Handy gizmo

We get an extraordinary number of annoying phone calls, from market researchers, charitable organizations, companies selling stuff, politicians leaving recorded messages (during election season anyway). It doesn't seem to make any difference that we are on the Do Not Call lists.

So Ray ordered this handy little device for less than $10! -- the Zenith EZ Hang-up. When you pick up a call you don't want to continue, you press the little button and hang up, rather than interrupt the person and ask them to take you off the list and have them (amazingly) try to talk you out of it. There is something very satisfying about hanging up on them while they listen to a recorded message, repeated once so there's no question:

"[ding-ding] I'm sorry, this number does not accept this type of call. Please regard this as your notification to remove this number from your list. Thank you."

(Ding-ding is the sound it makes at the beginning of the message, not the cute pet name we have for the people on the other end, as fitting as it may be.)