Author: Vincent Augustine D'Souza

Vincent Augustine D'Souza is a blogger, author, novelist, and quiz master. He writes on politics, economy, corruption, terrorism, current events, sports/games and many more topics on his blog Voice From The Rooftop (http://voicefromtherooftop.com). He has written four novels — King, Pope, Dream and Trump. They are available in ebook format. His major non-fiction work is English Konkani Dictionary (https://englishkonkanidictionary.com). He has also written Model Constitution for India and Model Constitution for United States of America. His quizzes appear on his quiz site Go 4 Quiz (https://go4quiz.com). Amazon Page: https://amazon.com/author/vincentdsouza Gumroad Page: https://gumroad.com/vincentdsouza

Provident Fund and stock market

Posted on by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

It is wrong for finance ministry to direct Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to invest in stock market and stop withdrawals for education, house building or buying, marriage and sickness. The money belongs to employees and finance ministry or anyone else has no business to play with it.

The argument that equities give higher return is humbug. There is no guarantee of any return in equities. The timing of the directive, when Sensex is falling, raises questions. Finance ministry is not ready to make up if there is loss. Sometimes share prices increase, sometimes decrease. At one time Sensex was more than 21000 points. Then it came down to less than 8000 points. After that it has been going up and down.

Read more

Ohio bishops and death penalty

Posted on by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

Sometime back California bishops had opposed death penalty. Now Ohio bishops oppose death penalty.

Do Ohio bishops want Ohio to end up like Mexico? Why bishops ignore the dangers of not having death penalty? The bishops have eyes but they do not see. They have ears but do not hear. Death penalty is according to the tradition of the church. Christianity is not opposed to death penalty.

Pope Benedict XVI may be opposed to death penalty but sometimes popes have been wrong. One pope was declared a heretic in 681.

Read more

PDS and cash transfers

Posted on by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

There are people who say PDS does not work and cash transfers is the way. Some give example of Bihar where it is said to be 92% effective.

If PDS does not work it should be scrapped. That does not mean people should be given cash. When it is said 92% effective it means 8% ineffective which can become 80% or more. Fictitious accounts can be opened. There is swindling in NREGA and complaints are not investigated. One person in Uttar Pradesh who got an award for his work in NREGA returned it as his complaints were not investigated and swindling continued. Whether the swindling in NREGA is 5% and in road transport 50% as Chidambaram said in Davos or more is a matter of debate.

Read more

Mount Infant

Posted on by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

Christianity is a monotheistic religion and forbids prayers to mountains. It is inappropriate to say “We pray to you Mount Infant” or “We thank you Mount Infant”.

During mass the prayers are to God the Father through Christ and Holy Spirit. During novenas of saints or while reciting their litanies, the saints are asked to pray for us. During novenas of Infant Jesus it may be said “We pray to you Infant Jesus” or “We thank you Infant Jesus”.

Read more

Death of Yashwant Sonawane

Posted on by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

On 25/1/2011, Yashwant Sonawane, Additional District Collector of Malegaon, was burnt to death by oil mafia criminals in Panewadi, near Manmad in Nashik District. The death could have been avoided if India had death penalty for every murder and had hanged all who were sentenced to death. Every death penalty prevents three to eighteen murders as proved in an article in Newsweek some years back.

There are evil people who call themselves human rights activists and oppose death penalty. For them murderers are human beings, victims are not.

Read more

India and Cricket Word Cup 2011

Posted on by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

India hosts Cricket Word Cup 2011. If India wins it will make history. No host country has won Cricket Word Cup. Sri Lanka was a co-host country that played semi-final and final outside Sri Lanka in 1996. India hosted Cricket Word Cup in 1987 and 1996. Both times it lost in semi-finals. Some say Indian…

Read more

Marital rape is an oxymoron

Posted on by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

Some people want law against marital rape which is an oxymoron. Husband and wife belong to each other and they have rights and duties towards each other. A woman who does not want to have sex with her husband should separate from him and file for divorce. If a woman files for divorce the judge…

Read more

India and Olympics ban

Posted on by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

International Olympics Council (IOC) has written to India that government cannot interfere in matters of Indian Olympics Association (IOA) and if it interferes India can be banned from participating in London Olympics 2012. IOA officials do not want to two terms limit and age limit mandated by Sports Ministry and the matter is in court….

Read more

New constitution for India

Posted on by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

India is in need of a new constitution. The problems faced by India are plenty and they cannot be solved by amendments. 1) India should be a federation. The boundaries of states must be fixed after considering all demands for new states and border disputes. At present there are demands for Telangana, Gorkhaland, Harit Pradesh,…

Read more

Orthodox Churches and Gregorian calendar

Posted on by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

Gregorian calendar was a reform of Julian calendar and was introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII. Catholic countries adopted it that year. Protestant and Orthodox countries were slow to adopt Gregorian calendar but eventually did. USSR ruled by communists adopted Gregorian calendar in 1927. Orthodox Churches have persisted with Julian calendar. That creates problems…

Read more