So we come to the end of 2016 and the end of the December festive season.

One thing I've been struck with in the whirl of parties and catch ups is how many people said bring on 2017 because 2016 has been a shocker. An annus horribilis if you will.

I've felt the need to say that things are relative and you need to understand that before you cast judgement. For all those who think the world has gone to hell in a handcart because of Brexit and Trump there are as many people overjoyed at the results of those 2 elections. For them 2016 rocks. In strange and bizarre ways.

For instance Professor Jane Kelsey, the opponent of TPPA for the past 6 years wrote an article this week in a leftist blog headlined “2016 – the year we beat TPPA and neoliberal globalism”. For that she has to thank Donald Trump but I'm sure Jane is no Trump fan. Bonus. Things aren't really that black or white

Meanwhile there's Brexit. Have no doubt there will be pain before any gain. You have to keep reminding people Brexit hasn't even started yet. But after the chaos perhaps a new way will emerge. At the end of the day whether you're left or right we all want to work, get a fair wage and live a good life. It's the wage thing that's stuffing up the world so let's hope that's slowly sorting itself. When China and Mexico pay the same wages as America and New Zealand then it's game on for globalisation.

Meanwhile 2016 was allegedly the year of the celebrity death and we lost good ones. Bowie, Prince and Muhammed Ali. But people die every year and I think this years crop is reminding a certain generation that time is limited. A generation who was part of the youth revolution. This reminds them that they're the new establishment and the clock is ticking. It's happened through history. People were shocked at the death of Caesar, Winston Churchill and David Lange. This year is no different

There's a guy in Melbourne who does a fortnightly blog about the good news stories because let's face it the media loves bad news. If it bleeds it leads. So he's done a list of the 99 good news stories of the year. They're big and magnificent. Here's a few

Acid rain is down to 1930 levels. Carbon emisssions did not rise this year. Even if you don't believe in man made climate change this is good news for your lungs. There's no measles from Canada to Chile. The first time a whole region is clean. World hunger is at it's lowest point in 25 years. Ebola is out of West Africa. The EU was big news but did you know that if you have an African passport you can now live in any of the 54 nations? Aleppo is horrific but did you know there's less war in the world this year? Gobal spending on aid and development is up 7 per cent. And while the polar bears are doing it hard this year tigers in the wild rose in number for the first time in 100 years.

2016 was just a year when stuff happened and yes some things were confusing and maybe indeed bad. But call me Mr Glass Half Full but it appears to me that bit by bit things keep getting better. So bring on 2017 and if you're miserable just thank your lucky stars you're not living in 1517 because probably you'd already be dead. Merry Christmas.