The US government's new National Do Not Call Registry has begun operation. If you know you want to sign up then go directly to the registration page. Note that you can register up to 3 phone numbers at a time.

If you reigster by the end of August 2003 then the telemarketers will stop calling by September 1, 2003. Note that charitable organizations soliciting for donations are not covered but you can ask each organization not to call you again after the first call and they must respect this request. Also, people conducting political polls and other surveys are not covered.

If only junk email spam was as easy to get get rid of...