Sunday Magazine 22nd Sept 2013

Sunday

Times September 22, 2013

Star Times Hollywood:

Beyonce, Jay Z are Forbes' highest earning couple See story on page 11

Magazine

FREE DISTRIBUTION

Bringing out the best in them St Ignatius Youth Activity Week a success Page 2

CSEC, differently-abled students put on grand art show Page 21

2 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Feature

St Ignatius Youth Activity Week a success

A

‘Youth Activity Week’, a regular event organised by the Catholic Church in the village of St Ignatius, near Lethem, Rupununi, has become a vital programme for many youths as it offers vital skills for empowerment.

On August 12-19, the event was attended by more than 20 boys and girls from ages 8 to 16.

The activity week was organised by parish priest, Fr.

Waidan Hernandez concentrating on his bat

Tim Curtis who, sadly, has since returned to the UK after completing his term of service. However, hands-on supervision was provided by Brother Edwin and Brother Leonardo.

“We were able to put on three activities this year.

These included hymn singing, use of computers, and carpentry skills,” said Brother Edwin in an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine.

The Catholic Church compound at St Ignatius has a recently upgraded library and resource centre, with a number of computers available for use for adults and children, and the centre was used specifically to promote computer learning during this event.

“This [computer] is very popular with children who do not normally have access to this kind of technology, and we are here to make sure they learn to use some of the features as well as play games,” Brother Leonardo mentioned.

Hymn-singing is a regular feature of the church’s Youth Activity Week but remains very popular with the children as the Brothers try to incorporate more modern approaches to traditional singing.

Sixteen-year-old Sylvia Alexander, a participant, said she enjoyed learning new hymns, but most of all she liked the spiritual sessions when herself and oth-

er youths were encouraged to use their imagination to gain better understanding of some of the stories in the Bible; when Jesus fed the 5,000 and when he healed the paralyzed man, for instance.

A new feature this year was the sessions on carpentry skills training under the supervision of CUSO volunteer Eddie Doyle, a carpentry skills instructor at the Cary Elwes Woodwork Training Centre located at the Catholic Church compound.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to capture the enthusiasm of young children at an early age, so the interest stays with them as they grow older,” Doyle commented.

The children were instructed in the use of basic tools and simple machinery, and given projects to make chopping boards. But because they were such quick learners, Doyle had to give them another project, this

Cheryl working on the chopping board

time to make two pairs of cricket bats for the church and, if there was still time, they could each make one for themselves.

“It was lovely to see their enthusiasm and the look of concentration on their faces as they work,” Doyle recalled.

Cheryl Hernandez, the only girl who attended the carpentry sessions, was delighted to take the chopping board home for her mother. Her 9-year-old brother Ezekiel was so small that he sometimes had to stand on a platform to reach the work table, but he proudly walked away with his own cricket bat.

Fifteen-year-old Theodore Alexander said he really enjoyed learning to use proper tools and creat-

ing things, while Leandra Ny-A-Fook and Waidan Hernandez said they loved the sessions so much they wished it could go on longer so that they could learn more.

The ‘Youth Activity Week’ is not a one-off event.

The Catholic Church normally holds a couple of these events every year, and at least one of them is held during the school holidays in August. (By Behi Barzegar, Development Management Consultant/ Enterprise Development Specialist, Lethem, Region Nine) (Cover photo: From left are Cheryl Hernandez, Waidan Hernandez, Ezekile Hernandez, Theodore Alexander and Leandra NyA-Fook with their self-made cricket bats and wickets)

Little Ezekiel sanding his bat

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine

3

Times Focus

Hoping to develop local communities, the new, one-of-a-kind Shulinab Industrial Arts Centre in Rupununi is ready to tap into growing construction markets

T

he recent establishment of the Shulinab Industrial Arts Centre, financed by the New Zealand government, focuses on carpentry and joinery at Shulinab in South Central Rupununi, and enables community members to tap into the construction industry and capitalise on the growing market at Lethem and in Brazil.

The centre, formally presented to the community by the New Zealand High Commission Head of Mission Fund on July 4, boasts a new purpose-made building and wood storage facility, with electrical power tools as well as other necessary equipment, tools and accessories that will allow it to operate efficiently and competitively with other professional carpentry enterprises in the region.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Alfred Fredericks, community development officer in Region Nine, Lethem Sub-District, said the centre is the only one of its kind in central and southern Rupununi.

“The centre caters for persons who need to learn much more about carpentry, and equips them with the necessary tools to do so. The village council is looking at school leavers to get them involved and keep them occupied at the centre. We want to help them learn a new skill so that they can have that earning power. School children have also expressed interest in learning at the centre and we are looking into facilitating them,” Fredericks disclosed.

Shulinab Industrial Arts Centre is the nearest workshop to Lethem, where construction activity is booming since the opening of the Takutu Bridge between Brazil and Guyana. The residents of Shulinab are cognizant that the centre has provided a unique opportunity for them to tap into the growing market.

Fredericks said that the project builds on the success of a previous industrial arts training centre built near the school in 1991 as part of an education initiative fa-

ed out that he hopes this initiative will be a model for community development in the future. However, he added, the correct level of technical support is essential for communities to execute and manage these programmes in a sustainable way.

According to the press release, Roddy Rebeiro and Jason Larose were the two senior project team members who were involved in all aspects of the project design, construction and equipment selection. Both men are looking forward to the challenge of operating the centre.

Shulinab Industrial Arts Centre

cilitated by a local NGO. “That was a small initiative at the school. This new facility is more established and has modernized equipment, which is vital for the people of Shulinab to develop their skills in carpentry. They are producing chairs, tables, doors and other furniture to sell back. It is a timely facility as it benefits the entire community,” he noted.

The training centre in Shulinab has been a popular and successful operating unit, accommodating some six to 10 primary school students on weekdays (during and after school hours) and, partly due to the efforts of a skilled instructor, it now has an above average number of youths with basic carpentry skills.

“The goal of the project is to try and stop our young people leaving our community.

The new centre will provide high quality vocational training and income generation opportunities, but also allow them to participate and contribute to the development of their own community,” Toshao Vibert Ignace said in an earlier press release.

The Toshao described Shulinab as a pro-

Setting up the machines

Ceremonial cutting of the ribbon to officially open the doors to the centre

gressive community that is always looking for development opportunities that would benefit its members.

Nick Fredericks, treasurer for the council, explained in the press release that the community used this project as an opportunity to learn project management with the support of the volunteer technical advisor Eddie Doyle.

In his statement, Nick Fredericks point-

Rebeiro mentioned the first thing that must be done is to win a contract for supplying school furniture for the community of Shulinab and other villages. He cited that residents must prove that they are better than other professional businesses.

Check out Shulinab Village - The Heart of the Rupununi on Facebook for more information and photos.

4

Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Feature

Making history relevant T

he Guyana Institute of Historical Research was founded to preserve and disseminate vital information on the history of Guyana, and to help with awareness of the importance of the country’s past.

GIHR was founded in July 11, 1994 and formal-

tered on February 8, 2010 and is managed by a board of directors.

The institute was established with the aim of disseminating historical information, considered vital for researchers, historians, civil society, politicians, the electorate and those persons who need to be ed-

Journal. It also publishes works of reference, and undertakes a number of research projects.

The institute runs a research programme on labour, social, women and presidential history. It acts as a vehicle of exchanging information. GIHR concentrates

GIHR's exhibition at the 2012 Inter Guianas Festival Mutual Cultural Heritage National Archives of the Netherlands Director, Dr Roelof Hol makes notable presentation to GIHR Director Hazel Woolford at the Sixth Annual Research Conference

ly commissioned Sept. 1, 2000, when an application for registration under the Funeral and Burials Act was submitted. The signatories were GIHR Director Hazel Woolford, Tota Mangar, Arlene Munroe, Cecelia McAlmont and Dr. Melissa Ifill. It was regis-

ucated about the historical background of the politicians, political parties, as well as the local history of Guyana. It also promotes higher education for development through research.

It publishes a newsletter three times a year, and the GIHR Historical

on the main printed primary sources for modern history, in particular the history of Guyana and the Caribbean.

Public Events to Raise Awareness lic

As part events

of its pubprogramme,

the institute holds exhibitions in observance of Amerindians, the arrival of Indian immigrants to Guyana, political independence and African emancipation. There is one public lecture during the year.

Additionally, GIHR holds an annual conference on the last Saturday in June, at which presentations are made by historians, academics, researchers and prominent civil society activists.

There is also the Montrose Academy, which is the junior division of the GIHR. It holds the annual ‘Kids Vacation History School’, a five-day school programme that introduces children to Guyana’s history. Children are exposed to history through online research. There are also exhibitions, child art and creative writing on history.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday

Magazine, current director Hazel Woolford said the institute plays a pivotal role in the preservation and recording of Guyana’s history, which gives us an identity as a unified nation.

She also stated that GIHR will be offering a certificate in historical studies on September 30, with the aim of encouraging students to do more research on their history and build appreciation for it.

“There are still places, and students can apply online at hazelwoolford@ gmail.com. The institute has also planned a one day workshop for History/ Social Studies teachers at NCERD. Teachers who are interested may contact me via email. The annual tea party and fashion show will be held on October 26 at the Critchlow Labour College. This year we will also feature the jewellery of UNESCO awardee Juliana Hughes. The models were

trained by Negla Brandis and Sonia Noel. The tea plate is $1,000. There will be face painting, plant and a book exhibition,” she outlined.

GIHR successfully held its Sixth Annual Research Conference in June held under the theme, “The 1763 Berbice Revolution”.

Woolford said this year’s theme signals the importance of preserving the country’s history.

“In 1763, psychologically, the slaves had successfully overcome abuse, neglect, shame and fear in their attempt to create a republic hemisphere. This is a major achievement and one we should never forget.”

The next notable event would be GIHR’s annual public lecture to be held on November 28. The speaker is Eldon McRae, and the topic relates to the church and the 1823 Demerara rebellion.

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine 5

Times Women

Skills training for vulnerable women WPO general secretary Sheila Veerasammy talks about a program designed to help women gain financial independence, especially as the holiday season approaches

F

ocused on empowerment, the Women Progressive Organisation (WPO) has held a vital training programme to equip women with necessary skills and the earning power to come out of poverty and get on the path of self-development.

In an interview with

the strategy behind the training programme was in preparation for the upcoming Christmas holidays.

The skills learnt will allow beneficiaries of the training programme to sell their individual creations to earn for themselves and families.

“Those earnings will go a far way to reduce poverty in their families. This pro-

to empower other women,” she explained.

At the end of the training programme, an exhibition was organised to showcase the women’s creations.

The exhibition was held September 10 at the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre (Red House) High Street.

“The conference room at the centre was trans-

Some of the women who participated in the skills training programme

Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Sheila Veerasammy, WPO’s general secretary, said a group of 25 women who are wives, mothers, single parents, teenage girls, and women who are victims and survivors of domestic violence, were provided with skills

gramme was held as part of WPO celebrations of its 60th anniversary. Through this skills training programme for women, we aim to help them subsidize and economize. We are also providing training for women groups at grassroots levels.

Those classes are kept un-

Creative cakes by the participants

training in areas that empowered them to save and to earn, receiving a certificate of participation upon completion. They hail from Georgetown, East Coast, East Bank and West Coast Demerara.

Veerasammy added that

der bottom houses and at schools; we are providing resources so that they can teach other women to empower themselves. We hope the women who participated in this programme take what they learnt back to their communities and help

formed into a flurry of activities that corresponded with the bright faces and smiles of the women who proudly displayed their products for viewing by guests and visitors.

The feelings of achievement among students were reflected in their demands for such training programmes to be taken around the country so that women who are WPO members can benefit from the skills taught to them. Several of the students indicated that they will be pursuing courses to enhance what they already learnt at other institutions such as the Board of Industrial Training and the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute,” Veerasammy recalled.

Curtain making, nail artistry, floral arrangements, handicraft (decorative dolls, clothes pin arrangements, fabric painting) and cake decoration were taught, with facilitators Padmini Singh, Nandani Singh and Sharon Singh.

WPO was founded in May 27, 1953, and has more than 150 groups across the country. The organisation boasts more than 5,000 women members, with membership expanding across all administrative regions. The current president of the group is women’s activist Indra Chandarpal.

At a recent press conference to outline the activities to mark the 60th anniversary of WPO, Chandarpal

said Guyanese women had much to celebrate, given the social, economic and political gains made in Guyana during the past 60 years.

She also mentioned that WPO has also made a significant contribution through various initiatives in empowering women while equipping them with the necessary skills to face the world. Additionally,

she stated that the organisation provides training to professional and grassroots women in information technology and works with them on an individual basis to meet specific needs.

For its anniversary, WPO is coordinating a number of outreaches and other activities across the country. It also plans to utilise the opportunity to mo-

bilise women in response to calls for assistance and work on completing a book on the history of the organisation.

WPO’s central committee congratulates all the women who participated in the recently concluded empowerment programme on their achievements and wishes them many more successes in the future.

6 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Book World

The Shaping of Guyanese Literature

Chaitram Singh, 'The February 23rd Coup' P

etamber Persaud shares a review done

by Professor Emeritus Birbalsingh who is an anthologist and author of many scholarly publications, including “From Pillar to Post: The Indo Caribbean Diaspora”, “Passion and Exile: Essays in Caribbean Literature”, “The Rise of West Indian Cricket: From Colony to Nation”, and two anthologies of Indo-Caribbean writing “Jahaji” and “Jahaji Bhai”. Birbalsingh is an acknowledged book reviewer.

Chaitram Singh won the 2012 Guyana Prize for Literature (awarded September 2013) in the category of Best First Book of Fiction with his first novel, “The Flour Convoy”.

The book under review was shortlisted in the Best Book of Fiction category.

“The February 23rd Coup” is the second novel – after “The Flour Convoy” – by Chaitram Singh, a Guyanese graduate of West Point - an American military academy, and former officer in the Guyana Defence Force. Singh is also au-

thor of a non-fiction work, “Politics in Plantation Society”, (1988) and teaches political science at Berry College, Georgia in the U.S.A. Singh’s second novel focuses on the dictatorial regime of Forbes Burnham which, by the late 1970s had, in the words of one of the novel’s American characters, turned Guyana into, “a refugee encampment for people desperately seeking to flee the punishing conditions of life created by the mismanagement and corruption of a self-perpetuating clique.” (p.246) While many Guyanese characters express dissatisfaction with the Burnham regime by emigrating, “The February 23rd Coup” highlights an attempted military coup by members of the Guyanese Defence Force on February 23rd 1980. A successful coup would be improbable since it conflicts with historical accuracy, whereas failure of the coup conveys the truth, as expressed by another American official, “suffer-

Chaitram Singh

ing would continue, and every low-level official would exact, without impunity, bribes and other favours from people too destitute to pay but too powerless to resist.” (p.246) Singh’s novel acknowledges the role of the US as one of two super-powers in the second half of the twentieth century when the

Caribbean Sea was (and still is) regarded as a privately owned American lake, and territories within or bordering this sea treated largely as the personal effects of Americans.

So it is not surprising that, despite the novel’s fictional coup being planned

by Guyanese, every move is monitored, controlled and eventually derailed by the CIA in cahoots with the US embassy in Guyana.

History repeats itself when the CIA Station Chief Colonel Fred Hitchcock reminds the Guyanese president after his brief capture: “Surely you remember from your days in the opposition back in the 60’s that we [Americans] have friends in the [Guyanese] trade union movement.

It worked to your advantage back then.” (p.180) Hitchcock also reminds another American Stephen Erikson, assistant military attaché at the US embassy in Guyana that “American interests” were paramount, and in 1980 aimed: “to prevent the spread of communism.” (p.156)

When the action of the novel opens in 1979, Guyana is firmly in the grip of a corrupt government run by the Kabaka Party (alias the People’s National Congress led by Burnham) while the Opposition is the People’s Party (alias the People’s Progressive Party led Dr Cheddi Jagan).

Both parties are socialist, as is a third party, the Workers’ Party (alias the Working People’s Alliance of Walter Rodney) which is led

by Dr Nelson, a true Marxist of whom the Americans are most afraid. To the US: “the president was an opportunist whose only concern was to maintain himself in power,” (p.155) while the Opposition leader was toothless because he supported the government ideologically. But Dr. Nelson was a real threat; according to Hitchcock, “we couldn’t have a government under a diehard Marxist like Donald Nelson.” (p. 204).

Thus no one worries later when, like the historical Walter Rodney, Nelson’s car explodes under mysterious circumstances and he is killed.

The coup itself is meticulously planned in strict secrecy by Colonel Ralph Spooner, Capt. Malcolm Felix, Capt.

Anthony Cassius McGowan, and Colonel Franchette Taylor.

A fifth officer – Capt.

Andrew Rambarran – joins only after much persuasion.

The author revels in the professionalism of his West Point expertise in presenting this plan, carefully tailored down to the last detail.

The date – Saturday, February 23, 1980 – is carefully selected. It is the day of the official Republic Day parade which will involve servicemen from all three services – the Army, National Service and police. After the parade, the weapons of all servicemen will be deposited in two armouries, except for a group that is controlled by one of the conspirators.

Supporters of the coup will be strategically placed, and the whole operation set to begin at 23.00 hours.

This precise planning is executed to perfection and the president arrested; but the coup fails because of unexpected collaboration between the CIA Station Chief Colonel Hitchcock and one conspirator, Capt.

McGowan, whose brother Joe Henry is head of the Public Service Union.

After the president’s arrest, Hitchcock virtually orders the president to treat Capt. McGowan’s collaboration in the coup attempt leniently since his betrayal of his fellow plotters restored power to the president. On top of that, leniency would promote good relations with the Public Service Union.

It is almost an exact repeat of 1964 when similar

“American interests” were first covertly imposed on Guyana.

Not that “The February 23rd Coup” is anti-American. On the contrary, each chapter opens with a date and place in the form of a diary, for example, “February 23, 1980: Georgetown, Guyana,” accompanied by a style that includes American military idioms, forms of address and speech, and technical discussions of tactics and strategy which give the impression of a professional, (West Point) military briefing.

But this stiff formality is relieved by the warmth of a love story between Andrew Rambarran and Lena, the sister of Colonel Ralph Spooner, and more so by another (more challenging) relationship between Steve Erikson and Anita Rambarran’s sister.

Yet the real appeal of the novel is in its concluding chapters when Rambarran is imprisoned in Suriname, and is rescued in a series of daring, and exciting, action-packed exploits, both on land and sea, in the style of American Western films where beleaguered but good heroes win against overwhelming odds.

At the end of the novel, these exploits are seen in terms of virtue by Erikson and Rambarran who agree on their sanction by Hindu religious texts, the Ramayana and Mahabharata: “That’s what we stand for, isn’t it? Virtue?” (p.317) But if American interests in preserving the regime of a corrupt Guyanese dictator are virtuous, where do they leave poor, little Guyana, or us poor, Guyanese wretches?

Chaitram Singh, “The February 23rd Coup”; Bloomington, Indiana, iUniverse, Inc. 2011, pp. 338.

ISBN: 978-1-4620-2052-2 (e) Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@ yahoo.com What’s happening: • The Guyana Annual 2012-2013 magazine is now available at Guyenterprise Ltd, at Austin’s bookstore and from the editor at the above contacts. This issue of the magazine is dedicated to E. R. Braithwaite. The magazine also features articles on copyright, law of intellectual property, creative industries, oral traditions of Guyana, the future of West Indian cricket and the future of books.

• Coming soon “Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture,” by Gaiutra Bahadur • Now available “Selected Fictions” by Ruel Johnson, winner of the 2012 Guyana Prize for Literature.

• Coming soon: “An Introduction to Guyanese Literature” by Petamber Persaud.

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine 7

Times Feature

Young Professionals

Dexter Glasgow

Star of the week

Management Development Officer

By Vahnu Manikchand

G

rowing up in Matthews Ridge, Dexter Glasgow managed to overcome adversity to fulfil his dreams, helping to develop the lifestyle of Amerindian people in the process.

Glasgow said that he had pretty much a normal childhood, but life in the interior was very much different from that of ‘city life’.

“You feel freer there. I mean, there is no Internet so you’re able to enjoy and appreciate nature; and interacting with people from such a small age builds your personality.

But my childhood revolved around sports and music”.

Sports played a big part in Glasgow’s childhood, and he was very active in cricket and football.

He completed his nursery and primary education in his village, and after writing NGSA, then known as Common Entrance, he was awarded a hinterland scholarship and given a spot at Central High School.

At the age of 11 he moved to Georgetown to attend school, and stayed with his uncle. The transition was not that hard or that challenging for him since he used to visit Georgetown frequently before, so he quickly ‘grooved’ in.

In primary school Glasgow was actively involved in sports – ‘champion boy’ for two consecutive years –in secondary school however, that changed and he was more focused on academics.

He recalled that he performed excellently at secondary school, and as such his parents moved him to a better performing school: St. Rose’s, where he completed his education by obtaining passes in several subjects at CXC. After completing school in 1996, he began his first job as an accountant at the University of Guyana, a field in which he wanted to be. Two years later, he resigned and went to work at some other places before leaving for St. Vincent to stay with his grandmother.

During that time, he got into construction with his relatives, and travelled between there and Barbados.

Glasgow said that he

quickly realized at that point that education is crucial, so he returned to Guyana to further his education at UG. He obtained a diploma in public management and a degree in business management.

After he completed UG in 2011 he started working at the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs as a management development officer in early 2012.

This job, he noted, entails he ensures that Amerindians have access to resources provided by the government, and he creates development projects to make their lives easier. At the age of 33, Glasgow is very satisfied with his job and the way his life has turned out.

He explained that since he had a passion for accountancy, this job allowed him to apply that knowledge when he has to work on projects. He also noted that this job gives him the opportunity to serve people like himself, and develop their lives.

“It makes no sense you work to develop yourself alone, you should do something to help others.

If I can, as an Amerindian, go to school, UG, get an education, a job and help my fellow Amerindians – then there is nothing more fulfilling than that.

If I can help develop the lives of my people and by extension the country, then I would have gained my purpose.”

Glasgow is encouraging Amerindian youths to get an education. “All it takes for you to be successful in life is to get an education.

There may be more fruitful and tempting offers, especially with the mining sector flourishing in the interior, but education is vital, and if you give up those offers to pursue your education then you will see it will take you to places higher than you’d ever imagine.”

F

Mark Kazim

rom his debut on stage at Carifesta X in 2008 to being awarded the 2012 Best Actor at the National Drama Festival, Mark Kazim is well on his way to etching his name in Guyana’s drama history. Prior to 2008, drama was not an interest, although he always had an enthusiasm for directing. However, he was encouraged to apply for prospective dramatists to take part in workshops as Guyana prepared for Carifesta. Joining other dramatists, Mark completed acting courses offered by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and has since been in the spotlight. He is well-known for his roles in “Nothing To Laugh About”, Link Show, Mori J’von Comedy Jam and Chow Pow Comedy Jam- just to name a few. Mark enjoys portraying various characters, making people laugh or cry, and entertaining. His favourite play to date is “83 Million Gees” because he was able to learn a lot about theatre from veteran actors. That play also earned him the 2012 Best Actor award at the National Drama Festival. Currently, Mark is busy touring with “Nothing to Laugh about 6” in Berbice and Essequibo, acting in a few plays in the National Drama Festival, mentoring a school play and a Theatre Guild one-act play. The actor continues to perfect his talent in order to give his best on stage, and hopes to try his hand at directing.

8 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Kids Page

Did you know?

Olinguito T

T

he recently discovered orange-brown Olinguito, (Bassaricyon neblina) the smallest known member of the raccoon family, lives a solitary existence in the dense, cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador in South America.

It is the first ‘new’ carnivore found in the Western Hemisphere in more than 30 years.

A nocturnal hunter, an olinguito (oh-lihngee-toe) feeds mainly on fruits or plants, but is part of the taxonomic order Carnivora . Not all carnivoran species are carnivores.

Scientists say despite loss of habitat and deforestation, it's not an extremely endangered species, with perhaps thousands widespread in the protected Andean mountain habitats of Colombia and Ecuador.

Colouring Fun

he olinguito was mistaken for centuries as the olingo, a related group of tree-living, South American carnivores whose family tree is still unknown.

In fact, an olinguito misidentified as an olingo even lived in U.S. zoos in the 1960s and 1970s, moving frequently because—not surprisingly—the animal wouldn't breed with olingos.

Its habitat inspired part of its scientific name – neblina means "fog" in Spanish.

The objective of the game is to fill all the blank squares in a game with the correct numbers. Every row of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Every column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Every 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9.

please see solution on page 22

Word Search ALLOSAURUS APATOSAURUS BRACHIOSAURUS DIPLODOCUS

IGUANODON STEGOSAURUS

TRICERATOPS TYRANNOSAURUS

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Characteristics

The giant panda is classified as a bear. It belongs to the order Carnivora even though it eats almost nothing but bamboo.

The giant panda’s round body is typical of most bears. Its thick, woolly coat has black fur on ears, eye patches, muzzle, legs and shoulders — the rest of its coat is white. Scientists think the coloring may camouflage the bears in their natural habitat, where it is cold, snowy and rocky.

They may look cute, but if disturbed, giants panda can be as dangerous as any other bear.

Where they live

The giant panda is native to central and southeastern China. They once lived in lowland areas, but farming, deforestation and other human factors have forced the panda into isolated mountain ranges in central China (in Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces).

Times Sunday Magazine 9

GIANT PANDAS

By Helen Driggs and Laurie Triefeldt

One of the rarest animals on Earth, these solitary bears wander the bamboo forests of China. The giant panda has lived in bamboo forests for millions of years and is a highly specialized animal with unique adaptations.

Wild pandas live around 20 years. They can live 30 years in captivity.

Dinner time

A panda usually eats while sitting upright. An average panda eats 20 to 30 pounds (9 to 14 kg) of bamboo shoots daily. It uses its powerful jaws and teeth to crush the tough, fibrous bamboo.

Russia Mongolia China

A bamboo diet is low in nutrition, and the giant panda’s digestive system is more similar to that of a carnivore than an herbivore.

This means a panda must eat (and poop) a lot of food.

Japan Pacific Ocean

India Panda Range Indian Ocean

Living in a mist

Pandas have lived in bamboo forests for millions of years. They prefer broad-leaf and coniferous forests with a dense understory of bamboo, at elevations between 5,000 and 10,000 feet. Heavy rains, dense mist and clouds characterize these forests.

Social structure

Generally solitary, giant pandas do communicate periodically through scent marks, calls and occasional meetings. They spend most of their day resting, feeding, and seeking food. Scientists are still learning about these shy and elusive bears.

Specialized front paws Panda paws feature five fingers and a thumblike, modified wristbone to help grasp and hold bamboo when feeding.

Endangered species The panda is an endangered species. There are about 1,600 giant pandas left in the wild. This number may be on the rise due to conservation efforts. Around 300 pandas live in zoos and breeding centers around the world, most of which are in China.

Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Mammalia Order Carnivora Family Ursidae Genus

CLOSED

OPEN 5 toes Panda’s have a kind of thumb formed by an elongated and enlarged wristbone covered with a fleshy pad of skin.

Pandas can climb and shelter in crevices or trees, but do not live in permanent dens. They do not hibernate and will move to areas with warmer temperatures in winter.

During their brief breeding season, pandas near each other will gather in small groups, but after mating, the male leaves the female alone to raise her cub.

Classification

Reproduction

Giant pandas reach breeding maturity between 4 and 8 years of age. Female pandas ovulate for a very short period just once a year. This is one reason why these bears are so rare and breeding programs struggle. Females may give birth to two cubs, but usually only one survives. The cub is born blind and opens its eyes at 6 to 8 weeks of age. A young panda will nurse for eight to nine months and stay with its mother for up to three years before striking out on its own.

Ailuropoda

Species Ailuropoda melanoleuca

All in the family

Although they share a name, red pandas and giant pandas are not closely related. About the size of a dog, the fluffy red panda is genetically more similar to a raccoon or a weasel.

Pandas eat 25 bamboo species in the wild, but only a few bamboo species are widespread in their current range. Bamboo species flower, die and regenerate at the same time — this means the giant panda must have at least two different bamboo species available in its range to avoid starvation.

Wild pandas feed almost exclusively on bamboo, but will eat grasses and sometimes small rodents. In zoos, giant pandas eat bamboo, sugar cane, rice gruel, a special high-fiber biscuit, carrots, apples and sweet potatoes.

Did you know?

• Including the tail, adults are 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 m) long and 2 to 3 feet (60 to 90 cm) tall at the shoulder. Males weigh up to 350 pounds (160 kg), and females weigh around 220 pounds (100 kg).

• Wild pandas get much of the water they need from bamboo.

New bamboo shoots are about 90 percent water.

• Except for marsupials such as the kangaroo and opossum, a giant panda baby is the smallest mammal newborn relative to its mother’s size.

• A panda may defecate up to 40 times a day.

• To digest cellulose, a panda has special microbes living in its stomach.

SOURCES: World Book Encyclopedia, World Book Inc.; The Animal Fact File; Smithsonian National Zoological Park; www.china.org; www.panda.org; www.sciencekids.co.nz

10 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Fashion

Designer Carol Fraser modelling one of her designs on the catwalk in Suriname

G

uyanese designer Carol Fraser received accolades for her recent collection ‘Fresh’, displayed with great splendour at this year’s Carifesta XI in Suriname.

The veteran designer showcased her collection on six occasions at the Grand Market. She was also responsible for expertly leading a team of local designers to the gala event in Suriname.

“I was privileged to showcase two fashion lines. The collections caught the eyes and touched the hearts of many. My fashion and accessories received much applause from the audience. Even the former Foreign Affairs Minister of Haiti was overwhelmed and immediately extended an invitation for Haiti Fashion Week. She told me that Haiti would welcome my eco-friendly fashion as we share the same passion for our fashion,” Fraser said in an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine.

Additionally, Guyanese model Shineefa Collins also felt honoured to have showcased her country on an international stage. She expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports for affording her the opportunity to display her rich Guyanese culture in Suriname.

Notably, Fraser revealed she was honoured to have met the Surinamese president, and was able to share her passion for the arts with him.

“My networking is wider and I am still receiving encouragements. It was a rewarding experience at Carifesta. I am very happy to be a culture ambassador for my country. My plan is to educate an international audience of Guyana’s rich and diverse culture while at the same time promoting our Low Carbon Development Drive. This ‘green’ initiative will give innovators from around the world an opportunity to view some of Guyana’s natural fibres and creations,” she declared. (Photos by Helio Phoeli)

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine 11

Times Hollywood

Beyonce, Jay Z are Forbes' Selena Gomez cancels shows highest earning couple in Russia upon visa denial

N

o wonder their vacations with Blue Ivy look so luxe! Beyonce and Jay Z earned more than any other celebrity couple this past year; topping Forbes' annual list of highest-earning star pairs, the singer, 32, and the rapper, 43, earned a combined $95 million between June 2012 and June 2013, the magazine reports.

Calling the spouses of five years (and parents to daughter Blue, 20 months) "the savviest businesspeople in entertainment," Forbes cites both Beyonce and Jay Z's stillstrong presence in music and concert tours: Jay Z commanded $1.4 million per night for his American tour, while Beyonce's Mrs. Carter Show World tour garners an av-

erage $2 million per night. The pair also make bank through other channels: Jay Z represents major athletes in his new Roc Nation Sports agency and he holds a stake in Brooklyn's Barclays Center (though, like his ownership of the Brooklyn Nets, Jay is expect to dump his shares). Beyonce, meanwhile, has a successful fragrance collection, the House of Dereon clothing line and lucrative endorsements with Pepsi and other brands.

Landing in the second spot on Forbes list, with a combined take of $80 million, are Tom Brady and wife Gisele Bundchen; the New England Patriots quarterback and Brazilian supermodel earn staggering paychecks for their day jobs, with impressive endorsements as well.

This time, Brangelina will have to make do with landing in third. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie made a combined $50 million. Forbes points out that, unlike other duos on the list, Pitt, 49, and fiancee Jolie, 38, do not have larger businesses beyond their film work.

Dating for just over a year, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis landed in fourth place with $35 million combined -- and new parents Kim Kardashian and Kanye West round out the top 5 with $30 million earned.

(US Magazine)

Miley Cyrus is shocked that Liam is already moving on

M

iley Cyrus is aware of her former fiancĂŠ Liam Hemsworth's PDA with Mexican singer-actress Eiza Gonzalez. And she's not happy.

"She knows Liam has been seeing Eiza and it's been hard for her," a source close to the singer, 20, tells PEOPLE. "She can't believe he moved on so fast and so publicly."

One day after it was an-

nounced that Cyrus and Hemsworth's engagement was over, he was spotted in a passionate lip-lock with Gonzalez.

Gonzalez and Hemsworth, both 23, met in Las Vegas last weekend.

They were spotted together two nights in a row.

This weekend it will be Cyrus's turn to hit Las Vegas, where she's performing at the iHeartRadio Music Festival. (People)

Mom eBays daughter's One Direction concert tickets to punish her

A

fed-up mom is making sure her testy daughter's One Direction concert tickets head in one direction: straight to eBay. The livid parent has decided to auction off four tickets to the boy band's upcoming Sydney show on Oct. 25 in order to punish the youngster and her friends for what she deemed their "self-righteous" attitude after lying about a slew of illicit escapades.

And Mama sure didn't mince any words.

In the rampaging listing for the tickets, the mother scoffs: "See sweety (sic)? And you thought I was bluffing. I hope the scowl on your bitchy little friends' faces when you tell them that your dad and I revoked the gift we were giving you all reminds you that your PARENTS are the ones that deserve love and respect more than anyone."

Turns out, the daughter in question was less than forthright about her extracurricular activities with her pals. (People)

I

t's quite ironic how after actor Wentworth Miller and diva Cher declined invitations from Russia to attend a film festival and open the Sochi Olympics, respectively, now there are reports that the Eurasian country has turned down a visa request by pop star Selena Gomez to stage a couple of shows there. As a result of the visa denial, the 21-year-old entertainer has canceled her supposed gigs at St. Petersburg's Ice Palace on September 23 and at Moscow's Olimiisky Stadium on September 25.

Since Madonna and Lady GaGa's onstage expression of support for the Russian LGBT community during their 2012 shows there, the Russian government has grown more cautious about concert performers coming over and openly speaking out against Russia's anti-gay legislation. They have not taken exception to Gomez, who they think will also likely use her upcoming concert as a platform to express her stance on gay rights.

It also didn't help Gomez's visa application that U.S.-based author and gay rights activist John Becker has called on the "Come & Get It" singer via a petition he launched on Change.org to take a stand for Russia's LGBT community when she performs there.

Entitled "Selena Gomez: Speak Out for Equality in Moscow and St. Petersburg", the

petition referencing to Russia as "one of the most anti-LGBT countries in the world" has already gained almost 10,000 supporters signing online.

"This cancellation of Selena Gomez's visa shows that the Russian government is sensitive and on the defense, and shows that the pressure from people all around the world and the backlash against these laws is strong," said Becker in a statement.

(AceShowbiz)

12 Times Sunday Magazine

september 22, 2013

september 22, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine 13

14 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Bollywood

‘Love should be Hrithik Roshan, Suzanne extraordinary’- Ranbir Kapoor heading for divorce?

T

he heartthrob of many, Ranbir Kapoor's heart throbs for true love.

The young star says he treats love as sacred and wants to keep it on the highest pedestal.

The 30-year-old, one of Bollywood's most eligible bachelors, does not intend to settle

for an arranged marriage.

"Today's new generation takes its own decisions. I don't think I will go for an arranged marriage, but I am not against arranged marriages," Ranbir told media in an interview.

"Personally, love is very important for me. There are lots of ordinary things in life, so love should be extraordinary. I hope I achieve that," he added.

He is young and successful. His fans want to know whom he will marry.

Currently, the star is reportedly crazy about Katrina Kaif. They worked together in “Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani” and “Raajneeti”.

He neither accepted nor denied the relationship, but said: "I am single till I get married."

"If I am in a relationship and if I talk about it and in case my relationship doesn't work, that puts a lot of pressure on the girl and her reputation. People get very judgmental and our society judges girls a lot," he added.

The “Rockstar” star wants to keep his love life under wraps but says he will share the news of his marriage.

Ranbir is now gearing up for the release of his new film “Besharam”. (Times of India)

L

ooks like all is not well in the Roshan household. If rumours are to be believed, Hrithik Roshan and wife Suzanne's marriage is on the rocks.

The couple, married for over a decade now, has apparently been facing some problems for a while now. But looks like the rift between the pair has grown so wide that Suzanne has moved out of the Roshan residence and is currently staying with her parents, Sanjay and Zarine Khan.

There has been no official statement from the couple who are clearly keeping things on the down-low especially as Hrithik Roshan is busy with promotions of his upcoming sci-fi flick, “Krrish 3”, which is slated to hit screens on November 4.

Suzanne's quick departure from Rakesh Roshan's recent birthday bash also sent tongues wagging. Her absence from this year's Ganesh Visarjan certainly did not go unnoticed, as she has always joined in the Ganpati celebrations with the Roshan family.

Another give away is Hrithik's recent tweet: "Just a thought - your life is less about you and more about the people around u who love you!" he posted.

However, Suzanne's sister and jewellery

designer Farah Khan Ali took to Twitter today and refuted the reports in an indirect way.

"Celebrities will always be food for gossip. Don't believe everything you read. Its a pity the media lives off personal lives. Get a life!," she tweeted.

The couple had earlier made headlines with news of trouble brewing between them due to Hrithik's closeness to his “Kites” costar Barbara Mori.

Hrithik and Suzanne who were childhood sweethearts, married in 2000 and have two sons, Hrehaan and Hridhaan. (Indian Express)

Sridevi to share screen space with Meryl Streep

P

roducers Jeremy Wall and Jerry Leider were discussing for a while to bring the two power packed performer of Hollywood and Bollywood in one frame.

If things work as per plan then very soon we will get to see Hollywood Golden Globe winner, Meryl Streep sharing screen space with Padma Shri Sridevi in the film titled “Cowboys And Indians” to be directed by 43-yearold director Amy Redford, daughter of Hollywood legend, Robert Redford.

Sixty three-year-old Meryl will represent the cowboys and the 50-yearold Sridevi heading the Indians. Both the actresses have shown their interest for the film. After a long

hiatus, Sridevi returned to movies with Gauri Shinde “English Vinglish” and impressed one and all. The film won huge accolades in India and abroad.

Sridevi’s manager Punkej Kharbanda confirmed the news, “Yes, we are happy to have received a communication about a project with Ms. Meryl Streep.”

Sridevi's doting husband

Boney Kapoor said, "Yes, Sri has received the script for the project that you've mentioned with Meryl Streep. We're yet to read it.

Our daughter Jhanvi will read and approve it first.

Only then would Sridevi and I go through it. But yes, in principle the project sounds right as a follow-up to ‘English Vinglish’ for Sri." (Bollywood Mantra)

Karan Johar calls Ram Gopal Varma a ‘mad man’

F

ilmmaker Karan Johar’s fight with filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma is taking ugly turn.

The duo has now started hitting each other to the extreme point. Karan Johar who is frustrated with repeated blow from RGV lashes out at him. In an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN, he said, “Ram Gopal Varma is the biggest entertainment of my life. He's basically a mad man. I think he has fits in the middle of the night. I think he is obsessively in love with me. He is like Shah Rukh Khan in the movie Darr. I want to tell him he was a great filmmaker and he should make another Satya.”

The duo fights quite often on twitter, lashing at each other’s movies. It all started

when Ramu lashes out at Karan Johar’s film “Student Of The Year”.

"If someone takes off from Karan Johar's Student of the year and makes Teacher of the year it will become the Disaster of the year," RGV posted.

To which, Karan Johar tweeted, "@ RGVzoomin ....Disaster of the year is your territory Ramu...no one can ever replace the comfortable place you have made for yourself there."

RGV quickly responded, "@karanjohar hey karan my tweet was in a series I put on teachers day nd that tweet was about some1 taking off from u meaning it a compliment."

This is not the first time that the two directors have exchanged heated tweets. It all started several years back when Ram Gopal Varma’s named KJo's Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna as the scariest film he had ever seen.

His comment did not go well with Karan.

The directors continued their disliking for each other when Ram Gopal Varma expressed his desire to remake “Raavan” as “My Name Is Ravan”. But the duo made peace earlier this year, when Ram Gopal Varma invited Karan to watch his last release “The Attacks of 26/11”. (Bollywood Mantra)

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine

15

Times Healthy Living

By Dr Yeaswantie Beekhoo PhD Part 1

M

indfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR; also known as a form of meditation) is a technique used to reduce stress.

This technique, which has grown to become part of many healthcare plans in the last 20 years, was originally developed by a professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical

School. It is used "for selective attention”, leading to better control over pain and negative emotions, especially in anger management.

Mindfulness and Stress

To be mindful means to be aware of what is happening with you at any given moment; these include being aware of your thoughts, behaviour in response to any situation and bodily sensations or changes at any given time.

Let’s think of a person whose hands suddenly per-

Do you have hair loss or hair shedding?

I

f you’ve been noticing more hairs on your pillow or hairbrush than normal, you may worry that you have hair loss. You could actually just be shedding more hairs than normal. Yes, there is a difference.

Hair shedding often stops on its own

It’s normal to shed between 50 and 100 hairs a day. When the body sheds significantly more hairs every day, a person has excessive hair shedding. The medical term for this condition is telogen effluvium.

Excessive hair shedding is common in people who have experienced one the following stressors: Lost 20 pounds or more Given birth Experiencing lots of stress (Caring for a loved one who is sick, going through a divorce, losing a job) Had high fever Undergone an operation Recovering from an illness, especially if had a high fever Stopped taking birthcontrol pills Most people notice the excessive hair shedding a few months after the stressful event. For example, a new mom can see excessive hair shedding about two months after giving birth.

The shedding usually peaks about four months after giving birth. This shedding is normal — and temporary.

As your body readjusts, the excessive shedding stops. Within 6 to 9 months, the hair tends to regains its normal fullness.

If the stressor stays with you, however, hair shedding can be long lived. People who are constantly under a lot of stress can have longterm excessive hair shedding.

Hair loss differs from hair shedding

Hair loss occurs when something stops the hair from growing. The medical term for this condition is anagen effluvium. The most

common causes of hair loss include: Hereditary hair loss Immune system overreacts Some drugs and treatments Hairstyles that pull on the hair Harsh hair care products Compulsion to pull out one’s hair If you have hair loss, your hair will not grow until the cause stops. For example, people who undergo chemotherapy or radiation treatments often lose a lot of hair. When the treatment stops, their hair tends to regrow.

If you suspect that a treatment or drug is causing your hair loss, talk with your doctor. Serious side effects can occur if you immediately stop a treatment or drug.

Other causes of hair loss may require treatment.

Many people who have hereditary hair loss continue to lose hair without treatment. A woman who inherits the genes for hereditary hair loss may notice gradual thinning. Men who have hereditary hair loss tend to develop a receding hairline or bald patch that begins in the centre of the scalp.

Treatment helps many people who have hair loss, but not everyone. A dermatologist can tell you what to expect.

If you are concerned by the amount of hair falling out, you don’t need to suffer in silence. You can turn to a dermatologist for help.

These doctors specialize in diagnosing and treating the skin, hair, and nails. A dermatologist can tell you whether you have hair loss or excessive hair shedding.

Some people have both.

A dermatologist also can find the cause or causes and tell you what you can expect. Effective treatments options are available for many types of hair loss. The sooner treatment begins, the better the prognosis.

spire just before he goes to deliver a speech on stage – if he is mindful, he would be aware of the changes his body encounters every time he is preparing to go on stage.

We use the word stress quite often, but do we really understand what it is and what triggers it? Are we mindful or aware of what happens to us when we are really stressed? Do you know that simply saying you’re stressed can make you stressed?

Simply explained, stress means feeling mentally or emotionally overwhelmed with situations that you cannot control. You may also say that you are under pressure or tension. Stress is actually a feeling of being exhausted: worrying about what you’ll eat tomorrow;

how you’ll meet the deadline set by the boss in so little time, among other things.

The imbalance of chemicals in the brain causes stress.

Selective Attention

Selective attention, which plays a very important role in MBSR, means to direct your mind/ attention only on those thoughts or situations which will motivate you by encouraging positive behavioural change.

A recently published Brown University study on MBSR has shown that attention training holds promise for improving everyday functions.

For example: Imagine the simple task of reversing your car out of the driveway.

In order to reach the street safely, you must hold your destination in mind while steering the car.

But let us say you ignored your destination and focused on the news on the radio, or the sexy girl or guys at the end of the block. What do you think will happen?

It will create a distraction; distractions can lead to frustrating situations.

MBSR helps you to filter your subconscious—but if you let such irrelevant stimuli distract you, even such a daily task can become a difficult ordeal.

I have conducted short courses in MBSR and found that in those short courses people’s awareness improved 90 per cent of the time. (TO BE CONTINUED) You can contact us for information on our Anger Management Coach training program and our Anger Management club. Email

Dr. Yeaswantie Beekhoo

Ms. Jennel Williams at: acti.international@gmail. com or visit our office at 135 Sheriff & Fourth streets Campbellville, Georgetown Guyana.

Dr. Yeaswantie Beekhoo PhD is an assistant professor, and affiliated with the American Psychological Association, American Counselling Association, Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association and Metaphysical Doctor Association

16 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Home & Cooking

Decorate with topiaries Add a decorative touch to your home or yard with topiaries; there are both natural and artificial types to suit any decor and budget.

Topiaries are plants pruned or shaped into certain forms. These forms can be as simple as a pyramid or as complicated as a giraffe, elephant or other animal shape.

Ivies are considered great for creating topiaries.

If using outdoors, avoid invasive species

Angel Biscuits Ingredients: 5 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 tbsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 cup sugar 2 tsps salt

1 cup firmly packed vegetable shortening or lard or a half-and-half mixture of the two 2 cups buttermilk One 1/4- ounce package active dry yeast dissolved in 1/4 cup very warm water (105°to 115°F.)

Method: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Cut in the shortening until the texture of coarse meal. Add the buttermilk and yeast mixture and toss briskly with a fork just until the mixture forms a soft dough.

Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and with floured hands; knead lightly for about a minute. With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out until 5/8-inch thick; then, using a wellfloured 2 1/2- to 2 3/4-inch cutter, cut into rounds. Place on ungreased baking sheets, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Gather scraps, reroll, and cut as before.

Bake in the lower third of the oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until the biscuits are nicely puffed and pale tan on top.

Serve at once with plenty of butter.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen biscuits.

Chinese Butter Cookies Pyramids, cylinders, obelisks, spirals and cones are easy to accomplish with taller shrubs with dense leaf or needle structure.

Ingredients: 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar 1 large egg 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour Special equipment Mixer with paddle attachment Cookie press Method: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a standing electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and cream until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Slowly sift in the self-rising flour and beat until a smooth dough forms.

Add the dough to a cookie press and attach a star or flower-shape disk. Press the cookies onto the lined baking sheet, leaving 1 inch of space around each cookie.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden on top. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before storing. The cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Makes about 40 small cookies.

Greatest Cooking Tips Celery goes brilliantly with fruit such as an apple or pear salad with a blue cheese dressing, and also pairs well with nuts – walnuts in particular.

Combine pineapple in fruit salads, where it pairs well with mint, orange and banana. It can also be used as a meat tenderiser or in a marinade.

To make fresh parsley last longer, stand parsley in 1-2cm of water in a glass. Cover with a plastic bag and secure with an elastic band. Store in fridge.

Home Help

Indoors and out, artificial topiaries are more maintenance-free and appear almost realistic

Vinegar not only kills weeds but they help flowers grow as well. Douse vinegar all around your garden to prevent weeds from popping up and to help your flowers to grow healthy and strong.

Sanitise your kitchen cutting board by squeezing half a lemon over the top and letting the juice absorb for 10 minutes - this will soak into wood, but also works on plastic cutting boards.

Watch as stains loosen, then kill any remaining bacteria by scrubbing the other half of the lemon all over the board.

Outside plants, especially ivy, often get scale and white flies. Get a gallon jug and fill it with tap water. Pour ½ cup cooking oil and a generous squirt of dishwashing liquid in the jug. Shake and pour what you need in a spray bottle and treat those pesky critters on your plants.

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine 17

Times Sunday Puzzle

Once again, the Booker Prize panel are sitting. And again an excerpt from a book has some key words missing. Can you fill in the blanks so the story makes sense and also spot the connection between them?

Mr. Ix was speeding through the streets of Wimbledon, when he was pulled over by a police officer.

"It isn't my ____!" wailed Mr. Ix noisily.

"It ____ you right," replied the officer.

"Will it come to ____?" Ix inquired.

"If you keep up this ____ it will," the officer replied severely.

"It is not as if I gained any ____," Ix said ____edly.

"I would ____ to ____ you off with a caution," admitted the officer, "but I can't allow you through the ____ on this one," he continued. see solution on page 22

see solution on page 22

see solution on page 22

18 Times Sunday Magazine

september 22, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine19

Times World

‘Why did this happen?’

The Delhi gang-rape death sentences were handed down September 13. The family who lost their only daughter spoke before the verdict to Swarupa Dutt, of Reditt.com, of their then eight-month trauma

O

n Friday, August 23, the Singhs watched the news on TV with growing anger and frustration. A photojournalist, just a year younger than their daughter, had been gang raped in Mumbai.

“How many times do we have to re-live what happened to our daughter? The Mumbai incident is just like our case. When will it end? ...These monsters are not scared of the law, so it will happen again,” says Asha Singh, 46, the mother of the Delhi gang-rape victim.

Their daughter was brutally gang raped by six men in a moving bus in December 2012. Beaten, kicked and bitten; a rod inserted into her that destroyed her intestines. Doctors treating her at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital said they had never seen rape injuries so horrific.

“We hope that those men who did this to my daughter will be hanged,” Asha says. “We hope that those men who raped the girl in Mumbai are also hanged.”

It’s been eight months after the incident. Eight months that they have been learning to cope. This too shall pass, they have been told. Time heals, they have also been told. But, for the Singhs, time stands still.

Sitting on the bed in one of the two rooms in his modest house in Delhi’s Mahavir Enclave, Badrinath Singh, 53, says, “This is like a nasur (a weeping wound) which will never heal. Time hasn’t changed anything. At work, at least my thoughts are not with my daughter. But she (pointing to his wife) spends all her time at home thinking about what happened to our daughter. We don’t have the strength to go on any more, but we have to accept what has happened."

In hospital, the girl battled bravely, telling her mother in a hand-written note that she wanted to live.

She also gave two crucial statements to the police.

“She told me how those monsters pinned her down.

They sat on her arms and legs, they bit her,” says her mother. “People compare them to animals. Animals eat other animals and discard the half-eaten carcass.

But this happened with a human being! How could these men eat her up alive!” weeps Asha, quietly.

The girl’s father looks away and says, “We were hopeful even when she was hospitalised. Doctors told us she would not survive and that even if she did, her injuries were so grievous, she would never be able to lead a normal life. We wanted her to live, come what may.”

Now composed, Asha says, “We knew she wouldn't survive, but we were hopeful. She drifted in and out of consciousness, she was in great pain, but initially she could speak. So we thought, yes, she will survive. We

he died. It matters that he is dead.” He died in custody.

“Law and order should be strong enough to ensure this doesn't happen with anyone else. No mother, no family, should go through what we are going through. No child

her by it. Not as a victim. We are proud of her; the people who did this to her should be ashamed,” says her mother.

“So many people have told us that she has brought shame to our family. People who think like this should

“I was told I should invest in my sons, not her, since she would get married and go away. But I thought that if I don’t give her the money her dreams would remain unfulfilled. She wouldn’t have been happy.

Parents of the Delhi gang-rape victim (Photographs: Swarupa Dutt/Rediff.com)

thought, we are family, we know her better than the doctors, of course, she will live. But the doctors were right.”

She died December 29, 2012, uniting the family with a nation anguished and outraged over crimes against women. In those 13 days she lived and for weeks thereafter, India responded with people across socio-economic divides taking to the streets, braving lathi-charges, water cannons and police detentions.

“Two days after she died we went to our village (Ballia, Uttar Pradesh).

There is no electricity there, no TV, so it was only after we returned on the 18th (January 2013), that we were told about the protests.

Yes, there is change in society, but not in the law. The juvenile accused should be hanged,” says Badri Singh.

“Everyone thinks we want revenge for what happened to our daughter. Even if all five get the death sentence, our daughter is not going to come back to us.

But if they are not given the death sentence, especially the juvenile, it will send out a wrong message to people that you can do something like this, and get away it.

Those men have to be given an exemplary sentence and it can only be death,” he says. “We were happy Ram Singh [one of the accused] died. It doesn’t matter how

should be raped. Only the death sentence can ensure less crime,” says Asha.

Consider this: According to home ministry data, between January and November 2012, of the 754 rape accused arrested in Delhi, only one was convicted. Some 403 face trials, while investigations are pending against 348 and two others were discharged.

Just one person was convicted for rape in this period.

Just as the incident forced the government to change the law, her parents changed perceived notions on women and rape survivors. That it is never the woman’s fault. That the perpetrators should be ashamed not the victim, and therefore stigma should not be synonymous with rape; that the girl child is no different from the boy. This, in a country where courts have often pushed for the rapist to marry the survivor so that marriage could be her deliverance from the ‘shame’ of rape.

“Had she survived, she would have told the world her name. So how can we keep quiet?” asks her mother. Badrinath’s decision to go public with her name did not go down well with the extended family.

“Newspapers and TV reports called her a gang rape victim. We gave our daughter a beautiful name and I wanted the world to know

be ashamed. The nation should be ashamed. It never crossed our minds that we should be ashamed. What did she do wrong? That she took a bus?" asks Asha.

The girl was in Delhi in December on vacation after completing a four-year course in physiotherapy from Dehradun. She was to begin her internship in the city on Monday, December 17, 2012.

And who am I to stand in her way? It was just a piece of land after all. As parents, if we can, we should never stand in the way of our children’s dreams,” says her father.

Revisiting that night at Safdarjung hospital, Asha says, “Her face was swollen, her eyes were closed, her lips were split. The doctor tapped her face and when she saw us she started cry-

ing. Even then I thought it was an accident. When I came outside the room, the doctors told us.

“She used to cry because she was in severe pain, but she told me not to worry, she would get better. My daughter was such a fighter.”

The family reiterates the need for the death sentence, a focus they refuse to shift throughout this interview.

“How will the mindset change if the law doesn’t?” asks Asha. “I believe that if girls are told to follow rules -- don’t wear this, don’t talk to that person, don’t do this, don’t do that -- boys should be made to follow the same rules. Why should there be a different set of rules for women?”

Her mother says her daughter was never made to conform. She hated going back to their village in UP. She found she had nothing in common with her relatives.

She wore western clothes, had her hair streaked in the neighbourhood beauty parlour, listened to English music, watched Bigg Boss with her brothers while her parents slept in the next room.

“She worked so hard, studied night and day just so that she could be successful. The atmosphere in the house was upbeat, we were so happy. Why did this happen? We don't believe in God anymore,” cries her mother.

“We have to live whatever life there is left for us, but I keep asking myself why am I still alive? We want to ask God, where did we go wrong? Why did this have to happen to us? Why did you not save her? I keep asking questions, but I never find the answers.”

20 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Tech

W

The iPhone 5S and 5 Big Wins for Apple

e knew a gold Apple iPhone would be announced. And we suspected the company might be releasing a low-cost, colour option. Indeed it is fair to say the new phones, with the exception of the 5C's ‘super-plasticky’ case, look exactly like what we were expecting. So what is the big deal? I see four big wins for Apple, none

also gives consumers some options that had been sorely lacking in the iPhone line. The gold model, in particular, is poised to do very well in the fast-growing Chinese market as well as. Adding colour is a smart thing to do, but it would be a mistake to think the five announcements below aren't equally as important.

requires only the touch of a button.

What's more, you can use Touch ID to purchase apps and music, without entering an account number.

Given the huge number of consumers who carry phones with no password protection at all, this is a big step forward. It is just a feature, but it is a cool feature. And there is nothing like it on Android.

of which have anything to do with what the phones look like.

Before we get to that I must at least address the colours. Apple has a long history of launching products in black and white and then adding colours as the lien matures. Just look at its nano line, or even the original iMacs. Throwing in the gold, silver, and space grey

1.

The Safety and Convenience of Touch ID We knew a fingerprint scanner was in the works, but I was impressed with how seamlessly Apple worked this feature into the operating system. Built directly into the home button, the scanner only takes a few minutes to set up. After that, securely unlocking your phone

2. Free iWork, iPhoto, and iMovie Tim Cook started off the event with this news, and it quickly got eclipsed by the rest of the day's announcements, but it is pretty big.

Apple is pitching iOS as a productivity tool. This is the case that Microsoft made for years with Windows—it has all the apps you

Tech Byte

need. But by bundling productivity and entertainment inside the iOS 7 experience, Apple is stretching its position as the phone and tablet combination built for work and play.

3. The New A7 CPU with Fitness Features We expected a faster processor in the 5S, but not many people expected it to be reengineered to 64 bits. With iOS 7 and all of Apple's built-in apps supporting 64 bit, iOS instantly becomes the leader in the space. The 5S is twice as fast as the iPhone 5. Better still, it includes a built-in motion co-processor that will allow the phone to track your

movements and support fitness applications like Nike+ and Fitbit.

4. "The Phone That Takes Better Pictures" Just about everyone looking for a smartphone has the same question: what phone takes the best pictures? Nokia has made its name trying to convince the world that its Lumia series is technically superior to everything else on the market.

But picture quality is about more than megapixels. Apple attacked the problem on multiple fronts.

Larger pixels capture more information, a burst mode captures 30 fps, and a new interface automatically creates collections of images and presents up to a year's worth of photos on a single screen. I haven't compared the image output side by side, but those are all steps forward.

5. iOS 7 launches—The Instant Upgrade New hardware is always exciting, but Apple's real news involved the release of iOS 7. Apple isn't just selling new phones, it is upgrading all devices from the iPhone 4 and up, iPad 2 and up, iPad mini, and iPod touch. Those owners won't be able to take advantage of cool stuff like the Touch ID or the 64-bit processing, obviously, but it is a nice bump for existing consumers—and it's free. Best of all, it will probably only take a few weeks for most of the Apple customer base to migrate.

That alone may be Apple's biggest win. The announcements may only amount to some cosmetic changes and neat new features, but Apple is moving its entire platform and customer base forward.

Of course, this is the way iOS has always been, but on days like today you see the value of this approach.

It isn't easy to do, but Apple makes it pay off.

Tech news

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids adds London skyscraper reportedly ‘melts’ parked Jaguar garish colours, chunky grip

S

amsung has announced the launch of a kid-friendly variant of its Galaxy Tab 3, the unimaginatively named Galaxy Tab 3 Kids. The new tablet will be basically the same as the original 7-inch tablet, but with a bright yellow makeover, a designed-forkids skin running on Android 4.1, parental controls and chunky easy-to-grip cases.

Making the tablet child-friendly, Samsung has added a new simplified skin to Android 4.1 which will make the mobile operating system almost unrecognizable except for the selection of Google services. Bold colours, cute-ified illustrations and big buttons are order of

the day, making the whole thing more like something from Nickelodeon than your typical Android tablet.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids comes pre-loaded with top ranked kids’ apps, and there's also the addition of a brand new Kid's Store alongside Samsung Apps.

No pricing has yet been revealed, but the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids will be available in Korea in early September.

This will be followed by releases around the world.

An optional Kids Case for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids adds a handle grip and multiple stand options

H

ere's a side of modern architecture we don't see every day. According to a report by the BBC, light reflected from a 37-story skyscraper under construction in London could be responsible for melting parts of a Jaguar parked nearby.

The case of the melting Jaguar took place in London last week when Mr Martin Lindsay discovered minor damage to his car, which had been parked for two hours in the vicinThe 20 Fenchurch Street skyscraper, ity of the curved glass facade of 20 Fenchurch dubbed Walkie-Talkie, under construction Street (aka the "Walkie-Talkie" skyscraper) in (Photo: David Holt via Flickr) the City of London.

Several sections of the car, including the wing mirror and badge, appear to have been melted by sunlight reflecting off the building, and the vehicle is said to have required a total of £946 (U$1,468) in repairs.

The building developers, Land Securities and Canary Wharf, have duly agreed to pay the bill.

The BBC also quotes the following joint statement from the developers: "We are aware of concerns regarding the light reflecting from 20 Fenchurch Street and are looking into the matter. As a precautionary measure, the City of London has agreed to suspend three parking bays in the area which may be affected while we investigate the situation further." (Gizmag)

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine 21

R CSEC, differently-abled students put on grand art show "Macaw on a limb" by Rafael Estwick from Linden Foundation Secondary

"Freedom Spirit" by Staffon Williams of Patentia Secondary

"The Dream" by Candace Rogers of Bishops' High School

Creative ceramic pieces by students from Cotton Field Secondary and Tutorial High

"Survival of Black Birds" by Hazran Rodriguez from Waramadong Secondary

Times Art

ich artistic talent was evident in the recently concluded visual arts exhibition held at the National Library by the Ministry of Education as part of its activities for Education Month 2013.

Under this year’s education month’s theme “Transforming classrooms for the 21st century”, the Allied Arts Unit of the Ministry of Education launched a four-day visual arts exhibition (September 17-20), exhibiting work by CSEC students and differently-abled children.

The exhibition displayed a variety of visual art pieces in a range of media including printmaking, textile design and manipulation, painting and mixed media, leather craft, fibre and decorative art, graphics and communication design, ceramics and sculpture.

There was also a section for items such as floral arrangements, pillowcases and jewellery made by the children from Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre’s Special Education Unit.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine Visual Arts Coordinator, Rawle Franklin stated that compared to last year, the work by students this year has significantly improved, with a higher rate of passes in Art at CSEC. “There was also a wider variety this year. The pieces were produced through the skill, talent, enthusiasm, patience and inspiration of students, and good tutoring by teachers. Visual art is the vehicle through which students can improve their concentration, reasoning ability, better understand life and their environment, and interact socially. I encourage students to reflect on art as being a component of every other subject. They can use it to become a rounded individual,” he declared.

Check out Ministry of Education – Guyana on Facebook for upcoming activities as ‘Education Month’ celebrations continue. (Cover photo: "Holding Hands" by Karishma Raghubir from St. Rose's High)

‘Mexico, Country of Colours’ photo exhibition at Castellani House

‘M

exico, Country of Colours’, a photo exhibition by Ricardo Espinosa, opened Friday at the National Gallery, Vlissengen Road.

Presented by the Embassy of Mexico in conjunction with the National Gallery, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico and the Mexican Agency for International Cooperation, the exhibition of 30 photographs celebrates the landscapes, people, architecture and cultural practices of Mexico, and marks the country’s celebration of its 203rd independence anniversary celebrated September 16 each year.

The photographs, many of rich colour detailing indigenous and folk costumes, others of wide vistas or studies of nature, are accompanied by excerpts from the verses of celebrated Mexican poets from pre-Hispanic times of the 15th century to the present day, which capture the mood of the images.

This exhibition has been seen in several other parts of the world including Bangkok, Shanghai, Sydney, and Singapore, as well as the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Barbados.

‘Mexico, Country of Colours’ opened to the public September 20 and continues until October 12. The gallery is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm, and on Saturday from 2pm to 6pm; it is closed on Sundays and holidays. Admission is free.

Two of the thirty photos by Ricardo Espinosa

22 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Heritage

195th Anniversary Celebrations

St Andrew’s Kirk

From Dutch Reformed to Scots Presbyterian Church

N

early one hundred and ninety-five years ago, on September 27, 1818, a new church was opened in Georgetown, finally satisfying the spiritual needs of the growing number of Scottish inhabitants and signalling the beginning of the Scots Presbyterian Church community in the country.

This new church was St Andrew’s Kirk, currently the oldest religious building (and probably the oldest building) still in use in Georgetown.

The commencement of the construction of the building itself was much earlier, however, the first foundation sill being laid with much pomp and ceremony on August 12, 1811, but for a Dutch Reformed Church (Kerk).

With the restoration of Demerara to the Dutch in 1784 and the re-naming of the new town to Stabroek, the Dutch Reformed Kerk established itself. Though the Dutch finally lost the colony in 1803, the Dutch Reformed Kerk acquired the present

Gothic Revival Architecture of St Andrew's

The architecture of St Andrew’s was achieved by numerous changes over the years

site in 1810 - a gift from the government - for the building of a church. Funding for the proposed building was achieved mainly through public subscription and the building – framework only – was opened for service in 1812.

Unfortunately for the

Dutch, they experienced financial difficulties, and the unfinished building was sold under the Marshall’s hammer on May 4, 1813. The structure was bought by two members of the Consistory, the Hon F P van Berckel and Mr V A Heyliger, the former purchasing all the shares

save one and the latter the remaining share. Nothing further was done to complete the building, however, the timber framework left exposed to the weather for over two years.

About the middle of 1815, a suggestion was made that the Dutch and Scottish pop-

Preserving our heritage through pictures Georgetown Club and Assembly Rooms, British Guiana. Nd

ulations come together and finish the building, but it was not then taken up.

With some resolve from the Scotsmen, there was eventually an agreement with van Berckel and Heyliger about the transfer of the shares and in June 1816 the transport was passed.

Following its opening in September 1818, the Dutch remained co-users of the building for many years afterwards, but their numbers began waning, some joining the Scots congregation. Eventually, in April 1871, the Scottish Minister, Rev Thomas Slater, reported that the Sacramental Service of the Dutch Reformed Kerk was handed over to him, making St Andrew’s Presbyterian sole owner of the building.

The architecture of St Andrew’s was achieved by numerous changes over the years. The original building was at about 15 percent smaller than present, and it was planned along the lines of the Romanesque Revival architectural style (called

Norman in England) rather than the Gothic Revival Architecture we now see.

From its early days, St Andrew’s played an important part in the social and cultural life of the community. As early as 1819, for example, slaves were admitted as members, and during the period 1819-1821 fifty-five slaves were admitted to the congregation.

The Church held the first sacred concert in the Colony, when on December 11, 1822, music from the choir accompanied by a new organ and the 21st Fusiliers band, filled the church hall at a well-attended public concert.

The building also saw “military service” when in late 1823, during a major slave uprising, it was requisitioned as the barracks for the Provisional Battalion of the Demerara Militia because of the church’s close proximity to the Guard House opposite. This “occupation” lasted for about five months. (LJ Hernandez, Senior Lecturer, Department of Architecture, University of Guyana)

Brain Teaser Answer Mr. Ix was speeding through the streets of Wimbledon, when he was pulled over by a police officer.

"It isn't my FAULT!" wailed Mr. Ix noisily.

"It SERVES you right," replied the officer.

"Will it come to COURT?" Ix inquired.

"If you keep up this RACKET it will," the officer replied severely.

"It is not as if I gained any ADVANTAGE," Ix said POINTedly.

"I would LOVE to LET you off with a caution," admitted the officer, "but I can't allow you through the NET on this one," he continued.

These are all terms used in the game of tennis.

KID SUDOKU

SUDOKU

CROSSWORD

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2012

Times Sunday Magazine 23

24

Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

september 22, 2013

Times Last Laugh

It's So Easy to Be a Critic

By Melvin Durai

I

've read only one of his books, but John Grisham is among my favourite authors. That's because my 67-year-old mom, who hardly reads anything but religious books, recently discovered Grisham and absolutely loves his novels.

Next to Billy Graham, he is THE MAN. She appreciates Grisham's simple language and riveting plot. She has so much trouble putting his books down, I worry that she'll forget to take her medication. If she collapses, the ambulance staff would have to wrestle Grisham's book out of her hands. "The Firm" would have to be extricated from "The Infirm."

I tried to get my mom to read a critically acclaimed book by an East Indian author, but she refused. "Indian writers use too many big words," she said. She wanted to keep her nose in a novel, not the dictionary.

Though Grisham's books have entertained millions, the critics sometimes rip them for lacking literary quality. Grisham may never go down as one of the great authors of our time, but after seeing how much pleasure he has brought my

mom, all I can say to the critics is this: You try to do better.

And if you can't, stop bashing Grisham. Because if you don't, you may get a visit from my angry mom.

She'll set you straight. After she's through with you, the only thing you'll be criticizing is the size of your hospital bill.

It's so easy to be a critic. It's much harder to actually do something, especially since you have to put up with some annoying people: critics.

I was reminded of this recently when I visited a county agricultural fair and watched the Fair Queen contest. One of the contestants had a learning disability and wasn't as graceful or articulate as some of the others. But her courage was touching and inspiring.

I was disappointed to see a group of girls snickering every time she walked on stage.

Perhaps they could have done better, but they apparently didn't have the guts to try. They were as close to being Fair Queens as some other contestants at the fair -- the ones in the goat show.

The goats weren't too articulate, but they were definitely more graceful.

The next evening, I

watched my friend Ami compete in the karaoke contest.

"Karaoke" is a Japanese word meaning "I'm going to try to sing, so please stuff a rice cake in your ears!"

About 30 singers competed in the karaoke contest. All were amateurs, which means they don't get paid to sing, though I would have gladly paid a few of them NOT to sing.

Some seemed really professional as they belted out their songs, while others should have just been belted.

One man sounded like a young John Denver, while another sounded like an old John Deere tractor.

One woman tried to imitate the Backstreet Boys, but sounded more like Backstreet Noise.

But it's so easy to be a critic.

That's why I didn't laugh, I didn't snicker. I just listened and applauded.

I knew that I couldn't have done better. I wouldn't be Master P -- I'd be Disaster D. If I had started singing, the entire audience would have run away. Even my mother, if she were there, would have dashed off.

She'd be racing home to begin the next John Grisham novel.

Pencil vs. Camera

by Ben Heine

Riddles for kids

Q: What do calendars eat?

A: Dates Q: How does an octopus go to war?

A: Well-Armed Q: What did the traffic light say to the car?

A: Don't look, I'm changing.

Q: What kind of horses go out after dusk?

A: Nightmares.

Q: Why did the student eat his homework?

A: The teacher told him it was a piece of cake.

Old Brain, Young Brawn

The strong young man at the construction site was bragging that he could outdo anyone in a feat of strength. He made a special case of making fun of one of the older workmen. After several minutes, the older worker had had enough.

“Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is,” he said. “I will bet a week’s wages that I can haul something in a wheelbarrow over to that outbuilding that you won’t be able to wheel back.”

“You’re on, old man,” the braggart replied. “Let’s see what you got.”

The old man reached out and grabbed the wheelbarrow by the handles. Then, nodding to the young man, he said, “All right, get in.”

World’s most dangerous food

A dietician was once addressing a large audience in Chicago.

“The material we put into our stomachs is enough to have killed most of us sitting here, years ago. Red meat is awful.

Vegetables can be disastrous, and none of us realizes the germs in our drinking water. But there is one thing that is the most dangerous of all and we all of us eat it.

Can anyone here tell me what lethal product I’m referring to? You, sir, in the first row, please give us your idea.”

The man lowered his head and said, “Wedding cake.”

chance" mean the same thing?

3. Why are they called "stands" when they are made for sitting?

4. Why are a "wise man" and a “wise guy” opposites?

5. Why is it called "after dark" when it really is "after light"?

Wacky Wonders

1. It takes your food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach.

2. One human hair can support 3kg (6.6 lb).

3. There are about one trillion bacteria on each of your feet.

4. If saliva cannot dissolve something, you cannot taste it.

5. The average person's skin weighs twice as much as the brain.

Actual Newspaper Headlines

1. "War Dims Hope for Peace" 2. "If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile" 3. "Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures" 4. "Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges" 5. "Typhoon Rips through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead"

Children’s writings about the ocean:

1. If you are surrounded by ocean you are an Island. If you don't have ocean all round you, you are incontinent. (Wayne, age 7) 2. My uncle goes out in his boat with two other men, and a woman and pots come back with crabs. (Millie, age 6) 3. Some fish are dangerous. Jellyfish can sting. Electric eels can give you a shock. They have to live in caves under the sea where I think they have to plug themselves into chargers. (Christopher, age 7) 4. My dad was a sailor on the ocean.

He knows all about the ocean. What he doesn't know is why he quit being a sailor and married my mom. (James, age 7)

Making Money

A young man asked an old rich man how he made his money.

The old guy fingered his worsted wool vest and said, “Well, son, it was 1932, the depth of the Great Depression.

I was down to my last nickel. I invested that nickel in an apple. I spent the entire day polishing the apple and, at the end of the day, I sold the apple for ten cents. The next morning, I invested those ten cents in two apples. I spent the entire day polishing them and sold them at 5:00 pm for 20 cents. I continued this system for a month, by the end of which I’d accumulated a fortune of $1.37.”

“And that’s how you built an empire?” the boy asked.

“Heavens, no!” the man replied. “Then my wife’s father died and left us two million dollars.”

Oxymorons

Ben Heine is a 29-year-old Belgian multidisciplinary visual artist born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. His “Pencil Vs Camera” project mixes drawing and photography, imagination and reality.

1. Why is the third hand on the watch called the second hand?

2. Why does "fat chance" and "slim

Want to contribute to the Sunday Times magazine? Email us for possible publication at sundaymagazine@guyanatimesgy.com.

Please include legal name(s), address and a brief synopsis of your article with attached word document.