Dear readers, colleagues, associates and friends,

Please allow me to wish us all a peaceful and happy new year.

2015 was a year gladly to part with though in response to the worst one occasionally catches little glimpses of reason, if I dare to tempt fate I might even say hope. This era of permanent insecurity, institutionalized terror, destruction of the planet's irretrievable resources and bloodshed of a magnitude the world has not experienced since WW II is a test we must not fail. Let us do all that is in our power to keep alive the light of love, the milk of human kindness, the guiding light of reason, of historical and social conscience, and of simple common sense, in active, non-compromising resistance to aggression and dehumanization, to the reign of terror and greed inflicting wars no one can win. Let this year be a step on the way. On the way to a world that has the capacity and the wisdom to rise to its challenges and in which our children shall not suffer what we suffered, as Brecht puts it in his poem "To my Countrymen". This is my little New Year's wish for us all, even if no shooting star has fallen. :) But even a candle can be a shooting star if it tries hard, can't it?

Love,

Mahdi