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We got a cell long time ago so my wife could talk to her mother. It is supposed to be in the car for emergencies now, but usually isn't.
We had to replace it the other week because the battery wouldn't retain a charge. The first one we got was so complicated I couldn't figure out how to answer a call. It was also touch screen which I don't have much compatibility with. So we traded it in for a less complex model that I still can't understand the functions of.
We use ours a lot when travelling -- making reservations and local calls. Used to have to use it for paying bills.
David
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Don if I had On Star I would rip it out. They are supposedly listening and recording 24/7. I'm not doing anything illegal or anything but still that creeps me out.
Mike
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Tyson Rayles Wrote:Don if I had On Star I would rip it out. They are supposedly listening and recording 24/7. I'm not doing anything illegal or anything but still that creeps me out.
You know, I've often thought about that being possible to listen in without us knowing, and it would be creepy for sure. I'm not sure if that's just not one of those Internet-created legends. That would be totally illegal and I think the thought of the resulting lawsuits would preclude them from even thinking about doing that. I would imagine that every owner of a GM car would get in on the winning end of one humongous class-action suite that would take down GM as well as On Star, and I would hope that they wouldn't risk something like that just to find that me and some friends were chatting about the good old days or our last poker game, or my wife and I were talking about our grandkids or what we needed at the grocery store.
I would really hope that this was a rumor started by the same people that started the one about all cell phone numbers were going to be released to telemarketers. I really would lose faith in the business world if this was true, and you're right, I'd rip it out, right before I call my lawyer. :o
Don (ezdays) Day
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DID SOMEONE SAY ..TELEMARKETERS ??  ...Don , would you like to have your DUCKS cleaned ?? 
T
To err is human, to blame it on somebody else shows management potential.
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No. In fact, I hate the thing.
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teejay Wrote:DID SOMEONE SAY ..TELEMARKETERS ?? ...Don , would you like to have your DUCKS cleaned ??
T
No thanks, I've already scheduled in two carpet cleaning companies, three house cleaners, five security installers (even though I installed my own when we moved in), seventeen people who want to save me money by either managing my credit card debt or my savings and God knows how many people that want to stop by and pick up my donations to their worthy causes. Oh yeah, there's those two guys from Microsoft that want to fix my computer, and then that kid that called me, "Grandpa".  I just don't have room in our schedule for DUCK-cleaning services right now.... maybe next year... 
A while back, I felt in a playful mood"
Telemarketer: "Hi, is this the homeowner?"
Me: "No, this is detective Smith, we're investigating a crime scene here, who are you and what are you calling about?"
Telemarketer: "Uh, oh, eh, this is, uhhhhh"..... click....
Don (ezdays) Day
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Quote:No thanks, I've already scheduled in two carpet cleaning companies, three house cleaners, five security installers (even though I installed my own when we moved in), seventeen people who want to save me money by either managing my credit card debt or my savings and God knows how many people that want to stop by and pick up my donations to their worthy causes. Oh yeah, there's those two guys from Microsoft that want to fix my computer, and then that kid that called me, "Grandpa". I just don't have room in our schedule for DUCK-cleaning services right now.... maybe next year...
A while back, I felt in a playful mood"
Telemarketer: "Hi, is this the homeowner?"
Me: "No, this is detective Smith, we're investigating a crime scene here, who are you and what are you calling about?"
Telemarketer: "Uh, oh, eh, this is, uhhhhh"..... click....
It works even better if you tell them you're from the Justice Department investigating telephone fraud. 
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Telemarketers.
Both land line and Cell Phone, I've gone from polite indignation, to just plain abusively profane.
(( 21 Years active duty Navy, left me with plenty of "words"  ))
You don't want a blast of profanity? - - - Don't call me to sell me something !
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MountainMan Wrote:It works even better if you tell them you're from the Justice Department investigating telephone fraud.
I like that, I may use it the next time I get to actually talk to someone. Most of the time it's a robot: "Hi there, this is Rachael from...", or, "Don't hang up, the FBI says...." are two of the most annoying. 
Don (ezdays) Day
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Don I hope you are right about it being a internet legend. It would be nice to know for sure. But until someone can disprove it to my satisfaction there will be no On Star in a car I own.
Mike
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Tyson Rayles Wrote:Don I hope you are right about it being a internet legend. It would be nice to know for sure. But until someone can disprove it to my satisfaction there will be no On Star in a car I own.
I hear you Mike, I hope it's not true either. We watch some game shows once in a while and my wife wonders if sometimes they're not cheating. It would be easy for them to switch what's behind the curtain or pick a different prize out of the envelope depending on whether the contestant chose it or not, but I tell her that the stakes are too high if anyone behind the scenes talked. I'm hoping that the same is true with On Star, there's not enough money to pay for all the resulting lawsuits if they did listen in. For me, I need it. We go out into the desert tor target shooting and could have problems. I've got enough health issues where the benefits outweigh the downsides, if there are any. If there are, me and my lawyer can become very rich, along with a few million others. 
Don (ezdays) Day
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Remember the 64,000 Dollar Question scandal ? It could happen again and probably has . I'm afraid I don't have much trust these days ...nothing surprises me .
T
To err is human, to blame it on somebody else shows management potential.
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I have had a few incidents in the last few years where people needed to get in touch with me for various reasons while we are traveling. In each of these instances, the phone was for their convenience, not mine. My knowledge of the event would have in no way affected the outcome. I have had any number of people urge me to get a cell phone - mainly for their convenience, not mine.
Now, having said that, my wife and I are considering getting a cell phone. We're both in our 60s and travel a lot. In fact, we just got back from another trip about 90 minutes ago. I have a reliable car and am a safe driver (two tickets in 50 years of driving) but one still needs to be prepared for "the other guy." Our big question at this point is whether to get a smart phone or a dumb phone. Our intention is to use it only in an emergency or to inform family as to our whereabouts. We travel with a laptop and my wife recently purchased a Kindle Fire so I'm thinking just a prepaid phone with only basic service.
That's rather the long way around the barn to say "No, I'm not addicted to a cell phone."
Tom
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I was hoping to be able to report how many phone in callers to the radio station admitted to being somewhat addicted to their phones ...unfortunately I missed it . ....my guess is most people in our area justified their use . It's like traffic accidents , have you ever found anyone who admitted it was their fault ? Of course not , it's always the other guy . I've never met anyone named "other guy " 
T
To err is human, to blame it on somebody else shows management potential.
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teejay Wrote:Remember the 64,000 Dollar Question scandal ? It could happen again and probably has . I'm afraid I don't have much trust these days ...nothing surprises me .
T
Yeah and a couple of years back they had some cheating problems on Jeopardy. Don I wouldn't be too quick to spend your lawsuit $$$$. If I remember right (always tricky at my age  ) when you buy the car somewhere buried in all that fine print is a clause stating that you are giving them the right to listen in (supposedly so they can better serve you).
Mike
Sent from my pocket calculator using two tin cans and a string
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