They are unwanted messages on what might be an unwanted service, but you may get stuck paying for them anyway. And depending on your carrier, it might not be possible to opt out of text message spam.

After years of trying, spammers have finally figured out how to crash the text message party. Cell phone text spam is much, much worse than e-mail spam, junk mail, or even telemarketing calls for one simple reason: Recipients have to pay for it.

Perhaps you were among the thousands of cell phone users hit with spam text messages late last month. Starting around Aug. 20, a message hawking stock in tiny Fredericks Entertainment landed on cell phones provided by many carriers. If you read Herb Weisbaum's ConsumerMan column last week, you know that victims of this widespread attack must call their carrier to seek a refund or credit.


Bob Sullivan talks to Alex Witt on MSNBC-TV about the problem of text message spam. Click to watch.

There's something else you might consider to prevent future cell phone spam: If you aren't the type to type into a mobile handset, perhaps you'd prefer turning off your text message service. That would be the ultimate spam filter, and certainly a logical solution to the problem.

Not so fast. Some carriers say they can't disable text messaging.

Shelly Ng of Illinois, who says she was recently hit by text spam, was shocked when her seemingly simple request was rejected by a T-Mobile customer service representative.

"I asked them to turn off my texting capability because I don't text. They refused, claiming that their technology does not allow them to do so," Ng said.

Even worse, the agent then tried to sell her on a text message plan for $4.95 per month. "I got so mad," she said.

Ultimately, T-Mobile gave her 15 free messages as a credit toward future spam. But the basic problem remains: Ultimately, Ng will again be charged 15 cents apiece for messages she doesn't want.

David Henderson, a T-Mobile spokesman, confirmed that T-Mobile users cannot turn off texting for technical reasons.

"The text messaging feature on your account is actually a mandatory feature and cannot be removed,” he said. “This feature is needed because it’s where voice mail and billing notifications are delivered."

Henderson said the problem of text spam is minimal because T-Mobile uses sophisticated spam software and allows consumers to add their own text filters on T-Mobile's Web site. The recent Fredericks spam, for example, didn't reach T-Mobile customers, he said.

Other carrier policies
Verizon customers can't turn off texting either, but spokesman Jeff Nelson said they can do the next best thing: They can shut off text messages sent from e-mail or Web browsers. After that’s done, only cell-phone-to-cell-phone texting is possible, and it's nearly impossible to run a spam campaign because spammers need automated tools and e-mail programs to send thousands of messages at a time, he said.

Still, the company is considering going the extra step and letting customers shut off texting altogether, he said.

"We are looking at that possibility," Nelson said.

Verizon users can call customer service or visit any store for instructions on how to cut off certain kinds of text messages.

Sprint's policy is simpler: Users can call customer service and turn off texting, said spokeswoman Emmy Anderson. They also can use the company's Web site to restrict text messages from individual numbers, though that would do little to prevent spam.

Susan Bean at AT&T (formerly Cingular) said its customers can also shut off texting, but the company doesn't recommend it.

"If you have a customer that really doesn't text, that would be a solution," she said. "But most people don't want to turn off text messaging ... so we have a lot better alternatives for preventing spam." Similar to other providers, she said AT&T employs filters that block unwanted text messages.

RED TAPE WRESTLING TIPS
So far, cell phone text spam is relatively rare, so this is more of a nuisance than a crisis. Still, no one wants to call customer service every time a spam text appears to ask for a 15 cent refund or a one-message credit. So here's what to do:
• Turn off texting if you never use it and your carrier offers that option. By default, almost all phones are text-enabled now.
• If you might eventually want to use text messaging, get on the cheapest plan possible. Many carriers offer a few hundred messages for $2 to $3. I hate to recommend adding a service you might not use all the time, but predictable bills are better than surprises. Even $5 a month is better than one unexpected $45 bill that shows up after teenager suddenly discovers “how 2 txt.”
• Call and complain when you get text spam. It's the only way to motivate your carrier to stay on top of the problem.

If you do not open the text, are you still charged?

That corn maze is pretty cool. We went a couple years ago and got lost in the maze. My kids were scared to death. We took a hay ride to get to the maze. We were the last tour of the day, plus it was overcast. The kids were afraid we'd still be there after dark and the scarecrows would come get us. They had hot apple cider for after the maze. It was a really neat experience. So, if you have kids between 4 and 14 they would really dig and I recommend it.

We're taking our 7-yr old and some of her friends out to one in Wanatah this Saturday, weather permitting. She wanted to do this for her birthday (this Friday)...so, we're going. Any suggestions on what to do instead, just in case it rains this Saturday?

Down that way? I couldn't tell you any other options for entertainment of children.

No, just in general. I know there is a toy store at Marquette Mall that does a version of the build a bear thing...but other than that, I need alternative, easy to implement ideas. Otherwise, they'll be playing Wii at my house!

BTW Happy Birthday Jenny

Tuesday, October 16th we broke two weather records in one day. We broke the record for the low temperature (24 degrees) and we broke the record for the high temperature (69 degrees) in the same day.

Chuck-E-Cheeze

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/usanimalhuntin...BGofOQV.ZYE1vAI

Dogs shoot man on hunting trip Mon Oct 29, 2:52 PM ET

CHICAGO (AFP) - A pack of hunting dogs shot an Iowa man as he went to retrieve a fallen pheasant, authorities said.

James Harris, 37, was shot in the leg while hunting with some friends on Saturday afternoon.

The group shot a bird which landed on the other side of a fence, the Iowa Department of Natural Resource said in a press release.

"Harris reportedly went to retrieve the bird, placed his gun on the ground and crossed the fence near the muzzle end," the press release said.

"When he crossed the fence, hunting dogs stepped on the gun, which discharged and struck Harris in the left calf at a distance of roughly three feet."

Harris was treated at a regional medical center and later transported by helicopter to an Iowa City hospital

Do you mean SOMETIMES you wonder or SOMETIMES you go there?

SS, this morning I heard stuff about the ND and HA being owned by the same company--about half the HA staff may lose jobs...what gives?

Paxton Reported to be Cutting Dozens of Jobs in LaPorte, Ind.

By E&P Staff

Published: November 08, 2007 6:10 PM ET

NEW YORK Less than two months after acquiring its third Indiana newspaper, Paxton Media Group fired as many as half its staffers, a nearby newspaper reported today.

According to the report, the six-day, afternoon Herald-Argus, in LaPorte - in the county of the same name, where Paxton already owns The News Dispatch, a seven-day, 10,854-circulation morning paper in Michigan City - will lose 30 to 40 employees.

Herald-Argus managers could not be reached immediately to confirm the report.

An unidentified source told the Post Tribune -- the Sun-Times Media Group daily in nearby Lake County -- that Herald-Argus prepress, pressroom and post-press workers were informed yesterday that they will be out of work at the end of the month, when production transfers to Paxton's Herald-Palladium, in St. Joseph, Mich., a larger evening paper (21,324-circulation) with a larger press.

Post-Tribune staff writer Tom Wyatt also reported that four sales assistants, a photographer and wire editor were laid off last week.

The Herald-Argus was acquired for an undisclosed price from Small Newspapers Group on Oct. 1, giving the Paducah, Ky., company 11 newspapers in the state.

Wire editor and 22-year Herald-Argus veteran Julie Kessler received her termination notice by certified mail while on sick leave following surgery. Kessler told the Post-Tribune that her coworkers had been assured their paper's sale would have little effect on production and staffing. She said severance includes 12 weeks' pay.

Kessler also said Paxton was telling Herald-Argus and News-Dispatch editorial staffs to refrain from publicizing details of the cutbacks.

Wyatt quotes Kessler saying, "We print information about other companies [experiencing cutbacks]. However, the decision was made that wouldn't happen this time."

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E&P Staff (letters@editorandpublisher.com)