Re: [Goanet]No apology required from Santosh

2005-04-09 Thread Mervyn Lobo
Cecil Pinto [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 Santosh, you need never apologise to me. Even if you
 spell apologise the American way with a 'z'.



Cecil,
Spelling is always important.
This week I had a posting rejected with the 
instructions to run a spell check on the posting.

Then the re-posting, with the one corrected spelling,
was rejected because the posting would be funny only
to some...


Mervyn2.0


__ 
Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca



[Goanet]Re: Parrikar, others mourn Pope's death

2005-04-09 Thread Frederick Noronha (FN)
Did the Pope apologise for the Inquisition as Parrikar claims?
Mr Parrikar stated that Pope John Paul II was truly
pragmatic and understood the changing scenario of
the world. Recognising the deep anguish caused by the
misadventure of inquisition, he further mentioned
that he had the grace to apologise for the same and apply
a soothing balm on festering wounds.
It doesn't seem to be the case. See the list below. The ex-CM (or his 
advisors) seems to have got his facts wrong.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Paul_II#Apologies
Apologies:
* On October 31, 1992, he apologised for the persecution of the Italian 
philosopher Galileo Galilei in the trial by the Roman Catholic Church in 
1633.

* On August 9, 1993, he apologised for Catholic involvement with the 
African slave trade.

* In May, 1995, in the Czech Republic, he begged forgiveness for the 
Church's role in stake burnings and the religious wars that followed the 
Protestant Reformation.

* On July 10, 1995, he released a letter to every woman to apologise 
for the Church's stance against women's rights and for the historical 
denigration of women.

* On March 16, 1998 he apologised for the inactivity and silence of 
Roman Catholics during the Holocaust.

* On December 18, 1999, he apologised for the execution of Jan Hus in 
1415.

* During a public Mass of Pardons on March 12, 2000, he asked 
forgiveness for the sins of Catholics throughout the ages for violating 
the rights of ethnic groups and peoples, and shown contempt for their 
cultures and religious traditions.

* On May 4, 2001, he apologised to the Patriarch of Constantinople for 
the sins of the Crusader conquest of Constantinople in 1204.

*  On November 22, 2001, he apologised, via the Internet, for 
missionary abuses in the past against indigenous peoples of the South 
Pacific.

FN
   _
 _/ \Frederick Noronha * Freelance Journalist * Goa
 \   __\/\   India T +91.832.2409490 M +919822 122436
  |  | |   |  \  http://fn.swiki.net http://goabooks.swiki.net
  |__| |___|  /  http://www.bytesforall.net http://www.bytesforall.org
\/   -
  Sign up for low-volume, high-quality news summaries and updates from
  Goa at http://newsfromgoa.swiki.net * It's free and volunteer-driven.


[Goanet]Goanet News Bytes * Apr 9, 2005 * Goa's local) new year, spring

2005-04-09 Thread Goanet News Service
ii[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

G o a n e t - N e w s   B y t e s  APRIL 9, 2005   DATELINE: GOA
   Gudi Padwa, Hindu New Year Day
       
||g |||o |||a |||n |||e |||t ||   Issue compiled by
||__|||__|||__|||__|||__|||__||   Frederick Noronha
|/__\|/__\|/__\|/__\|/__\|/__\|   [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Copyleft Goanet 2005 Creative Commons http://www.creativecommons.org 
You may reproduce this ezine in its entirety, with credits retained.

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

WHAT'S IN TODAY'S ISSUE: Tributes to the Pope recalls his Konkani sentences.
Cuncolim's controversial housing. World Bank fuels sanitation risks.
Obituaries, sports... and a mango shrikhand recipe. 

o TRIBUTES IN GOA TO POPE marked by reminiscences of the papal visit
  in 1986. He had then said in Konkani: Mogachea bhava bhoinino,
  mhaka hea tumchea mankulea Goeant eun he misache bhettent vanto
  gheunk khup khushalkai bogta. (My dear brothers and sisters, I am
  delighted to come to your tiny Goa to participate in this
  Eucharistic Celebration.) (H)
  
o CONTROVERSIAL CUNCOLIM HOUSING SCHEME hangs in balance, due
  to the change of political guard two months ago. Journalist
  Guilherme Almeida reports that a visit to the housing colony
  site at Panzorconne reveals the development of around 40-odd
  plots. But Housing Board officials say things have come to
  a virtual standstill over the last two months. After the fall
  of the Parrikar-led government, the Congress vowed to scrap
  the housing project as demanded by the local populace. 
  Villagers want their age-old football ground to be retained.
  They also don't want their backyard turned into another
  Davorlim or Gogol -- housing colonies swamped by outsiders.(H)

o WORLD BANK-AIDED PROGRAMME, the Water and Sanitation Programme
  South Asia (WSP-SA) has warned Goa of high health risks
  arising out of ground water contamination due to improper
  sanitation facilities. (H)

o FORMER CM MANOHAR PARRIKAR accused his former second-in-command
  Digambar Kamat of quitting the BJP  for monetary considerations.
  He was addressing Margao goldsmiths as part of his interactions
  with various groups on Thursday evening, in the run-up to the
  bye-elections. (H)

o Ex-CEO of the Goa Khadi and Village Industries Board J B Singh
  deposes in disqualification case against Siolim MLA Dayanand Mandrekar.(H)
o Convention of senior citizens on Apr 17. There are over 119,000 senior
  citizens in Goa, according to Akbar A Mavany of the Senior Citizens Forum.
o Narvekar envisages Porvorim as an independent town. (H)
o Gram sabha at Sant Estevam on April 10 at 10 am. (H)
o Mormugao Sunni Muslims Federation to hold meet on May 8, 2005 at 10 am
  at Flat 210, Neogi Mansion, Vasco da Gama.
o Anjuna-Caisua village panchayat to hold gram sabha (village council
  meet on April 17 at 10 am to discuss garbage disposal, application of
  comunidade land for garbage dumping, garbage tax, etc. 
o Indian Catholic Press Association (ICPA) holds its 11th National
  Convention of Christian Journalists on April 10 at 9 am at Pilar.
o Goa government is undertaking work of demarcating private forests in
  the Mapusa municipal limits. 
o Mackies' Saturday night bazaar, today at 6 pm. Near Baga River, Arpora.
o Pulse polio immunisation campaign on April 10, 2005. For every child
  below the age of five years. 
o At Martins Corner, tonight, Goa's best musicians -- Fortes Trio with
  Lulu. Emiliano de Cruz (violin, mandolin), Oscar (rhythm), James (drums),
  Ignatius and Franky (keyboards), Gutho (harmonica).
o Mapusa Clinic, near St Britto's at Mapusa, opens its Spandan intensive
  cardiac care unit and Antarang radio-diagnosis unit, open 24 hours.
o Prime property in Anjuna 13850 sq mts with hotel/commercial complex
  and swimming pool with landscaping is being auctioned by the MUCBank.
  Upset price Rs 3.25 crore. (Rs 32.5 million).
o Paulo's starts a new Goa-to-Surat bus service. (GT)
o Chorao sarpanch, deputy sarpanch join Congress. (GT)
o The US$ 262.5 million 'The World' has called at Mormugao port. (GT)
o New shop for new-born baby products: Fatima Baby World, Behind
  Grace Church, Margao. 


  Magicians from Goa to hold a one-day meet-cum-get-together at
  Bambolim Beach Resort on April 10. Main guest will be visiting
  magician from England, Jerry Sandier. Contact Magician Dandrake on
  9326 110245 or [EMAIL PROTECTED]

  REMEDIOS SIMAO DIAS from Sant Inez, Panjim, neither needs a
  trumpet nor a bugle. A plastic pipe is enough for him to create
  music played by a military brass-band and the renditions are 

[Goanet]Kuvem ruk near Salcete Churches / Chapels

2005-04-09 Thread Teotonio R. de Souza
I wish to invite Goanetters to consult the following link:  

 http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/1503/news.html

wherein Themistocles D'Silva provides us an interesting bit of information.
Could we know more about it from the informed Goanetters. Perhaps Miguel
Bragança or Nandakumar Kamat could enlighten us further.



Teotonio R. de Souza

 




[Goanet]Going great guns at 90 / Dr. Renato Gracias/Mirdegan Morteza/Fr. Joseph Neuner SJ

2005-04-09 Thread Goa's Pridewww.goa-world.com
Going great guns at 90

Age is just a number for these young at heart 
nonagenarians.express news service

An active life, a go-getter’s attitude and eternally
young characterises Pune’s nonagenarians. Even at
their ripe old age, these citizens live a full life.
They share their reminiscences and their secret to a
healthy life.
 
Dr. Renato Gracias, 93, a general practitioner and
microbiologist, served as a health officer in the Pune
Camp from 1942-1952. Thereafter, he served as a health
officer in the Pune Municipal Corporation for almost 
served for two decades. Former president of Poona Goan
Institute he started the Poona Goan Cultural Group
there during his 26 year tenure, to promote the folk
music and Goan dancing. He sets Camp rocking with the 
annual Goan Carnival at the PGI. 

TREASURED MOMENTS: “Camp, the hub of military
personnel, as clean and marked by a disciplined
lifestyle. There were colossal bungalows, mostly 
owned by the Parsees, with separate servant quarters
and landscaped gardens. I recall, during the rounds I
would take during a health drive, if any foodstuff
stall had flies, a notice of closure would be directly

issued after a few warnings,’’ laughs Gracias. 

A FULL DAY: Post-retirement, Gracias had penned his
memoirs and letters to his children, which were
released by his children and grand-children 
at his 60th wedding anniversary in 2002. ‘‘These days,
with my children and grand children have settled in
Canada and Portugal, I spend time talking to them on
telephone and penning letters. “My day begins at 7 and

I make tea and breakfast myself. This is followed by
afternoon lunch with my wife, Prudence. On occasion,
we host a dinner for our close friends with a glass of
wine and Goan food, “he adds. 

LONGEVITY LINES: Like the good-natured doctor he is,
Gracias believes that his longevity is due to a
balanced diet. “I eat healthy food in a moderate
quantity. Longevity is in my genes. My father lived to
be 93 and my mother 100!” 

WISHES: To experience a peaceful passing away. 
Mirdegan Morteza, 90 The oldest baker and confectioner
in Camp, Mirdegan Morteza can still be seen at his
Husseny Bakery, supervising the baking of breads,
cakes, toasts and kharis. Born in the family of
farmers in Iran, he migrated to Pune along with his
uncle when he was only 11. Like many Iranis, he set up
the bakery against odds. 

TREASURED TIMES: “My most memorable times were when I
went cycling up and down to Khadki from Taboot Street
to deliver 60 bagful of bakery items to Ammunition
Factory and Supply Depot. My day would begin 5.30 am 
and I would start baking right from burning the coals
and heating the ovens,” he muses. 

A FULL DAY: For decades, Morteza’s routine has
remained constant. He wakes up at dawn, recites from
the Holy Book and goes for a four-kilometer walk to
Race Course and back to the Bakery. On his return, he 
oversees the entire work, before walking back to his
residence for his breakfast. Again, before going off
to bed, he ensures to take the last round of
supervision. “I prepare my own cup of tea and eat with
toast along with my wife. At the bakery if our manager
is on leave, I stand at the counter serving the
customers. Lunch is chicken soup with brun, 
vegetables and salad. In between the meals, I drink a
lot of fruit juices. Dinner is normally again a soup
with brun.” 

LONGEVITY LINES: “Long life is in my genes. My mother
passed away when she was 90 years old, while my father
passed away at a ripe old age of 103. My elder sister
is 95,” he says. 

WISHES: To globetrot across the globe and feel the
mystic beauty of life. 


Father Joseph Neuner, SJ, 96 Fr Neuner is a renowned
theology professor teaching at different theological
institutes. Through his long life he has witnessed
landmark events such as the two World Wars, the rise
of Nazism and communism and the rise and fall of the
Soviet Union. Fr Neuner came to India and Pune due to
an accident of fate - two others who had been
appointed to be sent to Pune were not able to get the 
certificate of tropical fitness while Fr Neuner was
able to do so. Neuner has written several books. 

TREASURED TIMES: “Working in the service of Church
life in India has always being my mission. I treasured
the moments when I shared my insights on theology with
the priests and parishes. I have been lucky to have 
been in close association with Mother Teresa and a
committee member when preparatory steps had been taken
in the process of beatification. Not only that, I was
in close contact with Mother Anna Huberta in setting 
up the Helpers of Mary, a diocesan congregation of the
Archbishop of Bombay, “ muses Fr Neuner. 

A FULL DAY: Ask him what is his way of life today and
he smiles. “By God’s grace, I do not suffer from any
ailments. I spend time meeting with people who come to
seek my spiritual guidance. I read books on the 
Church life from across the globe. I also write
forewords and prefaces for books penned by theology
scholars as well as 

[Goanet]Re: No apology required from Santosh

2005-04-09 Thread Santosh Helekar
--- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

On a related matter: Private messages are meant to be private.


Dear Victorbab,

Thanks for speaking your mind, and expressing your displeasure with my 
behavior. I hope you will not mind if I take this as a public reprimand from 
you. I am sorry for revealing the fact that you had communicated with me in 
private. It will not happen again.

Cheers,

Santosh



[Goanet]Salmona Spring: Open Update To Governor Of Goa - 2.

2005-04-09 Thread muriel mario
Saturday, 9 April 2005.

To,
The Governor of Goa,
Panaji.  Goa.

Your Excellency,

We waited the whole day today for some action from you, the Chief Secretary, 
Secretary/Under Secretary of Panchayats, Director of Panchayats, Mamlatdar, 
BDO...but none came.

We are getting the same old news: everyone is concerned; all the different 
Heads Of Departments are having meetings; everyone is consulting the Law 
Secretary or the Legal Department to ensure that they are covered; everyone 
suddenly wants to follow the letter of the law, completely forgetting the 
spirit of the law.

All this while the Salmona Spring area, the conservation zone, the natural 
bird sanctuary and its biodiversity are up in flames.  While Salmona burns, 
your bureaucracy is researching procedures to find out if it is legal enough 
to rush in the Fire Brigade!

Your excellency, the fire first needs to be extinguished!  The rest can wait...

The construction going on in this tiny, fragile eco-system called the Salmona 
Spring needs to be stopped NOW.  This is going on from the 15 March 2005, for 
the last 25 days.  On 3 different occasions in the last 3 weeks, you have met 
delegations comprising of villagers of Saligao, local and state NGOs.  Every 
time you express deep anguish at the destruction of the Salmona Spring and 
great appreciation for the commitment of those involved in the struggle.

But till today, the construction is on, each day with increased fury.  We need 
action on site, Your Excellency!

WE NEED AT LEAST A TEMPORARY INJUNCTION ON THE CONSTRUCTION.

Your departments know the steps:
First stop the work temporarily.  
Second, investigate.  
Third, revoke the licence and simultaneously...finish acquisition 
applying the Urgency Clause (17/4) of the Land Acquisition Act.

It is so simple...even to us common, unsophisticated, village folk. 

And you have the powers to do it - a simple Executive Order from you to 
temporarily stop the work, pending the enquiry or the acquisition - whichever 
finishes earlier.

Give us action on site for a change, Your Excellency.  We know you have the 
powers to do it.  Even on a Sunday!

The pulse of Saligao on this sensitive issue is available 
at:  http://salmonafountain.swiki.net and on the archives of Saligaonet.

We hope you will keep your word - given to us 3 times - and act before it is 
too late.

Thank you.

Muriel  Mario.
--

muriel  mario,
4/4 tabravaddo, 
opp. st. anne's chapel, saligao.  
bardez.  goa.  403511.
tel: 0832-278276 / 240
[EMAIL PROTECTED]




[Goanet]Ivan Cardinal Dias....Will he be the next Pope ???

2005-04-09 Thread Elvin Godinho
Hopes and prays for a pope from Bandra
By: Kanika Parab
 April 9, 2005


Ivan Cardinal Dias
With speculation rife over who's going to be the next pope, it comes as no
surprise that Bandraiites are also caught up in the guessing game.

Especially since Ivan Cardinal Dias, who was born and brought up in St
Sebastian Society, has many friends and teachers from his schooldays and
other well-wishers rooting for him to become the next pope.

A true Bandraiite, the cardinal was baptised at Mt Carmel Church and also
received his first Holy Communion and sacrament of confirmation here. He
lived with his parents and three brothers in a cottage in Bandra and
attended school at St Stanislaus, Hill Road.

One person who has known the cardinal right since his school days is
Clarence Gomes, resident of Bazaar Road. Although Cardinal Dias was senior
to Gomes, he remembers him clearly.

Says Gomes, ''As a young boy in school, he was very outgoing and eloquent.
He was also very interested in sports, especially hockey. All of us
Stanislaus students are very proud that the cardinal is a contender for the
papacy and we are all praying for his victory.''

He adds, ''I have also been in touch with the cardinal for the last 10
years, ever since he got posted in Mumbai. I am also the vice-president of
the St Stanislaus Ex-students Association so I meet him at a lot of the
association's functions. It feels great that the pope might actually be from
Bandra!''

Besides the people from the cardinal's schooldays, there are others who have
been in constant touch with him and are all very proud of him. Father Larry
Pereira, parish priest at Mt Carmel Church where Cardinal Dias was baptised,
has constantly been meeting him.

He says, ''Cardinal Dias's parents, Carlos and Maria Dias, are also buried
at the Mount Carmel cemetery. He often comes to visit his parent's graves
and also to visit the parish.''

He adds, ''Although we are very proud that someone who was from this parish
may become the pope, at the moment we cannot predict which cardinal will be
elected. It is all pure speculation.''
If my student becomes pope, I will be on top of the world

The cardinal's math and history teacher Master Willy D'souza, resident of
14th Road, is now 102 years old and remembers the cardinal as a young
respectful boy.

He says, ''I taught Ivan as well as his brothers at St Stanislaus and he was
a fine pupil. He was always very attentive, well-behaved and always had a
smiling face. If my student does happen to become the pope I will be on top
of the world.''

In fact, the cardinal is still in touch with his former teacher and visits
him often.

D'souza adds, ''Whenever Cardinal Dias visits Mt Carmel Church or is in the
area, he always makes it a point to visit me. He is very humble and I am
sure even if he becomes the pope, this humility will remain. I hope this
will happen.''

When I make mistakes in Portuguese he always corrects me

Also rooting for our 'Bandra Cardinal' is someone whose Portuguese is
constantly corrected by Cardinal Dias who speaks 16 languages fluently.
Singer Felix Flor, resident of St John's Street has always been organising
concerts for the Archdiocese.

''I know the cardinal very well for the last seven years. He strikes me as a
religious person and a very intelligent candidate to be pope. I sometimes
sing songs in Portuguese at these concerts and it isn't really my forte.
When I make mistakes, he always makes it a point to correct me and so he has
been vital in improving my Portuguese,'' he says with a laugh.

Flor is also of the opinion that having an Indian pope is a great thing that
can happen to the country. He says, ''We are praying that Cardinal Dias will
become pope.''

Besides friends and acquaintances, all Bandraiites have a soft spot for this
local contender and they are all hoping and praying for a 'Pope from Bandra'






[Goanet]Don't let secularism become a doctrine of hate

2005-04-09 Thread Carlos
Secular = Communal

SAGARIKA GHOSE   March 7, 2005

Let's glance at the recent secular events in the life of the Indian 
republic. Congress General Secretary Margaret Alva in Panaji, blithely 
ignoring the controversial sacking of the BJP government, declaring instead 
that it was about time Goa got a secular administration. Laloo Prasad Yadav, 
boiling out of his residence, defeated yet strangely excited, still thundering 
that it was time for all secular forces to form the government. Minister for 
Water Resources, Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi in Ranchi, smiling into the TV 
cameras, convinced that subverting the will of the Jharkhand voters was an act 
of supreme secularism. Ram Vilas Paswan, leader of the triumphant Lojappa 
(LJP), only the other day a minister in the NDA government, but now also 
determined to protect secularism by issuing warnings that he can only talk 
to the JD(U) if it severed all links with the BJP. And Shibu Soren, until 
recently a fugitive from the law, charged with murder and defeated in the 
polls, but now newly appointed chief minister of Jharkhand. He once flirted 
with the BJP but now even Shibu is a towering pillar of secularism.

In the centre of this weird even violent secularism sits Big Mama of 10 
Janpath. Cocooned by court poets still dreamily eulogising her 
supreme secular sacrifice. Advised by ageing secularists like Arjun Singh 
who can no longer win elections, who is isolated within his own party and who 
wears his defamation case against the RSS like a badge of honour. A whisper 
goes around the inner circles of the Congress Worshipping Committee: Madam 
really hates the BJP. And since Madam really hates the BJP, what better way to 
gain ascendancy in the royal household than by emerging as a warrior 
of secularism?

Never mind if this secularism is simply a synonym for bending the 
Constitution, indeed all norms of government-formation, to keeping the BJP out 
of government. Never mind if this secularism ends up by anointing Shahabuddin, 
the don of Siwan as an exemplar of Bharat Nirman. Never mind if this 
secularism is simply another word for hatred. Sonia Gandhi's visceral hatred 
of the BJP has communicated itself down the line to every garden governor and 
party worker and they are now using the word secularism to brazenly block 
the will of the voters. Jharkhand is the most perverse example of this hatred-
filled secularism. Even if it is accepted that some MLAs were intimidated, 9 
MLAs in an 81-member assembly do not give the Congress any mandate to stake 
any claim.

Hatred is not the stuff of democracy. A democrat disagrees. A democrat argues. 
A democrat does not hate. Above all, a democrat respects the Opposition. 
However wicked some of the sangh parivar's constituents may be, however 
backward-looking and socially conservative some of its ideologues certainly 
are, however uncivilised the parivar's language may be when it calls 
governors supari killers and prime ministers shikhandis, yet the BJP/ NDA 
is an equal partner in Indian democracy, it has as much right to exist as the 
Congress and as much right to the allegiance of the people.

A democrat cannot fail to realise that the '87 riots in Meerut, '89 in 
Bhagalpur or Mumbai riots in 1992-93 all took place under secular 
governments. A democrat will also realise that the 1984 Sikh riots were as 
heinous, as ghastly as the Gujarat riots of 2002, that many more were killed, 
many more children were orphaned and that a crucial difference between Gujarat 
and Delhi was that the former took place under the glare of 24-hour news 
television and TV images have (rightly) burned the very name Gujarat into a 
perennially monstrous memory. But having realised all this, a mature democrat 
would find it difficult to pass irrevocable judgement on who has a divine 
right to rule and who does not. All a democrat can do is respect the legacy 
of the idealists of the 1940s who placed, in the hands of every Indian, the 
power of democratic choice. If the majority of Biharis choose to throw Laloo 
out, in the name of the people of India, the leaders must bow. If the majority 
of Jharkhandis choose the NDA, then again, in the name of the people of India, 
the leaders must bow. If they don't, the short-term battle may be won, but the 
war for democracy will be lost.

What are the roots of the Congress's hatred of the BJP? Ever since the pre-
Independence period, the Congress has believed that the RSS as killers of the 
Mahatma represented the polar opposite of Nehruvian secular socialist 
nationalism. The secular versus communal divide has been a primary 
faultline since Independence and until 1975, anyone remotely connected with 
the sangh parivar was systematically (and snobbishly) kept out of the national 
mainstream, whether in politics, culture, academics, or the arts. 1975 and the 
imposition of Emergency first gave the Jana Sangh the opportunity to occupy a 
place within the larger Janata movement but the 

[Goanet]Re: Rid Mapusa of dustbins

2005-04-09 Thread Miguel Braganza
Dears,

For the last two days there is a gentle knock on the front door of my 
apartment. It is the man from one of the two NGOs commissioned by the Mapusa 
Municipal Council to collect the garbage. The seggregation at source has not 
begun as yet, but it is a great step forward. The dogfights at the municipal 
bin in front of our building have stopped.[ There is nothing for the dogs to 
fight over since the bin is empty.] There is a smile on the housemaid's face 
as she does not have to take the garbage away.

With an architect as the municipal chairman, the day may not be too far away 
when seggregated garbage collection will be done and the biodegradable waste 
converted into manure using vermicomposting or EM technology. There is a 
reason for hope.

- Original Message - 
From: Goa Desc [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 ---
 Plans afoot to rid Mapusa of dustbins
 
 In a bid to ultimately make Mapusa a dustbin-free city,
 the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) today started on a trial basis,
 a door-to-door garbage collection drive in 12 wards of Mapusa
 by engaging the services of two private agencies.

I am copying this to VU. the Vascokars can encourage the other MMC--Mormugao 
MC-- to do likewise. So can the Madgaonkars and others.

Viva Goa.
Miguel



[Goanet]New on TGF : Dung Chow Pong in Dona Paula?

2005-04-09 Thread jose colaco
COMING SOON on TGF : The bizarre Ribandar Ghuspott !, The Devadasi travesty, 
Arre Senhor Matanhy!

New of TGF April 9, 2005
Dung Chow Pong in Dona Paula?
excerpt:
From the Independent Goan Observer, we now learn that:
1. The National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) has been identified as the 
source of contamination of the water supply in Dona Paula.

2. The NIO has been continually adding new structures in its residential 
complex at Dona Paula but has done nothing to expand the septic tank which 
was built 30+ years ago when the NIO moved into Goa.

3. Twice in recent months, the sewage pipe was damaged but neither NIO did 
NOT bother to alert either the Public Works department or the Department of 
Public Health.

the full article at http://www.colaco.net
look in the NEW column
TGF
_
Don’t just search. Find. Check out the new MSN Search! 
http://search.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200636ave/direct/01/




Re: [Goanet]Online Konkani classes

2005-04-09 Thread lino dourado

--- Cecil wrote:

 After the grand success of our Cecil Pinto On-line
 English to Konkani  Translation Services we are now
planning Cecil Pinto On-line Konkani ClasseS:

Lino: 
WELCOME/SWAGAT/IEVKAR

 Cecil:
 Trans:
 Amchi Translation Service ietle successful zali kiami
chintlem kiteak ami  anik poishe korche nhui?

Lino:
FUDDEM VOCH, FATTLEAN POLLE NAKA.(business minded)

Cecil:
 Please note:
 Our rates for translation have been raised to Rs.
500/- for first 200 words  and Rs. 150/- for every
subsequent 100 words.

Lino:
DISCOUNT NA?

Cecil:
 Trans:
 Zotor tuka hem voilem sozmonam tor zorur tuka
amchigoroz. Ie bhitor. Tuji kat kaddun soddtam!

Lino:
KATICH KADD, DUSREA ZAGEAR HAT LAUNK MELLCHO NA

Cecil:
Our On-line Konkani Classes are only available to
those who don't know ANY Konkani. Even if you have a
little knowledge of Konkani we will not accept 
you as a student.

Lino:
KHOIMCHI LIPI(script)ROMAN vo DEVNAGRI? 

Cecil:
Trans:
 Hem tuka vacho ieta zalear tuka goroz na amchi
coursachi.

Lino:
GOANET VACHPI KUDD’DDE (blind) NANT

Cecil:
 The entire course is over 22 short lessons and at the
end of it we send you a Diploma as a JPG file which
you can print out yourself.

Lino:
COMPULSORY ONE LESSON ABOUT SEX

Cecil
 Trans:
 Azun kiteak vachtai re pokrea? Tuka sanglem ki vho
course tuka nhoi!

Lino:
HANV SOMZUNK NA, TEA KHATIR HANGASOR PAVLAM

Cecil
Below is a Section from  Lesson # 1:

ATAM MHOJEM LESSON # 2:

Common salutations and courtesies.
English / Konkani / NORTH Goan Konkani

Have a bite/jev/tum jevun ailo mista.
Give/ Di/Mhaka ditai go?

Feast/Porob/Aldonchea barai mhoineank
 
 Common Words
 
 English / Konkani / NORTH Goan Konkani

Sausages/chevrisam/Saxttichim? 

Bread/Pão/Majodd’decho

Liquor/soro/cajucho

Flowers/fullam/EXPRESSION 

Joi-Joi Konknni

Lino 

 



http://www.goa-world.net/poems

http://www.goa-world.net/poems/lino

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[Goanet]Misplaced Morality - Wendell Rodricks in Goa Today

2005-04-09 Thread Cecil Pinto
Stylespeak
By Wendell Rodricks
MISPLACED MORALITY
The nation is in a grip of voyeurism.  Thanks to a little known, hardly 
viewed television channel that should ideally be banned, by not only the 
film frat but the public at large.

It all began with the very public airing of a teenager who mobile 
recorded his sexual escapade a few months ago.  Why he did it has 
not  been properly questioned.  That he should have been exposed as a 
criminal was not even considered.  The girl however got her face and sexual 
antics on an international trade site.  The boy walked.. thanks 
to his underage status.

After that the Indian media was never the same.  Pandora's box was declared 
open.  Out flew, a few months later, a kiss.  Tongue tennis between two 
film stars made a hysterical front page appearance in a Mumbai afternoon 
tabloid.  From there, the rot spread to serious television chanels and 
respected magazines.

What is wrong with a kiss or for that matter a private sexual encounter 
between consenting adults ?  Is the state of Indian sex life so dull and 
boring that we want to see and know what happens in bedrooms ?  Are we 
becoming as depraved as Americanswho care so much about 
Presidential oral sex with all it's nauseating details ?  Is there no 
sanctity left for a very personal sexual act between adults.

Recently in Mapuca, the law raided two grown up individuals watching porn. 
Big deal !  Is watching porn for personal stimulation a matter of public 
consumption or outrage ?

What pornography is, is it self is a debatable issue.  Westerners at a time 
considered the carvings of Khajurao and the holy Shiva Lingam sexually 
explicit and offensive.  Forget foreigners, we Indians (and Goans) have 
regressed into an era between the dark ages and the prudish Victorian 
period.  How much is too much ?  In fashion, for some, it's a 
micro-mini.  Others demand that women's hair and ankles go under a 
veil.  It is obvious that it is all in the eye, and more importantly the 
mind, of the beholder.

Seen people react to the word homosexual ?  We immediately begin to 
imagine what they must be doing.  Who does what to whom ?  What do lesbians 
do in bed ?  Questions that are more a case of the minds of the people who 
imagine and are indulging in personal perversity.  Honestly, why should 
anyone begin to think about the sexual act when talking to or about 
people.  Do we imagine our parents, relatives, and friends in the act ??? 
No !!  So, why begin to think what dwell on it.  We tend to fantasize about 
it when we meet gays, lesbians, transgenders and eunuchs ? And then behave 
hypocritically shocked by it.  A case of moral perversity.

A sexual crime like pedophilia is another case altogether.  If I had it my 
way, I would go back to the dark ages to mete out punishment. Public 
flogging !  Castration !! Death !!!  Sick minds who abuse innocent children 
should be subjected to public humiliation and the death sentence.  Full stop !

Is voyeurism also a moral crime ?  Organised religions should speak out and 
make it a sin.  On one hand, people were going through a period of fasting 
and abrtiteance.  On the other, at news time, they were tuning to a 
television chanel to learn more about the infamous casting couch in 
Bollywood.  Perverts !!!

Infamous ?  Why does it always have to be film and fashion that get the 
brunt of the sexual morality stick ?  Because we are fearless and honest to 
admit it ?  Because the public feel that public figures should be holy, 
virtuous and a stop away from Sainthood ?  These are public people.  Stars, 
models, politicians, celebrities..they are in the public 
eye for reasons other than a bid for the papal chair.  Talking of which, I 
am sure the pope would make a lousy politician.  Why then, do the Americans 
expect Bill Clinton to be a saint ?  Mercifully, Indian politicians sexual 
lives are hidden.  I don't want to know about Kalam or Vajpaye or anyone. 
No ! No! N!!! I just don't want to know frivolous details that have 
nothing to do with professionalism and work oriented results.  It's another 
thing if public money is spent on mistresses and lovers.  But, if there is 
no abuse there,it's fine by me.  As was the case of the French 
public, who did not bat an eyelid when they learnt of President Mitterand's 
mistress.  They did raise a concern though that she was not abusing public 
offices and money.  In fact, when the wife and mistress (with their 
respective daughters) both turned up at the funeral, it was perfectly 
fine.  Mitterand even divided his estate between the wife, mistress and the 
two girls.  Way to go !!

Not so, here in India.  Everyone was agog and wanting more details about 
how a Bollywood villian tried to lure an innocent film aspirant into the 
casting couch.

Innocent ?  Who is innocent here ?  Shakti Kapoor or Miss Actress Aspirant 
?  First she hounds an out-of-work actor for weeks.  Then she 

Re: [Goanet]Correcting Goa's politics

2005-04-09 Thread Gabe Menezes
On 4/9/05, floriano [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 Looks like a Parrikar tootsie is at work here.
 
 It is a fact that Congress, NCP, UGDP, MGP have been and are 'SCREW-BALLS'
 But what you don't realise is that the BJP is 'CASTRATED BALLS'.
 
 And you call yourself a Goan?
 
 Floriano
 
 
 - Original Message -
 From: Cajetan Rego [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 To: goanet@goanet.org
 Sent: Friday, April 08, 2005 1:23 PM
 Subject: [Goanet]Correcting Goa's politics
 
 Just imagine the hell Goa will turn into
 if the Congress comes in power...
 ..
 A Goan

RESPONSE: For sure the writer is a Parrikar tootsie, as mentioned by
Floriano. Can't see Saffron and does not have the courage to post
their residency.

Agreed that the previous political parties were no better; do Goans
have just two choices, bad and worse? The BJP, if they return to power
in Goa, will in time disenfranchise the Catholic minority and it will
be too late and there will be sack cloth and gnashing of teeth. Goans
have already had a fore taste of this.

-- 
Cheers,

Gabe Menezes.
London, England



[Goanet]Not just about F-16's to India.

2005-04-09 Thread Gabe Menezes
http://specials.rediff.com/news/2005/apr/07kanch.htm

Not just about F-16s!

The clarification has come from none else than Condoleezza Rice during
her interaction with a group of editorial writers in American
newspapers at Washington, DC on Monday afternoon.

'All that's been asked for, so far, is a request for information on
can we supply, are we willing to bid. It's really even, are we willing
to bid on high-performance aircraft to India,' Ms Rice told Sarah
Penderson, a journalist with the Star-Telegram published from Fort
Worth, Texas, where Lockheed Martin Corp, which manufactures F-16
fighter jets, is located.

With F-16 sales dipping, workers at Lockheed Martin Corp are facing
layoff. The Bush administration's decision to supply F-16s to Pakistan
could save as many as 5,000 jobs.

Obviously, Ms Penderson was looking for some good news for her paper's
readers when she asked Ms Rice: 'Several thousands of my readers are
very interested when they hear talk about co-production of F-16s or of
fighter jets with India. Could you expand on that a little bit?'

Ms Rice: 'No. At this point, all we're talking about is tendering --
the Indians have asked for information about our high-performance
aircraft. What kinds of arrangements would be worked out for what
kinds of production, we're not there yet. So I would just say to your
readers all that's been asked for, so far, is a request for
information on can we supply, are we willing to bid. It's really even,
are we willing to bid on high-performance aircraft to India.'

Implicit in this comment is the assertion that the USA has not offered
F-16s or F-18s to India, but it is India that has sought product and
price details and these are being provided. Nothing more, nothing
less.

US tells India, drop dead

This is in sharp contrast to what has been claimed by some national
newspapers, on the basis of briefing of 'select journalists' by
unnamed sources in the State Department and a late night briefing in
New Delhi after President George Bush called up Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh on the evening of March 25 to convey his decision to
resume F-16 supplies to Pakistan.

It was claimed, as reported by the newspaper which declared to the
world on March 26 that 'US gives Pak F-16s, India gets F-16s plus
plus' 'The Bush administration has now taken a decision to permit its
companies to bid for the Indian Air Force contract on the acquisition
of 126 multi-role combat aircraft and give them licences for
manufacture and production in India.'

Compare that with what Ms Rice said on Monday: 'It's really even, are
we willing to bid on high-performance aircraft to India.'

Kanchan Gupta


-- 
Cheers,

Gabe Menezes.
London, England



[Goanet]IN GOA AND ABROAD

2005-04-09 Thread rene barreto


Friends !! 


Message: 2 

   Date: Sat, 09 Apr 2005 02:29:20 +0530 (IST)
   From: Frederick Noronha (FN) 
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

-
IN GOA AND ABROAD
-

o   CREATING A VILLAGE DIRECTORY: Rosaline of 
Sangolda writes, Yes it would be great if we could make such 
a list for our  village too.  These (alumni and local) website are 
indeed very beneficial.
00

I am glad to read : That Rosaline of Sangolda is keen in establishing 
a VILLAGE DIRECTORY , I agree with Rosaline  - I believe that 
 such a Village Director will really be beneficial to the Villagers 
 and also members of that Village who  are abroad. * Goans Abroad. *  

I am sure that such a project fits  in very well with our  
** St. Xaviers -  Partnership * - GOANET supported  PROJECT of 


an e-mail address for every Goan 



 I am sure that we will hear favourably from Rosaline - Positively !
   let's work TOGETHER  and move Forward ! 

I do hope that the example set by Rosaline .is followed by many 
other Villages in Goa and Goans abroad. 

Thank you all for your TIME .



rene barreto
www.goaday.com
=
WE NEED YOUR TIME , YOUR LOVE 
WE DO NOT NEED YOUR MONEY 
=





Re: [Goanet]Last word - it's up to you!

2005-04-09 Thread Mario Goveia
--- Cecil Pinto [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 If the 'main protagonists' decide to call it off
does that mean the rest of us are supposed to lie down
and die? You have irritated all of us here and 
continue to do so with your lame defense of this
whole dragged on debate.
 
 As far as adding nothing to the debate please go
through the archives and see my posting on the
'gullibility virus'. That should have given you an 
indication as to what my viewpoint was.

Mario replies:
OK, Cecil, if that's the way you feel, we can continue
this as long as you want.  BTW, your posts are as
irrelevent and insulting as the others I responded to,
and had little if anything to do with the discussion.
 
Cecil writes:
 Know ye all that Mario has attacked my viewpoint and
demanded explanations privately, semi-privately and in
public. I chose not to reply because I did not want to
be the target of his abusive pen. But now I have no
other recourse and if he chooses to turn his guns on
me I will try and make the effort to reply. On the
other hand... I don't want to bore you folks and so 
will just ignore his pricks.
 
Mario replies:
Goanetters should note that Cecil could have, by his
own admission, answered my questions privately,
thereby refraining from boring the rest of you. I
did not attack his viewpoint at all, just asked him
specific questions.  Instead, he has preferred to
continue to bore you. Apparently asking him
privately to be specific is to make him the target of
my abusive pen and to turn my guns on him.  His 
problem is that I have asked him to send me specific
examples of where I have STARTED an abusive line, as
opposed to retaliating to the abuse of others, which
he has failed to do, obviously because he cannot. 
Now, he is trying to claim the high road, while only
succeeding in digging a deeper hole.
 
Cecil writes:
 Agreed that others involved in the debate might have
sometimes crossed the line of civilised debate. I am
inclined to overlook their minor aberrations when I
see the larger picture of what they represent. They
have the community's best interests at heart, which
has been proven over continual interaction over the
years. Maybe you do too. But ever since you started 
posting you have brutally attacked anyone who
refutes your views and seem to take great pleasure in
being insulting.

Mario replies:
Goanetters will note that Cecil's indignation is not
objective, it is subjective and selective, depending
on whether he likes the person or not.  Apparently,
Cecil is wise enough to see the larger picture of
what someone represents, and is now a defender of
the community at large.  He is willing to overlook
what HIS friends write, for the greater good of the
community.  Yet, he cannot give me specific examples
of what he is talking about, after I have asked him
specific questions.

Cecil writes:
Perhaps if you took a less aggressive approach and
worked hand in hand with all of us you might change
this impression you have created. I am sure there is a
lot we can gain from your interaction but not if it
comes with a loaded pointed gun at the side.

Mario replies:
Anyone, including Cecil, who chooses to look up the
archives, and not respond based on his personal
friendships, would see that, when George Pinto exposed
the hoax, which he did literally within minutes, I
immediately acknowledged this and sent George's
message to all the people who had received the
original hoax.  Was this not working hand-in-hand with
George?

Yet, a couple of what turns out to be Cecil's cronies,
later joined by Cecil, continued for weeks to falsely
insist that I was defending the hoax and perpetuating
it. Then thanks to the comments of people like
Bevinda, Rebecca, Marlon and others, they stopped, but
Cecil has chosen to continue, while refusing to
acknowledge information I sent him privately or to
answer specific questions I asked him privately.

Cecil writes: 
 I hope that this is the last word I have to say on
this issue. I do not want to be remembered here as a
bore who dragged a debate on-and-on-and-on.

Mario replies:
Cecil, I think with your comments in the post I am
responding to here, you have achieved what you wanted
to avoid.  It is YOU who said, and I quote, If the
'main protagonists' decide to call it off does that
mean the rest of us are supposed to lie down and die?
 So, it IS YOU who has chosen to intervene in this
debate, IT IS YOU who has defiantly made the statement
I have just quoted.  So, it is UP TO YOU to decide
what you want to do next.  As always, I will respond
accordingly.


Cecil writes:
 Have a good weekend, Mario. I definitely will.
 
Mario  replies:
Why, thank you, Cecil, and the same to you.  I always
have good weekends, and weekdays as well.



[Goanet]WHAT WILL MATTER

2005-04-09 Thread Joe Vaz

WHAT WILL MATTER 
-Michael Josephson

Ready or not, some day it will all come to an
end. There will be no more sunrises, no minutes,
hours or days. All the things you collected,
whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to
someone else.

Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel
to irrelevance. It will not matter what you owned
or what you were owed.

Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and
jealousies will finally disappear. So too, your
hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will
expire. 

The wins and losses that once seemed so important
will fade away. It won’t matter where you came
from or what side of the tracks you lived on at
the end. It won’t matter whether you were
beautiful or brilliant. Even your gender and skin
color will be irrelevant. 

So what will matter? How will the value of your
days be measured? 

What will matter is not what you bought but what
you built, not what you got but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success but your
significance.

What will matter is not what you learned but what
you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity,
compassion, courage, or sacrifice that enriched,
empowered or encouraged others to emulate your
example. 

What will matter is not your competence but your
character.

What will matter is not how many people you knew,
but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re
gone. 

What will matter is not your memories but the
memories that live in those who loved you. 

What will matter is how long you will be
remembered, by whom and for what. Living a life
that matters doesn’t happen by accident. It’s not
a matter of circumstance but of choice. 

Choose to live a life that matters. 

--


Best wishes,

Joe Vaz




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[Goanet]MOVING MOMENTS

2005-04-09 Thread Joe Vaz


A TRIBUTE TO POPE JOHN PAUL II 


“Be Not Afraid!” - Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II passing away was deeply mourned
by multitudes across the globe; his funeral
ceremony was a sight to behold, as I watched it
on TV yesterday.  The atmosphere appeared serene
yet fill with innate joy as many joined in
pensive prayer that day.  Each moment was
movingly spectacular, with waves of spontaneous
applause by the people present at the funeral
chanting Santo! Santo! while some waving
banners reading Santo Subito — Sainthood Now.


It was a time for reflection on the life of the
Pope who stood for basic human rights and how he
touched our lives and the world at large.  It was
a day of eloquent testimony to the powerful
impact he had made on the world, touching
humanity across the globe — people of every race,
creed and color who came from all corners of the
world to pay their respects and bid farewell. 
Pope John Paul’s efforts were dramatically
evident at his funeral from more than 4 million
people representing a remarkable collection of
faiths that converged for a final farewell and
burial of Pope John Paul II. 

As leader of his flock, his life was a living
example leading in the footsteps of Christ,
assuring us to —“Be not afraid,” — and he strode
onto that platform with spiritual strength and
vigor even unto his dying day.  In his life, John
Paul reached out across traditional lines of
religious demarcation and captivated the world;
in his death he brought a moment of reflective
unity among world leaders, — as even rivals
(leaders) were seen shaking hands and exchanging
signs of peace.

Pope John Paul II was a truly remarkable man of
our time, who has uniquely touched the hearts of
millions across the spectrum, making a
significant difference in a world full of
suffering, intolerance and oppression he spent
his life combating.  The world will truly miss
him as an active engaging leader of spectacular
vision and stature. We thank God for the gift of
Pope John Paul II.


The Pope’s last words:

“I am happy. You should be too. Let us pray
together with joy”  —Pope John Paul II


We are happy that Pope John Paul II has joyfully
entered our Heavenly Father’s house. 

Let’s pray that the Good Lord grant him eternal
rest; may perpetual light shine upon him.

Amen.





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[Goanet]Re: Goenkar, Goeantle ani Goembhaile

2005-04-09 Thread Teotonio R. de Souza
 

I have heard a couple of  grey East African parrots uttering some Konknni
phrases in Goa! But our Goan dogs (domestic and stray ones) have not yet
succeeded in barking a single sound in Konknni. Do they bark at the Konknne
and non-Konknne alike? Which of these pets would be more Goan?  

 

http://www.lusotopie.sciencespobordeaux.fr/souzaT.pdf




[Goanet]Revolutionary Pope

2005-04-09 Thread A. Veronica Fernandes
Revolutionary Pope.
Finally, as expected, the Papacy of Pope John Paul II came to an end and in 
his death a gigantic and Himalayan personality of this planet bade adieu to 
all of us. His Papacy was linked with revolutionary ideas and challenging 
decisions of course for the good of the society as a whole and in particular 
of the weaker segments of humanity irrespective of their faith.  Soviet 
Russia a mighty atomic super power had one dirty habit of interfering 
militarily in the internal affairs of other sovereign countries. They 
did this in Hungary  Afghanistan.  Similarly, Breznhev had an ambition to 
send troops to Poland too and lord over it militarily.  The moment this news 
leaked to Vatican, Pope John Paul II issued a stern verbal warning to Soviet 
Russia saying “ if a single soldier of yours steps his foot on to my native 
land Poland, I will leave Vatican and go to my native land and defend it 
with all my might”.  This verbal warning was just enough for the mighty 
super power Soviet Russia to condescend and eat a humble pie.  Pope did not 
have atomic and hydrogen weapons but his moral authority and influence all 
over the world was enough to silence the atomic and hydrogen might of Soviet 
Russia.  Vatican is not a super power compared to Soviet Russia but in 
reality it proved to be the real super power and currently it is much 
powerful than the existing super power. This is the power of Papacy and 
Vatican.

During his first visit to India, he came to my native place Goa when Konkani 
language agitation was going on. Overwhelming agitationists were Catholics – 
Christians and overwhelming majority of Hindus were against this agitation, 
which was nothing but a just agitation for the just cause. In order to show 
his solidarity with the agitationists for their just cause and also to 
identify himself with the locals by speaking the local language which is 
Konkani and not Marathi as it was wrongly disclosed by the Marathi 
protagonists, the Pope by learning a few words in Konkani started the Holy 
Mass at Campal Ground in Konkani and gave a big booster for the Konkani 
language. This act of Pope was a big challenge to Marathivadis in Goa.  By 
this act the Pope proved to everyone that it is nothing but only and ONLY 
Konkani is the real language of real Goans though adopted Goans were 
clamouring for imposing Marathi on Goa.  During his second visit to India, 
the BJP and its followers tried their best to defame Papacy and Catholicism 
in particular and Christianity in general but here again the Pope challenged 
them all and in Delhi he made an open statement saying that “this millennium 
will be the millennium of evangelization”. As a amtter of fact Christianity 
is the only solution for the down trodden of India to gain access to human 
dignity which is destroyed beyond reparation by the religiously backed caste 
system.  For this reason the great Indian patriot Ambedkar revolted against 
Hinduism and along with him innumerable followers of his low caste embraced 
Buddhism. He would have embraced Christianity but he failed to recognize the 
true meaning of Christianity because he analysed only one side of 
Christianity, which was wrongly projected by the fake Christians.

Pope Paul while championing the cause of Christian doctrine also championed 
in true spirit of Christ’s teachings the causes of poor people all around 
the world, suppressed labour force and many more causes. He spoke against 
abortion because he gave highest priority for the human life. He desliked 
concubinage committed by married men against the marriage vow thereby 
cheating their legally wedded wives.  Infidelity is the curse a married 
couple can face. His interaction with people and leaders of other faiths was 
a great achievement of his Papacy.  His earlier predecessor Pope Paul VI 
when he came to India for Eucharistic Congress in Bombay also played the 
same type of role when he had a meeting with leaders of different religions. 
By interacting with other faiths and entering into the places of their 
worships he showed genuine brotherhood.  He never called people of other 
faiths as “kefirs” and infidels because nobody gave him that power to judge 
others. His power of forgiveness was immense as it was noticed in his 
meeting with the person who tried to kill him.  So also his great 
heartedness of owning faults of the excesses the Church had committed 
earlier as it was shown by his apologies. His love for this tiny country 
Kuwait was magnificent and it was during his Papacy that the diplomatic 
relations between Vatican and Kuwait got a booster.  When Saddam Hussain’s 
Iraq invaded Kuwait, he was grieved a lot and openly declared his opposition 
to this invasion.  When under the leadership of USA the war for the 
liberation of Kuwait started he gave his nod because he knew that justice 
for Kuwait would come only thru that war of liberation for Kuwait. 
Ironically, some of the very people and 

Re: [Goanet]Correcting Goa's politics

2005-04-09 Thread floriano
Looks like a Parrikar tootsie is at work here.

It is a fact that Congress, NCP, UGDP, MGP have been and are 'SCREW-BALLS'
But what you don't realise is that the BJP is 'CASTRATED BALLS'.

And you call yourself a Goan?

Floriano


- Original Message - 
From: Cajetan Rego [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: goanet@goanet.org
Sent: Friday, April 08, 2005 1:23 PM
Subject: [Goanet]Correcting Goa's politics

Just imagine the hell Goa will turn into
if the Congress comes in power...
..
A Goan





[Goanet]Last word - hopefully!

2005-04-09 Thread Cecil Pinto
Mario Goveia  wrote:
In response to your comments shown below, it is
amazing to me that you seem bent on continuing this
line of personal invective, in a discussion in which
you added nothing, and after the main protagonists
have stopped.
Cecil:
If the 'main protagonists' decide to call it off does that mean the rest of 
us are supposed to lie down and die? You have irritated all of us here and 
continue to do so with your lame defense of this whole dragged on debate.

As far as adding nothing to the debate please go through the archives and 
see my posting on the 'gullibility virus'. That should have given you an 
indication as to what my viewpoint was.

-
Mario:
You should at least let readers know that I have
challenged you, on Goanet and privately, to send me
some specific examples of where I have STARTED a line
of personal abuse, as opposed to retaliating to the
abuse of others, or where I have defended or
perpetuated a hoax.
Cecil:
Know ye all that Mario has attacked my viewpoint and demanded explanations 
privately, semi-privately and in public. I chose not to reply because I did 
not want to be the target of his abusive pen. But now I have no other 
recourse and if he chooses to turn his guns on me I will try and make the 
effort to reply. On the other hand... I don't want to bore you folks and so 
will just ignore his pricks.

-
Mario:
Not only have you done none of the above, you are
continuing the calumny and insinuation that I alone
have been personally abusive.
Cecil:
Agreed that others involved in the debate might have sometimes crossed the 
line of civilised debate. I am inclined to overlook their minor aberrations 
when I see the larger picture of what they represent. They have the 
community's best interests at heart, which has been proven over continual 
interaction over the years. Maybe you do too. But ever since you started 
posting you have brutally attacked anyone who refutes your views and seem 
to take great pleasure in being insulting. Perhaps if you took a less 
aggressive approach and worked hand in hand with all of us you might change 
this impression you have created. I am sure there is a lot we can gain from 
your interaction but not if it comes with a loaded pointed gun at the side.

I hope that this is the last word I have to say on this issue. I do not 
want to be remembered here as a bore who dragged a debate on-and-on-and-on.

Have a good weekend, Mario. I definitely will.
Cheers!
Cecil




[Goanet]Worms

2005-04-09 Thread Cecil Pinto
Dear Victor,
It is always a pleasure to read your rare but relevant postings on GoaNet. 
I have often replied privately but have never got a response and thought of 
you as being rude. Only recently Margaret Mascarenhas informed me that your 
service provider, AOL, does not accept messages from Sancharnet.

Just a couple of points I would like to clarify:
-
Victor:
For example, the recent extended debate on abuse is said to have
brought some worms out of the woodwork! Rebecca O'Leary (no cousin or
godchild of mine) got involved, and had some things to say that needed
saying; I got involved as well. Neither Ms. O'Leary nor I are regular
posters on Goanet, so the two of us must count ourselves among the
worms. Or is one to be considered more wormlike than the other?
Cecil:
I do not know much about different species of worms but rest assured my 
characterization of lurkers as 'worms in the wood work' was nothing but an 
extension of Rebecca's description of herself being lured out of the 
'woodwork'. No offense was intended.

--
Victor:
The point that I am trying to make is that there should be
civility in all our debates. In ALL of them, and in every part of each
debate. I don't care who started the mudslinging---the person who has
mud flung at him, and then flings mud back, also winds up having mud on
his hands.
Cecil:
I totally agree with you.




[Goanet]First impressions -- Harbour Times

2005-04-09 Thread Frederick Noronha (FN)
Give a few, large sized government adverts, throw in a bit of publicity to 
those that matter, add a easy-to-do DTP job on a desktop computer, and hire out 
a printing job to a newspaper press with excess capacity. What you have is a 
new publication, one of those that hits the stands with amazing regularity in 
Goa these days.

Some are linked to political interests. (That the new Marathi
daily to be making an appearance sometime now is BJP-linked
has been hotly denied.) Others are just commercial, make-money
-quickly ventures. But some might grow into useful publications
over time. At least a few of these occasional publications
have dreams of making it to the 'daily newspaper' status someday.
We don't know what category the 'Harbour Times Weekly Newspaper' falls in. It's 
edited by journalist (who turned to politics at Mormugao, if one recalls 
rightly) Baburao Revankar, with Lata Nambiar as the News editor, Anil 
Sankhwalkar and Elvino Araaujo (sic) as corresondents and Manish Bandodkar as 
business manager. Govind Girap will handle customer care.

It's another matter that the designations were described differently in the 
pressnote put out by the Department of Information. (As an aside, get an DI 
official to inaugurate your publication, and you have garnered quite some free 
publicity, at the cost of the taxpayer!)

First impressions: A number of large advertisements from official quarters, 
including the Department of Information (a full-page ad that claims the 
world's favourite tourist destination... is also an investor's delight). MPT 
gives a colour back-page, Indian Oil has a full page, while the Mormugao 
Municipal Council has thrown-in a half page. VM Salgaocar also has a large ad 
in the first issue. Goa Shipyard Limited has a front-paged ad cautioning about 
the road accidents and appealing to motorists, bus drivers, truck and tanker 
operators and every citizen to be more careful on the road.

While advertising isn't a bad word in itself, the truth of the
matter is that today, the larger advertisers, can well control
what appears (and doesn't appear) through their purse-string
politics.
While Harbour Times' masthead suggests it is a Mormugao-based paper, it's 
coverage is, strangely, all-Goa. The lead story screams 'Give Me Justice', but 
is about a Vasco-based advocate who claims he was sidelined in the selections 
for the post of Legal Assistant.

On the front page, of the Rs 5 priced tabloid, there are two political stories. 
One says Shripadbhau refuses to contest bye-elections while the other 
announces that Ravi Naik is expected to be the next GPCC chief.

One interesting story is titlted 'History of Political Tsunami in Goa' and 
informs about defections, including as early as in the first assembly of Goa 
since 1963! A useful record indeed.

There's quite some element of PR-ish news. Almost every publication in today's 
Goa seems to be thriving on this. An advert for Special Kesar Chyavanprash is 
laid out almost as a news item!

Just some first impressions. Your views are welcome!
FN
   _
 _/ \Frederick Noronha * Freelance Journalist * Goa
 \   __\/\   India T +91.832.2409490 M +919822 122436
  |  | |   |  \  http://fn.swiki.net http://goabooks.swiki.net
  |__| |___|  /  http://www.bytesforall.net http://www.bytesforall.org
\/   -
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[Goanet]Mario Mascarenhas

2005-04-09 Thread Cecil Pinto
George Pinto wrote:
By instinct I support anything Mario Mascarenhas does and what he stands 
for. He has fought the
good fight for Goa and Goans and helped Goa Sudharop too. I now see my 
first cousin, Maurice
Britto, involved in the Salmona spring issue. I wish to express my 
solidarity with all of them as
they seek justice.

--
Dear George,
I don't know about the others but I have had occasion to interact with 
Mario Mascarenhas a few times and he is one of those very few 'social 
workers' who has created a lasting impression on me not only because of the 
humility and sincerity of his approach but also the principled way he 
stands his ground against great odds. I also wish to express my solidarity 
with Mario and wish him success in his fight against the destruction of 
Saligao's natural beauty.

Cecil




[Goanet]A Tough Mans Passing

2005-04-09 Thread gerry ferns
A realistic potrayal of a truly tough man. Toughness indeed resides in the
mind, and not the size, shape of the muscles.WE GRIEVE HIS PASSING ON, AND
HOPE THAT CATHOLICS AND OTHER MEN AND WOMEN OF GOODWILL FIND IN THE POPES
EXPOSITION ON LABOUR ISSUES,THE PATH TO A MORE JUST WORLD.

TRULY A MAN FOR OUR TROUBLED WORLD!!! 

Gerald Fernandes.
Advisor,
Goa Justice  labour Foundation.
  



[Goanet]Re: Goenkar, Goeantle ani Goembhaile (Uday Bhembre's views)

2005-04-09 Thread Frederick Noronha (FN)
I agree with Nasci that being a Goan and fluency are two different issues. 
While it is certainly useful for every one in Goa (not just Goans) and 
connected to Goa to work towards fluency in the local language, we need to 
recognise that there are severe difficulties and hurdles in the way of 
anyone wanting to learn the same.

In addition, the dogmatism among the dominant section of Konkani 
protagonists -- in accepting some dialects and not accepting others -- 
complicates the problem further.

I disagree with Nasci's statement below:
Comparatively, and for historical and cultural reasons, all Indian 
languages are under developed; as compared to Chinese, Japanese, English 
and a host of European languages.
Konkani may not be a great language when it comes to discussing computer 
or Internet concepts. But surely it's the best when it pertains to 
discussing the agricultural practices and culture and devotional beliefs 
of the Konkan. Each language has its role, as Santosh points out.

I am only half fluent in konkani and colloqually only; I will not have 
any one take away theGoanness from me; Its is the red soil of Goa and 
my genes bred from it, which decides it; and not any language fanatics.
Okay, so in a computer age, how does one go about encouraging the spread 
of Konkani learning, possibly through the uses of media like audio and 
video too, through the Internet? Language fanatics or no language 
fanatics, we perhaps all need to agree that it would be sad if Konkani 
turned into one of those languages that simply faded away, died or became 
endangered ... as many smaller languages are expected to do.

Santosh Helecar wrote:
I can say with confidence that there are domains of human experience in 
which Konkani is much richer than English.
I agree with this. It might be interesting to list these domains, so that 
everyone -- whether familiar with the nuances of Konkani or not -- could 
have a better appreciation of the strengths of the language.

Gabriel de Figueiredo wrote:
However, he was quite critical of the World Goa Day - his complaint was 
that World Goa Day does absolutely nothing for Konkani or Goa.
Isn't the World Goa Day something very loosely organised, where each 
community can decide exactly what it wants to do? If you or the priest 
mentioned would like to organise the event entirely in Konkani, what stops 
you? It's better to light the candle...

Though grown up, I try to teach them a few sentences in both languages 
now and then, but this is not true imparting of knowledge as they would 
not be able to converse or joke in either.

I felt quite embarassed by his views, as I myself am
guilty of not having passed on the languages I learnt
when I was a kid to my progeny - Konkani and
Portuguese.
Could you share with Goanet what are the tools you find useful in doing 
this? For my part, a couple of suggestions -- which might not work in all 
cases through:

Try Prof Edward De Lima's (of Porvorim's) book called 'Teach Yourself 
Konkani', if one recalls the name right. It's available at Hotel Mandovi 
and elsewhere. While Prof Lima taught English at the DMC College in 
Mapusa/Assagao, his book is simple enough to teach one some conversational 
basics. It's in the Roman script too.

Then, there's the Oxford picture dictionary (done with the Thomas Stevens' 
Konknni Kendr) that looks at Konkani words used in different contexts. 
Both may not be adequate to attain any great level of competence in the 
language, but they're sufficient for beginners.

___
   _
 _/ \Frederick Noronha * Freelance Journalist * Goa
 \   __\/\   India T +91.832.2409490 M +919822 122436
  |  | |   |  \  http://fn.swiki.net http://goabooks.swiki.net
  |__| |___|  /  http://www.bytesforall.net http://www.bytesforall.org
\/   -
  Sign up for low-volume, high-quality news summaries and updates from
  Goa at http://newsfromgoa.swiki.net * It's free and volunteer-driven.


[Goanet]Breaking News - Pakistan wins 3rd ODI in Jamshedpur!

2005-04-09 Thread D'Souza, Avelino
Pakistan wins by 106 runs.




PAKISTAN

Salman Butt runout. Dhoni   101
Shahid Afridi   c.Dravid b.Nehra17
Shoaib Malikc.Tendulkar b.Sehwag75
Inzamam-ul-Haq  c.Pathan b.Nehra23
Yousuf Youhana  c.Dravid b.Harbhajan Singh  43
Abdul Razzaqst.Dhoni b.Yuvraj Singh 18
Kamran Akmalnotout  14
Younis Khan c.Dravid b.Khan 9
Mohammad Sami   runout Nehra6
Naved ul-Hassan c.Mongia b.Nehra0
Danish Kaneria  notout  0

Pakistan 319/9 in 50 overs



INDIA

V Sehwagc.Afridi b.Naved2
SR Tendulkarc.Younis b.Sami 6
MS Dhonic.Kamran b.Naved28
SC Ganguly  c.Younis b.Naved4
R Dravidc.Younis b.Sami 28
Yuvraj Singhc.Kamran b.Naved1
M Kaif  c.Younis b.Danish   32
IK Pathan   c.Kamran b.Naved64
Harbhajan Singh c.Shoaib b.Malik2

Z Khan  notout  27
A Nehra b.Naved 3



India 213 in 41.4 overs 
 


Avelino
Bastora/Kuwait



[Goanet]Goa Govt. turns to World Bank for solutions on water sanitation !!

2005-04-09 Thread Goa Desc
-
Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre Ph:2252660
Website: www.goadesc.org Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Press Clippings on the web: http://www.goadesc.org/mem/
--- 

--
Workshop on water, sanitation held
--
A workshop on the 'Water and sanitation sector in Goa' today
concluded that no matter how much money is pumped into the
augmentation of the state water supply system, there will be
no improvement in the system unless and until, the management
and institutional structure change.
The workshop also observed that though funds amounting to
Rs 90 crore have been spend during the last decade for
constructing 67,601 toilets in the state by way of government
subsidies, these facilities were hardly used and there is a need
to change the 'behaviour and mind-set' of the people to take
benefits of such sanitation related facilities.
The secretary for public works department, Ms Debashree
Mukherjee, delivering the key note address on the theme,
'Water and sanitation in Goa circa 2005: What does the future hold?'
said that there are management, health as well as water and
sanitation issues which are beyond immediate remedies and
require long-term strategies.
The testing of wells in the urban areas showed that large
proportion of wells have been contaminated, she informed at the
workshop, which was organised by the public works department
in the city.
There was no comprehensive water and sanitation scheme for
the state, but the Swajal Dhara scheme of the central government
gave us the opportunity which asked the department to carry out
the analysis of water and sanitation scenario in Goa and then
sign a related memorandum of understanding with the central
government, Ms Mukherjee said.
The central government also pointed at the water and sanitation
programme (WSP), South Asia for obtaining the technical
assistance in these areas, she noted.Though hard to achieve,
PWD is focussing on 24-hour water supply within next three years,
she said.
Mr R S Ramasubramaniam of Feedback Ventures, a consultancy
firm employed by the state government to carry out 'Sector status
study - water and sanitation, Goa' vis-a-vis public health engineering
(PHE) wing of the PWD, in his presentation said that the other
states face the problem of quantity of water, however in Goa,
the predominant concern based on primary studies points out
that the hours of water supply is the main concern. He also
observed that the state needs to focus on high revenue category
like commercial and industrial sector as far as supply of water
is concerned.
Ms Soma Ghosh Moulik and Mr Mark Elleryof WSP-SA
also spoke on the occasion.
The workshop also had other presentations on 'Introduction to
institutional reform principles', 'Role separation', 'Decentralisation',
'Strengthening community voice' and 'Regulation'.
-
The Navhind Times 9/04/05 page 3
-
===
GOA DESC RESOURCE CENTRE
Documentation + Education + Solidarity
11 Liberty Apts., Feira Alta, Mapusa, Goa 403 507
Tel: 2252660 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
  website: www.goadesc.org
--
Working On Issues Of Development  Democracy
===



Re: [Goanet]Dr John Dayal's effigy burned by Hindutva militants

2005-04-09 Thread Gabe Menezes
On Apr 9, 2005 4:49 AM, Chris Fernandes goanet@goanet.org wrote:
 India Hindu Militants Attack Christian School, Burn Effigy In Madhya 
 Pradesh..The incident happened late Tuesday, April 5, when 
 supporters of apparently the
Hindu nationalist movement Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), raided the
Carmel Convent School in Gwalior, a city in the northern part of Madhya
Pradesh, and burnt the effigy of Dr. John Dayal, President of the All India
Catholic Union (AICU), Catholic officials said. There were no immediate
reports of injuries.

The [attackers] also made an attempt to vandalize the school property, but
the timely intervention of the local police prevented the... incident, the
AICU added in a statement to the BosNewsLife New Delhi Bureau. They held a
meeting later in the evening and demanded an apology from the Church for the
perceived anti Hindu article and warned Christians that they would extend
their agitation to other institutions and schools in the city, the AICU
stressed.

Comment: This should be an eye opener for the likes of Carlos6143 and
Kaitan Rego. What happens in other parts of India can and will also
happen in Goa, keep courting the BJP at your own peril.

cheers.

Gabe Menezes
London England.



Re: [Goanet]BJP to field candidates in all 5 constituencies for by-polls: Parrikar

2005-04-09 Thread Gabe Menezes
On Apr 9, 2005 12:10 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
...He also observed that most of the government officers
who were employed
on contract or given extensions during the regime of his government,
served specific purpose.Like say, the former sales tax commissioner, Mr
Bir was given an extension because he had a deep knowledge of the VAT,
Mr Parrikar mentioned.
 Jai Hind!
 Carlos

RESPONSE: What utter bull, to justify keeping BJP supporters in jobs!
How could Mr. Bir have a deep knowledge of VAT when India didn't have
VAT previously? Was Mr. Bir a VAT expert in the U.K. or in Continental
Europe?


-- 
Cheers,

Gabe Menezes.
London, England



[Goanet]Revolutionary Pose

2005-04-09 Thread A. Veronica Fernandes
Revolutionary Pope.
Finally, as expected, the Papacy of Pope John Paul II came to an end and in 
his death a gigantic and Himalayan personality of this planet bade adieu to 
all of us. His Papacy was linked with revolutionary ideas and challenging 
decisions of course for the good of the society as a whole and in particular 
of the weaker segments of humanity irrespective of their faith.  Soviet 
Russia a mighty atomic super power had one dirty habit of interfering 
militarily in the internal affairs of other sovereign countries. They 
did this in Hungary  Afghanistan.  Similarly, Breznhev had an ambition to 
send troops to Poland too and lord over it militarily.  The moment this news 
leaked to Vatican, Pope John Paul II issued a stern verbal warning to Soviet 
Russia saying “ if a single soldier of yours steps his foot on to my native 
land Poland, I will leave Vatican and go to my native land and defend it 
with all my might”.  This verbal warning was just enough for the mighty 
super power Soviet Russia to condescend and eat a humble pie.  Pope did not 
have atomic and hydrogen weapons but his moral authority and influence all 
over the world was enough to silence the atomic and hydrogen might of Soviet 
Russia.  Vatican is not a super power compared to Soviet Russia but in 
reality it proved to be the real super power and currently it is much 
powerful than the existing super power. This is the power of Papacy and 
Vatican.

During his first visit to India, he came to my native place Goa when Konkani 
language agitation was going on. Overwhelming agitationists were Catholics – 
Christians and overwhelming majority of Hindus were against this agitation, 
which was nothing but a just agitation for the just cause. In order to show 
his solidarity with the agitationists for their just cause and also to 
identify himself with the locals by speaking the local language which is 
Konkani and not Marathi as it was wrongly disclosed by the Marathi 
protagonists, the Pope by learning a few words in Konkani started the Holy 
Mass at Campal Ground in Konkani and gave a big booster for the Konkani 
language. This act of Pope was a big challenge to Marathivadis in Goa.  By 
this act the Pope proved to everyone that it is nothing but only and ONLY 
Konkani is the real language of real Goans though adopted Goans were 
clamouring for imposing Marathi on Goa.  During his second visit to India, 
the BJP and its followers tried their best to defame Papacy and Catholicism 
in particular and Christianity in general but here again the Pope challenged 
them all and in Delhi he made an open statement saying that “this millennium 
will be the millennium of evangelization”. As a amtter of fact Christianity 
is the only solution for the down trodden of India to gain access to human 
dignity which is destroyed beyond reparation by the religiously backed caste 
system.  For this reason the great Indian patriot Ambedkar revolted against 
Hinduism and along with him innumerable followers of his low caste embraced 
Buddhism. He would have embraced Christianity but he failed to recognize the 
true meaning of Christianity because he analysed only one side of 
Christianity, which was wrongly projected by the fake Christians.

Pope Paul while championing the cause of Christian doctrine also championed 
in true spirit of Christ’s teachings the causes of poor people all around 
the world, suppressed labour force and many more causes. He spoke against 
abortion because he gave highest priority for the human life. He desliked 
concubinage committed by married men against the marriage vow thereby 
cheating their legally wedded wives.  Infidelity is the curse a married 
couple can face. His interaction with people and leaders of other faiths was 
a great achievement of his Papacy.  His earlier predecessor Pope Paul VI 
when he came to India for Eucharistic Congress in Bombay also played the 
same type of role when he had a meeting with leaders of different religions. 
By interacting with other faiths and entering into the places of their 
worships he showed genuine brotherhood.  He never called people of other 
faiths as “kefirs” and infidels because nobody gave him that power to judge 
others. His power of forgiveness was immense as it was noticed in his 
meeting with the person who tried to kill him.  So also his great 
heartedness of owning faults of the excesses the Church had committed 
earlier as it was shown by his apologies. His love for this tiny country 
Kuwait was magnificent and it was during his Papacy that the diplomatic 
relations between Vatican and Kuwait got a booster.  When Saddam Hussain’s 
Iraq invaded Kuwait, he was grieved a lot and openly declared his opposition 
to this invasion.  When under the leadership of USA the war for the 
liberation of Kuwait started he gave his nod because he knew that justice 
for Kuwait would come only thru that war of liberation for Kuwait. 
Ironically, some of the very people and 

[Goanet]Vidyadhar's libel

2005-04-09 Thread Cecil Pinto
Vidyadhar Gadgil  wrote:
Cecil, I give up! Hereby humbly accepting my inaccuracy.
Nevertheless, I will persist in using the same (non)quote as my
signature, since it expresses so well what one of the greatest thinkers
of all time showed through his writings -- one should not take things at
face value, but try and look beyond appearances.
-
Dear Vidyadhar,
Your humble and public acceptance of my superior knowledge is accepted. I 
know it must have come as a shock to you to be informed that the quote you 
used for so many years (as your signature!) was all wrong. But it is ok. 
There are may who have thus been vanquished by my painstaking research but 
have gone on to recover and live a meaningful existence.

Since you persist in using a quote that Karl Marx did not in fact make I am 
in discussion with the estate of Karl Marx and a few of his descendents to 
take legal action against you. Your point is well taken but we cannot just 
attribute quotes to others which we think they might have wanted to say.

Take for example the quote I made up below:
Lets whip the crap out of the British with our loin cloths - M.K. Gandhi
Now to the best of my knowledge Gandhi never said this but surely he must 
have wanted to. But I cannot just freely go and attribute this quote to 
him. It is libel. Pure and simple.

Cheers!
Cecil
P.S.
Most of the above is in jest. I respect Vidyadhar for his learning, social 
consciousness and well reasoned postings. We have not met despite him being 
a naturalised Aldonkar.





[Goanet]A concerned parent speaks - by Ethel Da Costa

2005-04-09 Thread Cecil Pinto
HEART 2 HEART - March 20 (Herald)
By Ethel Da Costa
We don't need another brick in the wall
---
Respected Governor,
Please treat this as an SOS.
But firstly, compliments for a sanctity of peace that hangs in the air. 
Government servants are actually looking up from their desks at citizens as 
files are moving. It is sailing smooth.

But, it is rough weather for Goan parents and our little children in the 
rising heat of the mercury. It is a no-go situation our children simply 
cannot understand. It is a no-go situation for parents unable to deal with 
the `string-pulling,' this marathon from school to school, the frustration 
of accepting, against our will and common sense, that we have no freedom to 
decide the medium of education, or, the school of our choice, because 
politicians have tampered and messed up Goa's educational systems and the 
syllabus for scoring their own selfish, political brownie points. It is 
frustration you see etched deep into the brows of Goan parents, and 
confusion on the faces of young kids, as they wait endlessly to have their 
wards prepare for a future that is shot in the foot even before it begins.

It is more than burning the midnight oil for parents, struggling hard 
making a living, fending for their family's soul and body, facing 
escalating prices, inflation and fees and keeping peace of mind at the same 
time. Can you imagine our plight when young wards are also made victim to 
discrimination, because a big shot's 
son/daughter/cousin/nephew/niece/grand-daughter has a seat reserved, since 
the family's `generations have been students of the school and your 
son/daughter can wait next year for admission, if we have seats' (thrown in 
as an after thought). Or, aspiring students given the last minute ditch 
because `the school has no space.' This, having gone through the three 
month waiting period before selection, sans guidelines or prior intimation 
of space/seat availability. Why are schools in Goa intent on playing with 
the future of the child? Why aren't managements of the school hauled for 
their casual, its-not-our-problem attitude towards a parent's genuine 
grievance and anxiety? Why isn't the Education Department hauled up for 
their dilly-dally stance on granting more licenses to schools, wanting to 
augment their strength to meet rising demand? I do not believe Goa has a 
population explosion. Goa has a dearth of quality schools. And the few that 
exist throw their weight around demanding a king's ransom of your money and 
self-respect. Why must parents be forced to play around with their own 
child's future, helpless with the choices at their disposal?

The great `Konkani schools versus English schools' debate raises its horns, 
come every year. Yet, educationists sitting on their high horses refuse to 
accept that the `great political experiment' (it was nothing but that) has 
failed miserably, since more and more parents are opting for English medium 
schools in their effort to keep abreast with changing times. We do not want 
to wear blinkers. We want children who can set their own benchmarks with a 
solid foundation based on realistic goals. It is every parent's dream for 
their children. So, why this psychological warfare for that degree that 
will help young children earn their own bread and butter?

I have every great respect and pride for the mother tongue, but why take 
away the freedom to decide what is best for one's own progress? Why this 
discrimination in a democratic set-up even as the world is changing pace at 
breakneck speed. A few parents annoyed with the segregationist attitude of 
city schools, bitterly complained to me that their wards were denied 
admission because they belonged to the `minority community' (parents and 
children don't concoct such stories when they have everything to lose. And 
then political parties accuse the Press for fanning alleged `communal 
sentiments,' as more people finally find the courage to voice out injustices).

I have personally spoken to the administrators of Lok Chethna and Bal 
Bhavan, who are looking forward to easing out the anxieties of hopeful 
parents this year by augmenting their schools with additional higher 
classes. Now if only their files did not have to crawl. We sincerely hope 
you and the Education Department will take cognizance of this serious issue 
once and for all, that is taking education in Goa down Mandovi's choked drains.

A concerned parent




[Goanet]Re: Women priests

2005-04-09 Thread George Pinto
While it is true there are differences between men and women, the justification 
for barring women
from being priests is not based on anything more than sexism.  Regardless of 
what fanciful reasons
are given, hiding behind the theological reasons is the belief that women are 
second-class and
not smart enough or good enough to be priests. That's the unfortunate message 
of the Catholic
Church.

Regards,
George 


--- Gabe Menezes [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 RESPONSE: RESPONSE, Women are not equal to men and vice versa - that
 is my opinion. Is your intended definition broad, narrow or in respect
 to voting?

 
  On Apr 8, 2005 5:31 PM, George Pinto [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
  1. Women still barred from priesthood (behind this justification is the 
  implied view that
  women are not equal to men).
  Regards,
  George
 



[Goanet]The false gods of secular India

2005-04-09 Thread carlos6143
March 10, 2005
Kanchan Gupta - Rediff.com
It is the Congress that has engineered most of the riots... Rajiv 
Gandhi failed to protect Harijans and Muslims? Geographical boundaries 
of the country were jeopardised by the Congress and Rajiv Gandhi...'

On reading such harsh accusation, such pitiless pillorying of the 
Congress and its supreme leader, the last direct descendent of the 
Nehru-Gandhi dynasty to sit on the masnad of Delhi, the image that 
comes to mind is that of an irascible foot soldier of the BJP or a 
malevolent journalist doing what foot soldiers and malevolent 
journalists do best: shoot from the hip.

Think again, but it is unlikely that you will be able to guess the 
identity of the person who tore into the Congress so mercilessly while 
participating in a debate on the 'Situation in the Country' in the Lok 
Sabha on December 29, 1989. The immediate backdrop to this debate was 
the series of communal riots in Congress-ruled Bihar -- Hazaribagh, 
Darbhanga, and the horrendous bloodletting in Bhagalpur during the 
twilight days of Rajiv Gandhi's government in the autumn of that year.

The official death count in Bhagalpur was 1,891, with thousands scarred 
for the rest of their lives. In Logain village, an entire Muslim 
mohalla was wiped out: the bodies of 120 Muslim men, women and children 
were dumped in a shallow pond; when the stench became unbearable, the 
rotting corpses were fished out, buried in a field and planted over 
with cauliflower saplings.

In Chanderi, another Muslim mohalla, 61 people were massacred. Mallika, 
a 14-year-old girl, tried to flee the mob that had killed her parents 
and relatives. She stumbled and fell; the mob chopped off her legs and 
left her to bleed to death in a hyacinth covered pond. An army officer 
found her the next day, drawn by her pitiful sobs, and Mallika survived 
to live a traumatic life.

But we digress. From December 18 to 29, the newly elected Lok Sabha, 
with Prime Minister V P Singh and the Janata Dal occupying the Treasury 
benches and Rajiv Gandhi and the Congress sitting in the Opposition 
benches, witnessed a spirited debate over the customary address by the 
President. Either by design or by default, the President had failed to 
mention the riots in Bhagalpur.

Congress MPs seized on this omission to berate the government, alleging 
that the riots were not mentioned to spare embarrassment to its ally, 
the BJP, which was accused of fomenting the violence in Bhagalpur and 
elsewhere. As the debate became increasingly accusatory and the tone 
and tenor of the attack on the BJP sharpened, the Janata Dal MP from 
Chapra waded in to battle the Congress.

Responding to the allegation that BJP and VHP activists had provoked 
the violence, he said, 'I would like to tell you that there are two 
groups of Muslims in Bhagalpur, i e, Ansaris and Sallans, who had 
started riots in the city. A bomb was thrown on the SP (of) Bhagalpur 
and 11 police personnel were injured. They had thrown that bomb on the 
occasion of Ram Shila Pujan but these people have not been yet rounded 
up.'

That MP was Lalu Prasad Yadav, now minister for Railways in the 
Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government and an ardent 
supporter of 'Madam Soniaji.' Such is his admiration for Sonia Gandhi, 
that even after losing his rule through conjugal proxy over Bihar 
thanks to Congress' dalliance with his arch enemy Ram Vilas Paswan, he 
was the first to jump to her defence in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday when 
George Fernandes became particularly vituperative.

Will the Lalu raj end?
But we digress again. On December 29, 1989, Lalu Prasad Yadav was 
relentless in his assault on the Congress, more so on Rajiv Gandhi, and 
took vicarious pleasure by slyly mentioning Sonia Gandhi by name now 
and then, in total disregard of House rules. 'It is the Congress party 
which (has) engineered most of the riots, particularly in Bihar,' he 
thundered to the thumping of tables. 'We shall expose their role in 
inciting communal riots,' he promised on behalf of the government.

Listing the failures of the previous regime, he said, 'Rajiv Gandhi 
failed to fulfil the promises which he made in regard to the 
development, unity and security of the country and protection of the 
Harijans and Muslims. This resulted in creating a gloomy situation in 
the country...' And, hence, the people voted for change.

'Change had become necessary because the responsibility of protecting 
the geographical boundaries of the country (sic)... was jeopardised by 
the Congress and Rajiv Gandhi,' Lalu Prasad Yadav explained, adding 
with a rhetorical flourish, 'If we fail to safeguard the unity, 
integrity and the principle of secularism of our country, we cannot 
save the country from disintegration...'

And then came the full assault. 'Satyendra Narain Sinha became chief 
minister of Bihar, he failed to quell the riots in Hazaribagh... the 
procession of Ram Navami had passed off peacefully in front 

[Goanet]It's my life - from Gomantak Times

2005-04-09 Thread Cecil Pinto
Transcript of one side of a phone conversation between Cecil Pinto from 
Panjim and his lawyer friend Noel D'Cruz from Margao.

-
Hello Noel. Good morning! How's married life treating you? Any good news 
for us?

What? Not even on weekends? Throughout Lent? How boring. I'm sure the Good 
Lord said 'celebrate' and not 'celibate'! Anyway here's why I called. You 
heard about the Terri Schiavo case? You have? Good! She died you know. Pity 
indeed.  Yes. I agree. A personal family decision should not be made a 
political tool and a media circus. Not just that. Now we have the Pope's 
Living Will for all to read in the papers. It says that he should be kept 
alive under any circumstances. Yes Noel. Praise the Lord. Whatever. Sure! 
Sure! Whatever. But can I make a Living Will? Just in case...

I can? Wow! What? Say that again, slowly. A Living Will allows a person to 
explain in writing which medical treatment he or she does or does not want 
during a terminal illness? Ok! That part I understand And wht? Slowly 
man. It will take effect only when I am incapacitated and can no longer 
express my wishes? Exactly! That's what I want. You got a pen?

I, Cecil Pinto, being of relatively sound mind and sparingly used body, 
hereinafter... What? Sure you're the lawyer. I know that. But can't I also 
use some legal terms while giving you my instructions? That's your job? Ok! 
But keep in mind that I know a lot of legal language. Everybody thinks they 
do? Really? Do they watch Ally McBeal and The Practice and... No! No! I 
don't think I know more than you. Cool it man. Ok. No more of me trying to 
sound legal. That's what you're being paid to do!

Well basically I want that if I'm terminally ill my case be given a lot of 
publicity. Contact all the TV stations and make sure they get close-ups of 
me in a coma. Make sure I become a household name. No! Not like a detergent 
you smartass. You lawyers should read stuff other than just your fat legal 
tomes. It's just a phrase. Once my name is on everyone's lips my wife can 
make crores selling the book and movie rights to the story of my life, once 
they pull out the plug. This sounds really cool. People are going to sit in 
air-conditioned theatres and watch the details of my totally mediocre 
existence? Ha! Can I insist that Shah Rukh Khan plays me? No? Salman Khan? 
No? John Abraham? No? What you mean? I've been exercising these days you 
know. No way Johnny Lever is going to play me!

Sure I'm digressing. It's my life we're talking about. You want me to live 
like a vegetable? Watching some monitor flickering, liquids going inside 
me, being waited on hand and foot. What? How dare you say that. My average 
late night is not always like that! Some days I shut off the TV and surf 
the Net.

Would you rather I remained a vegetable? Me? The guy who has beef even on 
Friday's during Lent season. The original pure non-veg man. That reminds 
me. If they're going to be feeding me through tubes I want non-veg meals. I 
really want to pig out in my last days. Tasty fatty stuff. High calories. 
High cholesterol. Sorpatel, Beef Roast, the works! Try O'Coqueiro. Pay? Me? 
Sure they will deliver free. Look at the publicity they'll get! By the way 
do you know if they have separate tubes for liquids? Can I have some Caju 
Fe... No? Beer at least? No? C'mon beer is not alcohol. Don't give me that 
crap. Let me die at peace with myself and a smile on my face. Speaking of 
which can I insist on only sexy young female nurses attending on me in my 
comatose condition? Just think of it Noel. All my life I fantasized about 
sexy women clustered round my bed giving me their undivided attention. So 
what if I can't enjoy it? My friends will be watching on TV and going crazy 
with envy. You included. Never? Ha! All freshly married men say that. Just 
you wait a few years.

If my Medical Insurance doesn't cover private hospitalisation, and I have 
to put up at Goa Medical College, can I just add that even if I'm not so 
incapacitated I still want tubes to take things out of my body. Why? You 
just try entering the toilets at GMC and not throwing up immediately.

Noel, what I want to get clear is I don't want to be a boring burden on 
other people. What? Cut the sarcasm. I behaved like that at your party last 
November? Well what do you expect. You don't serve alcohol at your birthday 
and expect me to be the life of the party? Get real pal, I need lubricants. 
And that Aunty sitting next to me was much more closer to being a vegetable 
than me. What do I care if she owns her own room at that retreat place in 
Kerala. Did she get a maidservant finally? No wonder. Who wants to listen 
to a stuck record allAnyway where were we?

Proxy. You mean the person who pulls out the plug? The person who executes 
my Living Will? Isn't that the same? Did you have to say that word - 
executes? My wife of course. Unless she needs me around to help with the 
e-mailing. Yes. Come to think of it 

[Goanet]No development around Salmona spring say locals

2005-04-09 Thread Goa Desc
-
Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre Ph:2252660
Website: www.goadesc.org Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Press Clippings on the web: http://www.goadesc.org/mem/
--- 

--
No development around Salmona spring: locals
--
The people of Saligao have simple yet firm demands.
Leave the Salmona spring area as it is, without any construction,
without streetlights, without tar roads and without any touristic
developments. Also please stop the construction now underway
near the spring and expedite the acquisition of the land.
The people of Saligao, banded together under the Saligao
Consumer and Civic Cell (SCCC) and the Salmona Pariyavarn
Manch (SPM) want the Salmona spring to be untouched by the
vagaries of development.
In a representation to the Governor, Mr S C Jamir, the Saligao residents
have stated that they have resolved to make the Salmona spring and
its surroundings into a conservation zone with the following provisions.
No construction, no tree cutting, no hunting and killing of wildlife,
no garbage dumping and littering, no street lighting and urban
development etc. Importantly, they have demanded that when
acquired the government should preserve it as a protected forest,
bird sanctuary and conservation area and not develop it as a tourist
spot like our beaches.
Armed with 1089 signatures of fellow villagers, the people of Saligao
also charged their village panchayat body of corruption in issuing
construction license to build a concrete structure near the famous
Salmona spring against the wishes of the majority of the villagers.
They also accused the deputy collector of wrongly issuing a sanad
to convert orchard land for residential purpose.
Addressing a press conference today, members of the above two
bodies said they have already handed representations to the
Governor and the secretary of panchayats, Mr Raajiv Yadunvanshi,
demanding that the construction be immediately stopped and that
the land acquisition process be expedited.
When told of the village panchayat claim that it issued the license
only after all the government agencies and the deputy collector
issued the land conversion sanad, they said all these bodies were
not from Saligao and did not know the conditions at the village level.
They said that the panchayat is the local body and has full right to
withhold the license considering the resolutions of the gram sabha
to preserve the Salmona spring area as it is. They said the village
panchayat, in fact, had hurriedly issued the license without even
conducting the site inspection.

The Navhind Times 9/4/05 page 3

===
GOA DESC RESOURCE CENTRE
Documentation + Education + Solidarity
11 Liberty Apts., Feira Alta, Mapusa, Goa 403 507
Tel: 2252660 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
  website: www.goadesc.org
--
Working On Issues Of Development  Democracy
===



[Goanet]Re: Perks

2005-04-09 Thread Philip Thomas
Recently in connection with the implementation of VAT in the country, there
was a controversy about the 4-12% rise in prices in military canteens. In
Times of India (TOI) April 8 there was a Times View /Counter View column
about this.

In the Times View it is necessary for the sake of the country's internal and
external security to give the military special treatment by way of sops and
perks since the pay itself was measly.

In the Counter View it observes that liquor sales account for 40% of the
business in military canteens and there is no reason why  ordinary
taxpayers should pay for a soldier's evening tipple (through subsidies).



[Goanet]Re: John Paul II

2005-04-09 Thread George Pinto
--- Salus Correia goanet@goanet.org wrote:
 Well George, you are free like everyone else to your opinions. 

Thank you.

 Personally I think you do not know much of the Catholic faith from what you 
 have written.  

I do not know much about many things. Personally I think you are being 
defensive and apologetic
about Catholicism. But what do I know?

 The Church is not a club with open membership and is not a democracy either.  

The church is 1 billion Catholics, not Rome and the Vatican and some 
close-minded Europeans there
who dictate to the rest of the Church.

 Sadly, there are millions of so called confirmed catholics who have for 
 reasons sometimes even not known to them,  turned the other way, yet remain 
 or 
 prefer to be known as Catholics.

I wonder if one of them is an 18 year-old who was elected Pope once and died 9 
years later in the
middle of an adulterous sexual act. Or are you refering to the homicidal pope, 
the anti-popes? 
They were at the highest levels of the church, not commoners like me.

 Right from the time of Jesus the church has been run by 'direction'. The 
 faithfull have the right to advise, suggest and talk, but we have to always 
 remember that unlike a club or some governments, it is not a democracy.

Sure, nice platitudes. I wonder where the 18 year-old pope got his 'direction'?
  
 If eventually our thoughts are not accepted for whatever reason, then in all 
 obedience we have
 to accept the 'direction' that we must believe comes from God himself, 
 through his appointed
 shephards.

More platitudes. I do not wish to speak for God or how she communicates, but I 
seriously doubt it
is through Rome and the Vatican alone.

 Sometimes we do not know or see the bigger picture as God sees it. Eventually 
 with time it unfolds and then we realise the whats and whys. If we want to be 
 known as followers of Jesus, then it does make sense that we follow the 
 directions as they come.

Really?  Should I list some other colorful papal characters in history and see 
what 'directions'
were revealed to them?
 
 John Paul II has done his time here on earth and it is not up to you, me or 
 anyone else but the Father in heaven to sit in judgement.

Fine, I take it that those who say favorable things about the pope are not 
sitting in judgement? 
They are not judging?  Or are only critical judgements disallowed?

 And as far as his call for sainthood goes, just because some people or groups 
 are making the 
 call, does not mean that the call will be accepted.  Once again we must 
 believe that whatever happens, will be so by divine 'direction' and nothing 
 else. 

The odds of his sainthood are higher since he is European and because blind 
followers do not
question or critically evaluate things for themselves but wait for Rome and the 
Vatican to tell
them how to think. 

 Like I said earlier, this is my opinion, and I have no intention of forcing 
 my views down on you
 or any one else.

Me too! Thank you for your comments. Please post more and do not let my poor 
responses discourage
you or Joseph Falcao from posting. Goan cyberspace needs more posters than the 
usual suspects.

Regards,
George





[Goanet]What makes low-cost air carriers tick

2005-04-09 Thread Philip Thomas
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=87326



What makes low-cost carriers tick?

SUDHIR CHOWDHARY

.. ... ...
Next comes turnaround times. Regular airlines have to grapple with a higher
turnaround time of anything between 45 minutes to an hour. For conventional
airlines, their average aircraft utilisation is only eight-nine hours a day
(compared to a good 11 hours for an Air Deccan, for instance.) Which means
more parking space rentals, higher costs, and therefore, higher airfares.

Not so for low-cost airlines like Air Deccan. We manage to keep turnaround
time to as brief as 15 minutes. Not only does this keep costs low, but also
enables us fly more often, says Mr Gopinath. More revenues for them, lower
ticket prices for travellers, win-win for all.

.. ... ...

Hope the Navy realises that the world of aviation has really changed
(including in India)!