Pepperpot 19 01 14 by Guyana Chronicle

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

SHARDA

--The story of a woman’s pain and suffering, and her quest to lift the oppressive veil

By Maureen Rampertab

WOMAN was crying. It was a dark night in a small, dusty village, deep in the countryside, bordered by sugarcane fields; a village untouched by the changing times where merciless age-old tradition still reigned. In the silence of the night, always can be heard a woman’s cries as man, a gladiator with steel muscles and aggressive mind, stamped his dominance and control. At dawn, the silence as she performed her daily tasks was like an oppressive veil. Tonight, that veil that through the times had covered the blood, tears and suffering was thrown off as one woman stood in defiance. The shock as villagers watched the smoldering embers of the fire hushed even those who blooded the oppressive rules like the soundless roar of an angry sea, the screaming winds. The woman, crying softly, her lips quivering with a deep passion, blood trickling from her wounds, looked at her husband’s charred, lifeless body lying on the dusty street. Her three young children huddled close to her, too often in the embrace of violence to be shocked but still scared. Tragedy, a messenger of fate, always came acalling in that little village where minds and bodies are torn and bled, and most often the woman was the victim. Tonight, one woman changed it all. Her name Sharda. At the young age of fifteen, when her life, like a rose petal, was just starting to bloom, her father, a man of old-fashioned ideals and principles, decided she should get married. She had wanted so much to be given a chance to study at a high school; to broaden her horizon, so she could break the shackles that imprisoned the women of her generation, but her father wouldn’t listen to her pleas. She had lost, and a life she wasn’t ready for was forced on her; a flower not allowed to bloom, plucked from a garden, withering in uncaring hands. Her husband, much older and educated, used that as a tool to dominate her life; not to love or share, for, to him, marriage was only a convenience. He was a habitual drinker, and so, often he would be in a bad mood. His insults that denounced her womanhood, and his cruel fists made life a nightmare she couldn’t awake from. Yet, in her culture, she must honour him as her God; to love him, to pray for him, to cry for him. How can he be my God if he cannot love me? A new day will dawn, she kept reassuring herself. A new day must dawn. He was demoted from his job just after her second son was born, because his drinking habit had worsened, and life became a greater struggle. She had begun working her father’s small farmland to sustain their needs, so her children wouldn’t go hungry. In the quiet, as she tilled the land, she often wondered, “Why, as a woman, am I treated in such an inhuman way? How better is he as a man, more than I am?” From within a woman comes life, purity and richness, that the Gods know, and she would ask of the heavens as she sat to rest under a jamoon tree, “Questions I ask of you, Dear Lord; can you answer me?” No answers as time moved on, and she opined, “Maybe there’s no answer, because maybe a woman’s tears has to fill the rivers, and her blood must fertilise the earth.” She had watched the women of the village suffer like she did with no one really willing to go to the depths and lengths to understand the problem; to stand in the shoes of an abused woman and feel her sufferings. Many a night she would sit, looking at her sleeping children, deeply worried that her sons would most likely grow up to be abusers, and her daughter a victim as the cycle of oppres-

sion continues. Something must be done. But what? And how? On the day of Raksha Bandan, when a sister ties a sacred thread on her brother’s wrist for care and protection, an answer she had long awaited called at her humble home. It was her ‘Rakhi brother’ she hadn’t seen for over fifteen years! He had left when she was just eight years old, and now he was back, he had to see her. A worried look had crossed his face, “What has become of you, Sharda?” She had smiled wryly, “Nothing; I’m okay.” “No, you’re not. You can talk to me; I’m like a brother to you.” She had been so happy to see him after all those years, not wanting to burden him with her problems, and as they talked, her husband came home. She introduced her ‘Rakhi brother’ to him, the grandson of an old Pandit from the next village. All was well until her husband came back home later that night, drunk. The suspicious look he gave her rang warning bells in her ears, and she knew she had to hide herself to escape his cruelty. “You look happy today, woman, when you look at that man,” he said. “He’s my brother, and I haven’t seen him in years, I tied rakhi on his hand.” He grabbed her around the neck, eyes wild with anger. “I don’t believe it! Something is going on!” She struggled, and managed to pull away from him, gasping for breath. “A man in my house is the worst thing you can do!” he swore loudly, knocking over the kitchen table. The children awoke, her little daughter crying, and she ran to grab them and move, but too late.

Cutlass in his hand, he blocked their escape, dark rage on his face. She was trapped in the room with the children, fear welling in her heart, almost suffocating her. “Is this how it ends for me? Hacked to pieces as my children watch?” As he advanced on her, her eldest son shouted and threw his cricket bat. “Use this mommy!” She grabbed the bat, warding off the cutlass not too good, for he possessed the strength, and fear had weakened her. She felt a burning in her arm and shoulder, knowing she was bleeding, but she steadied her mind not to go down. The boys kept grabbing him around the waist to slow him down, giving her a chance to escape from the room. She screamed for the children to run out of the house, and as he swung the cutlass, she grabbed the lighted lamp from the table and threw it at him. The last thing she saw as she ran out the door was his shirt on fire. She closed the door, putting all her strength against it, knowing one thing: If he exited that door, she was dead; if not tonight, another night or day. As he shouted and kicked the door, she screamed to the dark sky, “I’ve had enough! You will give me strength! You will give me strength!” Even the earth seemed to shudder at her anguished screams, a woman whose pain and suffering was close to breaking point. The door did not bulge. Now, as she looked down at his burnt remains, she felt no sorrow, but deep regret that it had to end this way. The veil of oppression had been burnt with him; a new day will now dawn for her.

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

III

By Petamber Persaud

Arthur James Seymour (Part III) (January 12, 1914 – December 25, 1989) AS promised in the previous article in this series, we would now focus on the journal, Kyk-Over-Al, which, incidentally, ties in with the recent production by The Caribbean Press of early editions of the journal. At the beginning, it would be useful to look at the objectives of KYK, which were “...to forge a Guyanese people, and make them conscious of their intellectual and spiritual possibilities,” and to record “the ferment of cultural activity in the West Indies and its impact and influence on life in Guyana.” To see those objectives more clearly, it would be useful to locate KYK in its Caribbean context. After the Second World War that affected the British dependences in the West Indies, there was a fermentation of a West Indian literature. That movement was given direction by ‘the little review’, a title covering the periodicals of the time, including BIM of Barbados, edited by Frank Collymore, and FOCUS of Jamaica, edited by Edna Manley. ‘The little review’ was also labelled the ‘nursery of literature’ for the West Indies. KYK is the only surviving magazine of that period. And there are many reasons for its survival. One of those reasons could be found in the quality and dedication of the people involved in the production. KYK was published in conjunction with the BGWA (British Guiana Writers’ Association); the British Guiana Union of Cultural Clubs (BGUCC); and the DFP Advertising Service. Not much is known of DFP and its obvious role in the production of the journal, except that it was managed by J. E. Humphrey. The two other organisations were powerhouses in the development of literature and culture. The BGUCC was formed in 1943 as an umbrella body to some 40 clubs from various parts of the country, and consisted of a number of well-respected members of society, including N. E. Cameron (President); Mildred Mansfield; C. I. Drayton; A. J. Seymour; E. A. Q. Potter; and Esme Cendrecourt, among others. The BGWA, founded just after the BGUCC was formed, consisted of members like H. R. Harewood (President); W. I. Gomes; and Seymour, among others. KYK-OVER-AL was established as an organ the of BGWA, and mouthpiece of the BGUCC, which were very active in cultural spheres of Guyana. Another reason for the survival of the journal was that it functioned as an outlet and platform for West Indian literature. This

and scores of book reviews. In poetry, adding to the above list of West Indian poets, is the local impact coming from the pen of Martin Carter, Wilson Harris, Jacqueline DeWeever, Edgar Mittelholzer, Edwina Melville, Ian McDonald, Ivan Van Sertima, and Milton Williams among others. In the field of fiction, there are samplings from Basil Balgobin; J. A. V. Bourne; Jan Carew; Eugene Bartrum; and Sheik Sadeek, among others. And while there are only three plays in the twenty-eight issues of the magazine, the articles on drama by N. E. Cameron; Rajkumari Singh; Ruby Samlalsingh; Frank Thomasson; and Sara Veecook are very valuable. KYK-OVER-AL (See Over All), the magazine, was named after the ruined Dutch Fort of the same name on a small island near the confluence of the Essequibo, Mazaruni, and Cuyuni Rivers as a watchtower for “the expression of an alert people.” KYK went to sleep in 1961, but so good was its intent, and so valuable its impact, it was revived in 1984 under the editorship of Seymour and Ian McDonald, moving to newer levels of scholarship. The journal has again fallen dormant, awaiting the right time to rise again. (To respond to this author, either call him on (592) 2260065 or send him an email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com)

WHAT’S HAPPENING can be seen in the publication of the works of Roger Mais; Edward Braithwaite; Aimé Césaire; Frank Collymore; George Lamming; Una Marson; Léopold Sédar Senghor; Philip Sherlock; Derek Walcott; and Harold Telemaque among others. Within this section will fall the invaluable articles on West Indian literature by Seymour, like ‘The Literary Adventure of the West Indies’, ‘The West Indies of the Future and the Writer’ and the ‘KYK-OVER-AL: Anthology of West Indian Poetry’. The editor and the editorial advisory committee (another positive move), which included Lloyd Searwar and others, experimented with various aspects of magazine production. For instance, in reference to timing, the release date was brought forward to ‘less competitive’ months, while in reference to size, it was reduced ‘for pockets and sachets’. The book review section was expanded to include review of art, film and drama. Seymour also credited his wife, Elma, with being an enormous help in advertisement and marketing. Elma was a tower of strength and support to Seymour in his literary and cultural endeavours. But despite some criticism levelled against the magazine’s lack of critical analysis, the strength of KYK was found in its scope and range of its recording role, publishing some 500 poems, 400 articles, a few short stories, symposia and colloquia,

• ‘An Introduction to Guyanese Literature’ is now available at the National Library, and Austin’s Book Service.

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

Common cold or flu? Can you tell the difference? By Michelle Gonsalves SNEEZING, scratchy throat, runny nose. Everyone knows the first miserable signs of a common cold. Or, can it be the ‘flu’? The common cold is called ‘The Common Cold’ for a reason. Most persons, no matter where they live, will contract at least one bout of the common cold every year. Although more than 200 viruses can cause the common cold, the culprit is usually the rhinovirus, which is to blame for causing up to 40% of colds. Viruses called corona viruses cause about 20% of colds, and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes 10% of colds. Influenza, or the flu, as it is commonly known, is a more severe disease than the common cold, and is caused by a different type of virus: Orthomyxoviridae, the influenza viruses. Both viruses of influenza and the common cold are spread from person to person through airborne droplets that are sneezed out, or coughed up by an infected person. In some cases, the viruses can be spread when a person touches an infected surface (eg., doorknobs, countertops, telephones), and then touches his or her nose, mouth, or eyes. As such, these illnesses are most easily spread in crowded conditions, such as schools. It can be difficult to distinguish between the common cold and influenza in the early stages of infection, but the flu can be identified by a high fever with a sudden onset and extreme fatigue. The most common influenza symptoms are chills, fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pains, headache (often severe), coughing, weakness/fatigue and discomfort. Many people with ‘the flu’ are so ill that they are confined to bed for several days. They complain of aches and pains throughout their bodies, especially in their backs and legs. Diarrhoea is not normally a symptom of influenza in adults, though it can be a symptom in children. A cold begins when a cold virus attaches to the lining of your nose or throat. Your immune system sends white blood cells out to attack this germ. Unless you’ve encountered that exact strain of the virus before, the initial attack fails, and your body sends in reinforcements. Your nose and throat get inflamed and produce a lot of mucus. With so much of your body’s energy directed at fighting the cold virus, you’re left feeling tired and miserable. Symptoms of influenza can start, quite suddenly, one to two days after infection. Usually, the first symptoms are chills, or a chilly sensation; but fever is also common early in the infection, with body temperatures ranging from 38 to 39 °C (approximately 100 to 103 °F). Influenza virus shedding (the time during which a person

might be infectious to another person) begins the day before symptoms appear, and the virus is then released for five to seven days. People who contract influenza are most infective between the second and third day after infection. Children are much more infectious than adults, and shed virus from just before they develop symptoms until two weeks after infection. How serious is the flu? In the majority of cases, flu is not life threatening; just unpleasant. For some people, however, there can be severe complications. Influenza can be deadly, especially for the weak, very young and old, or chronically ill. People with a weak immune system, such as people with advanced HIV infection or transplant patients (whose immune systems are medically suppressed to prevent transplant organ rejection), suffer particularly severely from this disease. Pregnant women and young children are also at a high risk for developing complications. When to see a doctor Seek medical attention right away if your child has any of the following signs or symptoms: • Fever of 100.4 F (38 C) in newborns up to 12 weeks • Fever that rises repeatedly above 104 F (40 C) in a child of any age • Signs of dehydration, such as urinating less often than usual • Not drinking adequate fluids • Fever that lasts more than 24 hours in a child younger than 2 • Fever that lasts more than three days in a child older than 2 • Vomiting or abdominal pain • Unusual sleepiness • Severe headache • Stiff neck • Difficulty breathing • Persistent crying • Ear pain

Cold and Flu Symptoms at a glance

Contrary to popular belief, getting chilled or wet is not a cause of common colds or flu. There are factors that make you more susceptible to catching a cold virus. For example, you are more likely to catch a common cold if you are excessively fatigued, have emotional distress, or have allergies with nose and throat symptoms. (Sources: www.wikipedia.com, www.webmd.com, www.mayoclinic.com)

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

(A look at some of the stories that made the news ‘back-in-the-day’ with CLIFFORD STANLEY)

Berbice Tea Tattle

Berbice radio ramblings

(The Daily Chronicle: March 21, 1934)

BERBICE seems to be plumping strong for Vauxhall cars. All the well-to-do are going for them, the latest owner of one of them being Mr. S. G.Wreford. They certainly give a smooth and comfortable ride.

(The Daily Chronicle: March 21, 1934)

WIRELESS receiving sets are becoming very popular in “Sleepy Hollow”, judging by the outpourings one hears while walking through the Main Street at night. I have been told that several new sets have been acquired during the last two months, chiefly as a result of the activities of agents from Georgetown . There is hardly any well-known make not represented in New Amsterdam. It seems that you only have to make a silent wish of owning a set some day, when, by some mysterious means, your wish gets on the air to Georgetown, and you are bombarded by sales talks from various manufacturers’ representatives , each one quite positive that the other man’s make is not in a class with his.

A freak egg

LEATHER SHOES HALFSOLED WITH RUBBER

UNDER NEW ELECTRICAL PROCESS

(The Daily Chronicle: March 22, 1934) MR. F.A.Gomes, shopkeeper of Helena, has had an egg laid by a common-breed fowl measuring 3 ½ inches, from tip to tip, with a circumference, at

The B.G./Brazil Boundary Commission (The Daily Chronicle: April 10, 1934) MEMBERS of the local section of the B.G.-Brazil Boundary Commission, now in its third field season, are working on the most interesting part of the hinterland. Their principal objective is finding the source of the Essequebo River, as the boundary with Brazil is formed by the hydrographic divide between the Essequebo and the Trombetas Rivers. The Trombetas is an effluent of the Amazon. Meanwhile, Captain Josiah Brotherson, well known Captain, balata foreman and gold digger of Leeds Village, Corentyne, Berbice, has been appointed one of the Captains in the Boundary Commission, under Mr. William Cunningham, Chief of the British Commission, which left last week for the Upper Corentyne and the Brazilian frontier.

LONDON THEATRE PRESENTS...

(The Daily Chronicle: April 24, 1934)

1934 marches on! A New Year dawns and a great love story unfolds on the screen; Paramount Presents: MADAME BUTTERFLY. With SYLVIA SYDNEY, romantic CARY GRANT, and CHARLES RUGGLES. One of the world’s undying romances of a great unselfish love, played on your heartstrings by the superlative art of Sylvia Syndey. LIFE forced her to marry to provide for her family, but LIFE forgot to provide for HER. PRICES: Night: Box Seats 60c; Bal. 48 c; House 24 c; Stalls 12 and 8c. Tax inclusive. Tonight: At 8:30pm. Matinee: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 5:30pm. (Clifford Stanley can be reached to discuss any of the foregoing articles at cliffantony@gmail.com or cell-phone # 657 2043)

(The Daily Chronicle: March 30, 1934) its widest part, of 7 inches, and weighing five ounces.

Murderer prays as judge sums up (The Daily Chronicle: April 5, 1934) RETIRING for only a brief ten minutes, the jury yesterday returned a verdict of guilty of murder against Hookam Singh, the man who brutally butchered to death Mahadia after a quarrel over a fowl that had messed his bed. Throughout Justice Stewart’s summing up, Hookam Singh stood in the docks with his hand clasped, his eyes downcast, while his lips moved in silent prayer. The Judge summed up for exactly fifty minutes. The Jury retired at 10:35am, and at 10:45am returned with their verdict. Asked whether he had anything to say why sentence of death should not be passed on him, Hookam Singh, his hands still clasped, said: “I’ve left it entirely in your hands; you’re my mother and my father.” The Judge then passed sentence of death, and the condemned man was led away from the dock. The Jury in this case were Messrs. J.R. Shuffler; E.McD. Jones; F.A.Lewis; F.A.Tyrell; J. DeCastro; J. Rodrigues; P.A. Ross; H. King; S.D.C. Benjamin; J.G. Stephens; W.C. Daniels; and J. Williams. Mr. Kenneth Stoby represented Hookam Singh, and Mr. C. Humphreys prosecuted for the Crown. Meanwhile, Julian (22), also known as Azimullah, youthful slayer of George Perreira, rice and cattle farmer of Whim, Corentyne, Berbice, expiated his crime on the scaffold of the Georgetown jail at 8 o’clock yesterday morning.

Gents 60c and 48 c. per pair; J. SALAMALAY ; 13 years experience in the vulcanizing business in the Miller Tyre Factory. U.S.A, the North British Rubberworks, England also in B.G. and the Dutch West Indies; Winner of the First Prize at the B.G. Industrial Exhibition 1933; Inventor of the Secret Process of Vulcanizing Rubber Soles on to Leather Boots and Shoes of every description. THE RUBBER SOLES are absolutely Water-proof and Guaranteed to give the utmost Satisfaction otherwise MONEY REFUNDED. J .SALAMALAY , the

Moonshiners convicted

(The Daily Chronicle: March 22, 1934) JOSEPH Caesar and William Caesar were each fined $1,000 or 12 months for having, on March 19 at Ithaca, been found in possession of a distillery apparatus for the manufacture of bush rum. District Inspector Edmonds prosecuted. Both defendants are from No.4 Village, West Coast Berbice.

SOLE-SAVER delivers his work on time with an extraordinarily NEAT FINISH. LADIES 48 c. & 40 c. PER PAIR. Certified vulcanizer and holder of a Diploma from Miller’s School of Practical Instructions, U.S.A. REGENT STREET. (Under Central Hotel). Look for the Red and White arrow sign.

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

Counterfeiter set free on appeal --due to trial judge’s prejudice

IN 196l, Frank Gunraj, who was convicted by a Demerara Assize Jury for unlawful possession of moulds for making counterfeit coins, was freed by the Federal Supreme Court because of the trial judge’s “projectional interjection, misdirection, and detrimental observation.” The trouble for the prosecution started when an accomplice, who had given the police incriminating information against Gunraj, denied in his evidence that he had done so, causing the judge to intervene, telling him: “Speak the truth: Whom are you trying to save?” After the witness reneged and in fact testified that he did give the police the statement which resulted in the charge, the judge observed: “The truth came out,” and later advised the jury to disregard the witness’s testimony. But the accused, Gunraj, who was convicted by the jury, successfully appealed against the conviction and sentence. The facts disclosed that the appellant was convicted of unlawful possession of moulds for making counterfeit coins. Another man, one Azeez Kazim, who had been jointly indicted with him, was acquitted. T h i s co-accused had informed the po- l i c e that the appellant had moulds in his possession and, at their request, had subsequently handed them a mould which he said he had taken from the appellant’s premises. A search warrant was later executed at the appellant’s premises and two moulds and other implements for counterfeiting were found there. The appellant’s defence was that he did not know that the articles found were on his premises, and that the co-accused must have put them there. The co-accused gave evidence. At first, he denied the statements he had given to the police, and he also denied that he had handed them a mould. The judge admonished him to speak the truth and said to him: “Whom are you trying to shield?”

The co-accused then admitted the truth of the evidence given by the police witness. In the course of the summing-up, the judge, on three or four occasions, directed the jury that in considering the case against the appellant, they should disregard completely the evidence of the co-accused. He also told the jury that after the co-accused had been admonished to speak the truth, the truth did come out. Among other things, the Federal Supreme Court, in its Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction, constituted by Chief Justice Stanley Gomes and Justices C Wylie and AM Lewis, held that: (i) The interjection by the judge during the evidence of the co-accused was highly prejudicial to the appellant; (ii) The instruction to the jury to disregard entirely the evidence of the co-accused was a misdirection; and (iii) T h e o b s e r v a t i o n that the truth did come out was detrimental to the appellant a n d

amounted to a withdrawal from the jury masue. the a l -

of a very terial isAs such, appeal was lowed.

A t the hearof the appeal, the appellant was represent-

ing

ed by Mr C Lloyd Luckhoo, QC, while Mr J Gonsalves-Sabola (who later became a Justice of Appeal) represented the Crown. In delivering the court’s

judgment, Justice Gomes said: “In this case, the appellant, Frank Gunraj, was indicted together with a man named Azeez Kazim, for unlawfully and knowingly having in their possession moulds for making counterfeit coins, contrary to Section 296 (a) of the Criminal Law (Offences) Ordinance, Chapter 10 [BG]. “The indictment contained three counts; the two men were charged together in the first two counts, but Kazim alone was indicted in the third. The appellant was convicted on the first two counts, and Kazim was acquitted on all the counts.” According to the Chief Justice, for the purpose of the matter at hand, it was necessary to state only a brief outline of some of the facts, namely, that Kazim informed the police that the appellant had some moulds in his possession and that, at their request, he subsequently handed one of the moulds to the police, claiming he had uplifted it from the appellant’s premises. A search warrant was then executed on the appellant’s premises, Justice Gomes said, and two moulds and other accessories for counterfeit-

ing were found. T h e a p p e l l a n t ’s d e fence, he said, was that he had no knowledge that the moulds and other articles were in his back room, and that Kazim must have been the one who “planted” them there. He made t h e point that Kazim had previously offered to teach Gunraj how to make counterfeit money, and that the latter was so incensed that he had threatened to report the former to the police.

Giving evidence under oath, Justice Gomes said, Kazim at first “denied all the statements that the police witnesses had given in regard to the information he had given them, and the delivery of the mould to them, and he also denied that he had ever been to the appellant’s shop.” T h e n , u n d e r c r o s s - e xamination by Counsel for the Crown, “he committed a complete volte-face by admitting the truth of the evidence of the police witnesses, in the respects mentioned, and he then went on and gave evidence implicating the appellant.” According to Justice Gomes, the reason for the volte-face appears to have been that the learned judge had occasion to admonish him to speak the truth, in the course of which the judge said to him: “Whom are you trying to shield?” Towards the end of his summing-up, he addressed the jury thus: “The Number Two accused was cross-examined

by counsel for the appellant with my leave and, you will re c a l l , t h e N u m b e r Tw o accused said he realized that he had told a different story that day before and he further realized that he had offered up two different defences; that between yesterday and today, it was suggested that he should speak the truth with regard to what he was saying; that he was told to speak the truth, and the truth did come out.” According to Justice Gomes, had a proper direction been given, it would reasonably have been open to the jury, when they considered the defence of the appellant, to conclude that as Kazim was such a thoroughly self-discredited person, they should entertain grave doubts as to the truthfulness of the information he gave to the police, in so far as it imputed to the appellant knowledge of the presence of the moulds in his room. The third submission by the defence was that the observation, “…and the truth did come out” was detrimental to the appellant because the learned judge’s forceful expression of his view amounted to a withdrawal from the jury of a very material issue. Said Justice Gomes in

VII

By George Barclay closing: “We consider that the remark was prejudicial for that reason, and also because it was made with regard to the evidence of a co-accused who was seeking to incriminate the appellant, but who had clearly shown that he was unworthy of credit. “It must be remembered that the main issue in the case was whether the appellant had guilty knowledge, the appellant’s defence being that moulds had been “planted” on his premises by the accused. The forceful observation that was made that the second version given by Kazim was the truth necessarily implied that the appellant’s defence was untruthful. “For these reasons the court considered that the conviction could not stand. Appeal allowed.”

VIII

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

Time and management By Michelle Gonsalves

IME is considered in the following terms: Time Is Money Eventually; use it or lose it forever! Time is going people, in careers, side jobs, family, household chores, studies, exercise and hobbies. Time is indeed a scarce commodity for many persons. Thus, learning to manage your time is one of the most worthwhile things an individual of any age or background can do. Initially, time management referred to just business or work activities, but it has been broadened to mean the act or process of planning and exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, to increase effectiveness, efficiency or productivity. Managing time is important because: (A) Available time is limited. (B) Time cannot be stored: If unused, it is lost forever. (C) One’s goals are usually multiple, sometimes conflict, and not all goals are of equal priority. And (D) Goals cannot be accomplished without the application of effort, which requires the use of time. There are four major areas that need to be looked at when managing time, and these can be broken down into: (A) Creating an effective environment (B) Setting priorities, (C) Carrying out activities around those priorities, and (D) The related process of reduction of time spent on non-priorities. There are volumes of information out there that have been written on the subject, but these tips here, are, in my humble opinion, some of the most effective. ABC analysis techniques By far, one of the most useful tips is to set down your tasks into categories ranging from A -- most important, to C -- least important. Activities are ranked upon these general criteria: • A: Tasks that are perceived as being urgent and important, • B: Tasks that are important but not urgent, • C: Tasks that are neither urgent nor important. Each group is then rank-ordered in priority. ABC analysis can incorporate more than three groups. ABC analysis is frequently combined with Pareto analysis. Pareto analysis This is the idea that 80% of tasks can be completed in 20% of the disposable time. The remaining 20% of tasks will take up 80% of the time. This principle is used to sort tasks into two parts. According to this form of Pareto analysis, it is recommended that tasks falling into the first category be assigned a higher priority. POSEC method Another method is the POSEC method, POSEC being an acronym for Prioritize by Organizing, Streamlining, Economizing and Contributing. The method dictates a template which emphasizes an average individual’s immediate sense of emotional and monetary security. It suggests that by attending to one’s personal responsibilities first, an individual is better positioned to shoulder collective responsibilities. Prioritize - your time and define your life by goals, Organize - things you have to accomplish regularly to be successful (family and finances), Streamline - the things you may not like to do, but must do (Work and Chores), See page XXI

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

XII

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

XIII

XIV

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

? W O N K U O DID Y

• The Smallest Dog Living, in terms of height, is a female Chihuahua called Miracle Milly, who measured 9.65 cm (3.8 in) tall on February, 21 2013, and is owned by Vanesa Semler of Dorado, Puerto Rico. Pocket-sized pets remain one of the most fascinating areas of the Guinness World Records database, with petite dogs arguably the most popular of all our animal records. Born in December 2011, she weighs roughly 1 pound (half a kilogram), and is known for often sticking out her tiny tongue when someone takes her picture. “She knows how to pose,” says her owner.

• Longest Snake (in captivity): In Greek mythology, those who looked directly at Medusa would turn to stone. In Kansas City, Missouri, USA, those who look directly at Medusa may not do that; but they certainly come to a stone cold stop. That’s because the Medusa you find at the city’s Full Moon Productions isn’t some mythological figure of yore. It’s the longest snake ever in captivity. Medusa, a reticulated python, clocked in at 7.67 meters (25 feet, 2 inches) long in its official world record measurement, on October 12, 2011. Reticulated pythons – so named because of the grid-like pattern of its skin – are on average the world’s longest snakes, but adults normally grow an average of between 3-6 m (or, 10-20 ft). But there is nothing normal about Medusa, The 10-year-old snake required 15 men to hold her at full length, in order for her record measurement to be taken; and her diet consists of a combination of rabbits, hogs, and deer served biweekly. She’s been known to eat a whole, 18-kg (40-lb) deer in one sitting. Medusa herself weighs 158.8 kg (350 lbs). Reticulated pythons primarily populate Southeast Asia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, and are also known as great swimmers. In 1912, a specimen shot in Sulawesi measured a jaw-dropping 10 m (32 ft 10 in). However, unlike Medusa, the unnamed animal was never kept alive in captivity.

XVI

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

From penury to international acclaim --the evolution of Jermaine McBean

By Alex Wayne

SOME years ago, Jermaine McBean was rapidly chalking up points on the local music charts. Then he suddenly disappeared from circulation. Then word reached us that the talented singer/songwriter had somehow relocated to China, where he rapidly made a name for himself and country, Guyana. After spreading his talent to many nightclubs, hotels and states in that land, McBean has returned to Guyana with

Rich Guyanese talent that is certainly worth mentioning

a wealth of experience, which he hopes to share during his temporary stay here. Actually, this publication dug further and found out that he is here to make wedding plans for his impending union with his ‘dream girl’, whose name he keeps a secret. Today, his talent is bringing musical satisfaction to fans in Linden, Berbice, Georgetown, Bartica and several villages along the Coastal Plain.

How it all happened… Coming from a broken home, where there was never the much-needed love and guidance of a father, Jermaine began fending for himself at the early age of thirteen. He was forced to leave school early, due to grave financial constraints, and took refuge in homes that offered temporary solace and comfort. All this time through his turmoil, he dreamed of uti-

lizing his arresting vocal talents, and heard in his restless dreams the cheers of massive audiences under glitzy floodlights. He slept in fields, braved the rain, and went hungry for days as he attempted to find food by doing odd jobs here and there. Still in his early teens, the talented singer was spotted by musicians who would give him a song or two in their small bands, most See page XXII

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

Hopetown Village

XVII

A fusion of development and unemployment

By Alex Wayne

HIS week, we embarked on our campaign to interact with villages outside the city in order to highlight the social, economic, and everyday issues that will either spur or slacken the development of such locations. We targeted the West Coast Berbice area, and stopped at the small village of Hopetown, located about fifty-four miles from the city of Georgetown. Lunch time had passed, and instantly we fell in love with the ‘Old World aura’ of the village, fused with the bustle of residents intent on completing important chores, or the laughter and merriment of men hanging out by the street sides. Buxom women could be seen at small food stalls and ‘vegetable shops, either making purchases to prepare meals for their spouses, or just enjoying a little day time gossip, as is customary. Welcome to Hopetown Hopetown is bordered by the villages of Number 22 Bel Air, St. John and Bushlot to the west; and by Fort Wellington to the east. Hopetown was bought by ex-slaves after the abolition of slavery. The village awakes to the golden streams of sunlight and the enthusiastic chatter of children tumbling into their yards, some sleepily rubbing their eyes or grumbling under their breaths as mothers aggressively admonish them to have their morning chores done. By the time the sun is fully up, children begin to spill into the streets, some under parental supervision, as they make their way to the Hopetown nursery or primary school, or the Bush Lot Secondary School. Hopetown is fairly quiet on a normal day, although it is known for holding grand soirees as part of its Emancipation celebrations. Many residents are engaged in small-scale livestock and or cash-crop and/or rice farming, but some rice-land owners have rented their lands to other farmers because of the high cost of maintenance. A few residents operate small shops and other small businesses, while still others work with the Central Government or

The alluring alleys of Hopetown Village

The celebratory festive demeanor of Berbicians is quite endearing. the Regional Democratic Council (RDC). The many small shops are open by the time the village awakes, as small-time entrepreneurs compete to net morning sales. Some parents make their way into their kitchen gardens in search of fresh vegetables or seasonings for the meals they are about to cook; and slowly but surely the village becomes fully awake. Everyone can now get their hair well groomed at a very excellent location manned by ‘Marcus’, who lives in Beaton Ally; and several early school-leavers have benefited from ‘Project Youth Choice’, a President’s Youth Initiative programme that was spearheaded at the Hopetown Training Centre. Another UNDP-funded Berbice rice farmers project that was prevalent in await dividends from a bountiful harvest the village allowed for the teaching of literacy, language and mathematics to school dropouts and slow learners. There is also a computer school, and the Grassroot Training Programme is a fast-track initiative made possible by the Ministry of Education to teach life skills and entrepreneurship. Students also participate in cake decoration and pastry-making to equip them with skills needed to make an extra dollar. Some persons now make a living by selling snow cones, and a few by selling produce from their kitchen gardens

at small stalls along the roadside. A hotel that will offer leisure-time opportunities as well as employment for villagers is soon to be opened in the village. This structure is already in the process of construction. Villagers can now do all their shopping at the recently constructed Kash & Karry Supermarket and Boutique, which is really manned by a group of overseas-based former villagers of Hopetown. The ‘Dem ah Watch Me’ Grocery and Mini Hangout Bar See Centre

XVIII

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

Hopetown Village... From page XVII

owned by Althea Goodridge also offers a form of relaxation for villagers who prefer a more quiet form of entertainment. The Merciless International Business Centre now houses an Internet café, and also sells stationery and does photocopying. Constraints While some development was evident, our reporter learnt from several interviews that the village was being severely affected by unemployment and garbage disposal problems. Among the many persons who were more than ready to have discussion with this reporter was Carol Smith-Joseph, a teacher and Regional Counsellor for Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice). This friendly, intelligent woman indicated that unemployment has been a major setback for the village, since a large number of students who would have written the CAPE and CXC examinations remain at home, or wander the streets, desperately awaiting responses from places at which they had applied for employment. She noted that only a few had been able to actually relocate to the city and obtain good jobs, since the majority could not afford the expenses of housing and other city responsibilities to afford them to relocate. Consequently, Mrs. Joseph noted, several young, intelligent persons remain in the village, deeply frustrated by the problem of unemployment. She added that all the schools would have already had their full complement of teachers, thus making it impossible for qualified school leavers to access jobs there. Inadequate recreational opportunities have really peeved Mrs. Joseph. “Hopetown is in dire need of adequate recreational facilities for the youths, and while we have a playfield and community centre, we definitely need variety where our recreational opportunities are concerned,” she explained. She declared that there is need for corporate and governmental intervention to rescue Hopetown from its dire situation,

Teacher Pasty is a prominent figure in the ongoing development of Hopetown. emphasising that Hopetown village has, over the years, been the national champion in the sport of circle tennis, but that of late, this game has disappeared entirely from the village due to lack of funds to provide games items, or the complete absence of incentives for players. Garbage, local and foreign

Residents of Hopetown are always jovial and exuding continual merriment A retired headmistress who assist villagers, and revellers have become very abusive when prefers to be called ‘Teacher Patsy’, she had quite a horrifying tale to tell. She related that mostly female villagers attempt to collect a small donation the village is targeted by outsiders, who come in the quiet of from them. “This year, it was a disaster! The police did not cooperate the night to throw tons of garbage on the road shoulders and in with us; and when we attempted to collect donations from open land spaces. “These people are just terrible and heartless! Persons who persons, they were very disrespectful to us, so we gave up the operate businesses and other individuals come in the still of the exercise entirely in frustration. As a result, tremendous garbage night, when we are sleeping, and dump sometimes was left all over Hopetown for days after (the event). It was truckloads of garbage on our street corners or in really a terrible sight,” she disclosed. open fields. Recreation “Just last week, the boys chased a truck driver who attempted to dump a whole truckload of garbage The lack of adult entertainment was another concern for in a vacant lot.” She explained that when those litterbugs succeed Teacher Patsy. “There is no proper form of clean and healthy in dumping their garbage in the village, “residents are forced to come together and remove or burn the mess they leave behind”. She stressed the need for a permanent dumpsite for villagers to put their garbage, since they do not have the luxury of garbage removal facilities, like obtains in the city of Georgetown. Garbage cleanup and disposal becomes a real challenge in the month of August, when the village celebrates Emancipation and hosts the famous soiree celebrations which attract large numbers of patrons from all parts of Guyana. Before time, the police would accompany villagers when they approach soiree revellers seeking to collect monetary donations, which were used to pay persons to clean up the tons of garbage left in the streets after the event. T h e t r a d i t i o n a l Here of late, according to d o n k e y c a r t s t i l l Teacher Patsy, the police remains…. have become reluctant to Snow cone vendors make a fast dollar in the village

en an

on no Ch th

re th w

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

Cash crop farming is indeed still prevalent in the village

What joy it brings when poultry farming pays off nicely

ntertainment for the elderly. Everything is about the big boom boxes nd wild revelling for the youths. “Every weekend, starting from Friday, they set up the large boxes n the street side, and host big open air Jamaican-style parties, and the oise is deafening.” She noted, however, that the Hopetown Anglican hurch has, thankfully, formulating a Senior Citizens Club to ensure hat older folks are properly entertained. That aside, the recently built Westside Fish Shop also offers breezy elaxation and succulent marine delicacies for villagers throughout he week. However, the action at this joint becomes more hyped on weekends, and residents are certainly loving it. As ‘Teacher Patsy’ suggested, there are indeed signs of improvement in some sections within the village. The cemetery, over the years, was in quite a ‘dilapidated condition’, and outsiders were also using it as a dumpsite for their garbage, until villagers angrily intervened. Now four very vigilant men look after the cemetery during the day, and it has also been spruced up, and many tombs have been repainted. Several villagers are calling for Hopetown to have its own Health Centre, since the nearest such facility is at Bush Lot, which then has to accommodate villagers from Hopetown, Bush Lot, St John and other areas. Unemployment Unemployment continues to be a major issue in the village, and has not seen a reduction in its prevalence since our visit there in 2009. Many youths related that they are indeed qualified but are unable to get jobs since the few administrative and clerical opportunities would have long been

Who said Berbice girls are not fashionable? filled by persons before their reign. As a result, some persons are forced to remain at home and ‘sit on their credentials’, or take on odd professions here and there to make a living. Some have opted to open small shops and stalls selling vegetables and ground provisions, and even household or kitchen supplies. It’s also a custom to see person pushing their snow cone carts through the village, making a fast dollar even as they quench the thirst of youths in the streets. Some persons farm in the backlands but the rainy season often poses grave difficulties for them, since the access dams become very deplorable because of the heavy vehicular traffic and the traverse of animals. Conclusion Hopetown may be a village still caught in the tentacles of ongoing development, and may need several alterations to its infrastructure, but that aside, it’s one of the most pleasant locations where spirited resident revel in abandon as they keep a firm grasp on their culture. In time to come, with combined efforts, this village will surely climb to its true desired level of economic and social development, thus benefiting the jovial residents that reside there.

Catching Up on some juicy gossip by the roadside

XIX

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

Rapping’s her game, but freestyling’s her forte MEET young Guyanese rapping sensation, Miss Aisha Jones, better known as A-TayJah. A-TayJah disclosed in an interview with Gtvibes.com that, as a child, she was always fascinated by the wonders of life and humanity. “I had many ideas in my head, but finding ways to express how I felt was always my biggest experiment and challenge. See, it amazed me that I had so many options in the field of art, and with them I could create something new in multiple ways. “I started off as a writer and poet from the age of six. I would write short stories just for fun, trying to dictate my thoughts. Then I started to write little poems to play around with my words, to have some sort of rhythm, like a song. I later began to do painting and pencil drawings to go with

Aisha

Jones

the words I had written. “But it was not until later on in my life (about 14 years of age) that I found my passion for music through dance -- the hip-hop style. I was intrigued by hip-hop simply because the moves are daring, fun, playful, and solid. Due to my passion for that style of dance, I began to listen to, and fell in love with, hip-hop music; and I developed a keen interest in ‘rapping’. The way every word has its own beat and the technique used by rappers in the delivery of a song -- from speed to the diction, control of breath, word play, and just the fact that with only the use of words a groovy sound can be formed.” She has since been practising not to impersonate, but to create a new sound. She mastered the art of word play just to get a concept across in what she calls a smart way. Being a singer/rapper since April 2012, her main strength is the ability to ‘freestyle’ on any topic given. She was featured in multiple shows, and was the female winner of the local entertainment company’s (Hits & Jams’), Rap Competition, thus being able to meet Rick Rozay Ross and also being an opening artiste for him at the Jamzone International Night 2012 in Guyana. Throughout the past year, she and a band that she formed called “Collage” have been featured in multiple shows, concerts, charity events, and inter-faith services, few of which were due to the University of Guyana’s organizing. She is the only female and rapper in the band with Lerone Souvenir and Jeremy and Christian Sobers. CAREER GOALS A-Tayjah intends to become an internationally recognized performer and a professional photographer. “As a photographer, I would like to be able to create/ capture visual images and freeze them in time for persons to ponder over, question, or just simply admire. “For me, discovering, understanding, and analyzing the human mindset is a challenge I find very intriguing. “I recognized that the music industry is not a very easy one in which to gain a foothold, and as such, I am determined to develop and master my craft as a rapper/musician to the best of my ability. With dedication and self-motivation, the impossible can be achieved. “Being a celebrity comes with a great deal of responsibility, and I intend to use that status to start a movement of unlimited possibilities. I plan on not only becoming a great entertainer in my field, but also an ambassador for Guyana and making a strategic impact in pushing music in Guyana as an art form to new heights and levels. “With my band, our aim is to maintain and continue the revolutionary effect our music has on people, and starting a mental riot which we hope would change the attitudes and perceptions as they relate to topical social issues that affect young people, such as self-esteem, sexuality, physical and mental abuse etc.”

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

Time and... From page IX

Economize - on things you should do or may even like to do, but they’re not pressingly urgent (pastimes and socializing), and Contribute by paying attention to the few remaining things that make a difference (social obligations). Task list organization 1. To prioritize a daily task list, one either records the tasks in the order of highest priority, or assigns them a number after they are listed (“1” for highest priority, “2” for second highest priority, etc.) which indicates in which order to execute the tasks. The latter method is generally faster, allowing the tasks to be recorded more quickly. 2. Another way of prioritizing compulsory tasks (group A) is to put the most unpleasant one first. When it’s done, the rest of the list feels easier. Groups B and C can benefit from the same idea, but instead of doing the first task (which is the most unpleasant) right away, it gives motivation to do other tasks from the list to avoid the first one. TIPS 1. Plan the night before for the next day: Make one of your final daily tasks be the completion of tomorrow’s task list. Each day should be ended with a new task sheet for tomorrow, to keep you on track. Prepare yourself first by taking 30 minutes of your time to fix yourself something to eat and relax; then make a list of the tasks you need to accomplish. Assign realistic priorities to each task. 2. Prioritize: When tomorrow’s tasks are completed, work on the other tasks due by the end of the week; and when those are completed, work on the tasks due early next week. Do today’s tasks. Concentrate on what is at hand, do not allow yourself to lose focus. Then move on to the next daily task. Once today’s tasks are completed, mark them as such, and proceed to tomorrow’s tasks. 3. Focus on your most productive time of day: Some people work better in the morning, and some are more focused in the evening. 4. Manage time in increments: Play a game with yourself by competing against the clock. Work in fifteen-minute, half-hour or one-hour intervals. (Scientifically, it is known that 45 minutes of work, followed by a 10-minute rest, is the best for the average studier!) Take advantage of all the small gaps of time that tend to go wasted during the day. Whether it’s the 15 minutes you have between class and lunch, or the twenty minutes from when you wake up in the morning to when your kids wake up, use those spare minutes to accomplish something, because little increments of time add up! 5. Use technology to complete tasks more quickly, efficiently and accurately: Today’s mobile technology features dozens, if not hundreds, of apps that will help you manage -- and even accomplish ---your tasks efficiently. 6. Sleep for 6-8 hours every night: Getting the proper amount of sleep will help keep you alert 7. Practise not answering the phone just because it’s ringing, and e-mails just because they show up: Disconnect instant messaging. Don’t instantly give people your attention, unless it’s absolutely crucial in your business to offer an immediate human response. Instead, schedule a time to answer email and return phone calls. Block out other distractions, like Facebook and other forms of social media, unless you use these tools to generate business. 8. Organise your office: Remove from your desk everything except the things you need for your specific job. Create folders (binders) where you can keep the documents for each task until you need them, and only put the file(s) that you need on your desk. Discard the rest. 9. Track your time: The best way to improve your time management skills is to first identify where you spend your time on a daily basis. One of the ways to do that is to keep a calendar and take note of every action. You can do that for three days, and at the end of the three days you can analyse the results and take the necessary actions. It is very important to manage your time successfully, because: • If you have more time for work, you have more chances for success. • If you have more time to think, you can utilize your mind better. • If you have more time to play, you can enjoy your life better. • If you have more time to read, you can gain more knowledge.

• If you have more time to enjoy, the better it is for your health and soul. Managing your time means to be in position to dominate the time and your work, rather than being dominated by them. Your time is your life. Every thought and every action you make takes time. Therefore, the way you use your time automatically determines where and how to use your life. Sources: www.wikipedia. com, www.wikihow.com, www. entrepreneur.com, www. quick ways to manage your time better.htm

XXI

XXII

From penury to international ... From page XVI

times for free. It was the love of music that kept him holding on, performing for the joy of singing

for little or sometimes no cash at all. His strength and determination grew, as well as his ‘musical abuse’. That, however, did not stop band owners

from clamouring for his vocal abilities, which most times left audiences enthralled. All that, of course, was work he did for little or no reward. Jermaine was slowly

coming to grips with what was happening around him, and vowed in his mind to one day climb the ladder of fame he knew would eventually arrive with the degree of patience and

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014 tolerance he exercised. He soon after migrated with friends to the Ancient County, Berbice, and there he met Troy, the son of the popular Guyanese musician, ‘Teaspoon’. The two formed a duo after he performed at an audition. Soon, Jermaine was filling the various nightclubs

in Berbice with rich, vocal melodies. The word spread around, and he was soon the most-sought-after singer in the County, igniting murderous and venomous stares from top Berbician singers like ‘Rat Head’, ‘Young Teaspoon’ and several others, who were always green with envy. He soon left Troy’s band, since this bandleader never seemed to be able to come up with the sums he promised to pay to his singers, and Jermaine moved to the city. Sometime later, he joined several celebrated bands, thus eventually becoming rated amongst some of Guyana’s better singers. In 2005, he first flew to Trinidad, where his talent had him performing alongside elite entertainers like Roy Cape on Trinidad’s Petra Chin Road Show, and a few others. While spending two years in the island, he brought musical sizzle to many casinos, where he was greatly admired. He also sang alongside Trinidad’s Soca Monarch, Shirwin Winchester. That’s not all; he had a special talent, and soon learnt to play the keyboard all on his own, just following the urgings of his brilliant mind, fingers and brain. Jermaine has spent eighteen months in China, and many have marvelled at his musical talent. He performs ballads of Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Mary J. Blige; and this, of course, brings him standing ovations at most of his performances. In 2007, while in China, he entertained the beauties that contested the Miss Universe Pageant in that year at a function that was attended by Bill Gates and other elite special invitees. That year, through his exploits, Guyanese singers Nichola and Nancy Osborne travelled to China and soon made their debut as ‘very entertaining singers’ in that state. Mc Bean was also a vibrant force at last year’s Carib Soca Monarch, where his reverberating and pulsating entry was loved by many countrywide. Now Jermaine has acquired his own band. He has already played at several locations in the city since he arrived in Guyana in late December. Now basking in the popularity of his ongoing fame, Jermaine ‘Venom’ Mc Bean is doing all he can to take Guyana to the next level in the world of music and entertainment. He is more than ready to pass on his knowledge to upcoming musicians

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

XXIII

XXIV

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

GENERAL HINTS AND TIPS

1. Miracle tea bag: To restore finished wood furniture, steep two tea bags in hot water for 10 minutes. Let cool, then dampen a clean soft cloth with tea and wipe over wooden furniture. It will bring out the woodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural colour and shine. 2. Frayed laces:If the tip of your shoelace becomes frayed, snip off the frayed end. Then paint or dip the end of the shoelace into clear nail polish and let it dry. Good as new. 3. New shoes? No problem! If your new shoes are too tight, put the nozzle of your blow dryer into shoe and turn to low. When shoe gets warm, stuff with paper or socks to stretch it. 4. Smoooooth legs: Shaving your legs with hair conditioner instead of soap makes them soft and smooth. Just apply, shave, and rinse. 5. Smoke in the air: To remove the smell of smoke, place bowls of white vinegar around the house to absorb the odour. 6. Mildew begone! Salt and lemon juice mixed together removes mildew stains. 7. Fend off weeds: To keep weeds from returning to the cracks of your patio, deck, or driveway, keep salt in the cracks. 8. Clean as a whistle: To clean oil-based paint off of your hands, use vegetable oil. Then wash hands with warm, soapy water. 9. Dry in seconds: To make nail polish stay on nails longer: First, coat fingernails with white vinegar, using a cotton ball. Let dry, then apply nail polish. To quickly dry nail

SIMPLE DECORATING IDEAS

â&#x20AC;˘ Divide a large space: Hang a ceiling-mounted pull-down curtain or shade to use when you want to divide large, open spaces into discrete areas. See page XXIX

polish, dip fingers into a bowl of cold water, then shake excess water from hands and allow hands to air dry. 10. Shoe-shine: Spray WD40 on a cloth and wipe over leather shoes or leather boots, then buff with a soft clean cloth to shine, and make them waterproof.

XXV

XXVI

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

XXVII

XXVIII

? W O N K U O DID Y

â&#x20AC;˘ Shortest Living Man (Mobile): Chandra Bahadur Dangi, of Nepal, is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shortest living man, measuring 54.6cm (21.5 in).The measurement also makes Chandra the shortest adult human to ever have their height verified by Guinness World Records, beating a benchmark set by Gul Mohammed, (New Delhi, India, 1957-1997) who measured 57 cm (22.5 in). Upon the invitation of Mr Chandra, Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief, Craig Glenday, flew from London to Kathmandu to perform an official measurement at the CIWEC Clinic Travel Medicine Center in Lainchaur in February 2012. In accordance with Guinness World Records guidelines, Chandra was measured three times in 24 hours, and his height confirmed to be 54.6 cm (21.5 in). Chandra claims to be 73 years of age, and weighs 14.5kg. He has spent his entire life in the remote Nepalese mountain village of Rhimkholi, about 250 miles west of Kathmandu.

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

SIMPLE DECORATING IDEAS From page XXV

• Give furniture different roles: Repurpose a sleek bath cart to serve as a side table or a minibar, stocked with drinks and snacks.

• Splash of Colour: Sticking to an all-white bath will keep it feeling airy and bright. In this sleek space, even the floorboards were painted white. For a modern touch, hang an eye-popping magenta-colour shower curtain.

• Shady Days of Gray: A narrow space thrives on consistency, and a refined palette. Pairing white with gray gives the space a modern look. Choosing large, squared tiles will fool the eye into believing the space is larger than it actually is. Keep the accents minimal, so the room feels sleek and uncluttered.

XXIX

XXX

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

XXXI

XXXII

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

XXXIII

A r i e s You have a job in front of you that you’re not exactly dying to dig into. But the longer you delay doing the work that is necessary, the bigger your challenges will become. So try to get started on your work as soon as you can, today. If you just dive right in and work steadily to get things over with, you will lessen the amount of stress in your day and keep things from getting any more complicated. Skip lunch if you have to -- the more you do today, the less you will have to do tomorrow. Taurus Relaxation is much more important than progress right now in your life, so ease off the gas pedal for a while! Take the more inviting, meandering road to wherever you need to go today and don’t you dare look at your watch! Sure, taking the scenic route will probably add time to your journey, but what you will be seeing will be so delightful that slow and leisurely will be the perfect pace. It’s a great day for conversations that last three hours long and go nowhere. G e m i ni The simplest things will give you the biggest charge, today -- from making sure that all your bills are paid to running basic errands and taking out the trash, you’re going to get immense pleasure out of tasks that allow you to turn your mind away from the dramas swirling around you. Distraction is a very useful way of getting through a tough day. So if you’ve had things weighing heavy on your mind lately, go do the laundry! You’ll end up whistling and happy in no time. C a n c e r It’s all about open and free communication, today. You’ve got to say what you feel as soon as you feel it! It’s time to liberate your mind and free yourself to say whatever comes to mind at the moment it pops up in your brain. You’re open to the fact that once or twice you might say something silly. You might stick your foot in your mouth, but so what? That’s a small price to pay for feeling free and open with the people you’ll be dealing with, today. Embarrassment can bring people closer. L e o Being shy and introverted is one thing, but hiding what you have to offer is quite another! Putting up a wall between yourself and the rest of the world is a poor way of showing the world what you can give -- especially if you are looking to create a romantic connection. Today, take a bigger risk. Reveal your inner thoughts to someone you don’t know very well. You won’t be disappointed by the effect you have on them. You are a lot more intriguing than you realise Virgo Your gut will tell you where you need to point your energies next. So be ready to move today -- if you suddenly get an urge to tidy up the house, then block out the rest of your day to do it. And if you suddenly get an urge to bake some cookies, head right out to the market and pick up whatever ingredients you need. It might not be convenient to act so spontaneously today, but it the more you can do it, the more you will feel a sense of power over your own life. Libra Someone from your past will be coming back on the scene very soon -- no matter how much you are dreading the reunion, you need to put on a brave face! They have a certain amount of influence over your life right now, and it will definitely be in your best interest to keep them on your side. So let go of any and all grudges and try to see the good in them -- you know it’s there! But more importantly, make sure that they only see the good in you. The effort will be worth it. Scorpio An exciting new opportunity will be coming your way, today -- but you are going to have meet it halfway, and the journey could be a strange one. You’ve usually done a lot of planning before making any big moves, but there will be no time for that today! What you need is flexibility, spontaneity, and a whole lot of bravado! You’ll be required to put on a bit of a performance, although it will be a role you were born to play. You’ll have a blast fooling someone in good fun. Sagittarius Give someone a helping hand today, and you’ll actually be helping yourself too! Remember this when you feel like you’re too busy to assist anyone. Don’t rush ahead when details need to be covered -- never mind the fact that they aren’t your details! Slow down and realise that by taking time to connect with another human being, you are connecting with the humanity inside of yourself. Even giving someone a ride is a chance to remind yourself how great you are. C a p r i c o r n Today, you need to challenge yourself to step back from the project you’ve been working on so diligently. It will do you some good to take a break from all of the details and get grounded in your personal life again. Someone you care about is missing you like crazy, and one ten minute phone call isn’t going to put you off your schedule. So give them a call -- or just send them an email. Right now they really need to know you haven’t forgotten about them! Aquarius You need to stop thinking so hard about the things you don’t like about your life! You might think that the more brain power you devote to your problems, the faster you will solve them, but that isn’t always the case. Step back and just watch how things progress without your interference. Take care when you’re dealing with other people, too -- they might even be able to fix the problem for you if you just let them. Improving your situation isn’t always something you have the power to do. Pieces Today you’ll be put into the position where you’ll need to tell someone some news that they won’t like hearing. But you have to remember that sometimes, helping others can be a thankless job. Deliver the news with a gentle touch, and keep what you say short, simple and straight to the point. They won’t shoot you as the messenger, but they might need your shoulder to cry on or your ear to hear them. Be generous with your time and honest with your support.

XXXIV

CXC

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

English

Chronicle Pepperpot January 19, 2014

XXXV