I am a host on a community radio station so that usually make me inelligible to do most phone surveys, so that's another lie you can tell or ask about to get out of it.

I shall hereby release for public use the "Fool-Proof Will Pate Telemarketer Repelling Method":

Cut them off as early as possible into the script (within the first 2-3 seconds is best).

Say "NOT interested." Have an attitude about it - imagine they are trying to hock you something you were glad to be rid of long ago.

Hang up.

If you do it right, you should get faster each time. This has worked every time but one for me: the government called back a second time, upon which I told them that even if the penalty was capital punishment I would still refuse to participate.

Well, if I were to get a call from such a surveyor I tell them **NO**. If there is persistence a hangup or rudeness may follow. If a surveyor or marketer were to snailmail me a cheque (which cleared at the bank) and an appointment time, I would probably welcome the 'phone call. *I* pay for my telephone service. Despite what corporate culture would have us believe, there is nothing "free" - no one gets something for nothing - there's always a price.

I am compelled to live in the "real world", to act appropriatly with respect to reality. So should telephone trolls.

There is a site set up by the Canadian Marketing Association where you can register for the Do Not Contact list for three years. Apparently, such a venue and list is required by law. Also, supposedly 80% of the solicitations that most people get are by marketers who are a part of the CMA, and who will abide by your wish not to be contacted. You can opt out of being called and of receiving snail-mail marketing.

I say 'apparently' and 'supposedly' because I have not tried this out myself (it takes 3 months to come into affect) because 1) I am slightly wary of registering for anything that has to do with marketers, and 2) I am currently not being bothered by any marketing.

Yet, I believe this to be above board, and if I were to be bothered by marketers, I'd sign up. (I did get my parents to sign up since they are heavily inundated with calls and mail)

Here's the link for the Do Not Contact page. If anyone tries it and notices a difference (good or bad), maybe you could report back here or something?

http://www.cornerstonewebmedia.com/cma/submit.asp

I remember about 20-25 years ago, my family would get in the mail, maybe once a year, a survey to fill out. It was only memorable to me because the surveyors would tape or glue some money to the survey as payment for hopefully filling it out. I believe it was tv viewing habits?

I don't remember the amount of money. Seems it was enough to get me to offer to fill out the survey for the family if I got the money. It may have only been a quarter. If that's all it was, then I sold myself short.

Could a quarter ever have been that valuable to me?