Hasbeen,

It's not easy being a dole bludger, it requires time and effort.

I tried to be one but I was a failure, I kept getting employment.

A good deal of false piety from some. The I give to the poor at Christmas mob, please! If all the Xmas cards were laid end to end you would have a bloody long line, so what. Santa Claus was invented in the 19th century, so what. The holiday was a pagan thing and the Christians pinched it off the pagans, bad luck for the pagans. Don't know on what day Christ was born but highly unlikely it was December 25th 1AD Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Hassy, we don't always agree. On this I concur there is no reason why you on $22k should be expected to support 'welfare for lifers'. I am a strong believer in sustainability, on the other hand there are the genuine who do need our support, not that an income of $22k should be supporting others. Some sections of the welfare system now, are simply not sustainable. Agree?

Nathan, its obvious your heart is in the right place but sometimes you let small things wind you up and then you over react. (eg putting protest notes on the shop windows)

In regard to the your objections over the fruit shop allowing a few veggies and fruits to rot; you are not accepting the big picture. The aim was to enlighten people to the amount of good food rotting away that could have fed hungry people. Its not much different than showing photos of an abattoir to awaken meat eaters to the whole process. Sacrificing a basket of veggies is not really that bad or a reason to feel disgust and indignation. Relax.

You've said: "I believe Christmas needs to be less materialistic and more back to basics - as much as possible." That ain't ever gonna happen; just let it go. You can stress over it all you want but its completely out of your sphere of influence to change, so your only choice for peace of mind is to accept it. You don't have to like it but thinking about it, complaining about, worrying about it, talking about it will only create unnecessary stress in your life.

About eight months after Jewish people pause to celebrate Passover, Christians mark one of their holiest periods with the festival of Turnover with the arrival of Saint Nicholas and a period of traditional gluttony and avarice.

According to the retailers, it's reached to the stage where our economic system now relies on it and the more self-indulgent we are, the better off we'll all be.

Hi Is Mise, I know exactly what you mean.

I was in the Whitsundays on my yacht. I really did have to get some work done on the thing, she'd done a lot of miles since I'd restored her. I had done some work for 3 of the island resorts, & a couple of the mainland cruise boat companies.

I finished a job, & was anchored at Airlie Beach, having bought materials for the yacht, when a boat tooted from behind. It was the 60 footer from one of the islands. I was suspicious when they invited me over for a beer.

They wanted me to do a couple of days a week for them. Just a bit of boat skippering they said. I could live on the yacht & use all the resort facilities, including their workshop when not working. Sounded great.

I arrived, did 29 days straight, had one day off, did 36 days straight, & quit.

I went to Bowen where I thought no one knew me, to do my work. I got 5 weeks in, including a couple on the slip. It was up there when someone found me, & I was back at work a few days later.

Still, isn't it nice to be wanted, better than the other thing.