New Year 2018

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The new year beckons and brings with it the hopes, dreams and aspirations for many people around Australia and world-wide. But will it also be a year of disappointment ? The portents do not appear particularly favourable with a mix of political, economic, military and international situations which leave little reason to be confident.

On the political front particularly international, Trump's America, North Korea, the Brexit process and instability in the Middle East seemingly will continue from 2017 travelling on the same trajectory. Terrorism will remain a central concern as the ISIS/Daesh collapse leaves many foreign fighters considering a return to their countries of origin. 

Economically, there is some level of confidence as the US has continued with year-on-year recovery, Europe is following a similar path with 2.60% of GDP growth in the last quarter of 2017. China remains the largest question with constant adjustments and interventions being made by the Government in Beijing. China's economy however remains relatively opaque.

Military actions will continue in Syria, the Ukraine and Yemen with a number of smaller regional conflicts occuring with insurgent activities in the Philippines and Thailand.  Whether peace returns to South Sudan is a matter of continued speculation.

2018 - a year with more of the same. 

Christmas 2017

Christmas, a time of giving, of reflection and temporarily at least, standing aside from the day-to-day business and work life.

So where does Christmas come from ? Simply it is the Mass of Christ as practised by those of the Christian faith. In its earliest form, this religious communion (or Mass) had to occur after sunset usually at midnight and many of the Orthodox Christian Churches have retained that custom. Over the past century, increasingly other non-Christian societies have adopted the practice of Christmas as a holiday rather than the religious belief.

With the commercial promotion of consumer purchases and retail sales that now dominate the public domain, what is the origin of the giving of presents and gifts ? According to Matthew 2: verses 1-12 of the Christian Bible, three wise men came to the town of Bethlehem in then state of Judea and brought gifts of Frankincense, Gold and Myrrh.  Referred to as Magi (or Magos in Ancient Greek and Magupati in Ancient Persian), this is a title often bestowed on priests or astronomers/astrologers. The three wise men are also often referred to as Kings: Gaspar the King of Sheba, Melchior the King of Arabia and Balthazar, the King of Tarse and Egypt.  Their gifts were symbolic and represent specific meanings within the region - Gold represents kingship, Myrrh is death or mortality and Frankinsense as a symbol of deity.

Wherever you are and whatever your belief, Happy Christmas and as the late Irish comedian, Dave Allen often remarked, 'May your God go with you'.