Subj : Courts And More To : Daryl Stout From : Barry Martin Date : Sat Jul 04 2020 08:31:00 Hi Daryl! DS> Paul, (You must not have had your reading glasses on and didn't recognize me!) BM> With the landline we've just not been answering calls we don't BM> recognize unless expecting a 'mystery phonecall' ==> someone calling BM> from the insurance company's vendors doing the repairs on the house BM> from the hail damage. They've been mostly working from home so using BM> their private or company-issued cell phones. DS> I've got "Call Control" on the cellphones..."Call Detector" DS> does NOT work with Verizon or T-Mobile, but it does work with DS> Straight Talk. However, the folks at Wal-Mart don't have a clue DS> when it comes to tech support. But, for T-Mobile and Verizon, I DS> can go talk to someone face to face. Heck, half the 'tech support' at the tech suppport sites don't know what's going on: "please reboot", or pull up what the customer's complaint is in the database and follow the instructions. If works, great, if not, put on that Really Concerned "It's serious!" Face and pass the device on to the next support level. Quite sure the WalMart folks got similar training to what we got at my store: "this is the very basic stuff, a few sprinkles of slightly more advanced stuff in order to up-sell and make the copmany more money, and if you're on any sort of commission to make a little more in your paycheck". I had an advantage of having done hobbyist electronics for around twenty years prior. BM> Otherise like you letting it go to the answering machine -- which BM> sometimes we monitor and sometimes not - depends on the BM> convenience/what we're doing at the time. People are aware of everyone BM> monitoring so more likely to leave a message. If the CID seems BM> familiar (have goofed!) will cautiously answer. DS> I can easily hang up on them, or "fudge it", noting "a DS> lightning strike" or "a nature call". While they could check the DS> radar for storms, they have no way to verify "a nature call". DS> What they don't know won't hurt them. I'm less tolerant and if happen to answer the phone will just say something like 'no thanks' or 'not interested' and hang up on them. Somewhat rude, yes, but with all the time wasted to be nice to telemarketers over the years (and now most are trying to trick rather than sell), not worth the manners. DS> Since all the analog stuff is virtually gone. BM> Yup. Actually makes more sense not to use analog any longer for the BM> main transmission. DS> That's why I'm thinking the FAX deal might not work. The line DS> is good for voice calls. But, storms are moving in later today, DS> and will last well into next week. So, you may not read this for DS> a few days. Assuming the FAX machine is connected in and configured correctly it should work: the machine is designed to work with a regular telephone line -- which just reminded me: regular landlines are sort of analog. The FAX machine at the store had to be on a 'special' line as the store's phone system was digital/computerized. AFAIK the phone computer had up to six stations which were 'standard' and the rest of the outputs were for digital phones; the FAX machine had to be on one of the 'standard' lines. I'm three-quarters remembering you do not have a landline, two digital phones, and some sort of special phone for Ham communications (VoIP?). I don't think any will allow the FAX machine to connect properly, though the Ham Phone might have a FAX port or some way to configure an output to make the FAX machine happy. BM> Oh, sort of along that I tried to send you a test FAX last night. What BM> software I found required a physical modem, so external hung off the BM> serial port -- I don't have on on the rear panel and not sure a USB to BM> Serial Adapter would work (which I don't remember having one) because BM> the software didn't seem to configure with that option. DS> I think you can still buy the modems. Quite sure one can -- I'm got an internal modem card I removed from a computer ages ago -- not sure why keeping other than it's small and so doesn't take up much room in the storage box and does have potential use to me or maybe someone. Also have an external modem in storage. Takes more room but otherwise ditto. DS> looks like you've got us on a technicality". BM> And that's how lawyers get their big bucks: looking at all those BM> details! DS> They also call a 137 page document a "brief". :P At least they acknowledge by hauling them around in brief cases! DS> They announced the local traffic court will be "virtual" at DS> least through September. BM> Haven't heard for Iowa but Illinois has been advertising vehicle BM> registrations temporary changes. Expired registrations and drivers BM> licenses will be extended until October 1; only new registrations and BM> licences are being taken currently and they're trying to do as much of BM> those on-line as possible. DS> I was able to go into the Revenue Office in person, to renew DS> the tags on what was my late Mom's car. I also had to update the DS> handicapped hang tags, and drivers license. The threat of bad DS> weather kept the crowds low, plus I got there before 8am. One had DS> to wear a mask in there, but I was able to get in and out in DS> short order. The local DMV/County General Store (one half is the state Department of Motor Vehicles, the other half is for Scott County stuff: deeds, licenses, -- pretty much everything that could be done at the City Hall offices without the parking hassles) was closed for a few weeks because someone tested positive for COVID-19 and so they just closed the place and disinfected. (Similar for the I-74 Bridge being constructed -- one of the construction works tested positive so they temporarily shut down.) DS> A fellow ham radio operator told me that his wife originally DS> did blood work, but before they got divorced, she did DS> colonoscopies. He said he was careful not to bend over if she was DS> behind him. ....It's too early! I was trying to figure out how to make a joke out of her drawing a blood sample while he was in the 'colonoscopy position'! ¯ ® ¯ BarryMartin3@ ® ¯ @MyMetronet.NET ® ¯ ® ¯ (Humans know what ® ¯ to remove.) ® .... 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