It hit out of the blue: bunches of new spam infiltrating my in-box from dumb-ass people with even dumber-assed products. For a while, I was pretty well shielded by my sophisticated Eudora filters and BrightMail's Spaminator, the server-based spam catcher that EarthLink uses.

But how's this for procrastination? I was exhausting myself with worry over a big article that was due, so instead of working on it, I spent days searching for valuable spam-related articles and experimenting with new spam-fighting programs.

So in this week's newsletter, I'll point you in the direction of articles that give you a good feel for what's happening on the spam front. Next week I'll provide details on my favorite spam-fighting tool and how to get the most out of it.

Hate Spam? Read These Articles

"Spam Inc." is one of the best stories about the seamy side of spam that I've read in a while. Writer Dan Tynan says that for about $50 a month, he joined two private online clubs for bulk e-mailers: Bulk Barn and Bulkers Club. He goes on to reveal the tools spammers use, explains "black holes," and provides a useful sidebar, "Spam Tips: The Seven Signs Of Spam."

Once you finish with Dan's piece, check out Scott Spanbauer's "For Best Results, Can the Spam Yourself," a Here's How column. It explains--in detail--how to read e-mail headers and track down spammers.

BTW, is there any reason in the world not to ban spam? I seriously doubt it, but Kevin McKean is the big boss, and he's pondering whether he really does want to Make $1000 a Day in His Spare Time. Read what he says in "Up Front: The Secret War for Your In-Box."

Oh, the Poor Spammer

On that note, you might wonder if spammers are feeling picked on--like, no one appreciates what they actually do to help the economy, for goodness sake. If you want to get a little steamed, read Dan Tynan's "Spammers Claim Rights, Too." It would be funny stuff if not for the spammers' seriousness.

Dig this: Need something cute and nonpolitical to perk up your day? Hit the link below for a 4-minute Macromedia Flash Player routine entitled "Caught in the Act." And don't worry, it's rated PG-13.

Who's Canning the Spam?

You're not going to believe this, but two wireless industry trade groups are actually proponents in the fight against spam. You're apprehensive, right? With good reason, bunky. Andrew Brandt has the whole story in "Wireless Industry Moves to Can the Spam."

I've got mixed feelings about the government stepping in to battle spam. But I'm guessing it's sure to happen, especially with the "Can-Spam Act," a second attempt at spam-fighting legislation. Read the pros and cons in "Antispam Bill Crawls Toward Senate."

Dig this: I know that your head is spinning from all this talk about spam, and you probably have some time to kill. I know, I do. And SokoMind, a free game inspired by Japanese Sokoban logic puzzles, is one of the best ways to flush a few hours down the drain. Enjoy yourself! (BTW, the site's in Germany, so it may load slowly.)

I was reading through "Still Struggling to Can Spam," and started to get a little riled. I mean, it's one thing being annoyed by spam in my in-box, but an entirely different issue when money is involved. It turns out the hidden cost of spam is enormous.

And Now a Brilliant Word Tip

If you use Word like I do, you probably open many of the same files every day. I was browsing through an old Office XP Tips newsletter and came across a splendid way to tack a list of these files to the Toolbar. First take a look at a screen capture, then read "Office XP Tips: Fast Access to Key Files; Outlook Time-Savers" to find out how to do it.

Next week, my favorite tool to fight spam.

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