[christmas banned] here we go again

Oh yes - as sure as night follow's day, the Esteemed Leadership has not let an opportunity pass to use the crisis for their own ends. This time it is banning Christmas in Croatia:

"For that goal we forbid buying of Christmas and New Year's gifts as well as organising of Christmas and New Year's receptions," said Mr Sanader. "I believe that with the proposed measures ... we can avoid a deeper crisis within the next year," he added.

For what goal, again? Why, for the goal of overcoming the economic downturn. Right, right. So, having induced a financial panic for which the taxpayer has bailed out the guilty, the government's solution is then to ban all Christmas parties.

Now it will be admitted, no doubt, that Christmas parties don't have a lot to do with the Christian spirit of the holiday anyway and to be free of them, many will give a prayer of thanks but that's not the point.

The point is that Mr. Sanader has killed three birds with one stone:

1. Wiped out the hated festival of worshipping the birth of the saviour of the world; 2. Wrecked one of the few pleasantries that still remained for people coming into a very cold winter period; 3. Saved a lot of money which can now be used to waste somewhere else.

Will Mr. Sanader also turn off the heating in his own home and will he and his family eat dog food and rice huddled beneath their bedding and pretend that that is living?