TOPIC: Speaking of SPAM...
What is it with spammers anyway? Do they really think we are going to buy their products when they force these emails upon us? Do they think we will read the email when they use nonsense like "V1a/gr A" the Subject line? And who are the morons paying these illiterate idiots to send us SPAM? It seems to me that the ONLY people making money on SPAM are the senders of this vile stuff. There is NO way any huge corporation is behind SPAM. It would be marketing death IF they were found out. The total nonsense and forced nature of SPAM also lends itself to a failed business model for ANY company buying the spammers wares. So, the ONLY people with a vested interest must be spammers and/or virus writers whose worms are often included within the spam email.

Steve Linford of Spamhaus says, "People selling these fresh proxies [lists of PCs w/ worms that make them zombies] are either the virus writers themselves or someone very close to them. I don't know how ties between spammers and virus writers was first forged but there is clearly a strong link there," he added."

Out of the 8,000 emails I have received over the past two months, 83% was SPAM. Since I have a rather visible Internet presence, I realize my personal stats are higher than most Average Joe's on the street, which is officially 66%. 66% or 83% SPAM -- either way, it's outrageous!

SO, I am fighting back -- by contacting the spammers, whenever I can, to tell them what I think of them; by hassling my ISP to do a better job of blocking SPAM; by purchasing products that kill spam and supporting ANY legal effort to fight spammers; by encouraging my legislators to take SPAM seriously and legislate it into oblivion; and by talking up ALL efforts to fight back in the public forums.
IF you're as fed up with SPAM as I am, YOU should do the same. As long as we lay down and take it, they are going to dish it. Stand up and fight back. The John Hites', Scott Richter's and Alan Ralsky's of the world need to be put back into their slimy holes!
[Read this article on what Microsoft is doing to fight spammers. The country of Singapore is also fighting back!]