Velvet Revolution

It was sad to hear about the death of Vaclav Havel, the former Czech president, who oversaw the peaceful Velvet Revolution, after opposing the socialist stranglehold on his beloved country for so many years, and of course writing many fine plays and poems. At least he got to see his friend the Dalai Lama just one week before his departure from this life, and movement into another cycle of existence - if we follow the beliefs of his stubbornly cheerful Tibetan pal. I particularly liked Havel's comment about truth and love overcoming lies and hate, which I'm sure most people would support unless you are someone like North Korean boss Kim Jong-il, who just had a heart attack on a train - proving that he is no longer ill, but very much dead.

Let us hope North Korea will move towards a much more open and happy society, because its people have suffered far too long under so-called communist rule, which is actually no more than a brutal dictatorship. It seems unlikely that his son "the great successor" will travel around his residence on a child's scooter, in the joyous manner of Vaclav Havel. But if the Berlin wall can come down, who knows what can happen with North and South Korea ? Eventually, even the vast brutal regime of China will collapse, which has virtually destroyed the Dalai Lama's country of birth, and carried out so many vicious attacks on its own people - all things must pass.

We are promised a 'mini-heat wave' in these few days before Christmas, with temperatures in northern England soaring to the dizzying heights of 11 degrees Celsius ! This is good news for the many people struggling with their heating bills, but not so dandy for the likes of our young lad who is very much dreaming of a white Christmas, and the chance of careering down the Yorkshire Wolds on a plastic or wooden sledge.

As I have absolutely no disposable income I've entirely avoided the obscene shopping scrum that happens at this "special" time, but I must confess to being a little sad at not being able to wander the ancient streets of York (our nearest city) and absorb some of the free festive atmosphere. A vast amount of purchases are now made on the Internet or at the out-of-town shops, yet many folk are still drawn to pretty towns like York and Lincoln, which are increasingly no more than historical theme parks. Still, I cannot turn my back on the lovely town of my birth; thank God I wasn't born in somewhere like Rotherham ! The Chuckle Brothers will never agree with me, particularly with their brand spanking new, New York, football stadium, which they claim is a real district of Rotherham - minus the Empire State Building.