I got the racing set. And the following Christmas I got the "Cape Canaveral Rocket Launch Complex", and the "Fighting Lady Battleship", also with the help of a little self generated public pressure on the old man from the North Pole.

And that brings me to my current Christmas list. In the spirit of Christmas past I'm going to repeat it here so that you can include it in your list, just so Santa doesn't forget.

First on my list is for all the batteries Santa's sleigh can carry; nine volt, double and triple "A"'s, and "C"'s and "D"'s. Electricity is in very short supply in California. And I don't expect new President George Junior is going pull our electrical chestnuts out of the free market fire we started. He's a free market kind of guy. Besides, a little cold darkness under Democrats could help resuscitate the late great California GOP.

Everybody has an idea how to solve this little short circuit conundrum we've created for ourselves; buy the power plants back, or let the companies pass inflated prices directly to the users. Either solution comes with a very healthy price tag. And you know who always gets to pay those. So I'm switching to Ray-o-vacs.

I was going to ask Santa for peace in the Middle East, but to tell you the truth I've about given up. I'll bet my mother could have settled things. She had three kids in the house and we were constantly fighting amongst ourselves. She refused to listen to our explanations as to who started it, or who hit last. Her idea of diplomacy had nothing to do with fairness or justice. Her peace treaties were brutally simple. "Just stop it!" And when w e did, it always worked.

Closer to home and on a more selfish note, I asked Santa to please, please, please, tell the city to Stop Tearing Up The Streets In The East Valley! The area around Cauhenga and Burbank looks like post war Germany. I know there is a city election coming up next year, and I know all the politicians want to proudly stand in front of newly paved improvements come April. But in the meantime, my front end alignment only lasts about four blocks between adjustments and I'm not talking about my car.

I am tired of driving over big metal plates in the middle of the road. I am tired of two lanes of traffic becoming one lane of traffic. And if I see one more row of bright orange cones I swear I am going to steal them, take them home and sew them into clothing which I shall then force my entire family to wear.

My wife and I even wrote a little song about it. "When we drive in our car we don't get very far...road construction. When the cones we do see then we know there will be...an obstruction." There are forty-four verses. And every day we add more.

I am also asking Santa for one of those jobs where somebody gives you a lot of money to not do much at all. I've asked for this before, but as they say, hope springs eternal.

Well, to review; electricity of my own to own. Some kind of peace in Middle East. Flat, wide empty streets. And money. And an end to hunger and hatred. And, ah...sensible shoes for women. I think all of us ought to start asking for that.

Thanks for your help. Merry Christmas to all.

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Kimit Muston is a writer living in North Hollywood. If you have any comments about his columns,
he may be contacted at inditer.com

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