GMail

I don't quite get this.

Legislation is being drawn up in California to block Google's new free e-mail service, Gmail, because its advertising is seen as intrusive. (BBC news

Elsewhere, various privacy advocates are getting their knickers in a twist over Google trawling their email for marketing and what not. But, eh, how do I put this, it's not mandatory to use GMail (assuming it ever actually gets launched). If you feel that the adverts are intrusive, or that Google will scan your mail for things to give to marketers, feds, John Ashcroft, The Pope, your parish priest, or your mom, why would you even consider using it? You want a searchable mailbox? Use WAIS. Or Outlook. Or whatever. Just don't go whining that the system you volunteered to use at no cost turns out to have side-effects.

who are they targetting, exactly?

I don't quite get this, either.

I've gotten a number of these lately:

"I've been using your product for 4 months now. I've increased my length from 2" to nearly 6" . Your product has saved my sex life." -Matt, FL

I mean, really. The average length cited in common literature is 6". This spam is telling me that after 4 months of $unspecified_product, Short Matt (as the ladies on South Beach call him) is finally almost on a par with the rest of us average guys. I mean, sure, he's managed a 4" gain, or a TRIPLING IN LENGTH, but either of those statements would be a far more eyeball-grabbing line for what I assume is the sufficiently gullible target market[1]. It's hardly enticing as it, er, stands. HEY MATT! GET A FRICKIN' TRANSPLANT ALREADY!

[1] to quote a comedian I saw on TV last night:

people think guys are only interested in large breasts, because guys are always like, "I like... laaaaarge breasts."

*pause*

"huhuhu. let's go and pee on something."

IEDR to get the boot

The government has taken note of complaints against IEDR and is drafing legislation to hand control of the .ie domain to ComReg. As long as I can keep my vanity domain, I don't much care, to be honest.

would the last person to leave, etc. etc. etc.

Foreign workers told to quit Iraq

brush with fame

Turns out that one of the more fun food shows on Irish TV is filmed across the road from my local (last FAQ item)