Anyway, here's a doozy of a question for you; that with your expert knowledge in computer programming, should be a piece of cake....How do I get my yahoo account setup so that all of the mail that gets delivered into my "Bulk Mail" folder instead gets delivered straight into the "Trash" folder? My amount of junk mail has finally reached the point that my mail box overfills it's "Quota Storage" What the hell can I do, OTHER THAN just get a new e-mail account....it's not that I'm partial to this one...it's just dear God how can I make it all stop! ---- Eric

Eric,

We hear your pain… It clogs your inbox, wastes your time, and is just plain annoying. The culprit? Junk e-mail — also known as "spam" or "unsolicited e-mail." Solicitations range from legitimate commercial offers to get-rich-quick schemes and links to Web sites with adult content. There are ways to manage and cut down on spam, however. Get started now with these tips.

• 1. Set up a “spam only” account. Well, one easy way of avoiding this problem is to have two email accounts… one regular account and one just for spam… Use the spam only account whenever you access a site that requires an email but consists of something from which you would like to avoid spam.
  
• 2. Set your filters. Use an Internet service provider (ISP) with advanced junk-mail filters to keep out spam while helping to ensure you don't lose important messages. Look for ISPs that offer easy-to-use, customizable settings that allow you to choose your level of protection. Yahoo does offer this function
  
• 3. Be careful about disclosing your e-mail address. Junk mail gets to your inbox several ways. Some spammers send e-mail to random variations of e-mail addresses. Others buy address lists from Web sites where you registered or entered a contest that required you to give your e-mail address. Spammers can obtain your address from Internet white pages listings, guest books, newsgroups, resume postings, and chat rooms, too.
  
• 4. Don't reply. Answering spam, even to "unsubscribe," just confirms your e-mail address is valid. Spammers usually ignore your wish to unsubscribe and add your e-mail address to their list. Then they send more spam and/or sell their list, creating more junk mail. Your best bet is to simply delete the spam messages from your inbox.
  
• 5. Help protect your privacy. If you plan to register at a Web site or enter a contest, check the site's privacy policy and terms of use statement. If the Web site doesn't explain how they use your information, reconsider registering your e-mail address and sharing other personal information.
  
• 6. Forward spam to the originating ISP. Check the e-mail header information to see what Internet domain the spam came from. If it came from msn.com, forward the entire e-mail, with headers, to abuse@msn.com. If the spam originated from another ISP, forward it directly to the postmaster or abuse alias at that ISP.

For more information, stay updated. Learn about the latest news, software, and legislation related to controlling spam online. TRUSTe (http://www.truste.org) is an independent organization dedicated to building consumer trust and confidence in the Internet. Or visit CAUCE, (http://www.cauce.org/) the Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email