Obviously one of the greatest tools of communication created by man is the Internet and email.

Although, I like to joke that, had email been invented first and then the telephone, people would be ecstatic over the latter's invention.

"Have you tried that phone thing?" people would ask. "You can actually HEAR their voice!"

However, with the positives that come with creation of email comes a big negative – spam.

I probably only get one or two a day (if that) on my computer at home, but, even with a good filter on the system here at the newspaper I get inudated. How would you like to have approximately 100 to 200 spam emails a day?

It's because the address here includes the word "editor" which makes me (and most other newspapers) open season for everything ranging from cheap viagra pills to swamp land for sale in Texas (do they have swamps in Texas?).

Among the worst of the worst offenders though are our political parties. They are so quick to fire off childish propaganda issued under the guise of "news releases".

Of late I'm getting three or four a day again from each, the Liberals, The Conservatives, and the NDP. The Liberals accuse the Tories of being in bed with big oil companies, while the Tories are fear mongering about Liberal leader Stephan Dion's carbon tax. The NDP, well, they just like to scream at everybody.

A few months ago the parties were in overdrive sending something like 10 a day – which was especially frustrating as one or two sources would repeat the emails and some would even send them again in French.

After my repeated requests to be removed from their "global send" list were ignored, I decided to take matters into my own hands – or own email – and fight fire with fire.

I decided to help them all with keeping tabs on each other by forwarding their emails to other political parties. Then, when that didn't seem to work I sent a new wave of emails – I began forwarding EVERY spam that I received to the offenders.

In one morning alone I managed to send 50 to my new email buddies in the Conservative and Liberal parties. Very soon after I got an email back asking why there were so many "junk" emails being sent.

I explained that since they didn't want to take me off their list, I wanted to share with them my "news releases".

The emails suddenly stopped coming.

Well, like ants that just won't go away, the pesky little things are coming back.

Perhaps officials within the Conservative and Liberal parties can use some viagra. I've got a few offers for them.