News You Can Bruise for 2002 May 14

Joe doesn't like the idea of the Weblog Foundation, but maybe he'll like Weblog Foundation And Empire, Second Weblog Foundation, Weblog Foundation's Edge, Weblog Foundation And Earth, Prelude to Weblog Foundation, or Forward The Weblog Foundation.

Reader Brian D. Hicks writes:

As long as you stay away from the Second Weblog Foundation Trilogy which was written by some people who were not Asimov a few years back, I'd say you're golden.

I'd forgotten about those! And for good reason; the one by David Brin is okay but the others are not so good, Al.

Gregory Baumgardner alleges that I'm "being funded by wealthy investors looking to promote sheer insanity. Issues doesn't cover it with this one." It's twue, it's twue. Except for the funding part.

PS: Does "It's twue, it's twue" originate with Blazing Saddles, or is it (as I mantain) Blazing Saddles' tribute to Elmer Fudd cartoons? I'm almost positive I've heard Elmer Fudd say that in some 1950s short. I picture him pounding his fists on the ground, bawling "Oh, it's twue! It's twue! I kiwwed a cute widdle wabbit!"

That Gives Me An Idea Search Requests: most money contest "nigerian scam"

Have you received a spam scam soliciting your money laundering services on behalf of a war criminal or other malcontent? Crummy.com wants to know! Send mail to "money-laundering-scam-contest at crummy dot com" with your name, the name and checkered biography of the malcontent (and his/her pandering intermediary, if sufficiently sordid), the amount of money in question, and the percentage of that money designated as your cut. Valueless crummy.com prizes will be awarded in the following categories:

• Largest proposed sum to be laundered
• Largest cut of laundered sum offered
• Single most morally dubious proposition (weighted average of: evilness of malcontent, amount of money to be laundered, size of payoff. Evilness of malcontent to be determined at sole discretion of judges)
• Honorable mention (for those entries, which, though proposing the laundering of a relatively modest sum, are particularly audacious in other respects).

All qualifying solicitations, even those received previous to announcement of this contest, are eligible. Writing your own spam scams for purposes of this contest is strictly prohibited (but funny). Contest will end when I have enough entries.

DSR:

• doe "may day may day" mean help? By the time they found out the answer, it was too late...
• negative quotes about Madonna's video justify my love "I dislike it, yet cannot find the words to express my dislike! But wait! The Internet!"