Fi Phillips

Just a quick post to wish you all the best for Christmas. May the day bring you all that you wish for, and if that isn't possible (I doubt I'll get that unicorn this year - darn) then I hope you have the kind of day that you need.  Corny I know, but this is from the soundtrack of  one of my favourite Christmas films.

There's something about Christmas that breaks down the most cynical of film-makers to emotional blubberers. Not that there's anything wrong with being emotional or having a weep. I can weep and blubber with the best of them at a good film. Only last night, I got tearful over the happy ever after of Shrek 2. I'm blaming it on hormones but I secretly suspect that the festive season is the culprit. If you think about Christmas films, for the most part you'll find them to be about good will to all men. Even 'Home Alone' (demonic yet angelic looking child tortures idiotically inept burglars) is really about family and home. Let me know if you can think of a Christmas film that is truly cynical and doesn't offer up some kind of message about coming together and forgiveness and just generally loving mankind. One of the best Christmas films that I've seen is It's a Wonderful Life with the brilliant James Stewart in the lead role. If you haven't heard...

Today is the one hundredth anniversary of the start of International Women's Day . That's one hundred years of celebrating the achievements of women past, present and future in all areas of life, be that social, political or economic. Each year on this day, governments, organisations and groups all around the world adopt different (and sometimes shared) themes. This year these include, UK, Doncaster Council: Women's Voices and Influence UK, Welsh Assembly Government: Bridging the Generational Gap UK, Accenture: Stretch Yourself - Achieving 50:50 in the boardroom by 2020 Global, United Nations: Women and men united to end violence against women and girls Canada, Status of Women (Federal Gov): Strong Leadership. Strong Women. Strong World: Equality Australia, UNIFEM: United to End Violence Against Women Australia, Queensland Government Office for Women: Our Women, Our State Australia, WA Department for Communities: Sharing the Caring for the Future USA, IBM: Women@IB...