Cell Numbers Going Public.

According to Rep. Ed Emery, all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls. These calls will count as minutes used.

Emery’s office says "To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222.

It is the National DO NOT CALL list It will only take a minute of your time.. You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number. 1. Telephone numbers placed on the National Do Not Call Registry will remain on it permanently due to the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, which became law in February 2008. For more information, please visit The FTC news release http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/04/dncfyi.shtm .

2. Also, several messages have been circulating that contain some factual information and some inaccurate information. The Do Not Call Registry has existed since June 2003 and accepts personal land line and cell phone numbers for registration to limit calls from telemarketers. Personal cell phone users have always been able to add their numbers to the National Do Not Call Registry — the same Registry consumers use to register their land lines — either online at www.donotcall.gov or by calling toll-free 1-888-382-1222 from the telephone number they wish to register. It is not true that there is a deadline to register, nor is it true that the FTC is publishing a list of cell phone numbers.

Some wireless providers may provide directory assistance for cell phone users; for more information about that, you should contact your wireless provider. You may also wish to visit FTC’s recent press release about cell phones at: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2007/02/dnccellphones.shtm ."

Back ta school season always gets me ta thinkin’ ‘bout various implements that were part of the tool kit necessary for each particular grade.

I don’t know what grade it was that allowed pointed scissors rather than requirin’ rounded ends. I just know when they were legal, ya had ta have a pair. Usin’ the rounded tipped weren’t "grown up" enough.

‘Course ball point pens were another object of necessity at some level. Ya still had to have your supply of No. 2 pencils however. They never seemed to go away.

Some tried to use the "erasable" ball points, but the teach would usually frown on that big smeared spot in the middle of the page. It’s good ta see pencils still have erasers. At least makin’ a mistake ever now and then is still part of the learnin’ process.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

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Weekly Columns

THIS IS A HAMMER

By Samantha Mazzotta

Preventing Ticks in Your Yard

Q: I read recently that deer-tick populations are rising in my region, and that many carry Lyme disease. Besides checking myself and my family for ticks each time we go outside, how can I prevent them from infesting my yard? -- Harlan D., Belmont, Mass.

A: While completely preventing deer ticks and other pests from coming into your yard is difficult, if not impossible, you can take some steps to discourage them and to reduce the chance that they’ll be able to jump onto you or your pets. Here are some suggestions:

¥ Keep trees and bushes trimmed. Cutting back branches that hang over the lawn area and trimming back shrubs that you frequently pass by will reduce opportunities for ticks to travel.

¥ Mow the lawn regularly. As with stray branches, long grass gives ticks more hiding places and an easier way to jump onto warm-blooded creatures (and humans) as they brush through the grass.

¥ Mulch around shrubs, trees and flowerbeds. A fairly wide mulch border (about 3 feet) discourages ticks from traveling.

¥ Discourage wildlife from visiting your yard. Deer are a frequent nuisance in many backyards, so take measures to keep them from hanging out in yours -- whether with fencing, trimming branches higher than deer can reach or other methods.

¥ Use pesticides specific to the problem. Most consider this a last resort, especially if you have kids. But products are available that target deer ticks. One you might check out is Damminix Tick Tubes (www.ticktubes.com). The tubes contain cotton balls soaked in a mild insecticide. Placed in areas where mice congregate, the mice take the cotton balls to build their nest, where the insecticide gets on their fur and kills young ticks before they mature.

HOME TIP: Wear a hat, long-sleeved shirt and long trousers when working in the yard in areas known to be populated by deer ticks, and brush off clothing well before going indoors.