"The Secretary-General has learned of the sudden death of Turkmen President Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov. President Niyazov made important contributions to United Nations peace processes in Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

The Secretary-General extends his condolences to the family of the late President and people of Turkmenistan."

- Complete and unexpurgated statement by Kofi Annan, 21.12.06 Or maybe he was too busy clearing his office.

Dates and venues for the Shane Warne Final Farewell Tour have been announced through till September 2007, and can be viewed at a glance on the Hampshire section of the CricInfo website.

Tour dates for 2008 will be released towards the end of November next year. Tickets from the usual outlets. Be there!

"It wasn't enough for Melba to become one of the greats of the Golden Age of Grand Opera. She wanted to be the greatest. her glorious voice took her to the top; her ruthless determination to overthrow any rival kept her there long after the voice had begun to decline. Revealed in this relentlessly candid yet sympathetic study is Melba the drama queen, the monstrous prima donna, the canny businesswoman, the generous and kindly friend, the unique star who refused to fade."

It starts curiously enough, and takes a sharp turn into the bizarre about half-way through. (And no, this is not the final playlist in this series...)

1. "I'll Be Home For Christmas" Johnny Cash
2. "O Come O Come Emmanuel" Sufjan Stevens
3. "Joy To The World" The Jambalaya Cajun Band
4. "Santa Claus Got Stuck In My Chimney" Ella Fitzgerald
5. "O Come All Ye Faithful" Twisted Sister
6. "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" Dr Elmo
7. "You're A Mean One Mr Grinch" Aimee Mann
8. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" The Klezmonauts
9. "Deck The Halls" William Hung

The crowd erupts. The Waltz King is beaten by a glorious leggie.

A shorter playlist than the one that comes next, but a neat mix of traditional choral performances with some ever-so-unexpected American jazz/blues/folk artists. Five religious numbers and five secular ones:

1. "O Come O Come Emmanuel" Tonus Peregrinus
2. "What Child Is This" Mahalia Jackson
3. "Joy To The World" Joe Williams
4. "For Unto Us A Child Is Born" (GF Handel) The Cambridge Singers/John Rutter
5. "Good King Wenceslas" The Sixteen And Harry Christopher
6. "The Holly And The Ivy" Anonymous 4
7. "White Christmas" Louis Armstrong
8. "I'll Be Home For Christmas" Aimee Mann

Good King Glenn McGrath looked out
On the Feast of Stephen
Where the pitch lay round about
Just a bit uneven
Brightly shone Shane Warne that night
Though the Poms were cruel
Then A Flintoff came in sight
Batting like a foo-oo-el.

Adara and I returned last night from three days in Newcastle visiting her grandmother and having the time of her life playing with some of her second cousins. She is now the proud owner of surely the bulk of the Dora the Explorer merchandise catalogue. If you or your superannuation fund holds a stake in Viacom, think of us next time you receive a share dividend.

This morning was a celebration of the real reason for Christmas, namely the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Lessons and carols at All Saints this morning. Wonderful stuff.

Adara and Di head to Adelaide tonight for Christmas week with their relatives. My family engagements are complete, and I am exhausted. Time for bloggage-as-therapy before the Obligatory Christmas Afternoon Nap. Currently listening to John Fahey's rendition of some Christmas music being played on WNYC-FM from New York.

You really, truly, haven't lived till you've heard Twisted Sister's performance of "O Come All Ye Faithful", which sounds so much like "We're Not Gonna Take It" that it will make your 1980s long hair stand on end.