Around 70% of all answering machines manufactured in the world have a function called "message alert" or "alert tone."

This function was created as early as 1995, and possibly earlier.

The beep occurs once every 15 seconds and is highly annoying and abusive to pets who are left home alone all day, tenants share the same household or neighboring apartments in which thin walls are the only division between the two households, disabled people and small children who cannot reach the phone or turn it off. Also, many of these minorities are not permitted to listen to the messages, thus they cannot turn off the beeping sound.

The beep is an auditory version of an old Eastern practice called "Chinese Water Torture" which causes insanity, or more commonly, introversion.

The beeping can occur for up to 9 hours a day as the people able to listen to their messages (thus temporality shutting off the (beeping function) are gone to work all day, and no one else is left to operate the machine. Oftentimes animals or others without a voice will become introverted and give up on their situation because they realize they are powerless to change it. Anyway, can animals talk?

Another drawback is trying to imagine how domesticated pets (or others) actually sleep through this constant, ceaseless beeping!

There is definitely corporate negligence or possibly conspiracy at work here.

Sometimes the function is turned on intentionally or accidentally. It’s a wonder why anyone would turn in on intentionally. This is rare occurrence.

The only way to turn off the function temporarily is to listen to one's messages or on some models to press a key on the base ringer such as “volume.” The volume on most models cannot be changed.

To permanently deactivate the function one must know what the function is called, and apply the knowledge they have obtained in their manual, that is if they still have it. Often people have lost or thrown away their instructions and cannot figure out how to turn the function off by experimentation.

If their model machine is no longer made, they can still get instructions on the internet, but many times are at a loss as to what to look for. Also, many people do not take the time and do not have the time to figure out how to shut the function OFF.

So far, 100% of people selling answering machines in stores do NOT know off hand what the function is called let alone how to shut if off, and do NOT know which of their products carry it and which ones that do not.

V-Tech, Uniden, AT&T, Bell South, Radio Shack brands carry and audible beeping function on most of their models.

The Trouble with Modern Microwaves

Many modern microwaves carry what is called "cooking complete reminder" or "reminder beep."

On the GE SpaceMaker Microwave, you've got what is called "cooking complete reminder"-a fairly loud, audible beeping function that occurs when a person's food is done. It beeps once a minute, continuously, until someone opens the door to the microwave, or presses clear. clear.                                                                                                                                     One would think there's no problem here, but as "one thing leads to another" you've got the possibility of leaving your home for the day, in a rush, forgetting about that heated cup of coffee or breakfast still in the microwave, and thus, pets and others at home will endure this beep for entire day. This is not a good situation.

Other Beeping Products

Other noisy, repetitive products include car seat belt reminders, fax machine "out of paper" or memory reception beeps, coffee maker "coffee ready" beeps and dryer "cycle completion signals." Most all are negative aspects to bring into your home because they are unnecessary. The only good buzzer or beeper there is is on an oven. If you don't get your food out of your oven it could catch your house on fire. But all the other "beeping reminders" are basically pointless and only because annoying and abusive to pets or people in the house.