The many faces of spam (not the Luncheon Meat!)

I've been rather amused over the last year, watching the changing face of the spam in my junk folder.

This time last year I was primarily being offered various pharmaceuticals, mostly for enhancing body parts I don't even have, as well as job offers from Mr. Vincent (whom I am pointedly ignoring). Then I was getting offers of discount gas. For a short time Brazilian property was the new investment opportunity, and my Timeshares have always been in top demand, but then I started seeing ads for reworking my mortgage, lots of those, to the point that the pharmaceutical offers were practically shouldered out of the way (amazing). Then I started getting lots more job offers (Criminal Science! ack) as well as offers of mortgage assistance and low interest loans.

Most recently the junk box was full to brimming, twice as much spam as I usually get in a day. And it covered the full spectrum, though with a large percentage of job offers and mortgage advice. Maybe even the Spammers are feeling the pinch?

I wonder if anyone is doing a thesis on the correlation of spam subject lines to current events?

What do Yudu?

Looks like a come-on line, doesn't it?

Well, I came across this phrase yesterday at the local Joann supershop...

Remember those cute little Gocco screen printers that used a photo flash bulb to develop the screen design that was only big enough for a greeting card or some such? Yah, the ones that are going the way of the Polaroid and everyone's going all WAAAAH about...
Well, Yudu is a slick big-boy version that can even print on Ts. It's put out by Provo Crafts, the makers of Cuttlebug and Cricut scrapbooking die cutters. At $299, it's got a big-boy price compared to a Gocco setup.
For a little perspective, a Speedball beginning screen printing kit for either printmaking or fabric will only set you back about $75 (on sale I see it as low as $34!). Now, this kit uses a film emulsion that you spread on the screen, let dry, then expose to a bright light with a black and white pattern blocking the light and will give you exactly the same results, it's just not in a slick little chassis that's gonna get shabby looking real quick once you print on it...it's starting OUT looking a little shabby! Oh, and the consumables (ink screens, etc) are about the same price.


For $299 vs $75($34) and a little extra effort? I'll stick with Speedball...but I might check out Yudu's inks and other consumables!

Oh, and if you just HAVE to skip the messy smearing of liquid emulsion, you can buy photo emulsion sheets...which is what the Yudu uses!

MOST interesting Blog I've just tripped over...

Very articulate blog, this is one I've added to my RSS listings.

http://www.openthefuture.com/

PS: what he's got to say also scares the pants off me.

Bio

Jamais Cascio

Jamais Cascio writes about the intersection of emerging technologies, environmental dilemmas, and cultural transformation, specializing in the design and creation of plausible scenarios of the future. His work focuses on the importance of long-term, systemic thinking, emphasizing the power of openness, transparency and flexibility as catalysts for building a more resilient society.

Cascio's work appears in publications as diverse as Metropolis, the Atlantic, Technology Review, and ForeignPolicy.com. He was featured in National Geographic Television's SIX DEGREES, its 2008 documentary on the effects of global warming, and on History Channel's SCIENCE IMPOSSIBLE, its 2009 series on emerging technologies. Cascio has spoken about future possibilities around the world, at venues including South by Southwest Interactive in Austin, Texas, FuturShow3000 in Bologna, Italy, the Singularity Summit in San Francisco, and the TED 2006 conference, "The Future We Will Create," in Monterey, California.

Cosmic Cornucopia: Bumper Stickers, Apparel and Plushies, Oh, My!

I have always loved a good bumper sticker. And Pegasus Publishing is my favorite place to get some.

The site's been unavailable the last few times I checked and I was afraid they were defunct, but a new check shows my old fave is still here!

http://www.pegasuspublishing.com/

These guys are an institution at any N Texas Con or other such function. They started out selling bumper stickers and T's and have branched out to Hats (Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland, Monty Python, Pirate, etc.), Lab Coats, Steampunk goggles and other apparel, Books, Lyric sheets,music and videos, patches, pins, mugs, etc. Oh, and plushies! How about an Elvis Cthulu? Or a Vorpil Bunny (Holy Grail)? Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch? They have it!

Their bumper sticker racks are amazing, especially considering that each time they are customized to the show, be it Trekkies, Anime, Irish Fest, whatever. This is where I get my "Ladies Anarchist Sewing Circle" and "Who says Goddesses Have to be Anorexic?" stickers, which are due for replacement, which is how I found out the site had been down...

The online bumper stickers are arranged by Categories:

Book
Celtic
Cephalopodic
Cephalopodic (Cthulhu-Lovecraftian)
Coffee, Chocolate& Caffeine
Coffee,Chocolate & Caffeine
Computer Related
Dance Related
Dance Stickers
Decals
Feline
Food Related
Gaming
Gun & Freedom Related
Kinky
Literary
Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous Stickers
Newest
Pagan
Politcal
Political
SCA
Science & Education
SF & Fantasy