Friends,

Tonight, I have a few unique minutes when I can address each and every one of you.

The outgoing year was not the easiest in our country’s life. Above all, I want to thank you for bearing up together. Together we have got through the difficulties, and we can therefore start moving forward to build a strong and modern country with a stable smart economy. We will do everything possible to make the lives of each of us safer and more comfortable.

This coming year will see us mark the 65th anniversary of Victory. It is our common duty to look after those who fought for our freedom. We need to be worthy of the victory they won. We still have much work ahead. The New Year is a new opportunity and we must not let it slip. The success of our undertakings depends on each of us, on what each of us does for our families, for our country.

New Year is our cherished family holiday. Today, we are all thinking of our loved ones, our parents, who we wish good health. We think of our children. We love you and we place our hopes in you. We want you to succeed in all your endeavours and we want you to be happy.

Dear friends,

The New Year is just around the corner now. Only a few moments remain. It is time to make our New Year’s wishes. May your biggest dreams come true, and may you always have your loved ones close by. I hope that all will go well.

I wish you all happiness.

Happy New Year 2010!

Windows to Russia!
comments always welcome.

PS: The New Year’s Eve this year will also see a rare blue moon – a second full moon in a month. The next will be in 2028. Now that is a cool ending to a great year!

Russia is smiling all the way to the bank on this situation. Lithuania is going to almost be totally dependent on Russia for their electrical needs. Can Lithuania afford the electricity bill?

Lithuania is to shut down its one and only nuclear power station in Visaginas on 31 December. One hour before midnight, staff at the Ignalina plant will flick the switches, shutting down the only nuclear reactor in the Baltic states. The closure of the Soviet-era plant was a condition of Lithuania’s membership of the European Union.

This nuclear power plant supplies 80% of Lithuania’s power needs. With the plant turned off, Russia has to take up the energy slack and it will skyrocket the cost for Lithuania. Is the EU going to help pay the electricity bill?

A celestial body named Aphophis – asteroid 2004 MN4 – is considered the greatest space danger for Earth. In 2029 it will pass within 30 thousand kilometers of Earth, closer than some orbital satellites. The greater danger, though, is to be expected in 2036 when the next encounter with Earth by the asteroid is planned – the trajectory of the celestial body is expected to change so that the collision is quite likely, the head of Federal Space Agency, Anatoly Perminov, said in an interview with the Voice of Russia radio. He mentioned the data comes from research by an unnamed scientist claiming the accident is almost inevitable. (Link)

Now I have been reading that NASA rolled their eyes at the news when Russia pronounced it the other day. But in 2004 NASA had a different view and admitted that there could be serious issues. (I remember)

On the news today in Russia: Putin once again fails to heed the “doom sayers” of Russia and he has released news that starts the New Years off right…

“Russia’s population statistics are rising for the first time since 1995.”, says Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Mr Putin also said, “That for the past five years the number of deaths had declined, while births had risen.”

Putin also said, “Statistics would be released shortly would show life-expectancy has almost reached the age of 69.”

Health Minister Tatyana Golikova chimed in and said, The first month of population growth in 15 years came in August this year, when the birth rate increased by 1,000.

So – no matter what the “doom sayers” say and how the “we hate Russia groups” tell it. It looks like their wishes that all Russians would just fade away, are not going to happen. I have laughed my head off at the “extent and detail” of news articles and blogs – telling of how the Russian population decline, will be the end of Russia!

You see I live in Russia and travel Russia on a regular bases. The playground at our flats are full of children and when you travel through many small / medium Russian villages it is not the animals that you have to watch out for! It is the children on bikes playing…

I had a rough time believing that Russia was doomed to eternity of negative population growth. There are just too many baby carriages that I have to dodge while walking everyday!

Putin is just saving all the good news for the end of the year. Smart thing to do…

Windows to Russia!
comments always welcome.