Goan Voice UK: Newsletter. Issue 2008-24. June. 12, 2008

Canada: Louis Fernandes: $70million S. Asian mall project launched

5 Jun: Caledon Enterprise (Canada). One of North America's largest South Asian mixed use shopping complexes will shortly adorn Brampton if Louis Fernandes has his way. "The Taj Centre, estimated at $70 million, will come up atop a sprawling 14 acres," Fernandes told South Asian Focus. The project has been conceptualized and created by Mudra Concepts Inc… Fernandes is Mudra's president, with the project being essentially his brainchild… 382 words. Click here. Louis Fernandes was born in Mumbai in 1970, the son of Musician, Lyricist and Singer Lawrence De Tiracol - yes, he traces his Goan roots to Tiracol. He moved to Canada in 2003 to join the Olympic Spirit Canada as Director of Finance, Administration and HR. For a profile of Louis and the project click here.

British Council seeks applications for De Souza Trust Scholarships
6 Jun: Navhind Times. The British Council has sought applications for the De Souza Trust Goa Scholarships 2008, from Goan students desiring to undertake courses of up to one year duration in UK. The closing date for applications is June 30, 2008. The applicant should be an Indian national, domiciled and resident of Goa, or born of Goan parents… a total of 19 Goan students have availed of the scholarships provided by the Trust in the last 10 years. For text of article, 321 words, click here.
For application details click here.

Canada: Joy Fernandes: A sexy, kinetic dream in eight languages

9 Jun: Globe and Mail (Canada). Led by Joy Fernandes as Nick Bottom, who famously is transformed into an ass, here it is not just his head that changes, but he also sports a giant gourd of a phallus. Supple has made these mechanicals more than just comic relief… Click here.
For a video trailer of the London performance click here.

Boston, USA: Ashley Fernandes took photos of girlfriend's murder
10 Jun: Eagle-Tribune. Ashley Fernandes led police to his victim's body, then allegedly confessed to strangling her…He photographed Jessica Herrera before, during and after he strangled her to death…Fernandes, despite his alleged confession, pleaded not guilty to the murder charge…Fernandes is due back in court on June 30. 747 words. Click here.

Alisha Fernandes: Canada National Concert Band

10 Jun: Orillia Packet & Times. Alisha R. Fernandes was recently chosen to be a member of the 2008 MusicFest Canada National Concert Band. The band is the premier honour concert band in Canada…Locally Fernandes has performed on both the tenor and bass trombones with the Orillia Silver Band and the Orillia Wind Ensemble. 166 words. Click here.
Alisha Fernandes, daughter of Glenn and Rosanna Fernandes was the 2006 recipient of the G.O.A. (Toronto) Victor Abreu Award.

Louis Mendonca: Sorpotel drives Canadian hockey coach

11 Jun: Times of India. The secret ingredient of Canada’s hockey success is Louis Mendonca… He says, “The assistant coach John De Souza and two players Wayne Fernandes and Ken Pereira are Goans” He was born in Bahrain in 1957 and the family moved to Karachi and then Canada…Canadian Goans have banded together and the Goan Overseas Association has given Goan-Canadians the opportunity to play the sport at all levels…Louis is married, has 3 daughters and lives in Toronto as does his dad and three siblings … 675 words + photos. Click here.
For links to more information about him click here.

Gregory Fernandes murder: fifth teen charged

12 Jun: Daily Echo. A fifteen-year-old boy has become the fifth teenager to be charged in connection with an alleged gang attack that left Gregory Fernandes dead and Pithilnaviram Vinod seriously injured. He appeared at Southampton Youth Court where he was released on bail…All five will next appear at Winchester Crown Court later this month…Mr Fernandes, from Goa and Mr Vinod were enjoying an evening in the village when they were attacked…322 words. Click here.

Keith Vaz: Parliamentary corners and corridors
12 Jun: The Times (UK). There was genuine anger, lynch-mob intense, a cacophonous finale to a day of high politics, high drama, high stakes and high jinks at Westminster … One Tory teased Keith Vaz, saying there was a "churlish and ridiculous rumour" that he may have been offered a knighthood. Mr Vaz's eyes lit up…"No, it was certainly not offered," he twinkled, "but I do not know, there is still time!" 622 words. Click here.
12 Jun: The Independent… it'll be Sir Keith Vaz by the end of the parliament (Sir Keith blushed but didn't rule it out entirely)…
11 Jun: The Guardian. Keith Vaz was even forced to deny claims that he had been offered a knighthood for delivering the votes of two Muslim MPs…

Canadian Olympic Committee: Jackie DeSouza
11 Jun: Canada NewsWire… Steve Keogh has been promoted to the position of Director, Communications… he replaces Jackie DeSouza who left the COC in May 2008 after many years in the position. For a profile of Jackie DeSouza, click here.

9 Jun: Mumbai. MABEL IVY MIRANDA. Wife of late Norbert B. Miranda. Mother of Quirinus/Kathleen (USA); Colette/Terence Pereira; Gwen/Malcolm Pereira; Swithin/Charmayne; Gloria Rebelo (Canada) & Luke (USA).

8 Jun: Nairobi, Kenya. BEATRICE AZAVEDO (Born 1917, ex-Molo & Nakuru). Wife of late Caetano. Mother of Marjorie Rawn (UK), Rosa Pinto, Martha Dias, Susan Talma. Funeral on Wed 11 Jun. at Our Lady Queen Catholic Church, Karen at 1:00 p.m. and burial thereafter at Langata Cemetery. For details click here.

8 Jun: Panjim/Merces, Goa. LIBANIA VAS. Wife of late Pedro Nolasco. Mother of Nazareth/Oslinda, Cruz/Zezinha, Sylvia/Bosco (Goa Velha/UK).

25 May: Bethesda, Maryland, USA. ROQUE FELIX DIAS, OBE. (aged 89; Ex-Mombasa: Portuguese Counsellor service). Beloved husband of the late Silvia Dias. Mr. Dias is also survived by his five children, three grandchildren, two sisters, his son-in-law and his brother-in-law. Memorial Mass was on Friday, June 6 at 11 a.m. Interment private. Click here.

Indian visas more expensive for Britons
7 Jun: The Telegraph (UK). British travellers to India face extra charges when applying for visas. The Indian High Commission has contracted out its visa section to VFS Global, a company that has introduced new handling fees and an expensive premium telephone line for inquiries…When Telegraph Travel called VFS’s premium contact number, it took 10 minutes to get through the recorded messages, at a charge of £6, before it was possible to speak to a human being. We were then told to dial a new number, which was out of order as we went to press… 393 words. Click here.

Malaria has Goa in its grip
7 Jun: Herald. The rampant construction boom has dealt a death knell for Colva and Benaulim in the form of unbelievable rise in malaria cases and the cries of the people in these areas against mega-housing projects now seem truly justified… malaria cases have shot up 74 times as compared to the same period last year…Panjim and Candolim-Calangute have been declared as danger areas… 254 words. Click here.

Goa: Foreigner Property Purchase Probe
7 Jun Times if India. …the Goa government had forwarded about 400 cases of violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act in Goa to the Reserve Bank of India. Of these, the RBI forwarded 74 cases to the Enforcement Directorate. There are prima facie violations in these cases but most are minor cases relating to flats and apartments. "We are concentrating on the big cases of high value purchases," the official said. The only major case in this batch is that of a Russian company called True Axis, which purchased about 20,000 square metres of agriculture/forest land in Morjim… 397 words. Click here.

Foreigners shy away from getting registered at Canacona
7 Jun: Navhind Times. …The names of only 40 of the estimated 500 foreigners are found to be registered with the Canacona police as required by law… The poor dress sense of the foreigners has a telling effect on local attendance on the beaches with many staying away from them “so as not to erode the minds of their children.” 298 words. Click here.

Now you see it; Now you don’t
8 Jun: Mainstream. Vol.44 no.25. The Challenge of Diversity. By Eduardo Faleiro. Cultural diversity is a fact of modern life and it exists now in practically all countries of the world. In addition to conventional elements such as race, religion and language, cultural diversity is accentuated by new factors including globalisation… 736 words. Click here.
6 Jun: Navhind Times. “Ban on foreigners purchasing property justified” By Eduardo Faleiro. The NRI commissioner Mr Eduardo Faleiro, loksevagoa@rediffmail.com has said the ban of purchase of property by foreigners in Goa is justified… 365 words. Click here.

Humour: Courses for 21st century Goans
9 Jun: Herald. By Val & Tino. With the booming Goan economy throwing up new challenges and opportunities, we felt the time was ripe to devise some short-term, people-friendly courses … Retired language teachers can reap a rich harvest out of language teaching. Syllabi are available on ‘instant Konkani for British NRIs’ and ‘Instant Hebrew’, ‘Instant Russian’, etc, for shack owners. Westernisation: This course is tailored for the youth from non-English or non-Konklish speaking backgrounds who intend to join air hostess training institutes, call centres, English newspapers, or for those intending to hook foreign spouses and settle abroad…563 words. Click here.

In Goa, hotels get cheaper
10 Jun: Zee News. As the days of soaking in the sun lazing on the beach are over, the hotel giants with their properties in Goa are selling the rooms at much cheaper rate…across the board, the luxury hotels have slashed their tariff by almost 40 percent compared to the peak season besides floating various tempting packages… 205 words. Click here.

Goan... pamper yourself in style
10 Jun: Emirates Business 24/7, UAE. The hospitality experienced by guests at the Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa is second to none at this breathtakingly beautiful venue tucked away in a secluded corner of the pristine Arossim beach in south Goa, India. 691 words. Click here.

Youth traps Englishwoman in love, dupes her
12 Jun: Daily News and Analysis. Petrina Churm, a 55-year-old Englishwoman has lodged a police complaint against Guroo, her 30-year-old Kashmiri live-in partner she met on a trip to Goa … Guroo persuaded her to buy a house in Srinagar in his name as foreigners can’t purchase property in Kashmir… Guroo threw her out soon after she exhausted all the money she had raised selling her belongings in London…323 words. Click here.
See also Daily Mail 22 May 2008: Toyboys or Predators in Paradise. Click here.

Tattoo dreams
12 Jun: Daily News & Analysis…When in Delhi, one of the best places to go to is the Devil'z Tattoo Studio in Basant Lok…if you happen to be in Goa, there's no one better than Roshan in Calangute, who holds that the tattoo culture is here to stay. Small tattoos, he says, can be more costly than the big ones since the detailing is greater. Roshan does a mean job of body art and at Rs 2,000 for the first square inch will do the most damage to your pocket. But, as they say, it ain't no good if it ain't the best… 381 words.

Win a Safari Holiday to Kenya
11 Jun: Asda Magazine. Seven day safari including flights. Click here.

Alarming Rise In Marriage Breakdowns In Goa
5 Jun: Mangalorean.com. In Goa, marriages are ending in divorce at an unprecedented rate…Goa registered 384 divorce cases in 2007. 698 words. Click here.

Goa plans education hubs as foreign schools eye state
6 Jun: Times of India. Goan students desiring degrees and diplomas from abroad, may not have to travel out of the state. Some prestigious educational institutions such as the Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences and Sashcaze Institute both from Canada… 368 words. Click here.

Brazil to boost football in Goa
6 Jun: Navhind Times. Goan football is all set to receive Latin American boost with the Brazilian government establishing contacts with the Goa Football Association and Goa’s Professional Clubs … Goa has availed of the services of nearly 20 Brazilian football players, coaches and physical trainers so far… 454 words. Click here.

Goa opens assembly committee meetings to public, media
6 Jun: Bombay News.Net. The Goan media and public got a pleasant surprise here when they were allowed to sit through an assembly committee meeting, directly getting to hear from those in power… Assembly committees are set up to discuss issues of governance and comprise legislators from various parties. 'Going one step further, the speaker also enabled members of the media and the public to state their views before the committee on matters under their consideration,' said an official. 449 words. Click here.

Goa’s singular sewage disposal

6 Jun: In Konkani the latrine is generally referred to as kumanv…How could the rotund, pirouetting pig reach up to the high stone enclosure balanced as it was, rather unsteadily, on a sharply downward sloping stone floored cavern? 862 words. Click here.

Goa Archbishop wants end of discrimination against migrants
6 Jun: Indian Catholic. Goa Archbishop Felipe Neri Ferrao has stressed the importance of nurturing faith in families … Many Goans have been resenting increased migration of people to Goa as a fall out of increased tourism related activities in the coastal state. Discrimination against migrants and humiliating remarks hurled against them, are actually directed against God, he said …219 words. Click here.

Goa: Divorce increases among Christians
6 Jun: Spero News (Texas). In the traditionally Christian enclave of Goa, a former Portuguese colony, divorce is reaching an unprecedented rate. Women complain of sexual abuse, child abuse, and extra-marital affairs. Goa registered 384 divorce in 2007… 697 words. Click here.

The sanna also rises
7 Jun: Times of India. They are as soft as babies and demand as much attention. Melinda Pereira Kamat on the plump Goan bread…Both Hindus and the Roman Catholics in Goa prepare sannas …Veronica Pereira from Aldona is famous for her mouthwatering sannas … they are occasionally sold by some fisherfolk at Panaji fish market, at Mapusa Friday market, Simonia bakers at Mapusa and V P stores at Aldona. 743 words. Click here.

Goa: Senior citizens have a whale of a time
7 Jun: Navhind Times. The day care centres set up for senior citizens are turning to be excellent “joints” for interaction…such centres have been set up in Margao, Sattari and Mapusa, with the one at Margao receiving very good response… the centres are for senior citizens aged 60 or above and residing in Goa for last 15 years, with their annual income not exceeding Rs 60,000…more such centres would soon be established around the state. 392 words. Click here.

Brazilian Consul hails Don Boscos plans for football promotion
7 Jun: Navhind Times. Driven by that singular passion for football and sincerity of purpose, Brazil’s Consul General in Mumbai, Mr Paolo Antonio Pereira Pinto held cordial parleys with Don Bosco Salesians concerning the proposed tie-up with Universidade Catolica de Brasilia for launching a course on football studies in Goa. 330 words. Click here.

The burden of Goa's past
7 Jun: The Pioneer…Goa's majestic, lime-washed churches tower above everything else and bear testimony to its colonial past when it was an outpost of Portugal…The departing Portuguese offered to take home their loyalists. But only a handful of Goans boarded the ship to Portugal…Their children have sort of integrated with Portuguese society, but the elderly women and men still feel left out, their printed knee-length cotton frocks and crisp linen suits a bit of an oddity in today's Portugal… 1045 words. Click here.

Rising alcoholism puts Goa on a high!
8 Jun: Herald…Alcoholism is a big social problem and needs to be tackled before more homes are destroyed, warns a long-time member of the Alcohol Anonymous (AA) in Goa. He suggested that the State Government should stop issuing licences for new alcohol shops as easy accessibility is one of the reasons why Goan lads catch up with drinking habit, early… 537 words. Click here.

‘Casual investigation’ of a murder
8 Jun: Times of India. The Supriya Lotlikar murder, Margao's most sensational killing in 2004, saw accused, husband Deepesh Raiker, acquitted on June 2 this year. While passing the order, the division bench of the High Court observed: “It appears that the investigations were carried out in a most casual manner and is one of the reasons the accused deserves to be given benefit of doubt”…936 words. Click here.

Monsoon lashes Goa
8 Jun: Navhind Times. The much-awaited south-west monsoon has finally set in over Goa, one day before the predicted date with the state witnessing heavy rains accompanied by gusty winds, throwing the normal life into turmoil… the rain registered from 11.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m., on 7 Jun. 60.8 mm… 182 words. Click here.

Enforcement of laws can save Goa's hills
9 Jun: Times of India. ‘A house on the hill with a view’. Or ‘a house with a view of the sea or river’. The craze to market villas and bungalows on strategic locations like these has led to devastation of Goa’s hill slopes. But if the town planners had strictly followed the rule book, none could have touched a blade of grass on the slopes… 700 words. Click here.

Margao students, teachers leaving for London today
9 Jun: Herald. Thirteen students and three teachers from Vidya Vikas Academy (ICSE), Margao are leaving for London on June 9 for a educational and cultural exchange program at Lampton School, Hounslow, UK. The pupils will present Indian dances and Goan folk songs in the UK…Teachers who will accompany the students are Dr James Barton, Tania Monteiro and Shaefali Lendhay. 211 words. Click here

Goans going for Portuguese
10 Jan: Navhind Times. Goa has witnessed renewed interest in Portuguese language with the number of students as well as adults attending classes of the language gradually on the rise, just as the Portuguese Consulate in Goa is all set to celebrate “Dia de Portugal” or Portugal Day, on June 10. 414 words. Click here.

Goa BJP legislators seek governor's removal
10 Jun: Hindustan Times. A group of BJP legislators from Goa met President Pratibha Patil on Monday and gave her a memorandum signed by 200,000 voters of Goa demanding action and the sacking of Governor SC Jamir… Click here.

Video: Manohar Parrikar Interview: Contacto Goa

10 Jun: RTP: The sixth episode of Contacto Goa was broadcast on RTP international on June 10. Goa’s Opposition leader Manohar Parrikar is interviewed and assessed. Watch it online. 26m. 57s. Click here.

Portuguese Consul General seeks greater ties with India
11 Jun: Navhind Times. Dia de Portugal, the National Day of Portugal was celebrated at the residence of the Consul General of Portugal in Goa, Dr Paulo Neves Pocinho… Speaking on the occasion, Dr Pocinho said that the ties between India and Portugal should not be restricted to tourism or trade and commerce, but also used for improving human relations between citizens of both countries. 302 words. Click here.

Arsenal pick 16 boys for training in UK
11 Jun: PTI. Sixteen under-15 boys were selected on Wednesday by Arsenal coaches for a two-weeks training stint in Surrey, England. They include two from Goa …Shane Anthony Temodo (St Britto High School, Goa) and Mario Bacchus Lobo (St Josephs High School, Goa)… Click here.

Goa sees sharp rise in water-borne diseases
11 Jun: Times of India. Heavy rains in Goa in the past fortnight have brought in their wake a host of ailments. There has been a sudden rise in water-borne diseases like gastroenteritis, leptospirosis and other ailments such as malaria…Drink boiled water. Avoid wearing rain-soaked shoes, socks. Don’t eat junk food. Keep your surroundings and houses clean…412 words. Click here.

Everything Portuguese about it
12 Jun: Times of India: It was a grand celebration on the occasion of the Portuguese National Day. Photographs of Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, Dr Wilfred D’Souza, Anita Rodrigues, the first woman superintendent of Goa Police, better known as the ‘Iron Lady’, Wendell Rodricks, Fatima D’Sa etc. Click here.

Weekly Update
12 Jun: Times of India – Goa. Exchange rates £= 83.97; $ =42.74; Euro = 66.41
Weather: Spells of rains or thundershowers. Max = 31.4C; Min =24.0C. Humidity 86% to 92%

Video: Forensic report weakens Scarlett case
5 Jun: NDTV. Swabs samples taken from Brit teenager Scarlett Keeling have tested negative for the presence of semen. The forensic report submitted to the Goa police is a setback to the prosecution…1m.34s. Click here.

Scarlett Keeling: CBI takes over case
6 Jun: Zee News: The CBI has filed First Information Report (FIR) in British teenager Scarlett Keeling murder case, superintendent of police (north) Bosco George told newsmen on Thursday. Click here.

Scarlett Keeling: India won't let me back, says mother
10 Jun: Evening Standard (London). Fiona MacKeown is being blocked from returning to India… she has been told that her request for a new visa to travel to India is currently under consideration. She applied for the visa last month and should have received it in just 48 hours. Mrs MacKeown wants to return to India to collect her daughter's organs and have them analysed in Britain but also so she can give her daughter a proper burial in Devon. 487 words. Click here.

Scarlett's mother won't return till assured of safety: Lawyer
10 Jun: Times of India. Fiona Mackeown, mother of British teenager Scarlett Eden Keeling who was found dead on a beach in Goa, would not return to India till she is assured about her safety, her lawyer said… 190 words. Click here.

Parents fight to clear jailed backpacker
13 May: Sunday Telegraph (UK). Patrick Malluzzo, 30, from Dartford, Kent sentenced to 10 years in an Indian jail for drug trafficking is the victim of a miscarriage of justice, his family believes. Malluzzo met an old friend in Delhi and they decided to go to Goa but later he decided to make a detour to Udaipur. His friend continued the train journey but missed a connection and police discovered 42 lbs (19 kg) of cannabis in the unclaimed luggage. Malluzzo had booked the train journey and was deemed to be guilty even though the luggage was not his. 827 words. Click here.

Indian Mangoes Are Back!

5 Jun: New York Magazine. Last year, Floyd Cardoz of Tabla acquired a cache of Alphonso mangoes, long banned in America but considered the best in the world. The mangoes are back … Cardoz likes them so much he's even giving away whole ones with every dinner… Click here. For the GVUK Floyd Cardoz supplement click here.

London: Nirpal Dhaliwal: I’m going back to my roots
5 Jun: Evening Standard (London). Brought up in London by Sikh parents, Standard Columnist Nirpal Dhaliwal is leaving his birthplace to make a life in New Delhi, India’s booming capital. He says, “My mother is bewildered by my decision. She does not understand how her country has become a land of opportunity.” Feature article. Click here.

Indian cuisine and the magic touch of vinegar
7 Jun: Economic Times. …The Portuguese do seem to have introduced the extensive use of vinegar in cooking in India and it is still much used in Goa, at least among Christians. Goan Hindus use kokum and this is a distinguishing factor between the two cuisines. Other Christian communities in India use it as well, possibly because vinegar has a somewhat sacral status since Jesus was given vinegar to drink while on the cross. 1476 words. Click here.

Settle in Canada via the altar route
8 May: Times of India…A phony wedding to a Canadian has become the easiest way of acquiring a resident visa… an Indian can go to Canada within six months of marrying a Canadian…Cases have come to light in which Canadian nationals have agreed to sponsor Indian spouses for monetary gain - around 10,000-12,000 Canadian dollars…287 words. Click here.

Britain to probe shortage of Indian chefs
9 Jun: Times of India. An inquiry has been launched by the department of Home Affairs to assess the impact of newly introduced points-based migration system which has hit three billion pound Indian restaurant and catering industry in Britain…The committee, launched by the Home Affairs Select Committee chaired by India-origin Labour MP Keith Vaz, will inquire into the implementation plans for the points-based migration system… 233 words. Click here.

Video: Richard Burton, The Victorian Sex Explorer

10 Jun: The Telegraph (UK)… Excerpts: Although there’s much to admire and many sights to enjoy, Everett tells the tale of Richard Burton kidnapping a nun in Goa that he’d taken a fancy to as a funny story (the “joke” being that he and his man servant kidnapped the mother superior instead) … At a convent in Goa, Everett not only flirts outrageously with the nuns, he gets them to do How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria...
The programme, 49 minutes, was broadcast on UK TV on 9 June. It can be viewed online in the UK till 16 June. Go to www.channel4.com To watch the Goa segment (3m.20s) fast forward to 15:00 minutes.
Richard Burton coined the word Goanese. He wrote an account of his stay in Goa entitled “Goa, and the Blue Mountains: Or, Six Months of Sick Leave.” 368 pages. 1851. To read the book online, click here.
Paper copies of the book are on sale for prices ranging from $1 (reprint) to $5950 (1851 edition). For details click here.

Lisbon: Cinema: "Viagens no Oriente"
10 Jun: Expresso. "Viagens no Oriente" no auditório do Museu do Oriente… A 24 de Julho, serão apresentados dois filmes portugueses - "Pátria Incerta", sobre a colonização de Goa, de Inês Gonçalves e Vasco Pimentel, e "A Ilha da Boa Vida", uma curta-metragem de Mercês Gomes sobre o quotidiano na cidade de Bombaim. Click here.

Bennett family from England awaits justice

10 Jun: MeriNews. By Armstrong Vaz. The demand to hand over Stephen Bennett's case to the CBI has not seen the light of the day. Bennett (40) went to Goa for a vacation. His body was found hanging from a tree, two days after his murder … Amanda, Bennett’s sister says, “He was killed as an example to another Brit he was socialising with …Money was owed. The money was paid from the UK within 10 days of the man being informed about the murder…The communication between the Brit and the goons is still up and running. They have a little drug importing business…” 959 words. Click here.

Bombay: New life for old church records
10 Jun: Times of India. Catholics from Bandra to Borivali can look forward to tracing their ancestry back several hundred years, thanks to a heritage conservation project at St Andrew’s Church in Bandra…The oldest existing church register dating back from 1750 has been restored and the project is gathering steam…658 words. Click here.

Bahrain: Police in spotlight
11 Jun: Gulf Daily News. The daily working lives of men in uniform will be highlighted at the staging of a Konkani play, or tiatr, later this month… Directed by Goan comedian Agostinho Temudo, the play throws light on the way political pressure affects the work ethics of policemen… 230 words. Click here.

Vindaloo: A Culinary, Linguistic Transformation
11 Jun: Epoch Times …Vindaloo originated in Goa…The Portuguese brought with them their unique method of preparing pork, which was to marinate the meat in a mixture of wine, garlic, and spices called vinha de alhos…British slang refers to it simply as vindy… 741 words. Click here.

Iggy Fernandes requests us to kindly let him have accounts of "myths, folklore or superstitions pertaining to Goa." He recounts some he had heard at his mother's knee and a particular one where a sand bank had suddenly appeared to seriously impede the work of Goan fishermen. Apparently, a priest was rowed out to sea to strike the sandbank with his sword. It lead to the immediate disappearance of the said sandbank! There must be stories like this we can all recall and perhaps it is time we recounted them.

In a topic that may not be directly related to Goanet, but very pertinent to the economic downturn faced by so many, Venantius Pinto draws our attention to a worrying article 'Squeezing the American Dream: Workers Face Diminishing Returns'. To read it, click here.

Dr John Rodrigues from Chichinim, Goa, has "four variants of Kokum wine in both sec (dry) and demi-sec (semi-dry) types. You can smell it, taste it and buy it to drink at home." To read the full report click here.

A lively discussion has emerged on Goanet on the academic and other demands that are made for achieving the PhD and MBBS. One commentator has suggested that in comparing the two, the "MBBS is a walk in the park." Well, as a number of Goan Voice (UK) readers are medical doctors, I wonder if they would agree that their efforts to become qualified medics was like "a walk in the park?"

Goanet consistently provides access to beautifully written limericks and stories. An interesting recent short story is by Belinda Willard, titled Dalmira's Home: A Sonata of Change

As so many current readers of the GV(UK) lived in Kenya previously, a lively discussion on 'What Goans Gave Kenya' should be of interest to them. It includes an excellent input from Mervyn Maciel, the celebrated author of Bwana Karani and other very insightful pieces on Goanet, including a recent story of a Goan widow in Kisi, Kenya, who did so well entrepreneurally despite the odds against her.

Finally, Churchill Alemao the Goan politician who is the butt of so many jokes has been at the receiving end of some pretty creative humour compiled by Goanetters specifically for Goanet. Can we resist rushing to find such unique creativity on Goanet?

TRAVEL: Earthwalkers. Travel Channel
Saturday 14th June. 23:00 to 23:30 Lamu Island. Frozen in time this fantasy destination in Kenya is a 'must see' for any discerning traveller.

COOKERY: Market Kitchen. UKTV Food
Sunday 15th June 12:30 to 13:30. This week's guest chef Atul Kochhar makes Goan roast chicken…

ENTERTAINMENT: M Night Shyamalan. Film4
Sunday 15th June 18:45 to 18:55. Director/writer M Night Shyamalan talks about his latest eerie thriller, 'The Happening'

SERIES: Unaccustomed Earth. BBC Radio Four
Mon – Fri. 16 - 20 June. 15:30 to 15:45. A lonely Indian mother, living in America, meets a charismatic young immigrant, who transports her back to a time before her marriage. Read by Nina Wadia.

NEWS: Asian Network Report. BBC Radio Asian Network
MMonday 16th June 18:30 to 19:00 A special report from the BBC Asian Network.

COOKERY: Market Kitchen. UKTV Food
Friday 20th June 19:00 to 20:00. Anjum Anand makes millefeuille with an Indian twist. Special guest Nadia Sawahla enjoys her last supper of the week - pork belly with soy and star anise.

FILM: The Village. BBC 3
Friday 20th June. 22:00 to 23:40. Thriller in which the residents of an isolated 19th-century village in Pennsylvania live in fear of mysterious creatures that inhabit the surrounding woodland. Director: M. Night Shyamalan. 2004.

Sun.15 Jun. Siolim Union (London) celebrates the feast of St. Anthony of Padua at Archbishop Lanfranc School Hall, Mitcham Road, Croydon CR9 3AS. Commences with Holy Mass at 12noon followed by dancing to the music of Maz and Co. Licensed Bar. Tickets which include snacks and lunch cost £10 for members & £12 for guests. Children under 12 free admission (meal tickets £3). No tickets will be sold at the door. Dress: Strictly Formal Contact: Edwin Athayde 020 8679 5514, Eugene Fernandes 020 8665 4773, Tony Fernandes 020 8540 3566.

Sun 29 Jun: Benaulim Association celebrates the feast of St John the Baptist at Woodside High School Hall (formerly Known as White Hart Lane School) opp The New River Sports Centre, White Hart Lane, Wood Green, London N22. Holy Mass at 12.30 followed by a social gathering and dancing to the music by Maz & Co. + Disco. Tickets: Members £8.00, Guests £10.00, Children 8 - 16 £4 and Under 8 FREE. For tickets and further information please contact Josephine 0208 967 7471, Mary 0208 803 9752 or Santan 0208 952 9365

Sun 6 Jul: Bakuli (Uganda) Reunion. 10th anniversary of the reunion at Archbishop Lanfranc School, Mitcham Road, Croydon. Surrey CR9 3AS from 1.00pm - 8.30pm. Live music by Mustang and disco by DJO. Tickets, which include a meal and snacks, are £13.00 for Adults and £6.00 for children 2 -12. The event is open to all. For tickets and further information please contact Tony Lobo 020 8542 0528 or Reg Da Cunha 020 7732 2659 e-mail regdacunha@aol.com

Sun. 6 Jul. The Aldona Association will be celebrating the Feast of their Patron, St. Thomas at St.Edmund's Church Hall Croyland Road, Edmonton N9 7BZ on 6 July 2008. Mass will commence at 12.00pm followed by dancing to the music of Maz 'n'Co. Ticket cost includes snacks and a meal, Members £10.00, Guests £12.50 and children 5-16 yrs £6.00. You can download an application form from our website: www.aldonalondon.org.uk or email: aldonalondon@hotmail.com. For further details contact Jude-020 8360 4102, Les-020 8440 8832 or Tino-0162 8680 529.

Sun. 13 Jul. G.O.A. Golf Open at Blue Mountain Golf Course, Bracknell. Further details from: Jacinto D'Silva 020 - 8723 1233, Menino Mascarenhas 01784 211832

Sun: 20 July. Tivim Feast. Mass will be celebrated at 1.30 pm at 185 St Boniface Church, Mitcham Road, Tooting followed by an afternoon of celebration and dancing to the sounds of "Nite Life" at St Boniface Church Hall. Further details from Norma Menezes Rahim on 020 8771 4457.

Sun. 27 Jul. G.O.A. Goan Festival in conjunction with Goan Organisations at Archbishop Lanfranc School, Mitcham Road, Croydon. Starts with Holy Mass at 12.15 pm. Contact: Herbert Fernandes 01277 651052, Alfred Rebello 020 – 8337 8022. For stall applications: Bernie Gracias 020 – 8723 1322