yes, this is how those annoying and unproductive urbal myths get started, but it's always worth a try. mr. squirrel sent me the following information on how to cut down on telemarketing calls. does anyone know if this is legit?
...Do you ever get those annoying phone calls with no one on the other end?
This is a telemarketing technique where a machine makes phone calls and records the time of day when a person answers the phone.
This technique is used to determine the best time of day for a "real" sales person to call back and get someone at home.
What you can do after answering, if you notice there is no one there, is to immediately start hitting your # button on the phone, 6 or 7 times, as quickly as possible.
This confuses the machine that dialed the call and it kicks your number out of their system."

well, anything that confuses a machine is good with me. my other favorite for messing with unsolicited friends...for any mail you receive which includes a self addressed postage paid envelope...tear up the credit card/long distance phone service/life insurance offer, stuff it back in their postage paid envelope and mail it back to them. they pay the postage, the usps gets the business, and hopefully it annoys someone on the other end.