Sunday times magazine, may 13, 2018

May 13, 2018

Star Times Hollywood:

Sheldon and Amy's Wedding on The Big Bang Theory Page 14

FREE DISTRIBUTION

2 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

MAY 13, 2018

Feature

M

other’s Day is a holiday honoring motherhood that is observed in different forms throughout the world, and Mother’s Day 2018 occurs on Sunday, May 13. The American incarnation of Mother’s Day was created by Anna Jarvis in 1908 and became an official U.S. holiday in 1914. Jarvis would later

dren would present their mothers with flowers and other tokens of appreciation. This custom eventually faded in popularity before merging with the American Mother’s Day in the 1930s and 1940s.

Did You Know?

More phone calls are made

“If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love.” Stevie Wonder denounce the holiday’s commercialisation and spent the latter part of her life trying to remove it from the calendar. While dates and celebrations vary, Mother’s Day traditionally involves presenting moms with flowers, cards and other gifts.

History of mother’s day

Celebrations of mothers and motherhood can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele, but the clearest modern precedent for Mother’s Day is the early Christian f e s t i v a l

on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year. These holiday chats with Mom often cause phone traffic to spike by as much as 37 percent.

Ann Reeves Jarvis and Julia Ward Howe

The origins of Mother’s Day as celebrated in the United States date back to the 19th century. In the years before the Civil War, Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” to teach local women how to properly care for their children.

These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still

Howe campaigned for a “Mother’s Peace Day” to be celebrated every June 2.

Other early Mother’s Day pioneers include Juliet Calhoun Blakely, a temperance activist who inspired a local Mother’s Day in Albion, Michigan, in the 1870s.

The duo of Mary Towles Sasseen and Frank Hering, meanwhile, both worked to organize a Mothers’ Day in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some have even called Hering “the father of Mothers’ Day.”

Anna Jarvis

The official Mother’s Day holiday arose in the 1900s as a result of the efforts of Anna Jarvis, daughter of Ann Reeves Jarvis.

Following her mother’s 1905 death, Anna Jarvis conceived of Mother’s Day as a way of honoring the sacrifices mothers made for their children. Anna’s mom really adored carnations, so when Anna created Mother’s Day she made red and white carnations the official Mother’s Day flower!

People would wear a red carnation to celebrate a living mom, and a white one to honor a deceased mother.

After gaining finan-

Ann (left) and her daughter Anna Jarvis

known as “Mothering Sunday.”

Once a major tradition in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, this celebration fell on the fourth Sunday in Lent and was originally seen as a time when the faithful would return to their “mother church”—the main church in the vicinity of their home—for a special service.

Over time the Mothering Sunday tradition shifted into a more secular holiday, and chil-

divided over the Civil War. In 1868 Jarvis organized “Mothers’ Friendship Day,” at which mothers gathered with former Union and Confederate soldiers to promote reconciliation.

Another precursor to Mother’s Day came from the abolitionist and suffragette Julia Ward Howe.

In 1870 Howe wrote the “Mother’s Day Proclamation,” a call to action that asked mothers to unite in promoting world peace. In 1873

cial backing from a Philadelphia department store owner named John Wanamaker, in May 1908 she organized the first official Mother’s Day celebration at a Methodist church in Grafton, West Virginia.

That same day also saw thousands of people attend a Mother’s Day event at one of Wanamaker’s retail stores in Philadelphia.

Following the success of her first Mother’s Day, Jarvis—who

Ann Jarvis with her daughter as a baby

remained unmarried and childless her whole life—resolved to see her holiday added to the national calendar. Arguing that American holidays were biased toward male achievements, she started a massive letter writing campaign to newspapers and prominent politicians urging the adoption of a special day honoring motherhood.

By 1912 many states, towns and churches had adopted Mother’s Day as an annual holiday, and Jarvis had established the Mother’s Day International Association to help promote her cause. Her persistence paid off in 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure officially establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. Anna Jarvis had originally conceived of Mother’s Day as a day of personal celebration between mothers and families. Her version of the day involved wearing a white carnation as a badge and visiting one’s mother or attending church services. But once Mother’s Day became a national holiday, it was not long before florists, card companies and other merchants capitalized on its popularity.

While Jarvis had initially worked with the floral industry to help raise Mother’s Day’s profile, by 1920 she had become disgusted with how the holiday had been commercialized. She outwardly denounced the transformation and urged people to stop buying Mother’s Day flowers, cards and candies. Jarvis eventually resorted to an open campaign against Mother’s Day profiteers, speaking out against confectioners, florists and even charities. She also launched countless lawsuits against groups that had used the

name “Mother’s Day,” eventually spending most of her personal wealth in legal fees. By the time of her death in 1948 Jarvis had disowned the holiday altogether, and even actively lobbied the government to see it removed from the American calendar.

Mother’s Day around The World

While versions of Mother’s Day are celebrated worldwide, traditions vary depending on the country. In Thailand, for example, Mother’s Day is always celebrated in August on the birthday of the current queen, Sirikit.

Another alternate observance of Mother’s Day can be found in Ethiopia, where families gather each fall to sing songs and eat a large feast as part of Antrosht, a multi-day celebration honoring motherhood.

In North America, Mother’s Day continues to be celebrated by presenting mothers and other women with gifts and flowers, and it has become one of the biggest holidays for consumer spending.

Families also celebrate by giving mothers a day off from activities like cooking or other household chores. At times, Mother’s Day has also been a date for launching political or feminist causes.

In 1968 Coretta Scott King, wife of Martin Luther King Jr., used Mother’s Day to host a march in support of underprivileged women and children. In the 1970s women’s groups also used the holiday as a time to highlight the need for equal rights and access to childcare.(Cover photo: First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger meets some of the contestants of the Mother and Daughter Pageant 2018, in the Baridi Benab at State House.)

guyanatimesgy.com

MAY 13, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine

3

...Steadfast

“M

y grandson would’ve been five years old this December because he was four when he got the accident.

Presently, we miss him very much and because of that we won’t be celebrating Mother’s Day this year.” These were the sad words of Ms. Bibi Nazmoon, grandmother of Ramkaran Mohan, who was tragically killed in a car accident, last year, when he was just four years old.

The little boy’s life was snuffed out on the faithful morning of March 15, 2017 just a short distance away from his Lot 1088 Tushcen New Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) home.

On a day like any other, Ramkaran was reportedly playing joyfully with his brother and teenage uncle; the three were on their way to a shop obliquely opposite their home to purchase a ball when tragedy struck. A woman, who

The four-yearold victim’s classmates joined the call for justice after his tragic passing . (Samuel Maughn photo)

according to witnesses, was known to be a reckless driver, was on that day speeding-as per normal.

The unsuspecting lad, who was standing in the corner of the road with his uncle, who was holding him and h i s

brother's hands waiting for the woman to pass, was hooked by the speeding vehicle, motorcar PVV5084, which reportedly swerved into the corner of the road. The child was then run over and dragged by the vehicle. After the horrific incident, the teenage uncle then ran behind the woman to signal her to stop. It was only then that she saw the little boy and realised what had happened.

The injured child was then quickly picked up and rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Ramkaran’s parents had no clue as to the tragedy which had befallen their family; it was only after the child was already on his way to the hospital, that were they informed.

Distraught and in disbelief, the family quickly rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital however, they were unaware that it was already too late.

The boy had died. The young lad was buried a week later fol-

lowing a heart rendering funeral service.

For the family, no amount of time will heal their wounds or fill the void left, as Ramkaran’s absence is felt every day. It is particularly difficult on holidays, and mother’s day is no exception.

The young lad’s grandmother explained just how difficult the last few months have been, she said, “Actually, we don’t celebrate no occasion anymore.

Since we lost that child, we’re not celebrating any occasion.

The family is in state of mourning because we’re not getting justice.

He was a joyous child and the light of this house because he was a very loving, caring and joyful child to us. Since that child gone

from us, we don’t know what life is because the house is dull.”

The time has also done nothing to assuage the fam-

ily’s anger and desire for justice on behalf of little Mohan.

According to Ms. Nazmoon, the wound in their hearts, especially his mother , only widens as they continue to wait for justice . explained, She “Presently, nothing is coming out of the case. We’re just back and forth trying to understand what is happening. We have tried many ways of getting justice. I went to the police and they said that the case is before the court and that they have to wait on the judge to fix a date. They said they have to get a 12 member jury to try the case in court. We cannot wait anymore for the case to be finished.”

While the time passes, the love that the family has for little Ramkarran Mohan continues to endure.

4

Sunday Times Magazine

MAY 13, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

‌Unconditional

The proud mother with all of her children

By Utamu Belle

W

hile the past few years have been especially challenging for 33- yearold Linden mother of 7, Ronella Jervis, she stunningly manages to beat the odds, overcoming daily challenges associated with caring for three of her children who are visually impaired. Jervis, who lives with her husband and children at Blueberry Hill, Wismar, Linden first found out that her eldest son, now 16 had the disease Congenital toxoplasmosis, while he was just around 13 years old.

She would later find out the heartbreaking news, that another one of her sons, now aged 14 and her daughter, now 6 years -old also contracted the disease. "After getting my third son, I found out about the disease", Jervis related. Congenital toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by a protozoan parasite, toxoplasma gondii, which is transmitted from mother to fetus causing visual, hearing, motor, cognitive and other difficulties with the child. As Jervis would relate, it started off with a "jerking" movement of the eyes, then impaired vision. "We already knew they had an eye problem, but we said probably glasses would rectify it. We thought they just had jumpy eyes, until the eldest one get blind in the left eye completely", she explained.

When the now 16-year-old complained to his teacher of not being able to see properly in his left eye, it prompted a hospital visit, followed by the diagnosis. She later learned that she had a strain of the disease which was transmitted to her children. "The doctor said it's likely the first, second and fourth children would be affected by the disease", Jervis said. However, according to Jervis her daughter's vision has not been as badly affected as her sons'. One has gone completely blind while the other is partially impaired, a situation, which she was told cannot be rectified. "The doctor said it is active like when you're around cats or if your meat ain't cook properly or if you been in the

interior. I does still find it hard to understand where I got this disease from. And my second boy, he loves animals, so it's hard for him", she said.

Achievements and challenges

Despite this, the boys are high achievers, as Jervis is a firm believer that education is a must for her children, the youngest being 6 months old. Both, her 16 and 14 year old sons were awarded places at the leading high school in Linden, the MacKenzie High school, after sitting the National Grade 6 Assessment Examinations. She said

Grade 10 (Form 4) since, as she explained he was not receiving the special attention he required in school. "He's not attending MacKenzie High right now because it's pure hopes. With all the SBA's (School Based Assessments) and there we're much teachers at the Blind Unit at the time. The teachers weren't regular and he wasn't getting all the notes and so on", she indicated. On the other hand, Jervis said things are different for her other son who receives tremendous help from his school friends. Despite his condition, she said

Jervis with 3 of her children ( the eldest son at right)

too that her second son, who attended the Blind Society Unit based at the Wismar Hill Primary in Linden, received necessary assistance with writing his entry exams. Life at high school has been difficult for both boys. "When it comes to education, the Blind Society Unit, they really help out.

The teachers are amazing. When they wrote the exams the Ministry sent a reader and a writer because their vision was very weak.

But the secondary system, it is really really hard", Jervis said.

It became so hard that her 16-yearold son recently dropped out of school in

he manages to walk to and from school. "He does walk with faith. I does say whatever he do, he do it by faith. His vision is very poor. So it's really hard", the mother said.

She explained that there are issues catching the boat from Wismar to MacKenzie, as he has difficulty boarding the boat, he would have to sit at the boat's bough. "Some people would tell him to get up because they don't understand his condition". "People would tell him to look where he's going,� the concerned mother added.

No Support

She is now contemplating sending her older son back to school with the help of the Welfare Department. "I would send him back, even if it's not at MacKenzie High because I want him to finish his secondary education. They now have a Special Needs Welfare so if they attach a teacher to him I have no problem, because they don't have any teacher placed at the Secondary school that could help them", Jervis said, as she outlined that sending her son to the Blind Society in Georgetown will be too costly.

"We ask long for a bus that could bring them and carry them because they get bullied a lot. People would beat them up a lot when they were small. And to say who did it, they can't say. People does take advantage of them a lot because of their condition", Jervis lamented.

She also pointed to the stigma attached to the situation as she noted that people would smirk at her for having blind children. Despite this, she noted that she is proud of their achievements. Jervis is telling her story to spread awareness, with the hopes that other families in similar situations would be able to receive the necessary support. She said she has made several appeals via the media but has not received much help, noting that she hopes more could be done for persons living with disabilities. Jervis said it has been challenging to acquire public assistance after being told by an official that she was not eligible.

"That is why I make a claim whereby I can get public assistance. Because they're condition is just like a disability. People does got to do things for them", she noted. "My children are growing and I does assist them in any way. I'm asking on the part of the Government, to assist at least when it comes to education. I'm asking for the Government to look out for children with disabilities, whether they attend a normal school or the disability school, whereby they could get a normal education just like everybody else", a teary-eyed Jervis said. Both of the affected boys dream of becoming musicians and even recorded a viral musical video which they prepared in the spirit of this year’s Linden Town Week event.

guyanatimesgy.com

MAY 13, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 5

...Enduring

G

od could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers...today as we celebrate Mother's Day we reflect on the many struggles our mothers endure during their lifetime for the welfare of their families.

Born to Jaso and Totaram Soorjie on the 7th of October 1942 in the humble village of Columbia on the Essequibo Coast was a

darling baby daughter. She was the fourth child and was so sweet that her Ajee (father’s mother) called her Rose and that was the name given to her. Rosy Soorgie had to leave school when she was only twelve yearsold to join her parents in the rice fields to help maintain the family which quickly grew to sixteen persons, including her parents.

At age 17, on the 19th of March 1960, she was married in a matched wedding to Manoo Bissessar of plantation Hampton Court. By her second Sunday she was back in the rice fields with her husband and in laws, but this time it was not easy for her because her in laws were cultivating over one hundred acres of rice land. She woke up at about three o’clock every morning to cook over sixty roti for breakfast and made lunch to take to the back dam for

the very big family of close to thirty; in those days everyone lived together and some had to sleep on the floor with mattresses made out of dried rice straw.

The men ploughed the land with bulls while the others, including the women and children in the family, helped to clear the land of weeds, planted the rice, dug drains, cut the ripe grains with grass knives,

and helped to take the straw to the thatched house where the men used the bulls to separate the grains from the straw. The paddy was then taken to the rice mill for sale.

Mrs Soorgie also remembers staying in the “back dams” sometimes for over three months to take care of the family plantation and while there, she would help to milk the cows and sell the milk. Life wasn't easy, she recalled, but that was the culture then and although it was very hard, she now views the experience as “good in a way to keep the body fit”. It also fostered a sense of closeness with the relatives sharing the same home. After living with her in laws for twelve years, the couple bought a property at lot 72 Hampton Court from her husband’s grandmoth-

er for three hundred dollars; this is the same home where Rosy now lives with her son, Gopie and daughter-in- law Baby.

After the death of her husband on the 17th of August 1992, the woman related that she continued to “work hard” to give her four sons and daughter the best of everything she could afford.

She remembers well, when the Sankars bought the Hampton Court Estate from the Mc Dooms and transformed the village into a modernised one, with a modern Rice Factory, Air strip, modern machinery for rice cultivation, a modernised drainage system and all weather farm roads, thereby creating jobs for hundreds . Eventually the entire rice industry was transformed; farmers had moved from cultivating from twenty bags to fifty bags per acre. “Thanks to the Sankars who eventually take us out of the mud,” she stated.

“To be a mother is a god given role and my only wish this mother’s day is that all mothers lived by example, for you is your child's first teacher and role model.

Always remember what you put in, that will come out,” Rosy reminded. She also used the opportunity to remind all parents to be good examples for their children, so that every day will be

mother's day.

New Arrivals: Loading for Venezuela; Rice Harvest; and Plantation life (Photo

courtesy General-Secretary of RPA, late Mr. Pariag Sukhai)

6 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

MAY 13, 2018

...Inspiring

W

hile a mother’s love is invaluable, there are many fathers the world over who have had to assume the role of both parents. As a single parent to three teenage boys, Richard Moshette’s story of raising his children can be a true inspiration to many.

The 43 - yearold, Region 2 resident has been the sole bread winner and care giver for his family ever since his wife of 13 years, left their home.

During an interview with the Sunday Times Magazine, Richard disclosed that he puts his responsibility to his children above all else. This he pointed out revolves around the role of mother and father.

Caregiver “Well I got to try with it. I never give up and as long as I live, is me will look after them to the last,” the father explained as he gave some insight to what his days are like.

While there are many other fathers who also struggle with multiple roles, Richard’s case is quite unique; not only is he a single parent but the hardworking care giver is also an amputee.

A few years ago, he made the difficult decision to amputate his right leg, due to diabetes. This “difficult decision” was made to ensure he would live to care

for

Crafting his toys

Kevin lovingly hugs his father

h i s three s o n s .

According to the man, his troubles escalated from there as shortly after, his wife left.

“She left me with the three boys. She left them but I never gave up. How could a mother do that to she own children? Richard questioned.

Even with his physical challenges, the father of three does not have the luxury of dwelling on his circumstances; rather, he works tirelessly to ensure his boys can improve their chances in life.

He proudly explained that, although he has difficulty getting around with

just o n e leg, he ensures his children are taken care of , most importantly, he ensures that they get the necessary education.

“The boys are now 18, 16 and 14- years old now; the big one is out of school and he working and would help out. The other two still in school .I doing what I can for them now, it is up to them when they grow big…” he continued.

Provider Toy making is now his primary source of income, and according to the father, it requires a lot of patience and determina-

Richard displays his handcrafted toys

tion. He said “From the time I open my eyes in the morning I make sure I get food on, then I wash and after I sit and make the toys. I sit there until about three in the afternoon. It take patience too. Then I have to get dinner. It lil’ hard but when the boys get bigger it will get better.” He jokingly explained that he wished the nights were longer, so that he could get a little more sleep.

“From the time I wake in the morning, I think about making an extra dollar for my children. Sometimes I sell one toy and that would be enough for the day. I will never give up as a father,” Richard added.

Before his amputation, Richard worked as carpenter; however, he had to search for another source of income after losing his leg.

That was when he remem-

bered making toy tractors during his childhood. He then visited a nearby sawmill and requested “scrap” wood, which he crafted into a fun toy tractor.

Subsequently, he made a toy Hymac, a truck and an entire house. According to the toymaker, his craft is supported by the villagers, who continue to give him encouragement.

He said, “The families in Essequibo support the business. The main challenge is getting the toys to Georgetown.” The toy maker also has high praises for his mother, Rosie Moshette, for giving him faith and support.

Richard recently participated in the Essequibo Expo and proudly explained that he did manage to sell a few pieces.

Counselor Despite the demands on his time and the great

amount of energy it takes to complete the daily routine, the doting father still finds the time to sit and talk to his sons; advising them and showing them the value of hard work and sacrifice.

“I sit and talk to them.

They know the value of hard work and I also tell them about my life . Like before my leg was cut off, I have lots of friends coming by, after there was no one.

They don’t follow friends and so,” he stated.

With no knowledge of what the future holds, the father of three affirmed that he will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that his boys are taken care of. “Me nah rest,” he declared. He also expressed the hope that when his sons are older , they will live by his example.

guyanatimesgy.com

MAY 13, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 7

Literary Corner

By John Edwards Jenkins First published in 1871 reprinted

by The Caribbean Press, 2010 by

Petamber Persaud

I

magine your feelings come payday after toiling ten hours a day for six days in the open and told that you have no money to collect. Imagine sometimes never being told the reason/s.

And when what you are told sounds ridiculous.

Imagine being given a ‘task’ which is constantly changing parameters resulting in you being accused dereliction of duty or desertion with a loss of wages.

Imagine being dismissed from hospital far from being healthy and forced to work in special work camps for convalescents. Here if you pause to catch your breath, you are charged for idleness and dereliction of duty. You are subsequently fined, or imprisoned. Imagine your chagrin being dragged from hospital to prison.

Imagine you are pregnant, nearing time of confinement, and you are sent to prison for slacking on the job.

Imagine your woman forced into a practice of polyandry because of the scarcity of women on the plantation leading to crimes of passion including wife murders.

Imagine you are bounded by laws which are interpreted by magistrates who are afraid of the lawmakers and thus interpreted in favour of the plantocracy.

Imagine a life of daily harassment, poor hygiene, insanitary conditions, inadequate medical facilities, arbitrary incarceration, and scanty accommodation.

That was the prevailing condition of the coolies (Indian and Chinese indentures) especially of the late 19th century. The advent of the coolie to British Guiana was a replacement of the labour force, a labour force of enslaved Africans recently gaining emancipation and abandoning the estate. The condition of the coolie was labelled very early as a new form of slavery. ‘The Bristol Mercury’ of 1838, denouncing the system, described it as ‘a renewal of the slavetrade in the first instance, and a perpetuation of slavery in the second’.

Those are some of the wrongs administered on the Coolie as tabulated in a 134-point, twenty-eightprinted-page letter of Mr. Des Voeux to Earl Granville, dated 25 December, 1869, complaining about the wrongs of the Coolie in Guyana while Des Voeux was the stipendiary magistrate in the colony.

Des Voeux was that magis-

vestigate the condition of Indian (and Chinese) immigrants in British Guiana.

However, all that came out of that enquiry, amounting to 954 paragraphs, was a call ‘for limited and partial reform, leaving intact the essential structure of the system’.

This outcome was unsatisfactory especially to

trate who was hounded form district to district in the colony of British Guiana by the plantocracy because of his balanced interpretation of the laws, a stand that was critical and unfavourable to the plantocracy. Des Voeux eventually had to leave, more precise, forced out of, the colony for a new posting in St. Lucia from where he penned his letter of complaints and recommendations.

Des Voeux was not the only one to complain. There were other individuals and organisations cognisant of the plight of the immigrants.

Even the newspapers of the day got hold and published the transgressions.

Eventually in 1870, a Royal Commission of Enquiry was set up to in-

the Aborigines Protection Society and the Anti-Slavery Society which contracted John Edwards Jenkins, ‘a radical barrister particularly sensitive to imperial issues’ to review the findings of the Commission.

The Coolie, His Rights and Wrongs is the result of that review by Jenkins which is described in the introduction of the book as ‘a meticulous work in which he denounced the corruption of officers and magistrates involved in the immigration system and offered a forthright account of what he had witnessed in British Guiana.

Biased laws, arbitrary incarceration, unfair wages, scarcity of women, inadequate accommodation and daily aggravations, made the immigrants’ life miserable and

jeopardised the well-being of the colony’. David Dabydeen describes ‘The Coolie’ as ‘a work of monumental detail, its 446 pages the most comprehensive account of the indentureship system in the nineteenth century’. All of that couples with an appendix running into more than sixty pages, Jenkins defends, ‘I may add that long as is the Appendix, it will be found to repay a careful perusal’.

Of course, there were voices of opposition to his findings but this only serve to encourage Jenkins in his work as a social reformer. So incest and concern about the situation that he went universal with his findings. He specially edited an American edition ‘in the light of the international interests surrounding his subject…that the ‘coolie’ question extended beyond the British dimension’.

Unwilling to let the subject rest, Jenkins in 1877, fictionalised his findings into a novel, Lutchmee and Dilloo which set a number of landmarks chief among those landmarks was the fact that for the first time in English literature ‘coolies’ were made a subject for fiction. Jenkins, in the preface, admitted ‘the field is a new one for fiction, but human nature still bears out the wisdom of the poet who declared that it does not change with clime’.

But as commendable as were his efforts, Jenkins admits in the end that it was all ‘in the general interest of colonial well-being and good governance’.

John Edward Jenkins was born in 1838 in Bangalore, India, the same year that the first batch of Indians was shipped from India to the British Guiana as indentured labourers.

Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@ yahoo.com What’s happening: Check out Guyana Book Foundation, 66 New Garden & Anaira Streets, ‘Matching Fund Project’ between May 2 and July 20, 2018, for all levels of books at concessionary price. For further information, please call 227-4942.

Notice to Readers

A Mother's Love

She is like the sea waves coming and going, She is my eternal wind always blowing.

In times of trouble she is always there, She gave me love because she cares.

You hide me like an eagle under your wings, You nursed me as a babe; you are my everything.

A mother's love is very hard to find, Wherever I go you are planted on my mind.

You are like a hidden diamond in my heart, Your immortal love for me will never depart.

You scold me to be the great man I am today, You are my guardian angel when I kneel to pray.

I see the moon smiling in your sacred eyes, Your pristine beauty is God's everlasting prize.

I hear your words coming like the wind in rains, The rains washed out my heart full of pains.

I heard your silent footsteps on the sea shore sand, And the lovely song you sang for me to understand.

You catch me like an eagle when I fall!

You are always there when I call.

A mother's love can overflow the vast ocean, She is God's master piece of love and devotion.

She is like the magnificent moon beam at night, Her pristine beauty outshone the stars silver lights.

Her inward beauty is like an immortal lamp on my way, That showed me the light when I kneel to Thee and pray.

A flock of egrets singing on the magnificent sea shore, I think it's my mom singing through heaven's door.

When all wealth and fame fail to comfort our hearts A mother's true love to us will never depart.

With these noble words I say a blessed Mother's Day, To all the World's Moms because you are special today.

by Rev.Gideon Cecil

If you have a poem and/or short story you would like to publish on our Literary Corner page, please email to timessundaymag@gmail.com. Kindly include your correct name and a contact number in your email. If you have any questions, please call 223-7230 or 223-7231.

8 Sunday Times Magazine

MAY 13, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Travel and Tourism

T

he beautiful and fragrant Victoria Amazonia is the world’s largest water lily at over 18 inches across. A majestic yet delicate blossom Victoria will slowly unfold her paper thing petals at dusk before your eyes. The intoxicating fragrance once released attracts golden scarab beetles to the lilies warm core. For the beetles, it is a good opportunity to find a mate and a good meal all in exchange for supporting pollination.

“We weaved our way through the narrow tributaries, spotting black caiman along the way, until we arrived at Buffalo Pond. Here we would witness an amazing display of nature! As the sun began to set, a field of giant Victoria Regis water lilies began to bloom! I had seen this on the Science and National Geographic Channels but to witness it in real life was incredible! A beetle pollinates the plant which eventually changes color and sex after three nights of repeating the process of blooming and closing.

Definitely a highlight of this stay at Karanambu!”

-www.adventure-life.com Buffalo Pond, near Karanambo Ranch on the Rupununi River, is covered almost entirely with hundreds of Victoria amazonica lilies. The air at the pond is filled with the light, sweet fragrance of the lilies. Accessible through a tiny stream, this small, shallow oxbow pond can also be quite busy when several species of heron (Capped, Striated, Boat-billed, Black-crowned Night-) and egrets (Snowy, Great, Cocoi) visit. Wood Storks, Black-collared and Great Black Hawks lurk in the trees at the water's edge while a few Giant River Otters can also be seen popping their heads up beside distant lily pads.

Buffalo Pond offers adventures and an idyllic opportunity for birding and fishing enthusiasts to experience nature one-on-one. A spectacular view of the beautiful spread of Victoria Amazonica, the world’s largest water lily and Guyana’s national flower, is the highlight of a trip to Buffalo Pond.

Buffalo Pond is a seasonally flooded pond and nesting ground for water birds and Arapaima near Karamanbu

Breathtaking sunset at the pond (Photo by iamfisheye on Flickr)

Herons-at-Buffalo-Pond-near-Karanambo-ranch A-crane-flies-above-the-pond

Victoria amazonica at Buffalo Pond

Wading through hundreds of Victoria amazonica in the pond (Photo by Andrea and Salvador de Caires)

guyanatimesgy.com

MAY 13, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine

9

Feature

T

he foods women eat could be tied to their risk of infertility, a new study from Australia finds.

Researchers found that eating fast food regularly was linked to a twofold increase in the risk of infertility in women of childbearing age. What's more, not eating enough fruit was tied to a 50 percent increase in infertility risk, and eating fruit several times a day appeared to reduce the amount of time it took to conceive.

The study found only an association between diet and infertility; more research is needed to prove that certain foods have a direct impact on infertility risk. Dr. Raj Mathur, secretary of the

British Fertility Society, who was not involved in the study, said the new study is useful "for clinicians and women who are looking to start trying to conceive."

"It is in keeping with other pieces of research, which show that your overall dietary pattern may influence fertility," Mathur told Live Science.

"The message from these studies seems to be that processed foods are bad, and fresh fruit and vegetables are good, for fertility."

The research, published May 3 in the journal Human Reproduction, included nearly 5,600 women, ages 18 to 43, from Australia, New Zealand, the U.K. and Ireland, all of whom were in the early stages of their first pregnancy. Midwives looking after these women were instructed to interview them about their diet in the month before they conceived and to record how long it took the women to

get pregnant once they started trying.

Couples are considered infertile when they are unable to conceive within a year of trying, according to the study. So, although all the women involved in

Roberts, a senior research fellow at Robinson Research Institute at the University of Adelaide in Australia. (That jump, from 8 percent to 12 percent, represents a 50 percent increase in the risk of

that these healthy foods didn't appear to have an effect, Roberts said.

The study adjusted for factors such as age, maternal smoking, alcohol consumption and body mass index, to make sure the data reflected only the effects of diet on infertility and time needed to conceive, Roberts noted.

Although the study

the study were pregnant, 8 percent of them fell into the infertile category, as it took them longer than a year to get pregnant.

infertility, Roberts added.)

"There was also an increase from 8 to 16 percent in the risk of infertility in women who ate four or more servings of fast food each week," Roberts told Live Science.

Food intake was also tied to the amount of time it took women to become pregnant. Women who ate fruit three or more times a day, for example, became pregnant half a month sooner than women who ate fruit only a few times in a month. Similarly, women who consumed fast food such as burgers, pizza, fried chicken and chips four or more times a week became pregnant, on aver-

"The major finding is that the risk of infertility — that is, taking longer than 12 months to conceive — went from 8 percent for all the women in the cohort to 12 percent ‌ in women with the lowest fruit intake," said lead study author Claire

age, a month after women who never ate fast food.

Intake of other foods, including green leafy vegetables and fish, weren't linked to risk of infertility or the amount of time it took women to get pregnant. However, the researchers were surprised

didn't look at why these foods were linked to a woman's odds of getting pregnant, Roberts said earlier research indicated that fatty acids from a woman's bloodstream may affect the quality of her eggs.

"The things that you eat could get into your

eggs, and that can affect whether your eggs could be fertilized or not," she said.

"Fast-food diets are also high in fat, sugar and salt, which can alter metabolism." (Metabolic health is another factor that's known to impact fertility and contribute to developing pregnancy complications, she added.) (BBC

Health, cbsnews.com)

10 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

MAY 13, 2018

Feature

To the quiet but powerful moms - James Whistler, “Whistler’s Mother,” 1871

Anna Matilda McNeill Whistler, who lived with her son, in London, from 1864 to 1875, sits in profile with an air of infinite patience, gazing steadily at, apparently, noth-

ing, the high vantage point, tight cropping of the forms and bold outline were all unconventional artistic devices. Cassatt was able to avoid an over-sentimental portrayal of this intimate scene by using the aforementioned techniques, diving us a glimpse into the bath without dripping with sweet sentimentality. Cassatt was also influenced to use this Japanese wood block technique by the works of Edgar Degas, who created many similar works.

To the mothers who’ve loved us since we were helpless babies- Adolphe Bouguereau, “Maternal Admiration,” 1869 Lucian Freud, “The Painter’s Mother,” 1983

To the mothers who lovingly worry about their children- Lucian Freud, “The Painter’s Mother,” 1983

Dorothea Lange, “Migrant Mother With Three Children,” 1936

“Whistler’s Mother,” 1871

ing. The work is on loan to the Clark Art Institute, in Williamstown, from the Musée d’Orsay, in Paris. In 1891, it became the first American art work ever bought by the French state, and it remains the most important American work residing outside the United States. Whistler’s mother, was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, in 1804, and was a literate and well-travelled woman. In 1831 she married Major Whistler and until his death from cholera in 1849 they enjoyed an affluent lifestyle in Russia with their children. After her husband’s death, Anna wore black for the rest of her life.

To the mothers who’ve literally washed our feet- Mary Cassatt, “The Bath,” 1893

The Child's Bath (or The Bath) is an 1893 oil painting by American artist Mary Cassatt. The subject matter and the overhead perspective were inspired by Japanese woodblocks. It shows dignity in motherhood. At the time she created this paint-

To the mothers who love us no matter whatAlice Neel, “Mother and Child,” 1926

Alice Neel disliked being called a portraitist, but rather labeled herself as a "collector of souls." She believed that each person has an identity, an essential core of personality, and it was this that she sought to reveal in her paintings. She often cap-

Adolphe Bouguereau, “Maternal Admiration,” 1869

“Sister's love” by Guyanese , Godlyn Lyte

Sister’s Love showcases the artist’s concept of “older sisters being second moms as some of them will go above and beyond to nurture and protect us just as a mother would”, which she believes is something that goes unnoticed.

“They too deserve appreciation on this day. When I think of mothers, not only do I think of those who gave birth, but I also think of the sister, aunt, cousin, or random stranger who took it upon themselves to take responsibility of a child and give them unconditional love and protection,” she declared.

In his realistic genre paintings, Adolphe Bouguereau used mythological themes, making modern interpretations of classical subjects, with an emphasis on the female human body.During his life he enjoyed significant popularity in France and the United States, was given numerous official honors, and received top prices for his work. As the quintessential salon painter of his generation, he was reviled by the Impressionist avant-garde. Bouguereau’s works were eagerly bought by American millionaires who considered him the most important French artist of that time.

To the Mothers who provide for us - Dorothea Lange, “Migrant Mother With Three Children,” 1936

Mary Cassatt, “The Bath,” 1893

Dorothea Lange’s photograph of Migrant Mother with Three Children, Nipomo, California is a haunting image, epitomising an era of hardship that has truly stood the test of time. In early 1936, Lange approached a camp near the tiny town of Nipomo, California, where 2,500 impoverished people had traveled to pick peas, which did not grow due to a freeze. Lange described how she met the “Migrant Mother”: “I saw and approached the hungry and desperate mother, as if drawn by a magnet…

There she sat in that lean-to tent with her children huddled around her, and seemed to know that my pictures might help her, and so she helped me. There was a sort of equality about it.” While the actual facts of their meeting are in dispute, the aesthetics and depth of the image are undeniable.

The Painter’s Mother is one of a series of eighteen portraits of the artist’s mother, Lucie Freud, that he made in his studio in Thorngate Road in Maida Vale, London, between 1972 and 1984. The series includes ten paintings, five drawings and three etchings, and Lucie sat more than one thousand times for the portraits over the course of a decade, with the sittings lasting between four and eight hours and each portrait taking several months to complete. Freud began to produce the portraits of his mother shortly after the death of his father, Ernst Freud (1892–1970). After Ernst’s death Lucie suffered from depression, from which she never recovered.

(Excerpts from Huffingtonpost.com, artsy.com, sothebys.com)

Alice Neel, “Mother and Child,” 1926

tured aspects of relationships of which her subjects were not aware, and combined in her work her stringent analysis of their interactions with a broad acceptance of the depth of human emotions. She painted her subjects as distinct individuals, in the poses that were natural to them; poses that, in Neel's words, "involve ... all their character and social standing ... what the world has done to them, and their retaliation." The arms of the parents often encircle their children in Neel's paintings. The early Mother and Child, Havana, 1926, uses this pose to depict a simple, secure relationship.

guyanatimesgy.com

MAY 13, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 11

Home & Cooking

I

f you need to feed a crowd on Mother's Day, whip up dozens of these cinnamon rolls and serve them fresh from the oven.

Ingredients

For the filling: 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus more as needed For the dough: 1/4 cup ground cinnamon, for sprinkling 1 quart whole milk 2 cups granulated sugar, plus more as needed 1 cup vegetable oil For the maple icing: 1 cup granulated sugar 2 pounds confectioners' sugar 2 packages (4 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast 9 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1/2 cup whole milk 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder melted 1 scant teaspoon baking soda 1/4 cup strongly brewed coffee 1 tablespoon salt Dash of salt 1 tablespoon e flavoring or extract

Directions

For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat; do not boil. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.

Add 8 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour.

Remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and the remaining 1 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl.

Remove half of the dough. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 by 10 inches, with a long side facing you.

To make the filling, pour 1 cup of the melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly. Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 1 cup of the sugar over the butter. Don't be afraid to drizzle on more butter or more sugar!

Ingredients 8 egg whites, at room temperature 1/2 cup whipping cream 1 lemon, zested

Beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly toward you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight.

Don't worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls will be divine. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together.

Transfer to a cutting board and, with a sharp knife, make 1 1/2-inch slices. One log will produce 20 to 25 rolls. Pour a couple of tablespoons of melted butter into several pie pans or baking dishes and swirl to coat. Place the rolls in the pans cut-side up, being careful not to overcrowd.

Repeat the rolling-sugar-butter process with the other half of the dough and more pans. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cover each pan with a kitchen towel and let rise on the countertop for at least 20 minutes before baking. Remove the towels and bake for 13 to 17 minutes, until golden brown. Don't allow the rolls to become overly brown.

While the rolls are baking, make the icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, milk, butter, coffee and salt. Splash in the maple flavoring. Whisk until very smooth. Taste and add more sugar, butter or other ingredients as needed until the icing reaches the desired consistency. The icing should be thick but still pourable.

While the rolls are still warm, generously drizzle icing over the top. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing's moisture and flavor. They only get better with time...not that they last for more than a few seconds!

1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 packed cups (2 ounces) of Spinach (Calaloo) 1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites until fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add the cream, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. In a 10-inch, ovenproof, nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the spinach and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach has wilted, about 1 minute.

Pour the egg mixture into the pan and stir to combine the ingredients. Cook, without stirring for 4 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until set, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Slide the frittata onto a platter. Using a serrated knife, cut the frittata into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

(foodnetwork.com)

Fresh Flower Banner

Glue blooming roses, peonies, and other full florals to a cardboard banner to surprise Mom on her special day.

While Mom deserves the best each and every day, Mother's Day gives both grown and little kids an excuse to really celebrate the Lady of Honor. The following projects can help personalise the special day. Even if you have run out of time, these last minute ideas ideas can be executed in the shortest possible time.

Lattice Backdrop

Knit carnations through a lovely white lattice (available at most home supply stores) to reveal a special Mother's Day message. This project provides a stunning backdrop for family photo opps during your celebration!

12 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

MAY 13, 2018

Puzzles

ACROSS 108 Coliseum 1 Twinge

110 Rainbow goddess

5 Nobody's fool

111 Turns state's evidence

10 Almanac tidbit

113 "Can it!"

14 Intense, as colors

116 Easel display

19 Accept, as a check

117 Pate de foie - 20 Osmond or Curie

118 Fly blocker (2 wds.)

21 Improvise (hyph.)

123 Found out 23 Loose-limbed

125 Kind of tradition

24 Wide-eyed orphan

127 Imitated Bossy

25 Cousin's dad

129 "Oh, my!" (2 wds.)

26 She took the veil 130 Tedium 27 Overfly

131 Man with a van

28 Pharaoh's amulet

133 Of Carthage

30 Throat clearers

135 Do the trick

32 Kind of mitt

136 Desktop pictures

33 Persian of today

137 Shorthand pro

34 Got through

138 Purplish flower

36 Jacques' girl

139 Four-footed pal

38 Sloppy - 140 Bandmate of Mick

40 Meadow grazer

141 Role for Liz

41 Planted seed

142 Rodeo gear

42 Be an accomplice

143 Canonized mlles.

43 "Driving Miss Daisy" Oscar winner

45 Hannibal's route DOWN

49 No, to a lassie

1 Puerto Rican port

50 Country addrs.

2 Kofi of the U.N. 51 Hoarfrost

3 Bete - 52 Rumple 4 Standouts

56 Mistaken belief

5 Dallas sch.

58 Hoofed animal

6 Dugong cousin 59 Conclusion

7 Leaned backward 60 Too 8 Annoyed 61 Impostors

9 Be full of

62 Billowing garment

10 "When We Was --" 63 Antiquated 11 Deft

64 Utmost degree

12 Novelist -- Cussler 65 Vine-covered

13 Driftwood bringer

66 Like so 14 Fluctuated

68 67 Bounders

15 Disney CEO Bob - 69

68 Texas town (2 wds.)

16 British cleric

70 71 Two-timer

17 Massey of "Love Happy"

72

72 Corn bin

18 Levi Strauss stock

73

73 Honey holders

19 Padlock adjunct

74

74 Digestive juice

22 -- Disraeli

76 75 Compelling

29 Wild horses

77

78 Seductive women

31 Cavalry sword

78

79 Chamomile et al. (2 wds.)

35 On vacation

79

83 Prez's stand-in

37 Month, in Madrid

80

84 Change form 39 Singles

81

85 Linoleum square

42 To -- -- (exactly) 82

86 XX - VI

43 Fork prongs

84

87 Our sort

44 Vocalist -- Sumac

85

90 Growing mediums 45 Uphold

87

91 Orkin target

46 Cocoon dwellers

88

92 Laissez- - 47 Braids

94 Mil. branch 48 Pivot

95 Donahue or Jackson

50 Gym iterations 96 Protrudes

51 Grabs a cab

97 Nutritious legume

53 Humerus neighbor

98 Publisher McNally

54 Mach 1 breakers

100 Lieutenant under Kirk

55 London district 101 Hookah

57 Explain further 102 Pleased 58 Finger-paint

103 Cliff dwelling, now 59 Bungles 104 Markdown 62 Elegant

105 Poets' eyes 63 Pizzazz

106 Vacuum part 66 Stumble

107 Slight advantage

67 Plays boisterously

KATHLEEN SAXE

WORD GAME TODAY'S WORD -- ADROITLY (ADROITLY: uh-DROYT-lee: With dexterity and skill.)

Average mark 47 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find more

adit adroit airy alit alto arid arty aroid daily

dairy dart dial diary dilatory dirt dirty doily dolt

dory dray drily radio raid rail ratio rialto riot

words in ADROITLY? road roil roily royal oily oral idly idol idolatry

iota tail tailor tardily tardy taro tidal tidy tiro

toad toady today toil told trail

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of "s," such as "bats" or "dies," are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a "d" or an "s" may not be used. For example, if "bake" is used, "baked" or "bakes" are not allowed, but "bake" and "baking" are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

Gael republic Attorney's deg.

Boxer, maybe Hudson Bay tribe Sagan and Jung Asteroid zone Baseball award Sushi morsel Monsieur's shout Give the raspberry Went out Being broadcast Willowy Watered silk Chapeau's place Good engine sound Hairy twin

89 Upscale hotel chain

90 Gridiron coach Don - 91 Baby seals 92 Swamp

93 Poker stake 95 Ghosts

96 Triangular sails 97 Recorded

99 Spiral molecule

100 Net surfer

101 Chandelier pendant

102 Bamboo stalk

105 Zoologists' mouths 106 Shuttlecocks

109 Appetizer tray item

110 A Mandrell sister 111 Perfumes

112 113 114 115 117 118 119 120 121 122 124 126 128 132 134

Creeps about Valentino role And so Vietnam's capital Chair's mallet March composer Ship's crane Hold the floor Skips past Bank on Least of the litter Campus org.

Fiery gem Aussie jumper -- -Magnon See Solution on Pg 13

guyanatimesgy.com

MAY 13, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 13

Tech

I

t’s go time for that legal battle that refuses to die: Apple v. Samsung. The two smartphone giants will meet in a San Jose, California, court for a week starting Monday to determine how much Samsung owes for illegally using three Apple design patents and two utility patents. The lawsuit, initially filed in 2011, made it all the way to the Supreme Court in late 2016 before being sent back to the lower court. This will be the third district court trial for the case.

Samsung has already been found to infringe Apple’s patents. The argument centers on how much it owes Apple for copying some of its patented features, like the rectangular shape of the iPhone. Previously, Samsung paid $548 million, and $399 million of that is being reconsidered in this trial.

The South Korean company hopes to pay less by using a Supreme Court decision that changed how the parties may calculate the damages. Samsung will argue that the elements it infringed were just a minor part of the phone. Here’s an easier way to think about that point of view: If a company owns a patent on just a car’s cup holder, it shouldn’t be able to collect the profit from the entire car.

Some estimates say more than 250,000 patents go into a smartphone. The original penalty was based on the value of the entire Samsung phone.

Apple, meanwhile, will seek to show that because a Samsung device infringed part of the iPhone’s design,

Samsung should pay damages based on the value of its entire device. That’s because, Apple will argue, if one phone’s design is similar to an iPhone, Apple could lose the sale to the competing phone. Apple wants to collect all of Samsung’s profits on the long-defunct mobile devices that infringed.

Yeah, we know. It does seem like this has been going on forever.

The original Apple v. Samsung trial in 2012 captivated Silicon Valley and the tech industry because it exposed the inner workings of two notoriously secretive companies. It was just one of many cases around the world as the rivals

sparred both in the marketplace and in the courtroom.

In August 2012, a nine-person jury sided with Apple on a majority of its patent infringement claims against Samsung. At that time, the jury awarded Apple $1.05 billion in damages, much less than the $2.75 billion sought by the Cupertino, California, electronics giant.

Samsung, which asked for $421 million in its countersuit, didn’t get anything.

District Court Judge Lucy Koh, in striking $450.5 million off the original judgment against Samsung, ordered a new trial to begin in November 2013 to recalculate some of the damages in the case. Samsung ultimately paid Apple $548 million in damages in December 2015.

The amount was based on the total profits Samsung made from its infringing devices. In this case, Samsung sold 10.7 million infringing devices, generating $3.5 billion in revenue.

Only $399 million of the $548 million paid to Apple -considered the “additional remedy” amount under Section 289 of the Patent Act of 1952 (35 U.S.C. 289) -- is being examined in the 2018 retrial. The additional $149 million in damages Samsung paid Apple isn’t at stake.

Now that the Supreme Court has said damages can be based on a portion of a product, not necessarily the entire infringing device, Samsung hopes the jury will award a smaller damages amount to Apple. (CNET)

Snapchat’s redesigned redesign starts rolling out

I

G

oogle unveiled Gmail’s new Smart Compose feature at its annual developer conference this week, and it’s now available to try out as an “experimental feature” on desktop. Smart Compose builds off the idea of Smart Reply, predicting what you’ll write next as you type in the body of an email.

To turn on Smart Compose, make sure you’re using the new Gmail, then click on the Settings tab in the top right corner. Within this panel, click the box next to “enable experimental access,” and then save your changes at the bottom. Once turned on, you should see a prompt the next time you begin a new email that tells you about Smart Compose and prompts you to press the tab key whenever you see a prediction you’d like to accept.

As you write, suggested text to complete sentences will appear in the background of your email in a lighter text. The actual experience of using Smart Compose in the few emails I tried was not very useful, and it often only prompted filling in a single word at the end of a sentence, like in instances of “if possible” or “is this okay.” It’s very likely that the more you use Smart Compose, the better it will get at recognizing how you write and understanding context, but I found it to be less intuitive than that Taco Tuesday demo that was shown onstage.

Smart Compose is currently only available in English, and Google gives fair warning that “Smart Compose is not designed to provide answers and may not always predict factually correct information.” (The Verge)

t’s currently rolling out to ‘the majority’ of iOS users. Snapchat says it is currently rolling out yet another redesign to its app to iOS users. Late last year, Snapchat launched an overhaul which earned the wrath of dedicated users who hated the new layout. That led to 1.2 million people signing a petition in hopes that Snapchat would revert the redesign to its original form. The company acknowledged that the “new Snapchat has felt uncomfortable for many,” and now the company is yielding to some of those requests for change.

Snap says the new layout puts Snaps and Chats in chronological order again, and moves Stories from your friends back to the right-hand side of the app. When you open the app, it launches the camera, so you can easily swipe left to access the right-hand screen where you’ll find your friends’ content. Like the previous redesign, your friends’ Stories will still remain separate from branded content. Snap has also added a separate Subscriptions feed so you can search more easily for Stories from popular creators and publishers.

We’ve previously reported that Snapchat’s redesign isn’t helping it make money — for the first quarter, the app grew its global users, but it made less money per user. Today’s update was first announced by Snap CEO Evan Spiegel in the company’s first quarter earnings call on May 1st.

At the time, Spiegel said the company was working on optimizing the redesign: “We learned that combining watching Stories and communicating with friends into the same place made it harder to optimize for both competing behaviors. We are currently rolling out an update to address this by sorting communication by recency and moving Stories from friends to the right side of the application, while maintaining the structural changes we have made around separating friends from creators and sorting friends’ Stories by relationships.”

Snap says the update is currently rolling out to “the majority” of users on iOS. There’s no word yet on when the update will be available on Android. (CNET)

I

nstagram has announced a new variation of its polling sticker for Stories: now there’s an emoji slider that lets you ask and answer questions with an animated emoji on a sliding scale.

The sliding scale allows users to ask people “how” instead of simply picking between two options, using an emoji of choices to add context to the question. For example, you could have a slider to ask how an artist’s new single is or how friends like their food. The emoji will animate as you drag it up or down the scale, and you can check in on how individual friends answered as well as see the overall average of all responses.

To add an emoji slider sticker in your Instagram story, choose one from the sticker tray (where you find other options like poll and location) after you take a photo or video. Then place it, write out a question, and choose the emoji you’d like to use. (Instagram says you can use “almost any emoji from your library.”) Instagram’s emoji slider should be available as part of the latest Instagram update for Android and iOS. (The Verge)

Crossword Solution

T

he Boring Company’s first tunnel being dug under Los Angeles is almost complete, Elon Musk said in a tweet Thursday. And pending regulatory approval, Grimes’s boyfriend plans to offer free subterranean rides to the public in a few months. Musk’s announcement was accompanied by a time-lapse video on Instagram showing a round-trip journey through the tunnel.

The two-mile test tunnel underneath SpaceX’s headquarters in Hawthrone, California, is a proof-of-concept for an underground public transportation system which aims to transport passengers and vehicles beneath congested roadways on autonomous electric skates. The skates will theoretically transport between 8 to 16 passengers, or one passenger vehicle, along magnetic rails at speeds of up to 124 mph (200 km/h).

In August, Musk shared a photo of a Tesla Model S in the same Hawthorne tunnel. (Questions were recently raised as to whether the second tunnel proposed by Musk would be wide enough to accommodate the all-electric vehicle.) The Boring Company has four underground transportation projects in the works, including the Hawthorne test tunnel, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and Chicago.

Musk has previously tweeted about his frustration with traffic congestion in Los Angeles, remarking in December 2016 that “Traffic is driving me nuts. Am going to build a tunnel boring machine and just start digging.” Musk has also stated his hopes to build a hyperloop between Los Angeles and San Francisco next year, which he said would feature pressurized pods in near-vacuum tunnels that travel faster than a jetliner. (The Verge)

14 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

MAY 13, 2018

Bollywood/Hollywood Deepika Padukone, Kangana Ranaut and Mallika Sherawat grace the red carpet at Cannes 2018

S C

Kangana Ranaut, Deepika Padukone and Mallika Sherawat walked the red carpet at Cannes 2018 on Thursday.

annes 2018: Kangana Ranaut, Deepika Padukone, Huma Qureshi and Mallika Sherawat made a stylish appearance on the red carpet of the 71st edition of the prestigious film festival last Thursday.

Like every year, this year too the Cannes Film Festival has Bollywood beauties spilling their charm on the red carpet. While Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor are yet to arrive at the French Riviera, Kangana Ranaut, Deepika Padukone, Huma Qureshi and Mallika Sherawat made a stylish appearance on the red carpet of the 71st edition of the prestigious film festival on Thursday. While Deepika and Mallika have walked the glamorous stretch earlier too, it was Kangana and Huma’s debut appearance on the red carpet.

Deepika, who has been teasing her fans from the last three days with her different looks, finally shared her red carpet look on

B

ollywood’s first female superstar Sridevi left for heavenly abode on February 24th and it is still hard for her fans to come to terms with this heartbreaking news. The late actress passed away after reportedly slipping inside her bathtub in her hotel room in Dubai, where she was present to attend Mohit Marwah’s wedding along with her family. While the investigations around her mysterious death were abruptly stopped, filmmaker Sunil Singh, has reportedly filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking an investigation into the death of the celebrated actor. The reports also revealed that the apex court had initially accepted the plea and the hearing will be on Friday. But, as per the latest update the SC has now apparently rejected the filmmaker's plea for the investigation.

her Instagram account. Sharing the photo, the Padmaavat actor wrote, “ready to rock and roll…#Cannes2018.” As soon as Deepika shared her photograph, her fans were all praise of her. This is Deepika’s second year at the film festival as the brand ambassador of fashion brand L’Oreal.

Another actor who was all excited to be on the red carpet of Cannes 2018 was Kangana Ranaut who looked every bit beautiful in her Zuhair Murad sheer gown.

Kangana is at the French Riveria as a part of Vive Le Cinema, an initiative by a liquor brand Grey Goose to celebrate cinematic excellence through the global platform. “It is overwhelming to witness the recognition and appreciation for Indian cinema at international platforms like Cannes,” Kangana said in a statement to IANS. On the work front, Kangana is busy with her upcoming period drama Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi. (TOI)

The filmmaker had also filed a PIL seeking probe into the ‘MOM’ actress’ demise at the Delhi High Court, but the court had rejected the same.

They cited that the authorities in India and Dubai have already looked into the matter and have resorted to a conclusion. Sunil further added that her death was a matter of national interest and the public and the fans and also the media needs to know as to what actually went down while she breathed her last breaths.

Sunil had earlier claimed that he too was in Dubai around the time of Sridevi’s death and had enquired about it from the hotel staff. Apparently, their claims and statements were different than what the initial reports and investigations had revealed.

(TOI)

A

eason 11 of The Big Bang Theory ended on a tender note with Sheldon and Amy's wedding. Titled "The Bow Tie Asymmetry," the episode contained enough touching moments to satiate fans until The Big Bang Theory returns in September. Was it a little short for a season finale? Sure, but more on that in a minute. The bottom line, though, was that it hit roughly all the right marks—which was no easy feat, seeing as how Sheldon and Amy's wedding has been a long time coming. Fan expectations were high.

So how did it all come together? How did the show-runners decide what to include in the 22 minutes—and what not to? Now that the episode's aired, executive producer Steve Holland got on the phone with Glamour to reveal the story behind the second most-important wedding in pop culture right now.

(Try guessing the first.)

Holland guesses that CBS would've given the OK for a 44-minute episode had he and the producers asked for it, but "our feeling is that those hour, super-sized sitcoms never quite feel right." The trouble showrunners ran into, however, was that they had enough content for a double episode.

"Once we were writing it, it was so big that I think our first draft was 65 pages. Usually they come in around 40 pages. So we had to go in and make hard choices [of what to keep and what not to]. But I think the episode is better for it and hopefully never bores you.”

Diehard fans are probably wondering why Sheldon's grandmother, MeeMaw (last played by June Squibb on Big Bang), wasn't

in attendance—especially since every other member of his family was. Says Holland: "We had a phone call from MeeMaw where she explains why she couldn’t be there, and that [scene] was hard to lose because I know we’re going to get called out on it. But we had it and there’s a reason for it, so we’ve got the audio of the phone [message] that will be posted online as well.” This message was actually recorded by Sheldon's OG MeeMaw, Annie Potts, who plays the character in Young Sheldon.

And What About Dr. Beverly Hofstadter?

In the penultimate episode in season 11, Leonard says to Georgie and Sheldon that his own mother considers Sheldon to be her greatest achievement. So, considering that Sheldon's mom was at Leonard and Penny's wedding, and Leonard's mom loves Sheldon, where was she? "Yeah, unfortunately that's the one scheduling piece that didn’t work out for us," Holland says of Christine Baranski, who plays Dr. Hofstadter. Bernadette and Penny weren't big fans of Amy's multi-tiered gown, which sort of looked like a Christmas tree, but Mayim Bialik "loved it," Holland says. "It was interesting because we talked about it a lot with our costume designer when we were [planning] that episode," he continued. "We needed a dress that Penny and Bernadette could not like, but we wanted to be careful that we didn’t get into cartoon silliness. So there was a lot of conversations. Our costume designed settled on the frame of that dress pretty early, and then it was sort of adding pieces [to it]. (Glamour)

Margot Robbie's Pitch for the Harley Quinn Movie

F

ollowing the—how do we put this lightly?— divisive reception to Suicide Squad two years ago, it looks like Margot Robbie is ready to put these DC Universe antiheroes back on track to greatness, one badass pitch at a time.

In what was otherwise a normal interview with Collider, Robbie let it slip how she's shaping the future of the spin-off Harley Quinn movie, which would follow the exploits of Quinn and her group of female accomplices. (In a superhero world plagued with testosterone, that sounds amazing, BTW.) “I pitched the idea of an

ctor Karam Rajpal will play the late freedom fighter Bhagat Singh in "Chandrashekhar". He is thrilled about it as it has been his dream role.

"When I was 10 years old, my elder brother used to follow Bhagat Singh a lot. He used to dress up and wear a turban like Bhagat Singh. I was really inspired by my brother and that gave me

R-rated girl gang film including Harley, because I was like, ‘Harley needs friends.’ Harley loves interacting with people, so don’t ever make her do a standalone film," Robbie said.

"She’s got to be with other people; it should be a girl gang. I wasn’t seeing enough girl gangs onscreen, especially in the action space. So that was always a big part of it.”

Robbie also spoke to the importance of having a woman, Cathy Yan, direct the film. She posited that hiring a male director just wouldn't be appropriate for what she wants to see accomplished.

a kick to play this iconic role," Karam, who hails from Punjab, said in a statement.

"I have been wanting to play this role and on the personal front, I was also inclined towards his life journey, struggle and contribution to justice and freedom. From a family where I come from, Bhagat Singh is no less than a God.

“And then of course having a female director to tell that story. And giving a female director the chance to do big budget stuff," Robbie continued. "They always get ‘Here’s the tiny little film…'

I was like, ‘I love action. I love action films. I’m a girl.

What, are we meant to only like a specific thing?’ So it was a hugely important to find a female director for this, if possible. But at the end of the day—male, female—the best director gets the job, and Cathy was the best director." ( Hollywood life)

"My father was almost in tears when I told him that I would be playing Bhagat Singh in Anirudh Pathak's 'Chandrashekhar'," added the "Naamkarann" actor.

The show saw Ayaan Zubair Rahmani play the young Chandrashekhar, who is now portrayed by Dev Joshi.

guyanatimesgy.com

MAY 13, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 15

16 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

MAY 13, 2018

Fun Times

Archie

ARIES (March 21April 19)

Personal improvements are featured. Updating your image and associating with people you want to collaborate with creatively or spend time with romantically will improve your attitude and your day.

Hiding out to avoid dealTAURUS ing with someone or some(April 20- thing will make matters May 20) worse. Address important issues and get on with your life before you end up missing out on something special.

Personal changes can be

GEMINI made if your motives are clear (MAY 28- and your research is valid.

June 20) Don’t jump into something without proper preparation.

Listen to an expert before you make a move.

Stop being everyone’s workhorse. If you want to do some(June 21- thing, make sure it’s for your July 22) own reasons, not for someone else’s benefit. Take the plunge and treat yourself to something special.

CANCER

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Dilbert

You’ll be unsure whether to make a change that could influence your reputation, status or income. Consider the pros and cons, and choose practicality over risk.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

You need to get out more and experience what life has to offer. If you delve into something that interests you, you’ll encounter someone who will enrich your life.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Partnerships will be faced with unexpected changes that need to be addressed before you can move forward.

Be open to suggestions, but don’t let anyone bully you.

SCORPIO Look for the unique and in(Oct. 24- triguing today. Try something Nov. 22) new and different, and mingle

Peanuts

with people who can offer insight into future trends.

SAGITTARIUS A change of heart will leave (Nov. 23- you in a quandary. Consider Dec. 21) your options, but don’t wait too long to express what you want to see happen. Your happiness is in your hands.

Calvin and Hobbes

Host a get-together.

CAPRICORN Spending time with family (Dec. 22- or someone you find mentalJan. 19) ly stimulating will spark your interest in a promising venture.

Taking short trips, getAQUARIUS ting together with interest(Jan. 20- ing people and sharing with Feb. 19) someone you love are all highlighted. Express your feelings and intentions, and make romantic plans.

PISCES Don’t let the actions (Feb. 20- of others get you down.

Mar. 20) Financial gains, gifts and unusual opportunities are heading your way. Get out and mingle with people who have something good to offer.