Tacky, Tacky, Tacky (OT)

There is a funny side to these types of mailings. Try being Legally Blind,
have some sight but not enough to read a newspaper and not drive a car and
such. I got an insurance thing the other day that said "We checked your
records and you have had no traffic violations in the past 10 years
therefore, you are eligible for a big discount in your insurance" When I
called them they had gotten my address because I own a vehicle. When I
explained the situation the lady said "Blind people can't own cars!" I
replied yes we can and also guns. She hung up on me so I am probably
registered as a dangerous person to call!!!
"hopitus" wrote in message
...
On Mar 5, 10:53 pm, Marina wrote:
jmcquown wrote:
Mom got a pre-printed "sympathy card" in the mail from Restorative
Bodywork Solutions, LLC (out of Beaufort, SC, in case you care). It
said they are sorry for her loss but maybe the enclosed 10% off coupon
her for her first visit would make her feel better! (Apparently they
do
massage therapies.)

Goodness! And I thought it was tacky when Dad's publisher put in a big
newspaper ad for his books a few days after he died.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

Why is everyone so blown away and outraged by such distasteful
junk mail? For some of us, it has become a part of life....when you
reach a certain age bracket, you are bombarded (literally) with stuff
from multiple insurance companies for everything from "burial"
policies
to "additional hospital benefits" to "no-physical life policies"! I
have
endured death of family members multiple times....you ain't seen
nothin' yet, as they say.....yeah, the funeral plots, Plots for
remaining
family, more insurance ploys...we were even sent "pet plots" from a
PetSemetary (LOL) outfit (as if our recently departed was a PET!!!)
so my advice is don't waste your energy protesting these tasteless
mailings and calls (at least you can tell them off with the calls).
You
are under enough pressure past few weeks and stress of your loss.
BTW my sincere condolences. Your Dad was an outstanding man.
He will be remembered as such. ((((Jill)))).

"hopitus" wrote in message
...
On Mar 5, 10:53 pm, Marina wrote:
jmcquown wrote:
Mom got a pre-printed "sympathy card" in the mail from Restorative
Bodywork Solutions, LLC (out of Beaufort, SC, in case you care). It
said they are sorry for her loss but maybe the enclosed 10% off coupon
her for her first visit would make her feel better! (Apparently they
do
massage therapies.)

Goodness! And I thought it was tacky when Dad's publisher put in a big
newspaper ad for his books a few days after he died.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

Why is everyone so blown away and outraged by such distasteful
junk mail? For some of us, it has become a part of life...
(snippage)

Perhaps, but this is the first time I've had to deal with the death of an
immediate family member. And perhaps if enough people ganged up on those
engaged in such distasteful behavior it might stop.

You
are under enough pressure past few weeks and stress of your loss.
BTW my sincere condolences. Your Dad was an outstanding man.
He will be remembered as such. ((((Jill)))).

Thank you very much.

Jill

Granby wrote:
I consider a lot of companies tacky. My husband has been dead for two years
and even though I send back letters from charity groups telling them this, I
still get letters addressed to him for donations. I got 23 sets of address
labels for him in the last 6 months. A lady told me to put the address
labels in the envelope enclosed for a donation and send them back with a
not. So far, this hasn't made a difference.

I think it's rather like all the "junk" e-mail - once your address gets
on a list, it stays as the list is sold and resold to other nuisance
sources. Probably because I post to an international travel group, I
get the stuff in practically every earthly language! (At least it
sometimes SEEMS that way.) Persian, Hindu, Chinese, Japanese, Korean,
Russian, Greek, Czech, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese.....
(At least most of the European languages use the same alphabet, but
why send e-mail to a recipient who can't even read your ALPHABET?

hopitus wrote:

Excuse me but you are so right re car ownership...another category of
unlikely title owners is someone I know with Alzheimers....her
daughter
is the "designated driver" thus enabling mother to "own" the vehicle.

But many people in the early stages of Alzheimers are perfectly capable
of driving! (At least according to the poster in my doctor's office
listing its various stages.) True, sometimes the disease progresses
quite fast, but for many it happens so gradually that it can go
undetected for years. Everyone has his/her moments of forgetfulness -
being "absent minded" doesn't mean Alzheimers, or we'd ALL be trouble!

Anyway, if one had to be able to drive in order to own a car, what about
all the disabled who can afford the car, even though they must pay a
chauffeur to drive them? (It's certainly a lot cheaper and more
convenient than hiring a taxi or limousine service.)

"jmcquown" wrote in message
. ..

"hopitus" wrote in message
...
On Mar 5, 10:53 pm, Marina wrote:
jmcquown wrote:
Mom got a pre-printed "sympathy card" in the mail from Restorative
Bodywork Solutions, LLC (out of Beaufort, SC, in case you care). It
said they are sorry for her loss but maybe the enclosed 10% off coupon
her for her first visit would make her feel better! (Apparently they
do
massage therapies.)

Goodness! And I thought it was tacky when Dad's publisher put in a big
newspaper ad for his books a few days after he died.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

Why is everyone so blown away and outraged by such distasteful
junk mail? For some of us, it has become a part of life...
(snippage)

Perhaps, but this is the first time I've had to deal with the death of an
immediate family member. And perhaps if enough people ganged up on those
engaged in such distasteful behavior it might stop.

You
are under enough pressure past few weeks and stress of your loss.
BTW my sincere condolences. Your Dad was an outstanding man.
He will be remembered as such. ((((Jill)))).

Thank you very much.

Jill

No one gangs up on them because they are preying on people who are in no
shape to gang up on them.

Too many companies know well and good that when an older person dies, they
have very likely left behind someone who can be taken advantage of in one
way or another.

Pest control companies are good at this. Get the survivor worried about
their property.

My mother became very overwhelmed with it all, and she had been the one to
take care of business stuff. Mostly she just told everyone to call me and
sent me mail that she questioned. They did rope her in on the scam where
you are told that your car warranty has expired and needs to be renewed.
They premium was just under the amount the credit card company would
question, and it was self renewing.

I had to make sure she never gave anyone her credit card number over the
phone. Many older people don't have someone to look after their affairs and
don't manage well on their own.

Jo

jofirey wrote:

Too many companies know well and good that when an older person dies, they
have very likely left behind someone who can be taken advantage of in one
way or another.

Pest control companies are good at this. Get the survivor worried about
their property.

I know this isn't a funny topic, and I'm not very old, nor am I bereaved,
nor even a property owner, but nonetheless, a couple of years ago I
received the funniest junk mail. It said:

"Joyce Last Name, Swarms of termites are heading for the San Jose/
San Francisco/Oakland area on 4/24/05. Is your home protected?"

I don't know why, but that just made me roar. Maybe because it had an
exact date, as well as specific destination cities? Who knew that termite
travel was so well-organized?

I had to make sure she never gave anyone her credit card number over the
phone. Many older people don't have someone to look after their affairs and
don't manage well on their own.

This sounds like my mother. She can't be trusted with a credit card,
either. She apparently has a big sign on her forehead saying "Sucker for
Scammers", which only scammers can see. (Kind of like the "Sucker" sign
I have on my forehead that only cats can see.) My mother is the most
gullible person on the planet. Luckily, she lives near my sister, who
is very savvy about money (more so than I am - I can take care of myself
fine, but I'm not sure I could solve everyone else's problems). My sister
controls my mother's finances so she doesn't get into trouble. She has
a "bit" of a compulsive shopping habit, and is also easily pressured to
buy stuff she doesn't need.

Joyce

--
To send email to this address, remove the triple-X from my user name.

NRA probably already knows.
"hopitus" wrote in message
...
On Mar 6, 9:59 am, "Granby" wrote:
There is a funny side to these types of mailings. Try being Legally
Blind,
have some sight but not enough to read a newspaper and not drive a car
and
such. I got an insurance thing the other day that said "We checked your
records and you have had no traffic violations in the past 10 years
therefore, you are eligible for a big discount in your insurance" When I
called them they had gotten my address because I own a vehicle. When I
explained the situation the lady said "Blind people can't own cars!" I
replied yes we can and also guns. She hung up on me so I am probably
registered as a dangerous person to call!!!"hopitus"
wrote in message

...

On Mar 5, 10:53 pm, Marina wrote:
jmcquown wrote:
Mom got a pre-printed "sympathy card" in the mail from Restorative
Bodywork Solutions, LLC (out of Beaufort, SC, in case you care). It
said they are sorry for her loss but maybe the enclosed 10% off
coupon
her for her first visit would make her feel better! (Apparently
they
do
massage therapies.)

Goodness! And I thought it was tacky when Dad's publisher put in a big
newspaper ad for his books a few days after he died.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

Why is everyone so blown away and outraged by such distasteful
junk mail? For some of us, it has become a part of life....when you
reach a certain age bracket, you are bombarded (literally) with stuff
from multiple insurance companies for everything from "burial"
policies
to "additional hospital benefits" to "no-physical life policies"! I
have
endured death of family members multiple times....you ain't seen
nothin' yet, as they say.....yeah, the funeral plots, Plots for
remaining
family, more insurance ploys...we were even sent "pet plots" from a
PetSemetary (LOL) outfit (as if our recently departed was a PET!!!)
so my advice is don't waste your energy protesting these tasteless
mailings and calls (at least you can tell them off with the calls).
You
are under enough pressure past few weeks and stress of your loss.
BTW my sincere condolences. Your Dad was an outstanding man.
He will be remembered as such. ((((Jill)))).

Excuse me but you are so right re car ownership...another category of
unlikely title owners is someone I know with Alzheimers....her
daughter
is the "designated driver" thus enabling mother to "own" the vehicle.
I
understand this varies state by state statutes. But ROFL, dangerous
Granby. The NRA needs to hear about your phone call, LOL.

"hopitus" wrote in message
...
On Mar 6, 12:41 pm, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
wrote:
hopitus wrote:
Excuse me but you are so right re car ownership...another category of
unlikely title owners is someone I know with Alzheimers....her
daughter
is the "designated driver" thus enabling mother to "own" the vehicle.

But many people in the early stages of Alzheimers are perfectly capable
of driving! (At least according to the poster in my doctor's office
listing its various stages.) True, sometimes the disease progresses
quite fast, but for many it happens so gradually that it can go
undetected for years. Everyone has his/her moments of forgetfulness -
being "absent minded" doesn't mean Alzheimers, or we'd ALL be trouble!

Anyway, if one had to be able to drive in order to own a car, what about
all the disabled who can afford the car, even though they must pay a
chauffeur to drive them? (It's certainly a lot cheaper and more
convenient than hiring a taxi or limousine service.)

Hee hee....from your other post, I thought you might be about to
utter a French phrase...but not this time.
As for the car ownership, *ergo* (is that French? I don't think so)
the
aforementioned "designated driver" clause.
And as for the Alzheimers - would that the state DMV thought like
you do re driving competence.....

Sometimes a decline is so very subtle that you can be too close to someone
to see it. My dad seemed to be doing fine. Worried a little more than
usual and tired easier, but he was plenty sharp to talk to, etc. And he
didn't have any noticeable problems driving. Trust me, my mother always
noticed any problem anyone ever had driving.

But when he went to take his driving test just before his 80th birthday, he
failed the written test by quite a lot. He just couldn't manage the part
where you had to identify what each shaped sign was for, such as the octagon
stop or the triangle yield.

My sister and her husband thought it was ridiculous and tried to help him
study to retake the test. That was when they finally realized he really did
have problems and they were getting worse pretty quickly.

We were all most grateful that he had to stop driving before there were any
incidents that caused harm to him or anyone else.

Jo

jofirey wrote:
No one gangs up on them because they are preying on people who are in no
shape to gang up on them.

Too many companies know well and good that when an older person dies, they
have very likely left behind someone who can be taken advantage of in one
way or another.

All too often starting with the "funeral director"! At least my
nearest and dearest will be spared THAT - I signed up with the Neptune
Society (prepaid cremation and ashes buried at sea). If they want a
memorial service, they're on their own - at least there'll be no
expensive caskets and other fancy appurtenances. (IIRC, I told the
Forest Lawn telemarketer mentioned in an earlier post that, rather than
buy a plot from them, I'd rather see my remains thrown in a ditch
somewhere!)


Pest control companies are good at this. Get the survivor worried about
their property.

Not just the bereaved - a lot of "repair" persons prey on the elderly.
Often they pose as door-to-door "roofers" and "heating and
air-conditioning" people. If they gain access to your home, you're
lucky if they merely try to sell you an unneeded new roof or heating
system - some of them specialize in assault and robbery.


They did rope her in on the scam where
you are told that your car warranty has expired and needs to be renewed.
They premium was just under the amount the credit card company would
question, and it was self renewing.

I don't think THEY limit themselves to the elderly! I've been getting
those mailings ever since I moved to Arizona, and I was not living in a
senior retirement residence when they first started arriving.
(Fortunately, since I drive a ten year old car, whose extended warranty
expired long ago, my only reaction is "WHAT warranty?")

"jofirey" wrote in message
...

Sometimes a decline is so very subtle that you can be too close to someone
to see it. My dad seemed to be doing fine. Worried a little more than
usual and tired easier, but he was plenty sharp to talk to, etc. And he
didn't have any noticeable problems driving. Trust me, my mother always
noticed any problem anyone ever had driving.

But when he went to take his driving test just before his 80th birthday,
he failed the written test by quite a lot. He just couldn't manage the
part where you had to identify what each shaped sign was for, such as the
octagon stop or the triangle yield.

My sister and her husband thought it was ridiculous and tried to help him
study to retake the test. That was when they finally realized he really
did have problems and they were getting worse pretty quickly.

We were all most grateful that he had to stop driving before there were
any incidents that caused harm to him or anyone else.


The hardest part about Rob's cancer and its side effects is that we had to
pull Robert's driver's license. Rob's mom hadn't been in the van with him
for ever so she saw that he needed to give up the wheel. After he made a
dangerous turn in front of a large, about 2 ton truck, I finally saw it. He
still seems to think that he is the excellent driver that he used to be, but
no one will give him a chance to prove it. The State of North Carolina
finally pulled his license after I refused to fill out a request for an
exception for Rob's medical conditions. Rob was nice about it, but it
seemed like forever before he forgave me for not trusting him behind the
wheel. After he helped cause Mike's accident and realized that he could
actually have done more damage to people than he did, he seemed to have
given up the dream of getting his license back. But he used to be a superb
driver.

Pam S.