Recession packs biggest wallop since 1930s: Study
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/news/2009/04/pressrelease2206/?pa=A2286B2A

April 28, 2009 | National Office | Topic(s): Economy & economic indicators, Employment & labour, Inequality & poverty | Publication Type: Press Release

OTTAWA – This recession is hitting Canada harder and faster than any previous downturn and Canadians are more exposed to economic ruin than they’ve been since the 1930s, says a report released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

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Deceptive economic glimmers
http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/625937
Excerpt from: April 29, 2009 | Thomas Walkom

Around the corner from where I live, two more houses were just sold. They serve as visible reminders that Toronto isn't Fort Myers, that the housing market here isn't as bad as it is in the United States and that global recessions don't affect all countries equally.

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Kenyan Catholic bishops say country's political leaders must step up
http://www.catholicregister.org/content/view/16/87/

NAIROBI, Kenya (CNS) -- Kenya's Catholic bishops said the country's political leaders have ignored the needs of Kenyans and pursued their own selfish interests. 'Goods and wealth which rightfully belong to the people are being arrogantly misappropriated,' members of the Kenya Episcopal Conference said in a statement released April 27 following their general meeting in Nairobi. Manipulation along tribal lines is dividing rather than bringing people together, said the bishops. Human rights are being violated and religion is being used to justify the lust for power, they said. 'There is a feeling that one can get away with anything if money is available,' the bishops said. 'The saying that 'no stone will be left unturned' is the slogan for the culture of lies.' People have lost their respect for the basic institutions of the state, the provincial administration, police, the elders and the family, they said. The bishops said they believe elected officials are capable 'of showing the necessary leadership to bring about a renaissance in our country' but they must act together now.

The statements, opinions, or views in the articles may not necessarily reflect that of the Goan Voice Canada.

Where have good manners gone?
http://www.catholicregister.org/content/view/2880/858/
Written by Sheila Dabu, The Catholic Register,

TORONTO - From the catwalk to the classroom, former fashion model Judi Vankevich is a role model of good manners for kids. Vankevich, a.k.a. the Manners Lady, is a mother of three and former beauty pageant contestant who says learning manners was a staple in her family when she was growing up in Mississauga.

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On the Indian Elections –Essay by Slumdog Millionaire Author
From the BBC World Service

As voting gets underway in the Indian elections, The Strand has commissioned some of the country's most important writers, Vikas Swarup and others, to tell us what they think about India today. Vikas Swarup is the man behind the novel that became the multi-award winning film Slumdog Millionaire. In this essay written especially for The Strand, he expresses his opinions on the strengths and challenges he believes India faces in the 21st century.

Click to listen on your computer

Does anyone really know what’s going on in Pakistan?
Failed policy or failed state?
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/
Excerpts from www.dawn.com - Karachi | By Cyril Almeida | Friday, 01 May, 2009

Does anyone really know what’s going on in Pakistan? Like, really know? One week, the dominant narrative is that we’re a nuclear power about to be overrun by hordes of militants, a country on the verge of catastrophic failure.

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Saligao Feast of Mae de Deus – Toronto
Satkar Banquet Hall, Mississauga, Ontario
3rd May 2009

Text of Homily by: Father Raymond J. de Souza
From Generation to Generation We Call Her Blessed

On this first Sunday of May, the month that the Catholic people all over the world dedicate with special devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, listen again to the words of Mary’s Magnificat:

From this day all generations will call me blessed,
For the Almighty has done great things for me
And holy is His name.

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 TEGSA’S TWO-FOLD Sold Out EVENT

DECLUTTERING – SOMEBODY’S TRASH – IS SOMEONE ELSE’S TREASURE !!

A PORTUGUESE SHOW - by (OAC) OLDER ADULT CENTRE

Friday 1ST May, 2009 at Commander Hall

By Muriel Lucas

TEGSA hosted a mixed Event… ”Downsizing your Home” by the “Decluttering Seminar”
and
“Upgrading Your Life!” By a Portuguese Show. (OAC) Older Adult Centre.

The day’s event started, as always, with Grace before Meals, recited by Ms. Juliet Matkar. Dinner was served consisting of Biryani, Nan, and Rice Pudding for dessert followed by tea & coffee.

After dinner, Emcee, Joaquim Menezes, introduced Patricia John, to conduct the Decluttering Seminar, who outlined in detail 10 educational tips for an Organized Move! By using a “Room to Room” organizing Strategy. i.e. see below:

Quote:
“Start making a plan, which will help, make your move go smoother Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

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Don Bosco’s Madonna Gets New Look!
Sent by: Roque Cardoso
Excerpt from DON Bosco’s Madonna – January 2009 Issue

If Don Bosco’s Madonna sports a new look after 71 long years we owe it to this 21 year-old graduate from the Sophia Polytechnic (Art & Design) Mumbai. She is Giamaria Fernandes of Dosti Acres, Antop Hill Wadala. Don Bosco’s Madonna thanks her for her hard work and her creative insight that brings out the character of the magazine as a publication of the Shrine of Don Bosco’s Madonna. After spending time with test drawings she came up with the cover you hold in your hands.

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Peace through Music -Songs Around the World
Playing For Change


Get the DVD or CD

Click for previews

Africa Movie Academy Awards 2009:
Kenya’s film “From A Whisper” takes top award
Excerpts from article by: Azuh Amatus  | Friday, April 10, 2009
http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/showtime/2009/apr/10/showtime

See also: http://www.nollywood.net/

The Nigerian motion picture industry, better known as Nollywood suffered a devastating blow at the just concluded fifth edition of the yearly Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), which held at Yenogoa, Bayelsa State, South-South, Nigeria.

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Kenya- Descendant of Lord Delamere Convicted Of Shooting Poacher
May 8, 2009, 2:33 am
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/5551691

Note: See excerpt from Book “Kenya Pioneers” on Lord Delamere & First Goan Pioneer

NAIROBI (Reuters) - The heir to Kenya's most famous white settler family was convicted Thursday of shooting a black poacher on his estate in a case highlighting the east African nation's delicate colonial legacy.

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Hussain-D’Silva Town Gives Way To Squatter Settlements
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=175632
Monday, May 04, 2009 | By Sabeen Jamil | Karachi

Kanwar Khalid Younas, a resident of Hussain-D’Silva Town, (Karachi) is mourning the loss of his neighbourhood. He has been living there for over 30 years, but today, he is forced to consider leaving it.

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A Hindu woman wishing for a grandchild purchases a wax replica of a baby outside the Our Lady of Miracles Church in Goa, India, on April 27. Devotees, including Hindus, converge on the church for the annual feast day. Courtesy: UCAN

Hindus Join Marian Feast In Western India
http://www.indiancatholic.in/news/storydetails.php/11984-1-11-Hindus-join-Marian-feast

PANAJI, India : Thousands of Hindus who believe that the Blessed Mother is a sister of a Hindu goddess have joined a Marian feast in a Goa village. The feast "is not limited to Catholics alone," remarks Irwin Fonseca, a journalist and parishioner of the Church of St. Jerome in Mapusa, where the feast of Our Lady of Miracles was celebrated on April 27.

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Archbishop plea to walk faithfully in Christ's footsteps
"This is what all of us, as disciples of Jesus, are called to do: to allow ourselves to be constantly touched by the love of Jesus, to walk faithfully in his footsteps and witness courageously to him, strengthened by prayer, nourished by the word of God and empowered by the sacraments, particularly by the eucharist" said the Archbishop-Patriarch Filipe Neri Ferrao to the delegates of the Western Region Mission Congress at Pilar on May 3. The Archbishop was delivering a homily at a mass in Pilar where 13 bishops and about 50 priests concelebrated with a choir from Taleigao. [TOI]

Prices of live fattened pigs plummet
Alexyz Cartoon- www.goacom.com

The live fattened pig, which traditionally commands a very high price during the summer season, has seen its worth plummet this time around, say pork vendors. Caution amidst the swine flu scare has been the cause of falling sales, say pork vendors. "The price of a live fattened pig - a local one - would be around Rs 3,000. Yorkshire pigs fetch even upto Rs 12,000," a butcher said, adding "This year, the demand has decreased and pig rearers are anxious to dispose off their stocks," he said. [TOI]

Significant drop in tourist arrival in Goa
A significant drop in the number of chartered flights and tourists arriving in the state could perturb the tourism industry in the state. The sources at the Dabolim airport told "The Navhind Times" that the air passenger arrival in the state during 2007-08 was 25,79,730 which included 4,34,399 foreign tourists.

In the year 2008-09, the tourists arriving in the state by air came down to 22,21,967 which included 3,89,667 foreign tourists. Subsequently, there was also a drop in the number of chartered flights with 660 arriving in 2008-09 as compared to that of 763 in 2007-08. [Sudesh Bhosle, NT]

Goans turn to Belgaum to beat the summer
Goa may be the land of the sun and sand, but the searing heat has forced Goans to temporarily shun third land in favour of cooler places. Large numbers of Goans from all walks of life have been rushing to Belgaum, the green and cool city, especially during weekends. While temperatures in Belgaum have also risen to a year’s high of 38 degree Celsius in the afternoons, the comparatively cooler mornings and evening here are soothing the Goan gusts, who have combine their weekend either with shopping, a routine health check-up or entertainment. [H]

Tourists feel unsafe on Bardez beaches
A huge rush is being witnessed these days on the beaches of Anjuna, Calangute, Vagator and Baga, with most of the people flocking the beaches including locals and Indian tourist. However, due to the careless attitude of the tourism department, these beaches seem to be lacking the necessary infrastructure to ensure safety of the tourists. [NT]

Despite odds, Russians rush to Goa
Irrespective of the meltdown, job losses and wage cuts, for thousands of vacation-going Russians this season, the sun has continued to shine in Goa. Even as the coastal state with its palm-fringed coastline and sun-soaked beaches saw a drop in the number of tourists from other European countries, which form the bulk of its foreign visitors, it was the Russians are coming' buzz that kept tourism alive and kicking in coastal tourism pockets. From the nearly 2 lakh foreigners who visit Goa each tourist season from October to March, Russians rank second in the list of arrivals. [TOI]

Air conditioner sales shoot up as temperatures soar
The sale of air conditioners has risen exponentially in the past month as citizens desperately try to beat the heat coupled with increased humidity, say shop owners. “We used to normally sell five air conditioners per month but now we are selling around 30 per month,” says Mr Jeetu Shirodkar of Maruti Sales, a consumer durable showroom in the city. “This year the sales have been more than the last year due to a reduction in the cost and also due to heat,” he added. [NT]

Tribute to Frank Fernand
May 3, 2009, will mark the 90th birth anniversary of Frank Fernand, the legendary film producer and music director to whom Goans owe two immortal Konkani films "Amchem Noxib" and "Nirmonn". Popular Konkani writer/columnist Isidore Dantas will pay tributes to the eminent Goan on Asmita Channel of All India Radio, Mumbai (B) at 6.35 p.m. on May 3. Frank also produced two Hindi films "Priya" and "Ahat" besides providing the musical score to Konkani film "Mhoji Ghorkan’n" and to Hindi film "Chor Darwaja". [GoaNewsClips]

The Goan legacy… Living on in Uganda
The first Goans arrived in the country (Uganda) by sea to Mombassa, used bullock-drawn carts or walked the 400 miles to Kisumu from where they canoed into Entebbe at Kigungu landing site. They were cooks, butlers, tailors, carpenters and a few were educated and ran businesses… Other accounts link the Goan migration into East Africa to the relationship with the British dating back to Lord Arthur Wellesley’s army during the Napoleonic era which had two companies composed of Goans. The Uganda Railway also brought in a fair number of Goans. [Esther Namugoji, Herald2day]

Tuskers return to haunt Pernem locals
Two wild elephants have returned to haunt residents of Hankhane-Pernem. Workers at the banana and coconut plantations made futile efforts to drive away the wild elephants by beating drums and firing crackers. [H]

Woman dies of snake bite
A 56-year-old woman, Concesao Pereira from Taleigao, died from a snake bite early May 1. A snake bit Mrs Pereira when she had gone to the toilet, just outside her house, in the wee hours of the day. She was rushed to the hospital but she breathed her last before she could be admitted. [H]

The Indian Tourist - Masala Dosa Overload

Every nationality has its stereotypical traits: Japanese and their penchant for photo-taking; French and their aloofness; Americans and their loudness. Colin Todhunter asks what about Indians?

Excerpt from: http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Apr262009/sundayherald20092376.asp

While the economic downturn may affect the figures, Indian outbound travel is positively spiralling. Some eight million Indians travel abroad every year, which is set to double to 16 million in 2011, according to Euromonitor International. It is likely to soar to 50 million by 2020, based on the predictions of the World Tourism Organisation. While Singapore has recently been benefiting from the bulk of Indian outbound tourism, the US is projected to become a major destination. Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland and South Korea, among others, have already opened tourist offices in India to directly target Indians who want to holiday abroad.

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Christians, Hindus, Sikhs forced to flee Swat: Catholic Church
http://www.headlinesindia.com/burning-issues-news/communal-trends/
Saturday, April 25, 2009

New Delhi: The minorities in Pakistan's Swat Valley have been forced to flee as the Taliban have imposed a tax on non-Muslims, Pakistan Catholic Bishops' Conference (PCBC) president Archbishop Lawrence John Saldanha has said, urging the Pakistani president and prime minister to intervene.

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Next Two Weeks Critical For Pakistan Govt: Petraeus
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/13
Friday, 01 May, 2009 | 01:26 PM PST |

WASHINGTON: If militants are not defeated within the next two weeks, the Pakistani government may collapse, warned the top American general.  The next two weeks are critical to the Pakistani government’s survival, US General David Petraeus stressed while offering his views on the region’s situation.

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Weakened Monsoon Season Predicted For South Asia, Due To Rising Temperatures
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090227112307.htm

ScienceDaily (Mar. 2, 2009) — The South Asian summer monsoon - critical to agriculture in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan - could be weakened and delayed due to rising temperatures in the future, according to a recent climate modeling study.

A Purdue University research group found that climate change could influence monsoon dynamics and cause less summer precipitation, a delay in the start of monsoon season and longer breaks between the rainy periods.

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India to see record 09-10 cotton crop, says US report
Printed from: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4449764.cms?prtpage
26 Apr 2009,

WASHINGTON: Increases to the planted area along with expected higher yields are slated to push India’s cotton output to record levels during 2009/10, a US Department of Agriculture attache said late on Friday.

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Date

Organization

Event

Links

at Payal Banquets, Mississauga.
Mass @ 11:30 am

55PGA
in association with G.O.A, West-End Seniors Assn, Toronto East  Goan Seniors Assn, Can-Orient Seniors Assn & St. Francis Xavier Seniors Club

BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT Seminar

Christ The King Church3495 Confederation Parkway

Mississauga (South of Square One Mall)

Sailing February 12, 2010 ( 9 Nights)

St. Teresa’s School

First Global Reunion Caribbean Cruise from  Miami, Florida

Click for flyer

&

Click for Booking information

Swine Flu FAQ

1. What Is Swine Flu?
   Like humans, pigs get the flu. Four different type A swine flu strains commonly circulate among pigs. Most recent swine flu viruses have belonged to the H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes. Pigs typically get sick but usually don't die from swine flu. The new swine flu virus infecting humans is very unusual. It's somehow acquired genes from swine, bird, and human flu bugs. And it's also got genes from Eurasian swine flu viruses that aren't supposed to be in North America.

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In Sickness and in Health
http://www.newsweek.com/id/195788/output/print
Matthew Philips | NEWSWEEK |From the magazine issue dated May 18, 2009
http://www.newsweek.com/id/195788

History repeats itself, but not without wrinkles. We pick apart the connections:

• The Comparison
  With the world in a panic over swine flu, it's starting to feel like 2003, when SARS was the raging contagion flooding the news, threatening to wipe out mankind and sending people racing to their local drugstores for cheap masks. Remember: most such masks stop germs only from infecting others; they won't keep you from getting sick.

Exercise Calms Agitation Associated With Dementia
http://www.leaderpost.com/health/Exercise+calms+agitation+associated+with+dementia
By Megan Rauscher, Reuters

Agitation and functioning improved in a group of elderly nursing home residents suffering from severe dementia when they engaged in just 30 minutes of supervised exercise three times a week.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In a pilot study, agitation and functioning improved in a group of elderly nursing home residents suffering from severe dementia when they engaged in just 30 minutes of supervised exercise three times a week.

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Filling Prescriptions To Get Easier
Ontario Government Supports Innovative Models For Drug Dispensing

TORONTO, May 6 /CNW/ - Ontario is proposing to make it more convenient for patients to get their drug prescriptions filled by allowing remote dispensing across the province. Legislation to be introduced in the coming days would, if passed, amend the Drug and Pharmacies Regulations Act (DPRA) and the Ontario Drug Benefit Act (ODBA) to allow prescriptions to be filled without the pharmacist being physically present. This remote dispensing could be done by:

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New President of Ontario Medical Association says Every Ontarian Should Have a Doctor

TORONTO, May 3 /CNW/ - The Ontario Medical Association's (OMA) 128th President, Dr. Suzanne Strasberg, says that while Ontario's health care system has made some good strides to improve patient access to services, there is more work to be done. Dr. Strasberg put forward a number solutions that she will focus on during her term as President that she believes are critical to a sustainable health care system including:

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