Magazine, june 4 2017

June 4, 2017

Star Times Bollywood:

Shah Rukh Khan addresses death hoax rumours on Twitter See story on page 14

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King William IV Falls

Page 8

Explore the unexplored What's Inside

An artistic legacy

Walter Spence

Remembering a legend of Upper Demerara Page 3

Page 16

Signature Styles Page 10

2 Sunday Times Magazine

JUNE 4, 2017

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Times Feature

Isahak Basir

By Isahak Basir

A

tragic scenario of a second migration of more than 50 indentured Indian families, all of whom hailed from several abandoned sugar estates. This took place between the period 1860 and 1940, when they had no alternative but to migrate to the uninhabited and desolated Pomeroon River district. It was their only chance of survival, and hence abandoned all hopes of returning to India as promised by the colonial owners. Similarly, in Jamaica, the Africans made an appeal to the colonial government to have “coolies” sent back to India, since they could not survive on the Jamaican sugar plantations. Suicide mortality and hopelessness were evident and so many were sent back to India.

In the Pomeroon district, the scenario was different.

Portuguese and African farmers, who resided in the lower Pomeroon River, recognised the hardship of the indentured families, being hunger, malaria and pneumonia illness. As such, they organised humanitarian groups to help the inexperienced farmers survive these ‘hardships’.

Two hundred and seventy-eight thousand indentured Indians were brought to Guyana to work on the sugar plantations in three counties. They were distributed according to the needs and choices of the respective plantation owners with the unconditional support of the Indian Immigration Officer located in their respective county. Other officers were paid by the white plutocracy and were known as the “CROSS by BABU”.

Several sugar plantations in Essequibo had their quotas. Such estates were Aurora, Golden Fleece, Affiance, Anna Regina, Lima, Hampton Court and Winsor Castle. They had 40 Portuguese families, and Devonshire Castle had their quota of Indian workers, all of whom were led to the logies once occupied by African workers.

Prior to 1904, when the British took over Guyana, the Dutch occupants were here (since 1620). By 1780, they began to close down some of the sugar plantations in preference of developing Berbice and Demerara plantations. Some of the Essequibo plantations that were closed down were Chandler (Better Success), Good Hope and Columbia.

On the right bank of the 27 odd miles of the Pomeroon River, they abandon their 30 cotton cultivations. The Dutch had an enclave at Somerset, where the Cotton Bailing Complex was located; a hospital at Siriki; and their European pine built ‘Fort’ at Calidonia, where the relic of a huge bronze bell is noticeable.

All the indentured Indians who came from India, who were contracted to serve five years, were supposed to return to India - this never happened. In Essequibo, the Indian Immigration Office was located at Plantation Onderneeming, occupying an old Dutch fortress as an office – where these edifices are still noticeable.

As sugar declined and contracts expired, Indian sugar workers were expelled from several estate logies to be replaced by new arrivals from India, since the immigration process began in 1848 and end in 1917. What was peculiar is that immigrants were brought from the different states of India, as such their dialects, traditions and tribal dispensations were noticeable. The expelled sugar workers experienced much difficulty in organising their return to India because of poor documentation and three months and fifteen days trip, confined in a ship hatch. The system was a calculated effort to have them remain in Guyana to swell the labour force as well as having extended families justify their settlement in Guyana.

The episode of this epoch became a calamity of the worst human depredation experienced on the Arabian Coast then, and to invoke the diminutive name of the ‘Cinderella Coast’.

The rapid closure of several sugar estates and factories resulted in mass unemployment, homelessness and suicide.

Two huge mango trees at the back of Anna Regina, still visible, were the regular sites where Indians hang them-

selves. Five freed slave villages, inclusive of Dartmouth, Danielstown and Queenstown, which were at the forefront of agriculture production and homemade medicine, could not mitigate the needs of the displaced Indians to satisfy their basic needs requirements. Those villagers were able to sustain the community markets of Aurora, Queenstown, Lima and Hampton Court. One such unbelievable situation was a mass protest in 1872 at Plantation Devonshire Castle where, for the first time in Guyana’s history, five indentured sugar workers were murdered.

The River and Creek Land Act, which was installed by the Plutocracy to suppress free Africans from occupying land and farm so as to confine them to the estates, was also applicable to the unemployed indentured Indians. It was unimaginable today to believe how Indians lived in mud houses, houses made with wattles and coconut branches, manicole palm staves bonded up with white chalk mud, an existing deposit of alkaline mineral, found at Plantation Zorg.

At Anna Regina, the existing Governor of Guyana donated ten acres of land in Bush Lot and made available discarded wood from unusable logies to build sheds to accommodate 76 families. That area was known as ‘Settlement’.

However, the Portuguese workers, who were brought from Madeira to Guyana in 1835, began migrating to the Pomeroon River in 1837 and made the Land Act null and void. They recommended the development of Pomeroon by passing cotton production and produced coconuts and other crops to subsidise the existing Essequibo plantations, all transportation was by sea as there was no road to Charity prior to 1908.

It was during this period in 1860 that second phase of Indian migration begun leading to the Pomeroon River district. The first family that went to Pomeroon, via the Tapacooma inland tributaries, were the Tacoordeens, who settled in lower Jacklow, an area of 15 miles where the Dutch never occupied because of the low-flooding swamps.

The “News of No Man’s Land” reached Essequibo and it enticed Indian sugar workers, most of whom in “Jahgee tradition”. They organised their groups and commenced migration to their new homeland in the Pomeroon River. The ‘Jahgee’ concept was developed during their four months turmoil in a ship hatch, sailing from India to Guyana. The Jahgee tradition was an invisible cooperative that provided help to restore the stability of indentured Indians in the economic, cultural, spiritual and social dispensations.

The second group that migrated were the Baharallys, Badries, Poorans and Samaroo Gildhari, who settled near a Portuguese enclave at Charity, owned by the Guvueias and Surrounds.

More than 200 Indians migrated to the Pomeroon, between the period of 1870 and 1940, and began the cultivation of coffee, citrus and farming of cattle. Some of six groups were the Ramcharrans, Nandalals, Gowgos, Jagmohans, Taseers, Birbals, Barakats, Rafeedeens, Seetal Sadhu, Ramlalls, Tellacks, Khandais, Ramphals, Rams, Jannies et al.

At that time, the upper Pomeroon flourished with fish and wildlife, such as tigers and venomous snakes. However,

to occupy maiden forest and to use the forest to build a shed for survival was not an easy task, it was an extreme hardship to survive on what the forest and river had to offer.

The new migrant group’s survival was due to landowners of the lower Pomeroon; who visited the new farmers and saw their plight of livelihood. The lower Pomeroon farmers of African and Portuguese ethnicity invited the indentured Indians and provided them with food, shelter and land to cultivate rice by manual labour. They then returned to their ‘palm shed’ hut, well-provided for several weeks of survival.

Some of the good Samaritans of lower Pomeroon River were the Stolls, Slyutmans, Benns, Garaways, Ribeiros, Corfields, Benjamins, Silvas, Boyce and Pereiras. The Pereiras also taught Indian farm workers management skills and purchased small farm lands for many. However, with a new population, the area saw the Austins and Evans facilitating the emergence of manual sawmills (saw pits) and the making of coal to for steam boilers and other activities. In addition, an Anglican shed was built by Pastor Jacklowe in 1860, Cabacabari Church in 1872 and St Louis RC in 1896 at Siriki.

The plight of these new Indian land owners got much relief when New Road, a progressive Indian village emerged under the leadership of one Sarjn Maharag, and food production advanced.

Sarjn Maharaj was six feet tall, fair in complexion and a devoted Hindu of the Brahmin caste. He visited the Pomeroon every two weeks, teaching Hinduism and supply vegetables and paddy to the new Upper Pomeroon farmers. Sarjn Maharaj also built the first Mandir at New Road and a troolie shed resting hall for stranded Indians in 19081920.

The traditional midwives were of African origin and performed well without any medical training, as well infant mortality was zero. By 1920, only four of the 55 sugar plantations and two factories existed. All abandon estates could not cultivate rice or other crops since the drainage system was sabotaged. Simultaneous landlordism emerged on Essequibo when several wealthy Indians purchased abandoned sugar estates that fell into ‘receivership’. New estate owners were Sahoys, Chans, Mizirs, Sankar, Reberios, Maharaj, Bacchus, Parikan, Singh, Eliza, Tedoris Benn, Santos and Doobay. These new landlords built rice factories on previous sugar factory sites and entrenched a new type of feudal control from 1908 to 1960.

However, the Tapacoma project broke this vicious cycle of servitude.

For Pomeroon Indians, much relief came when the Manicuru canal was dredged in 1923. Thus, rice lands were free of cost and were occupied by the Mangras, Barakats, Badri; all of whom cultivated rice to offset hardship on the growing community. The indentured Indians developed their traditional device to grind grains and shell paddy. Unfortunately, a four feet high flood in 1934 devastated the River district followed by an epidemic, which wiped out many families. As the community grew, social facilities followed such as schools, mandirs, mosques, saw mills, medical services, and a forth nightly steamer service.

The Pomeroon River is the deepest river in Guyana without any sand banks, and has a unique history. Over the last 250, its length was reduced by ten miles due to erosion. It is one of six rivers that discharges into the Atlantic in a North West direction — the others are North East. The first set of alien occupants were expelled Jews from Brazil who sailed up the Pomeroon and occupied Calidonia in 1520 and grew sugar cane. The ancestors of Portuguese and freed Africans laid the foundation for the development of the Pomeroon river landscape. The historical work and sacrifices cannot be omitted when the history is written.

Pomeroon citizens excelled in many ways; unity in communal life, racism and discrimination were never tolerated or noticeable. All Pomeroon residents are interrelated, interdependent and interconnected. The history put together formulated our national motto: “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”.

guyanatimesgy.com

JUNE 4, 2017

Sunday Times Magazine

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Times Feature

T

raditionally, throughout the world, the month of June is associated with weddings and “June brides”. It is felt that if a marriage is consummated in June, it is perceived as a blessing and the chances of love and affection would unite couples into an everlasting bond.

Whether this is true or not, there are some Guyanese customs to which couples would adhere, regardless of the consequences: “Don’t look back while going up the aisle”; “jumping the broom”- a West African tradition; “don’t ever let a dog eat your wedding cake”; “don’t sweep one’s foot with a pointer broom prior to marriage”, are just a few.

The following are some true funny stories surrounding weddings in Guyana.

Cow itch powder or stinging nettle

It is believed that a bride must be attired in: “Something old; something new; something borrowed; something blue”, for good luck, and no bad omen would befall the marriage.

However, at one Guyanese wedding, the bride borrowed a glove from her dear girlfriend, not realizing the friend had a crush on the groom. The friend wilfully laced the glove with “cowitch or stinging nettle” pow-

der, – a powder that would induce intense itching. At the wedding ceremony, before the exchange of vows, the problem began. The itching was very severe.

Apparently the powder was transferred and dispersed to certain discrete parts of the bride’s anatomy. The itching was very noticeable and created an embarrassing scene.

The groom, unaware of the problem, and in disgust, disappeared from the altar and the wedding was called off.

Guess who was waiting outside the church to console him?

is gay.” Without any hesitation the bride blurted out, “So what? I know he is gay, he is always so joyful and happy.”

Wedding cake

It is normal after the wedding ceremony to throw rice grains over the married couple for good luck as they leave the church. The groom, clad in a white suit, and the bride, wearing a gorgeous white gown, were greeted with a huge amount of rice grains landing on their heads. Suddenly, a drove of hungry pigeons appeared, stood on their heads, and had a feast. Simultaneously the pigeons decided to release some droppings which landed all over the married couple, leaving a random polka dot design on the white apparel of the couple. ( By Edgar Henry. Published in the Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. June 2012 Magazine)

It was also understood that if you are single and you place a very small piece of wedding cake behind your right ear, you would enhance and accelerate your chances of getting married. A 65-year-old-man, who would remain nameless, attended a well-known Guyanese wedding ceremony. In desperation he applied enormous amounts of wedding cake behind both ears. To make a long story short, he is still single today at 84.

Catching of the bouquet

The custom where the person who catches the bouquet is believed to be the next to marry is very evident at weddings. Before one

Rising up first

It is understood that when couples kneel at the altar to exchange their vows, it is thought that whoever gets up first will live longer than the other. In the haste to get up first, the groom accidentally stood on the bride’s dress causing her to fall prostrate at the feet of the pastor.

Pigeons

wedding reception, the bride made arrangements with her best friend – her maid of honour who was single – to throw the bouquet in her direction. Somehow, the boyfriend of the maid of honour got wind of the plan. When the bouquet was released from the bride, the boyfriend intercepted and caught the bouquet. The maid of honour was so upset she ranted and raved. One month later, the boyfriend married someone else.

Dowry

It is customary at a Hindu wedding for the father of the bride to offer a satisfactory dowry to the groom. As long as the groom does not eat, the father has to continue offering possessions. At one such Hindu wedding, the groom was not satisfied with the house and land that were offered.

Not until he was promised a number of cows and sheep did he eventually eat, which showed his acceptance.

After the wedding, he went

to collect his dowry but was greeted with a severe beating by the family members.

He then realized that the father-in-law never owned a house or any cattle in his entire life.

Marriage vows

During a wedding ceremony the preacher asked, “Does anyone know why these parties should not be joined together, speak now or forever hold your peace?”

One member of the wedding party shouted, “The groom

Walter Spence

By Dmitri Allicock

B

orn and growing up in the Upper Demerara area of Linden, I have come to appreciate the great achievements of those who have lived there and contributed significantly to society and representing Guyana on the international map. One such individual is Walter Spence.

Walter Spence may be the first Guyanese to ever win an Olympic medal. He competed for Canada in the 1928 Olympics, winning a bronze medal.

Walter Percy Spence, born March 3, 1901, was a swimmer from British Guiana who competed for Canada in the 1928 Summer Olympics and 1932 Summer Olympics. He immigrated to the United States and held several national swimming titles there.

Spence was born in Christianburg, British Guiana, the oldest of eight children – four brothers and four sisters.

His father was Scottish and worked as a big game hunter and guide, while his mother was Indian. Spence learned to swim in the Demerara River, along with his brother, where they survived many piranha bites. He and two of his younger brothers, Wallace and Leonard, became international champion swimmers. Two of the four Spence sisters also swam competitively, although not at the level of their brothers. The youngest Spence brother, Harold, showed

great promise but was killed in action in World War II before his swimming career could take off.

After becoming the top swimmer in British Guiana, Spence moved to Trinidad and began competing there. After losing a freestyle race to a swimmer from Chicago, his first-ever loss in that type of competition, Spence decided to pursue training in the United States.

He arrived in the U.S. in 1923, where he eventually gained U.S. citizenship.

He began his U.S. career with the Brooklyn YMCA team, swimming the breaststroke and three-stroke individual medley. By 1925 he had broken ten world records and was the top point scorer at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) national championships that year. He later competed with the Penn Athletic Club in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He competed for Canada in the 1928 Olympics and won a bronze medal in the 4x200 m freestyle relay event. He was also sixth in the 100 m freestyle event and sixth in the 200 m breaststroke event.

Four years later he was fourth in the 4x200 m freestyle relay event. He was also fourth in his semifinal of the 100 m freestyle event and fourth in his semi-final of the 200 m breaststroke event and did not advance in both occasions. He later represented British Guiana at the 1938 British Empire Games. He won the silver medal in the 220 yards breaststroke contest and finished fourth in the 110 yards freestyle competition.

In 1930, Spence enrolled as a freshman at Rutgers University. He set the collegiate record in the 100 yard freestyle and earned the highest point score at the 1934 NCAA championships. In 1934 he also broke the world record in the 300 yard three-stroke individual medley. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism on June 9, 1934.

After leaving Rutgers, Spence swam with the

New York Athletic Club (NYAC). His two younger brothers, Wallace and Leonard, joined him in the United States in 1926 and 1928, respectively. The brothers competed for the NYAC in the threestroke medley relay, with Wallace swimming the backstroke, Leonard the breaststroke, and Walter the front crawl. Together, they won the 1933 AAU championship title in the event and later set the world record during an exhibition at Rutgers. Joining with Peter Fick, they won the four-man 400-yard freestyle relay at the 1935 AAU championships.

After retiring from swimming, Spence worked as an insurance salesman for the Security Mutual Life Insurance Company in New York City. He married Sheila O'Connor and had five children: David (born c. 1942), Harold (born c. 1947), Donald (born c.

1950), Sheila (born c. 1952), and Wendy (born c.

1953).

Spence was killed in an accident on October 16, 1958 in White Plains, New York, while trying to board a train at the North White Plains station. He was on his way from New York City to his home in Hawthorne and had stepped off the train to call his wife during a stop at White Plains. When the train began to debark, he ran to catch it and attempted to re-board, but slipped and fell onto the tracks. He suffered severe injuries to his legs and died at White Plains Hospital an hour and a half later.

Nine years after his death, in 1967, Walter, Wallace, and Leonard Spence were inducted together into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

The Spence family of Christianburg, Upper Demerara, survives today but in limited numbers.

Most have migrated around the world. Some of them are my precious relatives. Now, Walter Percy Spence is celebrated as one of the best swimmers ever produced by the rivers of Guyana.

4

Sunday Times Magazine

JUNE 4, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Times Feature

A mission to impact lives

By Ashraf Dabie

U

S-based Guyanese autism specialist Dr. Sharla Madho-Khargi has embarked on the first phase of her initiative to assess the needs and provide resources for those caring for those who are differently abled.

Following 15 years of working with people with disabilities, Madho-Khargi journeyed home on May 14 to continue an initiative which began during her undergraduate studies.

The clinical psychologist, during her one week visit to Guyana, accumulated data from research conducted at various institutions from across the country, after which she returned to the U.S. to begin the assessment of her findings so as to procure adequate resources and materials aimed at bridging the gap in education and awareness for those persons who are differently abled. At the end of her endeavour, the country will be better equipped to understand the needs of children living with disabilities, and thereby afford them the opportunity to be successfully re-integrated as functioning members of their communities.

During an interview with Sunday Times Magazine, the autism specialist pointed out that her research was initiated over six years ago. However, this is the first time she will be working in Guyana, and the experience has left her both excited and scared.

“I am trying to see what I can bring in terms of assistance for parents and caregivers training, skills classes and resources for their education. I want to make sure that it is done the way I feel it in my heart. I started it as a baby project and it has grown into a full-grown adult. I have to make sure that it is settled in a foundation that is strong and will be sustainable for years to come,” she explained.

During her visit, Madho-Khargi will

hopeless, teachers have their hands tied, and they need resources and support”.

“There is a lack of training for caregivers and professionals who work within these areas. There is a huge need for assessments from a clinical psychology perspective in terms of diagnosis and identifying where these children are; whether they fit the autism spectrum disorder or whether they carry the psychiatric diagnosis.

We need to really identify those areas to be able to create goals and resources to put these programmes in place so that they will serve the community effectively,” she declared.

As such, the alarming information accumulated through her detailed survey allowed the activist to chart her plans for the Dr. Sharla Madho-Khargi (left) with founder of Sorsha country, which will be Williams Foundation of Autism, Karen Williams implemented before the end of the year. mainly focus on two institutions currently Foremost on her agenda is to provide reworking with children who are differently sources that will enable parents, teachers abled: the Community Based Rehabilitation and caregivers to identify, track and diagprogramme in Port Mourant (Berbice) and nose cases of disabilities or mental illnessthe Sorsha Williams Foundation of Autism es. Additionally, methods of communication, (Georgetown). daily skills and socialisation will be taught The autism specialist was able to acquire to children diagnosed with these disabilipertinent data, which contributed signifi- ties. The skills training will incorporate the cantly to her mission. In sharing what she use of picture exchange communication (esgathered through her experience in Guyana, pecially for children with autism), as well as Madho-Khargi said that “parents are feeling basic everyday activities such as brushing their teeth and tying their shoe laces.

Through the implementation of different concepts such as positive reinforcement and with the use of technology, Madho-Khargi’s hope is that these resources will have positive impact and improve the life of not only those who are differently abled, but their

caregivers as well.

However, on a more long-term basis, it is a desire of the autism specialist to establish a school for the differently abled, which would be housed in Berbice. At this institution, medical students from the United States and around the world will journey to Guyana to conduct their internship attachment, thereby ensuring a sustainable programme.

Visiting the Sorsha Williams Foundation, as well as the rehabilitation programme in Berbice, provided a great boost towards this initiative as Madho-Khargi was able to learn about what is currently being done for the differently abled in Guyana and their needs in order for the community to thrive.

“It feels like I am helping, but it is not even touching the surface just yet. This makes me sad, but it also empowers me,” she expressed.

However, Madho-Khargi stated there were high points of her trip, most of which comprised of the positive feedback she received from students who are generally nonresponsive. Her ability to connect with the students revealed the potential of her approach once implemented in Guyana, and even shocked the caregivers who were previously unable to communicate with their children.

“It’s beyond challenging for the parent; I cannot begin to imagine what they go through. However, I do know it’s very challenging and overwhelming. There are feelings of hopelessness and it is sad to see a human being feeling defeated,” she disclosed.

The clinical psychologist, realising the strength of her voice, has been using her talents to advocate for the rights of the differently abled. She credits her parents - who were unable to complete their schooling, but made her education a priority – for her motivation to help others.

“My encouragement to parents is to never give up on the one thing you were blessed with. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a child; not everyone has a child with autism or a disability. It is a blessing on so many levels and there is a purpose for you being on that path. There is hope; and more of it is coming soon,” she reassured.

guyanatimesgy.com

JUNE 4, 2017

Sunday Times Magazine

Times Women

N

ot only is US-based Guyanese Obstetrician/Gynecologist Dr. Yvette Westford focused on self-development, but through her practice she aims to improve the lives of women.

Dr. Yvette Westford is a board-certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist with a pending board certification in Laser Medicine. She specializes in Cosmetic Gynecology and Aesthetics.

Westford was raised in Guyana, but migrated to the United States after high school to attend college in New York. She received her AAS in Physical Therapy from Nassau Community College in Garden City, New York; and her BS in Biology from Pace University in New York City. Her Doctor of Medicine was received from Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica, WI. After completing her residency at Yale University School of Medicine Affiliate Program in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Danbury Hospital Medical Center in Danbury, CT, Westford moved to Victoria, Texas to begin her practice.

She opened her solo practice in 2011, specializing in OB-GYN care with a secondary specialty in menopause, sexual medicine and wellness. In 2015, she opened the V Spa/V Center for Laser Cosmetic Gynecology & Aesthetics, in a shared space with her OB-GYN office, specifically to address cosmetic gynecology issues and to provide medical spa and anti-aging services for the female patient. The practice has strategically focused on patients

with a combined dual approach using ideas from both gynecology and cosmetic surgery. Services include Operative Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation and Designer Laser Vaginoplasty® (DLV®) which is the aesthetic surgical enhancement of the vulvo-vaginal structures.

Westford is the first and the only physician in the Crossroads area to have received specialized training in this area. She is an Associate of the prestigious Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation Institute and was trained in Beverly Hills, Ca. by its founder, renowned cosmetic gynecologist, David Matlock, MD of “Dr. 90210” fame.

Westford prides herself on being able to provide a different kind of care. As a mother and a career woman, she understands how difficult it is to achieve balance in all aspects of a woman’s life. In a 2015 interview with victoriaadvocate.com, she shared that after a decade of working as a board-certified OB-GYN she decided to expand her busy solo practice into a place where she could offer a “uniquely feminine perspective on enhancing a woman’s image and improving sexual function”.

Notably, Westford was a distance runner, completing four marathons and numerous half marathons. She loves skiing and all ‘winter’ sports. At a tender age, she became fascinated with airplanes. She has been a licensed private pilot since 1995. However, since she became a mother to her three daughters, she hasn’t flown. In her whole life, the two things she ever wanted to do were fly airplanes and become a doctor. Most assuredly, she has accomplished both!

To learn more about Westford’s work follow her at Yvette F. Westford, MD, Facog on Facebook. (http://guyanesegirlsrock.org)

At her spa, which promotes health education

B

orn in Georgetown, Guyana, and raised in California’s Silicon Valley, U.S., hairstylist Marcia Hamilton is known for her ability to mesh old school beauty with up to the minute trends and techniques.

She discovered her passion for art and style at an early age, but against her mother’s predictions, Hamilton had ambitions of becoming an auto mechanic. After a series of life changing events, destiny led her to the inevitable path of a career in hair care.

Hamilton began her hair care education under strict training from the Pivot Point Academy Program in the U.S. and later continued her advanced education at the Vidal Sassoon Academy, Redken International and Toni & Guy Academy.

From there, she moved to Los Angeles and began assisting various celebrity hairstylists.

She forged a name for herself while collaborating with stylists by applying her knowledge and skill in hair colour to create unique styles for international stars like Brandy, Eve, Kelly Roland and Serena Williams. With fierce determination and a curiosity for the unknown, Hamilton started venturing to New York where she was mentored by hair industry giants Orlando Pita, Guido Palau, and Teddy Charles.

The hairstylist has worked on numerous fashion shows for Oscar De La Renta, Tom Ford, Caroline Herrera, Derek Lam, Marc Jacobs and Dian Von Furstenburg. She draws her inspiration from these experiences, which is evident in her uninhibited approach when creating iconic looks for clients and innovative projects.

When Hamilton is not coiffing in her private studio, at the Juan Juan Center in Beverly Hills, she can be found on sets, creating magic from Los Angeles to New York. She divides her time between cities working in beauty, print, film, music video, runway and advertising. Her artistic creations frequently appear in publications like Teen Vogue, Nylon, Shape, Essence, Vanity Fair and W magazines.

Hamilton has created the looks for epic music videos like Willow Smith’s (actor Will Smith’s daughter) “Whip My Hair” and Usher’s “OMG”. She has also coined iconic looks for major celebs, advertising campaigns and hit television shows. Her list of collaborators includes Pink, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Cindy Crawford, Zoe Kravitz, Target, Pravana, Macadamia Oil, Disney, TNT and many more.

For more information on Marcia Hamilton, visit www.marciahamilton.com

US-based Guyanese hairstylist Marcia Hamilton

6 Sunday Times Magazine

JUNE 4, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Times Book World

By Petamber Persaud

Days of the sahib are over, or should be, now that our land is free of the overlord’s yoke Rajkumari Singh

T

he novel “Those That Be In Bondage: A Tale of Indian Indenture and Sunlit Western Waters” written by A. R. F. Webber was published in 1917, the same year in which the indentureship scheme, that kept “those that be in bondage”, was abolished.

So there are two noticeable anniversaries here to commemorate: the centennial end to indentureship and the centennial publication year of the novel. The third celebration (hitherto unsung) is found in the fact that such a book – a piece of fiction – was published locally by The Daily Chronicle Printing Press. In 1917, that was a remarkable and commendable undertaking even though the author exerted enormous influence on society as a journalist and editor of the Daily Chronicle, among other hats he wore.

This novel is also notable because it falls at the beginning of the novel writing tradition of three states – the Caribbean, Tobago and Guyana, each state staking a claim to the novel. In the Caribbean, it is at the beginning of its novel tradition as there is but one other novel published before this one under review; in Tobago, where as the author was born, it is the first novel for that country; and in Guyana, it is one of the early novels of this country where the author lived, died and was buried.

To appreciate the first anniversary, a sketch of the indentureship scheme would be useful at this point.

Emancipation of enslaved Africans in 1838 created a shortage of cheap labour. That vacuum was filled by Indian immigrant labour after other sources of immigrant labour did not effectively fit the bill. The scheme came to an end, but not after unimaginable suffering due to various forms of bondage and discrimination.

The narrative of this novel is straightforward, but the reading is not uncomplicated due mainly to the distracting language replete with circumlocution, constant author’s intrusion lending to much (too much) philosophizing and too much tour guiding but it is a satisfying read on many other levels.

When it was published at the start of the twentieth century, it would have made wonderful reading suited to the taste of the time - romanticism.

The better aspect of the book is found in its themes – the imbalance of female to male population on the sugar plantation and its attendant ills, and the moral fight against all forms of bondage especially colonial bondage, social bondage and spiritual bondage. The plot of the book rests heavily on physical and spiritual bondage.

Set in Guyana, Tobago and Trinidad, between 1890 and 1913, it traces two generations of the Walton family wherein the protagonist always seems to be on the run - he runs from Guyana to Tobago, from Tobago to Trinidad and back to Guyana. And the book ends with him contemplating running to London after it was suggested that he was responsible for the destruction by fire of the Brickdam Cathedral. The ‘run’ was designed to focus on the issue of various types of bondage.

The story opens on a sugar plantation in Guyana where the brother-inlaw John James Walton, Edwin Hamilton, marries Bibi – “that smooth-skinned, bare-toed East Indian young lady”.

The union produces a daughter, Marjorie, “and the rest of the text is taken up with the romantic love that develops between Harold Walton and Marjorie on the idyllic island of Tobago”.

Harold eventually becomes a priest but had to free himself of that yoke when he becomes romantically involved with Marjorie.

A. R. F. Webber was born on the island of Tobago on January 1, 1880, to James Francis Webber and Sarah nee Hope. He married Beatrice Elizabeth Glasford, a union that produced Ivy Forbes Webber and Edith Forbes Webber.

A. R. F Webber

Some twenty years after he was born, he came to live in British Guiana at a crucial and exciting period of its history. In his own words, he described that era as not being “jejune or insipid”. He was a witness to many changes and innovations like the introduction of the electric tram service, the 1905 and 1924 riots, the end to East Indian Immigration, the first issue of $1 and $2 paper money, edu-

'Those That Be in Bondage - A Tale of Indian Indentures and Sunlit Western' book cover

cational reforms, the great rice embargo, glory days of sugar and its greatest decline, and the “abrogation of the 1891 Constitution”.

A. R. F. Webber was a poet, short story writer and novelist; herein the world of books, he made the most telling contribution to this land.

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

guyanatimesgy.com

JUNE 4, 2017

Sunday Times Magazine 7

Times Heritage

Our National Songs

I

n the grip of the desire for independence from colonial rule and a fervour for a national identity beginning perhaps from the 1940s, a proliferation of patriotic poetry flowed from the pens of a group of men and women, over the years leading up to and just after Guyana’s eventual independence, that was made into music.

Few young people are aware of a genre in the country’s musical heritage known as national or patriotic songs, excluding the national anthem; and even fewer can be said to be familiar with the songs and historical figures behind a once vibrant tradition celebrating national identity and patriotic passion.

MacArthur Lawrence died in 1942.

Born January 1896 in Georgetown, Walter MacArthur Lawrence is arguably one of the first poets to express a patriotic enthusiasm with his poem “My Guyana, Eldorado”, which would later be put to music. Many of his poems have entered influential book collections around the world.

Cleveland Hamilton was a busy legal practitioner who would also excel in his other love: poetry. Late 1969, a competition to select a national hymn to celebrate Guyana’s Republic status was announced that saw the selection of a poem called “Song of the Republic” to be put to music.

Walter MacArthur Lawrence

1991.

Valerie Rodway

Cleveland Hamilton

Submitted by a Thomas Theophilus Halley, it was the pen name for Hamilton who was concerned about political issues arising since he may have ruffled a few feathers in the then administration’s side for his outspokenness in a matter. It would take a long while after he was adjudged winner before he stepped forward to claim his place in Guyana’s history. He died Feb. 22,

Valerie Rodway

Valerie Rodway is perhaps best known for her musical composition pieces set to Vere T Daly’s, “Hymn for Guyana’s Children”; “Arise, Guyana” by J W Chinapen; Walter MacArthur Lawrence’s “O Beautiful Guyana” and “Guyana the Free”, a piece written and composed by herself and second husband James Rodway.

Born Valerie Fraser in New Amsterdam in 1919, she showed an early interest and talent in music, which was nurtured by leading music teachers of the day, and she went on to earn the Licentiate of the Royal College of Music (LRCM).

She became a music teacher and one of Guyana’s most famous composers.

Other compositions include “Water Music” (words by A J Seymour); “Kanaima”; “Kaieteur”

Sr Rose Magdalene

Sr. Rose Magdalene’s compositions that reflect Guyanese life and nationality include, “The Berbice Ferry”, “The Golden Arrowhead”, “Children of Guyana”, “The Mango Sellers”, “In an Aeroplane”,

Dave Martins

(words by J A Lawrence); “The Weeding Gang” (words

by CEJ Ramcharitar-Lalla) and “There Runs a Dream”.

She also composed music for Martin Carter’s “Let Freedom Wake Him”.

Valerie Rodway died in 1970.

“My Kitchen Garden” and “Out of School”.

Initially sent to be in Guyana for six months, she

Dave Martins

Guyana-born Dave Martins of the Tradewinds fame is often synonymous with what he calls “win’ down music”, but after pleas from the late Pat Cameron to compose something on a boundary dispute in the 70s, he came up with one of the most famous patriotic songs of modern times in Guyana, “Not a Blade of Grass”, and later, after being inspired by the audience at a Guyana Night performance, wrote, “Is We Own”.

There are also several other notable writers and composers of Guyana’s national songs such as M. A. Cossou who penned “My Native Land”; George Noel: “To Serve My Country” and “Treat All Guyanese Equally”; RCG Potter: “Way Down Demerara” and “A Song of Hope”; Frank Daniels who wrote the music to Cleveland Hamilton’s “Song of the Republic”; W. Hawley-Bryant: “The Song of Guyana’s Children”; Hugh Sam: “River Song”; W.R.A. Pilgrim: “Let Us Cooperate” and “Salute to Guyana”; Jodina:

Sr Rose Magdalene

Bartica grove, between Mazaruni and Essequibo rivers n.d.

European quarters, Demerara Bauxite Co., British Guiana

Sister Rose (Magdalene) D’Ornellas was a Sister of the Community of Carmelite Sisters, former Folk Research Officer in the Department of Culture, and social activist in the cultural community of Guyana.

She was born Elaine Mary D’Ornellas on Oct. 30, 1923 and joined the Carmelites in Trinidad on Jan. 10, 1946. She was assigned to the St Bernadette’s Hostel for Girls at Lamaha Street, Georgetown Guyana in 1950.

It was while she later taught both academics and music at the St Mary’s Junior School in New Amsterdam that her talent in teaching and music stood out. She founded The Marigold Choir, a children’s choir, in September 1990, which rose to gain international recognition.

W.R.A. Pilgrim

ended up spending almost a lifetime – some 54 years – instead. Sr Rose Magdalene died in Trinidad, where she had returned after retirement, on Apr 25, 2011.

“Blue-Saki” and “Citizen Man”; Hilton Hemerding: “Beautiful Guyana” and Walter E Hewick: “On The Banks of The Kako River”.

8 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

JUNE 4, 2017

Times Travel & Tourism

Scenic landscape in the vicinity of the Falls (Photo by CraftmaticAdjustableBed on flickr)

K

ing William IV Falls is located along the Upper Essequibo River, near the indigenous village, Apoteri.

German-born explorer Sir Robert Schomburgk, who carried out geographical, ethnological and botanical studies in South America and the West Indies for Great Britain, named the falls King William IV Falls in honour of the-then British monarch and first patron of the Royal Geographical Society.

Describing the King William IV Falls, “The Guiana Travels of Robert Schomburgk, 1835-1844” stated: “…The water descends in two falls, the upper is larger, and may amount to from 12 to 14 feet

in height; the water precipitating itself over a ridge of jagged rocks, pursues its way foaming and tossing to the second fall…so the falls from the upper to the lower cataract amount at least to 20 feet...”

A tourist, who recently visited the area (Apoteri village to King William IV Falls), said: “This stretch of water is amazing with no logging, gold mining and no commercial fishing. Not a piece of trash in sight. After traveling in the South American rainforests, this is one of the most pristine areas. Water is teeming with fish: even one of your biggest freshwater fish, the Arapaima, along with giant catfish.

Cock-of-the-rock birds, along with jaguar sighting, makes this a special place.”

Water cascades through rocks into the Essequibo river (Photo from barbelblogger.blogspot

Casting for fish (Photo from www.kingwilliamadventures Dangerous rapids for boats (Photo by CraftmaticAdjustableBed on flickr)

Lower end of the Falls (Photo from barbelblogger.blogspot

King William IV Falls (Photo from dheapsfishingadventures.blogspot

guyanatimesgy.com

JUNE 4, 2017

Sunday Times Magazine 9

Times Healthy Living

I

t’s time to address a problem many suffer from: peeling skin.

“Peeling feet is definitely common, and there are various reasons why,” says Rebecca Pruthi, a doctor of podiatric medicine and owner of Foot Care of Manhattan.

“We’re on our feet all the time and the constant pounding and walking can cause cracking and scaling of the skin,” she says.

But peeling feet can be about more than just pounding the pavement. Here are some reasons why your feet might be peeling.

T

he impact of cigarette damage to unborn babies has been revealed in a new stem cell study.

Scientists found that the cocktail of chemicals in cigarettes is particularly harmful to developing liver cells.

They developed a method of studying the effects of maternal smoking on liver tissue using embryonic stem cells.

The team, led by the University of Edinburgh, also discovered the cigarette chemicals affect male and female foetuses differently.

During their research they used pluripotent stem cells - cells which have the ability to transform into other cell types - to build foetal liver tissue.

Liver cells were exposed to the harmful chemicals found in cigarettes, including specific substances known to circulate in foetuses when mothers smoke.

Fungal Infections

The study showed that a chemical cocktail - similar to that found in cigarettes - harmed foetal liver health more than individual components.

Lasting harm

Dr David Hay from the University of Edinburgh’s centre for regenerative medicine, said: “Cigarette smoke is known to have damaging effects on the foetus, yet we lack appropriate tools to study this in a very detailed way.

“This new approach means that we now have sources of renewable tissue that will enable us to understand the cellular effect of cigarettes on the unborn foetus.”

The liver is vital in clearing toxic substances and plays a major role in regulating metabolism.

Smoking cigarettes, which contain around 7,000 chemicals, can damage foe-

tal organs and may do lasting harm.

The findings of the latest research, which was carried out in collaboration with the Universities of Aberdeen and Glasgow, also highlighted the different effects of cigarette smoke on livers in male and female foetuses.

Male tissue showed liver scarring and female tissue showed more damage to cell metabolism.

Prof Paul Fowler, director of the institute of medical sciences at the University of Aberdeen, said: “This work is part of an ongoing project to understand how cigarette smoking by pregnant mothers has harmful effects on the developing foetus.

“These findings shed light on fundamental differences in damage between male and female foetuses.”

The study is published in the journal Archives of Toxicology. (BBC)

According to Pruthi, the most common reason patients have peeling feet is a fungal infection (like athlete’s foot)—although they might not always realize it.

“A lot of times it just presents itself as peeling skin and patients don’t have the itchiness, so they don’t know it’s a fungal infection,” Pruthi says. So if your skin starts mysteriously peeling all of a sudden, get it checked out sooner rather than later.

Once you have a fungal infection on your skin, it can easily infect your toenail, which Pruthi warns can be very difficult to get rid of.

“What I find that happens is that the skin infects the nails, the nails re-infect the skin, back and forth, back and forth,” she says. “So whatever presents itself first, you want to knock it away.”

Sweaty Exercise Routines

Excess perspiration and moist environments often cause these foot infections, which lead to peeling. That might mean that your gym regimen, especially if there’s some hot yoga thrown in, can contribute to your peeling feet.

Pruthi warns that “anything you’re doing barefoot, or if you’re sharing mats, or if you’re doing hot yoga in a moist environment” can lead to this bacterial or fungal infection. See a doc if you think you have it.

Strappy Heels

Many women love to wear strappy shoes. But as anyone who hasn’t properly broken in her new heels knows, snug footwear can cause some serious friction.

“Anything that causes friction can cause blisters, which can also result in scaling or peeling of the skin,” Pruthi says. “Don’t wear shoes for too long, wear natural materials that kind of mold to your feet, and as soon as you start to feel friction, change your shoes. Don’t allow too much of that to dig into your skin.”

And you shouldn’t only focus on the im-

Y

ou brush your teeth after every meal and floss on the regular before going to sleep. But if you’re not taking a few minutes out of your day to brush your tongue as well, your oral health habits need an upgrade.

“More than 700 different bacterial species live in the mouth,” explains Vera W.L. Tang, DDS, clinical assistant professor in the department of periodontics and implant dentistry at New York University.

Not all of these microbes are harmful.

But when the bad ones set up shop and multiply in the crevices around the papillae, or small bumps, on the surface of the tongue, they can inflict some real damage.

How’s that? Think of your tongue as a bacteria sponge, spreading bad bacteria throughout the mouth and causing problems and disease, says Barbara L. McClatchie, DDS, founding member of the American Academy of Oral Systemic Health and owner

less sharp, says McClatchie. Get rid of the biofilm and your taste buds will get going again. of Complete Health Dentistry in Columbus, Ohio.

Consider these conditions, from the gross and embarrassing to the potentially life threatening.

Halitosis

“Bad breath is the number one problem associated with not brushing your tongue,” says Steve Cook, DDS, owner of Austin City Dental in Austin, Texas. How it happens: The bacteria making a home on your tongue begin doing what an overgrowth of bacteria everywhere do—give off a foul stank. The odor-causing bugs tend to lurk in the back of the tongue, he adds, which is why it’s important to brush back there if you want to get rid of the funk.

Duller taste buds

When you don’t brush your tongue, a nasty coating of bacteria, food particles, and dead skin cells called a biofilm can cover up your taste buds, leaving your sense of taste

Black hairy tongue

This condition arises when the papillae on your tongue get stained from leftover food or drink particles, like coffee, and the particles are never brushed away, says Cook.

That gives the entire tongue a dark, furry appearance. It’s otherwise harmless, and once you start tongue brushing, it should disappear.

Yeast infection (in your mouth)

Medically known as oral thrush, it can happen when the bacteria levels in your mouth get out of whack—say, from not brushing your tongue—and naturally occurring yeast grows out of control. The result: white patches on the tongue, says McClatchie. An antifungal medication can cure it, and regular tongue brushing should keep it from returning.

Periodontal disease

Bacteria buildup on your tongue can spread to your teeth, causing gingivitis, or

pact of your heels. Flip flops are also a culprit of foot discomfort and peeling.

Sunburns

Nobody goes to the beach (or creeks) with the intentions of getting a beet-red, painful-to-touch sunburn. But while you might be good at remembering to lather sunscreen onto your face, back, and shoulders, Pruthi notices that “the feet always get the short end of the stick.” So when you just dip your feet in the creeks and assume your lotion has stayed on... maybe reapply.

Sunburns lead to peeling and other scary things. Don’t let your feet be on the receiving end of dangerous UV rays unprotected!

Eczema

“Eczema is a skin condition that manifests through scaling of the skin,” says Pruthi. It can cause peeling, itching, and dryness all over the body—including the soles of your feet. Although many have experienced eczema since childhood, people can also develop the skin condition as an adult. Luckily there are many topical remedies available through podiatrists and dermatologists.

Dehydration

Dehydration can make you tired, decrease your metabolism, contribute to breakouts, and... that’s right, cause your feet to peel, too!

“If you’re not hydrated enough, your skin starts to flake off everywhere on our bodies,” Pruthi says. Remember: Water is your friend. (Just try not to go overboard.)

Normalcy

Although there can be some eyebrowraising reasons why your feet are peeling, it’s not always a bad thing. “Naturally your body wants to slough off skin,” Pruthi says.

“So I always tell patients to get a pumice stone and just kind of in the shower rub your feet and get dead skin cells off so that it regenerates new skin.”

So show your feet a little love—and they’ll love you right back. red, inflamed gums. If it’s not treated, the inflammation can advance to periodontal disease, when the gums pull away from the teeth and the space in between becomes infected. Your teeth may fall out, but even more worrisome is that the chronic inflammation caused by periodontal disease is linked to a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and miscarriage, says McClatchie.

By now, you’ll probably want to grab your toothbrush and give your tongue a good scrubbing. Here’s the right way to do it: Starting at the back of the tongue, gently brush toward the front, then go side-toside. You don’t have to use toothpaste, but it’ll probably feel more comfortable, and the abrasiveness of toothpaste can help make cleaning more effective, says McClatchie. Do it at least once a day for a few minutes at a pop, but ideally twice, she adds.

Also, you’ve probably heard of tongue scrapers: tools that are specially designed to remove bacteria, food particles, and other gunk from your tongue. While it’s perfectly fine to use one, all you really need for effective tongue brushing is a plain-old nontricked-out toothbrush, says Cook.

10 Sunday Times Magazine

JUNE 4, 2017

Times Fashion

D

esigner Marcie De Santos has a fashionable, bespoke collection of statement pieces perfect for any body

type.

The designer launched her debut collection in 2008 at Guyana Fashion Week, where she was adjudged “best designer”.

Marcie is known for her signature handpainting designs on fabric. In an interview with Sunday Times Magazine, she mentioned that her inspiration comes from “colours and textures”, and also pride in her “uniqueness in using colour blends”.

“I am also inspired by the feel of fabrics, as they communicate with my artistic mind, telling me how they should be fitting and flowing on the body. My love for colours, and combining hues, allows me to work magic with fabric to make unique and beautiful one-of-a-kind garments,” the designer ex-

pressed.

Marcie added that her main target is “women whose desire is to exude femininity in unique, exuberant, eye-catching timeless and versatile styles”. Notably, she designs clothing for “women of all shapes and sizes and for every occasion”.

She credits her exposure from participating in several international fashion shows across the region, including Tobago, Barbados, Antigua, Dominican Republic and further afield, New York Fashion Week, for helping her to “evolve as a designer”.

“Fashion designers should never stop learning and growing, and should always be open to trying fresh and innovative ideas in order to remain relevant,” Marcie declared.

Check out MARSAE by: Marcie De Santos on Facebook for more information on the designer.

guyanatimesgy.com

guyanatimesgy.com

JUNE 4, 2017

Sunday Times Magazine 11

Star Times Hollywood

D

ua Lipa, born August 22, 1995, is an English singer, songwriter and model. Her musical career began at age 14, when she began covering songs by artists such as Christina Aguilera and Nelly Furtado on YouTube. In 2015, she was signed with Warner Bros.

Records. Lipa’s “Hotter than Hell” song became a hit worldwide in 2016, especially in the UK, where it peaked at number 15.

Her fifth overall single “Blow Your Mind (Mwah)” was released.

It became the singer's first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100, debuting at number 72.

It also topped the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart and reached number 23 on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart. In the UK, the single peaked at number 30, making it the singer's second highest-charting single in British territory. In November 2016, Sean Paul released the single “No Lie” featuring Lipa. In January 2017, she won the EBBA Public Choice Award.

Her self-titled debut studio album was released on June 2, 2017.

12 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

JUNE 4, 2017

Times Hollywood

A

court case brought

by Taylor Swift last year against a DJ she accuses of groping her will go to trial in August.

A judge says former KYGO country music radio host David Mueller will have to defend claims of assault and battery but can also make his own case for tortious interference.

He says Taylor Swift got him sacked from his job by making the claims.

However, David Mueller won't be able to continue with slander claims against the singer.

US district court judge William Martinez says in his opinion: "Having reviewed these evidentiary materials, the court finds that the central and genuine dispute remains.

"Certain witnesses' testimony tends to corroborate Swift's version of events, and Mueller points to other evidence that he argues

shows inconsistencies in Swift's story.

"None of this changes the reality that if a jury accepts Mueller's version of the facts, then it must substantially reject Swift's version, and vice versa. In ruling on summary judgment, it is not the court's role to resolve this dispute."

That means Taylor Swift will have to testify herself and be present for the nine-

day trial, which will begin on 7 August.

The 27-year-old star is claiming that Mr Mueller grabbed her "bare bottom" under her skirt at a meet and greet with fans backstage at a 2013 concert in Denver.

Taylor Swift says she was left "shocked and withdrawn" afterwards.

US website TMZ shared a photo from the meet and

greet, which David says does not show him groping Taylor.

The DJ was fired from his job after the claims were made public.

At the time he gave an interview to Detroit radio show, Mojo In The Morning, saying the photo obtained

by TMZ wasn't what it seemed.

"I'm trying to get my right hand behind Taylor because [his girlfriend] Shannon was on the other side of Taylor," says Mr Mueller.

"My other hand was just on my belt or on my pocket.

A statement from Taylor Swift's spokeswoman at the time said his sacking was an "independent decision" made by his employers after they were presented with evidence against him the day after the incident.

The judge says a jury will now have to decide whose claims are true. (BBC Newsbeat)

Take That and Ariana herself.

All proceeds will be donated to the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund, with a number of complimentary tickets reserved for fans who attended the original concert at the Manchester Arena last month.

Reports suggest that security has been heightened for the event, which will take place at Emirates Old Trafford, and attendees have been asked not to bring bags. (Glamour)

J

F

im Carrey is set to face trial for the death of his girlfriend Cathriona White after having two wrongful death lawsuits filed against him.

White, an Irish make-up artist, died from a drug overdose in September 2015 just days after splitting with Carrey. A post-mortem declared the death as a suicide.

However, White's mother, Brigid Sweetman, and estranged husband, Mark Burton, are suing the 55-yearold actor, alleging that Carrey provided the drugs used in White’s suicide.

A judge at the Los Angeles Superior Court has now refused to dismiss the lawsuits despite the star's lawyer, Raymond Bouche, requesting for the case to be dropped after calling it “predatory” and “malicious”.

Last July, TMZ reported that just before her death, the 30-year-old wrote a note addressed to Carrey.

White's death happened on the third anniversary of her father's

ans are calling the graphics on the new “Spider-Man Homecoming” poster "sloppy".

It was released yesterday and features several of the film's main characters - but has left fans questioning who signed it off.

Naturally Peter Parker and his superhero alter ego dominate the poster.

But people on social media are saying the inclusion of the other characters makes the poster a little too busy.

The poster uses ten of the film's characters - including the film's main bad guy, Adrian Toomes and his alter ego, the Vulture.

With just two months until the film's release, some fans have been suggesting the poster was put together in a hurry.

Some have been uploading their own takes on the poster to social media.

According to Forbes, “Spider-Man” films make more than US$790m in box-office sales worldwide - making it the second-highest earner behind “Iron Man” when it comes to a superhero solo series.

Some fans are wondering if any of this money was put into the new poster. (BBC Newsbeat)

B

T

hough much of the attention was focused on basketball, all eyes were on Rihanna.

RiRi made quite the entrance at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California on Thursday, where the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers went head-to-head in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

In the first quarter, the songstress, 29, caught the eye of ESPN/ABC commentator Jeff Van Gundy, who couldn’t contain his excitement: “I don’t doubt this, but Rihanna just walked in front of me. Are you kidding me?” he said.

And the moment quickly became a viral moment on social media. Rihanna ended the game with a ‘dab’ in the fourth quarter.

She was joined courtside by her personal assistant, Jennifer Rosales, and also chatted with Jay Z and Kevin Hart.

Back in 2015, when the Warriors and Cavs first met in the Finals, it was revealed that the singer rooted very loudly for her fa-

T

ickets for Ariana Grande's One Love Manchester concert went on sale yesterday, selling out within 20 minutes.

The singer will be returning to the city for the event on June 4 to raise money for those affected by the devastating Manchester terror attack.

Little Mix and Robbie Williams were announced as the latest additions to the star-studded line up. They join Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Niall Horan, Pharrell, Coldplay,

vorite player, LeBron James, despite being seated next to VIPs, such as the owner of the opposing team. “[Rihanna] was rooting for LeBron the whole game, and finally I got irritated and I said (whispering), ‘I am the owner of the Warriors,’” Joe Lacob said. (PEOPLE)

eyoncé is of course pregnant with twins and we've been following her style journey with fervour. Her pregnancy has been celebrated on Instagram with regular photoshoots.

The star posted the picture with first daughter Blue Ivy, and she's looking amazing as ever.

Beyoncé, whose due date is fast approaching (the twins are expected in June), also recently posted a series of photos to her Instagram of herself having all the fun at the Carter Push Party.

Beyoncé announced her pregnancy in February, posting an image on Instagram, showing off her baby bump in Agent Provocateur underwear.

death. She had made a previous attempt to end her life in 2012.

Prior to her death, White reportedly told friends she was "madly in love" with Carrey, and that their relationship was a "roller coaster".

She was buried next to her father.

(Glamour)

"We would like to share our love and happiness.

We have been blessed two times over," she wrote.

"We are incredibly grateful that our family will be growing by two, and we thank you for your well wishes."

The statement was signed "The Carters".

She then posted some new pics to stare at - and she's naked, showing off her blossoming baby bump.

The global superstar was snapped gazing intensely into the camera, and

the image was inspired by Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus painting. (Glamour)

guyanatimesgy.com

JUNE 4, 2017

Sunday Times Magazine 13

Star Times Bollywood

A

gainst all odds, model-turned-actor Shashvat Seth is set to make his Bollywood debut with the film “Rum Pump Posshh”. Shashvat, a graduate from a renowned college in Pune, India, said in a recent interview that his “passion and love for the craft of acting” are the prime factors for getting into Bollywood.

Shashvat was India's official entrant at the International Manhunt Competition 2011, the world's biggest male model title. Talking about his journey of becoming a star, he said: “Taking it one day at a time, I am working hard towards what I want to achieve. I don't want to perceive this journey as a struggle, I was to enjoy each and every moment. I have a clear vision about what I want to achieve; having said that, I have never really felt better in my professional space. Hope everything works out for the better.”

14 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

JUNE 4, 2017

Times Bollywood

S

hah Rukh Khan is the latest celebrity to face a death hoax as a European news network reported that the Bollywood star was “killed in a plane crash”.

A European news network called El Pais TV announced a ‘breaking news’ segment that SRK was “killed along with seven others when a private jet he was travelling in crashed.”

The superstar today talked about the hoax and a ceiling collapse on the sets his film with Aanand L Rai while sharing his eventful week with fans on Twitter.

A portion of ceiling collapsed on the set of Rai’s yet-to-be-titled project in Film City. Two crew members suffered minor injuries in the incident. The shooting has reportedly been stalled for the time being and will resume later this week.

Shah Rukh Khan tweeted: “TGIF! Survived the week inspite of a plane crash, fatal accident on sets & yet another title of Imtiaz Ali film!” (PTI)

L

ooks like Salman Khan leaves no stone unturned to express his fondness for Katrina Kaif.

At the recent IIFA 2017 press conference, while Katrina was speaking about her performance for the award night, Salman interrupted, “But you don’t have to worry anything about her. I think she is one of the best dancers we have in the industry.”

Then looking at Alia, who also joined them for the conference, he added, “There’s a tie going on between them (Katrina and Alia).” To which Alia said, “Please, I am terrible. I am just cute.” “You can’t be worse than me and I am not even cute,” replied Salman.

On that note, Alia, who has been nominated in the Best Actress category for Udta Punjab and “Dear Zindagi”, is super excited about her debut performance and is eager to perform on the IIFA stage.

“I have already started preparing. I am even going to be dancing in my sleep. I can’t wait to go there and perform for the people.

That’s the best feeling ever,” she said.

On the other hand, Katrina, who is a veteran on the IIFA stage, without spilling the beans about her performance said, “I am hoping it will be something memorable.”

G

urmeet Choudhary, who is currently in Indonesia, did something special for his fan there. The actor is in the country to promote one of his Indian TV shows, which has recently released.

“Gurmeet has received a lot of love by the people of Indonesia. So during his trip, he decided to go to one of his fan’s place during Ramzan and be present with her during the time she breaks her fast (roza). She was happy and touched by Gurmeet’s gesture,” says a source.

Talking about his fan following in the country, Gurmeet says, “I can’t believe that I have so many

P

olice have registered a case against veteran Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor for allegedly cutting down more branches of trees than permitted by the civic authority.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had filed a complaint against Kapoor for chopping off six branches that were coming in the way of construction work at his Pali Hill bungalow in suburban Bandra, police said on Friday.

Kapoor had obtained permission for cutting six branches but it was found that more were felled, said Ramchandra Jadhav, Senior Police Inspector of Khar Police Station.

Police had initially registered a non-cognizable (NC) offence against the actor, he said.

Now, a case has been

R

Salman quipped about his performance, “No idea. Only after I am done with the performance, I might have an idea of what I have done on stage.”

Set to be held at the iconic MetLife Stadium in New York on July 14-15, the two-day IIFA festival will see a congregation of film celebrities. The event will be aired on July 16, Katrina’s birthday. (ANI)

fans in Indonesia. It is overwhelming. This, by far, is the best trip of my life. I am trying to meet maximum fans, trying to talk to them and take pictures with them.”

Sharing about what touched him the most, the actor says, “The people here are fasting and are still waiting for hours [to meet me]. I am thankful to God for the love I have got here, and I am trying my best to give back the same love in whatever way possible.”

The actor was last seen in films such as “Wajah Tum Ho” and “Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laaddoo Deewana” alongside Akshara Haasan. (Mumbai Mirror)

eports of actor Chunky Pandey’s daughter Ananya Pandey gearing up for Bollywood have been doing the rounds, and while he doesn’t mind his 18-year-old daughter becoming an actor, there are some pearls of wisdom he would want to give her.

“I would like to tell her that it’s important that you don’t imitate anyone else’s success story. You have to make your own story, and I would love to be known as Ananya Pandey’s father,” says Chunky.

The 54-year-old actor had a discussion with Ananya about joining films.

“Ananya finished her studies, and a couple of months back, she did tell me that she wants to get into films. Nowadays, you cannot tell your kids what to do. In fact, you have to listen to them. As a parent, give them great education and values and they will decide what to do in life,” says Chunky.

Meanwhile, his voice will be heard in an upcoming animated film, “Hanuman Da Damdaar”. (Hindustan Times)

D

eepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra just made it to Maxim’s list of the ‘Top 100 Hot Women From Around The World 2017’. A day after the release of the list, it was reported that Deepika became the ‘Hottest Woman Of The Year’.

The list included names such as Hailey Baldwin, Emma Watson, Emma Stone, Dakota Johnson, Kendall Jenner and others.

After they had released the list, Maxim conducted a survey to decide which woman shall top the list, which Deepika won. Maxim tweeted a video with the caption, “Over a million votes later, here’s a little sneak peek at our No. 1 on the #MaximHot100!

Stick around for more ;) #MaximIndia #DPForMaxim.”

Later on Deepika herself shared a photo from her most recent Maxim photoshoot.

The cover read, “Deepika Padukone The Hottest Woman Of The Year.” The photo has received over 70,000 likes and will only increase as she has 18 million followers on Instagram. (Hindustan Times)

registered against Kapoor under the Preservation of Trees Act, the official said, adding a probe was on. (PTI)

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JUNE 4, 2017

Sunday Times Magazine 15

Times Trends

Trending Now

Star of the week

F

uzzy slides hit the international runway a couple of years ago, and have recently made a comeback.

Designers have reinvented the footwear, making them one of the biggest trends right now, by adding pearls and other accessories.

Since these fuzzy slides don't seem to be going anywhere, here are some of the best styles you can wear without looking over-the-top.

Embellished fuzzy slides

Fuzzy slides with pearls

Gold metallic slides

For a more formal occasion, opt for these faux fur-lined leather loafers

T

hamesha Watson has a fervour for creative writing, being artistic, participating in her church’s youth activities and enjoying quality time with her friends and family. The 24-year-old’s ambition is to become a “woman of inspiration, one that exemplifies the true meaning of humanity, integrity, compassion and love”. Her belief is that “every journey begins with a single step” and that “dedication and patience are key ingredients in making dreams come true”. Currently, Thamesha is one of the ten finalists in the Miss World Guyana Pageant 2017. She is the ‘ambassador’ for East Berbice, Corentyne. Her Beauty With a Purpose project, a feature of the pageant, is prevention of teenage suicide.

Thamesha is now asking for support to help make her Beauty With a Purpose project a success. You can so by texting ‘six’ to 620-8683. Each text message costs GYD$34.80, but for every text, GYD$20 would be donated in aid to the prevention of teenage suicide.

16 Sunday Times Magazine

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JUNE 4, 2017

Times Art

R

ichard Gui Pennington Sharples, better known as R. G. Sharples, was a man of extraordinary ability who demonstrated a wealth of talents. Alongside his legal career, Sharples is recognised equally for his artistic legacy and his contribution to the development of a ‘local style’ in the history of fine art in Guyana.

Sharples was born in Georgetown on May 1, 1906. He was the youngest son of Mary Johanna (née Scott) and John Bradshaw Sharples, the famous architect and builder.

He began his early education at the Ursuline Convent and Queen’s College. He later studied law in London.

On his return to Guyana, he practised as a solicitor. He became Treasurer of the British Guiana Law Society in 1943. Sharples’ career as a Magistrate became inextricably linked with Guyana’s political history.

Sharples became president of the British Guiana Arts & Crafts Society, formed in 1931, which later became the Guyanese Art Group in 1945. He was actively involved in the main current of art in those decades. His art circle included a nucleus of talented local artists like Vivian Antrobus, Reginald Phang, E. R. Burrowes, Basil Hinds, Denis Williams and Hubert Moshett, who worked primarily in landscape and portraiture.

The art group set out to foster the appreciation of art and set goals for assisting the young upcoming generation of artists who later pursued their art studies in Europe: Aubrey Williams, Stanley Greaves, and Marjorie Broodhagen, along with Burrowes.

Sharples was also a member of the RA&CS Exhibition Committee up to 1956.

From an early age, Sharples displayed a flair

“East Coast” circa 1946

R. G. Sharples as a young man

feathery foliage and lithe abstract figures conveying a sense of belonging to the landscapes in which they appear.

Some of Sharples’ earliest work appeared in the “Centenary History and Handbook of British Guiana 1831-1931” by A. R. F. Webber published in 1931. The watercolour plates he produced for the book brought Sharples’ name to prominence. The six watercolour plates vivid-

“Midday” circa 1950

“Kitty seawall” circa 1948

for painting and continued his hobby when he returned to Guyana after law studies in England.

His sheer spontaneity is expressed in his pencil sketching done in situ to produce a finished watercolour painting. This technique became his preferred medium of expression.

His subject matter was primarily scenery with trees and human figures. Trees became an important feature in all his watercolour landscapes – sturdy gnarled trunks crowned with

ly portray local themes and locations which are evocative of Guyana’s coastal topography - the wonderful opalescent atmosphere of the tropical landscape is captured in scenes with ordinary men and women working amidst lush green foliage and scarlet blooms; reflected light from azure skies on waterways and rivers.

Besides his watercolour painting, Sharples readily turned his creative skills to other design activities included hand-painted dresses for his

wife and daughters.

In the mid-1940s he painted the scenery on the pivoting panels of the stage wings in the auditorium at the Ursuline Convent; he also made and painted the large ‘SERVIAM’ shield (the emblem and motto of St Rose’s High School) which hung at the back of the auditorium.

Rev. Richard Lester Guilly, S.J. was appointed Catholic Bishop of Georgetown in February 1956; Sharples was asked to design a coat of arms for the newly enthroned Bishop.

In the early 1950s, Sharples won a stamp design competition. One of the chosen designs was the 72 cents stamp in a carmine and emerald illustration of the Arapaima fish. This 1954

Guyanese Art Group exhibition. In June 1957, a posthumous exhibition of his paintings was held in the RA&CS Reading Rooms in Georgetown.

The Joint Art Committee of the RA&CS (1944 - 1948), which was set up for the purpose of forming a nucleus of the British Guiana National Art Collection, purchased three of Sharples’ paintings for the Nation – “The Quarry” (1947), “Bartica Afternoon” (1946), a backyard scene in soft pastel watercolours of muted greens and browns, which are in the National Gallery, Castellani House; and “The Tamarind” (1947), housed in the Guyana National Museum, a landscape in warm russet tones in which relaxed figures rest beneath the

“Buxton East Coast” circa 1950

“Camp Street” circa 1950

stamp set, released on December 1, 1954 was the first British Guiana stamp to carry the profile of Queen Elizabeth II. Although Sharples remained an amateur artist, he secured sales for his paintings at local exhibitions. In the 1950s, Alcan Aluminium of Canada put on a travelling exhibition of West Indian art and several of his watercolours were chosen for this.

In 1953, his work was exhibited at the

shade of a tamarind tree.

Sharples’ untimely death on August 26, 1956 at the age of 50 was a shock to his family and friends. Besides his legal career and love of painting, he had the capacity to enjoy the good life to the full - even as the Bohemian artist. He is to be remembered for his charismatic personality and outstanding quality as a magistrate, artist and citizen. (Information by Clive W. McWatt)

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Sunday Times Magazine 17

Times Tech

T

he curriculum, called "App Development with Swift," is a fullyear course designed by Apple engineers and educators to teach students app design with Swift, the company's popular programming language. The course work will teach students how to code and design functional apps, gaining important job skills in software development and information technology.

With the curriculum,

Tech BYTE

S

napchat Spectacles, sunglasses which also capture photographs and video, are going on sale in the UK. Snap Inc, the company behind both the product and the social network, are selling the devices online and in special vending machines which will travel around the UK and Europe.

The glasses will retail at ÂŁ129.99.

When Spectacles launched in the US last year, some people expressed concerns about being recorded and thought it could be an invasion of privacy.

Lights on the glasses indicate to both the wearer and other people when the device is recording.

The videos created by the Spectacles are circular and record from a "personal perspective".

America and we're thrilled to be providing educators and students with the tools to learn coding."

Six community colleges across the country will begin offering the curriculum later this year. Some campuses will also connect students with local businesses for mentoring and internships.

The curriculum is available as a free download from Apple's iBooks Store.

(Excerpted from CNET)

Tech news S n a p s taken with Spectacles then transfer wirelessly into your Snapchat's Memories section, where you can then send the snaps to a friend or upload them to your story.

The snaps can also be saved to your phone's camera roll.

Bright yellow vending machines, called Snapbots, will first land in London, Munich, Paris, Venice and Barcelona.

From then on, upcoming locations will be teased on Spectacles.com and will typically stay in a location for about a day at a time.

Since the Spectacles launched in the US in November,

Snapchatters have viewed more than 1.3 billion Spectacles Snaps.

Last year a UK-based teaching surgeon Dr Shafi Ahmed livestreamed an operation using the glasses.

The routine hernia repair procedure took place at the London Independent Hospital.

The young male patient featured is said to have recovered well. (BBC Newsbeat)

Tech BYTE

D

Apple hopes to give people coding skills the company thinks are increasingly necessary in the 21st century, when technology bleeds into every corner of our work and personal lives.

"We've seen firsthand the impact that coding has on individuals and the US economy as a whole," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement. "The app economy and software development are among the fastest-growing job sectors in

JI's new drone is its smallest yet -- and it can be controlled completely with hand motions.

The Chinese company unveiled its latest camera drone at an event in New York City on Wednesday. The Spark fits in the palm of your hand and weighs less than a can of soda. It can be controlled with hand gestures, a smartphone app or a remote controller.

The Spark is the first drone you can control with your hands from a flight's start to finish (a previous model only let you take a photo with a hand gesture).

The Spark is designed to fit in your bag and be taken on the go. It can fly through small spaces, like between library bookshelves or around a playground set.

The Spark, which has fixed arms, is even smaller and lighter than the foldable Mavic Pro drone that DJI launched last September. It's also

significantly cheaper.

"The design for this was really about instant setup. With the Mavic, you still had to unfold the arms. This is as simple as powering on the top of the button and you're up in the air," Michael Perry, DJI's director of strategic partnerships, told CNN Tech.

The Spark has two new modes for taking pictures. Pano creates panoramas, while ShallowFocus puts the subject in focus and blurs the background.

It also has a new mode for shooting video, which allows the drone to shoot a minute of video and automatically cuts it down into a 10-second clip that's shareable on social media.

The Spark can fly as high as 400 feet and can sense obstacles from up to 16 feet away. The drone can fly for up to 16 minutes -- the longest flight time for a drone this size, according to DJI. The drone, which is available for pre-order on Wednesday and begins shipping in midJune, starts at $499. The Spark Fly More Combo, which includes extra propellers and batteries, a charging hub and other accessories, costs US$699. The Spark comes in white, blue, green, red and yellow.

Perry says the target audience for the drone is "everybody."

"Anybody who has a personal story to tell.

People that use cell phones to post stuff to Instagram or Snapchat. It's just really a new way of telling a bigger story about your life," Perry said. (CNN)

T

he Trump administration has approved plans to ask US visa applicants for details of their social media

use.

Consular officials can now ask for social media usernames going back five years via a new questionnaire.

It also allows authorities to request email addresses, phone numbers and 15 years of biographical information.

This can be requested when "more rigorous national security vetting" is needed, a State Department official told Reuters.

According to reports, the State Department expects that about 0.5% of visa applicants will be given the questionnaire.

Critics have argued that the checks could lead to extended, fruitless lines of inquiry or the collection of personal information not relevant to security checks.

Providing the information is voluntary, though the questionnaire informs applicants that "individuals who [...] do not provide all the requested information may be denied a US visa".

A proposal to request "social media identifiers" for travellers using the visa waiver program was put forward by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) last year. This came into force for some visa waiver travellers in December 2016.

The new questionnaire applies specifically to visa applicants not using the visa waiver program.

Evaluation of social media activity is increasingly common, though US employers in Maryland and Illinois were recently banned - thanks to state-level legislation from asking job applicants for their social media logins. (BBC)

Tech news

I

nternet access across Ethiopia has been blocked to prevent national exam papers leaking online, a government spokesman has claimed.

"The shutdown is aimed at preventing a repeat of leaks that occurred last year," Mohammed Seid at the Office for Government Communications Affairs, told the Reuters news agency.

In 2016, the country banned access to social media sites after university entrance exams were posted online.

But some have queried this explanation.

"We are being proactive," Mr Seid added,

referring to exams that are due to finish on 8 June.

"We want our students to concentrate and be free of the psychological pressure and distractions that this brings."

Mr Seid is reported to have said that only social media sites had been blocked, but sources in Ethiopia told the BBC that there was widespread internet disruption, affecting both mobile networks and fixed line internet services.

A state of emergency has been in effect in Ethiopia since October, following antigovernment protests.

Mobile internet access has been disabled on other occasions recently, including a period of a few weeks last year.

On Thursday, the BBC was unable to access websites belonging to the Ethiopian government and the sole communications provider, Ethio Telecom.

Preliminary data from Google suggested that there had indeed been a big drop in Ethiopian internet traffic to Google services since Wednesday afternoon. (BBC)

18 Sunday Times Magazine

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JUNE 4, 2017

Times Home & Cooking

Recipe of the Week

J

ust like styling your coffee table, styling your kitchen counters is a bit of an art.

Below are some items to use when styling your space. Mix and match a few of these things to create your own beautifully-styled kitchen.

Cookbooks or stacked hardcover books are a great option to keep out on your countertops.

You could even use bookends if you want to amp up the look.

Ingredients 1tsp oil ¼ red pepper, seeded and finely chopped ¼ green pepper, seeded and finely chopped 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 carrot, finely diced 4 cloves garlic, crushed 2tsp grated ginger 2 cups lentils 10 sprigs thyme 2 bay leaves ½ wiri wiri pepper or scotch bonnet 1tsp black pepper 1tsp salt 2 vegetable bouillons 4 cups vegetable broth ½ cup coconut milk Method Rinse lentils and remove any stones or foreign objects, then set aside.

In a large pot over medium fire, add oil. When oil is hot add red and green peppers, onion, carrot, garlic and ginger and cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.

Next add lentils, thyme, bay leaves, hot pepper, black pepper, salt, bouillon, vegetable broth and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 35-45 minutes or until the lentils are tender but not mushy and the broth has thickened.

Serve warm over rice! (www.jehancancook.com)

Greatest Cooking Tips

W

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

This is a great example of how you can use cutting boards as decor. You can use a variety of different types and shapes of boards, including wood and marble, then lean them against your backsplash.

For rich, creamy dressings made healthy, substitute half the mayo with Greek-style yogurt.

To make a great sandwich, spread the mayonnaise from corner to corner on the bread. People rush this step and just do a swoosh down the middle. Every bite should be flavourful.

For best results when baking, leave butter and eggs at normal temperature overnight.

K

Home Help

eep your balance without picking up any pathogens. Use damp paper towels soaked in hot water and vinegar to scrub down railings. Wipe dry with a polishing cloth. Give doorknobs the same disinfection.

Grimy hands touch light switches and lamp knobs every day. Disinfect with a slightly damp cloth soaked in hot water and vinegar. Wipe dry with a polishing cloth.

Faucets are hands-down the dirtiest thing in your home. Scrub handles daily with hot water and dish soap. For a shiny surface, make a paste with baking soda and vinegar, apply it to the faucet, let sit, then rinse off.

A colourful bouquet of fresh flowers will always look stunning on a kitchen counter. Use a variety of vases to switch up the look and keep your kitchen looking fresh.

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JUNE 4, 2017

Sunday Times Magazine19

Family Times

PARENTING

A

JOKES

jogger running down a country road is startled as a horse yells at him: “Hey, come over here buddy.”

The jogger is stunned, but runs over to the fence where the horse is standing and asks: “Were you talking to me?”

The horse replies: “Sure was, man I've got a problem. I won the Kentucky Derby a few years ago and this farmer bought me and now all I do is pull a plough and I'm sick of it. Why don't you run up to the house and offer him $5,000 to buy me. I'll make you some money 'cuz I can still run.”

The jogger thought to himself: “Boy, a talking horse!” Dollar signs started appearing in his head. So he runs to the house and sees the old farmer is sitting on the porch.

The jogger tells the farmer: “Hey man, I'll give you $5,000 for that old broken down nag you've got in the field.”

The farmer replies: “Son you can't believe anything that horse says. He's never even been to Kentucky.”

A

priest was driving down to New York to see a show, and was stopped in Connecticut for speeding.

The state trooper smelled alcohol on his breath, saw an empty wine bottle on the floor, and asked: “Sir, have you been drinking?”

The minister replied: “Just water.”

The trooper asked: “Then, why do I smell wine?”

The minister looked down at the bottle and exclaimed: “Good Lord, He's done it again!”

A A R

A

ccording to a new study by the American Psychological Association, dads of toddler-age daughters are more attentive to their needs than dads of sons the same age.

The research, which is published in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience, also finds daughter-dads sing to them more, and are more in touch with their emotions.

Researchers surmise that dads with little girls are more open with feelings is because it's socially acceptable for girls to show emotion. Fathers are also more likely to use analytical language with daughters, which the study notes has been linked to future academic achievement. Less likely: that dads of daughters will engage in so-called rough-and-tumble play, which can also be an important part of kids' development.

Lead researcher Jennifer Mascaro, Ph.D., from Emory University, says about her findings, which she gathered by looking at brain scans and out-of-lab wearable device readings, "If the child cries out or asks for Dad, fathers of daughters responded to that more than did fathers of son." She added, "We should be aware of how unconscious notions of gender can play into the way we treat even very young children."

Dr. Mascaro acknowledges that most dads are doing the best they can, but hopes her research will encourage them to think about how their child's gender may be influencing how they interact together.

man is sitting on the porch drinking a beer with his wife. He said: “I love you.”

She asked: “Is that you or the beer talking?”

He replied: “It’s me… talking to the beer.

And dads of boys should also be aware of how their actions influence sons. Research indicates that boys benefit from being encouraged to connect to their emotional sides.

As Dr. Mascaro comments, "The fact that fathers may actually be less attentive to the emotional needs of boys, perhaps despite their best intentions, is important to recognize."

Interestingly, the study also showed that dads were more likely to use language about the body around girls, which could have an influence on their body image when they are older.

The takeaway: How we interact with boys or girls, as moms or dads, clearly has an influence on our kids. So we should strive to be aware of what we say and do, no matter our family makeup.(www.parents.com)

STORY TIME

little girl had just finished her first week of school.

“I'm just wasting my time,” she said to her mother. “I can't read, I can't write, and they won't let me talk!”

osa and Arthur, now well into their 80s, went to breakfast at Bert's Cafe where the “seniors’ special” was two eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast for $2.99.

“Sounds good,” murmured Rosa. “But I don't want eggs.”

“Then I'll have to charge you three dollars and forty-nine cents because you're ordering à la carte,” the waitress warned her.

“You mean I'd have to pay for not taking the eggs?” Rosa spluttered.

“Yes,” stated the waitress.

“I'll take the special then.” Rosa eventually decided, smiling at Arthur.

“How do you want your eggs?” the waitress asked.

“Raw and still in the shell,” Rosa answered with a glint in her eye.

Rosa took the two eggs home.

Q

uestion: If the red house was made out of red bricks, and the blue house was made out of blue bricks, what was the green house made out of?

Answer: Glass!

Question: What do you throw out when you need it and take in when you don't need it?

Answer: An anchor!

Question: A man rides into town on Friday, stays three nights and leaves on Saturday morning. How is this possible?

Answer: His horse was called Friday!

Question: What’s the difference between a wizard and the letters S A M E K? Answer: One makes spells, the other spells makes!

Question: No one wants to have one of these. But when you do have one, no one wants to lose it! What am I? Answer: An argument!

A

young ensign had nearly completed his first overseas tour of sea duty when he was given an opportunity to display his ability at getting the ship under way. With a stream of crisp commands, he had the decks buzzing with men. The ship steamed out of the channel and soon the port was far behind.

The ensign's efficiency has been remarkable. In fact, the deck was abuzz with talk that he had set a new record for getting a destroyer under way. The ensign glowed at his accomplishment and was not all surprised when another seaman approached him with a message from the captain.He was, however, a bit surprised to find that it was a radio message, and he was even more surprised when he read, “My personal congratulations upon completing your underway preparation exercise according to the book and with amazing speed. In your haste, however, you have overlooked one of the unwritten rules. Make sure the Captain is aboard before getting under way!”

By Lakeram Haynes

A

unty Joyce, from Rupertee Village, told me this story.

It explains why tortoises will pull their legs and head into their shell when you come across them. Although it does not have much connection to traditional beliefs, I do think it tells something about human beings and their lost care and respect for the natural world.

Once upon a time, an armadillo found a baby tortoise in the forest, which appeared to be lost. “Itasi wei, I am lost,” said the baby tortoise to the armadillo. So the armadillo kindly and safely brought the baby tortoise to his mother. The mother was so happy and thankful to the kind armadillo, for saving her child from the danger.

Having grown older, the tortoise was now able to go and fetch food for his mother in the forest, where it is usually dangerous. It had become a normal activity for him, but today was different, as a human being also happened to be looking for food in the forest.

The human was gathering fruits and looking for any sort of meat he could find with little effort and time. So when he came across the tortoise under a wild cashew tree, he picked it up and put it in his warishi, his basket work ruck sack, and left. Meanwhile, in the warishi, the tortoise was helpless and terrified for his life, as he was properly strapped up and he was not sure where the human was taking him. Deep in his heart, though, the tortoise felt that he was never going to see his mother again.

The human stopped at his camp, where a fire was burning. While relaxing, he thought about what he should do with the tortoise that he had caught earlier. As he had not eaten for most of the day, he decided to prepare the turtle for a tasty roast. Later that afternoon, back at the tor-

toise’s home, his mother started to worry about the absence of her son, who had passed the usual time of return. Seeing a figure appearing in the distance, she was hopeful her son was returning to her. But as the figure got closer, it was the human - to her great disappointment. The human walked straight towards her and said tosh koko, granny.

Sensing that something was wrong, the tortoise’s mother started to question him about what he had for a meal.

Carelessly, the human responded that he had a very tasty tortoise meal. At first the mother thought that he was just making a joke, but as time passed, and her son was not returning, she realised that it might as well be her son that the human had feasted on.

The mother sadly and quietly shed tears and decided that she would seek vengeance by getting rid of the cruel human.

She offered him to spend the night at her place and showed him a corner where he could sleep.

Late at night, as he was sleeping, the mother came in the room, singing sadly and holding a stick in her hand. As soon as she stopped singing, the tortoise repeatedly struck the object on the human and beat him into dust. Feeling slightly better with her vengeance, she went back to sleep and promised herself to never lay an eye on a human again.

But on the other side of the room, hidden behind a log, the human had witnessed the whole scene. Earlier that night, having sensed a change in the mother’s behaviour, he had quietly got up and gone to hide, not without having first placed some objects under a blanket, looking like a human sleeping. Seeing the anger of the mother having lost her child, he ran away in the night and ensured that he was far when the day broke.

Since that day, tortoises do not lay eyes on humans. (www.pantaniblog.org)

20 Sunday Times Magazine

JUNE 4, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Times Sunday Puzzle

F

our well-known sayings have been reworded below. Can you identify the originals?

Example: Lack of awareness brings elation. Answer: Ignorance is bliss.

1. Stop sleeping and sniff the java.

2. Fine items approach people who have patience.

3. One should not rate a volume by the lid.

4. Progress to the rhythm of another bongo player.

see ANSWERS on page 23

see solution on page 23

see solution on page 23

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JUNE 4, 2017

Sunday Times Magazine

21

Times Kids

Creature Corner

A

striking species, golden lion tamarins are small social South America primates with a magnificent reddishgold coat and a long, backswept mane. Their signature mane covers the ears and frames the dark, almost bare face. They have narrow hands and feet, long canine teeth, and short incisor teeth like other tamarins and marmosets.

Golden lion tamarins are small monkeys, weighing 17 to 24 ounces (482 to 680 grams) and measuring 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 centimetres) in length with a tail of about 12 to 15 inches (32 to 40 centimetres). Males and females are similar in appearance and size.

Golden lion tamarins live in the heavily populated Atlantic coastal regions of southeastern Brazil. They live in humid forests with many vines, bromeliads, and other epiphytes. They occupy the closed canopy, often remaining 29 to 100 feet (10 to 30 meters) off the ground.These tamarins are territorial and defend their area with scent markings and vocalized threats. Signs of aggression include

an open mouth, an arched back, and staring.

Golden lion tamarins are omnivorous, feeding on fruits, insects, and small invertebrates. Any smaller animal is possible food. They use their long, slender fingers and hands to probe into crevices, bark, bromeliads and other hiding places for their prey.

These tamarins share food with their family groups, but rarely share food with others outside their family. Juveniles, for example, playfully steal food from parents or siblings.

Once down to 200 individuals in the wild, intensive conservation efforts have helped the population recover. Still an endangered species, there are about 3,200 in the wild— about a third of which are descendants of golden lion tamarins raised in human care.

Can you circle the hidden words?

Remember to look both horizontally and vertically!

GEOZONE

Please see solution on page 23

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.

T

he Jurassic Coast is a “walk through time”. With its rocks and fossils, visitors to the site can uncover detailed stories from Earth’s ancient past. Through its landslides, cliffs and beaches visitors can learn about the natural processes that formed the coast and continue to shape the world today.

The layers of sedimentary rock along the Jurassic Coast can be read like a book.

They reveal the history of Earth across 185 million years and form a near complete record of the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Exploring this immense story takes persons on a walk through time across deserts, tropical seas, ancient forests and lush swamps, recorded in rock and laid out along the 95 mile stretch of coast between Exmouth in East Devon and Studland Bay in Dorset, England.

It is a site of outstanding international importance for Earth Science. For this reason the Dorset and East Devon Coast – the Jurassic Coast – was designated as England’s first natural World Heritage Site in 2001.

22 Sunday Times Magazine

JUNE 4, 2017

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JUNE 4, 2017

Sunday Times Magazine 23

Times World

S

cientists in the US have accurately reconstructed images of human faces by monitoring the responses of monkey brain cells.

The brains of primates can resolve different faces with remarkable speed and reliability, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.

The researchers showed pictures of human faces to macaques and then recorded patterns of brain activity.

The work could inspire new facial recognition algorithms, they report.

In earlier investigations, Prof Doris Tsao from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and colleagues had used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in humans and other

primates to work out which areas of the brain were responsible for identifying faces.

Six areas were found to be involved, all of which are located in part of the brain known as the inferior temporal (IT) cortex. The researchers described these six areas as "face patches".

Further research showed that face patches were jammed with particular nerve cells (neurons) that emit signals more strongly when they're presented with faces, rather than when they "see" other objects. The team members called these neurons "face cells".

Prof Tsao's team came up with 50 different dimensions that could describe a face, such as the distance be-

Brain Teaser Answer 1. Wake up and smell the coffee.

2. Good things come to those who wait.

3. Don't judge a book by its cover.

4. March to the beat of a different drummer.

SUDOKU

KID SUDOKU

CROSSWORD

tween the eyes, or the width of the hairline, as well as nonshape-related features such as skin tone.

Then they inserted electrodes into the brains of macaque monkeys so that they could record individual signals from single face cells within the face patches.

The results, published in the journal Cell, suggest that around 200 neurons each encode different characteristics of a face. But when all are combined, the information contributed by each nerve cell allows the macaque brain to build a clear image of someone's face.

"We've discovered that this code is extremely simple," said Prof Tsao, who is based at Caltech's campus in Pasadena.

"A practical consequence of our findings is that we can now reconstruct a face that a monkey is seeing by monitoring the electrical activity of only 205 neurons in the monkey's brain."

When placed side by side, photos that the monkeys were shown and faces recreated from their brain activity (using an algorithm) were nearly identical.

Face cells from just two of the face patches - 106 cells in one patch and 99 cells in another - were enough to reconstruct the faces. "People always say a picture is worth a thousand words," said Prof Tsao. "But I like to say that a picture of a face is worth about 200 neurons."

Although the work is based on macaques, the close relationships between primates suggest that a comparable mechanism may operate in the human brain.

The findings challenge the idea, held by other scientists in the field, that each face cell in the brain recognises a particular type of face.

Further evidence against this idea came from the observation that when a large set of faces are engineered to look extremely different, they all cause a given face cell to fire in exactly the same way.

"This was completely shocking to us - we had always thought face cells were more complex. But it turns out each face cell is just measuring distance along a single axis of face space, and is blind to other features," said Prof Tsao.

The Cell paper's first author, Steve Le Chang, said the work suggested that "other objects could be encoded with similarly simple coordinate systems".

One obvious potential application for the work is in the design of new machine learning algorithms for recognising faces. But there are others.

"One can imagine applications in forensics where one could reconstruct the face of a criminal by analysing a witness's brain activity," said Prof Chao. (BBC)

A

court in Switzerland has convicted a man on several counts of defamation after he “liked” libelous comments on the social media platform.

The court in Zurich found that the man indirectly endorsed and further distributed the comments by using the ubiquitous Facebook “like” button.

The man, who was not named in the court’s statement, “liked” several posts written by a third party that accused an animal rights activist of antisemitism, racism and fascism.

In court, the man was not able to prove that the claims were accurate or could reasonably be held to be true.

“The defendant clearly endorsed the unseemly content and made it his own,” a statement from the court

said. The court fined the man a total of 4,000 Swiss francs (US$4,100). He has the right to appeal his sentence.

Facebook said the case had “no direct link” to the company, and a spokesperson declined to comment.

The case is believed to be

the first time a court has interpreted a “like” as an explicit endorsement of a post.

Until February 2016, the “like” button was the only way to react to a post, and it had been used to show a range of emotions, including concern. (CNN)

Remote island has 'world's worst' plastic rubbish density

A

n uninhabited island in the South Pacific is littered with the highest density of plastic waste anywhere in the world, according to a study.

Henderson Island, part of the UK's Pitcairn Islands group, has an estimated 37.7 million pieces of debris on its beaches.

The island is near the centre of an ocean current, meaning it collects much rubbish from boats and South America.

Researchers hope people will "rethink their relationship with plastic".

The joint Australian and British study said the rubbish amounted to 671 items per square metre and a total of 17 tonnes.

"A lot of the items on Henderson Island are what we wrongly refer to as disposable or single-use," said Dr Jennifer Lavers from the University of Tasmania.

The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, described how remote islands act as a "sink" for the world's rubbish.

In addition to fishing items, Henderson Island was strewn with everyday things including toothbrushes, cigarette lighters and razors.

"Land crabs are making their homes inside bottle caps, containers and jars," Dr Lavers told the BBC. "At first it looks a little bit cute, but it's not. This plastic is old, it's sharp, it's brittle and toxic."

A large number of hard hats of "every shape, colour and size" were also discovered, the marine scientist said.

Henderson Island is listed by Unesco as a coral atoll with a relatively unique ecology, notable for 10 plant and four bird species.

It is 190km (120 miles) from Pitcairn Island, about 5,000km from Chile, and sits near the centre of the South Pacific Gyre - a massive rotating current.

The condition of the island highlighted how plastic debris has affected the environment on a global scale, Dr Lavers said.

"Almost every island in the world and almost every species in the ocean is now being shown to be impacted one way or another by our waste," she said.

"There's not really any one person or any one country that gets a free pass on this."

She said plastic was devastating to oceans because it was buoyant and durable.

The research was conducted by the University of Tasmania's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, and the Centre for Conservation Science at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. (BBC)

24

Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

JUNE 4, 2017

Fun Times

Archie

Make time for friends, family or a romantic partner.

(March 21Something good will result April 19) from an idea and activity you share. A short trip will be enlightening.

ARIES

Channel your energy into TAURUS developing an idea or plan (April 20- you want to pursue. Start May 20) small and stick to a strict budget. Steer clear of anyone who is a bad influence. Avoid excessive behavior.

Size up whatever situGEMINI ation you face and jump in (MAY 28- with both feet. Channel your June 20) energy and don’t back down.

Procrastination is not going to satisfy your ambition to excel.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Dilbert

Peanuts

Calvin and Hobbes

The changes presented to you should be viewed carefully. Don’t get involved in something that doesn’t suit your needs. Be prepared to say no and to do your own thing.

Taking short trips, making changes to the way you do things or altering your living arrangements will work out well. Follow your heart and express the way you feel through action.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Don’t mix money and love.

Joint ventures will go way over budget. Stay focused on being practical and sticking to what’s within your means.

Abide by the rules.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Make the most of your day. Get together with people who enjoy the same things you do. Make special plans that will encourage romance or a talk about the future with a loved one.

Take care of any personal SCORPIO responsibilities that can af(Oct. 24fect investments, contracts Nov. 22) or medical matters you have pending. The research you do will put your mind at ease.

Physical alterations will SAGITTARIUS boost your confidence and (Nov. 23your morale.

Compliments Dec. 21) can be expected, and a romantic gesture will bring you closer to someone you love.

You’ll face problems with CAPRICORN a friend, relative or loved (Dec. 22- one. Don’t feel that you Jan. 19) must pay for someone else’s mistake. Walk away from a bad deal.

Set aside time to improve

AQUARIUS your domestic situation or (Jan. 20- surroundings. What you do Feb. 19) will pay off and contribute to your physical and emotional well-being. Romance will have an impact on an important relationship.

Don’t feel guilty or presPISCES (Feb. 20- sured to take part in someMar. 20) thing that doesn’t interest you. A creative outlet will be far more engaging and will ease your stress. Do what pleases you.