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**** http://www.GOANET.org ****
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NEW BOOK: 'PATRIOTISM IN ACTION: Goans in Indias Defence Services'
With Foreword by Gen SF Rodrigues, PVSM, VSM, ADC (retd)
former Chief of Indian Army Staff
and Governor, Punjab & Administrator, Chandigarh UT
Copies now available at:
GOA: Literati (2277740), Other India (2263306), Broadway (6647038),
Mandovi (2427904), Noel DSilva & Associates (9823120454 / 9096781714),
Confidant / Golden Heart Emp (2732450), David & Co (2730326), Vardaan
(9527463684)
SERV / RETD Def Offrs in Goa: O/o Sainik Co-op Hse Bldg Sty, Def Col, Porvorim
(2417288)
MUMBAI: David & Co (22019010)
PUNE: Manneys (26131683), Popular (25678327)
BENGALURU: Narayan (22865800)
DELHI: Ritana (24617278)
ONLINE (worldwide delivery): http://www.ritanabooks.com,
http://goa1556.goa-india.org
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GoaNetters' get-together recently held at the Piedade Complex in Panjim was
a convivial exchange under the genial chairmanship of Fred Noronha, with his
little son's sleepy head resting on his knee.
Like much of what is going down these days in the IT context, the agenda was
not predetermined; it was only towards the end when one of the participants
made a point which was lingering in the back of my mind without assuming
clear enough definition to permit of verbal expression. Point made, was that
while we were enjoying a kind of salad mix-of individual musings and
reminisce, we were not tuning onto a clear frequency concerning the GoaNet
character itself---what its merits and potentialities are; what may be the
excesses or indulgences that could plague this niche of social networking;
how, as a cyberspace dialoging faction, we can make the most of this amazing
communications tool---only recently come into our ken.
We should perhaps get down to more focused discussion concerning this. For
my own part, I'm not even sure if I am a 'GoaNetter'. I'm one of those who
may be thought by some to be 'computer literate', but in actual fact cannot
aspire to much more than doing a clean page in Microsoft Word and sending
and receiving emails. In fact, when Fred and his early-bird Associates were
trying to get the GoaNet Egg to hatch I was telling Fred to go
away---shoo-fly, don't bother me.
When we get together we may still be in the space of evening sundowner chat,
sorting out our varied identities---each of us (like Alice with Mock Turtle
trying to address the question, without benefit of the smoke rings) Whooooo
are Youuuuu. The discussion did not get beyond the 'personal introductions'
stage.
But this is not to complain; it is a beginning---towards growth within a new
'environmental milieu' perhaps roughly analogous to the evolutionary epoch
when sea creatures were challenged to adapt to functioning on land. Maybe in
another year we should treat ourselves to a dutch-treat dinner with a guest
speaker---one of the original nerd-founders of GoaNet perhaps, who can bring
us one step further in our own comprehension of what we are actually doing
and how we can go about doing it more efficiently and effectively.
I finally found myself registering with GoaNet, even if I'm not even a Goan.
The reasons are a little unique and 'complicad'---but are perhaps
essentially grounded in an ego stimulus of 'the educated' to see oneself in
print.
Then I found myself becoming a little leery of posting; I sensed a bit of
bitchiness about 'qualifications'; who is so-and-so, to be saying
such-and-such? Where are the 'proofs'? What 'Degrees' does he have"? Such
an anxiety about getting the history precisely right. I am not one of those
to maintain that 'History is Bunk', but would suggest that some history, and
approaches to history, CAN BE BUNK; Let's be a little less concerned about
the past, and more concentrated on the future. And can there be less
preoccupation with 'how bad things are'? Things are bad, here and just about
everywhere on Planet Earth these days; but whether they get better or worse
most likely depends on us---and whether we can adapt to a new Forum, for an
Athenaeum which now begins to slip the bonds of space and time.
