If you’re anything like your average email recipient, you’re probably receiving at least as much spam in your inbox these days as legitimate email. Spam Kings is a look at the people who have devoted their lives to bringing you this important public service. Who are the most prolific spammers? Who are their friends? Who are their enemies? Can we hire professionals to take them out, or do we have to do it ourselves? Good questions all. Darius Gently probes for some answers.

Ben Varkentine’s got a little list (“He’s gota little list…”).

Friends, sex symbols, actresses…lend Peter Bogdanovich your ears for this discussion of movie stars he has known and loved. It’s a sometimes maddening, sometimes sensitive, sometimes candid trip through Wonderland with filmmaker Bogdanovich your own private mad hatter. Ben Varkentine says pass the butter.

Bill Hicks believed that great comedy provides an answer, and he tried to provide more than a few in his own work. A new book collects those answers on subjects ranging from gun control to pornography to movie criticism, by reprinting verbatim his unsacrificing routines, letters and other writings. Ben Varkentine looks at this gifted, cursed man.

A signifigant number of Bush voters believed that Iraq had a hand in 9/11. If so, Bush certainly would be an ungrateful little snot, declaring war on the country that gave him a second term. Michael Ruppert, a former LAPD narcotics investigator, has studied the abuses of government power for decades; his new book looks at the question of just how far some people will go for control of the world. James Mann says: Pretty far, really.

Ben Varkentine says “Ask me what’s the secret of comedy.” You start to say, “What’s the secret of…” and Ben yells “Timing,” very loudly, right in your face. Kills you, doesn’t it?

Excerpts of Adams’ writings about government and its contract with the populace tickle Carl F Gauze’s fancy this time around.

Music magazines are one of Matthew Moyer’s ten favorite sublime pleasures in life (write in for a list of the other nine). But, at present, his magazine-buying situation had grown pretty grim–until Copper Press saved him from the horror of Rolling Stone. Turn it up, bring the noise.

In this lively book, film critic Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times complies a selection of “smaller” films that audiences may have missed in the theaters, and presents a brief case for each of them in hopes that it will spark a trip to a nearby video store. Ben Varkentine makes book on it.

Ben Varkentine has read Bob Eubanks book. So you don’t have to. You’re welcome.

A new book shows a good part of why the late singer/songwriter was so much more than “The token daughter and the token wife” she ironically declared herself in song. It’s not as good as a new Kirsty album, but what would be? Ben Varkentine’s got a personal stake in this one.

Our Thrid President re-writes the Bible, removing all the miracles and mysticism. Carl F. Gauze is left distinctly unmoved.

It won’t be long, mark Rob Levy’s words, the time has come for revenge of the nerds!

What’s missing in superhero comics of today? Mark Evanier has an idea or two, and Ben Varkentine thinks he’s dead-on, in this book about heroes (fictional and real) and Madmen.

The medium is the message, but what of the media? Ben Varkentine investigates.

A reprint of a young George Washington’s school exercise on deprtment and class behavior, with introduction by Adam Haslett. Carl F. Gauze curtsies demurely and folds his hands.

Can editorial cartoons from a culturally clashed southwestern Latino register with Carl F Gauze , caucasian Floridian? Apparently, yes.

The kid can write. Who knew? Ben Varkentine is just as surprised as you are.

Skinny Dip,by Carl Hiaasen,Knopf,Ben Varkentine

Marty Beckerman intertwines a fictional narrative with various disturbing facts about teenage sexuality to form a fairly accurate document about modern teenage promiscuity and hedonism. Fairly accurate according to Daniel Mitchell , anyway, who apparently led the life of Riley as a teen.