[Chemist_Geek]

I suppose the next thing they'll be doing is suing me for refusing to answer my phone when they call. Since when does someone have the right to intrude on my privacy so they can hawk their aluminum siding, cheesy magazine subscriptions, and carpet cleaning services? (Hint, people: I do not do business with people who disturb my dinner.)

I vaguely remember reading somewhere in an article about this sort of thing, that some ad industry people want the "Mute" button banned from televisions!

[hardhead]

Fifteen years ago I worked for a well-known electronics chain (do I really have to mention their name); at any rate at an annual convention to highlight the new year's merchandise the president of the company was talking about a device that they had developed that hooked inline between your television and cable/antenna/satellite input. It had the ability to detect the slight pause, or black space, just before a commercial comes on and would turn the screen black until the commercial was over and then programming would resume. Now, keep in mind, by today's standards this is old technology. Anywho, the company had been coerced by the National Association of Advertisers and the Direct Marketing Association to drop plans to sell the device. Somewhere there is someone who can fix this problem in a foolproof way. Where are the inventors when you need them?