As we race into the "new" year we still await the return of key people -- NZ is still "shut" to the world over the "summer break"; annoying particularly to farming and tourism which give NZ it's base incomes.

This year Tourist accommodation owners face yet another barrage of scammers hoping to fleece commission for guests who will not arrive. VillagePRESS is acquiring a world wide reputation as a source of identification for Accommodation Providers. However, the volume of SPAM is a worry, as are the reactions of Internet Service Providers (ISP).

When a potential guest emails for accommodation, the request will quite often arrive in the ISP customer's SPAM folder. Those who check their SPAM folders and find requests, will reply -- but the original requesters are unaware that the replies they seek will often be consigned to their SPAM folder. Many will not check their SPAM folder - or even be aware of it. Hence communication failure could be a technical hitch in two separate places.

It is essential that all email users quickly acknowledge the problem and make arrangements to avoid loss of legitimate emails.

Again on the agenda for the year is comment on and discussion of the indiscriminate use of roadside chemical spraying which has begun again in Rodney. Those involved have (conveniently ?) overlooked that, to spraying in the vicinity of someone with a known 'spray triggered' health problem is clearly a physical assault, and thus a criminal act. This can be expected to have ramifications in 2008 as chemically sensitive people establish a common base via www.shapenz.com .

On the central government front, I hear on the grapevine that the team at "Dancing with the Stars" are frenetically trying to find an 'audience drawing" celebrity for this year's program. Is it correct that John Keys has been approached and his minders are chasing legal opinion to see if his presence contributes or exceeds to his allowable election advertising budget ?

They see it as a brilliant extension of the "say nothing" election manifesto…set to legitimately acquired music this time of course.