05192023 WEEKEND

Carnival’s Rising Star to be crowned tonight

By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net

THE anticipation has been building, the votes have been cast, and now it is time for the finalists of the Bahamas Carnival Rising Star Competition to prove they have what it takes to win the crown.

The first major event to kick off the Bahamas Carnival 2023 happened last night with the Hard Fete.

Tonight, the Rising Star finalists will take to the stage during the Insomnia.

Then, tomorrow night, the Amnesia event, starting at 7pm, will see reggae superstar Buju Banton headline.

He will be joined by other soca powerhouse voices, including Kes The Band.

The weekend will culminate with Encore, a cooler fete which takes place on Sunday at 2pm at Arawak Cay.

But first, tonight’s Rising Star will be have to crowned. The artist to emerge victorious will be awarded the opportunity of a lifetime.

Among other fantastic prizes, the winner will get the chance to create a song with an international recording artist. The winner will be crowned at tonight’s event that starts at 7pm at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

The finalists for the competition are Pricklebush (“Calling In Dead”), Ron Jon Jovi (“Road Rage”), Leoneisha (“Not Missing Carnival”), Dale Knowles (“Hitting The Road”), Nice LS (“Outside”), Tripla (“Bahamian Bacchanal”) and Carrington McKenzie (“A.K.O.I”).

According to Corey Hield, who is a member of the Carnival Committee, this year’s event boasts great artist diversity.

“The music is really good and there is a diverse balance between some seasoned musicians and some new artists,” he said.

“This year’s Carnival Experience is going to be an excellent one. We are continuing this (Rising Star Competition) as a feeder programme, allowing people to have their platform or those who really don’t have

the resources to have their platform exposed,” he said.

Even though the competition is held during the Carnival season, the committee encourages and accepts

submissions representing all music genres created by Bahamians, ensuring a rich and varied representation of the country’s musical landscape.

For this year’s competition, said Corey, judges were looking at specific elements like originality, diction, intonation, vocal quality, rhythmic interpretation, song choice, and asked the question, “Does the music groove naturally, or does it feel unintentionally halting, stumbling, forced, rushed?”

Another new element to the event is the Battle of the Bands that will see professional and high school bands face off against each other in their respective categories.

“Battle of the Bands was supposed to only be professional bands so we figured why don’t we do a high school edition,” said Corey.

“We wanted to create a feeder programme for persons who aspire to be professional musicians and give them a taste of what it actually feels like to be on the big stage.”

Once the winner has been crowned, the night will end with performances by top soca artists Bunji Garlin, Destry Garcia and Fayann Lyon.

For more information, visit www. carnivalbahamas.com.

CARRINGTON McKenzie

LEONEISHA

NISHE LS

RON Jon Jovi

TRIPPLA

Abaco raises a glass to Pub Day

By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net

Abaco’s social scene will be bustling for the next three days as the island celebrates the return of Pub Day.

Pub Day is a three-day festival held annually in Sandy Point where people come from near and far to celebrate their ties to the settlement, whether those ties be due to bloodline or friendship.

The event takes place May 19-21.

According to Rhema Rolle, a member of the organising committee, the event was inspired by the late Eric Bain who founded Eric’s Pub, a local and popular bar in Sandy Point.

“His son and daughter-in-law, Greg and Zelma Bain, who have the support of other family members, decided to have a three-day celebration in his memory as he was always of the belief that the weekend should be three days long and not two,” said Rhema.

Similar to local regattas held around the islands, Pub Day will

feature live entertainment, including dancers, deejays, rake n’ scrape bands and more. Additionally, local vendors are invited to participate and have their products on display for purchase.

Rhema told Tribune Weekend the event, which is constantly, growing brings people together to socialise in a fun and wholesome way.

“We have seen tremendous development in Pub Day over the years. This year, we expect a bigger crowd, more fun and more visitors from other parts of Abaco and other islands to come out and have the unforgettable Pub Day experience,” she said.

And the event is certainly something many Abaconians look forward to.

“Pub Day has always been a highly anticipated event for the locals. We cater to all ages, with Friday evening being the kick-off party for those needing an after-work buzz. Saturday daytime, we cater to families with small children, then Saturday night

caters to adults of all ages, and the last day, Sunday, is for all of the boat and beach lovers,” said Rhema.

More than a weekend party, Pub Day presents an opportunity to ‘link-up’, for people to see friends, relatives and neighbours they have not seen in a while.

“If you’re an Abaconian that can use a regatta style ‘link-up’ to see

and have a great time with your friends and family like old times, then this is the event for you. If you’re an individual, Bahamian or not, that loves a good time, great company and an unforgettable island experience, then this is the event for you,” she said.

The committee will soon announce dates for next year’s Pub Day.

Mr Worldwide’, aka rapper Pitbull, brings the beats to the Bahamas

Grammy Award-winning rapper Pitbull will be ‘giving everything’ when he performs at Atlantis’ Music Making Waves concert on Sunday, May 28.

The artist, whose real name is Armando Christian Pérez, will perform at the resort‘s Casuarina Beach, which recently saw superstar Lizzo take the stage and delight both visitors and locals alike with her high-energy act.

A similarly kinetic and charismatic performance is expected from the Cuban-American rapper who is often called “Mr Worldwide” due to his global success.

Pitbull has sold over 25 million studio albums and over 100 million singles worldwide. He has over 15 billion views on YouTube.

For the Atlantis concert, he is expected to perform some of his biggest hits and party anthems, such as

“Give Me Everything,“ “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho),” and more.

Part proceeds from the concert will support the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation whose mission it is to save marine life and their extraordinary habitats throughout the Bahamas and surrounding Caribbean seas.

Pre-show festivities at the Music Making Waves concert village include local food trucks, pop-up experiences, activity zones, a 360degree beer garden, and more. The concert grounds open at 6.30pm.

“For 25 years, Atlantis Paradise Island consistently delivers experiences that create lifelong memories for our guests and community. We are so happy to welcome the legendary Pitbull to Atlantis and the Bahamas next month. With his extraordinary showmanship and chart-topping hits, Pitbull will join

our yearlong anniversary celebration along with the 2023 Music Making Waves’ performances by Lizzo, The Chainsmokers, DJ Nick Cannon, and Kesha,” said Audrey Oswell, President and Managing Director, Atlantis Paradise Island.

Tickets are on sale now on atlantislive.com and range from $69 for silver seating to $189 for diamond seating.

Drew Curry

She is no stranger to feeling aimless in life. But now she has found her purpose and wants to help other young Bahamians find theirs. She tells Cara Hunt about her project and new book which are both designed to help students overcome their feelings of hopelessness.

As the founder of Project Blue, Drew Curry hopes to plant seeds of purpose into the lives of high school students all over the country.

Project Blue is a programme that visits senior high schools throughout the Bahamas to educate students about the importance of goal-setting, self-development activity, envisioning and planning their futures.

“This initiative is really based on my life and my story,” Drew told Tribune Weekend.

“One day, I was listening to a sermon by the late Pastor Myles Munroe and he was talking about students graduating from school and getting jobs, but not having a purpose.

“That was exactly how I had felt when I graduated. I started a job, but I felt that it was just a routine. It was not until I left my job that I finally started feeling fulfilled.”

Drew realised that her purpose was to help others find theirs.

She started the Project Blue initiative to go into schools and help students prepare for their lives after graduation.

“The name Project Blue is short for blueprints, because blueprints are used in construction as a way to know what needs to be done, and so this is helping build a foundation for life,” she explained.

Drew said she took a leap of faith to get her project off the ground.

“I have always been a risk-taker,” she explained. “Even when I graduated in 2012, I had got a job, but I left it after only eight months because I just wanted more.”

She sat down and strategically planned what that “more” would entail.

“Having a plan made it much easier to plan and prepare how I wanted things to go.”

Her idea was to meet with high school students and help them prepare for their futures.

“The hardest part was that I had to reach out to all the guidance counsellors, and I knew that even if I got 100 no’s, I would get at least one yes.”

She was right, and Project Blue has made it into more than half a dozen senior schools in the country.

“What I do is I meet with the students and we discuss what they want for their lives. To do this we focus on goal-setting; what do you want to and how can you do it. Another thing we do is discuss having vision.

“I get them to ask themselves, ‘Where do I see myself?’ Focus on the end result. And we create vision boards where they have to ask themselves questions like, ‘Why is vision important to me?’ and ‘What do I need to turn that desire into a reality’.”

Other important areas the project focuses on are accountability, personal growth and time management.

“For example, I mention to them about the time they spend on social media, just scrolling all day when they could be using that time to further their goals.”

Drew has created her own workbook to help students reach these goals and objectives.

“It’s really a guidebook with a formula that they can follow to help them learn how to confidently reach their goals.”

Drew initially founded Project Blue out of pocket, but as the project developed over time, she has been able to secure sponsorships from corporate Bahamas.

While she does sometimes speak at larger assemblies, Drew said she prefers

this weekend in history

May 19

• In 1536, Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII of England, is executed by beheading. Anne, the mother of Elizabeth I, was convicted on charges including adultery, incest and conspiracy against the king. Modern scholars believe these charges were fabricated to allow King Henry to get rid of his second wife for failing to bear him a male heir.

to offer her guidance in more intimate settings.

“The students are more open and vulnerable that way.”

And they open up to her quite a bit.

“I think that one of the biggest challenges they face is that there is no one to way to speak positivity to them. They just feel hopeless and don’t know how to make their lives different.

“Some parents don’t understand how their words can affect their kids. As parents, you need to speak support to them. They tell me things like, ‘Well, my mummy already say I can’t do this’ or ‘My mom gave up on me, so why shouldn’t I give up too?’ or ‘I feel like I am nothing and I won’t be able to achieve anything’, and sadly, often those words can project onto their future.

“Parents, you need to speak life to your kids.”

Drew said her mission is to bring awareness to her students and show them that they can have a bright future ahead of them.

“I want to plant a seed into their life and let them see that there can be so much more to life, and then somewhere along the way, those seeds can be watered.”

Drew is also certified as a life development coach and is happy that she can share her own story and help others get on track to living their best lives.

• In 1935, British military strategist, archaeological scholar, and writer T E Lawrence, whose life inspired the epic film ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ (1962), dies at age 46 following a motorcycle accident.

May 20

• In 1506, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus dies aged 54 in Valladolid, Spain. He is said to have died a disappointed man, feeling he had been mistreated by his patron, King Ferdinand of Spain. Cause of death was possibly due a condition called Reiter’s syndrome, also known as reactive arthritis.

• In 1873, businessman Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis receive their patent for using copper rivets to strengthen certain areas of trousers, notably pocket corners. This

patent ultimately led to the creation and rise of blue jeans.

May 21

• In 1927, American aviator Charles Lindbergh completes the first nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, travelling from New York to Paris in about 33.5 hours.

• In 1932, Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to make the nonstop solo transatlantic flight. Five years later, in 1937, Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan disappear over the Pacific Ocean, on one of the last legs in their historic attempt to circumnavigate the globe. They are never found.

T E Lawrence

Best described as a number crossword, the task in Kakuro is to fill all of the empty squares, using numbers 1 to 9, so the sum of each horizontal block equals the number to its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the number on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Kakuro increases from Monday to Sunday.

Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so the each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

27 Treated smile as random (7) 28 Thingummy may not thaw out (7)

TARGET

E C R N V E S A E

getting tea or coffee (5)

2 Align, 3 Feel, 4 Chorus, 5 Transmit, 6 Fleeing, 11 Stationary, 13 Imposing, 14 Stretch, 16 Redden, 17 Carry, 20 Seek.

THE ALPHABEATER

CAN you crack the Alphabeater? Each grid number represents a letter – or black square. As in Alphapuzzle, every letter of the alphabet is used. But you have to complete the grid too! Use the given letters and black squares below the grid to start. The grid is ‘rotationally symmetrical’ – in other words, it looks the same if you turn the page upside down. Solution

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here?

In making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each must contain the centre letter and there must be at least one nine-letter word. No plurals. Verb forms ending in S

Yesterday’s Sudoku Answer

BATTLESHIPS

CRYPTIC PUZZLE

Across

1 Swindles, theft and intrigue (10)

6 Digital computer shield (4)

10 Think of love and languish (5)

11 Make successful attempt to prove beard is false (4,2,3)

12 Gave beer as a drink (8)

13 Lowered oneself? (5)

15 Ready for fuel he’d ordered (7)

17 Cross opponent of the Middle Ages (7)

19 A failure - due to excessive rain? (7)

21 Ordains an arrangement for smoothing things (7)

22 Custom-made clothing (5)

24 A compulsory turn-out (8)

27 About to be put in combat plane built to take cargo (9)

28 A doctor and a mother make up a play (5)

29 Record is broken by the winner (4)

30 Italian city man squashed into a plane (10)

Down

1 Captain’s favourable report on commanding officer (4)

2 Mum sets lionesses free (9)

3 A part - an actor will say his (5)

4 Confused her pal with a famous painter (7)

5 They give names to people at the door (7)

7 Abode made of sun-dried bricks (5)

8 He can rely on a permanent occupation (4,6)

9 Ken tried clumsily and did the job amateurishly (8)

14 Hold discussion in order to fetch wheat (4,3,3)

16 Every plot by the way will have one (8)

18 Bird, bulb or insect (9)

20 It may support the board (7)

21 The rest of the foot in the cavalry (7)

23 Call for a doctor perhaps (5)

25 Boy, it rises and falls (5)

26 Make gross (4)

Across

Yesterday’s Easy Solution

Across: 1 Calypso, 5 Poser, 8 Look after, 9 Cos, 10 Oust, 12 Hear hear, 14 Cheery, 15 Divide, 17 Schubert, 18 Pear, 21 Inn, 22 Be all ears, 24 Nosey, 25 Healthy.

Down: 1 Cello, 2 Leo, 3 Peak, 4 Outlet, 5 Portrait, 6 Secretive, 7 Reserve, 11 See things, 13 Probably, 14 Cushion, 16 Breach, 19 Risky, 20 Flea, 23 Apt.

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution

Across: 1 Stutter, 5 Caper, 8 Annoyance, 9 Imp, 10 Palm, 12 Contacts, 14 Earthy, 15 Graphs, 17 Canister, 18 Flew, 21 Set, 22 Magic wand, 24 Skein, 25 Scratch.

Down: 1 Sharp, 2 Urn, 3 Toys, 4 Random, 5 Cheaters, 6 Principal, 7 Repasts, 11 Lorgnette, 13 Chessman, 14 Excuses, 16 Weighs, 19 Width, 20 Scar, 23 Aft.

EASY PUZZLE

1 4th largest island in the world (10)

6 Gloomy (4)

10 Simulate (5)

11 Charitable and helpful person (9)

12 Grant respite to (8)

13 Speak derisively (5)

15 Awoken (7)

17 Simple and frugal (7)

19 Walk briskly (4,3)

21 Decide firmly (7)

22 Customary (5)

24 Gambling game (8)

27 Coming as profit (2,3,4)

28 A garden flowering plant (5)

29 Uncommon (4)

30 Catch sight of (4,4,2)

Down

1 To bungle (4)

2 To effect forcibly (5,4)

3 Person or thing doomed (5)

4 Cause to stop temporarily (7)

5 Without purpose (7)

7 Percentage (5)

8 Make peace after quarrel (4,6)

9 Encroach (8)

14 Be accepted as adequate (4,6)

16 Burn slowly without flame (8)

18 Inform on others’ misdeeds (4,5)

20 Disturbance (7)

21 Gather in from various places (5,2)

23 Emit audibly (5)

25 Insincere (5)

26 Domestic cattle (4)

FIND where the fleet of ships shown is hidden in the grid. The numbers to the right of and below the grid indicate how many of the squares in that row are filled in with ships or parts of ships. The ships do not touch each other, even diagonally. Some squares have been filled in to start you off.

corroSiVE coir core corer corrie CORROSIVE cosier cove cover crosier orris osier over rose rosier rove rover score scorer servo sore sorer verso visor voice

targEt thE alphapuzzl across: Antiques, Jellied, Merit, Hike, Rusty, Leering, Creche, Deprived. down: Metallic, Quietly, Need, Fervour, Liaison, Ordinary.

Yesterday’s Kakuro Answer

● Alternatively, for six Extra Letter clues to your mobile, text DXBEAT to 64343. Texts cost £1 plus your usual operator

A new voice for new type of Bahamian music

By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features Writer | acadetribunemedia.net

Up-and-coming singersongwriter Kezia Noreiga is one of the voices representing the evolution of Bahamian music.

Now, she is ready to release a new EP – an ode to her grandmother – and celebrating her new single, “Today”, a fun Summer tune inspired by Carnival.

Kezia (whose real name is Sasha Major) started her music career in 2020, and in August 2022 she got her first gig at the Studio Café. Last December, she dropped her first single, “AYCT”, which she followed up with “Today”, released this April.

When it comes to her style of music, Kezia describes herself as an “oddball”, because she doesn’t feel locked into just one genre. However, she leans towards a New Wave sound, with a sprinkle of soft rock and R&B.

“My music is really just a vibe and depends on how I feel when I hear an instrumental or melodies playing. I think over the years, the sound of Bahamian musicians and artists continues to evolve,” she told Tribune Weekend.

“You have the staple rake n’ scrape and soca artists, and then there are artists like Sherwood Rahming who evoke the Bahamian style folk music, but the delivery is transformed with a modern yet jazzy and afrocentric feel. Then you may have someone like Shabazz The Great, who is more inclined to give you passion, great energy and quick lyricism, but on a trap beat.”

Kezia is now in the process of preparing the release of her new “Lucky Girl” EP, which is a record dedicated to her grandmother, Casimar Merle Noreiga.

“The songs are a kind of ode to our journey as women, her life and mine,” she explained.

Speaking about her newest single, “Today”, Kezia said it was inspired by the Bahamas Carnival’s Music Competition. She wanted to create something that told a love story about finding your voice despite who

supports you or not. While it can be considered a fun Summer party song, it also has a message: to not let the little things destroy your confidence and distract from your purpose.

“Keith Zanz did a superb job on the beat; the Afro-Caribbean, soca sound does not disappoint,” she said of the song.

“He is the producer for the beat. Jumpa at RockSound Records engineered and mastered the song, which makes the perfect combination.”

Kezia said she would love to make a music video to accompany the single, but unfortunately the funding is currently just not there.

In the meantime, however, she is happy that people are enjoying the tune.

“People can get a lot of dance moves in there. The beat and the flow of the song, whether you’re going to the beach or just hitting the road – it’s a vibe. You definitely want

to hear more after the first listen. It all just makes me feel overjoyed that people love my music,” she said.

Local artists who inspire Kezia include Keith Zanz, Navarro Newton, Shabazz The Great, Alleon Rose, It’s Dia, Lapo Frost, and Sherwood Rahming; many of whom she has worked with.

“All of them just have remarkable creativity and work ethic, and provide great knowledge. They are dynamic and just a different breed of artists,” she said.

From the international music scene, she enjoys the late Bob Marley, Fleetwood Mac, Rihanna, Celine Dion and many other artists.

“For me, it’s not merely about how good you sound, but the vibes, the drive, and the message behind the music,” she said.

Moving forward, Kezia is excited to collaborate with Shabazz The Great, Alleon Rose and Keith Zanz.

“So the music is not stopping anytime soon, which I love,” she said. Kezia is also looking forward to travelling more to expand on her source of inspiration.

“You never realise how important travel and placing yourself in sacred spaces is, so I’d say one of my goals is to see the world and travel so that I can tell a new story from a different perspective to my listeners. My hope is that those who find inspiration in my music can feel it so deeply that they, too, are liberated and will be brave enough to have a vision this big, and pursue it,” she said.

Kezia’s music is available on all the most popular music platforms like Spotify, iTunes, and Tidal; as well as on Instagram, TikTok and SoundCloud at ‘Kezianoreiga’, and on YouTube on the Kezia Noreiga channel.

Dish soap is for dishes, not for pest control

Good day, gardeners. I keep hearing recommendations to use Joy or Dawn dish soap for spraying in the garden.

This is not what is meant when anyone says “use soap”, and it is bad advice; it’s an inaccurate and even harmful suggestion. Please read on.

Gardening can be a delightful and therapeutic endeavour, but it often comes with its fair share of challenges. Dealing with pests like mealybugs and whiteflies can quickly turn our beautiful gardens into battlegrounds. While the temptation to resort to chemical solutions such as dish soap may arise, it’s essential to consider non-toxic controls that are both effective and safe.

Let’s explore some reliable methods to tackle these pesky invaders without harming our plants or the environment.

When it comes to combating mealybugs, two non-toxic solutions stand out: neem oil and spinosad. Neem oil operates like a stealthy ninja within the gardening realm. By suffocating those bothersome bugs, it bids them a swift and decisive farewell. Spinosad, on the other hand, functions as a specialized SWAT team trained explicitly to take down mealybugs. Derived from a naturally occurring soil bacterium, it serves them a taste of their own medicine. For an extra level of defense, consider recruiting an army of ladybugs. These red-clad warriors have insatiable appetites for mealybugs and will fiercely protect your plants against these fluffy invaders.

Whiteflies may appear delicate and innocent, but their rapid multiplication can transform your garden into a bustling metropolis. To combat their onslaught without resorting to harsh chemicals, consider using yellow sticky traps. Picture this: whiteflies floating leisurely through the air, only to find themselves irresistibly drawn to vibrant yellow sticky traps. It’s like an exclusive vacation destination they simply cannot resist. Hang these traps near your plants, and the whiteflies will find themselves ensnared, unable to

wreak further havoc. Embrace the power of beneficial insects, such as parasitic wasps.

These incredible wasps play the role of nature’s own crime fighters. They lay their eggs within whitefly larvae, keeping their population in check. It’s like a high-stakes family drama where the wasps ensure balance and harmony in your garden while you enjoy a peaceful and pestfree environment.

Now, let’s address why dish soap and other chemical solutions should be avoided. Dish soaps may possess the power to conquer grease and grime on your dishes, but when it comes to plants, they can be a bit too enthusiastic. These soaps strip away the protective cuticle that shields plants, leaving them vulnerable to pest attacks. Furthermore, they exhibit non-selective action, harming both pests and beneficial insects.

Imagine inviting everyone to a party but forgetting to differentiate between the good guests and the party crashers. We don’t want to disrupt the natural harmony in our gardens, so let’s bid farewell to dish

soaps and keep the good bugs as our VIP guests.

Moreover, dish soaps can leave a residue on plant surfaces, interfering with their ability to photosynthesize and grow optimally. This residue can also attract dust and debris, further compromising plant health.

In addition to these concerns, dish soaps often contain additives or fragrances that can be phytotoxic, causing damage or even death to plants.

To preserve a healthy ecosystem, it is crucial to avoid the use of these chemicals and opt for greener alternatives. In conclusion, there are effective and non-toxic controls available to combat pests like mealybugs and whiteflies in our gardens. Neem oil, spinosad, sticky traps, and beneficial insects are all reliable solutions. By avoiding dish soaps and other chemical solutions, we protect our plants, the environment, and the delicate balance of our garden ecosystems.

Let’s embrace organic pest control methods, maintain a sense of humor, and create gardens that flourish

while remaining free from pesky invaders.

As a footnote, please know that timing is important in any pest control method. Prevention is always easier than remediation, and eradication is a ridiculous concept.

We may as well nuke it all if that were the case. Please, follow label directions exactly. There will then be no reason to say or for us to hear “that didn’t work”. Nothing will work correctly unless the label directions are followed specifically. Read, and reread the directions.

Read again before each use. Please.

As always, I wish you happy gardening.

Best-selling author with front-row seat to the rise and fall of Sam Bankman-Fried has new book in the works

Abest-selling author will be turning his attention to a cryptocurrency entrepreneur who was the world’s youngest billionaire and at one point considered paying off the entire national debt of the Bahamas before his spectacular downfall.

Michael Lewis, the author of “The Big Short” (which was turned into an Oscar-winning movie), will be coming out with his new book, “Going Infinite – The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon” about FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried this October.

According to the publishing company Penguin Books, “Going Infinite” will tell a “high-octane story of the enigmatic figure at the heart of one of the 21st century’s most spectacular financial collapses.”

Lewis is asking: “Who was this Gatsby of the crypto world, a rumpled guy in cargo shorts, whose eyes twitched across TV interviews as he played video games on the side, who even his million-dollar investors still found a mystery? What gave him such an extraordinary ability to make money - and how did his empire collapse so spectacularly?”

Bankman-Fried was arrested at his apartment complex in Albany, New Providence, Bahamas, last December after criminal charges were filed against him the US. The 30-year-old was extradited to the US shortly after. He faces several fraud charges, including wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to commit fraud and violating campaign finance laws. Bankman-Fried could be sentenced to up to 115 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

Author and financial journalist Michael Lewis unexpectedly got a first-row seat to Bankman-Fried’s rise and fall.

He told the UK Guardian he was originally asked by a friend of his to “make sense” of this young

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billionaire who seemingly came out of nowhere.

Lewis was then given unlimited access to Bankman-Fried after the two were introduced and went hiking together.

“At the end of the hike I turned to him and said: ‘I don’t know what’s going to happen to you, I don’t know where your story is going, I’ve never seen anything like this.’ I just thought to myself I wanted to be a fly on the wall and he said yes. And to this day he’s never limited my access,” Lewis told the UK Guardian.

“When it all comes crashing down last November it’s literally me, his

parents and his therapist. And I can hang around as long as I want, see whatever I want.”

Bankman-Fried is currently seeking a dismissal of criminal charges against him, saying prosecutors of the Manhattan federal court have improperly made federal crimes out of civil and regulatory issues that resulted from an industrywide collapse of cryptocurrency markets.

This week, he and other former FTX executives were being sued by FTX lawyers over the $220 million acquisition of stock-clearing platform Embed, alleging lack of due diligence.

10. The Covenant of Water (Oprah’s Book Club) by Abraham Verghese

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

‘Big Short’ author and financial journalist Michael Lewis

literary lives – Steven Spielberg

The pioneer of the modern blockbuster - Part II

Sir Christopher Ondaatje continues to examine the extraordinary Hollywood career of the American director, writer and producer who might well be the most commercially successful movie director of all time. He is the recipient of three Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, as well as four Directors Guild of America Awards.

After a brief setback in which Spielberg felt “burned out and artistically stalled”, he returned to direct Hook, about a middle-aged Peter Pan played by Robin Williams. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, and earned $300 million on a $70 million budget, but was not a critical success.

Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton’s adventure genre, caused Spielberg to depart from his usual order of planning and used computer generated imagery provided by Industrial Light & Magic. At the time it became the highest grossing film of all time, and won three Academy Awards. Spielberg’s salary of $250 million was indicative of the success he had attained.

Later that year, Spielberg made Schindler’s List about the businessman Oscar Schindler who helped save 1,100 Jews from the Holocaust. Against expectation, the film was a commercial success and is probably one of the best 100 American films ever made. It won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and Spielberg’s first as Best Director.

In 1994, Spielberg formed his own film studio DreamWorks with Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. More creative control, and more distribution control were the main reasons for setting up the studio, which included Microsoft founders Paul Allen and Bill Gates. He still continued to operate Amblin Entertainment and direct films for other studios. He took a break from directing and did not return to work until 1997 when he directed a sequel to Jurassic Park. He used 3D storyboards, computer imagery, and robotic puppets to produce the highest grossing film of 1997. It made money but was criticised as not being

as much fun as the first 1993 Jurassic Park film.

Amistad was the first film released under the Dreamworks label – the true story about events on a slave ship La Amistad, in 1839. It starred Morgan Freeman and Anthony Hopkins, but with a disappointing result. As Spielberg admitted, “it was too much of a history lesson” and underperformed at the box office. Saving Private Ryan (1998), however, starring Tom Hanks, won Spielberg his second Academy Award for Best Director and grossed a successful $481 million.

Either Spielberg sought “action” films, or the studios directed them to him. In 2001 he teamed with Tom Hanks to produce a 10-part HBO

miniseries Band of Brothers, which won a “Best Miniseries” Golden Globe Award. He was also given A.I. Artificial Intelligence to direct.

“Here is one of the most ambitious films of recent years … but it miscalculates in asking us to invest our emotions in a character, a machine.”

– Roger Ebert Film Critic

Nevertheless, the film won five Saturn Awards and grossed $236 million. Understandably when Spielberg teamed with Tom Cruise to make Minority Report in 2002, it was criticised for “not having enough action”. Catch Me If You Can was another successful film about a

“I have always loved movies about sensational rogues – they break the law, but you just have to love them for the movie.”

– Steven Spielberg

It was another critical success, and he worked with Tom Hanks again successfully in The Terminal (2004) that had mixed reviews.

Spielberg has been a fan of the H.G. Wells book, and the 1953 film War of the Worlds, and he co-produced the 2005 film with Paramount and DreamWorks, starring Tom

young con artist played by Leonard DiCaprio with Tom Hanks.

SPIELBERG at the 1994 Academy Awards

Cruise. It was another hit, grossing over $600 million worldwide.

One of Spielberg’s most controversial films was produced in 2005, Munich, about the eleven Israeli athletes who were kidnapped and murdered at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. The film was perceived to be anti-Semitic and did not get widespread positive reviews – particularly by the Hollywood press.

In 1995, Spielberg, now 59, scaled down his directing career and, together with his partners, sold his DreamWorks company to conglomerate Viacom. However, he continued his producing career doing Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), Monster House (2006), and co-producing with Clint Eastwood Flags of the Fathers (2006), Letters from Iwo Jima with Robert Lorenz, and On the Lot with Mark Burnett about filmmaking.

The fourth instalment of the Indiana Jones series was made in 2008, and Spielberg directed Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It was his first film not released by DreamWorks. Again, incredibly successful, grossing $790 million but reviewers were critical of Spielberg’s uncharacteristic introduction of alien life in the film.

After shooting the trilogy The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn in 2009, entirely computer animated, which was received positively, Spielberg shot War Horse (2011) – the first of four films distributed by Walt Disney. The Pacific (2010) was co-produced with Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman about World War II battles in the Pacific, and followed it with another science fiction film Falling Skies. He also produced the 2011 Fox series Terra Nova about 2149 when all life on Earth was threatened with extinction. He also produced the JJ Abrams thriller Super 8.

The historical drama Lincoln (2012) was directed by Spielberg, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, on the final four months of Lincoln’s life. It was acclaimed and was nominated for 12 Academy Awards, winning Best Actor for Day-Lewis.

After 2013, Spielberg directed Bridge of Spies (2015), a Cold War thriller starring Tom Hanks about

the 1960 U-2 incident where Gary Powers was shot down over Soviet territory. The film was popular with critics and was nominated for six Academy Awards.

When he was 70 in 2016, Spielberg made The BFG, an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s children’s book. It was co-produced and released by Walt Disney Pictures and was the first Disney film directed by Spielberg. A year later Spielberg directed The Post, an account of The Washington Post printing of the Pentagon Papers, starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep.

“Spielberg infuses every scene with tension and life and the grandeur of the ordinary that he’s always been so good at conveying.”

– The Associated Press

The same year he and other filmmakers made Five Came Back, which discussed the contributions of directors Frank Capra, John Ford, John Huston, George Stevens and William Wyler about war-related works. He directed Ready Player One in 2018. Critics again enjoyed the action scenes, but thought the film too long. In 2019 he directed West Side Story, an adaptation of the

musical of the same name. Released in 2021, the film received seven Academy Award nominations. It was the last musical that Spielberg would direct.

In 2022, Spielberg directed The Fabelmans – a fictionalised account of his own childhood. Despite the favourable critical reception, and seven Academy Award nominations, the film was too good to be true and was a film Spielberg shouldn’t have made. It would have been far more powerful in documentary form. Perhaps this is still to come. He is certainly the most successful director of all time.

“Sometimes a story speaks to me, even if it doesn’t speak to any of my collaborators … who look at me and say, ‘Gee are you sure you wanna get into that trend for a year and a half?’ I love people challenging me that way because it’s a real test about my own convictions … a subject that may not be popular, but that I would be proud to add to the body of my work. That’s pretty much the litmus test that gets me to say, ‘Yeah, I’ll direct that one.’”

– Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg met actress Amy Irving in 1976 when she auditioned for Close Encounters of the Third Kind. She was too young for the role, but she and Spielberg began dating. They broke up in 1979. In 1984, they renewed their romance and married in November 1985. Their son, Max, was born on June 13, 1985. In 1989, they divorced. The divorce settlement of over $100 million is said to be one of the most expensive in history.

Spielberg met actress Kate Capshaw when he cast her in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. They married on October 12, 1991. Capshaw converted to Judaism before their marriage. Spielberg and his family live in Pacific Palisades, California, and East Hampton, New York. He has three children with Capshaw, and two adopted children. He also has a stepdaughter, Jessica Capshaw.

• Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia.

SPIELBERG directs Liam Neeson on the set of Schindler’s List (1993)

SPIELBERG on the set of Jurassic Park (1993)

First runways in the Bahamas – PART I

My first job was in the marketing department of Esso Standard Oil, SA, when that company supplied fuel to all the service stations on New Providence. Motorists had the choice of three brands of fuels – Esso, Sinclair and Texaco –but all three of those brands came out of the same storage tanks on Hog Island. Later, Esso built the first fuel depot at Clifton.

The corporation had its origins in John D Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Company, which monopolised most of the world’s production of oil and made it the target of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890.

The Sherman Act broadly prohibits anticompetitive agreements and unilateral conduct that monopolises, or attempts to monopolise, US markets.

The brand name Esso continues to serve Bahamian motorists, but on the world stage the company is now called Exxon Mobil.

In 1940, the Nassau press, published an article about Flying in the Bahamas, taken from a magazine (for private circulation) called

INTAVA World – which became Esso Air World and is now Exxon Air World:

“Although Nassau, the capital of the Bahama Islands, has been served by flying-boat services, from the American mainland, for over ten years, it was not until a few years ago that the British Government showed any practical interest in the development of the islands as an air tourist centre, by the despatch of an Air Ministry official, to survey the site for a proposed aerodrome, and to report on the general flying conditions of the Colony.

“Hitherto, the only organised flying facilities in the islands were at the Nassau flying-boat base, which was originally established to serve as a terminal for the Pan-American service from Miami.

“The Bahamas Winter season lasts from about mid-December to the end of April and, during this period; Pan-American operates daily service from Miami to Nassau. For the rest of the year, it operates thrice weekly. As the result of the Air Ministry’s survey, the Imperial Government began construction of an airport,

on a site about 3 miles south of the city of Nassau, early in 1939, but in December of that year, the incomplete airport was sold to Sir Harry Oakes on the understanding that he must complete the aerodrome and maintain it solely for flying purposes.

“Sir Harry Oakes has been a pioneer and benefactor of flying in the Bahamas. In 1936, Harold Christie and he founded Bahamas Airways Ltd, which began operation in November of that year. This company maintains a fleet of three sea-going aircraft – a Loening AirYacht six-passenger, single-engined amphibian, a Douglas Dolphin sixpassenger, twin-engined amphibian and a Luscombe, two-seat light seaplane. The first two aircraft are used for scheduled and charter flying, among the islands and to the American mainland, and the Luscombe seaplane is for giving instruction to members of the newly formed Bahamas Flying Club, which also owes its inception to Sir Harry Oakes. (John Maura was the first Bahamian to fly ‘solo’.)

“From January 1 through April 30, Bahamas Airways Ltd operates a weekly service from Nassau to

Dunmore Town, Harbour Island; and to Hatchet Bay and Governor’s Harbour, on Eleuthera Island – two of the outer islands in the archipelago. Actually, the Bahamas group includes about twenty inhabited islands, the most populated of which is New Providence, on which Nassau is situated.

When Sir Harry took over the unfinished airport, one runway, 3,000 ft long and running from East to West, had been completed, and the surface asphalted.

“A second runway, 4,000 ft. long and running from NE to SW has since been finished by Sir Harry and the coral surface rolled hard, and a third, 3,200 ft. long and running North to South is under construction. Plans are in hand for the erection of administration buildings, sheds, etc. and the provision of all modern facilities, which will be needed to meet the demands of a greatly augmented air tourist traffic that such an aerodrome will undoubtedly attract from the mainland.”

• For questions and comments, please send an e-mail to islandairman@gmail.com

AT Oakes Field with Bahamas Airways’ Douglas Dolphin : Sidney Farrington, Sir Harry Oakes, Walter Foskett, Captain Charles Collar, HG Christie and Aubrey Bethel.

PAUL C ARANHA FORGOTTEN FACTS

Animal matters

Kim Aranha

Beware cane toads in the Bahamas

We in the Bahamas have a growing problem of concern. For a short and wonderful while I hoped that we had got it under control, but with the recent reports coming in, that is clearly, alas, not the case.

The cane toad, also known as the bufo toad, has found its way to our shores and has become a most unwelcome tourist.

There are reports that they were originally intentionally introduced to the Bahamas in the mid 20th century to control agricultural pests. I have been unable to substantiate that, but it is a fact that they are useful in controlling the cane beetle.

However, if they were intentionally brought to the Bahamas, this was a dire error. They have thrived in the local environment, multiplying quickly and spreading all over the island of New Providence. They do not have natural enemies here, so they are in a position to reproduce unchecked and become a nuisance.

The cane toad is a big eater and munches on just about everything, including pet food if left outdoors. In fact, the mere presence of food left outside will help to encourage them to come into your yard.

Their appetite is such that if there are enough of them, they will disrupt the natural food chain.

However, what we all worry about with them the most is the toxicity of their venom. The toxin can be very dangerous and can even kill under certain circumstances. Small dogs are in particular danger.

This poison is secreted on their skin by parotoid glands if an animal attempts to eat on it can kill them.

But they can also be cause for concern for humans as well. The toxin can at least cause skin irritation, and at worst, death, and everything else

PET OF THE WEEK

A pair of pals

By The Bahamas Humane Society

”Well, I’m sure you can figure out where I was found! I’m that good looking, slightly fluffy female dog on the right. I’m Asa and I’m about two and a half years old. My buddy Dawn is about the same age, and both of us are at the Bahamas Humane Society hoping that we’ll find a home or homes of our own very soon!

“I like other dogs, but am not too keen on cats. I’d love to have a family who’d welcome me inside, maybe

head to the beach once in a while, and shower me with love. Are you up for it? If so, come to the BHS to meet me or call 325-6742 for more information. Dawn and I look forward to seeing you soon.”

If you can’t adopt, foster. If you can’t foster, volunteer.

If you can’t volunteer, donate.

If you can’t donate, educate!

Help make a difference!

in between. In short, the cane toad is not something we want to find in our gardens.

Different organisations have been trying to educate the Bahamian public on the danger of the cane toad and I believe that the Bahamas National Trust has been pretty effective, so much so, that I think many of us had almost forgotten the cane toad, but now we are hearing about it once again.

If you see one in your garden it is very important not to touch it. There are many different theories as to what to do and how to handle them. I personally will, if I ever see one in my garden (which I haven’t), immediately call the Bahamas National Trust and ask for guidance. There are groups trained in their safe removal.

How do you recognize a cane toad?

I went online and here is what I found out:

They are quite large, measuring between 4 to 6 inches, but can grow larger.

They have a stocky body with a prominent head. The body is generally round with a thick warty skin.

Their colouration can vary. But normally shades of brown, grey or olive. The patterns on their bodies can include dark spots or blotches which unfortunately provides excellent camouflage.

They have large raised glands behind their eyes, these bulge visibly, they secrete a toxin substance when threatened or afraid.

Their eyes are large and positioned at the sides of the head.

They have short legs relative to their body size.

The hind legs are robust and designed for hopping. The front legs are shorter ad less developed.

The cane toad is not skilled at climbing vertical walls like our local frog is. They are better suited for moving across the earth. They are very unlikely to even attempt to scale a vertical wall. Their ability to climb or traverse obstacles is very limited. However, they do have a powerful jumping ability, which helps them outrun a predator.

The bottom line is that we most definitely need to be on the lookout for them. If you think you see one, take a photo and post it. There are lots of knowledgeable people on Facebook who can tell you if it is indeed a cane toad. Those same people will tell you what to do.

Meanwhile, be watchful in your garden. You do not want your dogs or your children messing with a cane toad.

I have a friend who lived in Nassau and went back to the States with her beloved Dachshund, and within the first week he was in the garden and went after a cane toad and the poison killed him. There was nothing they could do.

If you suspect your pet has tangled with a cane toad, phone your vet immediately and get the animal to medical help. It is better to be wrong than sorry. If there is a probability he or she has been poisoned, get the help your pet needs as soon as possible; minutes count.

In the meantime, stay safe and keep a look out, and report sightings.

(PHOTO/LINDA GILL-ARANHA)

A adult female cane toad

Don’t miss this week: Netflix’s Anna Nicole Smith doc and ‘XO, Kitty’, plus Lego’s high-speed racer

By The Associated Press

NEW MOVIES TO STREAM

— Anna Nicole Smith gets the Netflix documentary treatment in “Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me.” The film, debuting Tuesday, chronicles Smith’s life as a model, Playboy playmate and reality star. Smith died in 2007 at the age of 39 from an accidental overdose. “You Don’t Know Me” includes home video of Smith, whose birth name was Vickie Lynn Hogan.

NEW MUSIC TO STREAM

— Check out Kesha’s new album for what “post-pop” sounds like. That’s what the ever-changing pop star is calling her Rick Rubin-produced record “Gag Order.” Single “Fine Line” is an introspective, beatless ballad with the lyric “Am I bigger than Jesus/Or better off dead?/There’s a fine line between genius and crazy.” There’s also “Eat the Acid,” an experimental, mournful number. Her team says the album excavates “the deepest recesses of her soul to date.”

NEW SERIES TO STREAM

— Stock up on tissues because home renovation twins Drew and Jonathan Scott’s series “Celebrity IOU” is back with new episodes on HGTV. Each episode features a Hollywood star who dreams up a home renovation project for someone they want to give back to. Enter the Scott brothers who use their knowledge of construction to make it happen. This batch of eight episodes features Heidi Klum, Kristin Chenoweth,

Glenn Close, Taraji P Henson, Emma Roberts, Jay Leno, Derek Hough, Kristin Davis and Emma Roberts.

— If you watched the “To All the Boys” movies, you probably remember scene-stealer Anna Cathcart as the confident, chatty kid sister, Kitty, to Lana Condor’s Lara Jean. Cathcart has landed her own spinoff series called “XO, Kitty.” Created by “To All the Boys” author Jenny Han, Kitty travels to Korea to attend

an elite boarding school that her long-distance boyfriend is a student at. It’s also the same school where her late mother went as a teen. Kitty imagines a seamless transition to a new school in a new country and a romantic reunion with her boyfriend but quickly realises life doesn’t always go as planned. All 10 episodes are now on Netflix.

— Wilderness expert and adventure-seeker Bear Grylls has never encountered a mountain he won’t

climb or a random creature he won’t eat for fuel. We’ve seen him on TV venture into the great outdoors with celebrities but now he’s taking everyday people out of their comfort zone in a new TBS show, “I Survived Bear Grylls.” With the help of comedian co-host Jordan Conley, Grylls uses simulated challenges to test contestants on their survival skills, physicality, and gross-out tolerance.

— Alicia Rancilio

NEW VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

— The Lego brand encompasses all sorts of pop culture icons, from “Star Wars” to “Seinfeld.” But sometimes you just want to build a Lego car and take it for a spin. In 2K Games’ Lego 2K Drive, you can assemble a high-speed racer brickby-brick, then compete against your friends to find out who’s got the zippiest monster on the track. If you want to go off-road, you can turn your car into an all-terrain vehicle, a boat or even an aircraft. Your Lego garage opens for business today on PlayStation 5/4, Xbox X/S/One, Nintendo Switch and PC.

— “I awoke one morning to find I was a dog” is a heck of a way to open a video game. Humanity gets weirder from there. The dog is a glowing Shiba Inu, and his mission is to guide the human masses toward salvation at the end of the world. Sounds heavy, but the result is the sort of hypnotic puzzle game you’d expect from Enhance, the developers responsible for Tetris Effect and Rez Infinite. With 90-plus levels and the tools for users to build their own, Humanity could last for an eternity. The herding has begun on PlayStation 5/4 and PC.

— AP Film Writer Jake Coyle

— AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy

• ‘Anna Nicole Smith - You Don’t Me’ • ‘Lego 2K Drive’

‘XO, Kitty’