High Tech Gob Stopper

A report by Hannah Edwards in the Sydney Morning Herald of December 18, 2005, tells of a service offered by Virgin Mobile.

Drink-diallers off the hook

A PHONE company has moved to protect would-be drinking diallers from themselves. Owners are able to block key numbers until 6am, saving them from drunken phone indiscretions.

Virgin Mobile's Dialling Under the Influence service has been used 10,000 times since it was launched last December. One dialler used it 250 times in one month. Owners simply dial 333, followed by the number of the person- such as a lover or the boss - they shouldn't speak to while tipsy.

Virgin Mobile's spokeswoman Kerry Parkin said calls to the service would peak during the Christmas silly season.

The service, which costs 25 cents a call, was launched after an online survey found 95 per cent of respondents were guilty of dialling while drunk.

(H.T. Wicked Thoughts.)

I strongly suspect that some I.S.P.'s and even Blogger are offering this service as well. It is widely rumored that Grandpa John himself uses this service to keep him out of Lance Burri's malicious line of fire. Many have also supposed that Todd uses it regularly to cover up a substance problem as well. And everyone knows that tee bee has never even considered using it. (Perhaps Watson will recommend it.)

Al seems to have been using this function alot lately, too. There was a time that he got on our cases in his first comment with a heavy hand when our posting level slowed down. I don't think he's been abusing, but maybe just having flashbacks from the '60's.