Brian Rogers Rogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz

The Christmas crackers are out there, alright.

On the home straight to Christmas and you'd think the news would be all goodwill to men and women and peace on earth, right?

There's some good news and some bad news with that concept. The bad news is there's little good news, there have been some horrific headlines in the last week from nasty road crashes, to tragic deaths and axe murders.

Some young people returning from Christmas in the Park gathered at the rail station. You'd think they'd be full of peace and love and enlightenment, right? So they have a full-on brawl, bringing the Auckland rail network to a standstill. Ah, the Christmas spirit. Alive and kicking…the daylights out of one another.

'Deck the bros, we're off our trolley; Fa la la la la, la la la la.”

Full marks for observation

A woman who heard someone try her front door, then spotted a man in her driveway with an axe, was quoted as saying she 'didn't think much of it”.

Turns out, the axeman went on to attack four of her neighbours, killing one of them.

This has us confused. Anyone appearing in my driveway with an axe is not going to be let off so lightly. I reckon a dodgy dude at night, wielding any sort of implement is going to raise a few alarm bells, right?

You know, unless it's Santa with some blokey gift, such as a new axe, chainsaw or brushcutting gear for me, it's pretty unlikely I'd welcome anyone with any item of a bludgeoning, hacking nature. I reckon a call to 111 and a quick assessment of the stockades would be appropriate.

And here's a warning to any wayward lumberjacks out there, who may stumble into the Rabbit's front porch carrying tools of trade, do not expect me to take it quietly.

Show up on my doorstep around Christmas with a bottle of rum and a couple of shot glasses and you might get a different welcome. Appear with anything involving a blade and you're likely to get some fairly precise directions on the way out, courtesy of our sponsors, Broncos Sports.

More cracked crackpots

Then Sydney is rocked by a crazed Iranian refugee, taking two innocent lives with him.
All the warning signs were there, the guy was on multiple charges and had a long history of lunatic ranting, yet our PC world allows these fruit cakes to kill, before they are stopped.

We still don't know the details about how and when the order was given to force an end to the siege. But we know from experience that when the perpetrator is given any benefit of the doubt, or given a chance to be 'talked down” then the risk increases of harm to the innocent.

We have to urge the police to take swift and decisive action against anyone taking up arms against innocents and the Police. We cannot let the 'rights” of a perpetrator continue to mean a lesser chance of survival for hostages or innocent bystanders. The message here must be that if you raise a weapon, all your rights have been waived.
New Year's Resolution: Do it them before they do it to you!

Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragedy.

Some positive

On the lighter side, there have been some more positive headlines this week.
We've dug deep into the Bay to find you some wonderful stories of Christmas cheer that restore our faith in humanity. Shipping goods to Cambodia; dishing up free Christmas dinner at St Peters; plus the professionals and volunteers stepping up to keep us safe on the beaches, on the ocean and on the streets.

A wonderful teacher retires, we have concerts and shows; heaps of stuff for readers to win; and some hilarious stories from our readers on their worst ever Christmas gifts. Our special commiserations to Michelle Best. ('A broom, seriously, a broom?”)
There's also been some lighter moments this week. Thank goodness.

Miss Mount: I saw this headline and thought it was a story about a man falling off a horse. Turns out, it's girls in bikinis.

Ironic name of the week: Goes to NZ Nurses Organisation manager, Cee Payne. I'm sure nurses do see pain. I wonder if she shares an office with Anne Suffering?
Okay, have a fantastic Christmas – rest, live it up, chill out and spend some good times with your family and friends. Forget the PC control freaks demands (as long as you're not hurting anyone) and relax.

We'll be back in your mailbox with one more paper this year, on December 29. And remember, SunLive.co.nz will keep on pumping out the news every hour, every day, right through the summer.

Parting shot

Downtown Christmas shopping and a red Ferrari cruises along The Strand. Rogers Rapiti is dialling on my portable telephone at the time and decide it funny to stand beside the Ferrari while talking and pretend it's mine. A few moments of shameless posing. A couple of schoolboys saunter past, admiring the car. As they wander off, one says to the other:

'Nice wheels. But who the f*** drives a Ferrari, wearing Crocs?”

Merry Christmas!

brian@thesun.co.nz