In Austin, Minnesota in 1937, J.C. Hormel had a recipe for a spiced ham that he packaged in a 12-ounce can and introduced to the market as SPAM. To date, SPAM has sold over five billion cans and has become a household name - as well as the brunt of many jokes.

When the Internet was created and millions of Americans per day began pulling onto the Information Superhighway, another form of SPAM was invented - that is even more disgusting, ridiculous and distasteful than the luncheon meat of the same name - Internet SPAM.

Internet SPAM is defined as, "e-mails flooding the Internet with many copies of the same message, in an attempt to force the message on people who would not otherwise choose to receive it." According to recent statistics, 40% of all daily e-mail sent worldwide is some sort of SPAM. That translates to 12.4 billion e-mails a day - or six e-mails per Internet user per day. From "Reduce Your Credit Card Debt" to "View My Webcam" to "Enlarge Your Penis" - SPAM comes in all shapes and sizes. My personal favorite type of SPAM are the e-mails that tell you, ironically, how to stop getting SPAM - isn't that the pot calling the kettle black.

It seems that no matter what Internet providers do to prevent SPAM, be it creating Junk Mail Folders or implementing SPAM Blockers, these unwanted e-mails still manage to sneak into our Inboxes anyway. The newest tactic by SPAMmers to get our attention is to send an e-mail with a subject like, "Hi!" or "As Per Your Request..." or "Re: Your Inquiry..." so the unsuspecting recipient thinks that the e-mail they have received is either from a friend or a business associate - only to open it and get SPAMmed.

The good news is that the more SPAM increases, the more people want to stop it. In fact, this past Tuesday, the U.S. Senate passed a Bill that would create a "Do Not Spam" registry that would outlaw the most annoying forms of junk e-mail and subject online marketers to jail time and multimillion-dollar fines for SPAMming Internet users. The Bill still has to pass the House of Representatives before it reaches the President - who is expected to sign the Bill by the end of the year should it reach his desk.

Personally, I long for the day when I can open my e-mail box and only receive e-mails that I want to receive instead of being bombarded by unwanted SPAM...

...because I am sick of getting e-mails telling me how to enlarge my breasts.