Genebob... Your post hit a special spot for me.  If everyone will look at their phone bill .. cell or landline there is a charge for "relay" service or some such.  This charge is for every number you have.

This charge is to provide a relay service for speech impaired people.  20 years ago lack of speech was a significant handicap.  Today with text messaging, Internet and computer speech programs I don't see a great need.  In fact, I've seen many advertisements for the service.  So, this public service solution has to look for problems to justify its existence... and get into your purse.

The relay service has also been used as part of a scam to hide the true identity of the scammer.  The relay operator knows it's a scam but because of their privacy policy can't warn the scammed.

I couldn't help but post this that I sent to someone in an email:

On the other hand,my best friend raised a totally blind son and another son as a single mom working as a nurse on a terrible floor in a big hospital.She was told she made about $30 too much when she tried to get SSI for him.Her ex hid his real income with shuffling and good ole boy help,so,he was only ordered to pay $100 child support until Harry was 18,which,by that time,he was a Sr.in high school.When he turned 18 he was able to get the SSI himself.
Graduating with honors and a scholarship,he went to college and has only 1 semester left.He would have finished in 3 years but took some electives and extra courses.In college,he was put off from taking electives such as pottery and the instructor made the remark to his face "if I"m going to have to teach YOU,I'm going to need extra help and money for it!!" Harry,by now on the CHANCELOR'S list,promptly contacted the dean of the dept.and others about this remark.He was allowed to take the class.
Now he has plans before going to graduate school to go to the school that you may know of in Minnesota for the blind to learn to live alone and independently function in their own home setting just as someone with sight.
He is active in a state organization here for the blind who promised him the funding for this school would be available to him.Now mysteriously about a month later,"they don't have the funds." Where did they go? What were they spent on?
Not to be put off again,Harry is contacting the governor,the Attorney General,and obtaining the information on the spending of the funds that were available and suddenly weren't through the Freedom of Information Act.
His brother,in graduate school now going on his third year,and teaching at Wichita State U in Kansas,is considering law school.
I think HARRY should be the lawyer!!!
Just an example of how sometimes certain gov.agencies in their boondoggling will bend over backwards for a kid that has assistance available through his family,ect and will ignore a kid such as Harry who can change the world,and do it without seeing.

And yes,it makes me furious,and no,I'm not going to apologize to anybody for this statement of facts and truth.

I hope your daughter will be able to keep her horse and make a go of it at college.College is tough for a lot of students.Many are just ran off and left behind without the personal attention that they might have received at school from a sharp and caring teacher.

I'm thinking also in addition to the hundreds of folks that have lost homes,businesses,ect of the farmers with thousands of acres of farmground flooded and crops lost.The growing season is a lot shorter in some parts there,and for a lot of them,it is too late to replant.

Higher food costs as a results for all of us,and disaster and possible loss of their land for them.I really do feel for them."these are the times that try men's souls."

Saw this posted today on the news: