X-Box 360: I bought one for my DH assuming we could play co-op; hook two controllers up and go. But I can't find anything in the literature or on the internet, and the game menus seem to assume that by "cooperative" play you mean XBox Live with someone else.

If coop play on the same deck is possible, how can I figure out which games allow it and which are Live only?

Most of the FPS games like Halo 2 and Gears of War offer split screen co-op. I'm not certain how they denote it on the box though.

Split screen is irritating if you don't have a big TV. But at least in coop play you can't cheat by looking at what the other person is doing.

If coop play on the same deck is possible, how can I figure out which games allow it and which are Live only?

I've noticed sometimes on the back of the box, somewhere there's usually a tiny rectangle (bring a magnifying glass) with information on the game like number of players. If it's just 1 player, it's just Xbox Live.

I have no idea if it's standard, though.

I'm getting phone spam: lame (and that's literal, today) text message jokes from 90900. How can I make that stop? I have no idea what I did to get it started, and I'm not sure who they are.

Time for a google hunt, methinks.

eta: apparently texting "STOP" to 90900 should end it--but it looks like I might have been charged $9.99 for the dubious privilege already. I need to work out why.

ita,

I'm not sure who your phone provider is, but at&t has a place buried on the website where you can prevent people from text messaging you from the website.

You can also block numbers from text messaging you.

You can also block numbers from text messaging you.

Oh, bless! I need to track that down. AT&T is my provider for now. Still trying to find a E70 which will propel my move to T Mobile.

Although it occurs to me I can just get my Razr unlocked and move ahead of time...

so, I just went through At&t website and I think they removed the ability to block numbers from text messaging OR calling. WTF? I can do this on my home phone, but not my cell?

Cingularme.com was the area where I USED to be able to do this. Apparently AT&T are a bunch of hacks and removed this ability. Fuck 'em!

You might have to see if the manufacturer has a way of banning this activity.

ita, the good news is if you call customer service at 611 they will likely credit you the $$.

Ha!

This is why I need to leave.

So I just called to get my phone unlocked. Notable points:

• She didn't immediately know what I meant by unlock, even when I told her I'd want to put other SIM cards in
• She needed to record a reason why I wanted it unlocked
• The reason "because it's mine" is insufficient--she prompted me enough for me to go with "international travel."
• I had to spell "Kenya" for her
• It's going to take them until next Friday to send me a subsidy unlock code

Jesus, people. What a farce.

eta:

the good news is if you call customer service at 611 they will likely credit you the $$.

Thanks! Let me do that right now.