Saturday, December 24, 2005

Christmas and all that....

Christmas tomorrow. Today its an absolute stinker, pretty close to 40 degrees with strong westerlies chewing up any available cooler air. If anyone lights a match near the bush - well, there'll be trouble.

Last night we watched The Polar Express. I suppose we should have been forewarned by the fact that its a children's Christmas movie, but then, some of those are rather good, are they not. Yes, the special effects and animation were interesting for a while, but after that, the absence of a decent storyline or even moderately interesting characterisation had us yawning half way through. Really, a great opportunity missed because of a piss-poor script.

I love Christmas, but I do have a bone to pick with Claus. Here is a person who touts a philosophy of peace and goodwill to all, yet who flagrantly sides with the wealthy at Christmas time. You would think, given the capacity of this gentleman to travel worldwide in one night, and with an army of toy-making elves at his disposal, that he might do something about the imbalance between rich and poor on this one night of nights. But no, the rich get their expensive cars, jewellery and branded excess, whilst the poor settle for cheap plastic rubbish. Perhaps Mr Claus believes in trickle-down economics . Perhaps he is a tool of market forces.

But I have this to ask. Where's the level-playing field Claus? Where's the compassion? Where's the heart? Have a think about that next time you shove Rolex watches down the chimneys of Toorak and St Ives. Spare a thought next time you swan through the showrooms of Porsche or Ferrari in search of baubles for your mates at the big end of town....

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