Re: [Goanet] An expansion in Goanet's perspective
--- http://www.GOANET.org --- 5th Annual Konkan Fruit Fest Promenade, D B Bandodkar Road, Panaji, Goa 16-18, May 2008 http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2008-May/073789.html --- Goanet posts should be aimed for a large audience with different backgrounds. Hence the challenge is for the posts to deal with precise Goan-related issues in a universal way. The writings should gain the attention of the readers not by arguing this side of an issue or that (as we often see), but rather by a thoughtful presentation in full - in all its powerful implications. The immediacy and directness of the message should drive home the author's imaginative thoughts. The reality is many of the issues are of perennial nature. They have been discussed before - again and again and again. Yet sometimes it may be the same mis-information that is presented again and again and again. While at other times, the original post and the subsequent endless back and forth may just be a bunch of rants that are grounded in half-truths. Posting vintage material (true or false) may have some therapeutic value on the poster rather than the readers. There are some posters who are into prosaic writings. They should share their irresistible power, which makes us, the readers, feel the living force of people eager to examine their destinies with the utmost candor and passion. By now most of us know the (other) posters; and who may be a credible (yet often arm-chair) arch-advocate. However, supurlem Goenkars (like moi) could do without the author being a sesquipedalian - a lover of big words.. While I do not encourage self-glorification, I would strongly support Goans presenting their own experiences. Nothing is more powerful that some theories or philosophies put into practice and yielding results. More often we see posters presenting advice not followed / practiced by the author. We-all could use role-models that we could emulate, in our own small or big environment. This, rather than read posts that have the usual hand-wringing and complaining; for which Goans are so famous. Regards, GL
Re: [Goanet] An expansion in Goanet's perspective
In my e-mail box was a post that perhaps may answer the following dilemma. -- Carvalho Take for instance Mario's suggestions. They are certainly solid suggestions from a western democracy point of view. I agree with a lot he has to say and I myself have thought along similar lines, but to what extent you can transfer those suggestions to the ground realities that exist in Goa is questionable. Of late, I have stopped having an opinion about Goa. So removed are we from what is happening that our opinions seem superfluous, facile, banal, irrelevant and at times can only be construed as insolent. --- Mario Goveia Selmabai, So, what are you saying? That the enlightened western democracies are solid in their approach while the hapless Goans are not? The answer is, if they are not, perhaps it is high time they moved in that direction, before it's too late. Are you suggesting that these ground realities include stupidity? I have been assuming a higher level of intelligence and self-interest than you apparently are assuming. - GL responds with the following post: =)) Where did the White Man go wrong? The Indian Chief 'Two Eagles' was asked by a white government official, 'You have observed the white man for 90 years. You've seen his wars and his technological advances. You've seen his progress, and the damage he's done.' The Chief nodded in agreement. The official continued, 'Considering all these events, in your opinion, where did the white man go wrong? ' The Chief stared at the government official for over a minute and then calmly replied. 'When white man find land, Indians running it, no taxes, no debt, plenty buffalo, plenty beaver, clean water. Women did all the work, Medicine man free. Indian man spend all day hunting and fishing; all night having sex.' Then the chief leaned back and smiled 'Only white man dumb enough to think he could improve system like that.'
Re: [Goanet] An expansion in Goanet's perspective
--- Mario Goveia [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: There are no simple solutions. Only intelligent choices. - Caterpillar Tractor Company. -- Coincidentally my father worked for Caterpillar for some 30 odd years. In those days in the Gulf, there certainly weren't any simple solutions, just choices to be made, mostly out of necessity than anything else. But enough about me :-) Like I said the solutions you propose are solid but western democracies are premised on certain things, like: a) A robust state education system which allows some measure of an equitable playing field. b) The bell of the population being middle-class. c) Respect for the rule of law. Not that I want to give undue credit to the West, for they've had five hundred years to develop these institutions amply aided by the wealth they hauled from their colonies. Goa on the other hand, has been under colonial rule for the past 500 years with little to no experience in managing a democracy. Democracies don't exist in a vacuum, they are held together precariously by its institutions, and colonial powers did very little to put these in place. Ofcourse one can talk about the free hand of capitalism making intelligent decisions, but capitalism's free hand is rather like a Pathan's free hand in a crowded Arabian fish market. It doesn't know its boundaries unless guided by the law and unfortunately the law is non-existent in Goa at the moment. Goa is undergoing a very important and almost inescapable lesson in democracy. That the peasants will hold the monarch accountable for his actions. Once the powers that be learn this lesson, things take a dramatic turn for the better. I believe the upheaval taking place in Goa today will create the very basis of democracy. selma Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ
Re: [Goanet] An expansion in Goanet's perspective
2008/5/12 Carvalho [EMAIL PROTECTED]: ... but capitalism's free hand is rather like a Pathan's free hand in a crowded Arabian fish market. It doesn't know its boundaries unless guided by the law and unfortunately the law is non-existent in Goa at the moment. COMMENT: Was in Jeddah and Riyadh, total just over 7 years. These things just don't happen in Saudi; now in Dubai, it seems all is fair in love war, or should it read lust and. QUESTION: How did you fend it off, or did you just grin and bear it? (remember many a true word was said in jest) P.S. The Goan Chaplaincy needs people to attend its function on Sunday...please call Father and maybe he will waive the excess charge and give it at the original; after all, at this stage beggars can't be choosers. The notice says it all! From G.V. (U.K.):- URGENT: Tickets available at venue of Goan Chaplaincy Day, London Sun. 18 May. Goan Chaplaincy Day. Thanksgiving Mass at 1.15 pm followed by a social get together at Archbishop Lanfranc School Hall, Mitcham Road, Croydon. CR9 3AS. Music by Rainbow's End. Tickets (inc. meal): Adult £15.00; Child £ 7.50. Tickets will be available at the venue but please contact the Chaplaincy by 15th of May to reserve tickets in advance to facilitate arrangements. Tel. 020 8665 2176 or email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please ask your friends to alert their contacts. -- DEV BOREM KORUM. Gabe Menezes. London, England
Re: [Goanet] An expansion in Goanet's perspective
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 00:44:30 -0700 (PDT) From: Carvalho [EMAIL PROTECTED] Not that I want to give undue credit to the West, for they've had five hundred years to develop these institutions amply aided by the wealth they hauled from their colonies. Mario responds: Why not give credit where credit is due? So what if the west took five hundred years to develop their systems? That means we could SAVE five hundred years by copying their systems instead of either re-inventing the wheel or the nutty unworkable ideas that so many on Goanet are wasting their time on. Does anyone with more than half a brain on this forum think they are going to STOP development in Goa, or impose authoritarian separatist Marxist solutions which will only work successfully if we make Floriano and Rajan President and Vice President, and not someone like my neighbor Babush? Selma writes: Goa on the other hand, has been under colonial rule for the past 500 years with little to no experience in managing a democracy. Democracies don't exist in a vacuum, they are held together precariously by its institutions, and colonial powers did very little to put these in place. Mario responds: What a sad, pathetic ex-colonial excuse which also makes no sense. Goa has had 47 years now of uninterrupted democracy which is enough time to copy all the sensible policies that the west took five hundred years to develop. If we could catch up and even surpass the west in many fields of engineering, which is far more difficult, then certainly we could have done this in civil administration. If Indian engineers can use their brains, why can't everyone else? Selma wrote: Of course one can talk about the free hand of capitalism making intelligent decisions, but capitalism's free hand is rather like a Pathan's free hand in a crowded Arabian fish market. It doesn't know its boundaries unless guided by the law and unfortunately the law is non-existent in Goa at the moment. Mario responds: Selma, wake up, it is morning on Goanet:-)) What have you been reading? Soon Fr. Ivo will be telling you that you are understanding EXACTLY THE CONTRARY of what I have been writing. And this time he will be right. Your prattling on about untrammeled capitalism and Pathans in fish markets shows you have not understood a word about what I have been recommending or the zoning laws I have been describing. Wait a minute. How did a Pathan find his way to an Arabian fish market? But I digress. Aye, aye, aye! Yes, zoning laws are non-existent in Goa, WHICH IS THE WHOLE POINT. They need to be passed across Goa, at the Panchayat and Gram Sabha level. Authoritarian separatist Marxist rule is also non-existent in Goa, but I don't see you objecting to the emotional, frustrated calls for that kind of nonsense. Which do you think is a) easier to implement in Goa, and b) more likely to work? Selma wrote: Goa is undergoing a very important and almost inescapable lesson in democracy. That the peasants will hold the monarch accountable for his actions. Once the powers that be learn this lesson, things take a dramatic turn for the better. I believe the upheaval taking place in Goa today will create the very basis of democracy. Mario responds: Knock! Knock! Hello! Anyone home?:-)) The upheaval going on in Goa is moving in EXACTLY THE CONTRARY direction: massive, wasteful, emotional civil protests to STOP development. They have no choice right now but to STOP development BECAUSE THERE IS NO FRAMEWORK FOR CONTROLLING AND RATIONALIZING DEVELOPMENT. Every project is a huge power struggle with winners and losers. Mostly the citizens are losing as we can see from Rajan's pictures. No one is thinking in the direction of a routine process that is a win-win situation for everyone without needless wasteful activity by both developers and citizens. WHICH IS WHAT ZONING LAWS ARE ALL ABOUT.
Re: [Goanet] An expansion in Goanet's perspective
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 00:41:23 -0700 (PDT) From: Carvalho [EMAIL PROTECTED] Take for instance Mario's suggestions. They are certainly solid suggestions from a western democracy point of view. I agree with a lot he has to say and I myself have thought along similar lines, but to what extent you can transfer those suggestions to the ground realities that exist in Goa is questionable. Mario asks: Selmabai, So, what are you saying? That the enlightened western democracies are solid in their approach while the hapless Goans are not? The answer is, if they are not, perhaps it is high time they moved in that direction, before it's too late. According to you and Chris, a system that has worked well in all the civilized democratic societies in the world in balancing the interests of local environments and citizens with economic developers will not work in democratic Goa due to the ground realities. Even though it has never been tried and it now takes wasteful economic activity by developers followed by mass public protests to get anything done or undone in Goa? Are you suggesting that these ground realities include stupidity? I have been assuming a higher level of intelligence and self-interest than you apparently are assuming. Selma writes: Of late, I have stopped having an opinion about Goa. So removed are we from what is happening that our opinions seem superfluous, facile, banal, irrelevant and at times can only be construed as insolent. Mario responds: So, behind the beautiful big words, aren't you really saying let's run and hide our heads in the sand? Let's not give them ideas we know of, of provable solutions that have worked everywhere else, that they haven't yet tried, because the ground reality is that they are too stupid or lazy? Selma writes: So how much diaspora Goans can genuinely contribute to this forum remains the big question. Mario responds: It all depends on the contribution, doesn't it? There are no simple solutions. Only intelligent choices. - Caterpillar Tractor Company.
Re: [Goanet] An expansion in Goanet's perspective
--- Roland Francis [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: When I started reading and writing on Goanet two to three years ago, there were almost no posts that I skipped. -- Dear Roland, I must admit I had a good laugh reading your post. Surely, we need more humour on Goanet. The other title for this subject line is, how to increase diaspora Goanetter's perspective about Goa. The span of two to three years that we have been posting marks a period of an accelerated downward slide in Goa. There is this feeling of hopelessness, being bended at the knees by builder lobbies, over-wrought by an influx of people and a complete breakdown in trust between people and the polity. Perhaps it's a time of tremendous upheaval but also of growth for Goa, one that is essential for a stronger democracy to emerge. The fact is that Goan diaspora have little understanding of what is going on in Goa at the moment. Take for instance Mario's suggestions. They are certainly solid suggestions from a western democracy point of view. I agree with a lot he has to say and I myself have thought along similar lines, but to what extent you can transfer those suggestions to the ground realities that exist in Goa is questionable. Of late, I have stopped having an opinion about Goa. So removed are we from what is happening that our opinions seem superfluous, facile, banal, irrelevant and at times can only be construed as insolent. So how much diaspora Goans can genuinely contribute to this forum remains the big question. selma Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ
Re: [Goanet] An expansion in Goanet's perspective
There is much to write about Goa and what could help Goans either in Goa or in the Diaspora. The Goanet writers, especially the voracious ones, who appear now to be a bit tired and bored should consider the following, which has been modified. The modifications are in parenthesis. Regards, GL The Socrates Triple Filter Test In ancient Greece , Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, Do you know what I just heard about your friend? Hold on a minute, Socrates replied. Before telling me (writing) anything, I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test. Triple filter? That's right, Socrates continued. Before you talk to me (write) about my friend, (any situation) it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is TRUTH. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true? No, the man said, actually I just heard about it and... 'All right, said Socrates. So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of GOODNESS. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend (situation) something good? No, on the contrary... So, Socrates continued, you want to tell me (write) something bad about him, (the situation) but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of USEFULNESS. Is what you want to tell me (write) about my friend (the Goan situation) going to be useful to me? No, not really. Well, concluded Socrates, if what you want to tell me (write) is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all? Friends, use this triple filter each time you hear loose talk about (from) any of your near dear friends. -- Carvalho wrote Of late, I have stopped having an opinion about Goa. So removed are we from what is happening that our opinions seem superfluous, facile, banal, irrelevant and at times can only be construed as insolent. So how much diaspora Goans can genuinely contribute to this forum remains the big question. Roland Francis wrote: When I started reading and writing on Goanet two to three years ago, there were almost no posts that I skipped. Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ
Re: [Goanet] An expansion in Goanet's perspective
Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 18:55:27 -0400 From: Roland Francis [EMAIL PROTECTED] Accidents on the rise in Merces (and are they going down in the rest of Goa) Invitation to participate in Youth Conference (privately send to Clinton Vaz) Two new uploads on MAND blog (are we going to be told about downloads as well) Mama Cool party at Clube Gaspar Dias (Mama Africa would interest me more) Educomp launches MagiKeys at Goa IT conclave. (Inform the Vatican, it might be of use at their next conclave) Oh my, oh my, the excitement needs to be ramped up more than a little. Even Mario Goveia has been tamed. Mario responds, obviously untamed:-)) Not so fast, Roland. As someone who has earned the ire of Goa-centric Goanetters far longer than you and Selma might for suggesting an expansion of Goanet's perspective, I must ask you to show some more respect for what our Goanetter sisters and brothers around the world would like to say on Goanet. Don't you understand the concept of a cyber-forum, which is what Goanet is, only with an emphasis on Goa? A forum is the ultimate in free speech - enlightened or cow cakes depending on your individual point of view or mood du jour. Imagine a real forum in one of the Panjim gardens with groups engaged in discussions all around you. You stroll around and hear about the accidents in Merces being on the rise. If you have any sense you would learn to be more careful the next time you pass through Merces. You wonder whether a MAND blog is something you step over on the pavement and hear about Clinton's conference and wonder if you should attend or not. You decide you're too old for a Youth Conference:-)) The next time Ethel is in Africa you might well get a report on Mama Africa and the local Goans who were in attendance. You obviously have no idea what a cool place Clube Gaspar Dias is. Your days to attend a MagiKeys conference are probably long gone, but your kids may be interested. You certainly can post your own series of boring reports - for the rest of us, we won't object - on the Goan conference that will soon take place in Toronto, or any other news that may have some relevance to Goans, but certainly not the Irish or West Indies Festival down the road from you. From my knowledge of Toronto, one could have a Goan forum just for that area, that is if you guys can overlook for one moment your internecine revalries between African Goans and Pakistani Goans and Gulf Goans and every garden variety of Goan who all pretend they are superior to each other as well as the real thing, which is Indian Goans. Is that tame enough for you?:-)) The point is that no one is forced to join in any of the discussions going on. You listen, you join or you move on. You may stay awhile to explain to Arwin and Jane what the difference is between Goa and the USA, then move on to assure Rajan and Floriano that we would be glad to elect them President and Vice President the minute Goa separates from India, and Arwin as Minister of Migrant Affairs, then take Mervyn aside and ask him what he has against Goa that he would like them to become like N. Korea, Cuba and Zimbabwe, then stroll on to explain to Gabe that you are making a bundle by shopping in Buffalo, the prices are a steal right now, and have noticed that the US is not yet going to hell in a handbasket economically, not even in a recession yet, but close, and how they LOVE their Canadian customers, ...er, neighbors, then join Gilbert in passionate discussion with Cornel about the wisdom or lack thereof of maintaing what is a mythical Goan identity in the diaspora. Stay away from Kevin - he will either convert you or turn you into a vegan now that the UN has given him a boatload of new ammunition:-)) If there is nothing of interst going on, you join Cecil and me in the nearest cyber-tavern for a brew - he with a tall Feni, I with a Bud because I'm already out of the Feni I brought less than three months ago, and you with a bottle of Molson Light:-)) That's how a REAL forum of your fellow men and women works - it is what it is, and you make of it what you can.
Re: [Goanet] An expansion in Goanet's perspective
We either need more of what is happening in Goa today, yesterday and as recently as over the past few years.surely more happens than is permitted to be shown on Goanet, or we need to plead with the moderators to give a little more scope, not so many postings labelled as inappropriate or are the sensitivities of the adult moderators so that we cannot gauge what IS appropriate for us to read? If there is a cuss word or two, or if the poster has been racialist or sexist beyond acceptance, perhaps a form of censorship may be the way forward but I have had several posts not accepted by Goanet when I really could not see where I had offended anyone, other than it was perceived as possibly offensive, but is that not just what people do in conversations, some subjects are taboo (or are they?), so they are not permitted beyond just mentioning them, but no details can be gone into. Some subjects do get to be a bit long in the tooth,but that is probably up to Goanetters to say so. For instance if a subject has been done to death for over a month, or two months, or if it goes on longer than there must be someone who is interested in posting further on the subject. If we have new subscribers, they may well bring up the subject again, as did I several times when first joining but was not aware of the archives some more than 2 to 5 years old, since then many more people have joined but the subjects may not be mentioned again, because it was done to death a year or so ago. But why cant we repeat some advice to the newcomers or allow the newcomers to bring forth a fresh look on an old subject, then the older Goanetters can give sage advice. In the meantime, I will only be taking note of recipes only, unless there are any fresh subjects or old subjects with 21 century resolutions to them.. Having said this, perhaps I may well visit other sites of interest to me, for Goans people of non-PIO but are interested in all things Goan. I may be enlightened further. Its a shame that I feel there is 'no point' anymore in reading any of the posts, I delete 90% these days, when a year ago I read every post, then 6 months ago started reading only my top 10 posters or if there was a newcomer / disguised former reject from Goanet or anyone other than the usual posters, I now have only a Top 5... the others are no longer interesting for me, its the same old, same old having culled 5 of the Top 5, there is very little now for me to do other than find something else, what is happening with Goans in the UK / Canada / USA / other western countries why / who / when / etc is also of interest to me. The Gulf Goans have their sites where their interests lie either with Goans back home or their own segregated life-style, not wanting to participate with the rest of the world. Goa has had a very bad press lately, not just in rapes, drugs, murder etc, this has been going on for decades but it took one courageous mother to make the whole world sit up, watch and listen. How about these recipes then? Looking forward to trying them out. I have a good mind to send in recipes myself to spice up the humdrum lives of our admin staff John Monteiro --- Mario Goveia wrote: But wait. Who would address the question? As you well know, the Goanet Admin are busy with other priorities:-)) -- Dear Mario, I suspect this discussion will not go beyond you and I, but I thought I'd give voice to several goanetters who have candidly admitted in private that they are bored with Goanet. The moderators seem to cull everything remotely OFF TOPIC or sexually explicit (as if the average readership is eight years old), politically incorrect or irrelevant to Goa. Goanet has become devoid of all its former wit, humour and profundit...So I await with bated breath for the arrival of these women on Goanet to spice things up.Selma ---
Re: [Goanet] An expansion in Goanet's perspective
Hi John Arising from your substantial introspective post below (but now necessarily truncated) I believe that: a) clarification ought to be provided to the 9000+ membership of Goanet, about the membership of the Goanet Admin team or any other management team that presumably exists for Goanet to function effectively. b) identification by name of such a team(s) so that the membership can know who has responsibility for different functions, and especially, who can act on recent constructive criticism about Goanet and particularly its moderation. c) next, publicity on the public forum should be made available for consideration of constructive suggestions from the Goanet membership with the main aim of co-operatively helping to make improvements to Goanet at this particular juncture even if this make take some time to implement satisfactorily. d) there is absolutely no ill-will in wanting to see improvements in the functioning of our much esteemed Goanet. Cornel DaCosta --- JOHN MONTEIRO [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: We either need more of what is happening in Goa today, yesterday and as recently as over the past few years...surely more happens than is permitted to be shown on Goanet, or we need to plead with the moderators to give a little more scope, not so many postings labelled as inappropriate ... I have had several posts not accepted by Goanet when I really could not see where I had offended anyone, other than it was perceived as possibly offensive, but is that not just what people do in conversations, some subjects are taboo (or are they?), so they are not permitted beyond just mentioning them, but no details can be gone into. If we have new subscribers, they may well bring up the subject again, as did I several times when first joining but was not aware of the archives ... some more than 2 to 5 years old... But why cant we repeat some advice to the newcomers or allow the newcomers to bring forth a fresh look on an old subject, then the older Goanetters can give sage advice.
Re: [Goanet] An expansion in Goanet's perspective
I agree with Selma's opinion. When I started reading and writing on Goanet two to three years ago, there were almost no posts that I skipped. Admittedly some were boring, though not to death Even Albert D'Souza of Saligao and Mapuca did show a little improvement when he was being needled. These past months I have on introspection realized that I delete more than 75% of the posts that I come across on a daily basis. Looking at the latest bunch of posts received today, how could the following conceivably interest me as an overseas Goan: Accidents on the rise in Merces (and are they going down in the rest of Goa) Invitation to participate in Youth Conference (privately send to Clinton Vaz) Two new uploads on MAND blog (are we going to be told about downloads as well) Mama Cool party at Clube Gaspar Dias (Mama Africa would interest me more) Educomp launches MagiKeys at Goa IT conclave. (Inform the Vatican, it might be of use at their next conclave) Oh my, oh my, the excitement needs to be ramped up more than a little. Even Mario Goveia has been tamed. Roland. On Fri, May 9, 2008 at 4:04 AM, Carvalho [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Dear Mario, We have Rajan Parriker doing a V. S. Naipul on us everyday wanting to save Goa, we have Clinton trying to save frogs, some NGO trying to save dogs, a couple of spurious and doctored articles about the Inquisition or conversions, and a couple of obituaries. That's Goanet in a nutshel these days.
[Goanet] An expansion in Goanet's perspective
--- Chris Vaz [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Could we possibly borrow that jewboy of yours to finish the unfinished extremity Marx left behind? ;--)) -- He's only part jewboy, bebee, the rest of him is all Irish Catholic :-) This banter with Chris brings to the fore a serious question. Discussions offline have hinted and hinged on Goanet being too limited a canvas for the Goan diaspora. Yes, Goa is of interest to us, but so are events, people and discussions taking place outside of Goa. Should Goanet expand its perspective to allow discussions that not necessarily pertain to Goa but would be of interest to Goans? Or maybe Frederick would be kind enough to set up another mailing list for diaspora Goans :-) Of late even I've become bored with the issues being discussed on Goanet. selma Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ
[Goanet] An expansion in Goanet's perspective
Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 11:44:24 -0700 (PDT) From: Carvalho [EMAIL PROTECTED] Should Goanet expand its perspective to allow discussions that not necessarily pertain to Goa but would be of interest to Goans? Mario responds: I have advocated this for years only to have verbal garbage thrown at me by irate Goa-centric activists. Actually some discussions do sneak in under the radar as shown by the attacks on the US economy under the guise of advising middle-East Goans about their assets, and the attempt to establish that there is a debate going on on the causes of climate change. But these depend on how some reference to Goa is snuck in and the mood of a moderator and are highly selective. Selma writes: Of late even I've become bored with the issues being discussed on Goanet. Mario responds: Bored with Goanet? Surely you jest? Bored with the fight to keep the caste system alive in Goa and the diaspora? Bored with the the fight to keep Goa pristine for the sake of the existing landowners who are already safely ensconced there? Bored with the furious attack on the hapless non-Goan migrants, without whom Goa's economy would come to a standstill, and the BJP who always make a convenient punching bag? Bored with the scientific research - if it comes from the UN it has to be scientific, right - that would deny meat-loving Goans their sorpotel and chorizos, vindaloo and xacuti all for the sake of the planet:-)) Bored with graphic displays of the rape of Goa followed by emotional discussions to, in effect, turn Goa into an authoritarian separatist Marxist state, run by a small cabal of all-knowing and well-meaning Goanetters and Goan musicians, but no attempt at any sensible solution [except from me:-))]? Bored with the serious discussions about religion and politics?, and finally, Bored with the stimulating discussion on the difference between illegal Ponzi schemes and legal MLMs some with questionable business practices? On second thought, let's get back to your first question shown above:-)) But wait. Who would address the question? As you well know, the Goanet Admin are busy with other priorities:-))
