HAPPY NEW YEAR

Lragir, Armenia
Dec 28 2006

At the end of the year almost everywhere and almost in every
sphere they sum up the passing year, assess the achievements,
recall the failures and expect that in the new year the correlation
of achievements and failures, good and evil, virtue and vice will
change. And as a rule it always changes, but often not in favor
of good. Generally, since Mr. Einstein gave one of the greatest
formulas of life, years have become relative, and dates have become
conventional. However, like duties are sometimes pleasant, such as
marital duties, conventions are also pleasant and unpleasant.

Perhaps it is early to tell if the 365 days that started 2005 past
the birth of Jesus were pleasant. For Armenia, 2006 is a special year
because, in fact, it will be summed up in May 2007 when the Armenian
people will go to close another period in their life or maybe to
open a new period or maybe to start a new life. The year 2006 did
not have any other peculiarity. There were no extraordinary events
in the life of the public. The independent state of Armenia, which
is also referred to as the Third Republic, became 15, but it was not
unexpected for anyone. What was unexpected was that the hot-tempered
Armenians reacted with Scandinavian coldness to the economic growth
reported for five years on. Generally, the year 2006 was a year of
commonness. Everything was too usual. The government was mean towards
the opposition as usual, the opposition called people as usual, as
usual people did not know where the call came from and where they
should go, the summer was hot as usual and the winter is cold as
usual. Even the scandalous assassinations became something usual in
2006. Since everything was so usual about the Dog, the expectations
from the Pig are not great, even though it is the Fire Pig.

However, it is New Year, and we always have expectations, independent
from us, be it in the year of the Pig, the Horse, the Dog or the Cat.

After all, the animals are not to blame. They have already made a
great sacrifice for people by agreeing to assume responsibility for
their failures and become justification of failed to happen. And the
expectations, which occur no matter we want or not, are waiting for
our will to come true. So good will to everyone. Happy New Year.