MERRY XMAS EVERYBODY!

Lots of things make it a special day.

Take the "naked elves" of Birmingham, for example.

Or take the series of attacks in Baghdad in the past day that have killed 3 more US troops and at least 4 Iraqi civilians. Wait, that's not a good thing. But the capture of Saddam -- Bush's early Xmas present -- was supposed to crush the insurgency and make Americans safer. Ah well.

Or take Pope John Paul II, who gave us this message from the Vatican:

"Too much blood is still being shed on earth," the 83-year-old pontiff said in the homily of a Christmas midnight mass in St Peter's Basilica that once again tested his strength.

..."Too much violence and too many conflicts trouble the peaceful coexistence of nations," he said, speaking slowly in Italian and reading his homily in a relatively clear voice.

"You come to bring us peace. You are our peace," he said in a homily that was mostly of religious content, recalling the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.

"May the radiance of your birth light up the night of world. May the power of your message of love thwart the proud snare of the evil one. May the gift of your life make us understand ever more clearly the worth of the life of each human being," he said.

Over to you, Bob Jones III and Pat Robertson, to tell us all about how he's not a real Christian.

Anyway, if Xmas is your thing, have a swell one. Blogging will resume soon, you never know, I might do some Xmas blogging if there's a lull... Season's greeeetings!