Guyana Times Sunday Magazine

Sunday March 15, 2015

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The Fred Allicock Building Honouring a hardworking and generous individual Page 4

The Rich Traditions of Storytelling Page 3

2 Times Sunday Magazine

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MARCH 15, 2015

Times Feature

Deaf Association produces sign language booklet

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ll over the world, deaf persons use sign language to communicate, sharing the same conversations those with hearing have. In Guyana, communicating with the deaf has now been made simple, through an easy-tofollow sign language booklet, ‘Start Signing’.

Produced by the Deaf Association of Guyana (DAG), the booklet is one of the many positive plans DAG has for the deaf. With ‘Start Signing’, persons can learn the basics of sign language.

Sign language follows different rules from spoken and written languages.

Most importantly, it conveys the essentials of a message through signs, eye contact, facial expression and body posture. For instance, asking, “Do you want something to drink?” may be signed just as “drink”. The “you” is expressed through eye contact and the question through facial expression.

“DAG wanted to do this for a long time because we

Especially targets parents of deaf children get requests from parents who have deaf children, and others who would like to communicate with the deaf.

The booklet provides a basic vocabulary for the general public.” DAG member Sabine McIntosh revealed in an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine.

McIntosh added that the booklet especially targets parents. She stated that when deaf children learn sign language in school, parents are left behind. With this booklet, they can now expand their communication beyond the mundane questions of hunger and sleep, and have meaningful conversations with their children.

“This is a start in making sign language accessible for parents and the general public. The booklet is based on the American Sign Language (ASL), but we would like to invest in getting the Guyana Sign Language (GSL) documentation going. We’re waiting on a great funder to start documenting GSL, which

Some pages in the booklet

is very similar to ASL,” she stated.

Notably, DAG has been a pioneer in caring for our deaf children. In 2014, it sent the very first two deaf students to the Sophia Training Centre, who then successfully graduated from the Centre.

“That is why the booklet is so important. Although [trained sign language instructors] are there to provide communication, the programmes’ lecturers can have an opportunity to learn about signing and be better able to communicate with deaf students,” McIntosh pointed out.

DAG has expanded its programmes to include quizzes and various sports events, in addition to its regular hosting of visual and performing arts events, and establishing sign language programmes in all schools.

Last year, DAG was instrumental in the opening

The booklet, 'Start Signing'

of Tuschen Deaf Academy, which aims to help deaf children in the West Coast area.

According to McIntosh, the academy is a bottom-house school, housed under the home of a parent of a deaf child.

“This school, with funding from the British High Commission, is important because they do not have facilities like that over there [West Coast]. Some of the students attending the academy have never been to school because of their disability, and so we hope, with more funding, to open schools like this one countrywide,” she declared.

DAG’s vision is that “members of the deaf community play a positive and integral role in national development” and are challenged by its mission “to help deaf youths achieve their full potential and to

improve the socioeconomic well-being of members of the deaf community”.

The association is a nongovernmental organisation registered under the Friendly Societies Act in 2010.

DAG's network with members of the deaf community stretches across several regions. It works closely with special needs schools countrywide and is engaged in the visual and performing arts, education, sign language research, sports, among others.

The booklet is currently being sold for GYD$500.

Money received from the sale of the booklets would be invested in the expansion of DAG’s programmes. This project was done with sponsorship from Scotiabank.

For more information, call 225-4489 or 687-3597.

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MARCH 15, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine

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Times Feature

The Rich Traditions of Storytelling T

he origin of storytelling is universally ancient. In Guyana, apart from its first peoples: the Amerindians, storytelling also has origins in the European, African, East Indian, Portuguese and Chinese cultures and traditions brought here.

In oral storytelling, Storytellingday.net classifies as “Marchen”, fairy tales that begin with “Once upon a time…” - pointing to nowhere-in-particular time.

The other classification “Sagen”, tells of myths, legends and incursions of paranormal events that may have occurred at a particular time or influenced by historical facts.

In Guyana, Sagen tales are very popular and can be traced to colonialism and village life among all ethnic groups in Guyana.

“The Moongazer”,for example, described as a tall, white ‘Massa’, was used to drive fear in enslaved Africans. The “Fair Maid” or “WataMumma” lurked in

One of the finished puppets from Training of Trainers puppetry workshop 2013

the black waters of the interior, created to prevent enslaved Africans from escaping the plantations.

The Dutch occupations of Demerara gave rise to legends of the Silk Cotton Tree (Camacho tree) and “De Baccoo” who was there to protect the gold derived from sugar sales. illage life gave rise to “Ole’ Higue”, which was the first myth involving the Creole Africans.

She was a bloodthirsty African woman who preyed on the blood of young children.

This marked a distinct change in Guyanese folklore mythology, where the predator was not white but one of the creole Africans.

With the influx of indentured servants from India came the sukanti, churile, and the Indian Jumbie.

The Indian Jumbie was described as a little man, with gold teeth in his mouth.

On dark nights, he would appear laughing and asking, “Yu like mi gold teeth?”

V

Puppetry workshop at Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) 1994

The churile was described as an East Indian woman who died in child’s birth. Dressed in a plain white cotton sari, she would roam the villages looking for her child.

To drive away the sukanti the early indentured servants dabbed their surrounding with fresh cow dung and mud. To Hindus the cow is very sacred and this sanctified their surroundings and chased away the evil spirit that lived in the mud. A child said to have the sukanti, had to be “jahray” by a village elder.

Makonaima is said to be god of the Amerindians, while Kanaima was the evil force that lived in a Kanaima pot. It is believed he can transform himself into any jungle animal. The Kanaima pot was made of clay, with a snake coiled at the top.

After the First World War, there was an international drive to acquire large gold reserves. This prompted the colonial government to encourage “porknocking” (prospecting) in the jungles of Guyana. This gave rise to Massacuraman, Bush DaiDai and bush spirits.

Storytelling is important because it reflects oral traditions, sayings, rituals and historical events. It is the passing on of wisdom and caneven instil fear in its audience.

Ole’ Man Pappie in full character as he tells the story of “How the Amerindians came to Earth”

by Evan Jones at West Demerara Secondary 2015

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torytelling can be an effective educational tool, fostering effective methods for inclusive education. Educational storytelling is the conveying of events in words, images and sounds, often through dialogues, narrative, drama, song, dance, art and craft making.

Modern storytellers add puppetry and music to their storytelling, making it more conducive to the learning environment.

These characteristics are shared in every culture for entertainment, education, cultural preservation, and instilling moral values.

Additionally, storytelling helps in the development of verbal skills and imagination Since 1994, art lecturer at the University of Guyana Michael Khan, popularly by his storytelling name ‘Ole’ Man Pappie’, has recognized the importance of storytelling and puppetry and has encouraged student teachers on the importance of puppetry and its effective use in teaching core subjects.

International donor agency, the IDB has been awarding grants through its Cultural Centre to develop

storytelling and puppetry for the preservation of Guyana’s intangible cultural heritage. he world celebrates storytelling day March 20, which coincides with the beginning of spring.

Many countries honour their storytellers by having festivals.

In Guyana the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport hosts an annual storytelling festival, which welcomes both local and international storytellers to share tales of their respective countries.

Director of culture, Dr James Rose, has been a driving force behind this event, along with Al Creighton and Gentian Miller of the University of Guyana.

In commemoration of World Storytelling Day 2015, Michael Khan, apart from appearing at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport festival,has decided to go into schools and share Guyanese stories through dramatic storytelling, puppetry and artefacts.

He has so far visited West Demerara Secondary and St. Roses High School. At West Demerara, stories of Mr and Mrs Couglan were told, as their house, Shamrock

T

Manor, once stood where the school is today. Other stories,including Balgobin, BeraAnancy and yard fowl, were also told.

Traditional Guyanese artefacts,including the saucepan, cane cutter’s water bag, Kanaima pot, Dutch bottles and porknockers lamp, were used during the storytelling.

The students were very enthused with the stories and artefacts since most of them were seeing some of the artefacts for the first time, and had never heard of Ole’ Man Pappie.

The theme for World Storytelling Day 2015 is “Wishes”.

Ole’ Man Pappie has only one wish, that is “tell to as many who would listen, tell to as many who would learn and tell to as many who wants to know more about Guyana’s intangible cultural heritage”.

If they would like Ole’ Man Pappie to visit their school, principals are invited to make contact on 647-8245 or email: olemanpappie@ gmail.com (Information by Michael Khan) (Cover photoArt Education students with their puppets)

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Times Sunday Magazine

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MARCH 15, 2015

Times Feature

The Fred Allicock Building Honouring a hardworking and generous individual

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ocated at the Iwokrama River Lodge,a building tells a story of a notable man.

The Fred Allicock building, built 2000 - 2001, is not just a tourist’s oasis but an edifice celebrating an honourable man.

Fred Allicock, who presently resides in Surama, is an Amerindian expert who selflessly shares his local knowledge on managing the natural environment.

The upstairs of the building with his name houses a restaurant and bar, and a dining hall for both staff and tourists. The offices are housed downstairs: tourism office, administration office, monitoring office, conference room, medical centre, shop and patio. The building is also used for meet-

Fred Allicock building (Photo by Raquel Thomas-Caesar)

Fred Allicock

ings, conferences and workshops.

Speaking with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine Kevin Edwards, tourism

coordinator at Iwokrama River Lodge, stated that the building was dedicated to Allicock because of his diligent work at Iwokrama.

Edwards also mentioned that Allicock served as the first field station manager with the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development, and was successful in accomplishing all of his tasks in the field.

From the building, tour-

ists enjoy a scenic view of the Essequibo River. It is where, after an exciting day of discovery and exploration, they can enjoy traditional Guyanese cuisine at the restaurant.

A computer with internet access is available in the tourism office, and the entire building is covered by Wi-Fi internet access. A gift shop and a shop selling cold drinks, snacks and general items such as toiletries, are

available in the lower level.

Not far away are two science laboratories, and a conference room with air conditioning, which is wired for digital equipment such as computers and LCD projectors.

There is also a beautiful mural on the building’s walls. It was done by Guyanese artists George Simon and his brother; Anil Roberts; visual arts students from Annai

Secondary, and others. The mural showcases the biodiversity of Iwokrama.

A visit to Iwokrama directly contributes to the communities in and surrounding the Iwokrama forest. Tourism there supports the development of an ecofriendly sustainable model that is being shared locally and internationally. (Cover photo- Iwokrama River Lodge (Photo by Raquel Thomas-Caesar))

‘Angels of Hope’ a success among Guyana’s orphans

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ood for the Poor’s ‘Angels of Hope’ mission is to help underprivileged children reach their highest potential.

Speaking with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine Wayne Hamilton, FFTP’s public relations officer, revealed that the Angels of Hope programme, started about ten years ago, provides for more than 250 children from eight homes/orphanages across the country.

“The programme is mainly sponsored by residents in the US who would normally send supplies and financial support for birthdays, Christmas parties, and our annual get-together and fun day, where all the children meet up and interact. From the sup-

Distributing food supplies to families in Parika

plies we receive at Food For The Poor, we are able to provide clothing, food, toiletries, school supplies and much more,” Hamilton explained.

Noting the effectiveness of the programme, Hamilton pointed out the children, whom the programme caters for, are attending school more regularly because they now have needed supplies.

Additionally, their grades have improved.

“Our Angels of Hope coordinator also makes regular visits to check up on the children’s progress. This information is then sent to our US donors. Although they are thousands of miles away, the donors keep track of the children’s progress via the information sent

Wayne Hamilton (right) receiving a plaque from Dr Jeetendra Mohanlall, Programme Manager, National Tuberculosis Programme, Ministry of Health, in appreciation of FFTP’s contribution to the programme

from the coordinator,” Hamilton noted.

Last year, 35 children from the orphanages were sent to Burrowes School of Art during their ‘summer’ holiday, in a collaborative effort with the arts school.

Consequently, FFTP hopes to expand its efforts to include scholarships, and provide opportunities for the children to succeed academically. FFTP would also like to collaborate with other entities, so that the children can be exposed to various academic areas.

July 24 has been scheduled as FFTP’s Angels of Hope Day of Celebration and so the organisation is urging corporate Guyana to donate to make this event possible for the many children it will bring happiness to.

“Many have come forward to donate to our programme. We continue to urge local donors to donate food items, school supplies, clothing; anything that is suitable

for the children. FFTP also provides home supplies and does infrastructural work on the orphanages. There is always a need for funding and we encourage the general public to help us so that we can help our underprivileged children,” Hamilton declared.

In 1982, Jamaica-born Ferdinand Mahfood, who had inherited a successful import business from his father and then moved the business to Miami, USA, received a Christmas present from his wife. It was a book called “Something More”, written by Catherine Marshall. As he turned the pages of the book while on a flight to Chicago, Ferdy (as he is properly known) was moved by the writer’s call to serve God in a more intimate and committed way. He wanted to have a closer relationship with God and to experience the fullness of his love.

Since boyhood, he had given donations to the poor and contin-

ued to do so as his business flourished. In 1982, after rededicating his life to God, he decided to use his business expertise to serve the poor. He has already seen the gut wrenching poverty in the slums of Jamaica, and increased his donations to the poor in that country. But business expertise alone could not alleviate the suffering and poverty of millions in Haiti, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador.

So Mahfood became a beggar for the poor, combining his business expertise with the donations he received, to start a chain of giving that today results in relief projects and programmes in more than two dozen countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Food For The Poor (FFTP) was established as a vehicle for Mahfood to give back to the world.

For more information on this programme visit Food For The Poor on Facebook or call 218-1553.

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MARCH 15, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine 5

Times Women

Memories of My Mother Author Sharon Maas recalls the life of her mother, the late Eileen Cox

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ast November my mother, Eileen Cox, died in Guyana at the age of 96. I happened to be on a two-week visit from Germany, and it seemed she had been only waiting to see me one last time.

Her death made front-page news.

Articles appeared in the papers, I was interviewed, and it wasn’t long before the tributes poured in, including condolence cards from the country’s president, the prime minister, and opposition leader. Mum was an icon in Guyana, a role model people of all persuasions admired and respected. She made changes, and for this she received welldeserved accolades. For me, of course, her passing was far more personal. With it came the peace and closeness to her I had longed for all my life. It hadn’t been easy being her daughter.

Mum was always at least 50 years ahead of her time. The steps she took back in the 50s might seem normal and self-evident to today’s young women, but in her day they were truly revolutionary; they went against the grain of society, and she took them alone, with no role models or living examples.

She was born and grew up in British Guiana, the third of four children, the youngest girl, and the most academic of all her siblings. From the start she was not only high achiever but an exemplary role model; in her last year she was head girl. As a candidate for the coveted National Scholarship, which would have enabled her to study in England, the world stood open to her; but she chose not a personal career but to stay in Guyana, where she went on to join the Civil Service while working as an activist for change in her free time.

As a civil servant she was appalled by the fact that women had to resign as soon as they married. As a result she did not marry until her early 30s; by then she had already built her own house, and it was my father who moved in with her. She kept her job – and kept it even after my birth in 1951, when she was already an “elderly” 34. She went back to work almost immediately. My father, also a civil servant, didn’t approve so she divorced him, moved back in with her mother and sister, and continued to work.

Sharon Maas

She took back her maiden name, along with the title “Miss”, and went to work doing whatever she could to change all the inequalities and injustices in Guyanese society.

I can’t even begin to list the things she did, but a Google of “Eileen Cox Guyana” will bring up some of her achievements.

Always, she worked for the good of society, and it became normal for me in later years to hear her name praised by people of all walks of life. Taxi drivers, market stall women, government ministers, businessmen: everyone knew her or of her, even in the remotest corners of the country.

Accordingly, when Mum died there was no end to the tributes paid to her at the funeral, and of course my own eulogy did not hold back the praise. Mum was compassionate, modest, hard-working, dedicated independent, fearless – a mother to look up to. But was she a role-model for me? No. Our relationship was complex, and often difficult.

As her daughter, I was given a long leash and encouraged to do whatever I wanted. But just like her, I had to find my own way, and one thing I knew was that I would not follow in her footsteps. Go to

Eileen Cox (1918-2014)

work when my children entered the world? No way! I chose to be a stay-at-home mother, once circumstances allowed it; and I did it with joy and confidence, and never once felt I was somehow inferior because I was not earning, and never once was I bored by my babies. On the contrary: I was with them on the great adventure of life, and guiding them into adulthood was in itself an adventure.

Rocky at times, but a learning process through which I grew into an independence of my own. Mum found this hard to understand; hadn’t she carved the path for women to work even after they became mothers?

A year or two before her death I managed to have “the talk” with her. I told her of my loneliness as a child, my longing to be closer to her, to have more of her time. Growing up, I did not care about her achievements: though I always knew she loved me, I’d always yearned for a more intimate connection. I wanted to talk about feelings, and needed help and guidance along my way. And once, just once, I would have loved a meal on the table cooked by her. I was a very lonely child, a shy and insecure teenager.

The freedom she had given me was too much; I needed guidelines and

a helping hand. Her lifestyle forced me walk my

own path, and eventually I did. So my own indepen-

dence came from finding my way through the labyrinth of too much freedom. I travelled widely, made dreadful mistakes, and found maturity through trial and error, finally emerging from it all reasonably whole and healthy.

Mum retained her mental faculties up until her death – as she grew older she withdrew more and more from public life, became softer and more understanding. I visited her from Europe as often as I could, and after “the talk” a new sense of closeness emerged. She understood.

Her passing brought much sadness for opportunities missed, but at the same time a sense of oneness with her I had never known in her lifetime. A sense that she had slipped into my heart and would live there forever.

Reprinted with permission. Sharon Maas is an overseas-based Guyanese author of “The Small Fortune of Dorothea Q” and “Of Marriageable Age”, which can be found on her blog, http://sharonmaas. blogspot.com

6 Times Sunday Magazine

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MARCH 15, 2015

Times Book World

The Shaping of Guyanese Literature

A Woman of Worth

By Petamber Persaud

G

uyana continues to produce men of merit and women of worth, in a multiplicity of human endeavours, gifting them to the world.

The names of these remarkable people sometimes go unnoticed and are too soon forgotten.

Nevertheless, very often their achievement is encapsulated in a lifetime of work. How then this short attention?

Guyana’s latest recognition, in this season of awards, comes by way of the 2015 Caribbean Award of Excellence where two Guyanese, Dr Paloma Mohamed and Professor Suresh Narine, were named distinguished laureates.

Mohamed was awarded the Anthony Sabga Award in the category of ‘Arts and Letters’ while Narine won in ‘Science and Technology’.

This column today is dedicated to Dr Paloma Mohamed.

For a remarkable person, and a remarkable woman, for a quintessential daughter of Guyana and of the Caribbean, this award is long overdue. Dr Mohamed is a worthy exemplar because she is an inspiration of what can be achieved

through dedication, vision and hard work.

She leads by example, which places her in that unenviable position as a role model of the highest quality. She has a proven record of accomplishment, laying a formidable foundation for future forays, and she is highly regarded and respected by her peers.

Above all of these tangible manifestations is a person who cares for people; she cares and she shares – that is her hallmark.

To record her achievements would be a daunting task so this column will be given over to a mere listing, which will not tell the whole story.

She is not yet fifty but she has already made her mark nationally, regionally and internationally. Locally, she has worked on projects with UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP and UNFPA. Regionally, she has adjudicated the Caribbean Broadcasting Union Song Festival, and drama festivals. Internationally, she has worked on projects with the United Nations, the World Bank, the European Union, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and the Organisation of American States (OAS).

“Anybody see Brenda?”“Jezebel”, “Benjy Darling”, “Eeney Meany Miney Mo”, “New York New York” and “All for the Money” are among more than 30 plays that made her a respected playwright. She has a long list of awards recognising her role in dramaturgy.

Three times, she has won The Guyana Prize for Literature. In 1998, she won with her play “Duenne”, in 2000, with “Father of the Man” and in 2004, with “Nancy Story”.

Mohamed is the first woman to win in that category, the only woman to have won the prize three times and still the youngest woman writer ever to win that prestigious prize in any category. She has won the Annual National Theatre Arts Awards on numerous occasions.

Mohamed has worked in various disciplines, all however related to her need to share knowledge especially with young people – she has a special kinship with children, so a great part of her writing is directed towards their improvement.

As a communication strategist, she incorporates drama in her projects as a teaching aid. Her work with

Dr Paloma Mohamed(Caricom Today photo)

street children in Guyana gives her great satisfaction because their self-esteem and attention span, as well as emotional and social problems, were redressed through engagement with the arts.

Some of her books include “Come Fiah: Poems” (1991), “Song: Poems” (2000), which was a finalist in the 2000 Guyana Prize for Literature in the category of poetry. “Caribbean Mythology and Modern Life,

five oneact plays for young people”, “A Man Called Garvey”(2003), “Baba, Scissors and the Dictionary” (2004), “Laura the Lunch Kit Litterer” (2004) and “Listen Up” (2004).

Apart from drama and books, her other literary interest includes cinematography where she produced“Jezebel, the Movie”, (1991), “150 Years in Guyana” (1993),“Telecommunications Today” (1994),“A Day in the Life of a Youth in Guyana”(2000),“The Lintons” (2004) and “The Gift” (2005).

In 2008, she was artistic director for the highly successful Caribbean Festival of Arts. In 2011, she was instrumental in founding CineGuyana and was executive producer of some 30 films.

She hasn’t realized her full and true potential yet.

In her poem, “Half-way there” - published since 2000 and placed at the end of her second collection of poems, “Song” - Paloma writes: “let it not be said that from this little life I left as I came, knowing nothing… you see I was told /this was the reason for my coming/ to learn if not to teach…I am small but finite I am not at all…and death will not erase me’.

Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@ yahoo.com

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MARCH 15, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine 7

Times Heritage

S

tabroek Market, designed by Nathaniel McKay, an American engineer, has stood over the heart of the capital city of Georgetown since it was constructed by Edgemoor Iron Company of Delaware, USA in 1880-1881, on land partly reclaimed from the nearby Demerara River.

The market was named by the Dutch in honour of then Dutch director of the Dutch West India Company, Nicholas Van Gleenisnk: Lord of Castricum, Bahim and Stabroek, and said to cover approximately 80,000 square feet (7,000 m2).

However, it is not the original market of the area.

It is in fact the third market, and second structure to be built.

It is claimed that as early as 1792, African slaves, on Sundays, would sell their produce just west of the present St Andrews church site. The market was moved in 1793, near to another

Stabroek Market 1971 (LJHernandez)

church, and would be moved several times along the riverbank - some researchers suggesting because the noise of the vendors interfered with church services before permanently settling at its present site.

The first structure was erected after the Mayor and Town Council passed regu-

lations on April 23, 1843 to erect a proper market at its current Water Street location, since the then present market was becoming too “congested and unsightly”.

The market then was made from local hardwoods and described as “the best in the West Indies”.

However, by 1870, the

Government House from Carmichael Street, Georgetown, British Guiana n.d.

market was overcrowded and inadequate for the number of vendors and hucksters plying their trade, so the council began accepting designs for a new market.

On July 31, 1879, McKay’s wrought iron design, submitted through Edgemoor Iron Company, was accepted, due in part to “its foundation and ornamental appearance and very perfect system of ventilation in the roof, the latter being especially suited for the tropical climate”, as well as a precaution after the devastating fires of 1828 and 1864.

The bell was manufactured in Sheffield, England. The clock, some sixty feet above the ground, was ordered from the E. Howard Company of Boston, Massachusetts in 1880. It would be over 100 years later – sometime in the 1990s – that the clock would be rehabilitated with the assistance of the Smithsonian Institution (Wikipedia photo)

Construction works began Aug 17, 1879 with the reclamation of 50, 000 square feet (4,646 m2) of the Demerara River’s foreshore.

At the start of construction, a ‘time capsule’ was deposited under the founda-

Stabroek Market 1881. The Russell Memorial, which now stands on the lawns of M&CC, was said to have once stood in a small garden in the Stabroek Market Square (Photo rootsweb.ancestry.com)

Hotel Tower on Main Street ca. 1930s, Georgetown (Photo from 'Historic Photographs of Guyana' by National Trust of Guyana)

tion stone, which was laid by the then governor’s wife.

The new market was opened Nov 1, 1880, though it was not completed until 1881. The year 1881 is etched into the metalwork over its name at the entrance.

Stabroek Market (L J Hernandez 2009)

8 Times Sunday Magazine

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MARCH 15, 2015

Times Travel & Tourism

Adventure Hike for Adventurers

Stone Creek Falls, near Tukiet, on the Potaro River

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Early morning mist streaming down the Potaro past Tukiet

ukiet Falls is an eight-hour hike from Waratuk Falls, on the Potaro River in Essequibo. At Tukiet, adventurers enjoy an enthralling overnight camp and swimming in the Potaro River, which includes spectacular

sightseeing of the Kaieteur Gorge.

It is one of the serene locations covered when trekking to Kaieteur.

From Tukiet, adventurers climb to the top of Kaieteur Falls, a four-hour hike that winds through

the mountains and mountain streams to the final destination known as ‘Oh My God’, because of its steep ascent.

Tukiet Falls offers an incredible adventure for all those seeking one. (Nicholas Laughlin photos)

A closer look at the cascading Stone Creek Falls

Tukiet Falls' rapids

guyanatimesgy.com

MARCH 15, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine 9

Times Healthy Living

Healthy Eating for a Healthy You L

eslie Sansone, creator of the “Walk away the pounds” series, has built a following with her morerealistic-than-most approach to a healthier you.

In her 2005 book, “Walk Away the Pounds” she puts forward rules for healthy eating that can help develop healthy eating habits for a healthy lifestyle for you and your family.

Drink beverages that are less caloric, Sansone states.

Better yet, drink water, unsweetened iced tea, green tea or other such non-caloric beverages. Soft drinks, fruit juices, beers or wines are usually loaded with calories that prevent weight loss and a healthier you.

Full up on vegetables, she stresses. (Green ones and all the other brightly coloured ones as well.)

Vegetables help fill you up to avoid too much of the high-calorie meals so common these days. Eat a salad first or, if you are out, load

your plate or sandwich with vegetables, or order extra vegetables if possible.

Remember: brown/whole wheat breads and brown rice, not white. Because such brown foods are natural forms, they have fewer calories than their “white counterparts” have, and contain more nutrients, while taking longer to digest. This means you eat less, feel better and develop fewer health conditions, she points out.

No supersizing. While you can have the occasional fast food meal, don’t overdo it by supersizing. Sansone notes that the average woman’s daily calorie intake has made a 22 per cent increase - from 1,542 in 1971 to 1,877 today. Don’t be taken in by offers of more junk food for less cost. More is not always better, and such “deals” can only make your health worse.

Reiterating conventional wisdom, Sansone says don’t skip breakfast, it’s the

most important meal of the day. After some eight hours of fasting as you sleep, the body needs food. No food signals impending starvation so your body powers down to preserve energy until food becomes available.

This can actually make you gain weight. Breakfast, she writes, kick-starts your metabolism so you burn more calories throughout the day.

Don’t go back for seconds.

That is where “the calories start to snowball”, the author warns. Just make the commitment not to go back for more food. We can double our calorie intake with second helpings that leads to overeating. Controlling your eating becomes easier, she suggests, if you get rid of the notion of seconds.

Don’t take the dessert at dinnertime. Desserts are loaded with calories that spell trouble at the end of a day. You can add some 500 calories with a dessert, with no way of burning it off so

late, and that is converted to fat. In fact, Sansone advises getting rid of the idea of dessert altogether (“dessert is doom”), conceding just “one spoonful” if you feel you must have dessert, before walking away from it.

Having dinner out requires you and your partner, family member or friend split meals. With restaurant servings becoming more plentiful, she advises you get an appetizer then split the main course - and dessert if you must have one. It should help to reduce your calories - while saving money.

One of the best ways to control overeating, she advocates, is to snack throughout the day. Filling up on healthy snacks like fruits, nuts and vegetablesduring the day can lead to smaller portions of the higher calorie foods at mealtimes. Snack on nuts in small amounts though, they can add up to plenty calories.

What is complementary and alternative medicine? long before conventional Western medicine and include Ayurveda from India and traditional Chinese medicine.

Homeopathy: This approach uses minute doses of a substance that cause symptoms to stimulate the body's self-healing response.

Naturopathy: This approach focuses on non-invasive treatments to help your body do its own healing and uses a variety of practices, such as massage, acupuncture, herbal remedies, exercise and lifestyle counselling.

Mind-body medicine Mind-body techniques strengthen the communication between your mind and your body.Examples of mind-body connection techniques include meditation, prayer, relaxation and art therapies.

Biologically based practices Examples include dietary supplements and herbal remedies. These treatments use ingredients found in nature.

Manipulative and body-based practices These methods use human touch to move or manipulate a specific part of your body. They include chiropractic and osteopathic manipulation and massage.

Energy medicine Some CAM practitioners believe an invisible energy force flows through your body; when this energy flow is blocked or unbalanced, you can become sick. Different traditions call this energy by different names, such as chi,

A

ccording to Mayo Clinic, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) means practices not typically found in conventional medicine and includes things such as herbs and dietary supplements, meditation, massage, and acupuncture.

Some people now prefer the term "complementary medicine" to reflect the fact that many of these treatments work with conventional care,such as using meditation along with a blood pressure pill to help control hypertension.

As research into the safety and efficacy of many of these CAM therapies has grown, a newer term — "integrative medicine" — is becoming the preferred term.

You're using integrative medicine when you add a complementary treatment to an existing conventional treatment.

Although CAM practices are becoming more common, not all have been rigorously tested for safety and effectiveness. Before you try something new, take time to investigate the risks and benefits. Your doctor can be a good resource — and needs to know about any CAM you're considering.

The National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) categorises CAM therapies as: Whole medical systems Ancient healing systems: These healing systems arose

prana and life force.

Why some doctors hesitant about CAM

Many doctors are cautious about recommending these therapies.Some CAM practitioners make exaggerated claims about curing diseases, and some ask you to forgo treatment from your conventional doctor.

Additionally, conventional medicine values therapies that have been demonstrated through research and testing to be safe and effective. While scientific evidence exists for some CAM therapies, for many there are key questions that are yet to be answered.

Talk to your doctor about risks and benefits of any therapy you're considering. (Source: Mayo Clinic)

Natural treatments: Can you spot a fraud?

If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. To spot potentially fraudulent herbal products or other so-called natural treatments, look for these warning signs: 1. Promotional material promises a miracle cure.

2. The manufacturer claims that the product can treat a wide range of symptoms, or cure or prevent a variety of diseases.

3. The product claims to purify or detoxify.

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oyenne of fashion, Sonia Noel, is constantly adding new concepts to her chic collection ‘First Resort’.

The collection is perfect for a distinct look, especially with Easter around the corner and many all-white events, boat cruises, rodeo, Bartica Regatta and other entertainment events.

These jumpers, featured this week, are racy yet elegant for any entertainment event.

Currently, there is an exciting Easter sale at Noel’s studio. Call 226-3099 for more info. (Photos by Sean Charles)

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March 15, 2015

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MARCH 15, 2015

Times Hollywood Dr Phil Defends Nick Gordon Intervention Charlie Sheen slams “Two and a Half Men” creator over series finale

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pparently Charlie Sheen is among those who disliked the piano-falling end scene of “Two and a Half Men”.

Asked recently what he thought of show-creator Chuck Lorre’s so-called parting shot, Sheen initially seemed to dismiss it when he told a TMZ cameraman: "That's just him... don't care anymore."

But he appeared to have changed his blasé approach, adding more intensely: "I don't care if he [Lorre] lives or dies... "It doesn't even matter. To go that long, be that immature, to be that completely unevolved and

that stupid? In my face?

Really? You must feel safe, [expletive]. You must feel

safe where you live."

He ended the rant with a "just sayin'" sentiment.

Selena Gomez mobbed after leaving show

S

elena Gomez was almost trampled Wednesday as she left the Louis Vuitton presentation during the Paris Fashion Week.

Both paparazzi and fans, the latter tumbling over the erected barriers, swarmed the 22-year-old as she finished posing for photos and was heading to her vehicle.

She was jostled, and kept her head down as she and her bodyguard tried to navigate the crush of people along the way.

The incident is said to have occurred one week after model and reality star Kendall Jenner was mobbed.

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op icon, Madonna says she was raped in New York City when she was 19, and didn’t speak publicly about the incident until writing about it in a 2013 essay for Harper’s Bazaar.

“I didn’t want to go back. You’ve already been violated,” the singer, 56, told Howard Stern in an interview Wednesday. “It’s just not worth it. It’s too much humiliation.”

While speaking to Stern, Madonna said her “stupid friendliness” allowed her to be convinced by a stranger to use a phone in his apartment after she asked him for payphone money.

“He was a friendly guy, and I’m talking on the phone and the phone was ringing, and I’m not sure why I’m telling this story,” Madonna said. “And he was like, ‘Well, I just live across the street. You can make a phone call from my house.’ I was like, ‘Oh, that’s really nice of you.'”

“I trusted everybody,” she concluded. “Anyway, the rest is not worth talking about.”

I

t quickly went from an interview to an intervention. Dr. Phil McGraw defended his intervention with Nick Gordon on Wednesday, March 11, saying an interview with Bobbi Kristina Brown's boyfriend was not possible.

"I went in to Atlanta to do an interview with Nick Gordon," Dr. Phil told Access Hollywood, "and wound up doing an intervention with Nick Gordon." When the

psychiatric expert arrived for his planned sit-down, he discovered from Gordon's lawyers ("who truly have his best interest at heart," he says) that the 25-year-old was "so high, so out of control, abusing alcohol and apparently Xanax."

"They're concerned for his very life, his very wellbeing and so much so that the ability to sit down and do an interview with him, his ability to sit down and

give an interview, [was] just not an option," Dr. Phil explained. "That was the whole purpose of going in, to talk to him about how he feels and what he thinks is going on and all of the history about this whole situation... I get there, he is not capable of giving an interview. He is out of control."

The "Dr. Phil" host spoke with Gordon and his mother, Michelle, about Bobbi Kristina Brown. (Us)

Kathy Griffin leaving E!'s 'Fashion Police'

K

athy Griffin is leaving E!'s "Fashion Police." The host made the announcement via Twitter on Thursday.

"After 7 episodes of 'Fashion Police,' I discovered that my style does not fit with the creative direction of the show and now

it's time to move on," Griffin tweeted.

"I wish E! and the E! team only the best," she added. "I hope to continue to make you all laugh performing live or on television where I can be smart, irreverent, unrepentant and unafraid in an observational way that is candid, honest and justified."

Griffin's announcement comes just weeks after co-host Kelly Osbourne exited the show.

Osbourne's departure followed a controversy surrounding the series' Academy Awards episode on Feb. 23, in which panellist Giuliana Rancic made remarks about Disney star Zendaya, commenting that her dreadlocks at the Oscars probably "smells like patchouli oil" or "weed."

Rancic's comments, which were fiercely rebutted by Zendaya, caused a stir, as they were understood by some to be racially charged.

Since, Rancic apologized on her own Twitter and during a broadcast of "E! News."

(Boston Herald)

‘Frozen Fever’ song debuts online According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, 68 percent of sexual assaults are not reported to police, and there are about 293,000 victims of the crime a year. (Yahoo Celebrity)

Lil Wayne storms off stage after DJ puts on wrong “CoCo” mix

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frustrated Lil Wayne stormed off stage on Thursday, during a concert at Nova Southeastern University in Florida.

The rapper was in the middle of his set, performing his remix to O.T. Genasis' hit "CoCo," off his Sorry 4 The Wait mixtape, but became angry when the DJ Put on the wrong mix of the song.

Weezy immediately stopped, looked toward the DJ booth, threw his mic toward him and stormed off stage.

It's unclear if he ever returned to the stage.

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new original song featured in the short called “Making Today a Perfect Day” was released online before the digital short “Frozen Fever” debuted Friday in theatres.

The song sees “Frozen” stars Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell reuniting for

a new duet about “making today a perfect day” for Anna’s birthday party. But Anna's big day might be in jeopardy when her big sisters comes down with a cold.

Elsa tries to persevere through her sneezes, even singing, “A cold never both-

ered me anyway,” as a nod to the mega-hit “Let It Go.” The debut of “Frozen Fever” comes just one day after Disney announced that the hit animated film is officially getting a sequel, though a release date has not yet been set. (nydailynews)

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Star Times Bollywood

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avi Dubey is an Indian model, comedian, presenter, dancer and actor, working in television shows.

Dubey began his acting career with a leading role in “Stree... Teri Kahaani” (2006). He also starred in successful family drama show “Saas Bina Sasural” (2010). Dubey was a host for the Star Plus television's dance reality show “India's Dancing Superstar”. Currently, Dubey is playing the male lead in Zee TV’s family drama series “Jamai Raja”, produced by actor Akshay Kumar. Dubey won a Zee Rishtey Award for Favourite Jamai and received several nominations for his role in “Jamai Raja”.

14 Times Sunday Magazine

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Times Bollywood

Bollywood’s IIFA Awards Sakshi Tanwar gets married secretly? head to Kuala Lumpur E ver since Sakshi Tanwar started working in “Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii”, marriage proposals had been pouring in. But the actress wanted to take her career seriously and had wanted to let her personal life take a backseat.

It was a pleasant surprise when Sakshi came back to the small screen with “Bade Acche Lagte Hain”. There were several rumours that Sakshi was secretly married to someone, but the actress claimed otherwise. In fact, when we spoke to her regarding her marriage plans the actress said, “It will happen when it is supposed to happen.

I am ready for it but I need someone to get married to as well, right?”

A while back there were rumours about Sakshi dating Samir Kochhar, but we never really got any confirmation on it. Well from what we hear, the actress’ has finally shed her single status. A source just told us that Sakshi Tanwar secretly got married a few weeks back.

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IIFA flashback. Kevin Spacey (left) does a dance at last year’s award show in Florida

he International Indian Film Academy will this year travel to Kuala Lumpur for the 16th edition of its annual awards show, and will take place in the first weekend of June.

The event was last year held in Tampa Bay, Florida and included appearances from John Travolta and Kevin Spacey.

The awards weekend, which ranges from fashion shows and screenings to

community outreach events and a televised awards and variety show, aims to connect existing and potential audiences with Bollywood cinema and Bollywood stars. . They are run by Wizcraft Entertainment.

The IIFA Awards were previously held in Malaysia’s Genting Highlands 13 years ago.

Awards nominations are decided through a three day polling process that began

March 13 with celebrities Anil Kapoor (“24,” “Slumdog Millionaire”) and Dia Mirza (“Lage Raho Munna Bhai”) among the first to cast their votes. “[In Kuala Lumpur] we have a large Indian population and Malaysian community that along with audiences worldwide enjoy the magic of Indian movies,” said Tony Nagamaiah, General Manager, Malaysia Major Events. (Variety)

The Khans Are Turning 50

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hey're turning 50, but the indomitable clout of Bollywood's Khan trio - Aamir, Shah Rukh and Salman - in the Hindi entertainment space continues to get stronger. Age notwithstanding, the trio have a much brighter future, predict trade experts and film celebrities.

Katrina Kaif, who has played leading lady to all the three Khans, says it's their "passion, audiences' love and desire (to excel)" that keeps them going.

"Besides being truly talented, they are all spectacular people, and they will be here for as long as they choose to be," Katrina told IANS. Aamir is the first of the lot to be turning 50 Saturday, but he's an unstoppable force, who brings something new and groundbreaking to the table.

After delighting audiences for over 25 years, the actor is yearning to scale more heights and still manages to create a dhoom at the box office.

Same is the case with

Radhika Apte on nude pics controversy: she is a lookalike

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adhika Apte, who is a popular face in Bollywood and down South, is the latest victim of the hackers’ group, who’ve been floating her bathroom selfies on public platforms.

Radhika has done several films down South and was recently seen in Badlapur, Shor in the City, Rakht Charitra, Dhoni, Lai Bhaari and is gearing

up for her upcoming movies which include Hunterrr among others.

Radhika took to twitter to finally silence these rumours. She tweeted, “You guys! If you’re going to get someone to pass off as naked me, she needs to look a lot more like me.”

So it definitely shows that these images were of a certain lookalike. (bollywoodlife)

‘Dance India Dance’ judge Geeta Kapur hits biker with her car

(L-R) Aamir, Salman and SRK

SRK, who will cross 'half century' on November 2.

A look at his career graph explains why he's referred to as the 'Bollywood Badshah'.

He became a rare example from the 1980s, to carve out a successful film career following a TV stint. With shows like Fauji and Circus, he found a visibility that pulled him into the world of films.

Making it big initially with grey roles in “Baazigar” and “Darr”, SRK climbed the ladder of success with “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge”,”Dil To Pagal Hai” and “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”, which earned him the epithet of 'Bollywood's king of romance'.

Despite success on the film front, SRK kept going back to his TV roots with shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati and Zor Ka Jhatka. He is currently hosting India Poochega Sabse Shaana Kaun.

One actor who has charmed both TV and film audiences with his 'dabangg' ways is Salman, who

has turned out to be a trueblue commercial star of the masses. Touted as one of the most bankable stars of tinsel town, he's easily the Bigg Boss of Hindi showbiz with a mix of romantic, comical, action-oriented and family drama roles to his credit.

Salman's second innings in Bollywood took off with Dabangg. His masala laden filmography became tastier with Ready, Bodyguard, Wanted and Kick.

Salman's first stint with TV was Dus Ka Dum, which didn't strike the right chord, but with reality show Bigg Boss, they kicked up a storm on the small screen too.

According to Mumbaibased trade analyst Komal Nahta, the three Khans may be turning 50, "but their box office strength is that of a 25-year-old".

"They'll continue to rule the industry for many more years to come. The kind of box office impact they have with their films and the way they entertain the audience, I don't think anybody can do that," Mr Nahta told IANS. (NDTV)

On probing more, our source informed that Sakshi married a businessman and it was a love marriage. However, we have not yet been made privy to Mr Right’s name. (bollywoodlife)

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arly on Thursday morning at around 5 am, Geeta Kapur lost control over her sport utility vehicle and rammed

into a biker with her car! Geeta is an acclaimed choreographer and she is also the judge of dance reality show Dance India Dance. She has even done a small cameo in her mentor Farah Khan’s film Happy New Year.

After the biker was injured by the sport utility vehicle which belonged to Geeta, he was taken to the Kokilaben Hospital to get treatment. The victim has identified himself as Nashir and he says that a car rammed into his bike early morning near the Versova metro station.

A police official who is currently looking into the accident says, “The vehicle reportedly belonged to Geeta and she was present in the four-wheeler at the time of the accident and she was driving.”

The same police official went on further to reveal that the Bollywood choreographer has currently been detained by the Versova police and the investigation into the accident is ongoing. (bollywoodlife)

International pop-star Jazzy B calls Bollywood ‘unprofessional’

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t the music launch of ‘Dilliwaali Zalim Girlfriend”, Jazzy B minced no words in calling Bollywood ‘unprofessional’.

When asked why he doesn’t do much work in Bollywood, he said, “Bollywood to me is very unprofessional. Everything is last minute here. ‘Abhi gana chahiye, kal banake doge?‘ is what people want here. That is not how a song is made.” He went on to add, “Sometimes we even take two or three months to make a song. I have got a name to protect. I made a couple of songs but I wasn’t satisfied with the music. So I didn’t go ahead with it. I have done this film because the production is very good. I do little work to protect my image.”

Jazzy also said that it took a lot of time to make Zaalim Dilli song from the film. “It took them six months to make the beat of this song. Then they sent it to Hard Kaur. Then she changed the rap and then even Japinder Kaur (film’s director) gave her inputs for the

rap. Then I did my vocals again. So when something takes time to make, the result shows. I’m very happy the way the song has turned out,” said Jazzy. (bollywoodnews)

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March 15, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine

15

Times Trends

Trending Now

Star of the week

Optical Illusion Bags

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W

ith a designing flair to make beautiful, Randy Madray is becoming one of Guyana’s most sought-after designers. From a young age, Randy knew he wanted to pursue designing. He was always glued to the television with his mother to watch the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants. The evening gown segment was especially interesting to Randy as that inspired him to one day be able to produce gowns of the same and even better standard. Randy went into high school knowing he wanted to be a designer but was unsure if it was possible, until he met Louann Jackson, his art teacher. She recognised the attention Randy paid to details in clothing, and motivated him to pursue designing. So far, Randy has produced three collections: his debut collection was at FACTS 3 finals in 2009 titled "Disturbia", which earned him the Student Designer of The Year Award; the second was called "Caribbean Sea", an evening gown collection, released at Feminition in 2011; and the third was called "Mediterranean Influence", a swimwear collection presented at the launch event of Miss Global Guyana 2015. The designer has also dressed some of the most beautiful pageant queens in Guyana including Niketa Barker, Miss Guyana Universe 2014, and Divya Sieudarsan, Miss India Guyana Worldwide 2014. The 21-year-old believes his designing talents are a gift and absolutely loves what he does. He also plans to take his career to the international market.

Randy is the official designer for several Caribbean countries of international pageants and aims to take his career to the top, walking on the runways in Milan, Paris and London. “I strongly believe that I am destined for this and I will work towards that ensuring that I remain true to my Guyana and remain humbled along the way,” Randy declared. The young designer’s advice to youths like himself is to “go after your dreams; it is okay to dream what society deems impossible. Use all the “you can'ts” as motivation. Dedicate your energies to what you are passionate about. Be true to yourself and always remain humble and grateful to the people who help you along the way. You will fall down and you have to - it is the only way you learn what it take to get up and stay standing strong. Nothing comes easy”. (Photo by Simeon L Corbin)

ptical illusion bags, made by Taiwanese company Jump From Paper, are designed to look like they're straight out of a cartoon - bringing back memories of the 1988 “Who framed Roger Rabbit” movie.

The look-2D-but-reallyare-3D bags were first made back in 2010. It’s an optical illusion created with thick black piping and chunky blocks of colour.

The accessories have since seen their popularity rise in recent years, after featuring on the arm of many fashion bloggers. With bold colours, big buttons and stitching, they've been flying off the shelves.

JumpFromPaper, which was started in April 2010, has sold more than 50,000 bags since and more than 500 pieces in less than two days of going viral.

Every season a new collection is released, alongside its classic bags in bright and fun colours such as yellow, pink, purple, green and orange.

Inspired by comic-book 2D illustrations and transforming them into 3D designs, Taiwanese design duo

Chay Su and Rika Lin of JumpFromPaper have created a bag that will fool the eye of everyone that it passes.

According to the Daily Mail UK, the idea came to the designers one afternoon when the friends were sketching their dream designer bag.

They thought how amazing it would be if a two-dimensional hand-drawn illustration could come to life as a real bag - so they then set off exploring the possibilities.

They say they're “addicted to collecting funny and weird stuff”, and take inspi-

ration for their designs from everything in their daily life.

"Life does not need to be that serious. People are born to have fun!" explain Chay Su and Rika Lin. "Our goal is to make people confused at first sight, then soon catch our ideas and laugh out," the company says in a statement.

"We LOVE it when people couldn't tell it is real or not!"

It said too that it hopes its bags will “encourage people to discover their whimsical personality, and for their imagination to go wild.”

Its website describes them as “colourful, quirky and always with a sense of humour,” and is hoping to “fulfil everyone’s childhood fantasy.”

“It starts from a crazy “why not” ideas,” says Chingann Tsai, head of Marketing for Jump From Paper. “The ideas to make graphic work into real things came quite naturally.”

For both men and women, wallets are priced from US$30 to US$49. Purses and backpacks start from US$89 to US$139. The brand is currently shipping to customers worldwide.

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March 15, 2015

Times Art

designated a major arts institution by The New Jersey State Council on the Arts every year since 2003.

Davson is a past trustee of Art Pride New Jersey and a current member of the Advisory Council of the Brodsky Centre for Innovative Editions.

He has been honoured by the Newark Arts Council as well as the Brodsky Centre for Innovative Editions, for both his work as a visual artist and his leadership in the arts.

He received a leadership award from Prudential Foundation for his contribu-

F

tion to the Newark community.

He was one of 15 non-profit leaders in the arts, nationwide, selected to participate in Leadership 2000, a programme of arts and economic development training for outstanding community leaders, sponsored by the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund and Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, and run by faculty from the Harvard Business School.

He has served on panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. He is a graduate of The

Getty Museum Management Institute and has done graduate work in museum management at New York University Gallatin.

His work is in the permanent collections of the Newark Museum, The Montclair Art Museum, the New Jersey State Museum, and the National Collection, Guyana.

The exhibition celebrating the “Dub Factor Redux” series

by Davson closes March 15 with a lively discussion at the 1978 Arts Centre, where persons can meet the artist, hear his thoughts, his process and his aesthetic on art.

Davson with one of his artworks in the background

or Black History Month, observed last month, applauded artwork of US-based Guyanese artist Victor Davson was on display at the 1978 Arts Centre in New Jersey, U.S.A. Davson, who was born in Georgetown, Guyana, immigrated to the United States in 1973. He holds a BFA degree from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York, has co-founded Aljira, a Centre for contemporary art, and established himself in his practice as an artist.

His work is heavily influenced by the anti-colonial politics of the Caribbean and by the intellectual powerhouses of that period. These include extraordinary writers and ac-

tivists like Martin Carter, Frantz Fanon and Walter Rodney.

Since 1996, his series of paintings and drawings, which include the “Limbo/Anansi” drawings, “Bad Cow Comin”’ paintings, and his paintings on long playing vinyl record album covers, are his attempt as an artist to negotiate the roots of identity in a terrain of loss and desire.

Davson as executive director of Aljira, a Centre for contemporary art, leads a vital hub for creative excellence in Newark New Jersey’s downtown arts district.

Notable highlights in the Aljira organisation’s history include the founding of

Emerge, a professional development programme for visual artists. The founding of Aljira Design, a graphic design studio that for 18 years earned revenue to support the organisation’s exhibitions and public programmes It has received an invitation to organise US representation at the IV Biennale International de Pintura in Ecuador, as well as a major award from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts—becoming one of only eight institutions nationwide selected to participate in the foundation’s second year stabilisation initiative for small to midsize organisations The organisation has been

"Dear Guyana" (1998)

"Dub Factor - Heroes, Dustin and Jon" (2013)

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Times Sunday Magazine 17

Times Tech

CIA tries, fails to crack Apple encryption I

n recent years, Apple has suffered intrusions into its services such as Apple Pay, the Safari Browser and iCloud, which have asked embarrassing questions of the Cupertino-based company’s security.

Emerging reports that the might and power of the CIA was unable to crack the security features in the iPhone and iPad, will be a welcome boost to Apple’s security cred.

It appears CIA researchers attempted to hack iPhone security features by creating a variant of XCode, Apple's software application development tool, which would allow

Tech BYTE

"S

S

and foreign "secure communications products”, which include some Google IncAndroid phones.

Since the first leaks of

government researchers.

The problem was not limited to Apple products or the

Selfie stick bans at major tourist attractions

elfie sticks" have now been banned at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris and Britain's National Gallery in London, joining a growing list of global tourist attractions to take such measures.

The devices are used to improve snapshots, but critics say they are obnoxious and potentially dangerous.

Officials of the Paris and London institutions announced the bans Wednesday, saying they need to protect artworks and other visitors.

Some British football clubs have already banned the gizmo from their stadiums.

Football stadiums in Brazil have also banned selfie sticks because of their potential use as weapons in fights between rival fans, police say. Selfie sticks were also banned from Brazil's recent carnival parades in Rio de Janeiro.

Rome's Coliseum banned selfie sticks last month as a security measure, both for the objects on exhibit inside and for the 16,000 daily visitors to the 2,000-year-old monument.

In Austria, Vienna's

Tech BYTE

the government to tap into the App Store programs.

The attempts were described in secret US government documents provided, by ex-NSA contractor and whistle-blower Edward Snowden, to The Intercept website and cited by Reuters.

The latest documents run from 2006 to 2013 and state the CIA was trying to hack Apple Inc. devices a whole year before the iPhone launched.

Attempts continued all the way through the launch of the iPad and beyond. The report, however, provides no indication of the success or failure of the operation undertaken by

Albertina Museum,one of the city's top art museums, prohibits selfie sticks.

Museum officials say the devices must be checked in before entering the institute.

The Smithsonian museums in Washington banned selfie sticks last week.

Cameras and pictures are still allowed, but selfie sticks, tripods and monopods are not. Smithsonian officials say this is a pre-

ventative measure to protect visitors and museum objects.

Other places in the US to ban the device include the Met Museum, New York’s Museum of Modern Art, The Art Institute of Chicago and the Detroit Institute of Art. Many other places around the world have already banned selfie sticks, citing similar concerns and measures.

US Government. British intelligence agencies provided help in hacking both domestic

Facebook finally boots body-shaming emoticon

Tech news

I

n an online posting, Facebook stated it was removing the "feeling fat" option from the status updates list, given users' strong and negative feedback on how the option could reinforce mutative body images, especially for those with eating disorders.

"We'll continue to listen to feedback as we think about ways to help people express themselves on Facebook," stated the social media company on the Change.org page where Facebook users had created an online petition against the "fat" emoticon.

Facebook's decision to remove the status was loudly applauded by users

and petitioners.

The social network giant had barely uploaded the new status option when feedback and backlash hit hard and fast.

Endangered Bodies initiated a campaign shortly after the emoticon's appearance, and the Change.

T

witter Inc. added new rules Wednesday prohibiting users from posting revenge porn - intimate images or footage uploaded without the consent of the person featured - on its social network as well as “doxxing,” the practice of posting information that personally identifies users without their consent.

According to The Guardian, the move comes

after CEO D i c k Costolo recently admitted that Twitter “sucks” when comes to tack-

org petition drew nearly 20,000 supporters.

Facebook initially defended its new status icon; the furore, however, didn't die down, as Facebook's response appeared to ignite even greater public outcry over the emoticon.(Tech Times)

Twitter bans revenge porn, ‘doxxing’

Tech news

Before they were stars: Smartwatches in pop culture

ince it was officially unveiled last fall, Apple has been answering critics arguing the iPhone maker is pushing out a brand new product category with its smart Apple Watch when there is little to no demand for such a device.

Nevertheless, based on even just a few examples in television and film, it looks like we've all wanted to talk into our wrists for de- The lovable patriarch of “The Flintstones” was light years ahead of his time cades.

From the stone ages of has been a surprising yet zdnet.com/pictures/beforeThe Flintstones to the fu- underlying constant in pop they-were-stars-the-smartturistic sky cities of The culture. watch-in-pop-culture/11/ Jetsons, the smartwatch Check out http://www. for more of the list.

NSA / GCHQ spying activities, in 2013, both Apple and Google have moved swiftly to strengthen encryption methods.(Source: Tech News)

it

ling online trolls.

In the ongoing fight against online trolls, Twitter had said it would fight harassment and abuse of its users in August, and adjusted its rules in December and January

to that effect. The move comes less than a month after Reddit initiated a similar policy.

Only the subjects of revenge porn images or videos posted to Twitter will be

a b l e to report it, and users who violate the new revenge porn rules will have their accounts locked unless they delete the offending information. Those who repeatedly post such material will see their accounts suspended.

In England and Wales, new government legislation, introduced February this year, made the posting of revenge porn images a criminal offence. Anyone found guilty of distributing intimate images of a person, without their consent, now faces up to two years in prison.

18 Times Sunday Magazine

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March 15, 2015

Times Home & Cooking

Recipe of the Week

Poulet Yassa (Chicken Yassa) Feng Shui (FUNG-SHWEE) is an ancient Chinese art and science that literally means “wind” (feng) and “water” (shui) - natural elements associated with good health. Simply put, feng shui strives to ensure good health and good fortune in your home or office, and life in general.

Ingredients 1⁄2 cup peanut oil (or any cooking oil) 1 chicken, cut into servingsized pieces 4 -6 onions, cut up 8 tbsps lemon juice 8 tbsps cider vinegar (or other vinegar) 1 bay leaf 4 cloves minced garlic 2 tbsps Dijon mustard (optional)

1 tbsp chicken cubes and water or soy sauce) (optional) 1 chilli pepper, cleaned and finely chopped (optional) Cayenne pepper or red pepper Black pepper Salt 1 small cabbage, cut into chunks (optional) 2 carrots cut into chunks (optional)

METHOD Sauté chicken for a few minutes on each side, in hot oil in a frying pan While chicken is browning: Remove onions from marinade and sauté them in a large saucepan for a few minutes.

Add remaining marinade and the optional vegetables and bring to a slow boil, cooking the marinade into a sauce.

Reduce heat.

Add chicken to the sauce, cover and simmer until chicken is done.

Serve with rice, couscous or fufu (Serves 4-6)

A clutter-free environment is essential for harmony. Feng shui avoids clutter since it not only invites failure but also creates wasted time and energy cleaning it up.

Basic feng shui places the feng shui elements of wood and water in the southeast area of your house for more prosperity, and plants or pieces of wood furniture in the eastern area for good health

Feng shui is especially relevant to three main areas in the home: bedroom, bathroom and kitchen; they are considered closely connected to your health

GREATEST KITCHEN TIPS

U

se a gentle touch when shaping ground beef patties. Over handling will result in a firm, compact texture after cooking. Don't press or flatten with spatula during cooking.

When you deep-fry, hold each piece of food with long tongs as you add it to the oil. Hold it just below the oil's surface for five seconds before releasing it. This will seal the exterior and stop it from sticking to the pot or the other food.

For best results when you're baking, leave butter and eggs at room temperature overnight.

S

Good quality air and good quality light are essential for good feng shui energy (Chi) in your home. Include air-purifying plants and allow as much natural light as possible into your home

HOME HELP

pray your plastic ware with non-stick cooking spray before pouring in tomato-based sauces for no more stains.

To remove marks left by wet glasses on wood furniture, mix equal parts vinegar and olive oil and apply it with a soft cloth while moving with the wood grain. Use another clean, soft cloth to shine it.

Using clean foam meat trays between each plate of fine china when stacking for storage will help prevent scratches.

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March 15, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine19

Family Times

STORY TIME

PARENTING

Teaching your child about advertisements

A

dvertisements are everywhere in our connected world today: on television, the internet, in magazines, movies and newspapers, to name a few.

According to research done by parentfurther.com, half of all advertising for children and teens is for food, of which, 34 per cent is for candy or snacks.

In fact, of the 8,854 food ads targeting children that were reviewed for the website’s report, none were for fruits and vegetables - an advertising strategy that can create a public health crisis in many countries.

The goal is to get your child in the habit of thinking about what he is asking for rather than immediately demanding what he

sees. This is no easy task.

However, there is good news: breaking the habit of "needing" something right away gets easier as children age.

For very young children, the American Psychological Association suggests keeping them away from watching ads as much as possible.

To help your growing

child understand the underlying messages she may be picking up from ads, PBS suggests when watching TV with your child, question the commercials.

Get your child in the habit of questioning advertisements.

Later, have your child think about the economic incentives behind ads.

Foster scepticism of advertising, especially new forms on the Web. Point out when an advertising message is unrealistic or promotes a stereotype: What is the company not telling us? Do you know anyone who looks like that or lives like that?

When you see an ad that cultivates the fear of being unattractive, or the fear of seeming uncool, call it out.

Discuss how the ad sponsor preys on viewers' insecurity. Talk to your teen about how ads try to sell an emotion or a lifestyle.

As pervasive as advertising is, you can take the steps to cut back its role in your child's life.

Reflections A fool I was to sleep at noon, And wake when night is chilly Beneath the comfortless cold moon; A fool to pluck my rose too soon, A fool to snap my lily.

My garden-plot I have not kept;

Faded and all-forsaken, I weep as I have never wept: Oh it was summer when I slept, It's winter now I waken.

Talk what you please of future spring And sun-warm'd sweet

to-morrow: Stripp'd bare of hope and everything, No more to laugh, no more to sing, I sit alone with sorrow.

Christina Georgina Rossetti

The Wooden Doll he wooden doll had no peace. My dears, if ever you are a doll, hope to be a rag doll, or a wax doll, or a doll full of sawdust apt to ooze out, or a china doll easy to break— anything in the world rather than a good strong wooden doll with a painted head and movable joints, for that is indeed a sad thing to be.

Many a time the poor wooden doll wished it were a tin train, or a box of soldiers, or a woolly lamb, o r anything on earth rather than what it was. It never had any peace; it was taken up and put down at all manners of odd moments, made to go to bed when the children went to bed, to get up when they got up, be bathed when they were bathed, dressed when they were dressed, taken out in all weathers, stuffed into their satchels when they went to school, left about in corners, dropped on stairs, forgotten, neglected, bumped, banged, broken, glued together,— anything and everything it

suffered, until many a time it said sadly enough to its poor little self, "I might as well be a human being at once and be done with it!"

And then it fell to thinking about human beings; what strange creatures they were, always going about, though none carried them save when they were very little; always sleeping and waking, and eating and drinking, and laughing and crying, a n d talking and walking, and doing this a n d that and the other, never resting for long together, or seeming as if they could be still for even a single day.

"They are always making a noise," thought the wooden doll; "they are always talking and walking about, always moving things and doing things, building up and pulling down, and making and unmaking for ever and for ever, and never are they quiet. It is lucky that we are not all human beings, or the world would be worn out in no time, and there would not be a corner left in which to rest a poor doll's head."

There are onalosis in which the substituted letters, when read in order, spell a new word: PINE: MINE-PANE-PILE-PINT spell MALT. An onalosi can also use

the same letter in every position: GOAD: LOAD-GLADGOLD-GOAL. (Using the letter L only) Can you find other isolano and onalosi examples?

See page 23 for a few

By Mrs W. K. Clifford

T

By Grammar G

Finding Isolano and Onalosi

JOKES

D

id You Hear?

DID YOU HEAR about the judge who demanded order in the court?

The defendant asked for a hamburger on a roll with mustard, and a drink as well.

DID YOU HEAR about the absentminded professor?

He poured ketchup on his shoelaces and tied knots in his spaghetti.

T

wo friends were fishing. For three hours, no one moved or said anything.

Then one of them shifted his foot a couple of times.

His friend got furious. “That’s the second time you’ve moved your foot in 20 minutes. Did you come here to fish or to dance?”

J

ames and Josh decided to explore the hills on a two-seater bicycle. As they reached the first hill, the going got hard, especially for Josh at the back. At last, they reached the top.

Short of breath and perspiring, Josh said, “That was tough! But we finally made it!”

“Yes,” said James. “Luckily, I had my hand on the brake. Otherwise we would have rolled all the way down!”

T

wo mountain climbers had reached the end of their exhausting climb. At the point of collapse, they made it to the top!

“It almost cost us our lives to climb this mountain,” the first climber gasped, “but just to plant our country’s flag on the top here is worth it. Our people will be proud; this is the proudest moment ever in my life! Please hand me the flag.”

The second mountain climber stared at him in surprise. “I thought you had it!?”

Who got lost and why are we looking for them, you ask? No, isolano and onalosi aren’t persons; they are in fact, word terms.

An isolano is a word that cannot possibly be transformed into another word by changing one of its letters. An onalosi is a word in which every letter can be changed, one at a time, to make a new word.

The word ecru cannot transform into another word so is considered an isolano the shortest isolano in fact.

Emu can be considered the shortest isolano if you don’t accept acronyms. If you do (and most do) then emu can become EMT or it can be changed to eau, which is not a stand-alone English word but is used in English phrases - if you want to accept that too.

On the other hand, one of the longest known onalosis (plural of onalosi) is pasters.

For example: PASTERS: MASTERS -POSTERSPATTERS-PASSERSPASTORS-PASTELSPASTERN…

20 Times Sunday Magazine

March 15, 2015

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Times Sunday Puzzle

In this teaser you are required to find a word relating to mathematics hiding in consecutive letters within each sentence. Example: "They knew that they had done the wrong thing."

Answer: ADD located in: "...hAD Done..."

Try these: 1. The governor gave the budget a cut everywhere possible.

2. It is rumoured that Capri men often marry Naples women.

3. He drove his new Mustang entirely too recklessly.

4. Groucho and Harpo were two of the Marx brothers. see solution on page 23

see solution on page 23

see solution on page 23

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March 15, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine 21

Times Kids

Creature Corner

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 digits 1 through 9.

please see solution on page 23

Tinamou T

he Tinamou (order Tinamiformes) is a brown-coloured ground dwelling bird that lives almost throughout Central and South American grasslands and forests, well camouflaged among vegetation or grasses.

With the exception of members of the forest-dwelling genus Tinamus, which roost in trees, Tinamous even sleep on the ground at night.

Although they can fly, albeit clumsily and in short sprints, they are swift. The savannah species of Tinamous can walk rapidly and run swiftly, though they tend to escape notice by remaining motionless, sometimes even feigning death. They also hide in animal burrows.

Tinamous eat seasonally and according to habitat - small animals and insects or seeds, berries, fruits and roots.

Their eggs (inset) are considered among the most beautiful birds’ eggs in the world.

Glossy and with colours that include dark bluish green, purple, chocolate brown, light yellowish green and even red, it is suggested that since its colours are easily visible on the ground, it forces the male Tinamou to sit on the eggs to hide them, allowing the female to seek more mates and lay more eggs.

Math Moves

1

SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 23

Elegant Crested Tinamou (Eudromia elegans)

3

2

Colouring Fun

Help the astronaut get back to his spaceship

22 Times Sunday Magazine

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March 15, 2015

World of Wonder

FIRST LADIES OF THE WHITE HOUSE EXPLORING THE REALMS OF HISTORY, SCIENCE, NATURE AND TECHNOLOGY

By Laurie Triefeldt

PART TWO OF FOUR — COLLECT ALL FOUR AND MAKE A GIANT POSTER

Cut and attach to Part One

Pantry versus politics

Behind the scenes There is an old saying that behind every good man is a great woman. These words are especially true when looking at the contributions of first ladies through history. Not all first ladies enjoyed public life, and not every first lady was good at the job. They didn’t always agree with their husbands’ views, but all were unflinchingly loyal and supportive of their husbands’ political careers. Some focused entirely on making their husband comfortable and happy. Others worked to help the president master political skills such as public speaking. And some first ladies encouraged success by organizing and hosting important political meetings.

A great first lady must maintain and balance a public image of homemaker, hostess and queen. Every first lady has come under the scrutiny of the public. Is she pretty, entertaining, stylish? Is she smart, generous, caring? Or is she extravagant and out of touch with the people? The popularity of a first lady can be decided by the answers to these questions.

Mary Todd Lincoln (1818-1882) Wife of Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States from 1861 to 1865. A welleducated woman, Mary was a huge supporter of her husband's political career. While in the White House, she was outspoken and tended to spend lavishly. Disliked by many, Mary has gone down in history as one of the most unpopular first ladies. After her husband’s assassination, Mary became so depressed that her son had her committed to an insane asylum. Mary eventually regained control over her property after a court found her to be of sound mind. Historians continue to debate the character of this fascinating woman.

Mary Todd Lincoln

Lucy Ware Webb Hayes (1831-1889) Wife of Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th president of the United States from 1877 to 1881. During the Civil War, she was given the nickname “Mother Lucy” because she was so often seen caring for and comforting soldiers under her husband’s command. Despite banning liquor at White House functions, which earned her the nickname “Lemonade Lucy,” Mrs. Hayes was a popular first lady, known for her sense of humor and graciousness.

Dying young Three first ladies died in the White House: Letitia Tyler, Caroline Harrison and Ellen Wilson.

Edith Wilson

Edith Bolling Galt Wilson (1872-1961) Second wife of Woodrow Wilson, 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. Edith is sometimes called “the secret president” because she took over many duties and details of government after the president suffered a serious stroke.

Letitia Tyler (1790-1842) was the first wife of John Tyler, the 10th president of the United States from 1841 to 1845. Letitia was a quiet woman who enjoyed looking after the family home and raising her children. In 1839, she suffered a stroke that left her partially paralyzed. She died one year after her husband became president, the first of three first ladies to die in the White House.

Two years later, John married 24-year-old Julia Gardiner.

Grace Anna Goodhue Coolidge (1879-1957) Wife of Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. A very popular White House hostess, Grace was celebrated for her beauty, style and charm, but also for her work with many charitable causes. She worked closely with the Clarke Institute for the Deaf, the Red Cross and the Visiting Nurse Association. In 1931, she was voted one of America’s 12 greatest living women.

Lucy Hayes

Caroline Scott Harrison (1832-1892) was the wife of Benjamin Harrison, 23rd president of the United States from 1889 to 1893. Caroline is noted for her White House renovations, charitable works and for helping to found a service organization called the Daughters of the American Revolution. She died of tuberculosis. Harrison remarried after his presidential term, in 1896.

Ellen Wilson (1860-1914) was the first wife of Woodrow Wilson, 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. In the White House for just one year, she managed to plan her daughter’s wedding before succumbing to a kidney disorder called Bright’s Disease.

Eliza Johnson 1810-1876

SOURCES: World Book Encyclopedia, World Book Inc.; www.whitehouse.gov; National Museum of American History; www.history,com; www.firstladies. org/biographies; http://ourwhitehouse.org; www.whitehousehistory.org Trim here and attach to Part Three

Frances Folsom Cleveland 1864-1947

Wife of Andrew Johnson, 17th Wife of Grover Cleveland, 23rd president of the United States and 25th president of the United from 1865 to 1869. Eliza is credStates (1886-1889 and 1893ited with guiding her husband’s 1897). When Frances married, early political career and helping she was just 21, the youngest first him to master the art of public lady in history and the only first speaking. She also had a head lady to be married in the White for numbers and ran the family fi- House. Francis was celebrated for nances while managing the details her beauty and style, but she also of her household. championed the working class.

Ida Saxton McKinley 1847-1907 Wife of William McKinley, 25th president of the United States from 1897 to 1901. A fact unknown to the country at the time, Ida was plagued by ill health, prone to fainting spells and seizures.

Her husband was assassinated in 1901.

© 2015 Triefeldt Studios, Inc. Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

Like us on Facebook — www.facebook.com/worldofwonder2014

Grace Coolidge

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Times Sunday Magazine 23

World Times

Fukushima town to remove pro-nuclear signs

The Philonoist

O

Q: How did we get those symbols we use on our computers?

Some of the symbols we use on the computer originated from earlier times - even before the time of typewriters - to help make writing and communicating quicker.

While we all know of email addresses using the @ (“at”) sign, this symbol was commonly used in accounting as an abbreviation (2 pens @ $2 each= $4). It is thought to have originated from French à meaning “at”/ “each”. However, it is also claimed to originate from Latin ad meaning “at”, toward” or “by”.

The * symbol, known as asterisk, comes from Latin astrum meaning “star”. Its spelling is sometimes confused with Asterix, the French character of “Obelix and Asterix” fame. It is thought that the asterisk was created when printers who had to print family trees in medieval times needed to indicate a date of birth.

The ampersand (&) is used to substitute for “and” and has been used since Roman times. It was formed by joining the letters in et, which is Latin for “and”.

During the 19th century it was considered the 27th letter of our alphabet.

The # symbol was not always the hashtag symbol as we know it now - though the symbol was known as “hash” among computer programmers. It was more commonly known as the sign for lb (libra pondo“pound by weight” (and the abbreviation for Libra) in Latin). In Britain it became known as the number sign to avoid confusion with the pound currency symbol. It is also known differently in chess, scripting languages in operating systems, at the British Post Office and British Telecoms, and in Japan and Malaysia.

1

ne of the towns evacuated after the Japan 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis has decided to remove street signs trumpeting the benefits of atomic power, an official said Tuesday.

The deserted town of Futaba, one of the two that host the crippled Fukushima No. 1 plant, is set to earmark cash to remove huge signboards erected in 1988 and 1991, the official said.

“Nuclear power: the energy for a bright future,” says one sign written in the style of a haiku at the town’s entrance. “Nuclear power: for development of our homeland, a prosperous future,” reads the other.

Futaba’s 6,300 residents were ordered to flee their homes soon after the crisis erupted.

They are still unable to return because of fears over the radiation that leaked from the plant, and many remain in poorly constructed temporary homes.

The nuclear disaster is not officially

recorded as having directly killed anyone, although 90,000 people remain displaced because of the no-go zone around the plant.

Scientists warn that it may be many years until it is safe to return and say

that some areas may have to be abandoned forever.

Unemployment is high in the displaced communities and support groups say levels of depression and other illness are far above normal. (Japan Times)

Zuma: Send teen mums to Robben Island

P

resident Jacob Zuma of South Africa reiterated his view Tuesday that teenage mothers should be separated from their babies until they have completed their schooling.

He first stated his controversial view in 2009, causing widespread offence.

They must be taken and be forced to go to school, far away,” he said, during an address in Parliament, in his response to a debate on his address to traditional leaders.

“They must be educated by government until they are empowered and they can take care of their kids, take them to Robben Island or any other island, sit there, study until they are qualified to come back and work to look after their kids.”

Zuma acknowledged that when he first expressed the view during his 2009 election campaign, it stirred controversy and was likely to do so again. But he

President Jacob Zuma of South Africa

said allowing teenage mothers to leave school was proving an untenable burden on society and the state’s welfare bill.

He said by forcing teenage mothers to complete school before they were reunited with their babies, society would be correcting a trend of grandparents “using what is supposed to be their pension” to raise the children in question.

“We make you take care of your kid so that we don’t have to give a grant, and that is my view. So we need to take a decision about it. It is crucial in my view and I am sure if we work together we can do something.”

He added: “The reality is you have got kids with kids. They don’t know how to grow a child, how to look after them. They have become a burden to grandmothers, to society. So why should we just sit and look?”

He also suggested that welfare grants should not be paid in cash but in vouchers to prevent parents from misspending them.

“Should we give the money or should we have vouchers that are very specific, either to buy food or uniforms for the school or to pay for the schools – so that the money will not be used for anything except the needs of the child,” he said.

(Excerpt: Mail & Guardian South Africa)

Hunger hits south Madagascar

Math Moves solution 2

An old sign stating 'Nuclear power: the energy for a bright future' stands over a street in the town of Futaba in 2014, near the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant

3

Many in the south of Madagascar ‘going hungry’ because of drought

Brain Teaser Answer 1. ACUTE (A CUT Everywhere) 2. PRIME (CaPRI MEn) 3. TANGENT (MusTANG ENTirely) 4. POWER (HarPO WERe)

Answers to Wordplay As acronyms go, EPI is considered an isolano, with no possible substitutions.

Onalosi: SHORE: CHORE-> SNORE-> SHARE-> SHOVE-> SHORT Onalosi: TEAM: REAM->TRAM->TERM->TEAR (Using just the letter R)

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

KID SUDOKU

I

n villages across the southern part of Madagascar, the world’s fourth biggest island, drought has ravaged last season’s crops. People are famished and children are wasting away.

The UN World Food Program (WFP) rations currently are keeping some 120,000 people alive in the wake of the October-through- February drought that destroyed the harvest in a country where one of every two toddlers less than three years old suffer retarded growth due to inadequate diets.

While the WFP sees the latest drought as causing acute food insecurity rather than famine, the villagers themselves say they are wasting away.

So far, at least 16 children are dead.

Raharisoa, a terrifyingly thin woman of 25, sits on the ground. Her twoyear-old daughter died of hunger in

December. “We couldn’t look after our child,” she sighs. “Because of the famine, the adults are weak and cannot take care of the little ones.”

“In December, four children died in our village because of the famine,” said Masy, a healthcare worker in Berano.

In the neighbouring village of Imongy, Marc Andriakotonindrina, the head of the area’s health centre, says a dozen children died of hunger in December, according to information collected by local health-workers.

“These children showed no sign of sickness, they simply lost weight bit by bit until their demise,” he said.

The government says 200,000 to 350,000 people are suffering from hunger in the low-income nation of 22 million people, which is ranked 155th of 187 countries on the UNDP’s Human Development Index. (Kuwait Times)

24

Times Sunday Magazine

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March 15, 2015

Fun Times

Archie

ARIES

Don’t let your emotions (March 21- run your life. You’ll only make April 19) matters worse if you cause a fuss or refuse to compromise.

Listen and be a team player for the best results.

Take time to rest and reTAURUS lax, and to enjoy the ones you (April 20love.

You’ll be surprised at May 20) how much a little time off will contribute to your success when you get back to work.

GEMINI Don’t get involved in a (May 21- moneymaking scheme. Joint June 20) ventures are not likely to pay off and will leave you in a dire financial situation.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Dilbert

Your feelings will be difficult to conceal. Develop an open relationship with someone you care about and discuss the changes that could help you feel better about your current situation.

Work hard at meeting a LEO (July 23- personal goal if you want to Aug. 22) feel good about yourself and your accomplishments. A meeting will be more entertaining than you anticipate.

Romance is highlighted.

VIRGO Social events will be inter(Aug. 23- esting and exciting. Someone Sept. 22) will make an offer that’s worth considering. Find out all you can before you decide to commit.

LIBRA Changes regarding your (Sept. 23- relationships with others will Oct. 23) surface. Don’t be too impulsive or agree to go along with the alterations if you have any doubts. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Peanuts

Consider going on or planSCORPIO ning for a trip. Cultural or (Oct. 24Nov. 22) creative events will inspire you to try something different. An alteration to the way you currently live will suit you.

A change to your personal SAGITTARIUS or professional direction will (Nov. 23boost your ego and enthusiDec. 21) asm. Don’t limit what you can do just because someone is jealous or doesn’t approve of your choices.

Calvin and Hobbes

CAPRICORN Don’t let confusion dominate (Dec. 22- your reasoning. Realistically Jan. 19) look at whatever you face before you make a move. You will have to counter someone’s attempt to derail your plans. Proceed with caution.

AQUARIUS Be discreet. Preparation is (Jan. 20- a must before presenting your Feb. 19) plans. The impact you have when you reveal what you are up to will bring positive results.

PISCES Use persuasive tactics to (Feb. 20- get others to support your efMarch 20) forts. The possibilities are endless if you are determined and dedicated to a cause you believe in.