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If you receive this more than once, please bear with me. I am understaffed and underpaid, that’s why. *New: Goanspirit: September 30- October 6, 2013* September 30-October 6, 2013 *The Battle for Goa’s Blue Bay* Mormugao’s Chicalim bay has always been in the crosshairs of men who will break the law, all laws for that matter, in order to become richer or worse realize a dream (read as in a millionaire’s plaything) like a marina for instance. As always it is perpetrated in the name of development, a word that has become so sacrosanct even in its misuse, that even opposition to the worst kind of environmental degradation is viewed as negativity by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and lobbyists of the hospitality industry. To the extent he recently accused Goans of being “negative” in their approach to his version of development. Read Full Story: http://www.goanspirit.com/index.php/lead/387-the-battle-for-goa-s-blue-bay *Introducing new column: Footprint India* The Market Research Reports, Inc. (the world’s leading source for market research reports and market data) “Travel and Tourism in India to 2017” research says -“Compared to the rest of the country, Goa’s cabbies are a law unto themselves, their rates in the extreme, and they even refuse to help with the luggage.” ….This language specific ad campaign in a clutter-free environment with high recall is what the Goa Tourism Development Corporation should be doing. Instead, Goa’s ministers and officials of the Tourism Department go on their annual pilgrimages selling the same old oversold attractions Goa offers which if Assocham’s figures are correct is definitely not working for the State. Except of course, to add to the tourism revenue of the countries they tour. Goa really must stop the oversell and move on to more aggressive methods which do not revolve around the pleasure of going on foreign junkets by a chosen few. Read Full Story: http://www.goanspirit.com/index.php/footprint-india/391-is-goa-lagging-behind September 30 – October 6, 2013 *An Organic Choice* A visit to the nearly 290-year-old sprawling house of Rui Araujo and his brothers in Chicalim is a lesson in shedding stereotypes. Here is a simple man, with none of the snobbish airs of those who peddle today’s health food fad, who has been growing organic rice for the last four years and is still taking baby steps, but is not shouting from the rooftops about it. One can even say he is taking faltering steps because he’s yet to come up with a foolproof idea to keep pests at bay, but he has made his lifestyle choice for good. Read Full Story: http://www.goanspirit.com/index.php/travel/390-an-organic-choice *The Week That Was* September 30 – October 6, 2013 *Floor crossing alert* Goa Vikas Party (GVP) chief Francisco ‘Mickky’ Pacheco said after the ‘Goans For Dabolim Only’ rally in May, 2013, “I have been fighting both inside and outside the Assembly against Mopa. I have promised Fr. Eremito (Rebello) my full support to oppose the airport at Mopa. I am of the firm opinion that Goa does not require two airports.” But, now, on the verge of catapulting back (he hinted that he would join at a recent press conference) to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) – which has a handful of followers in Goa, which is why its wooing Mickky back into the fold – it will be interesting what he will say. Read Full Story: http://www.goanspirit.com/index.php/contact-us/letters/111-the-week-that-was/388-floor-crossing-alert September 30 – October 6, 2013 *Mani honey* Churchill met Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on a flight from Tiruchy to Chennai and lobbied with him to hasten the disqualification against the Benaulim legislator Caetan Silva. The official reason is Aiyar sent the letter care of the Benaulim legislator at his house because he did not know Churchill’s address! Churchill may have been punished by the people in the assembly elections, but there’s no one who does not know him in Goa, let alone Benaulim. And a letter that simply says “Churchill Alemao” in Goa, not to mention Benaulim, would have got to him. Besides, Aiyar is a very bright man, so surely he would have known sending a copy of the letter to Caitu was a blunder. Read Full Story: http://www.goanspirit.com/index.php/bits-bytes/389-mani-honey Lionel Messias Editor, *Goan Spirit*, *Goa's Spirited Online Weekly Magazine.* ** Website:www.goanspirit.com Worked for the best: Goa Today, Gomantak Times, Herald, Mid-Day, The Pioneer, Indian Express (Bangalore), Economic Times (Chennai, Hyderabad), Newstime (Hyderabad), Gulf News (Hyderabad) 125-E, Bellem, Velsao, P.O. Cansaulim, Goa 403712 Tel: 0832-2884484 Mob:9822152164