TMP — DNA Badgering

Fandango

Every Monday, Paula Light, with her The Monday Peeve prompt, gives us an opportunity to vent or rant about something that pisses us off.

Paula’s peeve today was about being badgered by people and by companies into making charitable donations. Yeah, this is the time of the year that everyone has their hands out. And like Paula, I’m none too happy about that.

But my peeve this week is about a different kind of badgering. It’s about being badgered to take more DNA tests. I did a DNA test with 23andMe a few years back. They keep emailing me with lists of distant relatives and then asking if I want to reach out to them. No, I don’t. They are also encouraging me to have my parents submit their saliva for DNA testing. Both of my parents are dead. They also want my siblings’ saliva for DNA testing. They’re both dead, too. Just leave me alone.

When we rescued our dog from the shelter this past March, we decided to get her DNA tested. We did it with two different doggie DNA testing services, Embark and Wisdom Panel. Both keep sending me emails notifying me of DNA testing sales and asking me to swab our dog’s mouth and send it to them for updating testing. Do they think our dog’s DNA has changed over the past eight months since got the results from the first tests?

Sorry, DNA testing services, but I do believe that DNA testing is a once-and-done kind of a thing. That might not be great for your business model, but that’s the way it is.

So stop badgering me, dammit.

33 thoughts on “TMP — DNA Badgering”

  1. newepicauthor November 21, 2022 / 2:54 pm

    I am afraid to do a DNA test, as they might find out that I am an alien.

    Liked by 6 people

  2. Paula Light November 21, 2022 / 3:32 pm

    I must have turned off notifications for Ancestry because they’ve quit bugging me. They used to send alerts about “new” relatives, but the new ones were like 4-5 levels down. Er that could be millions of people!

    Liked by 3 people

    • Fandango November 21, 2022 / 8:17 pm

      Yeah, some relatives are quite distant.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Marilyn Armstrong November 21, 2022 / 3:56 pm

    Our vet told us those doggie testing services are entirely fake. They just look at pictures and take their best guess. Phew. Saved me from myself!

    You know, in 2012 I sent $3 to Barack Obama. I have been deluged by every democrat in the U.S.A. ever since AND not just dems, oh no. And of course I actually do donate to National Geographic and Cornell Ornithology — and you know? While they enclose donation information with mailings of Birds Today and National Geographic, I don’t feel that they’re attacking me. But the Democrats are insane. They are my party, but I have unsubscribed them many MANY times and they just creep back.

    Moral of the story? Keep your money. All they will do it waste in on advertising which tries to get other people to send them more money.

    Liked by 2 people

    • donmatthewspoetry November 21, 2022 / 4:49 pm

      Don’t they have an ‘unsuscribe’ button Marylin? Are there not laws mandating inclusion of unsuscribe buttons ?

      Liked by 1 person

      • Marilyn Armstrong November 21, 2022 / 6:39 pm

        There are lots of laws and everyone ignores them because … tada … there is no damned enforcement. Nor has there been since … tada … TRUMP took the FCC out of controlling media.

        Liked by 1 person

        • donmatthewspoetry November 21, 2022 / 7:56 pm

          Yep, a law is nothing unless it’s enforced. We had a mandate on wearing masks on public transport. Never enforced. I can understand why though. Police could only ‘enforce’ it. What? when we got real criminals to chase. my view. Don’t make it law if you can’t back it up. Otherwise it’s just a joke. Caused me lots of anger when people wouldn’t wear masks on train.

          Wrote letters to paper, letters to transport people who burbled on blah blah – you know the story. We’d get these big pics on screens ‘ masks are mandatory on trains, fines of $800 if caught not’.. Shit

          You know Marilyn I think swearing under oath in America has no meaning anymore.. Sadly. The systems shot. Around 1965 CEO’s of all the cigarette companies swore under oath that nicotine was not addictive…….I’ve got a pic somewhere Ill try to find it

          End of rant……

          What’s this about? ” since … tada … TRUMP took the FCC out of controlling media.”

          Liked by 1 person

          • Marilyn Armstrong November 21, 2022 / 8:31 pm

            Well I don’t think anyone is real happy about whatever “system” we think we have because I’m not even sure we HAVE a system.

            Liked by 1 person

            • donmatthewspoetry November 21, 2022 / 8:56 pm

              I think we should shut up shop , return to the trees and just start all over again as Adam suggests

              But wot about my nice big pay packet?

              Adam Liaw

              Liked by 1 person

    • Lou Carreras November 21, 2022 / 7:05 pm

      I refuse to send further funds to organizations that expend my donation on mailings that ask me for more money. Sometimes I feel bad about it, but I cut them off none the less. surprisingly our local pet shelters rarely contact me beyond a newsletter a few times a year. I like giving to them. they are volunteer fueled, and spend their money on services for the animals. Some political organizations could learn from them.

      Liked by 1 person

      • donmatthewspoetry November 21, 2022 / 8:09 pm

        Indeed. Buy local, support local, donate local. See results local. Everyone happy Lou………..

        Liked by 1 person

      • Fandango November 21, 2022 / 10:26 pm

        I get periodic emails from the shelter where we got our dog. They have semiannual fund drives and I do contribute to that.

        Like

    • Fandango November 21, 2022 / 8:20 pm

      I wonder how much of each dollar donated to a candidate actual gets used for its intended purpose. Probably Pennie’s on the dollar.

      Like

      • Marilyn Armstrong November 21, 2022 / 8:35 pm

        There are organizations that give you that information. Personally, other than Cornell and National Geographic, if someone needs help, I do my best to help them. Personally. Directly. And it has come back to me from others I have helped. I think “donating to charity” avoids the issue since we all know plenty of real live people who need help, but we feel we need to give the money through a charity so we can deduct it from taxes. Pathetic.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Shweta Suresh November 21, 2022 / 8:31 pm

    That must be annoying indeed. It looks like you might have to set some filters to send those mails and calls directly to spam!

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Nope, Not Pam November 22, 2022 / 2:14 am

    Lucky you, you’re on the emailing list from hell. I changed my email of 20 years to get away from one of them

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Marleen November 22, 2022 / 2:26 pm

    Someone gave me the testing supplies as a gift, but I never followed through on following the directions and sending that in; I’m glad.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Carol anne November 23, 2022 / 4:50 pm

    god! That is outrageous! I cannot believe the lengths some companies will go to! Honestly? Its sick. Xx

    Liked by 1 person

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