A plea at Christmas.
We are at the end of what has been a troubled year in the UK and around the world (the labour party is more powerful than we thought). Students have rioted on the streets of London. The Government has announced its cuts. Local government has not yet told us exactly how dire those cuts will make it for us. The unions have stated that they are ready to fight these 'unprecedented' cutbacks. The BBC announced last week that Great Yarmouth is looking at a 25% reduction in spending power. It clearly is not going to be good if you are reliant on services and the welfare state.
It's bitterly cold outside, drivers are getting stuck all over the place, minus 10 degrees at St Olaves this morning, there are three different flu strains to worry about (or not depending on who you listen to).
Worse? Oh yes, it could be!
We are still at war in Afghanistan, (nice time for a quote from Rudyard Kipling, "if they should ask you why we died, tell them, because our fathers lied") and the realistic chances of bringing 'our boys' home are remote.
We contaminated the coast of the United States with BP oil, the United States contaminated the atmosphere with other peoples oil. And China joined in too. They became the largest energy consumer on the planet this year.
Haiti had an earthquake that resulted in devastation not yet dealt with. Pakistan found twenty percent of its territory under water. Governments around the globe were slow to react.
On the plus side, it is Christmas (and the XFactor has finished). Season of good will to all men and all that. And it could be so much worse.
Surely it is not beyond the abilities of the human race to sort this crap out and make 2011 a good year. Here's hoping and wishing you all a better New Year than the last one.
Politicians eh? Who'd have 'em?
