Scams via texting

Although my baby is in her 50s, today she warned me about a scam that might come up in a text. It will say it's from UPS and will include a link for me to click for delivery, but it will try to steal information or direct me to another website that is bad. Since I've been waiting for a few online orders, I'd be a good target. I'm new to this "smart" phone stuff. I'd never fall for that in my e-mail, but I'm a novice on the other scams.

Texting while driving--ban it!

Yesterday on TV I watched a rally at the statehouse about H.B. 99--to ban texting while driving. I learned there's even an app for cell phones that will disable it while driving. Many people spoke at this rally, but none was more effective than Tina Yanssen who tearfully told the story of her dad's death in 2010.

Tina Yanssen's father was killed by a 19 year old neighbor texting while driving. It's already illegal in many cities, but wasn't in their rural Ohio area. Her dad had lost 165 lbs by walking after being told at Disney he was too big to go on the rides with his grandchildren. He lost the weight, but had postponed a trip with the grandkids to FL to attend his mother's funeral, but ended up at his own. He was 55.

At the time of his death, he wore a fluorescent green shirt with stripes of reflective tape. He walked along the side of rural Middletown Road, facing oncoming traffic. . . Another Unity Road resident, Whitney Yaeger, 19, was on Middletown Road that morning too. As she was driving — she would later tell an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper — she was texting on her phone.

". . . she didn’t hit him, she ran over him,” Yanssens charges. “She left tire tracks up his right leg, across his pelvis and up his right arm. He didn’t stand a chance because she fractured his pelvis, pulverized multiple major branches of his right femoral artery, and bruised over 25 percent of his liver.”

He died early that afternoon in St. Elizabeth Health Center.

I googled the case to see what became of Yaeger, but without a texting law, this wasn't even "reckless driving" but a misdemeanor. Yaeger thinks even a misdemeanor charge with 6 mo. jail time is too severe for killing Muslovski, so she has chosen to go to trial.

http://www.vindy.com/news/2011/aug/29/coming-to-grips-with-the-dangers-of-dist/

Whether you're a pedestrian or a driver, if you see no hands on the wheel and eyes looking down, get out of the way--a driving texter is worse than drunk--at least drunks usually have their eyes open.

Text messaging won't last

I'm going through some old boxes of cards and letters looking for valentines to use. Found some 20-30 years old. One was hand-made by one of my children, but I can't tell which one. Hint to moms: I know you think you'll remember, but jot the name on the back anyway. And I came across a 1951 letter from a friend. We'd moved (15 miles) and she was missing our friendship. No text message will ever last 60 years like this pencil and note paper plea. Today's children will not be able to get misty eyed or chuckle over life's little problems of 60 years ago.

"You've just got to come up Xmas vacation and keep me company before I crack up. Because you are my very dearest friend and even if you lived 111,912,345,678,910,000,000,000 miles away you'd be my best friend.

You come up Xmas vacation and tell each our troubles and cry on each others shoulders.

Your friend till eturnity."