Sunday
Times MAY 11, 2014
Star Times Hollywood:
Hugh Jackman treated for skin cancer again See story on page 12
Magazine
Iconic artist Bernadette Persaud showcases celebrated work Page 21
Carahaa Landing camp Page 23
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2 Times Sunday Magazine
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MAY 11, 2014
Times Feature
The Merritone family aims to share their passion for their cultural heritage through music ships. In 2000, Lachmin had to take over the mantle of “spreading God's name” through the Kirtan group. According to Lachmin, every member of her extended family partakes in singing, playing the keyboard, harmonium, and electric drumming. When asked if anyone was formally trained in the field, Lachmin disclosed that their talents were inherited. However, her grandson did attend a few music classes, but it is his inherent talent that helped him to succeed in the field.
By Indrawattie Natram
I
f one is visiting the Essequibo Coast for the first time and is inquiring about a group or a family that promotes Hindu religion through music, one would undoubtedly be introduced to the Merritone family at Reliance Village on the Essequibo Coast. ‘Merritone’ has become a household name on the Essequibo Coast. The family, popularly known as the Nateram's from Reliance, is a five-person, family-oriented band that plays for religious functions and satsangs. Founder of the group, Lachmin Nateram, 66, of Reliance told Guyana Times Sunday Magazine that because of the family’s love for music and encouraging words from their Indian ancestors, they are proud today to offer their time and works throughout the Essequibo
singers, and Ravindra Nateram is a dholak player. Having a love and passion for music propelled Lachmin to continue to carry on her father’s legacy. The group has played not only on the Essequibo Coast, Wakenaam, but had the opportunity to play for persons on East Bank and East Coast. Lachmin revealed due to the expansion of their schedule, they purchased a bus to assist in moving around. The grandmother said it is her fervent wish for her grandchildren to also carry
The members of the Merritone group playing at a religious function
Coast. Lachmin Nateram, who is proudly married to Nateram, said that she enjoys the bond her family shares. She
said that the group was inherited by her brothers, the late Seepersaud, Vishnu Persaud and small sister Tajwattie Persaud, and
One of Lachmin's granddaughters, Mohini, singing at a function
parents. She noted her father was a pandit, the late Chandricka Persaud of Land of Plenty. After she tied the knot with her husband in 1964, her journey in singing and playing musical instrument began. Lachmin mentioned that her grandfather inherited the knowledge of playing musical instrument from his parents, indentured servants who came from India to Guyana on the
Her youngest grandson, Ravin Nateram, started playing the keyboard at a tender age. When he played, Lachmin noted, he attracted the attention of many who were amazed at his ability. She said that her grandson is “blessed with music in his hands” as he plays the instruments boldly. Lachmin’s other grandchildren, Mohini and Kaywattie Nateram, are
on the family’s musical heritage. “Music was inherited from generation to generation. The playing of music is a tradition practiced by the Nateram family for many years. Although we have our own trucking business, the family commits their time in preserving as well as promoting the Indian culture via our music,” Lachmin declared.
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May 11, 2014
Times Sunday Magazine
3
Times Focus
INSIDE By Dmitri Allicock
A
picture may paint a thousand words but ads written from over a century ago lend a kind of majesty to that vintage age of early Guyana and capture so well the essence and that flavour of passing time. For the travellers of British Guiana in the late 1800s and early 1900s these historical hotel advertisements served the practical purposes for lodging and comfort away from home. Hotels would have provided basic accommodation, a room with bed, a cupboard, a small table, washstand and cutting edge technology of electrical lighting plus furnishing like a billiard table, drawing and stylish dining room for passengers arriving by steamer.
Male guests of that Victorian period of etiquette and fashion had various forms of facial hair, dressed in tailcoat, trouser, waistcoat, bow tie and shirt with winged collar carrying walking canes and pipe for tobacco. Women’s outfits were characterised by high collars, ankle length dresses extremely tight around the corseted torso and the waist, wearing wide-brimmed hats, covered with elaborate creations of silk flowers, ribbons, exotic plumes and sheltered by glamorous parasols of elegancy. For passengers arriving by steamers, public transportation would have included British Guiana railways, steamships, horse and carriages plus the tramways of Georgetown. On the 27 December 1878, Paris
The White House Hotel ad 1880
El Dorado Hotel, British Guiana (n.d.)
Upholding traditions despite Pg 5 challenges
Star of the Week Private Board and Lodging House, British Guiana (n.d.)
Britton, one of the hotel industry pioneers and owner of the hotel The White House, died at his residence Strand, New Amsterdam, after a lingering illness at age 90 yrs regretted by a large group of friends and relatives - The Colonist BMDS 1879. “Anthony Trollope, in his amusing book, ‘The West Indies and The Spanish Main’, said that in ‘New Amsterdam three people make a crowd’. Old Paris Britton house, at which the novelist stayed, and at which he called the best hotel in the West Indies, has long been pulled down. It is certainly, especially of the late years, a rather sleepy place” - Henry Kirke 1890s. Famous teacher and composer of national songs of Guyana, Valerie Rodway (1919-1970) linage can be traced back to the original owner. Rodway’s mother, Jane Elizabeth (nee Fraser), was born in Corentyne, Berbice, and a descendant of Parris Britton, a Barbadian immigrant who came to Berbice circa 1816, just after the colonies of Berbice and Demerara were finally ceded to the British by the Dutch. He was a leather worker – the maker of saddles, harnesses, stirrups, and other accoutrement required for the horses and mules that dominated the transportation system of sugar estates in British Guiana. He became a successful proprietor of estates, livery stables, a race course and the first owner of the Strand Hotel in New Amsterdam called The White House in 1880. The Demerara Ice House ad of 1909 reveals perhaps the best known building in Guyana and a piece of living history. The Demerara Ice House or the now Demico House, situated at the junction of Water Street and Brickdam, was originally owned for 50 years by Messrs. Birch & Company and Charles J. Macquarrie. It was bought in 1896 by the four sons of Jose Gomes D’Aguiar, founder of the 1840 large family business and formed the D'Aguiar brothers’ partnership. The acronym of the Demerara Ice House, DIH, became the brand of the company and is still in existence today with international recognition. The DIH had several connotations, D’Aguiar Imperial House and also D’Aguiar Industries and Holdings being prime examples. The building, which contained a hotel, soft drink plant and liquor bars, got its name from holding ice imported by schooner from Canada and the US. The age of ice and re-
Pg 7
Fashion forward
frigeration for food preservation had not arrived as yet Pg 10 in British Guiana. Historical Advertisement not only peaks Court notices the curiosity but also tells a vivfor Shah Rukh, id story of histoAjay Devgn, ry. Egyptians used Sunil Shetty, Pg 14 papyrus to make sales messages Manoj Bajpai and wall posters. Commercial messages and political campaign displays have been found in the ruins of Pompeii and ancient Arabia. Lost and found advertising on papyPg 19 rus was common in ancient Greece and ancient Rome. Wall or rock paintThese eight newspaper cliping for commercial advertising were another mani- pings of more than 100 years ago festation of ancient advertising tell a tale of treasured history and form, which is present to this day cultural identification of that vinin many parts of Asia, Africa, and tage time of early Guyana, which South America, including Guyana, must not to be forgotten. (Reference: Guiana Genealogical a tradition of antiquity that dates British Society) back to thousands of years.
Fish Rain Down on Sri Lankan Village
The Tower Hotel ad 1909
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Times Sunday Magazine
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MAY 11, 2014
Times Feature
By Indrawattie Natram
M
others play an important role in nurturing their children and are instrumental in their successes. On this Mother’s Day we pay special homage to their diligent work and loving care. Guyana Times Sunday Magazine interviewed a few persons in the Essequibo area who expressed their appreciation for their mothers.
Aniyah Doodnauth, three years old, said, “I love my mommy, she's the best.” Doodnauth said her mother, Melissa Ramdhan, buys her ice cream and reads her rhymes before bed time and she loves her for that.
Doctor Towarie Seelochanie, of Aurora Village on the Essequibo Coast, described her mother Kalawattie Seelochanie as hardworking, patient and understanding. Towarie and her sisters Rea, Shoma and Luxo said their mother is the greatest and most inspirational person in their life. “Our mother taught us a lot of things and most importantly to be independent. We love her and no one can take her place.”
Kisan Persaud, a 19-year-old from Airy Hall Village on the Essequibo Coast, described his mother Kushwattie Persaud as “lovable”. Persaud is happy that his mother instilled religious values in him by setting the example. He adores his mother for fervently attending the temples and being a role model. He wishes her a great Mother's Day.
Kudos to a superwoman
Raubia Alli Layne, a five-yearold from Cotton Field, described her mother Faeeda Bacchus as the “most wonderful person”. Layne said her mother gives her the best and provides for her daily. Layne added that her mother ensures her lunch bag is packed and her clothes fit neatly before she goes to school. The five-year-old declared she loves her mother dearly and does not wish to be separated from her.
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uyana Times Sunday Magazine interviewed US-based Guyanese twins Patrick and Paul Haynes, who are popularly known for their philanthropy work locally via their non-profit organisation Haynes Foundation, on how instrumental their mother was in their successes. Paul, who has a Master’s of Science in Information Systems Engineering from New York University; a Bachelors of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from Vaughn College of Aeronautics; a Certificate in Project Management Professional from Villanova University; among others and hold numerous awards for his humanitarian efforts said that his mother, Camilla “Pat” Haynes, who is currently a nurse, hails from Ithaca Village, West Bank Berbice. She graduated from Berbice High School and worked at the Ministry of National Development as a Principal Personnel Officer before migrating to the United States. He described her as a “vibrant, assertive and dependable woman who believes in treating everyone fairly and has an unbiased approach to problem resolution. As a mild mannered and humble person, she is often a source for guidance in any subject matter”. Patrick, who has a Master’s of Science in Information Systems Engineering from New York University; a Bachelors of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from Vaughn College of Aeronautics; a Certificate in Project Management Professional and Lean Sigma; ITIL Expert Certified; Certificate in International Sports Marketing from Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada; FIBA Academy Manager Certified in Geneva, Switzerland; among others and hold numerous awards for his humanitarian efforts described his mother as strong spirited with a wealth of knowledge on a variety of life experiences, which she engrained in him and his brother, Paul. According to Paul, who has a family of his own (wife Dr Stacy Haynes and two children), his mother taught him that persistence overcomes resistance. “The more focused you are on your goals. She taught me to have goals and not dreams. As goals are dreams with targeted deadlines. She would often say, ‘I am sorry to tell you that dreams don’t come true. Rather, it is your goals that can forever change your
From left are Paul, Camilla and Patrick
life. You need to set goals in order turn your dreams into reality.’ She also instilled the importance of being financially prudent and the importance of providing for my family. These values I have passed on to my children,” Paul and Patrick expressed. (Patrick is married to Vondra Haynes, RN, and has two children.) Both Paul and Patrick recalled as children their mother’s daily advice, “Let your school books be your girl friend. Once you have an education the world is at your hand.” They credit her for their successes and being a disciplinarian who has a strong focus on rules and values. Her goals for them were to obtain a good education and to be successful at anything that they do. They are especially grateful for her sound advice on how to stay focus on their goals. Patrick noted that his mother is not only his “mom” but also a best friend because he can depend on her at any time for support and advice. One of her most endearing qualities, Paul and Patrick pointed out, is that she is a great cook. “She is a great cook and makes a mean black pudding. She is known as the ‘black pudding queen’; you haven’t had black pudding until you tasted mom’s black pudding. For this Mother’s Day we’re going to take her to Atlantic City for a special dinner just to reflect on the past and embrace the future. Receiving flower plants is always a welcome to her as she has a green thumb,” Paul and Patrick declared.
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MAY 11, 2014
Times Sunday Magazine 5
Times Women
By Indrawattie Natram
W
hen our ancestors came from India in the two ships, Whitby and Hesperus, they brought with them traditions, which we inherited. Today, many of us proudly preserve our culture inherited from our fore parents. One such person is Radica Deonandan of Golden Fleece Estate on the Essequibo Coast. Radica, lovingly called “grandmother” in her village, continues to practice the instilled values bestowed on her from her ancestors. Born in the beautiful religious community of Johanna Cecilia to parents Deokie Nandhan and Sahordra Nandhan, Deonandan spent almost all of her life in the temple. Still strong and determined, the 73-year-old continues to follow in the footsteps of her ancestors in promoting the Hindu religion. She continues to encourage young persons from her community to attend temples, encourage marry couples to live respectful life, and also she is a role model to all her grandchildren. Deonadan, a mother of six religious children, disclosed that persons would hurl words of disdain of her religious devotion. However, being taught by her parents and grandparents to always render her full devotion to the temple, Deonadan continues to be a devout Hindu. Being an active member of the temple since 1960, Deonadan posited she never regretted her life’s decisions. She said since she took the religious path her life has been positive. Additionally, she is proud of the similar path her children have taken. She said in 1960 the Golden Fleece Vishwa Jhotir mandir was basically board and mud, but is now a wonderful concrete structure. She reminisced she would hurriedly prepare her children for school and then rushed over to the temple to prepare in advance for Sunday puja (prayers) ser-
Radica offering early morning prayers in the Shiva mandir of the temple
Radica Deonandan
vices. Deonadan also offers her time to assist in various religious functions being held by families. Deonadan, who is the caretaker of the Golden Fleece Vishwa Jhotir mandir, pointed out that taking care of the temple has become a significant part of her life. “It doesn't have a day I don't visit that temple. When I’m not around I feel like if something is missing.” As a single parent, after her husband Babulall died, Deonadan managed to incorporate positive values in her children. She explained she worked feverishly in the backdams to cultivate her rice lands. The proud rice farmer said her hands were sometimes too "corned" (bruised) to do work, however she persevered because she wanted to give her children the best education, including religious education. This proud grandmother said that all her grandchildren are actively involved
in temple. Her grandson, Rovindra, is a drummer while her granddaughter, Talisha, is a Kirtan sing-
er. Deonadan mentioned it has become a custom for them to attend temple every Sunday and Friday night. The grandmother said that because she lives neighbouring to the temple, she is teaching her seven-yearold granddaughter to put on the temple lights and offer morning prayers.
During the interview, Deonadan noted that she was encouraged by her mother-in-law’s mother Golabi Babulall, who came on one of the ships from India, to always attend temples and to be actively involved. She recalled that Babulall always used to tell all her daughters-in-law to
The Golden Fleece Vishwa Jhotir Temple where Radica is the caretaker
continue the “India traditions”. Deonadan’s children, namely Sarajanie Madhoo, Parbattie Madhoo, Chintanmie Madho and Devanand Madho, are all executive members of temples where they live. Other than being an active member at her temple, Deonadan enjoys gardening, which is therapy for her. A normal day for Deonadan is spent cleaning the temple, spending time with her extended family, and counselling youths in the area. Her advice to youths is to always be optimistic. “The key is thinking positive. Many times young people are carried away with wrong things, which also dampen their spirit. My advice to them is to always think positive. I know it is not always easy but with prayers anything is possible. When things are not going your way or something very upsetting happens, it is all too easy to start feeling down about everything. However, positive thinking is a skill that can be learnt. Do good, live good and never indulge in the negative,” Deonadan encouraged.
6 Times Sunday Magazine
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MAY 11, 2014
Times Book World
The Shaping of Guyanese Literature
Young Adult Fiction By Petamber Persaud Part Two
E
xtract from an interview with Richard Scrimger, Georgetown, Guyana, March 2014. Scrimger is a Canadian prizewinning author who has published over a dozen books of young adult fiction - some were translated into various languages. He has also written three books for adults. PP: More often than not, we examine, we review, we discuss a book after the fact. Let’s do it the other way round. How do we go about writing a book? RS: I am glad that you asked that because I write books for a living so I know how the writing process goes. As you would remember from the workshop, [March 2014, Cara Lodge, Georgetown, Guyana, sponsored by the Burt Award for Caribbean Literature in association with CODE], the writing begins with an idea, with a moment that starts
A few of Richard Scrimger’s books
inside the writer when he or she decides to write about a particular subject....
PP: It must come from the writer? RS: Well, a publisher or
an editor can suggest a topic. That has happened to me – my Canadian publisher suggested that I write a picture book. I haven’t planned to write a picture book. But my publisher said you are a funny guy.... PP: [Laughs] I know... RS: You like that. Well, I said, is there any money in it. And she said, “I will give you some money if you write a picture book.” So I said now I will write a picture book... I couldn’t draw pictures but I could certainly write the text for the picture book. So I read a whole lot of picture books, added to those that I have already read to my children to see how it should look, to get the specs.... PP: How important is reading? RS: It is very important to know the product; you have to read the product to write the product. If you want to write thrillers, you should read thrillers; if you want to write a literary novel, you should read literary novels; if you want to write science fiction, you should read science fiction.... PP: Why should we read the specific writings? RS: Because you end up regurgitating, imitating the kind of stuff you read... PP: Which is not a bad thing – imitation? RS: Imitation is a good thing. All artists are imitators. Picasso studied the great masters before he became his artist; the Beatles studied earlier music groups – they studied ‘Muddy Waters’, they studied ‘Buddy Holiday’ – they wanted to sound like those guys before they developed their own sound, own style. So my whole life I’ve read. I’ve read from an early age because I wanted to be a writer and I ended up being influenced very much by the people that I’ve read.
PP: Name some of those writers, some of those books. RS: When I was seven years, when I started to read, my favourite books were the ‘Narnia’ series by C. S. Lewis, a British writer. When I was 15, my favourite books were adventure stories. Books by Alistair McLean, another British writer. I read Enid Blyton....
RS: Never mind. I also read ‘Lord of the Rings’ – a huge fan of ‘Lord of the Rings’. I read the classics like ‘Pride and Prejudices’ and books by Charles Dickens like ‘Bleak House’ and ‘Pickwick papers’. Those are some of my favourite books even now, books that influenced me. I went on to read detective stories, books by Raymond
Richard Scrimger
PP: All British writers. RS: Yes, now we’ve talked. But I read American writers too. When I started to read in the 1960s and 70s, I was unaware there were Caribbean writers and at that time there were not too many outstanding Canadian writers to read. So I read the bestselling books, I read the interesting books in my library, written by American or English because I was reading in English. So I read ‘Freddy, the pig’ by W. R. Brooks from upstate New York. I was a huge fan of ‘Freddy the pig’ series. PP: I must confess that ‘Freddy, the pig’ squeezed pass me.
Chandler and Dashiell Hammett – great American detective story writers. PP: I understand you could learn a lot from detective stories about building characters, building plot, building suspense, setting scene... RS: What I learnt from reading thrillers or mystery stories was the importance of action; the importance of a plot driven by things happening – bad things happening to people... (To be continued next week) Responses to this author, telephone: (592) 2260065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com
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MAY 11, 2014
Times Sunday Magazine 7
Times Feature
Helpful tips for young writers
Star of the week
N
ot everyone who writes for a living always enjoys writing. Writing can be a tedious and frustrating task: Staring at a blank screen, knowing what you want to write but being unable to call up the proper words. Canadian author Ann-Marie MacDonald says, “Writing is a hellish task, best snuck up on, whacked on the head, robbed, and left for dead.” Here is some great advice to make the writing process less “hellish”: 1. When you’re stuck, don’t keep staring at the screen. Take a break, and come back to it. 2. Write first; edit later. 3. Don’t bristle when another writer or editor corrects your work. Put your ego aside, analyze the feedback, and use it to improve your writing. 4. Read your work aloud. 5. Stop thinking in terms of how to draw people in. Today, your primary concern with your writing is not to drive people away. 6. “Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.” —Elmore Leonard 7. Writing informally is not dumbing down; it is writing so busy people can understand your content. 8. You can start a sentence with a conjunction. 9. Don’t be afraid to try new words. 10. Capitalizing certain words does not make them more important. 11. “Good writing consists of trying to use ordinary words to achieve extraordinary results.” —James Michener 12. Chose clear, active verbs instead of throwaway verbs, such as utilize, implement, leverage, and disseminate. 13. “The more you read, the less apt you are to make a fool of yourself with your pen or word processor.” —Stephen King 14. Outline. Outline. Outline. 15. “The fact is that writing is hard work, and sometimes you don’t want to do it, and you can’t think of what to write next, and you’re fed up with the whole damn business. Do you think plumbers don’t feel like that about their work from time to time? Of course there will be days when the stuff is not flowing freely. What you do then is MAKE IT UP.” —Philip Pullman (Source: www.prdaily.com)
Tiffany Megnath T
iffany Megnath is an ambitious 22-year-old, born in the US to Guyanese parents, who is relentlessly working towards being the next Miss World Guyana. She recently graduated with honours with a double major in Economics and Communications and Media Studies from Fordham University in New York. The beauty has her mind set on becoming a renowned corporate lawyer. Upon the success of her career, she hopes to open a pro bono law firm to cater to members of the Caribbean Community as she feels they are underrepresented in the legal field. Recently, Megnath was distinctively honoured by the Omicron Delta Epsilon Society at Fordham University. Omicron Delta Epsilon is an international honour society in economics. It is one of the world's largest academic honour societies and has more than 672 chapters located worldwide. Megnath credits most of her success to a solid Guyanese upbringing and foundation. Full of compassion, the Miss World Guyana 2014 contestant has also provided academic tutoring to refugees from all around the world through the Saturday Learning Service of the International Rescue Committee. Megnath firmly believes that when “features such as pulchritude, intelligence, wit, ambition and compassion culminate together, it is then that a woman realises her true beauty, both internally and externally”. Driven daily by her passion to succeed, this philanthropist seeks to help others on such a path. The Miss World Guyana pageant is set to take place on the day of Guyana's 48th independence celebrations - 26 May 2014. As a true patriot to her Guyanese heritage, Megnath has attended and participated in many of the Guyana’s Independence Day celebrations in New York, and was invited last year by the Guyana Tri-State Alliance to model and walk the runway in showcasing and celebrating several of Guyanese top designers - Michelle Cole, Roger Gary and Sonia Noel. Megnath is representing Region Nine, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo. For more information on Tiffany Megnath, visit Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo on Facebook.
8 Times Sunday Magazine
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MAY 11, 2014
Times Kids Page
Creature Corner
Galápagos Tortoises T
hese giants are the largest tortoises in the world. The biggest one ever recorded, measured across its shell, was five feet (1.5 meters) long and weighed about 550 pounds (249 kilograms). These tortoises can live to be 100 years old or older. The oldest known Galápagos tortoise lived to be 152. These slow-moving reptiles graze on grass, leaves, fruits, vines, cactuses, and other vegetation. Giant Galápagos tortoises are endangered. They live in the wild only in parts of the Galápagos Islands, a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean about 600 miles (966 kilometers) off the coast of Ecuador in South America. Approximately 3,000 to 5,000 of these animals still survive there. Up until the 19th century, they were often hunted by sailors who needed fresh meat to eat. Pirates, whale hunters, and merchant sailors made stops in the Galápagos to restock their supplies of food and water. They quickly added Galápagos tortoises to their diet because these giants can survive for a year without eating or drinking. This meant the sailors could keep the reptiles onboard on long journeys without having to care for them. More than 100,000 tortoises are thought to have been killed during that time. The ones that survive today are now protected by laws. The biggest threat to these tortoises now is animals that are not native to the Galápagos Islands. Galápagos tortoises are quiet, peaceful animals that sleep nearly 16 hours per day. Like all reptiles, they are cold-blooded, which means their body temperature stays about the same as the environment around them. They need the warmth of the sun to keep from freezing, so they are often seen out in the open, basking in the sunlight.
Did you know?
T
he scientific name of the giant Galápagos tortoise is Geochelone elephantophus. An adult giant Galápagos tortoise is generally about four feet (1.2 meters) long and weighs some 475 pounds (215 kilograms). There used to be 15 subspecies of Galápagos tortoises; now there are only 11. The different subspecies live in different habitats and have physical characteristics and behaviors shaped by where they live. The populations of Galápagos tortoises that live on the hotter and drier islands of the Galápagos have developed shells that are saddle-shaped with a high notch above the neck. This allows them to stretch their necks higher to reach vegetation that grows above the ground. The top shell of a tortoise is called the carapace. The shell that covers a tortoise's belly is called the plastron.
Colouring Fun 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 22
THE BIG NUMBER WORD Work out the sums and then write the answers in WORDS to complete the crossword.
Spot the Differences
guyanatimesgy.com
The aerial hoop is also known as the lyra, aerial ring or cerceau. This circular steel apparatus looks like a hula hoop suspended from the ceiling. Acrobats using aerial hoops can create powerful performances with static, spinning or swinging moves.
MAY 11, 2014
Way back when We don’t know when circuslike entertainments began, but they have probably existed since earliest times. The ancient Egyptians were performing acrobat shows as early as 2400 B.C. Four thousand years ago, the Minoans on the Greek island of Crete staged elaborate acrobatic contests where men and women leaped over bulls. The tradition of Chinese jugglers and rope dancers can be traced back to the Chou Dynasty around 1027 B.C. By the time of the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 220), acrobatic performances such as rope walking and pole climbing were popular entertainments in China. Ancient Egyptian acrobat c. 1180 B.C.
Boys bulljumping at Knossos, c. 16th century B.C. Ancient Greek acrobat from a Campanian redfigure hydria, c. 340 B.C.
Climbs, wraps and drops are some of the acrobatic techniques performed using aerial silks suspended from the ceiling.
ACROBATS By Laurie Triefeldt
Acrobats celebrated the Russian circus culture at the 2014 Sochi Olympics closing ceremony.
Alfredo Codona (1893-1937)
Possibly the greatest trapeze artist who ever lived, Alfredo Codona performed the first triple somersault in a flying trapeze routine in the late 1800s.
Acrobats wear special shoes designed to be flexible and comfortable. A group of acrobats is called a troupe.
Aerial silks are also used by dancers and fitness enthusiasts as a training tool.
Aerial artists risk life and limb when they perform without safety nets. Acrobats must practice every day in order to maintain their skill level and improve their moves. Acrobats perform alone, in pairs or in groups.
Chinese acrobat spinning a pillow while balancing on her acrobatic partner.
Foot juggling
Knowing where their center of gravity is at all times (even when upside down) is a vital skill for Many acrobats in the acrobats. circus are former competitive gymnasts. Acrobats on tour are away from home for long periods of time. They work long hours and weekends. Natural ability combined with training allow contortionists to bend and flex their bodies into extreme and unusual positions.
Great circuses Traditionally, circuses have acrobatic, clown and animal acts, but many modern circuses are focusing on the acrobatic arts — creating mood and feeling through movement, costumes, lighting and music. The Canadian Cirque du Soleil (Circus of the Sun) is one of the most successful of these circuses. Other famous acrobatic circuses include the Shangri-La Acrobats and the Golden Dragon Acrobats from China.
Joining the circus
Bridge pyramid
Most contortionists are front benders or back benders, very few can do both.
The fabric used to perform aerial silk tricks is usually made of a stretchy polyester lycra. Already quite long, the length is sometimes doubled to provide the artist with two strips of fabric.
Flying through the air and somersaulting into the hands of an aerial artist on a trapeze is just one of many acrobatic traditions loved by audiences around the world. Many modern athletes and entertainers use acrobatics in their performances. Gymnasts, dancers, martial artists, skaters and scuba divers use acrobatic techniques in their work.
Jules Léotard (18381870) was a famous acrobatic artist who invented the trapeze technique and the tight-fitting bodysuit that bears his name — the leotard. The popular song “The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze” was written about him in 1868.
What is in a name? The word acrobat is from the Greek akrobatēs “to walk on tiptoe.” Today, an acrobat is a skilled performer of gymnastic feats, like walking on a tightrope, swinging on a trapeze, or tumbling and balancing with great agility and coordination.
Times Sunday Magazine 9
Adagio is a kind of dance where one performer lifts and carries a balancing partner. The balancing acrobat performs splits and other poses. Like all acrobatic tricks, great strength, clarity of mind and skill are required.
Contrary to old tales, you cannot just run away and join the circus. It takes a great deal of training and practice to acquire the skills of an acrobat or trapeze artist. In the past, acrobatic skills were traditionally kept in the family, with skills being passed from one generation to another. Today, some families continue this tradition, but it is more common for people who want to learn to be acrobats to attend specialized circus schools. Acceptance into many of these professional and elite circus schools is very competitive, with only a third of applicants being accepted. These schools teach aerial techniques, working with silk, rope, lyra, static trapeze (a bar hanging from the ceiling), unicycling, high wire, tumbling and Chinese acrobatics. Physical and mental conditioning are a vital part of mastering these acrobatic skills.
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Times Fashion
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uyanese designer Veronica Langford, under her label Veeronke Fashions, has the ideal wear for mature women who want to look fashionable yet age appropriate. Located at Cara Suites in Quamina Street, the designer’s boutique offers comfortable, elegant and sophisticated clothing at an affordable cost. Her wide array of designs matched with chic accessories is perfect for any occasion. The designer also offers her personal designing advice to create the ideal ensemble for your taste. For more information check out Veeronke Fashions on Facebook or call 223-7378
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Times Sunday Magazine 11
Star Times Hollywood
N
athalie Kelley is a Peruvian-born Australian actress. She is best known for her roles in “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” and “Body of Proof”. Kelley was born in Lima, Peru. At age 16, she became a salsa dancer, which helped her get the money to finish her education. Kelley has appeared on both “Lone Star” and “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”. In June 2006, Kelley received her breakout role in the film “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift”, the third instalment of the “Fast and the Furious”. Kelley played the role of an Australian schoolgirl attending a Japanese high school. The film was released to largely mixed reviews and made over US$158 million worldwide. In 2010, Kelley played the love interest in the music video for the Bruno Mars song ‘Just the Way You Are’. She is confirmed to reprise her role in “The Fast and Furious 7”.
Nathalie Kelley
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Times Hollywood
Hugh Jackman treated Mila Kunis confirms pregnancy for skin cancer again
D
éjà vu for Hugh Jackman. The Wolverine star has once again been treated for skin cancer on his nose. And he once again showed his bandaged post-op face in a photo on Instagram. "Another Basel Cell Carsinoma [sic]. All out now. Thanks Dr. Albom and Dr. Arian. PLEASE! PLEASE! WEAR SUNSCREEN!" Jackman, 45, wrote in the caption. The actor was first treated for basel-cell carcinoma back in November. At the
time, he also posted a photo online, saying his wife Deborra-Lee Furness had encouraged him to get the "mark" checked. "Please don't be foolish like me. Get yourself checked. And USE sunscreen!!!" he wrote then. Basel-cell carcinoma is the single most common form of cancer, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Almost 3 million cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year. It almost never spreads beyond the lesion site but can be disfiguring if allowed to grow. (People)
Lady GaGa shades Katy Perry on Twitter
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ady GaGa apparently has tweeted a jab at Katy Perry for dying her hair green and riding a mechanical horse during her "Prismatic World Tour", which kicked off in Belfast on May 7. The Mother Monster took to Twitter on the next day and wrote, "It looks like green hair and mechanical horses are the thing now." She added an icon of googly eyes in the post. Last year, GaGa appeared on American Music Awards riding a fake white horse. She also donned green hair during a recent photoshoot with photographer Terry Richardson. Back in March, the Mother Monster denied similarities in her music
Miley Cyrus is recovering with help from some famous friends and Perry's when she was on stage. "I don't know what the [expletive] all I have to do with Katy Perry. Our music is so completely different. I couldn't be more different, really," she said. The "Edge of Glory" singer, however, denied that she and Perry had a feud. "I really like Katy Perry and I like her fans," GaGa explained in an interview with
Ryan Seacrest. On Wednesday, Perry performed in front of cheering fans at Odyssey Arena and had about nine costume changes. "Um...It feels like we never left! Tonight was INSANE in all the best ways. I have a feeling the light hit everyone! #ThePrismaticWorldTour," she tweeted after the show. (AceShowbiz)
Kim Kardashian 'sickened' by racism, ready to fight back
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fter months without confirming her pregnancy, Mila Kunis has finally announced that she is expecting and she did it on The Ellen Show. In the chat, Mila revealed that she and
Ashton had already picked out a name - but they weren't going to reveal the sex of the baby before it was born. It didn't stop cheeky Ellen though, who kept trying to guess whether Mila was expecting a boy or girl! She also talked about her pregnancy cravings - "vineger-based foods" - and how she was going to have an all-natural birth. But mainly, she gave details about her life with Ashton that made him sound like the cutest Dad-to-be, EVER. Firstly, Ashton is learning Russian for Mila and the baby (she's fluent). Secondly, she said he was super-intuitive with her pregnancy cravings, stocking the fridge with treats: "He assumed that I was gonna have goofy cravings, so he stocked our secondary fridge with weird food,” Mila said. "Just like pickles, and sauerkraut, or like anchovies, and ice creams…just in case at one point during this pregnancy I'd be like I really want something." Yeah, he sounds pretty perfect. She also talked about her engagement with Ashton, saying that the couple managed to keep the news under wraps for two months. Why? Because there had been so many rumours circulating about the pair, no-one looked twice when Mila stepped out wearing an engagement ring. (Glamour)
ith Mother's Day just around the corner, it's only natural that Kim Kardashian has her daughter on her mind — but what she's thinking might surprise you. In a post on her blog, the future Mrs. Kanye West admitted that having a child has given her a greater understanding racism and just how much it still exists in the U.S. "I never knew how much being a mom would change me," she began. "To be honest, before I had North, I never really gave racism or discrimination a lot of thought. It is obviously a topic that Kanye is passionate about, but I guess it was easier for me to believe that it was someone else's battle." But what sparked her shift in focus, exactly? "Recently, I've read and personally experienced some incidents that have sickened me and made me take notice," Kim lamented. "I realize that racism and discrimination are still alive, and just as hateful and deadly as they ever have been." While she doesn't go into detail about these "incidents," it's safe to assume they're related to her mixed-race daughter and her future husband. A few contenders that come
to mind include West's alleged January assault of an 18-year-old man who made racist remarks to Kim, as well as her encounter with comedian Christian Stephan at the Vienna Ball in February when he approached her dressed in blackface, pretending to be Kanye. It's true that Kim has dated men of color before (from Ray J to Reggie Bush to her previous husband, Kris Humphries, whose father is black), but never one as polarizing as West. Perhaps that fact, combined with motherhood, has brought Kim's activist side to light. "I feel a responsibility as a mother, a public figure, a human being, to do what I can to make sure that not only my child, but all children, don’t have to grow up in a world where they are judged by the color of their skin, or their gender, or their sexual orientation. I want my daughter growing up in a world where love for one another is the most important thing," she declared. Still, at least the bride-to-be feels compelled to act now. According to Kim, the first step she needs to take to fight racism is to "stop pretending like this isn’t my issue or my problem." Sounds like a solid start to us. "Because… the California teenager who was harassed and killed by his classmates for being gay, the teenage blogger in Pakistan who was shot on her school bus for speaking out in favor of women's rights, the boy in Florida who was wrongly accused of committing a crime and ultimately killed because of the color of his skin, they are all someone's son and someone's daughter and it is our responsibility to give them a voice and speak out for those who can't and hopefully in the process, ensure that hate is something our children never have to see." (Excerpted from Yahoo)
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iley Cyrus appears to be getting by with a little help from her friends this week (and probably acting out some other lyrics from that jam as well). The recently-de-hospitalized singer is back on her Bangerz tour game — and she’s getting tons of shine from all musical quadrants as she rises, phoenix-like, from the ashes of antibiotics and tears. First Lily Allen — who recently hit the hospital as well — tweeted with glee after attending one of Miley’s rebooted (and extra crazy) shows: “That was basically the best thing I’ve ever seen,” she said. Then, the Arctic Monkeys praised Miley’s cover of “Why Do You Only Call Me When You’re High?” which you may remember from the singer’s turn on “MTV Unplugged.” Drummer Matt Helders called the rendition his favorite cover of one of the band’s songs, adding, “She did some bits in there I wish we’d have done. She gets higher than we can… in the voice.” Lastly — but certainly not least-ly — Lil Jon gave Miley some serious shine for choosing his jam, “Turn Down For What,” as the anthem for her comeback. “I’m still in shock that she put up five vid-
eos back-to-back in two days of the song,” he told MTV News, referring to the dance vids she put on Instagram scored by his track. “She’s been down from her illness and now she’s back and she wants the world to know it and she’s having a good time,” he added. (MTV)
Justin Bieber talks Jesus, God's forgiveness in Christian rap video
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ustin Bieber's a preacher! The troubled singer is embracing his faith in a big way, co-starring in a rap video by Brandon Burke. The "Boyfriend" singer, 20, is adding his name and his beliefs to Christian rapper Burke's mission to raise one million pledges for God. Burke's own contribution is a rousing rap-sermon called "The Pledge," complete with dramatic video. At the end of the footage, Bieber appears sitting on a couch with the rapper, talking God, Jesus and forgiveness. "God loved the world so much he gave up his own son, right?" Bieber asks. "Imagine, like, someone killing your son." "Like a bunch of people killing your [son]," he reiterates. "These are your people, right? It’s like, 'How are you killing my son? That’s my son!' It’s gonna be hard for you to forgive." Then, with an air of incredulity he adds, "God forgave everyone and they killed his son. That shows how much grace God has." This isn't the first time the bad boy of pop has explored in the redemptive powers of the Christian faith. In February this year,
Page Six reported that Bieber was scouring Manhattan for a property with a private pool so he could be baptized by the Hillsong Church. It is believed the Canada native was baptized as a child, but after a string of arrests in the past few months for misdemeanors including a DUI and drag racing, the star has reportedly been attempting to "take a pause." (US Magazine)
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Times Sunday Magazine 13
Star Times Bollywood
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eil Nitin Mukesh is an Indian actor. He is the son and grandson of singers Nitin Mukesh and Mukesh, respectively. After brief roles as a child in “Vijay” (1988) and “Jaisi Karni Waisi Bharnii” (1989), Mukesh decided to venture into acting after graduating from college with a bachelor's degree in commerce. Neil made his debut as an adult in Sriram Raghavan's 2007 critically acclaimed thriller “Johnny Gaddaar”, which earned him a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award nomination. He subsequently earned critical praise for his performance in “New York” (2009) and “Jail” (2009); the latter earned him a Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award nomination. The actor was later noted for his performances in “Lafangey Parindey” (2010), “7 Khoon Maaf” (2011) and “David” (2013).
Neil Nitin Mukesh
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Times Bollywood
Court notices for Shah Rukh, Ajay Devgn, Sunil Shetty, Manoj Bajpai
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hah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, Sunil Shetty and Manoj Bajpai have been issued notices by the Madhya Pradesh court. The actors are among 11 people who are alleged to have violated the MP State Excise Act by promoting liquor in the region, The Hindustan Times reports. The high court's decision came after hearing a petition filed by lawyer Avdhesh Bhadoria. Justice DK Paliwal has asked all those who were issued notices to submit their replies within four weeks. A superintendent of police, a town inspector of Inderganj police station and three distilleries were also issued notices. Earlier this week, it was reported that Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Sanjay Leela Bhansali were issued notices for allegedly offending the reli-
'Queen' to be screened at Chicago film festival
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fter winning several hearts and accolades with her strong performance in 'Queen', film's lead protagonist Kangana Ranaut is going places. However, next in the line is Chicago Film Festival where the film will be screened. And it's happening after the movie was appreciated at the Busan Film Festival (October) and at the Melbourne Film Festival. According to the sources, the young woman's story who sets out on a solo honeymoon is getting appreciation across the globe. And with Chicago Film Festival, the movie's going to have a wider fan base. An elated Vikas Bahl, who directed the film, said, "I am overwhelmed by the unending response to the film. Frankly, the festival reciprocation is something which we hadn't expected...but it's something we cherish. The credit definitely goes to the team, who have done a fabulous job in their respective areas and made it the way it has turned out." (Times of India)
Kajol: 'It's a privilege to receive good mum award' gious sentiments of Hindus in the film ‘Goliyon Ki
Raasleela Ram (Digital Spy)
Leela’.
K
ajol has said that it is a "privilege" to win an award for being a good mother.
The Bollywood star was presented with her Mighty Mum Award at an event in Mumbai. Speaking at the event, the DDLJ star said: "Well I don't know if I am a mighty mother or not but yes I have always maintained that my children are my foremost priority and responsibility. "I am proud of my kids and I absolutely enjoy being their mother. It's a privilege for me to receive such a grand title for them." The actress was given the award by the makers of the upcoming animated film ‘Mighty Raju Rio Calling’. Mighty Raju is an Indian animated series of films aimed at young children, focusing on the adventures of Raju, a 4-year-old boy in the city of Aryanagar.
Kajol is the mother of daughter Nysa Devgan and son Yug Devgan. (Digital Spy)
Priyanka Chopra meets Britney Spears in Las Vegas
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riyanka Chopra recently met up with popstar Britney Spears in Las Vegas. The two stars were seen posing together in a photo posted on Instagram. The 31-year-old actressturned-singer travelled to Vegas to host a music night at Surrender Nightclub. Returning to India after her US trip, Chopra wrote on Twitter: 'Vegas to Ghar.. Looooong flight...my Zen moments before the madness again.. Looking forward. Thank u all who came last night. Xoxo" Chopra's third single
release 'I Can't Make You Love Me,' a cover of Bonnie Raitt's hit '90s song, was launched in India and the USA last week. The track has topped the iTunes chart in India and the video has garnered over 800,000 views on YouTube. It is Chopra's third song after her last two hits 'In My City' and 'Exotic', which featured will.i.am and Pitbull. Last year, Spears began her two-year residency show 'Britney: Piece of Me' at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. (Digital Spy)
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Times Sunday Magazine
15
Times Healthy Living
"B
eauty sleep" is real. Your skin uses sleep hours to heal itself from the day's damage. When you drift off, your skin gets the chance to improve. That's why you may wake up looking fresh and rosy. More sleep, clearer skin. Lack of sleep can lead to stress, which causes pimples and blackheads, even in adults. In one study, experts found that college students had more breakouts when they were stressed out, such as during exam time. Want eyes that sparkle? Don't let dark circles steal their spotlight. Dark circles often run in families, but they can look even darker if you aren’t getting enough shut-eye. To disguise them, apply a light layer of eye cream as a primer. Then dab on and blend in a dot of concealer one to two shades lighter than your skin tone. Pulling an all-nighter can make your skin look more pale or blotchy. Sleep encourages healthy blood flow to your skin. If you wake up with uneven skin, apply foundation. Set it with translucent powder (or green-tinted powder to balance out redness). Sure, you may feel fine running on fumes, but your
friends, family, and co-workers are apt to notice. Researchers in Sweden asked a study group to look at pictures of sleepstarved people vs. ones who’d had eight hours. The well-rested people seemed healthier, less tired -and more attractive. You wake up with puffy eyes because fluid collects around them when your head lies flat on the bed. Solution: Prop your head above your heart at night with a couple of pillows. Still packing bags under your eyes? Apply a cold cloth to the area for a minute or two in the morning. If you're a night owl looking for a snack, reach for a piece of fruit. Salty snacks can give you a swollen face in the morning. That's because foods that are high in salt can cause you to retain fluid, resulting in puffiness. A glass of wine might seem relaxing, but you're more apt to see dried-out skin and large, visible pores in the mirror the next day. Cut back on nightly drinking and have lots of water instead. In the morning, use a toner that contains
Lower Your Cholesterol By Eating Legumes A zinc sulfate or alum, which make pores look smaller. To keep your face smooth and soft, start with a mild cleanser to remove grit, grime, and makeup. Next, apply moisturizer. To keep delicate areas hydrated overnight, doctors advise using an eye cream that contains glycerin and a petrolatum-based lip balm. One of the best ways to put yourself to sleep can improve your skin too. Take a warm bath -- with all the fixins’, like bubbles, oils, and body scrubs -- before bed to raise your body temperature a little. You tend to feel sleepy when your body temperature drops, like after a bath. (WebMD)
dding a daily serving of beans—or peas, chickpeas, or lentils—can reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL), your “bad” cholesterol, reports a Canadian study. Researchers conducted an analysis of numerous studies that included more than 1,000 participants and found that people who ate one serving—equal to ¾-cup—of legumes for three weeks averaged a 5 percent decrease in LDL levels. The researchers pointed out that a 5 percent decrease in LDL levels has been shown to have an equal decrease in cardiovascular disease risk. The effect was greater for men than women, most likely because women have healthier diets than men, the researchers wrote. Need more reasons to jump on the bean bandwagon? They don’t spike your blood sugar, contain lots of protein, and are low in unhealthy fats. Despite all this, Americans eat less than half a serving a day of these foods, which are found more commonly in Mediterranean and South Asian cuisines. You can easily work them into your next meal with these suggestions from Mike Roussell, Ph.D., a Men’s Health nutrition advisor.
Chickpeas: Also called garbanzo beans, these legumes pack equal amounts protein and fiber (5 grams) per serving. For a meal, add chickpeas with cumin, onions, tomatoes, and diced chicken breast, says Roussell. Chickpeas are also the main ingredient in hummus. Grab a container at the store with a bag of baby carrots—or try to make your own. Lentils: In addition to helping with your cholesterol, lentils are fiber wunderkinds. (Boiled lentils have about 16 grams of fiber per cup.) “Once lentils are cooked, they go great on salads or mixed with brown rice and sautéed onions,” says Roussell. Or try a healthy homemade lentil soup to pack in your lunch. Beans: Your goal is to make these less boring. Try mixing black beans with rice and salsa for a simple dip for your nachos, says Roussell. At breakfast, provide an extra protein punch by adding any variety of beans and cumin to your scrambled eggs. Peas: Bet you didn’t know peas pack protein as well—one serving contains 16 grams. Try substituting mashed potatoes with mashed peas. “Peas can be pureed and eaten with a steak, or you can get them frozen with carrots for a fast side dish to any protein source,” says Roussel. (Men’s Health Magazine)
Eat Right to Stay Young at Heart I s it true that you are what you eat? When it comes to heart health, the answer is a resounding “Yes!" Eating the right way isn’t about dieting, which implies a temporary change in your eating habits; it’s about making better choices every day so that they become second nature. Here are some tips to help you eat your way to a healthier heart.
daily calories from saturated fats and less than 1% from trans fats.
Reach for olive oil
vides a whopping 6 grams of fiber. And if you add bananas, you'll add about 4 more grams of fiber.
Fruits and Veggies
Go fish!
Ditch the “bad” fats
Did you know that the biggest influence on your blood cholesterol level is the mix of fats in your diet, not the amount of cholesterol in your food? Although it’s still important to limit dietary cholesterol, especially if you’re diabetic, doctors say the amount of trans fats and saturated fats matter most. Saturated fats – found in red meat, whole milk dairy products like butter and cream, egg yolks, and oils such as coconut and palm kernel – raise your total cholesterol. Trans fats – found in margarine and most packaged cookies, crackers and cakes – are particularly bad because they raise your levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL) while lowering levels of the “good” kind (HDL). Plus, trans fats also cause your liver to produce more cholesterol. The key to a healthy diet is choosing good fats instead of bad ones. That’s why the American Heart Association recommends that you get less than 7% of your
that sterols help block cholesterol absorption and may significantly reduce LDL. These days, foods fortified with added plant sterols are widely available, including orange juice, breakfast cereals, cooking oils and yogurt.
“Good” fats – monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as olive oil – can reduce your risk of disease. Olive oil contains a potent mix of antioxidants that can lower LDL while not negatively affecting your HDL. To get its heart-healthy benefits, the Food and Drug Administration recommends substituting about 2 tablespoons of olive oil a day for other fats. Use it in salad dressings, drizzle it on vegetables or bread, add it to a marinade, or use it instead of butter to baste fish or chicken. Olive oil is high in calories, though; so don't eat more than the recommended amount. You might think it’s even better to choose “light” olive oil. But these oils are more processed and the word “light” only refers to the taste. Look for extra-virgin olive oil, which contains more hearthealthy antioxidants.
Add fortified foods
If your cholesterol is high, you may benefit from eating foods that are enriched with plant sterols and stanols. Small amounts of these substances occur naturally in many grains, soybeans, nuts, and legumes. Studies have shown
If you don’t already, follow the recommendation of the American Heart Association and eat fish at least twice a week. For starters, it’s a terrific source of protein, the building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, blood and skin. Oily fish such as salmon, halibut, mackerel and albacore tuna are also rich in omega-3s, beneficial fats that can help reduce the inflammation that can lead to heart disease. You can also boost your intake of omega-3s with a krill oil, fish oil or a vegetable-based supplement containing high levels of EPA and DHA omega-3s.
Opt for whole grains
While we’re on the subject of fiber, don’t forget it’s also found in fruits and veggies such as apples, pears, blueberries, carrots, zucchini and cucumbers. Fruits and vegetables are also high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals, which may help prevent heart disease. As a general rule, deeper color equals more nutrients. And while fresh produce is always optimal, canned or frozen varieties are fine as long as they don’t contain added salt, sugar or fat.
Select lean protein
Hungry for bread, cereal or pasta? Choose oatmeal, whole grain pasta, bran, brown rice and other whole grains. They’re more nutritious than refined white flour and are loaded with LDL-lowering soluble fiber. Eating 5 to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber every day decreases both your total and LDL cholesterol. Sound like a lot? Just 1 1/2 cups of cooked oatmeal pro-
Your body needs protein to function. But foods like red meat that are high in protein are also high in fat, which is bad for both your waistline and your heart. Better choices are lean protein like pork, turkey and chicken with the
skin removed. Bear in mind that a standard portion is 3 ounces, about the size of a deck of cards.
Have some nuts
A handful a day (about 1 1/2 ounces) of nuts such as pecans, almonds and pistachios may reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering blood cholesterol. And walnuts, which are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, also keep blood vessels healthy. Since all nuts are high in calories don’t go overboard – and resist the temptation to eat them salted or coated with sugar. Nuts are also a great source of selenium, an essential mineral that supports vitamin E’s antioxidant properties.
Steam, bake or grill
How you prepare your food is just as important as the ingredients you pick. Season your food with olive oil and herbs rather than butter, and avoid frying in saturated fat. Poaching or basting with low-sodium fat-free chicken stock is another way to add flavor without a ton of extra calories. To keep portions under control, fill half your plate with healthy, lowcal veggies. Using a smaller plate size has also been shown to help people eat less. Your mind accepts the smaller portion as "enough," reducing the temptation to overeat. (Dr Oz)
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Times Home & Cooking
Vibrant Red Sofas
Adding a red sofa to your living room is a trendy way to add colour and style to the room. Check out these photos of sofas to get ideas for your home
Peach Cobbler Ingredients 4 cups sliced peaches 2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup water 8 tablespoons butter 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour 1 1/2 cups milk
Method Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt. Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if using. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.
To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Cheer-Up Smoothie Warmth and Vibrancy
The size and colour of this sectional sofa bring warmth and vibrancy to this living room
This smoothie is so bright, cheerful, and delicious, it’s like a blast of sunshine on even the most rainy, windy days Ingredients 1 mango - peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1 banana, peeled and chopped 1 cup orange juice 1 cup vanilla nonfat yogurt
Method
Powerful Red
Place mango, banana, orange juice, and yogurt in a blender. Blend until smooth. Serve in clear glasses, and drink with a bendy straw!
The red sofa in this modern living room makes a powerful statement. The splash of red stands out against the simple, clean lines of the room
R
Greatest Cooking Tips
ipen tomatoes by storing them in a paper bag on the counter for a couple of days. Microwave citrus for a few seconds before juicing -- you'll get more out of it. When you make burgers, indent the center with your thumb- the patty will stay flat as it cooks. Use a bottle of your favorite salad dressing as an instant marinade. Spritz your rubber spatula with cooking spray so batter won't stick. Make bread crumbs in a blender- the bread will grind evenly and won't stick to the blades. Use crushed tortilla chips as a substitute for bread crumbs.
C Playful Red
The red fabric on these sofas adds a playful touch to this neutral space. The accents of white on the sofa trim and pillows are appealing to the eye
Home Help
lean your cast-iron skillet with a paste of coarse salt and pepper. Give your emptied-out food processor one last whirl to rid the blade of clingy food. Deodorize food containers with newspaper (then wash before using). Place a plastic bag over your hand to easily grease a pan without the mess. Clean your sponges in the dishwasher. Just place them in the silverware bin. Cover a fine grater with wax paper before grating for quick cleanup. Keep a coaster under your drippy honey jar so it won't stick to the table.
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Times Sunday Magazine 17
Times Sunday Puzzle
Beginning with "de", add letters from the given pool to create a sevenletter word which means "to withhold something". Do not rearrange the letters as you go. Pool: E R V P I 1) DE 2) _ _ _ 3) _ _ _ _ 4) _ _ _ _ _ 5) _ _ _ _ _ _ 6) _ _ _ _ _ _ _
see solution on page 22
see solution on page 22
see solution on page 22
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May 11, 2014
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Times Creative Writing
How the Moon Was Kind to Her Mother O
nce upon a time, a long, long while ago, the Sun, the Wind, and the Moon were three sisters, and their mother was a pale, lovely Star that shone, far away, in the dark evening sky. One day their uncle and aunt, who were no more or less than the Thunder and Lightning, asked the three sisters to have supper with them, and their mother said that they might go. She would wait for them, she said, and would not set until all three returned and told her about their pleasant visit. So the Sun in her dress of gold, the Wind in a trailing dress that rustled as she passed, and the Moon in a wonderful gown of silver started out for the
party with the Thunder and Lightning. Oh, it was a supper to remember! The table was spread with a cloth of rainbow. There were ices like the snow on the mountain tops, and cakes as soft and white as clouds, and fruits from every quarter of the earth. The three sisters ate their fill, especially the Sun and the Wind, who were very greedy, and left not so much as a crumb on their plates. But the Moon was kind and remembered her mother. She hid a part of her supper in her long, white fingers to take home and share with her mother, the Star. Then the three sisters said goodbye to the Thunder and Lightning and went home. When they reached there, they found their mother, the Star, waiting and shining for them as she had said she would. "What did you bring me from the supper?" she asked. The Sun tossed her head with all
its yellow hair in disdain as she answered her mother. "Why should I bring you anything?" she asked. "I went out for my own pleasure and not to think of you." It was the same with the Wind. She wrapped her flowing robes a b o u t her and turned away from her mother. "I, too, went out for my own entertainment," she said, "and why should I think of you, mother, when you were not with me?" But it was very different with the Moon who was not greedy and selfish as her two sisters, the Sun and the Wind, were. She turned her pale sweet face toward her mother, the Star, and held out her slender hands. "See, mother," cried the Moon, "I have brought you part of everything that was on my plate. I ate only half of the feast for I wanted to share it with you." So the mother brought a gold plate and the food that her unselfish daughter, the Moon, had brought her heaped the plate high. She ate it, and then she turned to her three children, for she had something important to say to them. She spoke first to the Sun. "You were thoughtless and selfish, my daughter," she said. "You went out and enjoyed yourself with no thought of one who was left alone at home. Hereafter you shall be no longer beloved among men. Your rays shall be so hot and burning that they shall scorch everything they touch. Men shall cover their heads when you appear, and they shall run away from you." And that is why, to this day, the Sun is hot and blazing. Next the mother spoke to the Wind. "You, too, my daughter, have been unkind and greedy," she said. "You, also, enjoyed yourself with no thought of anyone else. You shall blow in the parching heat of your sister, the Sun, and wither and blast all that you touch. No one shall love you any longer, but all men will dislike and avoid you." And that is why, to this day, the Wind, blowing in hot weather, is so unpleasant. But, last, the mother spoke to her kind daughter, the Moon. "You remembered your mother, and were unselfish," she said. "To those who are thoughtful of their mother, great blessings come. For all time your light shall be cool, and calm, and beautiful. You shall wane, but you shall wax again. You shall make the dark night bright, and all men shall call you blessed." And that is why, to this day, the Moon is so cool, and bright, and beautiful. (An American Indian Tale)
When Mother Reads Aloud When Mother reads aloud, the past Seems real as every day; I hear the tramp of armies vast, I see the spears and lances cast, I join the thrilling fray; Brave knights and ladies fair and proud I meet when Mother reads aloud. When Mother reads aloud, far lands Seem very near and true; I cross the deserts' gleaming sands, Or hunt the jungle's prowling bands, Or sail the ocean blue. Far heights, whose peaks the cold mists shroud, I scale, when Mother reads aloud. When Mother reads aloud, I long For noble deeds to do... To help the right, redress the wrong; It seems so easy to be strong, So simple to be true. Oh, thick and fast the visions crowd My eyes, when Mother reads aloud Anonymous
My Mother Reg wished me to go with him to the field, I paused because I did not want to go; But in her quiet way she made me yield Reluctantly, for she was breathing low. Her hand she slowly lifted from her lap And, smiling sadly in the old sweet way, She pointed to the nail where hung my cap. Her eyes said: I shall last another day. But scarcely had we reached the distant place, When o’er the hills we heard a faint bell ringing; A boy came running up with frightened face; We knew the fatal news that he was bringing. I heard him listlessly, without a moan, Although the only one I loved was gone. The dawn departs, the morning is begun, The trades come whispering from off the seas, The fields of corn are golden in the sun, The dark-brown tassels fluttering in the breeze; The bell is sounding and the children pass, Frog-leaping, skipping, shouting, laughing shrill, Down the red road, over the pasture-grass, Up to the school-house crumbling on the hill. The older folk are at their peaceful toil, Some pulling up the weeds, some plucking corn, And others breaking up the sun-baked soil. Float, faintly-scented breeze, at early morn Over the earth where mortals sow and reap— Beneath its breast my mother lies asleep. Claude McKay
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May 11, 2014
Times Sunday Magazine19
Times World
Shipwreck yields bonanza 'Vampire' Skeleton of gold bars, coins Unearthed in
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n 1857, during the dwindling years of the California Gold Rush, a steamship loaded with some 30,000 pounds (13,600 kilograms) of gold was ensnared in a hurricane and sunk off the coast of South Carolina, banishing gold bars and freshly minted coins to the bottom of the sea. Last month, during a reconnaissance expedition to the wreckage of the so-called "Ship of Gold," more than 60 lbs. (27 kg) of the lost treasure was recovered. Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc., a company that specializes in deep-ocean exploration, retrieved five gold bars and two gold coins — one from 1850 that was minted in Philadelphia, and the other from 1857 that was minted in San Francisco — from the sunken ship known as the SS Central America. The precious artifacts were recovered during a reconnaissance dive to the shipwreck site on April 15. Odyssey Marine Exploration researchers are in the process of documenting the underwater site, and they eventually plan to conduct a full archaeological excavation of the shipwreck, according to company officials.
The remains of the SS Central America were first located in 1988 by the ColumbusA m e r i c a Discovery Group. The ship was found at a depth of 7,200 feet (2,200 meters), about 160 miles (257 kilometers) off the coast of South Carolina. From 1988 to 1991, recovery operations managed to retrieve gold from approximately 5 percent of the total shipwreck site, historians have said. Odyssey Marine Exploration now has an exclusive contract to excavate and recover the rest of the SS Central America's treasure. Experts say the shipwreck could still contain a commercial shipment of gold that was valued in 1857 at $93,000, company officials said. A "substantial amount of passenger gold," valued in 1857 at between $250,000 and $1.28 million, could also be locked within the ship's sunken remains, according to Odyssey Marine Exploration. Still, the treasure's true worth remains to be seen. "The ultimate value of the recovery can only be determined once the total quantity, quality and form of the recovered gold is known," company officials said in a statement. Last month, the Odyssey Marine Exploration's remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV), named Zeus, became the first to visit the famous shipwreck in decades. (Discovery News)
Handshake strength reveals education, age
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handshake can tell a lot about a person. Researchers say the strength of someone's grip may reveal how fast they're aging, their education level — and even their future health. The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis researchers reviewed more than 50 published studies from around the world for their article in the journal PLOS ONE. They found that people with more education at age 69 tended to grip just as strongly as less educated people at age 65, suggesting the latter were aging about four years faster. "According to hand grip strength, people with high education... feel several years younger compared to people with lower education," says study co-author Sergei Scherbov. Another study the authors reviewed was done on more than a million Swedish adolescent males, whose handgrip strength was measured as part of an exam for military service.
Poland
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rchaeologists in Poland say they have discovered a skeleton with a brick stuck into the mouth — evidence that the subject was believed to be a vampire. Dated to the 16th-17th century, the grave was unearthed during excavations in the town of Kamien Pomorski, in northwestern Poland, the Kamienskie.info website reported. In addition to the brick, which was wedged so violently into the mouth to knock out the upper teeth, the skeleton featured a leg with a hole likely made from a puncture. This would suggest the leg had been staked to the ground to prevent the individual from rising from its grave. “A piece of debris brick in the mouth and a pierced thigh indicate this is a vampiric burial,” Slawomir
Gorka, the archaeologist who led the dig, said. People feared that those accused to be vampires would rise from their graves like zombies. In some cases, to kill the undead creatures, they placed a stone or brick into the mouth so that the vampire would starve to death. According to Gorka, such vampire-slaying rituals were common in local graves between the 13th and 17th centuries. Indeed, it’s not the first time that “deviant burials” have been unearthed in Poland and across eastern Europe. Last year, Polish archaeologists found a grave near the town of Gliwice filled with skeletons whose severed heads were placed atop their legs. Such burials appear to be common in Slavic regions
for people accused of vampirism, although alternative hypothesis suggested the skeletons were simply victims of an execution. Deviant burials are often linked to Black Deathrelated cemeteries and to medieval ignorance of how diseases spread. Mass graves were often reopened to bury corpses during epidemics, exposing bloated bodies with blood seeping out of the mouth and with a hole in the shroud used to cover their face. Medieval people, not knowing what happens to bodies after death, believed that “vampire” individuals spread the plague by chewing on their shrouds after dying. In a time before germ theory, the stone in the mouth was then used as a diseaseblocking trick. (Discovery News)
Fish Rain Down on Sri Lankan Village
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Those with lower handgrip strength were significantly more likely to die earlier, have heart disease, be at higher risk of suicide and experience psychological problems. Differences in health that correlated with handgrip strength could be seen across many of the studies, the researchers write. "Low handgrip strength has been shown definitively to predict poor outcomes in a wide variety of mortality, morbidity, and other health
outcomes," according to the study. However, any educational and racial differences that could be parsed by handgrip tended to disappear as people reached their 90s. The study was funded by the European Research Council as part of a grant to define new measures of aging based on people's characteristics, such as their longevity, health, disability status and other demographic factors. (Discovery News)
ore than 100 pounds of fish recently rained upon a village in western Sri Lanka, reported the BBC. The fish probably came from a nearby river after being scooped up by a storm. Locals collected the fish, many of which still were living and flopping around. Although it sounds like a Biblical curse, “fish rains” have occurred many times around the globe and have a natural explanation. Meteorologists believe strong updrafts in storms pull water from rivers, lakes and oceans. Fish, frogs and other animals come with the water, then fall along with the rain. Sometimes the animals survive the journey, other times they are shredded or encased in ice. Yoro, Honduras, celebrates an annual festival to commemorate the frequent fish rains in that town, reported
Hablemos, an El Savadoreño magazine. The fish are native to the nearby Aguán River. Yoreños collect the fish, eat some in soups or roasted in cork husks and preserve others in jars. In 2003, fish fell in Talanga, another Honduran town, reported El Universo. The first fish rain in Yoro occurred in the 19th century after Fr. Manuel de Jesús Subirana prayed for a miracle to end the starvation of Yoro’s citizens, according to local legend. After three days of prayer, the holy mackerel fell from the sky. In 2010, hundreds of spangled perch fell on Lajamanu, a small town on the edge of Australia’s Tanami Desert, reported the Daily Mail. Japan experienced a rain of fish and tadpoles in 2009, reported the Guardian. The BBC reported that numerous two-inch-long fish fell on Norfolk, England in 2000. (Discovery News)
20 Times Sunday Magazine
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May 11, 2014
Times Tech
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pple Inc will unveil the next incarnation of its popular iPhone series in August, one month earlier than industry watchers were generally expecting, Taiwanese media reported on Friday citing unidentified supply-chain sources. A 4.7-inch screen version of the iPhone 6 will reach stores in August, the Economic Daily News reported without specifying which markets would receive the phone first. A 5.5-inch or 5.6-inch model will be released in September, the newspaper said, as the iPhone 5 series was previously. People involved in the supply chain had earlier confirmed to Reuters that there will be a 4.7-inch version of the iPhone 6 and a 5.5-inch
Tech news
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said increasing the iPhone's screen size from 4 inches would help Apple regain market share from competitors such as Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, who they say have responded to consumer desire for more screen size. Representatives for Apple could not be reached
version. Together, the Economic
Daily News said 80 million iPhone 6 handsets would be
Tech giants urge rethink of net neutrality changes
ore than 100 technology companies have written to the US Federal Communication Commission (FCC), opposing potential changes to net neutrality rules. The FCC is considering allowing internet service providers (ISPs) to charge content providers to prioritise their traffic. Google, Facebook, Twitter and Amazon warn that such a move represents a "grave threat to the internet". One FCC commissioner has called for a delay to the vote, due on 15 May. Net neutrality - the premise that all internet traffic should be treated equally - has been a cornerstone of the web for many years. But with the growth of bandwidth-hungry services such as Netflix, ISPs have increasingly asked for the right to charge a fee for carrying such data at high speed on their networks. A landmark court case in February, in which Verizon successfully challenged the FCC's right to stop it charging such fees,
pushed the regulator into a major rethink of its rules. Rather than enshrining the principle of net neutrality, leaked reports suggest the FCC will allow ISPs to strike such deals as long as they act "in a commercially reasonable manner". In the letter, tech companies, ranging from threeperson start-ups to the biggest names on the web, made clear their dismay at the feared U-turn. "We write to express our support for a free and open internet," it said. "The innovation we have seen to date happened in a world without discrimination. "Instead of permitting individualised bargaining and discrimination, the commission's rules should protect users and internet companies on both fixed and mobile platforms against blocking, discrimination and paid prioritisation." The letter urged the commission to "take the necessary steps to ensure that the internet remains an open platform". More than a million people have signed peti-
tions to the FCC calling for it to abandon plans to allow a tiered internet. A handful of protesters have gathered outside FCC headquarters in Washington, promising to camp there until the 15 May vote. And a group of net firms and civil liberty groups have called on the FCC to reclassify broadband companies as "telecommunication services", which would give it the authority to impose net-neutrality rules on them. One of the FCC's four commissioners, Jessica Rosenworcel, has called for the vote to be delayed by at least a month. She said: "Rushing headlong into a rulemaking next week fails to respect the public response". But an FCC spokesman said the vote would go ahead as planned. "Moving forward will allow the American people to review and comment on the proposed plan without delay, and bring us one step closer to putting rules on the books to protect consumers and entrepreneurs online," he added. (BBC)
for comment. Representatives for Taiwanese iPhone contract manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd and smartphone camera lens maker Largan Precision Co Ltd, both mentioned in the Economic Daily News report, had no comment. (Reuters)
produced this year. Industry watchers have
Tech news
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Apple 'in talks' to buy Beats
echnology giant Apple is in talks to buy headphone maker and music-streaming service provider Beats Electronics, according to various media reports. The reports claim Apple could pay as much as $3.2bn (ÂŁ1.9bn) and a deal could be announced next week. If completed, it will be Apple's biggest ever acquisition. It is being seen as a move by Apple to get a stronger foothold in the phone and music accessories business and bolster its online music offerings. The two areas are expected to see fast growth in the coming years. The Financial Times, which was the first to report the talks, cited a source as saying the firms were still negotiating the details.
'Really puzzling'
Beats was founded by music producer Jimmy
Tech Byte
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Iovine and the hip-hop star Dr Dre and until recently was best known for its headphones. It started a subscription-based music streaming service earlier this year. However, Apple already has its own iTunes store which is the world's largest music download service. It also launched iTunes Radio last year. That has made some industry watchers question the move. James McQuivey, an analyst with Forrester, said there was a big over-
lap of customers between the two firms. "This is really puzzling," he said. "You buy companies today to get technologies that no one else or customers that no one has. "They must have something hidden under the hood." The reported price is also a huge premium on Beats's previous valuation. Beats was valued at just $1bn after its last funding round in September, which saw it get a $500m investment from the Carlyle Group. (BBC)
Thin Type keyboard for iPad Air
elkin, an American manufacturer of consumer electronics that specializes in connectivity devices, recently announced a new, ultra-thin keyboard case for the iPad Air. Measuring under 4 mm (0.16 in) thick, the Qode Thin Type Keyboard is aimed at extending the functionality of the tablet, while maintaining the convenience of its lightweight design. Belkin doesn't say exactly how much the keyboard weighs, but says it’s so light that it actually weighs less than the iPad Air itself, which means it tips the scales at under 469 g (1.034 lb).
The keyboard's uni-body construction is of anodized aluminium, with magnetic hinges to lock the tablet into the cradle. To provide added stability, this cradle also works with a built-in weight sensor to recognize when the tablet is in place, meaning the keyboard will only turn on when it is required. Charged via USB, Belkin puts the battery life at 79 hours. It pairs to the Air with a one-touch Bluetooth key and also features iOS-specific keys for easier shortcut control. The Qode Thin Type Keyboard is available through Belkin's website and is priced at US$100. (Gizmag)
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May 11, 2014
Times Sunday Magazine 21
Times Art
W
hen artists meet a point in their artistic life where they require little or no introduction, it signals that they have reached a level of artistic maturity. Bernadette Indira Persaud, A.A., is one of such artist who needs no introduction. This year, her work celebrates both Indian Arrival Day and our 48th independence anniversary. Persaud’s work last graced Castellani’s galleries almost a decade ago in 2005 in a solo exhibition – sponsored by the High Commission of India- titled ‘India: A Glimpse’. By then, she had already accomplished significant achievements and gained recognition in the region and in the diaspora. Yet, her most recent painting in the National Collection is ‘Going Masjid’, which is dated 1994 – two decades ago. It is only now, with this exhibition, that this lapse can be corrected. Winning the National Award for painting in 1985 and being the first woman to do so, Bernadette Persaud refused to entertain a dull moment in her artistic career, which saw
'The birth of the lotus' (1990)
'Tree of Life II' (2010)
her mounting six solo exhibitions and participating in more than 20 group exhibitions. Through the decades, she won many awards and recently has been bestowed with the
Caribbean Hall of Fame Award in Jamaica for excellence in the visual arts. Although Persaud’s paintings have evolved over the years, their daring allegorical content continues to forge and provoke dialogue. Her ‘Gentleman in the Garden’ series of paintings in the 1980s have perpetuated the notion of militancy, subtly commenting on the pervasive militarism under the regime of the day. This local political commentary was extended in the painting, ‘Gentleman Under the Sky’ when militarism on the world’s stage captured her attention. Recently, her allegorical content has
'Lotus in the time of the Arab Spring' (2011)
'The lotus of a hundred petals' (1988)
evolved into a more complex configuration of spiritual, social and political undertones in her ‘Forest’ series, which may seem very unorthodox to many. Her tenaciously stippling brush strokes have grown shorter in her recent series of paintings as compared to the longer brush strokes in the ‘Bird Island’, ‘Gentleman in the Garden’ and ‘Lotus’ series. Every inch of Persaud’s canvases is detailed with brush strokes that could engage years of study.
In her statement, Persaud noted that she began painting seriously in the early 1980s after being forced out of her teaching career. She added that painting became an instrument which, not merely seduced, but pricked and prodded the individual/collective conscience. “The scope of my work later broadened into an investigation of not only political oppression, but cultural identity and the ephemerality of life. In retrospect it was a quest – integral to post-colonial societies – tied up with that complex of needs for creativity, originality and an authentic self,” expressed Persaud. She went on to say that her submissions to this new project represents ‘new and old’ works, which subsume philosophical, political, aesthetic and ecological concerns, from the perspective of an artist located in a particular historical, geographical and cultural space.
“These works challenge, critique and subvert existing notions about our art and more specifically perceptions about the nature of our socio-political reality – a reality more poignantly voiced by Martin Carter: ‘New and old is the face of the world’s great grief, and current notions about ‘climate change’ – as seen through the lens of Hindu mythopoeics and metaphysics,” Persaud disclosed. Persaud’s applauded paintings are now on show at Castellani House, Vlissengen Road. The exhibition ‘As New and As Old’, an exhibition of selected works (1984-2014), is presently opened to the public. Admission is free. Gallery hours are 10a.m. to 5p.m. Monday to Friday and 2 to 6p.m. on Saturday; the gallery is closed Sundays and holidays. (Text by Curator Ohene Koama) (Cover photo: 'Homage to Mother Earth - Durga Paath ritual' (2006)
22 Times Sunday Magazine
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May 11, 2014
Times Heritage
By Dmitri Allicock
T
he steamer service in Guyana dates back to the early 19th century when the colonial government contracted a few privately-owned steamers to provide transportation for commuters and for shipping of produce. The first official documentation of a steamer service can be traced to the establishment of a Local Steamer Navigation Company, which appears to have been founded in 1825. This company commenced operations in 1826 with
into 1840 Demerara to manage the interests of a London ship owner with whom he had worked when he was only 15 years old. Five years later he established his own business, originally as a merchant. The pressing need for a regular steamer service caught his attention and a few years later he established Sprostons Limited. Born in Gibraltar, in the year 1819, Hugh Sproston became an export merchant and ship owner, based in London. His ships were: Berbice built in
vessels were damaged and had to be repaired in the United States, as there existed no dry dock facilities in British Guiana for repairs and making vessels seaworthy. At the request of Hugh Sproston, a team of British and American engineers surveyed several areas in Guyana, capable of holding ships 200 feet long with an estimated weight of 800 tons. An area at Charlestown was selected but the early efforts left Sproston close to ruin, as the Cofferdam erected
The steamer Canje Pheasant shortly after its launching (British Guiana)
Sproston’s Dry Dock (1867)
the Cambria, an immigrant ship, which was purchased for the sum of $50,000. A few years later, the colonial authorities on 24 August 1828 established a steamer service across the Demerara River. In 1838, ten years later, operations were expanded as the steamer Royal Victoria commenced operations between Georgetown, Essequibo and Berbice. The transportation route was soon extended to the island of Leguan when Lady Flora Hastings was contracted on 12 August 1841. Entered Hugh Sproston
1859; Georgetown (1873); Lady Longden (1876); Princess (1876); Guiana (1879); Charlestown (1880); Sproston Wood (1881); (Cuyuni) 1883. (Sproston Wood was the name of the house where the Sprostons of Wrenbury lived.) He was one of the most prominent personalities of the latter half of 1800s in British Guiana. His shipping business became synonymous with the glory days of growth and the foundational development of Guyana. During the early years of operating a steamer service, many of the flat-bottomed
to protect the docks gave way, Berbice River Steamer destroying everything. Nevertheless, Sproston persevered, and on 26 October 1867 His Excellency Governor Hincks and his wife declared Sproston dry dock opened. It was christened by Mrs. Hincks as she loosed a silken cord to which a bottle of wine was attached against the iron gates at the opening ceremony with 1859 Steamer Berbice decked out in flags. During the 1870s and 1880s, Sproston did much to improve ferry services throughout Guyana. The
period of 1878 represents a watershed in the history of steamer operations in Guyana as Sproston operated a daily ferry service to Essequibo. On 11 December 1878, The Sproston Creole, the first steamer built by Sproston’s dry dock in Guiana, commenced operations. Other steamers such as Amy (1886), Horatio (1886), and the New Amsterdam (1887) bolstered ferry services in the country. Other steamers operated by Sproston under exclusive contract from the government included Eluza, Malali and the launches Gertie, Elfreda and Piranah. Steamers were divided into two sections, first and second class. Tickets for first class during the 1880s cost $2.00, while the second class cost 48 cents. Sproston, born 19 July 1819, died on 24 June 1907 in the US. Sproston’s Company Ltd continued with success after his death. However, it later experienced a decline. One hypothesis for this is the establishment of the Transport and Harbours Department
in 1919. The actions of the Harbour Board and the new regulations soon gave way to the government asserting control of the transportation network that it had contracted to Sproston to operate. This was done under the guidance of the Colonial Steamer Services. In 1922, the Colonial Steamer Service became the Government Steamer Service. It was later amalgamated with the Demerara Railway to form the Colonial Transportation Department and marked the end of that era of steamers in Guyana. Bigger and better steamers continued to dominate British Guiana’s landscape for the first half of the 1900s. The legendary R H Carr ran the Georgetown to Upper Demerara route. The R H Carr was built in 1927 in the UK. Under steam power, she made her way
across the Atlantic Ocean to British Guiana and was operated as steamship before being converted to diesel in the 1950s by the then owner Sprostons Ltd. Of note also are the tough and legendary ships and ferries such as the Oranjestaad, Lady Northcote, Powis, Canje Pheasant, Pomeroon, Barima, Lady Berbice, Mazaruni, Makouria, Torani, Lukanani, just to name a few, which connected the lives of Guyanese and transported cargo in British Guiana. As technology advanced, steamers were replaced by diesel and gas engines, and roads. Travel across Guyana augmented with bridges across rivers. However, stories of our rich heritage were carried by those steamers on the many waters of Guyana and so we should make every effort to learn about it.
Brain Teaser Answer 1) DE 2) DIE 3) DIVE
4) DRIVE 5) DERIVE 6) DEPRIVE
KID SUDOKU
SUDOKU
CROSSWORD
Water Street, British Guiana
guyanatimesgy.com
May 11, 2014
Times Sunday Magazine 23
Times Travel & Tourism
A morning tour on the river
Beautiful sunset on the Burro Burro River
Benab at the camp (Photo by Jay Seedy)
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arahaa Landing camp is an exciting hammock camp located on the banks of the Burro Burro River, three miles from Surama EcoLodge in North Rupununi. In a large clearing of the dense jungle, there is a large, open benab for hanging hammocks; a smaller adjacent benab has a table and cooking area where food is prepared over an open fire. It is a basic set-up but the permanent structure provides good shelter for anyone wishing to experience a night camping in the jungle without roughing it too much. Staying overnight at the camp also allows visitors to experience night walks through the jungle, and late evening and very early morning canoe trips on the river, when the animals and birds are most active. For birding enthusiasts, it is a great location for spotting some of Guyana’s famed birds. Carahaa Landing camp offers a great experience in the heart of the jungle. (Information by Kirk Smock)
Wading under fallen trees along the river (Photo by Jay Seedy)
Arriving in a canoe at Carahaa Landing camp (Photo by Jay Seedy)
Relaxing under one of the benabs at the camp (Photo by Jay Seedy)
24
Times Sunday Magazine
guyanatimesgy.com
May 11, 2014
Times Last Laugh
By Melvin Durai
T
here's something special about a mother. I was reminded of this the other day when I visited my mother. Looking me over in a loving way and speaking as only a mother can, she said, "You're going bald!" "Thanks for bringing that to my attention, Mom," I felt like saying. "I hadn't yet noticed my bald spot. But now that your eagle eyes have discovered it, I'm going to keep tabs on it. I'm sure you'll lend your assistance by giving me annual how-bald-areyou-now reports." 2002: "Son, you're so bald, Bob Hope would refer to you as 'grandpa.'" 2003: "Son, you're so bald, the reflection off your head is blinding people in India." 2004: "Son, you're so bald, United Airlines has asked for permission to land." 2005: "Son, you're so bald, the Hair Club for Men has elected you president." What would we do without our mothers? On Mother's Day and other days, we should show our gratitude to them not just because they've loved and supported us, but also for another major reason: If it weren't for our mothers, we wouldn't know all our faults. We'd be deceived into believing we're almost perfect. Yes, we'd be living a lie. Anytime I get too full of myself, I just have to speak to my mother and she'll bring me down to earth faster than a Russian satellite. She'll say something to make me realize that I'm a long way from achieving any goals, especially the ones she has set for me. Mother: "Melvin, did you go to church on Sunday?" Me: "Yes, Mom, I did. I even stayed awake during the sermon without taking a single pill." Mother: "What about Wednesday? Did you go to church on Wednesday?" Me: "Wednesday? Is Wednesday a holy day now? Someone forgot to tell me. First Sundays, now Wednesdays. Why not have services on Fridays, too? That way, we can all go to church to Thank God It's Friday!" We need mothers partly because our spouses and friends have learned to lie to us. You can't blame them. They're concerned about their safety.
Wrinkle Cream
My nine-year-old daughter walked in while I was getting ready for work. "What are you doing?" she asked. "Putting on my wrinkle cream," I answered. "Oh," she said, walking away. "I thought they were natural." Woman: "Honey, does this dress make me look fat?" Husband: "No, honey, it makes you look as slim as Cindy Crawford and Jennifer Aniston." (Yes, Cindy and Jennifer combined!) A mother would be a little more honest: Daughter: "Mom, does this dress make me look fat?" Mother: "No, sweetheart, YOU make the dress look fat. I never thought fabric could stretch like that!" A kind friend might say, "Wow! That outfit makes you look like a million dollars." Your mother, on the other hand, will insist on converting it to British currency: "Wow! That outfit makes you look like a million pounds." Of course, most mothers mean well. They want the best for us. And they know exactly what's best for us, because they spent countless hours thinking about it, even before we were born. Why won't we listen? Why won't we take advantage of their endless wisdom? My mother: "You should have become a doctor. You are so intelligent." Me: "I don't want to be a doctor. I like being a writer." Mother: "If you had become a doctor, you would have something to write about. And you could have done something about that bald spot. You could have afforded a hair transplant." Mothers are so wise. You've gotta love them. I certainly love mine.
Feline Friendly
A woman walked into my aunt’s animal shelter wanting to have her cat and six kittens spayed and neutered. "Is the mother friendly?" my aunt asked. "Very," said the woman, casting an eye on all the pet carriers. "That’s how we got into this mess in the first place."
Facebook Time
Facebook and Formspring are two of the many social-networking sites that allow users to embarrass themselves in front of millions of friends and strangers, like these people did. LARRY: Happy Valentine’s Day to All, especially Wendy, Heather, Lindsey, Ellen, Valerie, Isabel, and all the other wonderful women I adore. JENNIFER: You forgot your wife.
Proper Pronunciation
I bought a pint of Häagen-Dazs ice cream at the supermarket. As the cashier rang it up, I asked, “How do you pronounce that?” Speaking slowly and distinctly, he said, “Four dollars and seventy-nine cents.”
Special Pie
I was looking at the pies offered by a nearby café. They had cherry, apple, berry, peach, and Herman’s. "What type of pie is Herman’s?" I asked the waiter. "Apple," he said. "Then why is it called Herman’s pie?" "Because Herman called in to reserve it." The Difference Between an Optimist and a Pessimist "What’s the difference between an optimist and a pessimist?" An optimist is the guy who created the airplane. A pessimist is the guy who created the parachute."
Lawnmower Upgrade
At age 70, my grandfather bought his first riding lawn mower. "This thing is great," he bragged to my brother. "It took me only an hour and a half to mow the lawn. It used to take your grandmother two days to do it all!"
The Important Things
With fire alarms blaring at my mom’s apartment complex, she grabbed her favourite bathing suit and
ran out. "A bathing suit?" I said later. "Of all the priceless things in that apartment, that’s what you chose to save?" "Material things come and go," she said. "But a one-piece suit that doesn’t make you look fat is impossible to replace."
Going to the Doctor
A man went to the cardiologist after experiencing symptoms of a heart attack. "I had taken our cat to the vet," he told the nurse, "and while I was there, my chest got tight, and I had trouble breathing. Later, my left arm began aching." The nurse was clearly concerned. "So," she asked, "how was the cat?"
Astrology
When one of my patients came to me complaining of ear trouble, I looked around for the appropriate instrument with which to examine him. Unable to find it, I buzzed my receptionist and asked, "Have you seen my auroscope?" "No," came the reply. "What sign do you come under?"
Family Restaurant
The night we took our three young sons to an upscale restaurant for the first time, my husband ordered a bottle of wine. The server brought it over, began the ritual uncorking, and poured a small amount for me to taste. My six-year-old piped up, "Mom usually drinks a lot more than that."
Facebook Love
My ex and I had a very amicable divorce. I know this because when I wrote the Facebook status “I’m getting a divorce,” he was the first one to click Like.
Pick Me Up
I was a mess. My career as an artist was going nowhere, my horseback riding was no longer fulfilling, and in general, I felt unattractive. My husband did his best to be supportive: "You’re a great artist," "You’re a wonderful equestrian," "You’re the most beautiful woman I know." One day, after another bad ride, I told him my horse seemed depressed. "How do I cheer up a horse?" I asked. He shared his secret: "Tell her she’s good at stuff and that she looks beautiful."
Geography
The day after the Haitian earthquake, I got a frantic call from my daughter in Florida. "What’s wrong?" I asked. "Nate’s been called up by the National Guard. He’s going to Haiti," she said. Then came the tears: "I didn’t even know we were at war with Haiti!"
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