Friday 14 March 2008

'OHMY'GOD!!! ROBIN ABREU'S SOUL STILL HAUNTS THE HERALD

One of the fellow Goan journos working abroad, Armstrong Vaz wrote in today with a complaint. Armstrong claims that a part of his piece published on www.english.ohmy.com was plagiarised by the Herald in it's article World’s largest ocean liner to halt for a day.
Armstrong told Penpricks that he would complain to the Herald editor Ashwin Tombat on this issue. Here's both the pieces, the original and the copied bit.

Herald's plagiarised report
World’s largest ocean liner to halt for a day
BY HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, MARCH 13 — Queen Mary 2, the world’s largest ocean liner, is scheduled to drop anchor for a day’s halt at Mormugao Harbour on March 18.
She set sail on a 23-night cruising journey from Sydney to Dubai, on February 26 with halts at Yokohama, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore and Goa with a night’s stay in Dubai.
At the time of her construction in 2003 by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique, Queen Mary 2, built at an estimated cost of 800 million US dollars, was the longest, widest and tallest passenger ship ever built and at approximately 1,51,400 gross tons, was also the largest. She lost that last distinction to Royal Caribbean International’s 154,407 gross ton Freedom of the Seas in April 2006, but she remains the largest ocean liner (as opposed to cruise ship) ever built, and her width, length, and waterline breadth are unsurpassed by any other passenger ship.
Queen Mary 2 carries 2,592 guests in degrees of comfort and style ranging from pampered elegance to almost unimaginable luxury.
Facilities on board the liner include 13 decks, 15 restaurants and bars, five swimming pools, a casino, a ballroom, a theatre and the only planetarium at sea.
The fare pegged at US dollar 7,899 per person on a twin-sharing basis is a figure well above the reach of rich Indians a few years ago. But with a booming economy, Indians too are keen on splurging their extra fads of cash on varied options in the holiday market; cruising being one of them.

The story, Armstong claims to been plagiarised
Queen Mary 2 set sail on its 23-night cruising journey from Sydney to Dubai, on Feb. 26 and will be visiting Yokohama, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore and Goa with a night's stay in Dubai.
The fare pegged at US$7,899 per person twin-share is a figure well above the reach of the rich Indian a few years ago. But things are changing in India, with a booming economy, Indians keen in splurging their extra fads of cash have varied options in the holiday market and cruising is one of them.
For many Indians, owning a luxury yacht is one dream they cherish. Jeriton Dias, an Indian from western state of Goa is one of them. He is sailing on Queen Mary 2. He has not bought a cruising holiday but he is one of the 1,200 odd staff. For him the cruising holiday does not entice him and his family anymore. He is looking to own a yacht, both for leisure and business option and park it in Goa and explore more of the rural Goa.
Owning a luxury yacht and parking it in a designated marina in Indian waters is a dream most Indians look forward to. Now question arises whether India has sufficient marinas? Optimistic Indians have dreams for leisure boating in India.
But is India ready for a leisure boating boom? Can a country, which does not have any marinas along its coast, rival to overtake up market destinations like French Riviera?
In the absence of marinas, parking can be a nightmare for yacht owners in India and Goa is one of them.
But, the leisure boating industry is set to change if entrepreneur's plans to set up marinas in Goa and on the Konkan coast get the mandatory environmental green signals from the government.
One of them is a business tycoon from Goa and a keen water sports lover, Umaji V Chowgule, MD, Goa Yacht Haven Pvt Ltd. Chowgule, whose family business interests range from mining to brewing the popular Arlem beer in Goa, is planning to build a 300-boat marina in Sancoale village, in Mormugao Taluka, at the mouth of the Zuari river in Goa with an investment of Rs 100 crore (US$2.5 million).
The construction of the marina is set to give Goa's aim to get high-spending foreign tourists a shot in the arm, which the tourism authorities and ministers have trying to push albeit unsuccessfully over the last few years. Goa, as of now, as a tourist destination, has been a favourite haunt for back packers and low and middle budget foreign tourists.
The berthing facility for marinas is also likely to create around 1,000 to 2,000 jobs directly or indirectly related to industry.
A marina is a berth's facility where boats are anchored and are safe from mischief mongers and from the uncertainties of the weather. The marina can also provide facilities like fuel stations, boat servicing, restaurants, bars and other recreational activities.
"If you need to protect the leisure boat in the sea along Mumbai's coast, you need to construct a marina. We need to construct amenities like marinas so that people can sail and even stay away from the coast for a weekend," says Robin Walters, chairman of Walcon Marine Ltd, a worldwide expert in marina building, in a report in the Times of India. And he also allays the fears of environmental degradation due to the dredging operations.
"The concrete piles erected for a marina have adequate gaps for the water to flow beneath. In fact, in the UK, we have an award for the best marina every year," said Walters.
The Dubai International Boat Show (DIBS), which is into its sixteenth year and will be staged this year from March 11 to 15, at Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC), Mina Seyahi and is a place where rich Indians buy their yacht.
"Dubai is a leading marine hub in the Middle East for the rich Arabs from the region to buy yachts. Market analysts in the leisure yachts industry point out that the GCC Arabs are the biggest buyers of the yachts in the world. And all the yachts are not parked in their home countries, but in holiday destinations in the Mediterranean countries. But new buyers are emerging from India and Russia," says Helen Wyand, project director, DIBS.
"Indians buying yachts at the DIBS are increasing. Those buying are the rich Indians based in Dubai and also from India who fly in especially for the show with a range of choices available for placing orders in Dubai for the luxury yachts," she said.
A luxury yacht, which is made according to customer specifications, takes eight months to one year to be delivered and the most expensive one costs five million euros.
In the next five years, the leisure boating industry will be worth at least US$1 billion (around Rs4,000 crore) in India, says a report in the livemint.com of The Wall Street journal.
"Elsewhere, entrepreneur Andrew Farkas, founder and CEO of Island global Yachting, is keen on developing a worldwide network of luxury marinas that will change the way yachtsmen and their crew experience the world's most sough-after yachting destinations from the Caribbean to the Middle East," says a report in Yachts Emirates.
How India with its 7,600 km of virgin coastline fits into his plans remains to be seen, but one thing is sure with the projected sales figures of Rs150 crore (US$3.75 million) this year - development of marina, along the coastline, is an urgent necessity to give the industry a kick start it is looking for.

18 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Armstrong Vaz may claim anything. But what is the plagiarism. The report in Herald is not under any specific name. Plagiarism is when sentences or words are picked up from another authors article and the author writing the article claims the lines are his own. He uses the lines or words of another as his own.
In this case, the tour company has put out a Press Release which has been picked up by Herald. Even Armstrong Vaz has transcribed a Press Release. So he cannot claim privilege in the matter.
Herald has picked up the Press Release because the cruise liner is stopping over at GOA. The news is big for our small state.
The problem with Pen Pricks is that it has a torn to pick with Herald at every least excuse. If the Press Release was not picked up by Herald or the news not reported, Pen Pricks would have put out a post and made a mountain out of a mole hill.
It is sad that professional journalists – who know that there are those days when there is no news to fill the pages in tiny Goa is just trying to fan the fire.
Queen Mary 2 calling on a Goan port is indeed BIG news. Hats off to the reporter who used his ingenuity, spotted the news item and reported it using all his creative juices.
Pen Pricks introduces Armstrong as “One of the fellow Goan journos working abroad”. If that is true, he should know better than just ‘complain’.
Those who run Pen Pricks and have reported the ‘complain’ will be the first to secure passes for a free Press dekho (tour of the ship) when Queen Mary 2 actually arrives in Mormugao.

15 March 2008 at 02:41  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That comment is seconded. Pen Pricks STOP and we are fed up with your constant dole about Herald.
It is time you picked on GT and Derek for all his lapses.
If you do that, you will prove your credibility.

15 March 2008 at 02:54  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Unfair accusation on Herald.
Perhaps some discernment is required before posting such ridiculous claims.

15 March 2008 at 07:32  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Both Armstrong Vaz and the Herald have taken the story from a Korean website. The only difference is, Herald has partially rewritten the story, while Mr Vaz has lifted it lock, stock and barrel.

And look who's complaing...

15 March 2008 at 11:03  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The fare pegged at US dollar 7,899 per person on a twin-sharing basis is a figure well above the reach of rich Indians a few years ago. But with a booming economy, Indians too are keen on splurging their extra fads of cash on varied options in the holiday market; cruising being one of them.
-------------------------------
The fare pegged at US$7,899 per person twin-share is a figure well above the reach of the rich Indian a few years ago. But things are changing in India, with a booming economy, Indians keen in splurging their extra fads of cash have varied options in the holiday market and cruising is one of them.

CAN ANYONE CLARIFY WHETHER THE PARAGRAPH PICKED FROM ARMSTRONG VAZ ARTICLE WAS PART OF THE PRESS RELEASE

15 March 2008 at 12:28  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The fare pegged at US dollar 7,899 per person on a twin-sharing basis is a figure well above the reach of rich Indians a few years ago. But with a booming economy, Indians too are keen on splurging their extra fads of cash on varied options in the holiday market; cruising being one of them.
----------------------------
The fare pegged at US$7,899 per person twin-share is a figure well above the reach of the rich Indian a few years ago. But things are changing in India, with a booming economy, Indians keen in splurging their extra fads of cash have varied options in the holiday market and cruising is one of them.


______________________________

STRANGE INDEED, WAS THE ABOVE QUOTED PARA PART OF THE PRESS RELEASE, CAN ANYONE CLARIFY.

HAS IT GOT ANY CONNECTION WITH THE ARTICLE AS NOW HERE INDIANS ARE MENTIONED IN THE CRUISING STORY DONE BY HERALD

15 March 2008 at 12:35  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Post 5 , please read Post 4.

15 March 2008 at 20:03  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Come on guys, give the slogging Herald reporter some credit!!
We all know the slush and muck that a Herald reporter or sub works in.
Spare them a thought. Not all of them are a Joel, Choppy or Ashwin!!!

15 March 2008 at 20:51  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

how could u not mention Sergio?

15 March 2008 at 22:51  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's surprising Armstrong Vaz's language has gone a drastic change. I have edited his earlier pieces while he was working in Herald and, to be honest, the language was very poor. Has he found some magic charm for his sudden transformation? The language in the above article is too good for a mediocore reporter like Armstrong to write.

16 March 2008 at 00:48  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

penpricks has reached the pits. This is the last, I am going to read or post annymously to penpricks. My request to the rest is please do the same if you feel that the site is offensive -- THAT IS THE BEST WAY TO MAKE THEM SHUT-UP!"
a SENIOR GOAN JOURNALIST

16 March 2008 at 10:56  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Response to comment no. 4- can you please give us the link where Armstrong Vaz article appeared if not for the Korean website.

That will help us readers like to judge who has done the mischief - wise man - go ahead

16 March 2008 at 11:04  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Robin Abreu is better known as 'beabreu' (shameless).

The biggest joke was when he tried to get married recently. Most females rejected him because of his bald head but one actually rejected him because of his editorials!!

16 March 2008 at 23:49  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A cabonet minister had an affair with a Legal Officer of a state cporpo.

His royal wife has found out and she was thrown out. Digu Kaka also knows about it!

(comment edited -- PP)

17 March 2008 at 11:03  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anon at 17 March 2008 11:03

You cannot clap with one hand.

So, why punish only one party?

I hope Digu does a rethink on the matter and punishes the minister.

Does anyone have an idea as to which corporation this could be?

17 March 2008 at 23:34  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

CCP

18 March 2008 at 09:12  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

GSIDC.

18 March 2008 at 09:43  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Please check on the links for Armstrong vaz stories

http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=130809


http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?at_code=433733&no=382040&rel_no=1

http://english.ohmynews.com/english/eng_article_diff.asp?writer_id=armie&at_code=433733&no=382040&rel_no=1

http://www.merinews.com/allArticles.do?choice=ByUser&pageNo=1&userId=ARMIE

19 March 2008 at 19:01  

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