That’s part of a Facebook conversation I had today with LS, another really friendly Aussie. We were talking about the weather and how we both suck at typing because we have “fat fingers”. She responded with the title and like the great “thief” that I am, I pounced on it. A lot of my story ideas come about this way.

And what is it with the Aussie ladies? That’s the third one this week that has shown me how “refreshingly easy” they all seem to be.

OK, get your mind out of the gutter. I already have dibs on it and it’s not big enough for all of us to fit anyway.

What I mean by “refreshingly easy” is the ease in which these three really nice people have accepted me in conversations that we are having on the Internet. As you may know I am Canadian and like most Canadians, well we are pretty harmless. We have an army of sorts but we are more like the welcoming committee in a new neighbourhood. Most of the weaponry belongs in some museum and that suits me just fine. War is really outdated anyway. It might be best done in computer simulations and the “winner” gets reward points from the loser. That’s another story for another time.

The “fat finger” syndrome is more about how all of us are with sharing our thoughts on the computer. We are in such a rush to spit out and share what’s on our minds that the keyboard just gets in the way. When you really look at, the computer keyboard and its predecessor, the typewriter makes no sense really. The QWERTY concept of a keyboard was something that others have tried to change with pretty much no success.

I guess I’ll have to write the “What will replace the computer keyboard” story some time soon but like the other what-will-replace stories I never have the answer, just more questions. I don’t think voice recognition software is the answer either.

It can’t get into your mind and heart and figure out what you are really saying. It has trouble with people who have speech impediments and with background noise so don’t be using that software for your next business presentation with the latest porno thing playing in the background.

If somebody is developing the next level of that software, pick me as part of your beta testing program. If it can figure me out, it’s got a good chance of figuring out a lot of other people, too.

The thing I am learning in my most recent Internet adventures is that people all around the world are full of surprises. Sometimes all it takes, is a passing comment about the weather at the coffee shop.

That’s how I see Facebook and the news feeds now. LS accepted me as friend as part of my “recruiting” game (another story for later) and now we are starting to get together over a cup of coffee.

At least it should be, in my opinion. It’s invasion of privacy using the telephone.

I am seriously looking at getting rid of my home telephone and going to a CC. Most of my meaningful conversations are either email or Facebook based now anyway. The problem with the telephone is that it could be something important and some bozo is trying to sell you something that you just aren’t going to buy that way.

If you need something, you go to the store or you check it out on the Internet and then you might call them. Telemarketing has become so ineffective that I wonder why companies still bother with it. I think it tells you something about the people running the company if they insist on bothering people in the middle of their dinner or while they are relaxing in the early evening hours.

Some even think you will listen to a taped message of their pitch and respond by clicking the appropriate button. So somebody must be responding or otherwise I have to believe they will eventually give up because it’s an incredible waste of time and money.

So to those people who are responding to telemarketers, I have one thing to say.

Stop It!!!

You should be charged with aiding and abetting a criminal. And I am being very close to being serious here. Your courteous and caring response is perpetuating one of the most annoying creations of this era.

I guess I’m just going to have to stop answering the telephone and let voice mail kick in. It is so impolite but there isn’t much choice. Maybe break down and get call display. The blocking thing is only good if you know who the bozo is that is bothering you.

I get tired of saying “No thank you. I’m not interested” and hanging up, once I figure out who they are and what they are trying to sell. Why is their phone quality and phone manner so poor? The bozo that runs the company? That would make sense.

I can’t figure out why Thursday seems to be their busy day. Must have something to do again with the bozo running the company and that quota stuff, no quota junk.

Stuff is useful. Junk is just junk. Telemarketing is really bad junk.