"Seasons Greeting"

It's getting near to that time of year again.
You know, the one where all and sundry go and buy 'seasons greetings' banners, in a somewhat vain attempt to be politically correct.

I think this year, I shall go on a rampage, and set fire to any instance of 'seasons greetings' that I encounter.

It's not big, and it's not clever. To pretend you're not celebrating anything important. To send something sufficiently bland because you're concerned that 'oh shock, everyone's not christian, they might be unhappy if you wish them a merry christmas'.

Bollocks.

You are wishing _them_ well at time of year of significance to _you_. If you wish me a 'happy chinese new year' then I'm not going to be offended. Or a joyous Divali. Or a wonderful Ramadan.

Or hell, even a 'happy monday'.

Just because I don't observe such an occasion, doesn't mean I'm going to be in the slightest big distressed if you do. (Except the 'happy monday bit, I'm pretty certain that doesn't exist')

Of course, if you _aren't_ celebrating Christmas, then 'seasons greetings' may be apt. Of course, it also makes you a bit of a hypocritical moron, to be sending cards for something that isn't really of any importance to you.

I don't mind in the slightest if to you, Christmas is an annual family gathering, where good food is consumed, and there's kinda a tree, and presents and stuff.

I don't mind if, to you Christmas is a celebration of the birth of your Saviour, who died for the forgiveness of sins of mankind.

But seriously, if you are celebrating a religious festival, don't devalue it with the curse that is 'seasons greetings'.

And if you're just figuring that you'll have a bit of holiday, see the folks, have a few drinks, spare the rest of the world from your bland bits of paper and proclamations that you're celebrating nothing in particular.

Edit: A workmate just pointed me at this link on the BBC website about how 'Christmas Lights' were renamed 'Winter lights'. Grr.

The Evil presentation game.

A workmate has just reminded me of the 'evil presentation game'.
In the dim and distant past, a workmate an I had a ... shall we say rather uninspiring training course.

As is normal with these sorts of things, notes were distributed beforehand, to make notes on.

Now, the game. Flick ahead a page or two in the notes. Ask a question that's answered/covered on that page, with a straight face.

After page 5 or so 'of 'we'll get to that' the lecturer might twig, so you'll need to vary your approach a little.

And of course, it must be done with an absolutely straight face. If you're really feeling sneaky, tagteaming it, and asking one thing and getting someone else to pick up a followon is definitely in order.

Simple enough, I know, but it's guaranteed to make boring presentations far more interesting.