I celebrate my birthday on 6 December, and several among the ninety-nine ‘happy birthday’ messages posted on my Facebook profile (not that I am counting) included wishes on ‘achieving goals.’ The launching of this website is the realization of one of these goals. I thank those who supported this initiative, and I especially thank all the readers that will find this website interesting and useful. I hope I will not let them down.
A new holiday season approaches as the Gregorian calendar year reaches its end. The launching of this website fits rather well with the starting of a new year so in my first ever blog post I thought of wishing the readers a happy and prosperous 2012. Some of their successes shall hopefully be achieved by means of information posted on, or knowledge gathered through, this website.
In an era of email and text-message greeting cards that include season’s greeting messages that are often non-critically forwarded, I turn back to Martin Niemöller for my New Year’s greeting:
First they came for the communists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.
Consider it, if you wish, my editorial stance.
Happy 2012!