Dear Goanet readers, Just like Casper the friendly ghost, we have Goanet our electronic Goan spider whose web reaches our community all over planet Earth weaving its web full of e-information and giving all age groups and occupations the opportunity to keep in touch and debate freely. In addition, sharing information long before social media sites like Facebook came on the scene (Facebook is an ideal picking ground by employers).
Unlike the spider, though, instead of this web seeking prey, it is human and has its very own lane on the superhighway that at times picks up litter in the form of misinformation that unless one is in the know and alert, readers tend to take information as gospel when they read it. One such example many moons ago was when I read that the President of California was visiting Goa. I was so excited for a moment I thought of a motorcade driving down18 June Road on its way to Campal as part of restoring the peace between America and India. My dream was shattered when our BBC Radio in the United Kingdom announced that Arnold Schwarzenegger was standing to be Elected Governor Of California bankrupt at the time. The correct news item posted on goanet should have read: the President of the local GOA in California was visiting Goa. The youth from this same organisation are planning to visit Goa in December this year and I wish them a pleasant stay taking back with them many happy memories. There has been discussion at some length about farming and I would like to add that as a young fella I used to go with my cousins just after sunrise to the fields. There were seasons when we planted and harvested vegetables. Other seasons when we watered tender coconut trees manually drawing water from the village well. It was backbreaking but I also found it enjoyable and body building. I remember carrying bales of hay on my back for our water buffalo who supplied us with milk and tilled the soil. Food, etc was stored according to season and everybody was happy. All visitors to Goa today may wish to call on Goa Chitra and witness our Goan past in its full glory where nearly all farming tools are on display, the blue print of the agricultural machinery you see around the world today. Goa Chitra is on St John the Baptist Church Road, (near Banaulim) Salcete, Goa, 403716 www.goachitra.com. Allow at least half a day for your visit. The museum is run by volunteers and I am sure any donations would be welcome as they strive to preserve Goa's farming heritage. After all, it is our farmers, fishermen and cooks that keep us alive. The Goanet web should not become a victim of its own success where a blizzard of information is brought to us at the speed of light as we have the opportunity of freedom of speech and debate. The web sometimes does snare insects full of misinformation who in time turn out into beautiful butterflies only to be gobbled up by the "sapphire turning into diamond" eyed chameleons lurking in nearby branches. Melvyn Fernandes Thornton Heath, Surrey, United Kingdom 10 May 2012 melvynfernan...@virginmedia.com