Spam has never been limited to e-mail. But now, commercial pitches are increasingly popping up in online chats, instant messages, cell phones with text messaging and weblog comments.

Chat about current events, and with special guests. Schedule of forthcoming events and transcripts from past guest's chats.

For those serving on the front lines of the bruising battle over junk e-mail spam is also is the root of the hardball legal tactics, hacking, harassment and death threats that are the hazards of their chosen vocation.

Spam, some say, has gotten so bad that it's on the verge of killing e-mail. But if the Internet sky really is falling, why doesn't someone do something?

A critical review of tablet PC technology. [MSNBC]