18/2/10
Hi Googlies,
PTL!
As the moon waxes and wanes so my love ebbs and rises. Glenn got angry; he is in cold war mode but I sent him 4-5 sms b4 he called and told me why. Why do men clam up and women blow up when they are hot? Anyway he called and that is gr8 for Glenn.
2day begins Lent. I recorded Bonny’s ‘Good Morning Lord’ wch airs every Mon on FM Rainbow at 830 am. The priest spoke on Ash Wed wch was yday and said we must pray, fast and give alms. I remembered an sms I had sent last yr “PAF-Prayer Almsgiving Fasting. This lethal poison is guaranteed to kill the Devil instantly! Caution: Keep away from hypocrites. Price: FREE. Jesus has already paid the price 4 u. So this Lent pray persistently, fast fervently and give generously.”
My short story did not feature this Mon. so you will have to wait until nxt Mon. Hopefully waiting myself to see it in print. Nxt middle only on 26th unless my opinionated comes b4. Also sent a letter on Kiran Bedi. Her news article in Herald was inspiring. Am posting my letters printed so far for your reading pleasure.
Chalo. Bye for now.
Keep smilingJ
4m d heart,
Auriel.

AN ODORIFEROUS PROBLEM

There is a news report everyday on various problems faced by the common man when the monsoons come. Clogging of drains and dumping of garbage is a regular feature. It is only when the problem is highlighted in the papers that one sees anything remotely linked to a solution, and that too is only temporary. The next year the same story repeats itself.
Last year, the Mapusa Municipal Council introduced door-to-door garbage collection. It also introduced a monthly fee of Rs 30, which many were not too happy to pay. The campaign promised segregation of waste and a clean, green Mapusa. A year has gone by and all we see is the same filth on our roads and in our gutters. Door-to door collection is a good scheme and should be continued, but it should also be enforced so that those who do not co-operate are made accountable.
With the door-to-door garbage scheme initiated, the roadside dustbins slowly vanished and people have had to resort to dumping what the garbage collector won’t accept ( cartons, thermocol pieces, glass bottles, fused tubelights, etc) into the gutters and vacant plots. Some still dump regular home waste on the roadsides and they have not yet been identified and fined.
Housing societies have become dumping grounds for those who have no place to dump broken toilets, discarded tiles, etc. In the market area, one has to wade through slush created by rotting waste from fruit and vegetable vendors. An hour’s shopping becomes a whole morning’s walk in the muck.
It is high time citizens started forming groups, and housing societies initiated composting programmes within their premises to ease the traffic of waste to some God-forsaken dumping ground, which is perpetually under dispute. Our schools must train their students to segregate in their own homes and in the school premises, and inculcate environmental consciousness. There are so many ways to use waste and even generate income from it, and many safer ways to dispose of it than burn, burn, burn. (on 9th July 2009)



Drop IFFI for Tiatr Festival
Auriel Ribeiro Sa, Mapusa.

I wholeheartedly agree with the views expressed by Cedric da Costa in his article ‘IFFI or Tiatr Festival’ (Herald Mirror,6 Dec) that we should have a tiatr festival instead of the silly fiasco the IFFI seems to have been.
After moving down to Goa from Mumbai, I appreciate the dedication and hard work put into the production of a tiatr and make it a point to see any tiatr staged closest to my hometown. The witty cantaram highlight the plight of Goans due to our corrupt politicians. The concerned authorities need to look into the dilapidated state of Hanuman theatre at Mapusa to enable tiatr lovers to enjoy tiatrs in an a/c environment.
We need to preserve and be proud of our unique culture, which foreigners seem to appreciate more. The tourists will definitely enjoy our tiatrs even if they do not understand the language. The tiatrists need to evolve too and give an excellent fare in a language everyone understands to reach a wider audience without compromising on the unique flavour of the tiatr. (on 14th Dec 2009)



Ranks are like caste.
Auriel Ribeiro Sa, Mapusa.

Aamir Khan deserves kudos for the film 3 Idiots wherein he has portrayed the fallacies in the educational system.
Being a teacher myself, I echo Aamir’s sentiments when he compares the rank/grade system to the caste system. These stories will indeed touch a chord somewhere and lead people to rebel strongly against the system. All parents need to watch this movie.
Aamir’s ‘Taare Zameen Par’ was an eye-opener and now I pray this one will open hearts to change the system for the better. Chetan Bhagat deserves thanks for ‘Five Point Someone’, which inspired the making of this movie. (on 14th Jan 2010)

Only one choice?

With respect to Venita Coelho’s article ‘The Reproductive Rights of Women’. (Herald, 16 Jan) I feel she has voiced her opinion very effectively. But she has not mentioned the mental and psychological impacts an abortion can have. I can assure you that not only the woman but also the man is affected by the process. Why go to God last? Ask him first what is the right thing to do. If he suggests abortion, go for it! But if he says, “Wait on me and give the baby up for adoption so another woman is blessed, listen to him, for His sake!
I am proud to be pro-life and, in my opinion, if a woman has the right to choose, then those same rights must be extended to the child in her womb. A woman can ‘choose’ life, can’t she? (on 20 Jan 2010)

Old-fashioned Dad

With respect to Marc de Souza’s article ‘The Old-Fashioned Father’ (Herald, 21 January), I want to congratulate him on the article and also assure him that I have an old-fashioned Dad in my husband. My children respect and obey him. He is everything Marc says he should be and more. I hope there are more fathers like Marc and my husband in the world. Our children need a firm hand at the reins, a God-fearing, home-loving and time-giving captain to steer the ship to a safe harbour. (on 27 Jan 2010)


Media Maladies

I read Sajla Chawla’s article in OPinionatED (Herald. 17 January) on media sensationalism. I couldn’t agree with her more.
At one point in her dissertation, she talks about the plight of the farmers driven to suicide . I couldn’t help noticing that the very next day’s paper reflected this same fallacy.It widely publicized the death of the Marxist legend Jyoti Basu (main front page headline) and totally sidelined the death of a farmer in Malegaon (a 3-liner on page 5) who committed suicide due to heavy debts. Gandhi would scoff that, “A nation may do without its millionaires and its capitalists, but it can never do without its labourers.”
The media portrays women in a derogatory way in its advertisements, and foreign women are shown as ‘easy’ and ‘available’. When a state like Goa protects its high-profile personalities and its police have no self-respect, one cannot expect anything better from its media.
Rape begins in the mind, when someone decides he is above the law and has no conscience or concept of right or wrong. That decision translates into action only after he sees an opportunity and a soft target. Unless men are educated to respect all women, irrespective of culture and colour, and their physical prowess is harnessed for good, women will continue to be the victims, whether in their homes or outside. (on 8th Feb 2010)