----------------------------------------------------------------- Goanetter Francis Rodrigues (Vasco/Toronto) unveils his book, The Greatest Konkani Song Hits. Launch dates: Goa (Kala Academy) on 9 Aug. 4 pm. U.K. (Staines) on 15 Aug. Canada on 20 Aug and US on 30 Aug. Details http://www.konkanisongbook.com/
----------------------------------------------------------------- Carmen Miranda carmitamiranda at gmail.com Fri Aug 7 01:54:41 PDT 2009 Thanks Frederick , you are the second person who wrote to me to say not to waste my time with Mario. I had no intention of wasting my time with further arguments with him, but I just could not let it pass this time, as I don't know who Mario is besides being a reactionary probably living in USA. Mario responds: Carmen, As you become familiar with this forum you will come to realize that I am the lone and consistent voice on Goanet for reason, truth and peace, who will support you in your stated objective in opposing illegal development in Goa and lobbying for reform, or may, Saiba boggus, provide contrary information or opinion on occasion as in the munificence and infallibility of Comrade Obama - as his new friend Hugo Chavez calls him - or that the sky is falling or we will all soon drown due to climate change. I welcome responses that are factual and critiques and disagreements that are well thought out. I tend to respect those with strong contrary opinions, whether they agree with me or not, if they are based on facts and a modicum of common sense. Selma, Ana Maria, Rina, Diana - currently MIA - Valmiki, Floriano, Santosh, Rajan come quickly to mind where we sometimes agree and sometimes agree to disagree. There are a small handful of Goanetters like Fred, usually admirers of Karl Marx to one extent or the other, who are unable to deal with my verifiable facts and trenchant opinions in defense of the capitalist system that has produced the best quality of life for the most people while retaining their personal freedoms, whose only option to retain some semblance of self esteem is to start calling me names and childishly trying to ridicule me. You saw an example in one response to you and Fred on the issue of Obama's declining popularity. It never works, but they keep trying. For example, I take no issue with anyone who thinks that the US needs to find a way to provide health insurance for the approx. 25 million people - out of 320 million - who are not able to afford it right now, even if the government has to help them do so. The 50 million figure you read in the left wing media is bogus because most of that is comprised of illegal aliens and younger people who can afford to buy health insurance but don't think they need it right now or haven't made it a priority. However, I will take issue with those who want the government to be involved in managing the US health care system because then we will begin to descend to the level of Britain and Canada where everyone is ostensibly covered "for free" but government bureaucrats with no personal incentive are setting standards and deciding how to ration scarce health resources and waiting lists have become commonplace for serious medical procedures, especially for older people. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/5955840/Patients-forced-to-live-in-agony-after-NHS-refuses-to-pay-for-painkilling-injections.html http://www.nowpublic.com/world/canadian-healthcare-cracking-multiple-months-waiting-list-just-see-doctor BTW, I not only live in the USA, most of the time, I am an American of Bhayya-Goan heritage whose family were nationalists during Goa's struggle for freedom from white colonial rule. While you and Fred may think "reactionary" in opposing Comrade Obama is a pejorative, in our circumstances, it is a badge of honor. Carmen wrote: Obviously I am new to goanet and learning the ropes! But my intention is to just concentrate on what is going on in Goa now and engage in constructive exchange of ideas to see if we can really achieve something more concrete than just an exchange of e-mails.... Mario observes: Ah-ha! I see you are planning to be a "reactionary" in Goa:-))
