Scientists get a lot of junk mail. Even though I carefully avoid putting my email or postal addresses on anything, not least the mailing lists at marketing booths in conference expos (no amount of cool swag is worth that sort of pain), I somehow get inundated with crap nonetheless. Of course there’s nothing I can do about what comes through the post, aside from chuck it straight into the recycle bin. One day I’m sure they’ll make unsolicited post illegal, but for now we’re stuck with it.

On the other hand, I take great pleasure in unsubscribing from the daily crop of marketing emails that clutter my email inbox. I enjoy the ones that allow you to give a reason:

The very best unsubscribe websites, though, are the ones whose final parting dialogue box says “Thank you for your interest in our products”.

“Interest”: I don’t think that word means what you think it means.