunteers to consume only the food or drink of any given campaign and then either talk to people about it in close-in, poorly ventilated areas or simply emitting the natural effects of said products either in the form of flatulation or other gastric anomoly. This can be thought of as serving samples to the unsoliciting public.

    I believe that if current marketting trends are effective, then this too should be an effective way of spreading the word about products and services to the public.

    This method of marketting is currently patent pending, so don't get any wise ideas! This baby is ALL MINE!

  5. Re:Let's end the other bullshit while we're at it. by The+Snowman · · Score: 5, Funny

    How about next we ban companies from asking for your phone number every single chance they get?

    The DNC list definitely makes it possible to opt-in by giving your phone number out and signing a contract (read the fine print). So what I do is give out real numbers that do not belong to me. For example, the police department in Lakewood, Ohio, 44107, is 216-521-1234. Stores all over the east coast have that number in their databases. I list it publically in my Yahoo profile and I think on my web site. I had an old high school friend IM me asking why a policeman picked up the phone when he called me. I am evil :-)

    Anyway, as long as companies try to take away my freedom not to be interrupted with spam email, spam paper mail, and spam phone calls, I will exercise my freedom to fuck with their databases.

    --
    24 beers in a case, 24 hours in a day. Coincidence? I think not!
  6. Any lawyers reading? by Enlarge+Your+Penis · · Score: 1, Funny

    Start phoning the telemarketers at home at inconvenient hours and asking them if they want to hire you to fight this.

  7. Re:Let's end the other bullshit while we're at it. by pjt33 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Not everyone has a phone number. Would they understand a reply of "Mu"?

  8. Re:Whilst the free speech argument works for a whi by TykeClone · · Score: 4, Funny

    They do in Texas - you can shoot trespassers there. If only there was a similar harsh penalty for telemarketers :)

    --
    A fine is a tax you pay for doing wrong and a tax is a fine you pay for doing all right.
  9. Re:So long as the police don't catch up to you... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    What we need is the audio equivalent of goatse.cx to give to these people.

  10. Re:Short-term memory loss by attam · · Score: 3, Funny

    competency, conflicting goals, and uneven beneviolence (emphasis mine)

    so is this a simple typo on "benevolence," a freudian slip, or a clever play on "beneficial violence?"

  11. Re:Let's end the other bullshit while we're at it. by gcaseye6677 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Why didn't you just make up a number? I appreciate the idea of standing for your principals or whatever, but sometimes it's really not worth it. Also, if you need to use a fake name, try Craven Moorehead. Funny as hell, but nobody ever catches it if you say it right.

  12. The clerk just hung up... by prozac79 · · Score: 2, Funny
    I can only imagine how this got to the Supreme Court to begin with. I think it went something like this:

    [Ring, ring]
    Clerk: "Hello, Supreme Court clerk's office, Daron speaking"
    Operator: "Hello sir, please don't hang up, but I would like to offer you a court case with a lot of free speach implications"
    Clerk: "Uh, no than"
    Operator: [Cutting him off] "This is a once-in-a-lifetime case that will only be valid for a limited time only. We will even though in an RIAA copyright case, absolutely free! That's two Supreme Court cases for the price of one."
    Clerk: "No thank you, we already have enough court cases here. We don't need another."
    [Click]

    --
    "Oh dear, she's stuck in an infinite loop and he's an idiot" -Prof. Farnsworth (Futurama)
  13. Re:Whilst the free speech argument works for a whi by FlopEJoe · · Score: 2, Funny

    Meet Mr. Airhorn.

  14. Re:Let's end the other bullshit while we're at it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    my preferred number is (911) 911-9111.

    Similar effect, and, a bonus $500 fine for them for calling it without a real emergency on hand. Although I suppose for some telemarketers, lighting themselves on fire would be an improvement in their day.

  15. Re:Let's end the other bullshit while we're at it. by spikedvodka · · Score: 2, Funny

    here's the obligitory sexist comment:

    I was buying a gift card at best buy for my father in law, and the cashier was kind of cute. She of course asked for my phone number to which my response was "How about you give me yours, and I'll call you instead"... That shut her up nicely

    yeah, I know one of these days my big mouth will get me in trouble

    --
    I will not give in to the terrorists. I will not become fearful.
  16. Re:Let's end the other bullshit while we're at it. by tompaulco · · Score: 3, Funny

    Most clerks are too stupid to know that all 555 numbers are invalid.
    They'll probably ask if you're from Hollywood.

    --
    If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
  17. Re:Let's end the other bullshit while we're at it. by FanaticalDesperado · · Score: 2, Funny

    This sounds like a good idea on the surface, but I see two issues arising in the implementation:

    1. You have to go out and buy fat girl porn. That will only encourage the fat girl porn industry.

    2. You have to look at fat girl porn to make sure you send them the pages with the most revolting material.

    That's a higher price than I am willing to pay.

  18. I've said it before and I'll say it again... by ConceptJunkie · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...the Right of Free Speech does not mean the right to force yourself to be heard.

    By their logic, I should be able to go cap a few telemarketers, and it would be legal because of my right to Bear Arms.

    By their logic...

    --
    You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
  19. Beneviolence, a new word? by bareman · · Score: 2, Funny

    Beneviolence
    1: Acts of violence committed by your team.

    Maleviolence
    1: Acts of violence committed upon your team.

  20. Just a small question: by GMFTatsujin · · Score: 2, Funny

    Um...

    WHERE?

    And why post anonymously about it? Is somebody tapping your line or something?