Guyana Times Sunday Magazine

July 3, 2016

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50 Cent arrested in the Caribbean for cursing during concert See story on page 12

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Making life with your own ingredients Tapping into her heritage, food caterer Nola Ro has fought a debilitating disease to become a successful entrepreneur Page 5

Venus Wong

Page 16

Finding a flair for art

2 Sunday Times Magazine

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JULY 3, 2016

Times Feature

Ramadan

D

uring the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Muslims worldwide partake in prayer, fasting, and giving to charity, which become the focus of their everyday lives for an entire month.

Depending on the sighting of the moon Ramadan 2016 commenced on June 7 and will end July 7. It is the ninth month of Islam’s lunar calendar, a system that sees each month begin at the sighting of the new moon. According to some scholars, the month is said to be the one in which the Qur'an was first revealed, making it the holiest and most sacred month for Muslims.

It is the period when Muslims fast every day for one month from sunrise to sunset, which is one of the five pillars or duties of Islam. Not only do Muslims abstain from food and drink during this time, it is also a time of deep contemplation and prayer to Allah, and also charitable generosity.

In Arabic, the word Ramadan means “scorching and burning”. The name highlights the in-

Midday prayers as part of Ramadan observances (2013)

we had a tendency to take for granted. Fasting also provides us with numerous health benefits. The Prophet said, ‘The son of Adam will never fill a container with something worst than his stomach,’ and when we deprive the stomach of food and drink from dawn till dusk, we

one has forgotten to express his intention before dawn. In such a case, one is allowed to express the intention of fasting before noon.

Suhoor Suhoor is a light predrawn meal recommended before actual fasting. The suhoor is a blessing and

What breaks the fast Some factors that break the fast are intentional consumption of food, drink, medicine or smoking during fast; any injection which has some nutritional value; if a female monthly period starts during a fast, that fast must be repeated after Ramadan; and intercourse during the hours of fasting.

Those who are unable to fast should feed a poor person one meal per day for every fast not observed.

Kaffarah During fasting period, if one deliberately breaks the fast, he must fast for 60 continuous days or feed 60 needy persons or spend in charity an amount equal to feeding 60 persons. If one chooses to fast 60 days and the continuity is interrupted for any reason, except menstruation, one has to start the 60day cycle all over again.

What does not break the fast Eating, drinking or smoking unintentionally;

unintentional vomiting; swallowing things which are not possible to avoid, such as one's own saliva, dust, smoke and others; brushing the teeth (without tooth paste); injection or I/V, which is solely medical and non-nutritional.

Who is exempted from fasting?

Children under the age of puberty and discretion; however, they should be encouraged; insane people who are unaccountable for their deeds; men and women who are too old and feeble to undertake the obligation of fast and bear its hardship, such people are exempted from this duty, but they must offer at least one needy poor an average full meal or its value per person per day (if they can afford it); sick people whose health is likely to be severely affected by the observance of fast, they may postpone the fast and later make up for it, a day for a day; people expecting hardship, such persons may break the fast temporarily during their travel only and

make up for it in later days; a day for a day, but it is better for them, the Quran tells, to keep the fast if they can without causing extra ordinary hardship; expectant women and women nursing their children may also break the fast, but they must make up for the fast at a delayed time, a day for a day; during the period of postpartum (period after child birth); women in periods of menstruation (of a maximum of ten days) must postpone and make up for it, a day for a day. If a period starts during a fast, that fast needs to be repeated.

CIOG encourages Muslims to support Zakaat, Iftaar and Sadaqatul Fitr programs to compliment their fast.

The organisation currently distributes close to $8M monthly to orphans and the poor at 140 Masjids in Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo.

For more information, contact CIOG on 225-8654 or 225-6167. (Information

by CIOG)

CIOG building located at Woolford Ave,Thomas Lands, Georgetown

tensity of the training since, according to scholars, we physically and mentally burn and scorch our sins and faults.

According to the Central Islamic Organization of Guyana (CIOG), by the month’s end, if our intentions were pure, we have bathed ourselves in a pool of spirituality.

“Most people think first of the physical aspect of fasting, which for Muslims is a foundation for the mental and spiritual benefits. Hunger and thirst physically remind us of Allah's blessings, which before the fast

improve our digestion and blood pressure - to name a few of the many physical benefits,” the organisation outlined.

Do's and don'ts of fasting Fasting in Islam involves abstinence from three physical needs of human beings: food, drink and sexual intercourse from dawn to sunset during the entire month of Ramadan.

Methodology of fasting To observe the fast, intention of fasting is primarily essential.

Provision is made if some-

hence recommended, but is not essential. Any consumption of food or drink should be ceased at least five to ten minutes before the beginning of dawn. If a person wakes up after dawn, he abstains from food and drink until sunset, and his fast is valid.

Iftaar Iftaar means breaking the fast immediately after the sunset. Iftaar is a light snack consisting of dates or sweet meats, along with liquids such as water, juice or milk. This is eaten after making the “dua” (an act of supplication) for breaking fast.

Some of the foods eaten during the month of Ramadan

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JULY 3, 2016

Sunday Times Magazine

3

Times Feature

W

ith the focus on empowering Guyanese and providing for the impoverished, the work of the Save Abee non-profit organisation is highly praised.

The organisation has been providing free medical outreaches throughout Guyana. In 2015, the organisation has successfully conducted a series of free medical outreaches across Guyana and attracted over 1,000 patients from various backgrounds.

US-based Guyanese Sham Tilak founded the organisation on October 30, 2009. The dream had started over a year earlier when Tilak had returned to Guyana and had seen the lack of computer technology for children. He dreamt of providing this for the children in Cotton Tree Village, West Coast Berbice, and through Save Abee (Us) that dream is now a reality. Tilak’s work in Guyana, through Save Abee, has expanded to include medical outreach programmes.

In 2016, the Save Abee Foundation will conduct its third

annual Free Medical Outreach programme, which would be held on July 8, 2016 at the St. Cuthbert's Mission Health Centre from 9am to 1pm. On July 10, 2016, it will venture to the Mora Point Health Centre, Mahaicony Creek, to conduct its medical outreach work from 9am to 3pm.

The Foundation will provide a variety of free health services, including: general check-up, hypertension and diabetes testing, prostate test (PSA), cervical cancer test (VIA), HIV testing and counselling, STI screening, dental checkup (extraction, cleaning and filling), health counselling and eye test. In addition, free glasses, wheelchairs and medical supplies will be distributed. Patients can also look forward to free refreshments.

“We strongly encourage all villagers and members of these communities to share this information and to encourage each other to take full advantage of these services provided. We would also like to highlight that the National

Blood Transfusion Service will be conducting a blood drive at these outreaches. One unit of blood can save up to three lives and it is important that we support this by donating one unit of blood; you will not only be saving lives, but blood donation also reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer,” Tilak encourages.

The Save Abee outreaches are support by volunteer medical professionals from North America and Guyana, the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association, Cheddi Jagan Dental School, CCB Eye Care, Ministry of Public Health, National Blood Transfusion Service and Caribbean Voice.

Save Abee Foundation, under the leadership of Sham Tilak and Asha Tilak, is passionate about serving the less fortunate, and is committed to the development of Guyana.

For further information, call 592-689-9887 or visit Save Abee on Facebook.

Trail- blazing rock group off to Trinidad submitted our application to be a part of the Wacken Metal Battle Caribbean, but did not qualify. We still chose to go to Suriname to attend the event, so that we can be a part of rock ‘n’ roll history. We made great friends, expanding our network and the possibility of us performing more regional/international gigs is greater than ever,” Gavin

F

eed The Flames (FTF), a band of young men focused on keeping rock music alive in Guyana, will soon be heading to Trinidad for the first time to showcase their talents.

A heavy metal band based in Georgetown, FTF was formed in 2008 and consists of vocalist Gavin Persaud, guitarists Gavin Singh and Emilio Martins, bassist Gavin Mendonca, and drummer Nicholas Chung. The band is considered to be a significant member of the heavy metal movement in Guyana, which started locally in the late 80s.

Since their formation, FTF has released a three songs EP, and is currently recording their first fulllength studio album. The

Feed the Flames band members

band has performed at numerous underground heavy metal events in Guyana, and many prestigious national events. In 2013, they performed for the first time outside of Guyana.

The band has observed that locally, not many are accepting of rock music.

They believe it is because people here “do not understand it, and so there’s a saturation of American pop and Jamaican dancehall type music.” Despite this challenge, FTF continues to progress as a heavy metal band.

Over the past few months, FTF has been stepping out of the underground shadows, and performing at more public events. They performed at the National Stadium at the Next Generation Concert, held as

part of the Golden Jubilee Concert Series. It was the largest audience the band has every played for, with approximately 1,000 people in attendance. The band received a roaring applause for reciting a rock version of Guyana’s National Anthem.

Developing a niche for itself, the band will be performing in Trinidad for the first time in July, supporting the Trinidadian metal band LynchPin who will be representing the Caribbean at the Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany in August 2016.

“For Feed The Flames to be performing in Trinidad is a huge opportunity. We have performed once in Suriname in 2013, so this is our second performance outside of Guyana. We had

Mendonca said in an interview with Sunday Times Magazine.

Mendonca added that the band has observed the competition keenly, and knows what is required of them to enter and win the next Wacken Metal Battle Caribbean (scheduled for 2018 in Suriname), where they will get a chance to showcase their Guyanese

talent.

Aiming to take Guyanese heavy metal across the globe, Feed The Flames “will prove to Guyana that young people can have dreams, pursue them, and accomplish them, even in the face of extreme adversity”.

For more information, visit Feed The Flames on Facebook.

4

Sunday Times Magazine

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JULY 3, 2016

Times Feature

O

n July 4, 1973, the CARICOM founding fathers came together and signed the Treaty of Chaguaramas, which established the Caribbean Community. On Monday, July 4, we celebrate this anniversary on CARICOM Day, a day set aside to commemorate all things CARICOM. In celebration of this Day, a song was composed.

The CARCIOM Song was launched at the 35th Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government held in Antigua and Barbuda, July 1 to July 4, 2014.

The CARICOM Song is the official, patriotic song of the Community, which celebrates the history, culture and identity of the people of the Caribbean. It is to be used primarily at ceremonial and Community events. In celebrating the 40th anniver-

sary of CARICOM in 2013, the CARICOM Secretariat launched a Song Competition to encourage the participation of all CARICOM Member States in composing a song that would inspire regional pride and unity, celebrate our diversity and highlight our shared vision and aspirations.

The composition “Celebrating CARICOM” by Michele Henderson, a highly acclaimed recording artiste from the Commonwealth of Dominica, was selected by a regional panel of judges as the official CARICOM Song. A unique feature of the Song that celebrates CARICOM’s linguistic diversity, is the Kwéyòl spoken in the Lesser Antilles and Suriname’s Sranan Tongo that punctuate the rhythmic Bridge.

The CARICOM Song was written and composed by Michele Henderson Delsol

Here are the lyrics of the song: CELEBRATING CARICOM Verse 1 From many distant lands, our fore fathers came Some seeking adventure, some bound in chains Through battles waged and fought Through victory and pain By test of their courage Our freedom was gained In homage to those gone before us The heroes of lands in the sun We vow to join hands and to focus On building one Caribbean Chorus Raise your voices high Sing of your Caribbean pride Sing it loud and strong Feel our hearts beat as one Celebrate in song As we rise to heights where we belong Sound the victory drum For CARICOM Verse 2 Though great and diverse be our ethnicities

T

Michele Henderson

– Singer/Songwriter. It was produced by Carl Beaver Henderson from the HOTT Music Group, Trinidad.

Michele’s husband and manager Roland Delsol Jr. of Audio Solutions Inc, Dominica was also part of the production team along with Earlson Mathew from the Sonic Arts Studios, Dominica.

The bonds that unite us are Singer, songwriter stronger than these and performer, Michele We dine we pray we love, we Henderson has enjoyed dance and we play a successful career as We relate to each other the West an artiste for over 20 Indian way years. Born in Grand Today as people united Bay, Commonwealth of Determined and steadfast we Dominica, Michele has stand thrilled audiences with We look to a brand new horizon her live performancThe future now firmly in our es in and outside the hands Region, with major perChorus formances at the World Bridge Creole Music Festival, Hélé hélé bwavo (Shout Bravo) Dominica; Grenada Opo yu stem CARICOM (Raise Spice Jazz Festival; St. your voices CARICOM) Lucia Jazz Festival; Lévé lévé vwa’w (Raise your Roskilde Festival in Voices) Denmark; Jazz Artists Naki yu dron CARICOM (Beat on the Green in Trinidad your drum CARICOM) and Tobago; among Tanbouyé tanbou a wo several other perfor(Drummer drum woh) mances in the U.S.A., Opo you stem CARICOM (Raise Europe, Martinique and your voices CARICOM) Guadeloupe.

Lévé lévé vwa’w (Raise your Michele has revoices) ceived numerous muChorus sic awards in Dominica Bridge and was appointed (Go to http://caricom.org to Goodwill Ambassador listen to the song.) to Dominica in 2004.

‘Box’ savings

o “throw box”, as is said in money.

The foundation of the Box Hand sysGuyana, is not just a traditional way of saving money, but encour- tem is one built on trust, equality and ages people, especially women, to feel integrity – all of which are enforced by the community. Usually groups contribempowered as they learn to be thrifty.

At the end of the month, those who uting to the same “hand” are composed save with this traditional system, “draw” of close friends, family or community members. To break the trust of the Box their “box hand”.

“Box Hand” not only exists in Hand system is akin to the most heiGuyana, but has variants in numerous nous of crimes. other Caribbean countries. A contributor can draw a large sum of money from the “Box”, while contributing a specific small sum on a weekly or monthly basis. This money is used for purchasing some significant item, invested, or just deposited into the bank.

The variants of the “Box Hand” include “Sou-Sou” and “Partna” in Jamaica. In an interview with Sunday Times Magazine, a former “box holder” (someone who “holds or manages the box”) said she has heard from older Indian folks the box holder being called “hetmani”.

This method of saving originated in Africa and later spread throughout the African diaspora. While it is referred to by some who first hear about the system as a “pyramid” system, this assertion is very far from the truth. Unlike the pyramid system where those at the top of the system profit from those at the bottom of the system, Box Hand provides a means of financial stability Box Hand ensures that everyone While imprisonment is a very uncontributes equally and in turn receives likely outcome for a breach of trust necan equal contribution.

In the Box Hand system, a group of essary to the Box Hand system because people contribute a weekly, bi-weekly or of its ‘unofficial’ status in most counmonthly amount to a pool (also known tries, social and community ostracism, as “hand”). The “hand” usually cycles for harassment and mistrust are the inevimonths or sometimes up to a year. The table outcomes.

In places like Africa and the amount from each “hand” also varies from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

Caribbean, where the notion of comThose who get the hand first are still munity is necessary to daily survival, a expected to continue paying into the breach of community trust is one of the system until the cycle ends. If you are most detrimental things that could hapone of the first to get the “hand”, then pen to an individual’s life.

In these financially troubling times it becomes somewhat of a loan, in the sense that you have to continue to pay many of us are facing, the Box Hand into the system until you have given an system provides us another means of atequal contribution. For those who get taining financial stability and empowertheir “hand” last, it is a good way to save ment.

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JULY 3, 2016

Sunday Times Magazine 5

Times Women

Making life with your own ingredients

Tapping into her heritage, food caterer Nola Ro has fought a debilitating disease to become a successful entrepreneur

U

S-based Guyanese Nola Ro has proven that with determination anyone can change their life. For Nola, it was her experiences with the painful symptoms of Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) that directly impacted her relationship with food.

At 17, Nola was diagnosed with PKD. A debilitating disease that attacks the kidneys by causing numerous cysts to grow inside of them, PKD can slowly replace much of the kidneys’ normal structure and reduce its function. Eventually, it can lead to kidney failure.

Over several years, Nola’s symptoms worsened. Doctors warned her that she would have to undertake a strict regimen of medications, and eventually receive aggressive dialysis treatment.

Although discouraged and physically drained by the symptoms that accompanied PKD, Nola was determined not to allow her body to succumb to the disease. If what her doctor cautioned was in her path, drastic measures needed to be taken to gain control over the disease.

Inspired, Nola decided to take her health into her hands. Daily, she researched the body’s intimate connec-

Nola's love affair with food has helped her to be successful in defeating her illness

Nola learned how to put a healthier twist on preparing them. By trading food colouring, artificial sweeteners and salt for raw sugar, sea salt, and coconut oil, Nola began to feel the positive effects on her body.

As her knowledge grew, Nola incorporated an abundance of organic fruits and vegetables into her new diet.

With time, neither dialysis nor medications were needed to rectify her health. Nola attributes the ability to control the progression of her PKD to her change of diet, patience and positivity.

After winning the battle against PKD, Nola was

Sumptuous Bites Catering, which specializes in Caribbean/American cuisine, all made from natural and organic ingredients.

She is also currently training to become a professional chef, focusing her expertise on healthy food choices.

Sumptuous Bites, a client-centric catering company that specializes in Caribbean-American cuisine, had always been a long-held dream for Nola.

“Sumptuous Bites means more to me than just feeding people; I have a chance to revolutionize the way people experience Caribbean food,” she said.

Pursuing her passion - inventing recipes to being healthy

tion with food. After years of suffering, she decided to educate herself about different foods, the food industry, and the types of foods that were best for her body.

She began adding natural and organic foods with vegan and vegetarian options to her menu, and has been sharing her passion for healthy eating ever since.

Flavourful, rich and hearty meals were the order of the day in her household.

Not wanting to completely remove the West Indian foods on which she grew up, Nola started to eat those dishes in moderation.

Through her research,

inspired to take on another life challenge – becoming an entrepreneur.

“There was an intense tugging at my heart that I could be doing so much more. I’d been delivering food part-time as an informal, small-scale business.

One day, I just felt that the timing was right to take my catering company to the next level as a formal enterprise,” she recalled.

Having used food to gain control over her health, Nola wants to share with others that great taste does not have to be incongruent with healthy food.

In 2015, she founded

Nola spent the first 10 years of her life in Guyana before migrating to the United States. Most of her family (maternal side) lived on the East Bank of the Demerara.

The daughter of restaurateur, Doris Rodney, Nola grew up in the kitchen; working along with her mom, learning all there was to know about the food and the country of her family’s origin. Nola always had a deep appreciation and affection for her culture’s cuisine.

She inevitably caught the cooking bug and developed a passion for the cu-

linary arts herself. This passion had begun to materialize when Nola was just a teenager.

In addition to her entrepreneurial goals, Nola, a single-mom, is a strong believer in women’s empowerment. She divides her time between being the CEO of Sumptuous Bites and being an empowerment speaker.

Regularly, she hosts events in support of women’s advancement within her community, and acts as a mentor for women who aspire to become entrepreneurs.

A resident of Long Island, USA, Nola lives with her five-year-old son, whom she affectionately calls her “little king”. She confessed that her biggest accomplishment is motherhood.

“As a single-mom, it’s important for me to be a role

Positive outlook! Nola Ro is happy to be alive and to help others get healthy

model for the women I mentor. I want to show them that excuses rob you of two things, time and energy. I am also excited to be an example of women’s leadership for my son. I actually bring my son to every business meeting and event I attend.

As a teen, I recall the days of assisting my mother with the family business. I can’t imagine who I’d be without that first-hand knowledge.

As my son matures, it’s critical that he is exposed to the value successful, empowered women can add to his life and society as a whole,” she expressed.

Nola advises young women to pursue the food industry only if they are passionate about it. “The hours, the workload, and demand for consistency can take a toll on anyone. The genuine love for your craft is what makes

it fun!” she encouraged.

During her down time, Nola enjoys art, living well, and tapping into her creative spirit through her community outreach and business ventures.

When asked what she is most looking forward to in the future, Nola responded: “Tapping into my highest potential. A part of what I focus on, is introducing things to the world that have never come out of Guyana. This is an exciting time for Guyana, in terms of growth and I’m very happy to be a part of it. I am most excited about watching myself grow and evolve in ways I’ve never imagined.”

To learn more about Nola and Sumptuous Bites Catering, visit her website at www.sumtuousbites.com (Source: http://guyanesegirlsrock.org)

6 Sunday Times Magazine

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JULY 3, 2016

Times Book World

The Shaping of Guyanese Literature

Literature unifying the Caribbean The 2016 Burt Award for Caribbean Literature

Imam Baksh speaking at the launch of his book “Children of the Spider” at Queen’s College auditorium

By Petamber Persaud

(In his book, “IndianCaribbean Test Cricketers and the Quest for Identity”, Frank Birbalsingh suggests that literature is as strong a link as cricket in fostering unity among Caribbean territories. But we have seen that cricket hasn’t done the job, nor has CARICOM. However, there is hope that this new literature movement, along with existing literature movements may yet achieve that elusive unity.)

W

hat do you do when you acquire three prizewinning novels in one instance? You drop everything and focus all your attention on those books. Especially if you love books and books love you back. How do you know books love you? You know books love you when books are attracted to you, find-

ing you in and out of season, tugging at your pocket and your time.

Well, on a very rainy Monday in April 2016, I collected these three books; after the initial feeling out process of inhaling the new printed material, looking at the covers, fronts, publishers, authors; after a quick read of the blurbs, I flew home. The aroma of lunch cooking couldn’t separate me from my books as once again I went through the ritual of sizing up a new book. Am I leaving you in suspense?

Sorry I too am reluctant to get to the meat of the story, drawing out the moment, savouring the moment…

Well, the three novels are the ones that won the 2016 Burt Award for Caribbean Literature. This award was established by CODE (the Canadian Organization for Development through

Education) with ‘”generous support of Canadian philanthropist William Burt and the Literary Prizes Foundation, in partnership the ‘NGC Bocas Lit. Fest’ of Trinidad and Tobago. The mandate of CODE is profoundly captured in the following statement, ‘If you can read and write, you can learn to do, and be, anything’”.

This relatively new literary prize has built into its objective three very important aspects for the development and enhancement of writing reading material for Caribbean children in the first instance and for children elsewhere in the world.

Those three elements are designed to operate on three vital levels of a vibrant literary landscape: staging writers’ workshops, offering huge monetary prizes, transforming manuscripts

into books which are printed in the thousands.

The above is spelt out in the objective of the award which is “to champion literacy, build language skills and foster the love and habit of reading by ensuring that young Caribbean readers have access to books that they want to read.”

What do you do when you acquire three prizewinning novels in one instance?

You drop everything and focus all your attention on those books. What do you do when one of those books was authored by a fellow Guyanese…and that book won the first prize...? You dig right in…!

The names of the other two books are “Gone to Drift”

by Diana McCaulay, second place winner, and “Dancing in the rain” by Lynn Joseph, third place winner.

“Gone to Drift”is the story of a “12-year-old Jamaican boy, Lloyd, and his search for his beloved grandfather, a fisherman who is lost at sea. An adventure story about a boy confronted with difficult moral choices… it will inspire its readers to choose bravery over cowardice and to follow their hearts.”

“Dancing in the rain” set in the Dominican Republic “explores the impact of the tragic fall of the Twin Towers on two Caribbean families. It is a lyrical, wellcrafted tale about finding joy in the face of loss.”

And the winning novel, “Children of the Spider” by Guyanese Imam Baksh.

Imam Baksh

“Children of the Spider” is fantasy/speculative fiction and more. It is a bit of literary fiction – navel gazing- mixed with pulp fiction -built for speed and action with timely roadblocks/ sleeping policemen slowing down the action while building suspense.

It is fantasy/speculative

The author with ‘Shaping of Guyanese Literature’ writer Petamber Persaud

fiction that smoothly incorporates fantasy with Guyanese folklore, sometimes reading like a travelogue taking the reader from the planet Zolpash to Mabaruma in the North West of Guyana then to Georgetown and its environs, and ends by giving the reader detail plans on how to make a portal that will take you from Guyana back to Zolpash.

Mayali, a teenage girl,escapes from Zolpash, a land of sulphur and harsh weather, to Guyana, the land of many waters, in search of her father. In Mabaruma, where a large part of the book is set, she meets Joseph, a teenage boy without the gift of speech but with much to say, and together they go on an adventure to save earth from the invading Spider God. Although it is speculative fiction with a good dose of Guyanese folklore (including a female Anancy) it deals with moral issues and emphasizes care for the environment and respect for ani-

mals.

Baksh is one of the recent prizewinning finds of The Guyana Annual Magazine, the only local platform encouraging writing by offering various literary competitions. Baksh won the Henry Josiah Writing Stories for Children Competition on many occasions.

“Children of the Spider” was launched during April 2016 at the Queen’s College Auditorium.

These three prize-winning books are now available locally, entrusted to the Guyana Book Foundation for distribution,especially – but not only –to libraries and schools.

Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@ yahoo.com W h a t ’ s happening:“Made in Guyana” is now available at the National Library, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, bookstores and hotels.

Imam interacting with students of QC

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JULY 3, 2016

Sunday Times Magazine 7

Times Heritage

The Jordanites of Guyana A

ccording to several sources, the Jordanites, officially known as the West Evangelical Millennium Pilgrims (WEMP) are a locally-established, mainly African-Guyanese religious group whose indigenous religious movement is said to have originated in the East Coast village of Buxton when a Buxtonian named Nathaniel Jordan, after whom the religious body was named, began teaching a ‘new doctrine’ derived from Joseph McLaren of Grenada who, in Guyana, taught ‘pure Protestantism’ from the Bible.

Patrick Taylor and Frederic Case, editors of the publication, “The Encyclopaedia of Caribbean

Religions: Volume 1: A-L; Volume 2: M-Z” (2013), write that it is a religion unique to Guyana, and began as conversations between McLaren, then an Anglican, and an East Indian labourer, Bhagwan Dass, in Trinidad where McLaren was then working in 1882.

According to encyclopedia.com citing John Bowker’s "Jordanites" in the “Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions” (1997), their beliefs combine Hindu (reincarnation), Jewish, Christian, African and occult elements.

Taylor and Case state that the Jordanites “do not believe in the worship and manifestation of ancestral spirits and Obeah, although some traditional beliefs are

part of their system...”

They note too that Jordanite dietary and ritual traditions are greatly influenced by the Pentateuch – the first five books of the Christian Old Testament of the Bible.

McLaren arrived in Guyana, then British Guiana, in 1895 and his speeches won him converts to his new religious doctrine.

Among them was Nathaniel Jordan who converted in 1917 and became so revered that by the time of his death in 1928, the faith was referred to by his name to become the Jordanites.

The Buxton –Friendship website buxtonguyana.net points out that from Buxton, the movement spread to other areas of the East Coast,

A section of the Promenade Gardens, Georgetown, 1920 (Andrew Jeffrey photo)

Dock workers loading barrels at Georgetown harbour, British Guiana, 1955 (Andrew Jeffrey photo)

Group of Jordanites; they are also called spiritualists and have shared some of their Christian elements with Comfa (Komfa) (Photo: Nigel Durrant, Flickr)

Georgetown, and East Bank, and the headquarters was established at Agricola, EBD. Peter Halder, writing on the Jordanites in Guyana Then and Now, points out that during the colonial era, the Jordanites in Georgetown preached individually, along with a Sister, at street corners or at Bourda Green, opposite the market; Stabroek Market Square, near La Penitence Market and near Kitty Market, mostly on Sunday nights.

He describes then as “Both men and women dressed in lily white robes, women wearing white bandannas and men wearing white turbans. Many of their meetings were held near busy street intersections [and] [b]aptisms took place on the beach of the Atlantic Ocean. They wore no shoes in their Temple, leaving them outside the door. Many ate no meat at all; others limited the kinds and quantities of meat they ate. Jordanites also forbade the use of alcoholic beverag-

es.” They did not sing hymns at their religious meetings either.

Jordanites are also known as the “White-Robed Army” and are sometimes described as “Faithists”.

Robbie Shilliam, in his article about the Jordanites on Wordpress, states that part of their doctrine included the belief that God was black and Jesus had African ancestry, and in the 1920s they were viewed by colonial authorities as preaching race hatred in British Guiana.

8 Sunday Times Magazine

JULY 3, 2016

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Times Travel & Tourism

Night boat from Awarmie Mountain (Photo by Amanda Castleman on Flickr)

A

warmie Mountain is an ideal travel location, teeming with a rich biodiversity. A 40-minute boat ride from the Rewa Eco-lodge, Awarmie is of much importance for locals as this is where they have their farms, and do much of their hunting and fishing.

Author of “Guyana: The Bradt Travel Guide”, Kirk Smock, advises: “...there is a good path cut up to the top of the mountain but the climb can be steep in places and should be done by those confident with their level of fitness. The hike, depending on your level of fitness, will take around two hours.”

At the top of the mountain, expansive views of the surrounding forests and winding rivers make it one of the best jungle vistas in Guyana. The residents of Rewa village built a benab at the top which can be used for overnight camping – bring your hammock.

Awarmie Mountain view (Photo

by Jeppe Klockareson on Flickr)

Picturesque view from Awarmie Mountain (Photo by Jeppe Klockareson on Flickr)

At Awarmie, tourists will get to explore the Rewa River (Photo by David Johnstone on Flickr)

Breathtaking view in the vicinity of the mountain (Photo by Brian Silverman on Flickr)

guyanatimesgy.com

JULY 3, 2016

Sunday Times Magazine 9

Times Healthy Living

What is wrong with the modern diet

T

he modern diet is arguably the main reason why people all over the world are fatter and sicker than ever before. Everywhere modern processed foods go, chronic diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease soon follow.

The studies are clear on this… when people abandon their traditional foods in favour of modern processed foods high in sugar, refined flour and vegetable oils, they get sick. Of course, there are many things that can contribute to these health problems, but changes in the diet are considered the most important factor.

1. Total sugar intake has skyrocketed in the past 160 years: People in Western countries are consuming massive amounts of refined sugars, reaching about 150 lbs (67 kg) per year in some countries. This amounts to over 500 calories of sugar per day.

The sources vary on the

Controlled human studies show that large amounts of sugar can lead to severe metabolic problems, including insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, elevated cholesterol and triglycerides – to name a few.

Added sugar is believed to be one of the main drivers of diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.

2. Consumption of soda and fruit juice has increased dramatically: Of all the sugar sources in the diet, sugarsweetened beverages are the worst. Fruit juice is actually no better… it contains a similar amount of sugar as most soft drinks.

Getting sugar in liquid form is particularly harmful. The studies show that the brain doesn’t “register” liquid sugar calories the in the same way as calories from solid foods, which dramatically increases total calorie intake.

One study found that in children, each daily serving

creased their carbohydrate consumption from 45.4 percent of daily calorie intake to 51.6 percent.

There are many complicated reasons for this, including increased processed food and sugar consumption, increased food availability, more aggressive marketing towards children, etc.

4.

People replaced heart-healthy butter with trans-fat laden margarine: Another side effect of the “war” on saturated fat was an increase in margarine consumption.

Margarine was traditionally made with hydrogenated oils, which are high in trans fats. Many studies show that trans fats increase the risk of heart disease.

Grass-fed (sources) butter actually contains nutrients that are protective against heart disease (like Vitamin K2); therefore the advice to replace hearthealthy butter with transfat laden margarine may have done a lot of damage.

Source: Johnson RJ, et al. Potential role of sugar (fructose) in the epidemic of hypertension, obesity and the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007

exact figures, but it is very clear that we are consuming way more sugar than our bodies are equipped to handle. According to a 2016 report in TIME magazine, nearly 90 per cent of the average source of added sugars, in fact, comes from processed foods.

Overall, processed foods contained eight times more sugar than less processed foods such as breads, cheese and canned foods, and five times more sugar than unprocessed or minimally processed choices such as meats, fresh fruits or vegetables, grains and milk.

of sugar-sweetened beverages is linked to a 60 per cent increased risk of obesity.

3. Calorie intake has gone up by around 400 calories per day: Although sources vary on the exact figures, it is clear that calorie intake has increased dramatically in the past few decades. A 2004 CDC report states that one reason for the increase in calories is mainly due to an increase in carbohydrate consumption.

Men increased the percentage of their daily calorie intake resulting from carbohydrates from 42.4 percent to 49 percent. Women in-

Sunday Saying

According to Mayo Clinic, margarine made from vegetable oils, contains unsaturated "good" fats — polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.

These types of fats help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol when substituted for saturated fat. But not all margarines are created equal — some margarine contains trans fat.

Butter, on the other hand, is made from animal fat, so it contains more saturated fat, the clinic notes.

Speaking with Lisa Moscovitz, R.D., CEO and

Source: Dr. Stephan Guyenet. Fast Food, Weight Gain and Insulin Resistance. Whole Health Source

founding dietician of the NY Nutrition Group, Women’s Health Magazine reports that butter and margarine contain nearly the same exact calories and total grams of fat—about 100 calories per tablespoon and 11-12 grams of fat.

The main difference between the two is the types of fat found in each. One difference is that margarine contains a higher amount of anti-inflammatory healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats, while butter is mostly full of saturated fat.

But even with its high saturated fat content, butter still beats out margarine. Why? Because many brands of margarine contain an even more dangerous fat: trans fat.

"This type of fat is supposed to be the most unhealthy and has the most negative consequences for heart health," says

Moscovitz. "[It] has been linked to much more severe and significant health issues than just saturated fat alone."

5. People are eating more processed foods than ever before: According to a recent TIME article, in a study published in the journal BMJ Open, scientists led by Carlos Monteiro at University of Sao Paolo found that nearly 60 per cent of an American’s daily calories come from “ultraprocessed” food, which Monteiro and his colleagues defined as food that contains ingredients such as flavours, colours, sweeteners and hydrogenated oils, emulsifiers and other additives that you wouldn’t cook with at home.

The study also pinpointed, for the first time, this type of processed food as the main source of added sugar in the U.S. diet. Meanwhile, the report shows, Americans

get less than 1 per cent of their daily calories from vegetables. Many countries also follow an American diet lifestyle.

Around the world scientists, medical professionals, and health organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) have recognized a global obesity epidemic.

According to the WHO, worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980.

The fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended.

Globally, there has been an increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat; and an increase in physical inactivity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanization.

10 Sunday Times Magazine

JULY 3, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

Times Fashion

B

orn in Georgetown, Candacy McLean grew up in an artistic family. Since childhood, Candacy has been fascinated with clothing. This fascination has propelled her to become a notable fashion designer.

In 2009, Candacy made her debut into the fashion industry when she competed in the local fashion event, FACTS3 Student Designer Competition, hosted by veteran Guyanese fashion designer Michelle

Cole. At the finale of the show, Candacy was first runner-up with a Greek mythology-inspired collection, Sirens Odyssey.

After the success of FACTS3, Candacy was ready to take on another competitive venture. In 2010, she competed in Designers Portfolio hosted by another notable Guyanese fashion designer Sonia Noel. Though she did not place in the final leg of competition,Candacy considered it a great experience, gaining knowledge

offashion and the runway.

She soon learned that creativity has no boundaries and went on to participate in Guyana Fashion Week 2010 with a fresh and flirty all-female collection, Deme Chic. Her designs were well received by the audience and highly praised by the media.

Over the years, Candacy has found and developed her niche, as she continues to chase her dream, living by her motto, “The essential part of creativity is not being afraid to fail�.

Designer Candacy McLean

guyanatimesgy.com

JULY 3, 2016

Sunday Times Magazine 11

Star Times Hollywood

J

esse Wesley Williams, born August 5, 1981, is an American actor, model, and activist, best known for his role as Dr. Jackson Avery on the ABC Television series “Grey's Anatomy”. He also appeared in the hit 2013 film “The Butler” as real life civil rights leader Rev. James Lawson.

Previous movies include “The Cabin in the Woods” (2012), “Brooklyn's Finest” (2009) and in the film sequel “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2” (2008). He can be seen as the love interest of R&B singer Rihanna in the music video for her single "Russian Roulette" from her 2009 album Rated R. In May 2016, Williams released a documentary film he directed entitled “Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement”.

Recently, at the BET Awards, Williams was awarded the Humanitarian Award for his efforts to raise awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement.

12 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

JULY 3, 2016

Times Hollywood

Dogs help calm athletes at nail50 Cent arrested in biting U.S. Olympic swimming trials the Caribbean for T cursing during concert 5

0 Cent was reportedly arrested recently for using profanity during a concert in Saint Kitts – which is illegal there.

The rapper (nee Curtis Jackson), 40, was booked by police for using profanity in public after he said "motherf---er" during a show on the island Saturday night, TMZ reports.

According to TMZ, the rapper had reportedly been warned about using profanity, but in video apparently taken during the concert, he can clearly be heard shouting the obscenity.

However, 50 Cent's rep Amanda Ruisi said in a statement to PEOPLE that the rapper hadn't planned on performing that night.

"Mr. Jackson was only

booked to host the show, when he arrived at the festival organizers asked him to perform, he obliged and used the DJ they had there," the rep said. (PEOPLE)

here are some pawsome new additions to the U.S. Olympic swimming trials taking place in Omaha, Nebraska, right now.

Dogs, like a 4-year-old Havanese named Holly, are working to calm the stressful environment with free pets and licks.

“It just calms me down a lot,” Kacey Oberlander, who swims for York YMCA in Pennsylvania, told The Columbus Dispatch. “It's nice to see the happy puppy dogs running around when everything is so intense and everyone's so serious. The dogs are very happy all the time. It makes me calm.”

In an effort to ease the anxiety that goes with important meets like this one, USA Swimming has partnered with Domesti-PUPS, a Lincoln-based nonprofit that is providing canine companions for the athletes to dote over at CenturyLink Center, the Dispatch said.

Sad news is on the horizon for many of the more than 1,700 swimmers in Omaha, and having a golden doodle like Larry around could be comforting when decisions are handed down.

“There's a lot of pressure,” said Oberlander's teammate Leah Braswell.

“Having the dogs here is a great distraction, a way to take a break from all of that.

They're happy all the time.

It just makes you happier.

You can forget about whatever race you just had.”

For Oberlander, it's also a sweet reminder of her pups back at home. “I miss them soooo much,” she told the Dispatch of her miniature dachshunds, Biscuit and Bella. “When I come in here and see the dogs, it's just like home.” (PEOPLE)

Disney star gets probation after pleading no contest to DUI

D

ebby Ryan dodged jail time in DUI case.

The Disney star pleads no contest to driving under influence following her April arrest in a car accident. She was busted for reckless driving after crashing her Audi into a

D

rake and Rihanna have caused an online buzz after they were spotted spending some time together in London.

They have been spending time at various nightclubs recently.

The 28-year-old songstress, who has been traveling across Europe as part of her "Anti World Tour", rocked an all-black outfit during the latest outing. She paired the simple dress with colorful sandals and some jewelry. Drake, meanwhile, kept it casual with a beige hoodie and matching pants,

Mercedes.

According to TMZ, 23-year-old Ryan has her two misdemeanor DUI counts dismissed. Instead of serving no jail time, she will be on probation for three years. She is also ordered to complete three months in a DUI program and must do community service.

"Over the last few days I have had the chance to think about my actions, and I wish I had used better judgement," she apologized to her young fans after the crash. "I recognize that I am a role model and have always worked hard to set a good example for my millions of fans. I am so sorry to disappoint everyone." (TMZ)

which he teamed with a black jacket.

Drake joined Rihanna onstage during her concert at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester. The Canadian rapper made a surprise appearance to deliver his verse on their No. 1 hit "Work".

The two got flirty during the performance. After they finished the song, Drizzy praised her, "Manchester, you got to make some noise for the most beautiful, talented woman I've ever seen in my life. ... I'm getting my heart broken." (AceShowbiz)

guyanatimesgy.com

JULY 3, 2016

Sunday Times Magazine 13

Star Times Bollywood

A

my Louise Jackson, January 31, 1992, is a British model and actress, who appears in Indian films, primarily in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu films. After college, she began modelling at age 16, going on to win the 2009 Miss Teen World competition and the 2010 Miss Liverpool title. Subsequently, a Tamil film director spotted her and introduced Jackson as an actress in the 2010 Tamil perioddrama “Madrasapattinam”. Her first Bollywood release was in 2012 in the romantic drama “Ekk Deewana Tha”. She later starred in “Singh Is Bling” (2015), also starring Akshay Kumar and Lara Dutta. Jackson has also been signed up to play the lead role in the upcoming Indian science fiction film “2.0” alongside Akshay Kumar.

14 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

JULY 3, 2016

Times Bollywood

Rukh on Salman’s ‘raped Priyanka Chopra reveals Shah woman’ comment: ‘Can’t judge others’ she has ‘never dated’ W P

riyanka Chopra, the beauty of ABC's "Quantico" and the upcoming "Baywatch" movie, has never dated. The Indian actress makes the shocking revelation in an interview for the latest issue of InStyle magazine which she covers.

"I've never dated," she says before making her statement less surprising when she shares that she has a different way to start a relationship because going out on casual dates with different people is not a concept that exists in India, where she grew up.

"I've always been in relationships," she continues.

"It's very different. You like someone, you court each other, you get into a relationship. You're answerable to each other. Whereas the

nonanswerability of dating, my god, I don't know if I would ever be able to."

Chopra has been keeping her personal life extremely private, but she said in an interview earlier this year that she had indeed been in relationships. "I'm blessed with an amazing personal life. I've never flaunted my

relationships. I've protected them," the former Miss World said back then.

"I believe in buri nazar [evil eye]. So if something is important to you, you protect it and keep it close to your heart. Especially, because I'm a public person, I keep it even quieter," she added. (AceShowbiz)

hile the country cannot stop discussing Salman Khan’s controversial statement where he said he felt like a “raped woman” after the gruelling shoot of “Sultan”, Bollywood stars have refrained from condemning his comment.

The Bollywood star made the comment during an interview with entertainment website spotboye.com to promote his film “Sultan”, which tells the story of an ageing wrestler trying to make a comeback.

From father Salim Khan apologising for Salman’s statements to one of the most-outspoken Bollywood actresses, Kangana Ranaut saying sorry “on behalf of the industry” - everyone but Salman has apologised.

So far, the only reaction coming from the actor has been, “Knowing me, the shorter I keep it the better it is.” He was speaking on the sidelines of International Indian Film Academy

Awards (IIFA Awards) that concluded recently in Madrid. He was asked to speak more on the topic, but Salman being Salman, he obliged none.

But now actor Shah Rukh Khan has reacted on Salman’s controversial comment.

According to a Times of India report, SRK said he is “so inappropriate” that he shouldn’t judge others.

“In the last few years I have realised that I made so many inappropriate com-

ments myself that I don’t think I am someone to sit and judge somebody else’s comments to be very honest.

It’s about taking sides or not taking sides.”

“Who are we to decide or not decide what he (Salman) should or shouldn’t be doing.

Personally speaking I don’t think I can make any comments on this, I am so inappropriate myself. I myself say so many things,” the report quoted him as saying.

(Hindustan Times)

Goa government objects to film projecting state as drug haven

T

he Goa government has objected to Hindi thriller “Missing on a Weekend”, which, it has claimed, projects the state as a haven for drugs and sex trade.

“We will write to the censor board and ensure that Goa’s image is not affected.

The state cannot be projected as narcotics and prostitution destination. We are a tourism state and we need to protect our identity,” state tourism minister Dilip Parulekar told PTI on Friday.

“How can the filmmaker make comments about Goa which depict the state in a negative light,” Parulekar questioned.

Parulekar said the state will not hesitate in approaching court to get the scenes and remarks depicting Goa in a wrong way deleted.

“We have to make sure that overall branding of the state does not face a setback,” the minister said.

The Abhishek Jawkar-

directed film reportedly has some dialogues which claim that prostitutes and drugs are easily available in Goa. The state’s apex tourism lobby Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG)

has also condemned any attempt to defame the state and its tourism industry.

“It is totally wrong to depict something like that.

The crime rate has gone down. There are crackdowns on prostitution rackets, if at all they are found,” TTAG president Savio Massias said.

The film is slated for release. (PTI)

guyanatimesgy.com

JULY 3, 2016

Sunday Times Magazine

15

Times Trends

Trending NOW

Star of the week

Newsboy cap is back!

T

his cap can be a tricky trend to pull off, but paired with the right hair, this trend can look amazing! Although many of us generally think of Oliver Twists when we think of this 19th-century look, the resurfacing of this trend is catching the attention of high-fashion designers. The cap is breaking fashion news and crowning celebrities from New York City to London to Paris and beyond. Even the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, tops off a casual royal look with hers.

Chris Brown lent a vintage flair to his outfit by wearing a newsboy cap Brad Pitt rocked a blazer and newsboy cap at one of his movie premiers

A chic look: black newsboy cap and pretty ponytail

Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, rocks a royal look in her knitted newsboy cap

Rita Ora got majorly edgy with this studded newsboy cap

Diana Ahmad

D

iana Ahmad is a hardworking, determined and goal-oriented young lady known as “a force to be reckoned with”. Dubbed in local media as the “dynamite shortie” for her fiery personality, Diana was brought up in a humble, Christian home as an active member of the St. Andrew’s Lutheran Parish.

She graduated from Queen’s College, and is currently employed as a banker.

Diana holds diplomas in Business Management and Project Management, and is currently working on completing her degree in Marketing. Aside from her career, Diana enjoys competing in pageants. In 2015, she competed in Miss Universe Guyana, emerging as the first runner-up. Additionally, she received the Chairman’s Award and first runner-up position in the Miss Global International Guyana 2016 pageant. Recently, she was chosen to be the first to represent Guyana at the Miss Caribbean Roots 2016 pageant in Colombia. Though she did not place in the pageant, Diana said she will cherish the experience and the friendships gained there. Although she juggles different careers, Diana still finds time to be a humanitarian. She is passionate about giving back to society by supporting numerous charity initiatives. Driven by determination, Diana sees herself as a future successful businesswoman who will “make a significant contribution to improving society”. She believes that “life is a challenge. That is why we have to wake up and greet each new day as an adventure, keeping our confidence in hand, and facing those challenges head on.”

16 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

JULY 3, 2016

Times Art

Venus Wong

V

"Belle of the Ball". Mixed media - watercolour and fabric flowers

Venus Wong

enus Wong is a talented, self-taught artist who creates admirable pieces. What’s notable about her is that she has been painting professionally for only a few weeks now, yet the beauty in her artwork displays the creativity of an acclaimed artist.

Her techniques of incorporating a ‘beautiful simplicity’ and her effective use of colours are what make her an admired artist. Gaining inspiration and advice from her husband Adrian Wong, a professionally trained watercolour and graphic artist, Venus decided to take up her passion seriously. A passion she had since childhood.

“One of the first things

that caught me about my husband, who has given me some pointers and guidance, was that he is an artist and shared the same appreciation for art that I do. Being a newlywed and living in a different country [Maryland, USA], I figured this would be a good time to explore my artistic side, which was something I have always wanted to do, but never had the time,” Venus said in an interview with Sunday Times Magazine.

Venus recalled sketching at a very young age, but stopped during her late teens. However, recently, she once again started pursuing her love for art, creating some evocative pieces.

“I only first picked up a paint brush about two months ago and taught myself how to paint in watercolour and acrylic. I work with several mediums, including acrylic, watercolour, pencil and fabric, flowers, crystals,

me.I find I can do it for hours at a time without even realising how much time has passed. I love doing personal pieces and making my clients happy with the results.

I've recently started practicing calligraphy, and so far I

Coco Chanel piece done in watercolour and ink (Calligraphy)

and “would love to one day try working with oil paints”.

She admitted that she is still “learning a lot”, and is working on building a gallery where she plans to showcase her pieces on sale on her Etsy.com online shop.

Being a new artist, Venus knows what it takes to overcome fears and challenges to eventually pursue

more than what they were, and when I finally allowed myself to pursue this form of expression, it turned out that I have a knack for it or as some have described it a ‘talent’. For new artists, you can find inspiration in looking at others’ work, learn from it and eventually develop your niche. Most importantly, have fun, enjoy

"Majestic". Watercolour

"Freedom in dance".

Watercolour

and many others. I admire the works of Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Claire Basler,” she mentioned.

The artist said she enjoys “creating all types of art”; particularly fashion art, landscapes, portraits, abstract.

“I have always had a love for art and admired many artists. I haven't settled on one thing yet, I don't think I will, there's so much art to create and so much that inspires. Painting and drawing is very therapeutic for

love it!” she declared.

Although a fresh face in the art arena, Venus has received numerous commissions for paintings. She is presently working on a large painting of Kaieteur Falls, which she regards as her “most challenging piece”.

“It is challenging perhaps because of what Kaieteur means to me as a proud Guyanese, but I'm excited to see the results,” she shared.

Venus added that she is interested in impressionism,

Portrait of the artist's bestfriend. Watercolour

a passion – more specifically in art. And so her advice for fellow artists is, “If you’re looking to get into the field of art, jump right in. Don't be afraid. For many years I wondered if my sketches would amount to anything

your own work, and don't be afraid to make mistakes,” she encouraged.

For more information, visit Paint. By Venus Wong on Facebook. (Cover photo : “Mama's Love”.

Watercolour)

guyanatimesgy.com

JULY 3, 2016

Sunday Times Magazine 17

Times Tech

I

f you haven’t read the various “rumours”, “recent reports” and reports of “leaks” ahead of Apple’s September 2016 iPhone launch, then where have you been? It would seem that every tech magazine, website or news service on the planet has something to offer in terms of iPhone news. A now annual tradition for media.

According to Tech Times website, Apple is expected to remove the standard 3.5 mm headphone port from the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus/Pro. New images of what are reportedly

Tech news

Lightning-equipped EarPod headphones have leaked.

A recent report claimed Apple was planning to ship its 3.5 mm EarPods and a Lightning adapter in the box of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus/Pro in order to facilitate use of either the company's bundled headphones or users' favourite headphones.

Toyota recall reaches 3.37m cars

A recall initially announced by Toyota over airbag faults has ballooned to 3.37m vehicles after the carmaker said there were problems with emissions control systems as well.

The company on Wednesday said it was recalling 2.87m cars over the latest fault.

That followed an announcement late on Tuesday that 1.43m cars needed repairs over a separate issue involving air bag inflators.

About 930,000 cars were affected by both potential defects, Toyota said. Because of that overlap, the total number of vehicles recalled was 3.37m.

No injuries had been linked to either issue, Toyota said.

The evaporative fuel emissions control units in models produced from 2006 to 2015 including the Prius, Auris compact hatchback and Corolla were prone to

Tech BYTE

R

es appear to be legit, it's always best to take these kind of leaks with a huge grain of salt, as they could possibly be Photoshopped. Luckily, with Apple's iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus/Pro event taking place in September, we only have a few weeks before we find out if these are indeed Lightning EarPods.

The new headphones look just like the 3.5 mm EarPods the company currently ships with its devices and sells separately but feature a Lightning port instead of the 3.5 mm jack.

Tech news

A

Now, a new report contradicts the adapter scenario and instead claims Apple will ship Lightningequipped EarPods with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus/Pro, as leaked images of what are said to be the company's new headphones have emerged.

While the leaked imag-

cracks, which could lead to fuel leaks over time, it said.

Of the 2.87m vehicles recalled for this reason, Toyota said 1.55m were in Japan; 713,000 in Europe; 35,000 in China; and 568,000 in other areas.

Late on Tuesday Toyota recalled Prius models and Lexus CT200h cars made from 2010 to 2012 over air bag inflators that could have a small crack in a weld, which could lead to the separation of the inflator chambers.

Sweden-based Autoliv Inc. confirmed it supplied the air bag inflators involved and about 90 per cent of the inflators were in Prius cars.

Autoliv said it was aware of seven incidents where a side curtain air bag had partially inflated in parked Toyota Prius cars but no injuries were reported.

World-Check terrorism database exposed online

financial crime database used by banks has been "leaked" on to the net.World-Check Risk Screening contains details about people and organisations suspected of being involved in terrorism, organised crime and money laundering, among other offences.

Access is supposed to be restricted under European privacy laws.

The database's creator, Thomson Reuters, has confirmed an unnamed thirdparty exposed an "out of date" version online.

But it says the material has since been removed.

Security researcher Chris Vickery said he discovered the leak. He notified the Register, which reported that it contained more than two million records and was two years old.

"There was no protection at all. No username or password required to see the records," Mr Vickery told the

BBC. "I want to be clear that this unprotected database was not directly hosted by Thomson Reuters itself."

A spokesman for the financial data provider said it was trying to tackle the problem.

"The worst possible situation that could arise is that someone who may be innocent, but accused of criminal activity in the database, could be permanently branded on a global scale if this database were to be spread publicly," said Mr Vickery.

A spokeswoman for the UK's Information

Commissioner Officer said the Data Protection Act required personal information to be kept secure even if it had been collated from public sources.

"Organisations must take appropriate measures against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss, destruction or damage," she said.

"We'll be making enquiries."

In 2015, a BBC investigation by the called into question why World-Check had listed London's Finsbury Park Mosque within its terrorism category.

Pig manure may pave the way to sustainable road building

esearchers from North Carolina A&T State University, USA have developed a process that uses pig manure as a low-cost replacement for petroleum in the production of road asphalt.

In searching for bio alternatives, the group discovered that swine waste is especially rich in oils very similar to petroleum, at a grade too low to make gasoline but suited for asphalt.

With funding from the National Science Foundation, the group developed a process that turns the waste into a black crude – the sticky binder that can be used to make asphalt. The cost to process the manure oil is US$0.56 a gallon, which is much cheaper and greener than current petroleum binders.

"It is different from petroleum refinery, which distils crude oil to produce mainly fuel and leave the residue for asphalt," Ellie Fini, lead researcher and assistant professor of civil engineering, told Gizmag.

"Here we produce bio-adhesive from breaking biomass molecular structure and re-synthesizing the bio-adhesive structure. Bio-adhesive is lower in cost, requires less heat for mixing and compaction and is more durable."

For drivers concerned about the odour of their roads, the compounds that give pig manure its uniquely pungent smell – a stew of volatile fatty acids – are filtered out during processing. And the dry matter left over from the process can be used as fertilizer.

Meanwhile, the bio-asphalt is being put through rigorous testing to see how it will hold up under real world road conditions, including a simulation of truck traffic making 20,000 passes over it. The tests have so far been successful, passing Department of Transportation specifications, which led the group to form the company Bio-Adhesives to scale up their re-

search.

"We think it's scalable and cost-wise it's profitable," says Fini. "Our vision is to help the farmer and help the construction industry, both sides. We see a win-win approach in the solution."

Asphalt made from pig manure could alleviate what's become a huge environmental issue – effluence from factory farm feedlots – especially in large swine-producing states like North Carolina.

"We generate 43 billion gallons of swine manure in the world every year," says Daniel Oldham, graduate student researcher on the project, who adds that China produces 10 times the amount of pig manure as the U.S. At the same time there are around 2.3 million miles of asphalt paved roads in U.S., with the cost of paving an urban two-lane road with traditional petroleum asphalt costing over $800.00 per mile.

18 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

JULY 3, 2016

Times Home & Cooking

Recipe of the Week

Skillet Noodle Pizza Ingredients

8 cups water 4 packets (any flavour) ramen noodle soup

1 tbsp. olive oil 1 cup spaghetti sauce 4 oz. mozzarella cheese 17 slice pepperoni ½ tsp. dried oregano

O

ne thing that is often overlooked and little mentioned when designing your home is where to store the ironing board. If you are like most homeowners who usually hang it on a nail behind a door and break a sweat every time you iron in a hot room, then you know these ideas might be inspirational...

A mobile ironing board storage cabinet is suitable for small households and stores more than just the board and iron

A built-in ironing centre features a door that closes to hide the ironing board and its accessories while shelves provide more storage

Method

sprinkle with cheese, pepperoni and Heat broiler. Bring water to boil in a oregano.

If skillet handle is plastic or wood, 2 1/2- to 3 1/2-quart pot. Add noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 wrap it in a double layer of foil to minutes or until tender. Drain in a protect it from scorching.

Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat source colander.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. When 2 minutes or until top is bubbly and hot, add noodles and press evenly to cheese starts to brown. Let cool about cover bottom of pan. Cook 2 minutes 5 minutes before cutting in wedges to serve. or until browned underneath.

Serves 6 Spread sauce over noodles, then

C

ooking fish on the BBQ? Taste.com. au says fish fillets should be lightly oiled and seasoned then cooked on a ridged grill plate or flat topped grill. A piece of baking paper is useful to stop delicate fish from sticking. Whole fish are best wrapped in foil or banana leaves with herbs and flavourings. They can be cooked directly on the grill bars, turning once.

Peel tomatoes easily. Cut an X in the top, and then simmer in a pot of hot water for 15 to 30 seconds. Cool down and the skin will fall right off.

To revive a stale loaf, sprinkle it with a little cold water and place it in a hot oven to heat through for 3–5 minutes.

Don’t dry your chopping board with a tea towel. When it comes to cross-contamination, tea towels are guilty culprits. Paper towels are preferable.

U

A storage cabinet on wheels features a flip open lid that unfolds an ironing board and comes with more storage

se a lemon and baking soda to make your brass look brand new.

To freshen your linen closet, place cotton balls that have been sprayed with your favourite scent. Once they are dry place them in corners and on the shelves.

Take your leftover soap slivers and put them in a vented plastic bag.

You place the bag with clothes before packing them away. Not only will the scent prevent them from moth harm, but also they'll smell great when you pull them out.

Use egg whites to remove gum on clothing. Brush egg white onto gum with a toothbrush. Let sit for 15 minutes and then launder on the items normally.

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Sunday Times Magazine19

Family Times

PARENTING

A JOKES Kid riddles

Q: What did the stamp say to the envelope?

A: You stick with me and I will take you places!

Q: What did the judge ask when he went to the dentist?

A: “Do you swear to pull the tooth, the whole tooth and nothing but the tooth?”

Q: What did one candle say to the other?

A: I'll be going out tonight.

My daily life

My SMS autocorrect just changed "I’m so concerned with existential anxieties it is difficult to breathe" to "I feel great".

My friend boasted he had the body of a Greek god. I had to explain where Buddha actually comes from.

That moment when you’ve changed your answer in an exam in the very last second and later you realize the original answer was correct.

I wonder…What if dogs fetch the ball back only because they think you really like throwing it? …Whose cruel idea was it for the word “Lisp” to have an “S” in it? …Why is it that doctors call what they do their “practice”? …Why is “abbreviated” such a long word?

Diagnosis

An old man went to the doctor complaining of a terrible pain in his leg.

“I am afraid it ’s just old age”, replied the doctor, “there is nothing we can do about it.” “ That can’t be” fumed the old man, “you don’t know what you are doing.”

“How can you possibly know I am wrong?” countered the doctor.

“Well it ’s quite obvious,” the old man replied, “my other leg is fine, and it ’s the exact same age!”

The end is near

Farmers Fred and Luke were fishing on the side of the road. They made a sign saying "The End is near! Turn yourself around now before it's too late!" and showed it to each passing car.

One driver that passed didn't appreciate the sign and shouted, "Leave us alone you religious nuts!"

All of a sudden they heard a big splash.

Fred grinned at Luke. "Do you think we should just put up a sign that says: 'Bridge Out' instead?"

Secret of a long life

Grandpa Jones was celebrating his 100th birthday and everybody complimented him on how athletic and well-preserved he appeared.

"Gentlemen, I will tell you the secret of my success," he cackled. "I have been in the open air day after day for some 75 years now."

The celebrants were impressed and asked how he managed to keep up his rigorous fitness regime.

"Well, you see my wife and I were married 75 years ago. On our wedding night, we made a solemn pledge. Whenever we had a fight, the one who was proved wrong would go outside and take a walk."

Silly signs

Pizza shop slogan: "7 days without pizza makes one weak."

Billboard on the side of the road: "Keep your eyes on the road and stop reading these signs."

At an optometrist ’s office: "If you don't see what you’re looking for you've come to the right place."

On a butcher ’s window "Let me meat your needs."

ccording to a US Library of Medicine feature, a new report shows fathers play a unique and important role in their children's development.

The American Academy of Paediatrics report, which was released around Father’s Day this year, says studies show that involved fathers have important effects on a child’s health and well-being.

"From everyone's standpoint, the more we can do to encourage fathers' involvement, the better," said Dr. Michael Yogman, a co-author of the report.

"It's beneficial for kids.

Fathers aren't just 'redundant,' doing the same things as mothers do," added Yogman, who chairs the academy's committee on psychosocial aspects of child and family health.

Studies have found that

older kids with involved fa-

STORY TIME

A

The gnat and the bull

h u g e b u l l stood grazing in the field. A tiny gnat buzzed about its ear and finally landed on one of his huge horns.

After a while, the little gnat said loudly, "Dear bull, pardon me if I have disturbed your peaceful afternoon with the weight of my body on your horns. I offer you one thousand apologies for I never

meant to inconvenience you with my presence at all . . . I wouldn't want you to think I didn't care about your solitude and comfort."

The bull replied, "Little gnat, thank you for the grandiose apology you felt such great need to share.

But you think too highly of yourself. I didn't even notice you were there!"(An Aesop's Fable)

By Grammar G

The study of …

S

hould you come across words with suffixes like - logy, ology, - ologist or –logist, chances are they relate to “the study of” some academic discipline or the other, where the - ologist or – logist is the one who does the studying or, in medical terms, one who practices the discipline.

For instance, an endocrinologist may be a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the endocrine system; from endocrinology: the branch of biology dealing with the endocrine glands and their secretions; especially, in relation to their processes or functions.

The English suffix is derived from a Greek suffix meaning “to talk, to speak” but may form from Greek or Latin roots. For example, the study of the ordering of events is “chronology” from the Latin/ Greek words for 'time' and

'description'.

Many studies are obscure, though the more familiar may range from“archaeology/ archaeologist” (the study of human material remains) to zoology/zoologist (the study of animals).

Other studies that are less familiar but common include entomology/entomologist: the study of insects; ophthalmology/ophthalmologist (the study of eye diseases); ethnology/ ethnologist (the study of cultures), herpetology/ herpetologist (the study of reptiles and amphibians), and meteorology/meteorologist (the study of weather).

Less known study includes hydrology/hydrologist (the study of water resources); palaeontology/

thers tend to have fewer depression symptoms and behavioural problems, and lower rates of teen pregnancy.

When it comes to young children, fathers can have effects on language development and mental health, according to the academy.

Research has shown that dads are more likely to use new words when they talk to their babies and pre-schoolers, for example.

And fathers' typical ways of playing are different, too, Yogman said.

"It's a stereotype, but it's true that fathers do more of the rough-and-tumble style of play," Yogman said. "They often encourage their children to explore and take risks, while mothers offer stability and safety. There's room for both." (TO BE CONTINUED)

Life CHILDREN, ye have not lived, to you it seems Life is a lovely stalactite of dreams, Or carnival of careless joys that leap About your hearts like billows on the deep In flames of amber and of amethyst.

Children, ye have not lived, ye but exist Till some resistless hour shall rise and move Your hearts to wake and hunger after love, And thirst with passionate longing for the things That burn your brows with blood-red sufferings.

Till ye have battled with great grief and fears, And borne the conflict of dream-shattering years, Wounded with fierce desire and worn with strife, Children, ye have not lived: for this is life.

- Sarojini Naidu

palaeontologist (the study of fossils); philology/philologist (the study of ancient texts; historical linguistics) and toxicology/ toxicologist (the study of poisons; the study of the effects of chemicals on the human body, environment and other living things).

Lesser known may include vexillology/ vexillologist (the study of flags); bibliology/ bibliologist (the study of books) – when capitalized, Bibliology is the study of the Bible; climatology/ climatologist (the study of climate), and cryptozoology/cryptozool-

ogist (the study of animals for whose existence there is no conclusive proof).

The first and only person to major in puzzles and receive a degree in enigmatology (the art and science of/ study of puzzles and being involved in their creation and construction) is enigmatologist Will Shortz.

Enigmatology involves the investigation of, or the science of, puzzle creations and their solutions (including, word puzzles, math puzzles, and logic puzzles).

See if you can discover what the following studies are: ichthyology, kalology, acarology, brontology, virology, thanatology.

(See answers on page 23)

20 Sunday Times Magazine

JULY 3, 2016

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Times Sunday Puzzle

What same three letters fit into the following five combinations to form five words? ___EF FA___C DE___S HY___D L U _ _ _ C A N T see ANSWERS on page 23

see solution on page 23

see solution on page 23

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JULY 3, 2016

Sunday Times Magazine 21

Times Kids

Creature Corner

GEOZONE

Gelada

T

he Gelada baboon (Theropithecus gelada) is found only in Ethiopia, Africa, on high plateaus above 1500 m (4921.3 ft) up to around 4500 m (14763.8 ft).

It is the sole survivor of the genus Theropithecus, and is the only primate known to graze. Its diet consists of 90 per cent grass but it also eats flowers, rootstalks (rhizomes), roots and herbs if necessary.

Geladas spend the night asleep on ledges of high cliff faces, and descend to the grassy plateaus at dawn, first for social activities that include grooming, and then feeding.

Estuary

Though they look similar to baboons, they are not true baboons, and are easily recognizable by the hairless patch on their chest.

Their main predators include leopards, birds of prey such as lammergeyers, and the Ethiopian wolf. Indigenous peoples also hunt gelada and use their impressive manes in traditional coming-of-age ceremonies.

Despite their high altitude existence, their remote mountain locales are feeling the effects of encroaching agriculture that threatens the grasslands.

Colouring Fun

A

Amazon estuary or what is also called the mouth of the Amazon River

n estuary is a partially enclosed body of water where a river meets the sea, and fresh water, drained from the land, and salt water from the sea meet and mix. It acts as a transition zone between oceans and continents.

According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there are also several types of entirely freshwater ecosystems that have many similar characteristics to the traditional brackish estuaries.

The US EPA states that estuaries have been called the "nurseries of the sea"

Maze Daze

The objective of the game is to fill all the blank squares in a game with the correct numbers. Every row of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order.

Every column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Every 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all please see solution on page 23

digits 1 through 9.

because the protected environment and abundant food provide an ideal location for fish and shellfish to reproduce. Most commercially important fish species spend some part of their life cycle in estuaries.

Besides fish, many species of birds depend on estuaries for food and nesting areas. Marine mammals also use estuaries as feeding grounds and nurseries.

All over the world, people have always lived near estuaries, using them as food sources and transportation routes.

22 Sunday Times Magazine

JULY 3, 2016

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JULY 3, 2016

Fossils reveal humans greater threat than climate to Caribbean wildlife Fossils in a flooded cave reveal the impact of human activities on biodiversity. A recent National Science Foundation grant will allow University of Florida researchers to excavate in more caves, including this one on Crooked Island in the Bahamas

N

early 100 fossil species from a flooded cave in the Bahamas reveal a story of persistence against all odds – at least until the time humans stepped foot on the islands.

University of Florida researchers say the discovery, detailed in a study appearing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of

Sciences, shows many human activities pose a threat to the future of island biodiversity, with modern humandriven climate change not necessarily the most alarming.

Thirty-nine of the species discussed in the new study no longer exist on Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas. Of those, 22other

Answer ichthyology: the study of fish kalology; the study of beauty and its influence on society acarology: the study of mites

brontology: the study of thunder virology: the study of viruses thanatology: the study of death and its customs

Brain Teaser Answer “BRI” BRIEF FABRIC

DEBRIS HYBRID LUBRICANT

SUDOKU

KID SUDOKU

CROSSWORD

species of reptiles, birds and mammals persisted through those dramatic environmental changes only to vanish when humans first arrived on the island 1,000 years ago.

Seventeen species of birds likely fell victim to changes in climate and rising sea levels around the end of the Ice Age, about 10,000 years ago.

Exploring why some species were more flexible than others in the face of climate and human-driven changes could alter the way we think about conservation and restoration of species today, when scientists fear activities like habitat alteration and the introduction of invasive species could pose the greatest risk to island species, said lead author Dave Steadman, ornithology curator at the Florida Museum of Natural History on the UF campus.

"The species that existed on Abaco up until people arrived were survivors.

They withstood a variety of environmental changes, but some could not adapt quickly or drastically enough to what happened when people showed up.

"So, there must be different mechanisms driving these two types of extinctions. What is it about people that so many island species could not adapt to?

That's what we want to find out,"Steadman said.

Hayley Singleton, UF master's student and study co-author, said the new research shows how quickly humans can drastically alter habitats. Unlike during the Ice Age, modern climate change and other humandriven changes often go hand in hand, she said.

"When humans change habitats at a rate that local species cannot keep up with, that can very quickly result in the losses," Singleton said.

"Likewise, even small climate changes can affect migration and significantly impact habitats. So, you can have the perfect storm where climate and human-driven changes are occurring at the same time, like we're seeing in places around the world today."

Sunday Times Magazine 23

Times World

Salamandra robotica

Salamander Robot mimics real amphibian The Pleurobot

T

he Swiss Federal Institute of Technology at Lausanne, better known as the EPFL, has developed a robot that can mimic a salamander on water and land. The robot will help researchers better understand amphibian locomotion, as well as improve neuroprosthetic devices for paraplegic patients and amputees.

Inspired by the Pleurodeles waltl, also known as the Spanish ribbed newt, EPFL scientists named their creation the Pleurobot. This isn't the EPFL's first robotic salamander rodeo, but their creation is the first based on the 3D motion of the newt's skeleton. Using x-ray videos of a salamander from the top and the side, the EPFL scientists tracked 64 points along the newt's skeleton while it performed different types of motion in water and on the ground.

"What is new is really our approach to building Pleurobot," says Auke Jan Ijspeert, who led the EPFL team. "It involves striking a balance between designing a simplified bone structure and replicating the salamander's gait in three dimensions." The

Pleurobot's bones were 3D-printed, its joints are motorized, and its electric circuitry even mimics a nervous system.

Although the Pleurobot has fewer bones than the real Spanish ribbed newt, it makes up for that by having 27 different motors.

Ijspeert and the EPFL team discovered that when it comes to mimicking animal movements, some minimalism is required.

"Animal locomotion is an inherently complex process," says Kostas Karakasilliotis, who designed the early iterations of the Pleurobot. "Modern tools like cineradiography, 3D printing, and fast computing help us draw closer and closer to understanding and replicating it."

Crucial to the Pleurobot is the interplay between the electrical stimulation of the newt's spinal cord and its locomotion.

Ijspeert hopes that in figuring out how to replicate this system, future neurological research will be gain a greater understanding of similar systems in humans such as arms and legs.

24

Sunday Times Magazine

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Fun Times

Archie

Don't divulge personal secrets or information that may (March 21lead to a dispute. Bide your April 19) time and consider the changes you can make personally that will bring you greater satisfaction.

ARIES

A change will do you good.

TAURUS (April 20- Visit a friend or travel to a place that will offer inspiration or the May 20) chance to make new friends.

Romance is on the rise.

Inconsistency will cost GEMINI you. If you cannot make the (May 21right decision, you are best off June 20) refraining from making one at all. Take a break and consider all your options.

If you keep an open mind, you will discover all sorts of (June 21- new interests. Getting togethJuly 22) er with someone who offers a unique perspective on life will change the way you move forward.

CANCER

Sit tight and let things LEO unfold naturally. Interfering (July 23with the way someone else Aug. 22) does things will lead to a dispute. Personal change will improve your emotional state.

Dilbert

You'll have plenty of good VIRGO ideas to share if you participate (Aug. 23in what's going on in your comSept. 22) munity or family. Stand up and speak out in order to gain respect and support.

Learn from experience. Not LIBRA everyone will agree with you.

(Sept. 23Make a choice to go it alone or Oct. 23) forgo your plans. Don't waste time trying to convince others to join you.

Peanuts

You make this day a SCORPIO standout.

Whether you spend (Oct. 24Nov. 22) the day with someone special or work on a creative project, you will make progress. Live in the moment.

You'll be conflicted regardSAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23- ing the choices you are given.

Dec. 21) Don't be a follower. Weigh the pros and cons and do what's best for you. Make positive lifestyle changes.

Calvin and Hobbes

You will make a difference CAPRICORN in the life of a loved one if you (Dec. 22- are open about your feelings.

Jan. 19) A passionate approach to life and love will result in greater happiness.

Take a serious look at your AQUARIUS current position and repu(Jan. 20tation. Bring about changes Feb. 19) that will make you feel good about who you are and what you have to offer.

PISCES You'll be the center of at(Feb. 20- tention at any function you Mar. 20) attend. You will face delays when traveling, so make sure to give yourself extra time.

Make family togetherness or romance your personal goal.