"Earth's Treasure Chest"
Goan Artist in Edmonton, Alta: Maria Buehl (nee Victor)
Excerpts of email from: "Paul &Ursula Victor" p1800@primus.ca

Paradise in Blue by Maria Buel

Check www.muralmosaic.com for mural entitled "Earth's Treasure Chest" .
Artist: Maria Buehl of Edmonton has three tiles in this mosaic Maria's tile numbers are: #125 Paradise in Blue, (17th tile on the 7th row
- or click http://www.muralmosaic.com/CPAWS/panels/125.html

#131 Untouched - (5th tile on the 8th row)

#172 Pacific Walrus - (10th tile on the 10th row)

The proceeds are going to CPAWS, (Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society)
check out www.cpaws.org to learn more.

Maria is the daughter of Paul & Ursula Victor, ex-Nairobi.

Cardinal Ivan Dias – The Global Indian
From: http://www.the-examiner.org/letters.asp
Sir, This is with reference to the news item: ”Indians leave mark in world Catholic orders” (The Times of India, June 30, 2006). The article states that while Indians are making their mark globally in different spheres they are also gaining prominence in different institutions of the Catholic Church. Today, there are more Indians in senior positions in the Vatican and other Catholic orders and institutions than ever before. The article then goes on to list several Indians who head various institutions and Catholic orders, culminating with ‘Our man in Rome’ Cardinal Ivan Dias who took over as Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, said to be the number 3 position in the pecking order at the Vatican. Fr Francis de Mello, provincial of the Jesuits in Mumbai attributes this phenomena to the fact that the world is recognising that Indians are capable of excellent work.

Let us not forget, however, that if Catholic Indians are gaining ground globally, due credit must also go to our country. That such a small minority can grow and flourish in a predominantly Hindu country is the ultimate tribute to ‘SECULAR’ India.

Give me one country in the entire world where a miniscule minority of little over two percent Catholics, are given two national holidays—Christmas and Good Friday!

A few political activists, within and without, should not lead us to lose sight of the larger picture.
Prof Robert Castellino
Orlem, Mumbai

Vanuatu high, Canada low on 'Happy Planet Index'
Wed, 12 Jul 2006
From: CBC News
Excerpts:
Vanuatu in the South Pacific tops a new survey that measures the success of countries, based on people's happiness and how well they treat the Earth.
Produced by the U.K.-based New Economics Foundation (NEF) and the global environmental group Friends of the Earth, the "Happy Planet Index" was released on Wednesday.
"The index doesn't reveal the 'happiest' country in the world," said the report.
It essentially divides the environmental damage countries cause by the life expectancy and life satisfaction of its citizens.
Vanuatu scored well in the area of overall life satisfaction, but was below average in life expectancy.
It leaves a tiny ecological footprint, however, scoring below what the index sets out as a "reasonable ideal."
With a population of roughly 200,000, the majority of people on Vanuatu live in a subsistence economy.
While Vanuatu, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica and Panama topped the list, none of the world's leading industrialized nations cracked the top 50.Canada ranks 111th
Canada ranked 111th in the 178-nation survey, which placed Germany at 88, Japan at 95, France at 129, the United States at 150 and Russia at 172.
Burundi, Swaziland and Zimbabwe filled the final three spots on the list.
"The nations that score well show that achieving long, happy lives without over-stretching the planet's resources is possible," said the index.
Canadians came close to the index's "reasonable ideal" when it came to measuring life satisfaction and life expectancy, but Canada left a heavy ecological footprint, according to the study.
The study uses the following indicators:
* Ecological footprint - whether the environment can meet the demands of the country and other countries it supplies. For example, a banana plantation in Costa Rica won't necessarily be included as part of that country's ecological footprint, but will be part of the footprint of the country that consumes the bananas.
* Life satisfaction - self-reported estimates of how satisfied people are with their lives overall.
* Life expectancy - life expectancy rates of each country.

Bathroom Survey says...English Canadians smellier than French Canadians; Americans smellier than Canadians
Irreverent survey gives the scoop on the North American poop

TORONTO, July 19 /CNW/ - The results from the 'Be an Odour Voter' campaign by emerging air-care brand Just'a Drop are in - and point the finger at Americans as being the smelliest in the bathroom. Some 47% of Americans who participated in the survey admitted that five minutes or longer was required before someone else could safely enter the bathroom after them, compared to 41% of Canadians. Of the Canadians polled, 42% of English respondents admitted to needing five minutes or more to clear the air, while only 35% of French respondents required the same time - making English Canadians the smelliest in the country.

Almost 60% of French Canadian participants admitted to being public avoiders, and of those respondents most avoided using the toilet at bars/nightclubs (38%) and restaurants (27%). Of the English public avoiders, most reported avoiding 'number two' in their place of business (42%).

Of all Canadian men surveyed, 40% identified themselves as having the most unpleasant bathroom odour. Of female Canadian respondents, only 19% of the French, and a mere 1% of the English, admitted to the same shame. The most popular female response to the 'who has the most unpleasant bathroom odour' question was 'my spouse or partner' - with more than half of all female respondents choosing that option.

"Our survey indicated that both men and women universally agree on one very important thing - men are the smelliest in the bathroom," says Luc Jalbert, VP of Prelam Enterprises. "Or, at least the men are willing to admit it!"

The survey also indicates that more Americans (49%) are comfortable taking care of business in a public washroom as compared to Canadians (41%). Some 59% of Canadian respondents admitted to being public avoiders as compared to 51% of Americans surveyed. In Canada, 60% of French men and women admitted to being public avoiders as compared to 75% of English women and 30% of English men.

Overall, more than twice as many women (62%) versus men use air fresheners to combat unpleasant bathroom odours while men are still more primitive methods including lighting a match, opening a window or.... nothing.

The informal survey was conducted online and at polling stations, which included toilets, planted in high traffic areas in Montreal, New York City and Toronto in June and July. The NYC event attracted the attention of Howard Stern's satellite radio show, and CBC Venture's Dreamers and Schemers which will feature the publicity stunt in an episode scheduled for this fall.

Affectionately touted as "the No. 1 solution to your 'number two' odour problem," Just'a Drop is a revolutionary bathroom freshener. As the name suggests, just one drop in the toilet bowl before you go...

Just'a Drop is available at major retailers in Canada including Wal-Mart, IGA, Jean Coutu and Metro and retails for CAD$6.99.