I want to tell you about my new Get Out of Hell Free product. I’m really excited about it: I’ve been dropping hints about it for several weeks now, and I’m happy to say they start shipping Friday.
Other Projects
Denver Mensa A.G.
Kit and I are back from Denver, where we both spoke at U.S. Mensa’s Annual Gathering. Several readers have asked what a Mensa gathering is like. Mensans simply have one thing in common: they’re all in the 98th percentile of intelligence — pretty smart people.
This is True Videos: Take 2
Just over a year ago, I launched a This is True video series. There were some things I really liked about those videos, but there were quite a few things I didn’t like about them too. Only five were produced.
HU’s: I’d Like to Nominate…
Quite a few readers wrote last week to ask if they can nominate people for the Honorary Unsubscribe, mostly due to the death of Don Knotts (Deputy Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show, among other roles).
Another Self-Proclaimed Religious Scholar
So I got this email from a reader demanding to know why I make my world-famous “Get Out of Hell Free” cards available. I’ve written about that quite a bit over the years, so I don’t intend to repeat it all here (see the GOOHF site if you’re not already aware of the story. The basic answer, though, is “Because people like them.”)
Got GOOHFy
I think it’s an obvious concept, but Richard in (I think) Connecticut writes:
How to Deal With Spammers
Less spam? For the first time ever (in my experience, at least), I’m getting noticeably less spam. My spam load — the vast majority of which my server catches for me and reports in a nightly email — is down to a “mere” 350 to 450/day!
Separated by a Common Language
It’s been 27(!) years since I was in England, but I vowed “I shall return” and will be wading ashore in mid October.
Aid and Comfort
Any long-time reader of This is True has heard of my (in)famous “Get Out of Hell Free” cards, stickers, and T-shirts. They’re my reaction to people telling me to go to (or that I am going to) hell. They have been wildly popular with readers who enjoy being able to finally have a good response to those who tell them the same thing.
True’s Ten Year Anniversary
This week’s issue marks a milestone: True’s Ten-Year Anniversary! It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years, since I feel like I’m just getting started.
A Failure to Grasp Reality
You know I write about idiots every week, but it’s not all that often that I have to actually deal with them one on one, in real time. But I had one today. My “other” publication, as you probably know, is the True Stella Awards, which details real-but-stupid lawsuits.
Yet Another New Project: Jumbo Joke
I shut down my “Randy’s Random” email publication a year and a half ago, and I still get people saying they miss it.
Bonzer Debut
I’ve added a new weekly feature to True: the “Bonzer Web Site of the Week” has been added just above the Honorary Unsubscribe. I accept site suggestions for this feature only from Premium subscribers (yes, I’ll be checking).
Let’s Go to Pluto!
Yes, True is about weird news. More importantly, it’s about thinking, which implies a quest for knowledge and understanding. That’s most evident in my editorials; here are two of them on the same subject, starting with one from May 2002:
HUs: Unclear on the Concept
“Chaos” (i.e., he didn’t stand by his own comment enough to sign a real name) in Massachusetts writes:
What the HELL?!!?
The Briefest of Backgrounds
For those coming in from other links, This is True is a pioneer in online publishing. Since 1994, it has been the email leader of “weird news.” Subscribers get stories every week by email with true tales of human stupidity, all tagged with humorous, opinionated or ironic commentary by me, Randy Cassingham.
The Sabre Rattles
Readers have really loved my “Get Out of Hell Free” cards. They’re even featured in the current (October) issue of Playboy — one of their editors saw them, liked them, and asked if they could write about them. Well yeah!
They’re Trying to Make it Hot in Here
Blasphemy! Yep, that’s what I’m guilty of, if you believe “Santa”, one of several people who wrote about a story in the 23 April 2000 issue. Here’s the story:
HeroicStories #131
In April 1999, I started a sister publication to This is True called HeroicStories. The idea was actually more of a spinoff of the Honorary Unsubscribe, which had started in January 1998. My concept: talk about cool people who didn’t have to be famous (and die!) to get some recognition.
HeroicStories is Born
I’m pleased to announce my new project: a new email publication with stories about interesting real people. It’s a spinoff of the popular “Honorary Unsubscribe” feature in True.