Los Angeles Times

Wednesday, October 7, 1998

NEWSBITES

John Nagamichi Cho is a researcher at MIT, but even if he discovers a cure for cancer, for some he'll still be best known as the master of one of the Internet's legendary Web sites: the SPAM haiku archives. Now, for the browser-impaired, he's collected the best in old-fashioned book form: "SPAM-ku: Tranquil Reflections on Luncheon Loaf" (HarperPerennial, $7.95). Although he points out that many of the verses are not strictly haiku (technically, he says, they are senryu), they are delicious nonetheless.

"Perfection uncanned
Like a beautiful redhead
Fresh from her trailer."

Or

"Four children later
We run out of things to say.
'Price of SPAM is up.' "

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