Telephone Cramming Links, Summer Clouds, and Enjoying Summer

Sunday, August 21, 2011. The Sauk Centre Herald is running a story about a scam that's costing us about $2,000,000,000 dollars. That's nationally: The Chicago Sun-Times published an editorial about cramming, and why Congress should let the FCC get the new rules they want. (Chicago Sun-Times (August 3, 2011))

Basically, cramming is a company getting your telephone service provider to add a little to your bill. Cramming companies often work through a middleman, and keep their bogus charges low enough to avoid getting noticed. That's the idea, anyway: checking your monthly bill for charges you didn't authorize is a good idea.

Here's more about telephone cramming:

• FCC
  • "Cramming - Unauthorized, Misleading, or Deceptive Charges Placed on Your Telephone Bill"
    Fact sheet
• Office of the Attorney General, Minnesota, Lori Swanson
  • "Attorney General Swanson Sues Telephone Bill 'Crammer'"
    Press Release (January 7, 2011)
  • "Your Legal Rights: Don't Get 'Crammed'--Avoid Unwanted Charges on Your Phone Bill"
    Fact sheet

Enough of the 'public service announcement.'

Once again, I've got photos to show off.


Much depends on what a person decides to notice. There's an empty sidewalk, a lawn with some bare ground: but look closer - - -. August 21, 2011.


- - - There's also a set of cheerful sunflowers in bloom. August 21, 2011.


This morning at Our Lady of Angels church. Just
one word: Aww. August 21, 2011.


Summer clouds south of the Sauk Centre School. August 21, 2011.

I see that Sauk Centre Public School's
open house is August 30: a week from Tuesday. Classes start September 6 - and the first two-day vacation is October 20 and 21. Why there's a vacation there I
didn't see.

I plan to get out and enjoy summer while it's still here. Maybe next week will have more days like today. Or, maybe not.