Misanthropy is a real thing. It’s not bigotry or any of the “isms” associated with bigotry. It’s a generalized dislike of unlikable human behavior that lacks empathy and respect for other people and rejects their legitimate ambitions, needs, sensibilities and abstract thinking.

There’s no question that as a new year begins, infrastructure is still the most common mentionable here at Lakeside: unrepaired inner-village cobblestone streets, avenues and sidewalks, poor traffic signals, sewage drainage, traffic overload, development overload, parking availability and so on.

An old Mexican belief claims that on Christmas Eve the animals will lie about the barn and speak with one another about the way of the world. This newspaper gets an exclusive on it every year.

For all of our long-standing griping about our commercial Christmas, and how quaint it used to be when we were getting oranges, handkerchiefs, ties and stockings, the truth is Christmas really isn’t commercial enough, according to people who understand the economics.

Many societies around the world are aging into high numbers. What’s more, medical science and its advances are at it again, filling the heads of seniors with the crazy (even scary) idea that many more of us living today could make it to 100 years (I for one would like a second opinion).

Mexico still has a real Christmas, a celebration of a much-beloved religious canon and creed that follows a virgin conception to a son of God being born in a manger.