Beautiful n/a. Thanks.

Posted by: beq | Dec 31 2007 15:53 utc | 4

Happy New Year, Bernhard, and thank you for all you do here.
Thanks to all at Moon and wish you all a good year ahead.

Posted by: ww | Dec 31 2007 16:29 utc | 6

My thanks also, and a happy new year to all.

Posted by: Alamet | Dec 31 2007 17:03 utc | 8

Best hopes to all for 2008. Thanks to B for all the 07 work…and everyone for being there. Here, I mean. Whatever.
Cheers, kisses, bottles of fizz, as my Brit friend calls it, all that.

Posted by: Tangerine | Dec 31 2007 17:41 utc | 10

For a good new year:

NO EYE EQUAL TO WISDOM
A noble quest wins he who
wields the lightning bolt of
truth, the sword of knowledge
tried and true, to tear to
smithereens the veils of inky,
black unmitigated ignorance
— the primal sin that makes
the untaught err and stumble.
Yet it is nobler still by far
to softly shine the gentle flame
of wisdom, light of cognizance,
upon the common fools,
the lost, the fearful, righteous,
arrogant and know-it-all’s,
so as to broaden and enrich
their needy, yearning souls.
Blessed are they whose spirit
richly thrives with cosmic wisdom,
moral logic and capacity for love.
For they will know the truth,
be brimming full with life; not
like the poor-in-spirit who subsist
in dread and don’t find light,
nor inner strength to wholly live.
No terror — anywhere on Earth
or in the heavens — comes close
to icy, loveless fear that permeates
the pooor in consciousness. There
is no higher bliss than wisdom,
no better friend than knowing
truth, no savior other than
the living Spirit’s might.
The greatest human victory yet
unshackles those whose spirit is
enslaved by flawed, self-serving
and unnatural beliefs; is petrified
with fear of vengeful gods. Once
freed, a people’s spirit molds a will
to banish from their minds all
vengeance, envy, fear and greed.
With mind and spirit healed,
true justice can be won for all,
a chance for peace — a lasting peace
that can endure the test of time.
Then joy and freedom reign
unchained, unspoiled by haughty flags,
divisive national intrigues or
dogmas that enslave and lead astray.
© Dietmar Rothe, 2004
source
German version

Posted by: b | Dec 31 2007 18:09 utc | 12

this world belongs to the people of the world
may we strive toward a decent new year for all of them
peace

Posted by: b real | Dec 31 2007 20:49 utc | 14

Thank you for all the hard work on this excellent blog and best wishes for 2008.

Posted by: Édouard | Dec 31 2007 23:30 utc | 16

OBA – Thank you.
Hug.

Posted by: beq | Jan 1 2008 0:05 utc | 18

have been thinking all day about bernhard’s absolutely delicious chicken fricasee cooking on the stove top and the arrival one by one (or in some cases two by two) of the moonbats last year and the absolute pleasure of seeing faces across the table and matching voices with prose. add to that the wine and the single malt and the midnight fireworks, new year’s toast and the flutter of kisses and warm wishes in the rain – it was a most memorable, festive, and tender night for me. happy new year to all wherever we find ourselves on the globe.

Posted by: conchita | Jan 1 2008 2:34 utc | 20

more smooches all around.

Posted by: annie | Jan 1 2008 4:17 utc | 22

God will fuck you up! It’s good to laugh in the new year…

Posted by: Uncle $cam | Jan 1 2008 6:41 utc | 24

Yes, Happy New Year to all!
One should not be pessimistic on this first day of 2008, but unfortunately, things do not look good in general for much of the world’s people in the short run.
I have come to depend on MOA for information and feel it will become more important to more people in the coming year. Thanks to all who post here.

Posted by: Rick | Jan 1 2008 14:38 utc | 26

All the best for 2008 b and everyone!

Posted by: Argh | Jan 1 2008 15:47 utc | 28

Hello, moonies! I may have been silent, but I was paying a lot of attention (not-so-obvious reference to a Brazilian joke about a shopkeeper who tries to pass on an owl as a rather pensive parrot). For a guy whose sense of estrangement comes, among other things, from having to withstand Christmas under a 35-degree summer while you talk of snow and fireplaces, I must say that you are the closest I can think of as my tribe. There is a big and generous heart presiding over the proceedings here; there is a collective soul in motion.
I am not pessimistic. The sun won’t let me. I think things are getting better. I think we are learning. Let’s hope we all continue to live in 2008; let’s hope happiness keeps coming in small & manageable pieces. I have translated for you (poorly, I’m afraid) the Christmas Poem by Brazilian poet Vinicius de Moraes:
That’s what we are made for:
To remember and be remembered
To cry and make cry
To bury our dead –
That’s why we have long arms for farewells
Hands to harvest what is given to us
Fingers to dig the earth.
Thus will be our life:
An afternoon spent forgetting
A star going out in the dark
A walk between two tombs –
That’s why we must keep watch
Speak low, step lightly, see
The night sleeping in silence.
There’s not much to be said:
A song over a cradle
A verse, perhaps of love
A prayer for those who leave –
But let this hour not be forgotten
And for it let our hearts
Lie still, grave and simple.
Because that’s what we are made for:
The hope in the miracle
The participation in poetry
The glimpse of death’s face –
Suddenly, we shall no longer wait…
Today the night is young; from death we only
Are born, immensely.

Posted by: pedro | Jan 2 2008 0:47 utc | 30

Very grateful to bernhard and all for a dependably stimulating, thought-provoking 07, with best wishes in the year ahead.
Wolfie

Posted by: Wolf DeVon | Jan 2 2008 4:26 utc | 32

What happened to the ‘amazon brigade’? Miss the estrogen, all this testosterone is boring… seems annie , beq, and norre er,uh, tangerine, are the only ones whom comment anymore ;-(
And did you guys/gals decide not to meet this year? Bummer.

Posted by: Uncle $cam | Jan 2 2008 6:02 utc | 34

What happened to the ‘amazon brigade’? Miss the estrogen, all this testosterone is boring… seems annie , beq, and norre er,uh, tangerine, are the only ones whom comment anymore ;-(
And did you guys/gals decide not to meet this year? Bummer.

Posted by: Uncle $cam | Jan 2 2008 6:04 utc | 36

goddamn typepad, hickups and posts three posts in a row, but them wants a verifications on this compliant comment, geez…

Posted by: Uncle $cam | Jan 2 2008 6:09 utc | 38

annie @ 37
I miss fauxreal too annie. Hope all is ok – any news?

Posted by: Hamburger | Jan 2 2008 13:37 utc | 40

Happy new year to all… sorry I have been away over the holidays without reliable access to internet and have therefore missed your insights on many momentous developments. I’m back online now and just wanted to chime in belatedly and wish Bernhard and all who post and read here a happy new year. Here’s hoping that it will be less awash with grim news and pain than the last.
Yours in solidarity and peace,
Bea

Posted by: Bea | Jan 3 2008 16:53 utc | 42

merci fauxreal for giving news of your presence

Posted by: remembereringgiap | Jan 4 2008 18:47 utc | 44