Etc...

A 'do not call' detente

Marc Plaisted had grown pretty annoyed with telemarketers who called as often as three times a day to tout the services of Minnesota Auto Glass - even after he joined his state's "do not call" registry. But when a particularly aggressive seller swore at him, Plaisted says he decided "Enough is enough." His response? More than 100 calls in two days to the firm's office in Duluth, Minn. Plaisted says he told answerers, "No, I don't have a crack in my windshield, because this seems to be something they are very concerned about." A Minnesota Auto Glass manager in Duluth says Plaisted is definitely off the firm's list, with proof to be provided in writing.

In other phone-related news, South Korea's top mobile operator, SK Telecom, is offering an unusual service. For 3,000 won ($2.50) subscribers can download a soundwave that, when played, repels mosquitos as much as three feet away. It will be tough to tell if it's on though: The noise is inaudible to humans.

California, home to Hollywood studios and a center of the lagging but still lucrative high-tech industry, has more abodes valued at $1 million or more than any other state, according the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Based on an analysis of data from the 2000 Census, the industry group says 41 percent of the nation's 314,000 such dwellings can be found in the Golden State. North Dakota had the fewest, with 51. The 10 states where high-cost homes were most plentiful in 2000, and their respective tallies according to the NAHB:

1. California 128,619
2. New York 22,327
3. Florida 18,094
4. Connecticut 13,906
5. Illinois 12,386
6. New Jersey 11,869
7. Texas 10,137
8. Massachusetts 10,090
9. Washington 7,384
10. Michigan 5,989 - PR Newswire