Pacificans have been receiving somewhat half-hearted telemarketing calls from a firm in (according to one telemarketer) Marysville, Kansas [1]. Marysville is roughly the size of Linda Mar, is close to the Nebraska border on the old historic Pony Express route, and is reported to have a great old Redstone City Hall.
Here are some transcripts of these scintillating conversations with our friends a couple time-zones away:
Up is down, left is right...
TM: If you vote for L, the traffic will decrease.
Pacifican: You've got to be kidding!
TM: Yes, all the people living in Rockaway will work there and there will be no cars.
Pacifican: That's never the way it has worked and it won't work that way now.
TM: Well, I'm just reading what they told me to read.
Pacifican: Where are you calling from?
TM: Kansas.
Altruistic Telemarketing
TM: I'm calling to ask you about Measure L.
Pacifican: Why are you calling?
TM: Because I think L is a really good idea.
Pacifican: Why?
Tm: It will be great for Pacifica.
Pacifican: How?
TM: I don't know, I just really like it.
Pacifican: How much are you being paid to call me?
TM: Oh, I'm not being paid, i just think it is a really great thing.
Pacifican: Where are you?
TM: Kansas.
If I told you, I'd have to build 355 houses there...
This one received 1:38PM PST, Saturday, 10/21/06:
Peebles Telemarketer: Are you voting yes or no on Measure L, or are you not sure?
Pacifican: I dunno... hold on a second.... OK, I'm sorry, had to change phones.
PT: Would it help to know that major health committments from the Don Peebles, uh, to fix any impacts, adhere to strict limits, view perimeters, and protect at least 45% of open space? The benefits of the major elements, will make Pacifica one of the greatest small cities in Northern California? If you still have any questions and would like to speak to Don I can give you his phone number.
P: Oh, is he, is he, does he live here?
PT: I'm not sure of that, sir.
P: Do you live here?
PT: I'm calling from an unbiased location.
P: An undisclosed location?! Is that where Dick Cheney lives?
PT: No, heh heh.
P: OK.
PT: Uh, it's unbiased.
P: Oh, unbiased location. What is an unbiased location?
PT: Uh, we're calling from Kansas.
P: Oh. Well hi there.
PT: It means we don't live in the area and we can't share our personal views. But, we're calling all around your area. It's been quite a morning.
P: Yeah, I can imagine you've gotten quite an earful!
PT: Ha ha ha
P: Ha ha. So, you said it's going to have some impact report or something?
PT: They're supposed to... lessen the traffic on Highway 1.
P: How's that?
PT: There will be more jobs in Pacifica, so people, less people will go in and out. Getting in and out every day.
P: Oh, OK.
PT: There'll be $17 million dollar increase in tax revenue. Don Peebles is supposed to be held accountable for any impacts on the environment.
P: Oh, so the $17 million dollars comes from the houses, is that right?
PT: From the taxes that's going to be generated.
P: OK, well thank you. And you say you have his phone number? What's his phone number again?
PT: 650 DASH 898 DASH 1506 [yes, he actually said the word "dash"]
P: Is he in town this week, or is he coming to speak, or something?
PT: That I don't know, sir.
P: OK, well thank you very much!
PT: Bye
P: Bye-bye.
I mean, you spend over $1.3 million on your campaign [2], and this is the best you get?