The big picture

[Phrazbit]

Considering they traded away two very high 2nd round picks for him, I doubt that they will let him walk. However, I'm not gonna care if we don't retain him.

2nd round picks are roughly equal to a wet fart in terms of NBA trade considerations. Thats what gets swapped when "nothing" does not qualify as a legal trade.

The virtual "nothing" the Suns surrendered will play no role in deciding if Wright stays or goes.

 

[slinslin]

Even if we had capspace, rebuilding through capspace is a pipedream that would not work.

we are young that is good, everyone can improve a lot still.

We have no spacing, no movement off the ball, mentality issues, no leadership, no consistent outside shooting, no bench depth.

Some of that I would say is a coaching problem.

 

[JS22]

This team is young. The 3rd youngest in the league, I think. They're above .500. Let's tap the brakes and see where things are in 2-4 years.

 

[BC867]

This team is young. The 3rd youngest in the league, I think. They're above .500. Let's tap the breaks and see where things are in 2-4 years.

Or . . . this team is unbalanced and flashy.

They made major roster changes, then undid them and made similar major roster changes. And they are still unbalanced and flashy.

The last four seasons without a playoff appearance and you are advocating that they tap the breaks -- er, brakes -- for another four years.

Passivity is not going to improve anything. We have one Center who, as we've seen, cannot carry the load by himself. No strong Power Forward. And an overload of tweener Guards.

They need to downshift and assemble a balanced roster.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Or . . . this team is unbalanced and flashy.

They made major roster changes, then undid them and made similar major roster changes. And they are still unbalanced and flashy.

The last four seasons without a playoff appearance and you are advocating that they tap the breaks -- er, brakes -- for another four years.

Passivity is not going to improve anything. We have one Center who, as we've seen, cannot carry the load by himself. No strong Power Forward. And an overload of tweener Guards.

They need to downshift and assemble a balanced roster.

Actually I think he's suggesting that the fans should tap the breaks not the team. And more importantly than being an unbalanced team, we are an unfinished team. We have 3 future draft picks above the norm, 2 of them will likely have good value. Until we convert those into present day assets we really don't know what we have. Balancing this roster is a necessity but we've been balanced recently (2 seasons ago) and we were a much worse team. Balancing only puts an end to our lack of balance. We need to upgrade our talent level.

Steve

 

[JS22]

Or . . . this team is unbalanced and flashy.

They made major roster changes, then undid them and made similar major roster changes. And they are still unbalanced and flashy.

The last four seasons without a playoff appearance and you are advocating that they tap the breaks -- er, brakes -- for another four years.

Passivity is not going to improve anything. We have one Center who, as we've seen, cannot carry the load by himself. No strong Power Forward. And an overload of tweener Guards.

They need to downshift and assemble a balanced roster.

Fixed my original post for you, BC. Sitting here with a 101 fever. My head is a little foggy.

We are in year 2 of McD's rebuild. You can't realistically count the previous 2 years under Blanks.

People expected this team to be Philly bad last year and they surprised everyone. This year, I guess, can be considered a let-down. But only because of their success last season. They are still extremely young and McD hasn't had a chance to complete his rebuild.

Not saying I'm happy with every move but I'm willing to be a little more patient than most I guess.

 

[BC867]

Fixed my original post for you, BC. Sitting here with a 101 fever. My head is a little foggy.

I apologize for being picky, JS, and hope you're feeling better. This is the time of the year for it.

I work in a cramped office with five other people and one of the ladies is a very heavy smoker. Every hour when she comes back in from her 5-minute cigarette break and starts coughing, I literally can feel her second-hand smoke in my lungs. I haven't had that feeling since I quit cold turkey when I was in my 20's.

A friend suggested wearing a surgical mask, but I supplement Social Security by working part-time in a call center and that would be awkward. And I wouldn't want to be seen as controversial.

'Just on this board.

 

[JS22]

I apologize for being picky, JS, and hope you're feeling better. This is the time of the year for it.

I work in a cramped office with five other people and one of the ladies is a very heavy smoker. Every hour when she comes back in from her 5-minute cigarette break and starts coughing, I literally can feel her second-hand smoke in my lungs. I haven't had that feeling since I quit cold turkey when I was in my 20's.

A friend suggested wearing a surgical mask, but I supplement Social Security by working part-time in a call center and that would be awkward. And I wouldn't want to be seen as controversial.

'Just on this board.

That sounds awful. In my entire lifetime (32) I've taken a single puff of a cigarette. It was horrible. Never could understand the appeal. It doesn't help that my allergies seem to go into over-drive when someone is smoking near me. Although I don't think cigarette smoke is an allergen. Don't know what I'd do in your situation.

 

[BC867]

That sounds awful. In my entire lifetime (32) I've taken a single puff of a cigarette. It was horrible. Never could understand the appeal. It doesn't help that my allergies seem to go into over-drive when someone is smoking near me. Although I don't think cigarette smoke is an allergen. Don't know what I'd do in your situation.

After almost four years with this company, I am actively job-hunting.

I seek a part-time call center position M-F 7 or 8-noon to continue supplementing Social Security. My background was Operations management but, for the past 13 years, call center (including Training Manager when I was working full-time).

I interviewed last month for an appropriate position 3 miles from my apartment in NE Phoenix. They were perfect for me and I was perfect for the job.

But the day after my 1 1/2 hr. interview, I was informed that they are no longer looking to fill the position (they told me they were filling 4 part-time slots). That's double-speak for having discovered my age. So I guess I will keep inhaling 2nd hand smoke coughed into the air for awhile.

I hope you younger guys do a better job than I preparing for your retirement years. With the influx of Boomers and GenX, it is only going to get worse. 'Sorry for the downer, but now is the time to prepare.

 

[JCSunsfan]

After almost four years with this company, I am actively job-hunting.

I seek a part-time call center position M-F 7 or 8-noon to continue supplementing Social Security. My background was Operations management but, for the past 13 years, call center (including Training Manager when I was working full-time).

I interviewed last month for an appropriate position 3 miles from my apartment in NE Phoenix. They were perfect for me and I was perfect for the job.

But the day after my 1 1/2 hr. interview, I was informed that they are no longer looking to fill the position (they told me they were filling 4 part-time slots). That's double-speak for having discovered my age. So I guess I will keep inhaling 2nd hand smoke coughed into the air for awhile.

I hope you younger guys do a better job than I preparing for your retirement years. With the influx of Boomers and GenX, it is only going to get worse. 'Sorry for the downer, but now is the time to prepare.

Oh man. Get out of there quick. Sounds like you are trying.

 

[elindholm]

I supplement Social Security by working part-time in a call center

Please tell me that you are in something customer-service oriented, and not a telemarketer.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Please tell me that you are in something customer-service oriented, and not a telemarketer.

AKA Audio Home Invasion Specialist. Someone tell me why this is legal.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

AKA Audio Home Invasion Specialist. Someone tell me why this is legal.

Steve

I put myself on the government do not call list and it does not help one bit from what I can tell.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I put myself on the government do not call list and it does not help one bit from what I can tell.

It does no good. Being unlisted makes no difference. Getting a phone that lets you block 500 numbers does you no good. The only tried and true method that I've discovered is to turn off the phone. I check it twice a day for messages or a familiar caller ID. For the most part, I'm just paying for a paper weight these days.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

It does no good. Being unlisted makes no difference. Getting a phone that lets you block 500 numbers does you no good. The only tried and true method that I've discovered is to turn off the phone. I check it twice a day for messages or a familiar caller ID. For the most part, I'm just paying for a paper weight these days.

Steve

I agree. I use the turn off the phone method and answer only the calls that I know.

 

[BC867]

Please tell me that you are in something customer-service oriented, and not a telemarketer.

I am happy to say, Eric, that I am not, nor have ever been, a telemarketer.

Without going into detail, it is B2B -- business to business.

I previously worked in credit card and in medical collections. Although I don't like reaching into people's pockets, I put up a reminder in my cubicle.

I HAVE TO PAY MY BILLS. THEY HAVE TO PAY THEIRS. GIVE THEM A VIABLE WAY TO DO IT.

That is where I was promoted back into management, as Training Manager. With classes of from one to 20 every two weeks, I taught new hires how to collect effectively, without violating the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act of 1977.

BTW, Arizona and California are two of the nine Community Property states in the country, which comes into play when making collections calls.

 

[elindholm]

I put myself on the government do not call list and it does not help one bit from what I can tell.

No, it doesn't do an expletive thing. And when I've filed complaints, I've never gotten a shred of acknowledgment. The whole thing is a sham.

BC, thanks for putting my mind at ease. Telemarketers are lower than drug dealers in my book.

 

[BC867]

No, it doesn't do an expletive thing. And when I've filed complaints, I've never gotten a shred of acknowledgment. The whole thing is a sham.

BC, thanks for putting my mind at ease. Telemarketers are lower than drug dealers in my book.

I get my share of survey calls, political calls and cold calls when I walk in the door.

Just picture the volumes of information being sold about all of us. Ah, the age of technology.

My favorite is the one for a home security system. When I say, "Are you aware that I live in an apartment?" (since I was divorced), all I hear is a click. And I laugh!

 

[Mainstreet]

No, it doesn't do an expletive thing. And when I've filed complaints, I've never gotten a shred of acknowledgment. The whole thing is a sham.

It's sort of like advertisers on television refusing to adhere to loudness rules. And the consumer is supposed to enforce it... give me a break.

 

[sunsfan88]

It does no good. Being unlisted makes no difference. Getting a phone that lets you block 500 numbers does you no good. The only tried and true method that I've discovered is to turn off the phone. I check it twice a day for messages or a familiar caller ID. For the most part, I'm just paying for a paper weight these days.

Steve

I agree. I use the turn off the phone method and answer only the calls that I know.

I only get it on my house phone, not my cell phone thank god. Thinking about cancelling the land line due to the overabundance of calls though.

 

[Covert Rain]

I put myself on the government do not call list and it does not help one bit from what I can tell.

Our phone is unlisted but for some time we were bombarded with calls. After adding our phone to the DO NOT CALL list it made a difference for us. However, the one thing I noticed is that if you don't RENEW your request once in awhile they tick up again.

I have been told it's because when you give your number out when you register for just about anything these days, there is fine print that allows them to give out your # to their own 3rd party partners unless specifically stated. The DO NOT CALL list is nullified by any actions (opt ins) you might take after registering.

Also the exceptions list is too long IMO. You can still get political organization calls, not-for-profits, surveys, the situation listed above, by any company in which you put in an inquiry or application (for 31 days) and naturally bill collectors.

I would like to see them narrow the list.

 

[Mainstreet]

Our phone is unlisted but for some time we were bombarded with calls. After adding our phone to the DO NOT CALL list it made a difference for us. However, the one thing I noticed is that if you don't RENEW your request once in awhile they tick up again.

I have been told it's because when you give your number out when you register for just about anything these days, there is fine print that allows them to give out your # to their own 3rd party partners unless specifically stated. The DO NOT CALL list is nullified by any actions (opt ins) you might take after registering.

Also the exceptions list is too long IMO. You can still get political organization calls, not-for-profits, surveys, the situation listed above, by any company in which you put in an inquiry or application (for 31 days) and naturally bill collectors.

I would like to see them narrow the list.

I didn't know this. Thanks for the tip.

However, the political organization calls and survey calls are the worst culprit for me.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I didn't know this. Thanks for the tip.

However, the political organization calls and survey calls are the worst culprit for me.

For me it's the non-stop "energy" people. I get half a dozen calls a day for this alone, minimum. I've renewed, no difference. I never give out my phone number and I have never purchased anything by phone in my life.

I didn't have these same problems when I was unlisted but for 9 years we kept getting the same collection calls (and credit related calls) for someone that had never had our phone number. Somehow they eventually tied it to our address and we started having real problems then. The phone company told us they couldn't help us, our only option was to (again) change our number, something we'd already done 4 times, or go back to being listed. Once we listed, the harassment from collection agencies ended but the sales calls went Godzilla on us.

Steve

 

[Covert Rain]

I didn't know this. Thanks for the tip.

However, the political organization calls and survey calls are the worst culprit for me.

It did make a difference for us but just so you know you can also file a complaint form as well that has worked for us. We kept getting these telemarketing calls from the same company selling different products even after we told them we were on the DO NOT CALL list. They didn't care.

We filed a complaint on the site and within a month..the calls stopped completely. We did that another time and it worked as well. So, I have no idea why different people seem to have varying success with the DO NOT CALL list.

We did find out later that with one of them we were opted in by signing up for a rewards program. Evidently we had to manually opt out of any 3rd party partners calling us which was sneaky. If you have a movie, music, smart tv, rewards services or just about anything.....read the fine print before you sign up or purchase a service.

 

[Mainstreet]

I guess I will keep trying different techniques to get spammers to quit calling me.