Except the difference is, S.P.A.M actually (albeit rarely) includes things that interest those outside of North America. The best thing about FT is that all posters understand that there is life outside of north america and will happily allow postings about the outside world.

While S.P.A.M has lost its touch and focus, I think it's still far more on focus than other similar theads on other forums, including FatWallet.