Annoying Telephone Surveys

Today I was interrupted with a phone call from 732-451-3663. I knew immediately that it was someone with whom I did not wish to be bothered. How? I experienced the typical silence after answering the phone. “Hello?” . . . silence. “Hello?” Then the voice on the other end indicated slight bewilderment and then began pressing onward for a survey.

I demanded to know who was calling. “GSR” was the answer.

“Who is GSR?”

“The survey person rattled on.”

“Who is GSR?”

“Garden State Readers”


. . .OK, enough of the banter . . .

Here is the link that I found for GSR.

I told the person, who would not tell me the purpose of the survey, that she was wasting her time with me. She replied, “Yes, I believe I am.” Then she disconnected.

These survey people are quite ostentatious. They call with the attitude that the person being called owes the debt of answering whatever questions that are presented.

I hate answering questions for surveys that promote further calls regarding products that I do not use nor desire. So I don’t.

Sadly, even the national do not call registry does not keep them from calling, as survey people are excluded.

Nevertheless, the National Do Not Call Registry does help to reduce calls. In case you need to register, you may do so here.

Anyway, enough with the griping.

Antivirus and Firewall News

Firefox has an FAQ page regarding suggested Antivirus protection called Best Antivirus Software & Internet Security Software. On this page they link to PC Antivirus Reviews where very helpful reviews are posted regarding this group’s opinions regarding the best Antivirus software companies. PC Antivirus Reviews also provides discount coupons for the products that they review and suggest.

In the past I have used Norton and Zone Alarm. I have used Zone Alarm for quite a few years with good success. But in the last couple of years I became very frustrated with the problems that Zone Alarm caused on my system, and even more frustrated with the very poor technical support.

This week I decided to give the Sunbelt Software products a try. I checked other reviews of their products besides PC Antivirus Reviews and found much praise reported for their company and software. So I purchased the products and installed them. At first I thought, “Oh No!” I did encounter some problems. But that is not unusual with new software installation. I called the next day and spoke with a delightful fellow who was extremely helpful. The next day I had some more issues and I again received superb assistance.

Most tech support would have told me that the problems that I experienced were not areas that they covered as they were not directly related to their product. But the Sunbelt support person went out of his way to help. Moreover, he understood English as his FIRST language and therefore understood me and my issues. It was a rare delight!

Both the VIPRE antivirus and antispyware product and the Sunbelt Personal Firewall are up and running and doing very nicely. The software and hardware that was previously encountering interference from Zone Alarm is functioning beautifully so far. Moreover, my system is performing more quickly.

It is still very early in my experience, but so far I am very pleased. For anyone experiencing frustrations like the ones that I have mentioned, you may want to check out the Sunbelt Software for yourself.

Stupid Driver?

Yesterday, as I was driving, a driver pulled out in front of me, entering the roadway from a highschool driveway. There was ample distance for safety, but the car accelerated very slowly causing me to reduce my speed considerably. The driver never accelerated to the posted speed limit but remained ten miles per hour below the speed limit. After the next intersection the same thing occurred, very slowly accelerating to forty-five miles per hour in a fifty-five mile per hour zone.

Frustration arose within me very quickly. I began to think, ”Come on! What are you doing? What’s wrong with you? Can’t you find the accelerator pedal? Can’t you push it down?”

Then my heart was turned so that I began thinking of the other person. Suddenly I began to think that there could be a reason for the person driving like this. My frustration evaporated.

I began to think, “Hmm. I wonder. Could this be a young teenage driver just learning to drive? Could this person be exercising caution? The car did exit from a highschool.”

At the next intersection the car turned left and I could see in the driver’s side mirror a very young and tender face, the face of a very young girl. Her face was brimming with a smile that melted my heart and I knew that indeed this was a young driver whom Dad or Mom was letting drive the car to get the experience needed to become a safe driver.

I was happy for this young driver and I was happy to realize that she was being careful. I was glad that the Holy Spirit took hold of my selfish heart and turned it away from my anxious and frustrated thoughts toward what could be the needs of the other person. I marveled that God’s power could work so quickly in me to change my thoughts.

Stupid driver? More and more as I drive, with the many crazy things that people do on the roads, I find myself thinking “Stupid Driver!” But then the Holy Spirit takes hold of my heart and mind and I realize that I am the stupid driver when I let these things rule over my heart and mind and to steal God’s peace from me.

When the Holy Spirit works this miracle and brings me again to His repentance, all that remains for me to do is to give thanks and to rejoice in God’s goodness. Then peace again rules my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Truly the Lord is good and His mercy endures forever. Amen.