As JC wishes and also me, I once again request Marlon and Viviana to speak up on the "say NO to crack" thing.
Thanks JC for telling me about cardinal rules in journalism. If you really care to know the current trend in journalism, let me tell you that gossip available through social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and My Space have become the diet of newspapers and magazines. Follow the recent stories. Stories are stories and sometimes they are told without consulting the person. When a reporter covers a convention or a conference, he does not go to the person to check the stories. There is no point in defending those who felt the convention was their family affair. A once saw your great friend in the front pews of the St. Francis Xavier's Church, in Missisauga, even when he has proclaimed to the world that he is an atheist. If I haven't slammed your friend for his hypocrisy earlier on this forum it is only because I didn't want it to make it personal. I mention it now to show that you should separate your friends into groups into those who are hypocrites and those who are not. I also wish that Miquel answers some of my questions. Sebastian Borges has said on this forum that those who do not know some things about an issue or subject should ask. I did the same though in an very indirect manner. We have on this forum Tomazinho Cardozo and Fr. Pratap Naik and I would be happy to hear from them. Miguel mentioned the late Fr. Freddy da Costa. On his visit to Canada, I and Fr. Freddy had a long talk on the Konknni movement and the state of affairs regarding Konknni journalism. I also met him a couple of months before his untimely death at his parish in Siridao where he hosted me for lunch. If I must tell you, I raised the question of Fr. Freddy have his "own" printing press with some elder priests. Their faces fell when I discussed the issue of a priest indulging in private business. Since the New Age Press in Verna, which I have visited, is in the hands of Pilar fathers, this chapter seems to have come to a close. I am not sure who are responsible in giving the press to the Pilar society. Fr. Freddy's brother, Fausto, should be able to explain. During my visit to Goa after the Konknni agitation, I also enquired with the forefront leaders what happened with the funds, collected in lakhs, mostly from diaspora Goans. I believe Kuwaiti Goans topped the list of donars. Similarly, Kuwaiti Goans gave lot of money to launch Gulab and also the Konknni daily, Novem Goem (don't remember if that's the correct name) that was bron out of the agitation. I heard stories that lot of the money collected for the agitation was unaccounted for. Once again I ask those who were involved closely in the movement to throw further light on this issue. Perhaps Tomazinho Cardozo or Sebastian Borges can share their thoughts on this issue. Lot of journalists now look at Twitter and Facebook to look for story ideas. As many of you will know, the Arab Spring, particularlfy the Egyptian revolution is said to be the Facebook or the Twitter revolution, and these social networking sites are the new engines of journalism. I could go on this subject at length, giving concrete examples of how these sites have been exploited, particularly by American and UK media outlets. Will Goa-based journalists take the hint and pursue the Floriano Vaz case? I doubt if OHeraldo will touch it because of its pro-Konknni support. Fred writes his Devil's Advocate column, but I have just played the Devil's Advocate role in the hope that we will learn more on Floriano Vaz issue and also review the Konknni agitation. I am shocked to hear Miquel say, though he used the word 'perhaps', that if not for Floriano's death Goa would not have attained statehood. Is this not "irresponsible" journalism, my dear? If some of the people hurt in the police raid on Baba Ramdev's fast at the Ramlila ground die would they be consider as "martyrs" in the cause of "democracy"? I read that the new book on the Opinion Poll, The Triumph of Secularism, came out because of the support of the Salgaocars. I haven't read the book and I am awaiting my copy. But I have mentioned on this forum that the title of the book is confusing. I believe I also read that the book is dedicated to the memory of the late VM Salgoacar who is said to have first proposed the idea of having the Opinion Poll. Those who have read the book can tell me if the book says what I mentioned. Let me pause now. Eugene Correia