Take it from me, obscene or harassing phone calls can be one of the most stressful and frightening invasions of privacy a person experiences. And unwanted phone calls, while a minor problem when compared with threatening calls, can still be a major inconvenience. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help put an end to these unwelcome intrusions.

What makes a phone call harassing?

When someone calls and uses obscene or threatening language, or even heavy breathing or silence to intimidate you, or talk in a high pitch whinny like voice in indescribeable words you are receiving a harassing call. It is against the law in California and other states to make obscene or threatening calls. (California Penal Code section 653m, Penal Code section 422-422.1)

How often do I have to get these calls to make it harassment?

Just one unwelcome call can be harassing, especially in the middle of the night when you and your very very pregnant wife are sound asleep and your two daughters, who have medical conditions which require them to sleep.

Who should I contact when I get harassing calls?

Call the phone company. For serious threats, if life or property are threatened, or if calls are obscene, you should call the police and file a report. Provide as much information to law enforcement as you can. Indicate the gender of the caller and describe the caller’s voice. Note the time and date of the call(s). What did the caller say? How old did he/she sound? Did the caller seem intoxicated? Did he/she have an accent or speech impediment? Was there any background noise? Was a phone number/name displayed on the Caller ID device?

What can my local phone company do if I am receiving harassing calls?

If your Cox then you can setup three nifty helpers 1)block calls from private numbers 2)get caller ID and 3)custom phone number blocking. I highly recommend all three.

Is the phone company always able to solve harassing phone call problems?

No. If the caller uses a phone booth or multiple phone lines, or random relatives houses, the phone company and law enforcement officials may never get enough identification to take further action. In cases like these, changing your phone number might help. Also, you might want to get an unlisted or unpublished number, or you may just have to move.

What can I do to stop harassing calls without going to the phone company or police?

First, simply hang up on the caller. Do not engage in conversation. Typical crank callers are seeking attention. You have “made their day” if you say something to them or express shock or anger. Like yell at the “What the Hell are you doing” - probably not the best tactic.

If the silent treatment does not work, you might try putting a message like this on your voice mail system:

I’m sorry I/we can’t come to the phone right now but you must leave a message. I/we are receiving annoyance calls and the phone company has a trap on this line. If you do not leave a message I/we will assume that you are the annoyance caller and this call will be traced and you will be flogged publicly.

If you answer the phone and the harassing caller is on the line, another suggestion is to say: “Operator, this is the call.” Then hang up. Or say the word “trap,” what time it is and the date; then hang up.

What precautions can I take to prevent harassment?

Choose your friends wisely.  Do not disclose personal information when called by someone you do not know. They might be checking out the residence for possible robbery or other crime. If the caller asks what number they have called, do not give it. Instead, ask them to tell you what number they dialed.

To prevent being targeted for obscene calls and heavy breathing, women should only list their first initial and last name in the phone directory. Having an unlisted number is another option.

Children should be instructed to never reveal information to unknown callers. Instead, they should be taught to record the caller’s name and phone number along with date and time.

Do not include your telephone number on the outgoing message of your voice mail service if you wish to keep your number private. By omitting your phone number from your message, you prevent random dialers and people with Call Return (explained below) from capturing this information.

While this guide is not complete, it should get you on the right track.

One thing Jason is known for is his love of Bacon.  He pretty much eats it with anything.  I wouldn’t be surprised if he blended up bacon and drank it like a milkshake.  enjoy!

Found this article today through digg.com - Pretty freaking hilarious if you ask me (reprinted via copy and paste, without permission).

How would you make your marriage work?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a truck.
Ricky, age 10

How can a stranger tell if two people are married?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
Derrick, age 8

What do you think your mom and dad have in common?
Both don’t want any more kids.
Lori, age 8

What do most people do on a date?
Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
Lynnette, age 8 (isn’t she a treasure?)

On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
Martin, age 10

What would you do on a first date that was turning sour?
I’d run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns.
Craig, age 9

When is it okay to kiss someone?
When they’re rich.
Pam, age 7

The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn’t want to mess with that.
Curt, age 7

The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It’s the right thing to do.
Howard, age 8

What is the right age to get married?
Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.
Camille, age 10

No age is good to get married at. You got to be a fool to get married.
Freddie, age 6 (very wise for his age)

Is it better to be single or married?
I don’t know which is better, but I’ll tell you one thing. I’m never going to have sex with my wife. I don’t want to be all grossed out.
Theodore, age 8

It’s better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.
Anita, age 9 (bless you child)

How do you decide whom to marry?
You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.
Alan, age 10

No person really decides before they grow up who they’re going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you’re stuck with.
Kristen, age 10

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