Pepperpot 01 1 2017

II

Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

prepping for development in 2017

By Vishani Ragobeer AFTER continuously helping persons with disabilities for almost 50 years, the

The previous special needs classroom areas which has now been refurbished and is slated to be the boys’ dormitory

Ptolemy Reid rehabilitation center located in Carmichael Street, Georgetown, has plans for further development aimed towards helping more persons.

According to the Rehabilitation Officer of the center, Cynthia Massay, “We have a very comprehensive programme.” This programme, she highlighted, is one which many are not fully educated about.

Massay said that in addition to being a rehabilitation center that caters for persons with physical and developmental disabilities, the center houses residents with these disabilities and also has a special needs school. The center also has Guyana’s only Orthotic and Prosthetic Appliance workshop.

The children with disabilities often go to the center from a tender age of about six to eight months, with a few entering at a younger age. Here, she noted, they are first introduced to the rehabilitation therapy and are familiarized with the services of the facility.

Massay also mentioned that the center was equipped with a day-care and dormitory area. “Normal day-cares would not have children with disabilities, so we have a day-care here where persons can bring their children,” she said and added later, “We also have a dormitory system too where parents can bring their children on Monday and collect them on Friday.”

Taking advantage of the services Turn to page III ►►►

Rehabilitation Officer Cynthia Massay stands in front of the National Orthotic & Prosthetic Appliance Workshop during the tour of the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Center

Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

III

Four more Guyana shops opened in 2016 with 40 new products

THE new Guyana Market Corporation with wheat flour. This initiative is expected processed commodities (GMC) will continue to create an enabling to reduce post- harvest losses, create market locally, in 2016 emphasis environment for the promotion, develop- opportunities for fresh produce and create was placed on making valment, utilisation and exportation of non- gainful employment,” Minister Holder said. ue added products availtraditional agricultural commodities.

In promoting agriculture business de- able and accessible to all This is according to Minister of Agri- velopment through increased value- added regions. In this regard, culture, Noel Holder at the Ministry’s year production, for the year 2016, the GMC, 2016 saw four Guyana -end press conference on Thursday, at the through extensive collaboration with agro- Shop corners being estabMinistry’s Boardroom, Regent Road and processors, introduced approximately 40 lished in Regions Four, Six Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown. new products in the Guyana Shop. In the and Ten, bringing the total Minister Holder said that in 2017, the es- area of fashion, beauty and enhancement, number of Guyana Shop tablishment and opertionalisation of a chips there is currently a wide array of soaps in- corners open to eight, to and flour processing facility at date.

Parika, Region Three will come Minister to fruition.

Holder said that The rarity of cassava processthis initiative ing and the limited value – added will be accel- The Guyana Marketing Corporation booth at the Berbice products that are produced on a erated in 2017 Expo 2016 commercial scale speak of the through collabboth the fresh and processed forms via air high percentage of this staple oration with pricrop that is consumed with very vate proprietors of retails shops, and sea. Guyana’s major regional export little transformation, the Minister petrol station shops and hotels in destination include Trinidad, Suriname, said. all the Administrative Regions. Antigua, and Barbados, while the main exCassava is cultivated in most The corporation will also aggres- tra- regional destinations include the United of the regions, especially in the sively negotiate with officials at States, Canada and the Dominican Republic.

The main exported commodities are: hinterland. However, it is currentthe ports of exits to have agrococonut, coconut water, pineapple, mangoes, ly not exported. Minister Holder processed products available. said that this often results in gluts Additionally, in 2017 the eddoes, watermelon, pumpkin, papaw, heart on the domestic market, leading thrust to have a wide range of of palm and sauces.

In 2017, emerging markets will be purto depressed prices. fresh fruits and vegetables in The Agriculture Minister exwell packaged convenient siz- sued with the view of further expansion. that are on sale at the Guyana Marketing plained that the opportunity arises Some of the products Corporation es readily available for use by In addition, the exporting markets that saw (GMC) due to Guyana’s current high consumers will be undertaken a decline will be assessed with the aim of import bill for wheat, which is through collaboration with private retrieving them. Further, new markets will currently at US $21M. THe Ministry will cluding ginger and aloe, lemon grass, coffee, proprietors. The corporation will facilitate be sought for both fresh and agro- processed undertake to establish and operationalise at turmeric and honey fragrances. this service through the availability of the products.

New models will be explored by the least one processing facility to produce high This facilitation in the area of value- packaging facility, linkages with buyers, and GMC to enhance export and the corporaquality cassava flour. added product development will continue the use of its refrigerated trucks.

“We will work in tandem with the bak- in 2017.

Minister Holder said that non- traditional tion will also undertake a more proactive eries to have the cassava flour incorporated With regards to the promotion of agro- agricultural commodities are exported in role in actual exportation. (GINA) ◄◄◄ From page II

offered, Massay noted that some parents left their children at the center promising to return, but years later they still have not. She maintained that the Ptolemy Reid center will care for these children, despite their abandonment.

Focusing on the special needs school later, it was noted that there were three levels of teaching. As the children are taken care of and they show improvement, they progress from level one to two and finally to level three.

The school, when visited during the Christmas break, was notably equipped with special furniture to cater for these children- including ‘cut-out’ desks, which fosters better balance and in other cases allows those children with wheelchairs to sit at their desks.

Few students are also encouraged to be integrated into the normal school system, because they have displayed cognitive development despite their disabilities. However, according to Massay, this may present some problem since the Ministry of Education is not always “willing” to integrate students older than the stipulated age for that level of education.

In 2017, she noted two students- Becky who was diagnosed with epilepsy and Delicia who has cerebral palsy would begin attending “normal” schools as they have displayed the cognitive capacity and would be able to “manage” themselves at nursery school.

She also noted that one other student- Reyad, had displayed similar ability and the Ministry of Education had been notified. Massay expects, in 2017, that Reyad too will be attending a school not adapted for persons with disabilities.

The center also features vocational classes where students can learn to take care of themselves and learning skills such as farming.

Also in 2017, infrastructural development will be taking place at the center. Massay explained that to accommodate the number of boys and girls coming to the center, the dormitory area of the daycare would be extended. “We have a number of children on the waiting list for our daycare,” she said and added, “To accommodate these children, we need to enlarge some parts of the area.”

Currently, the boys’ and girls’ dormitories are located next to each other on the second floor of one of the buildings in the center. Massay revealed that the girls’ dormitory would be expanded to encompass the boys’ dormitory while the boys’ dormitory will then be repositioned on the third floor where the original special needs classrooms were positioned before the school was built. She disclosed that the boys’ dormitory will also be refurbished and the center had requested beds from the Food for the Poor (FFTP) organization.

There have also been plans to have a nurses’ room and a daycare for the children of those who worked at the center.

Massay, while briefing the Chronicle on the history of the institution, noted that the Centre was established by the

Ministry of Health in January, 1967 to provide rehabilitative services to those who suffered from the poliomyelitis epidemics in 1960 and 1964. Thereafter, after the disease was controlled, the center was made into a rehabilitative center for children with disabilities.

This January, the center will be celebrating 50 years of establishment and 50 years of aiding children and persons with disabilities.

IV

To Heck with

Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

New Year's Resolutions

By Francis Quamina Farrier

from operating a mini bus? What mechanism will be established? Who will make a New TODAY is the first day of this week, the Year's Resolution today, that they will use all first day of this month, and the first day of within their power, to ensure that pressure will this brand new year, 2017. What better day be put on errant mini bus operators? That the to make a resolution to do, or to stop doing guilty ones will receive stiff penalties when something or the other, which impacts found guilty in a court of Law? That will ourselves or others in a negative way. New surely send a very strong message to those Year's Resolutions are also about resolving who feel that they can do whatever they want to do something above and beyond the call on our roads resulting in mayhem and death to of duty; visiting the sick in hospital or Elso many other road users! ders at a Senior Citizens Home. I know that My main beef with New Year's Resoluone of Guyana's most accomplished Calyptions, is that they can be made at any time of sonians, The Mighty Kendingo, was going the year, as soon as necessary. Some do get the to many Senior Citizens Homes during the desired result. Take for example, smoking. I Jubilee Year, and entertaining the residents had a relative who was a chain smoker; he lit free of charge. That may or may not have the next cigarette from the previous one, and been as a result of a New Year's Resolution. smoked on and on, whenever possible. One Over the decades, especially in the Western day he asked his grown children whether they World, the most popular New Year's Reshad noticed anything. "Like, what?", asked olution is to loose weight; a resolution very one of the children. "Look at me", the father popular with women who feel that they are said,"What do you notice?" The children over-weight. looked at the father briefly, then at each other, So why have I entitled this feature with the and one said, "He's not smoking!" Indeed, two words, "To heck...?" Simple. It is because that Father had made a mid-year resolution to so many of us who make these New Year's stop smoking. The good news is that he lived Resolutions, break them within a matter of for another twenty plus years right into his days. At the beginning of December, 2016, I Before: The bridge linking South Road and Croal Street at Alexander Street, Georgetown eighties. His children are confident that he had it in my mind that Guyana should resolve would have died long before he became an ocwell, which are in need of repair. Some have already been to end Fatal Traffic Crashes at the end of November. Sadly done. The one which spans the canal, and links South Road togenarian had he not made that mid-year, mid-life resolution. there have been quite a number of those who have lost their and Croal street at Alexander Street, is an example. We have Now, I have to end by saying that if you are set on lives on our roads during last December; one actually hap- been told of a resolution taken to construct a new Demerara making a New Year's Resolution today, Sunday January 1, pened in a yard, where a 17 year old at the Alpha Children's Harbour Bridge. Good going, as far as resolutions go, which 2017, please do not let the headline to this feature discourHome on the East Bank Berbice, drove a car without permis- aren't necessarily made on New Year's Day. age you, especially if your New Year's Resolution to have sion, and accidentally killed a nine year old orphan girl. He Talk to many of the ordinary Guyanese people, and they the St, George's Cathedral or the City Hall repaired. The stepped on the accelerator when he had intended to press on would tell you that the promised, "Good Life" is still eluding City Engineers Building, which is in the same compound the brakes. them. I ride the mini buses quite a lot, and it is sheer hell for with the City Hall, was in a terrible state of disrepair with That particular Festive Season Fatal traffic broke my heart, the better part. No "good life" in those Mobile Discos which small trees growing on it, for a long time, but was recently even though not quite as badly as the one which took the life of are driven by lunatics, for the better part. A few months ago, repaired. Now go right ahead and make your New Year's Chief Librarian, Gillian Thompson, on December 23, 2011. I then Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine, spoke Resolution, and best of luck to you for success. By-the-way, was distraught by the death of nine year old Nina Blair, since of mini bus passengers being "Terrorized by Mini Bus op- for those of you interested to know, the last year to begin I did a session of Poetry Reading at that Berbice Orphanage erators." To be a victim of terrorism, is being in a position on a Sunday was 2012. The next year in which New Year's on November 25, and the victim was one who was in the small far from "The Good Life". So who should be making a New Day will be on a Sunday, is 2023. HAPPY NEW YEAR to audience. With the many traffic crashes in which so many died Year's Resolution that all mini bus "terrorists' will be banned you and yours. during 2016 - including children - I continue to root for drivers - especially mini bus drivers - to make a resolution as soon as possible, to drive with much more care, and show respect for other road users, including their passengers, immediately. My resolution to Do Poetry and Storytelling at selected schools and other institutions during the Jubilee Year, was made in April of 2016; long after January first, New Year's Day. I am a believer of making resolutions at any time of the year. For example, someone at the Ministry of Infrastructure probably made a resolution to repave as many of the pot-holed streets in Georgetown, and I am as pleased as punch that more and more of our city streets are being resurfaced. It shows that there is some effort on the part of some of our Political Leaders, to bring "The Good Life" to the Guyanese People.

I have noticed the attention to some of the City bridges, as

The recently repaired City Engineer's Building with the City Hall in the background

Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

V

Poetry

By Subraj Singh

Naomi Shihab Nye’s

2017 is here and yet, it will several more days of being a part of it before we all forget the old year that has just gone by. 2016, measured in celebrity deaths, wars and the extinction of various animal species seemed to be full of gloom, in a general sense, while we stood with the rest of the world and observed a series of catastrophes occur and, of course, experiencing, together, as one, the way the world shook each time something happened. But what about the experiences of 2016 which occurred on an individual level? What about the little things that happened over the past year? Naomi Shihab Nye is a Palestinian-American poet and novelist and her poem, “Burning the Old Year” offers an accurate perception of how many people, on an individualistic level, and within themselves, would review the last year of their lives once January 1st has come.

“Letters swallow themselves in seconds. / Notes tied to the doorknob… sizzle like moth wings / marry the air”, found in the first stanza of the poem, are lines which convey destruction or the end of something. Letters and notes to friends are both indicators of messages that are transmitted between people who have relationships with each other and,

perhaps, these relationships are sustained through those means of communication and yet, the poet presents us with imagery of the letters and notes being destroyed, being burnt as they “sizzle like moth wings” and turn into smoke when they become one with (marry) the air. The relation between the imagery in the first stanza and the passing of one year into another is obvious since relationships are a facet of each person’s individualism that are constantly refined and redefined each year, whether with them being altered (people grow apart from each other) or completely severed (people ending relationships with each other). These ideas about relationships are what Nye seems to be presenting in her poem, as she conveys the fragility of the notes and the letters and, by extension, the relationships themselves.

“So much of any year is flammable” begins the second stanza, which continues and expounds on the fire imagery that began in the first stanza. So much of any year is easily destroyed – both easily forgotten as a slip of the mind and forgotten as a deliberate, violent act upon the mind. When Nye writes that “So little is a stone” she is also pointing out that while there is much that we do each year that might be worthless, easily forgotten, or

Naomi Shihab Nye, 1952 – Present (Photo by: Michael Nye)

too fragile to make it into the new year and also that the things of real substance, the truly important things, the things that matter (the stones), that we engage in, that we create each year, are not a whole lot and that, in fact, is what give those moments and those things more worth than everything else that can be destroyed by the fire of the swirling year and the mind.

The sense of loss that comes with the New Year continues throughout the poem and is continuously manifested, for example, when the poet writes of “Where there was something and suddenly isn’t, / an absence shouts…” and such lines express the most vibrant theme that is found in the

end of one year and the beginning of a new one: that of everything that has been lost and left behind, and yet, MUST be left behind, MUST be destroyed if the new year, and all the new things that come with it, are to be embraced. The great lesson in the poem seems to be, according to my mind, that everything that is trivial and incomplete must be destroyed through the act or forgetting. Only the stones, the solid things that actually have worth will remain and that is okay. By releasing ourselves from the trivialities of the past year, only then can we ensure that we get what we truly want and aim for in the New Year.

Tamia Lewis - becoming a nurse to help others like herself

By Vishani Ragobeer

BORN on March 22, 2004 but with a disability of having deformed legs was little Tamia Lewis.

According to her mother, Julie Lewis, “We never really took her to a hospital because it was a physical challenge… a physical disability we couldn’t do anything about.”

Her mother said despite the challenges faced, the family never “stressed” over the matter because other persons within the extended family had this disability and they had vowed to care for their daughter.

Tamia was a determined young lady growing up and despite being unable to move about normally and mostly scampering about on her knees, she managed to remain a diligent student at her primary school in Lethem.

“It was kinda difficult… to get to school and to move around the compound,” Tamia said but added, “I gave them nothing but my best behavior and I was always a good child in class.”

When she wrote the National Grade six Assessment recently, she obtained an impressive score of 475 marks- which would’ve earned her a spot at the President’s College. However, Tamia stayed back in Lethem with her family and is attending the St. Ignatius Secondary school.

Her mother noted that Tamia’s brother was a great help. He took his sister to school every day on his bicycle as they both attended the same primary school in Lethem. Now, they attend the same secondary school as well.

In 2016 however, faith would have it that Tamia would be able to walk after going to the Ptolemy Reid rehabilitation center in Georgetown. Julie disclosed that the family wasn’t too eager at first but they eventually came to the center after being directed to do so by several persons and after being urged by the Rehabilition Officer of the Center- Cynthia Massay.

Initially, this proved very costly to the family as Julie noted that they had to travel to Georgetown from Lethem by a bus and then they stayed by their

relatives. However, each day- morning and afternoon, they had to travel from the home to the center to have Tamia treated.

No amount of money spent could compensate seeing Tamia walk however.

During the Christmas season of 2015, Tamia was measured and prosthetic legs were to be constructed for the young Lewis through the Ptolemy Reid’s orthotic and prosthetic appliance workshop- the only one of its kind in Guyana.

Being outfitted with one prosthetic leg costs about $118,000, but luckily for the little Tamia and her family- she received her legs free of cost through kind donations and the work of Ms. Massay.

Finally, after a few months of waiting, in June of 2016, Tamia was outfitted with her legs and was able to walk.

“It was difficult to walk at first,” said Tamia, “But the physiotherapist at the center made it easier for me with the therapy and other sessions.”

Now, Tamia endeavors towards becoming a nurse. “I want to care for people, especially people like me because I know how it feels.”

Tamia Lewis recently posing with her prosthetic legs

‘No excuses’ VI

Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

Inside Britain’s strictest school

KATHARINE Birbalsingh’s Michaela school in north London has a formidable reputation thanks to its emphasis on discipline – but opinion is split on its approach to teaching.

It is billed as the strictest school in Britain – but the headteacher says its biggest challenge is not keeping pupils in line, but with critics from outside.

At the Michaela community school in Brent, north London, the emphasis on discipline has earned it a formidable reputation, with the headteacher, Katharine Birbalsingh, touted as “Britain’s strictest teacher” by the Sunday Times. But some educationalists are less enamoured: almost every evening on social media sees skirmishes between pro- and anti-Michaela factions.

Sometimes, according to Birbalsingh – one of the small number of black or ethnic minority women heading a secondary school in England – the debate turns sour. The emails are the worst, she says.

“They wish us cancer and things like that, because they don’t like what we are doing,” she says. “People ask me, what’s your biggest challenge running the school? It’s the detractors on the outside. On the inside there are daily challenges. But the detractors on the outside are very time-consuming, emotionally draining. And they are obsessive.”

At the school, a group of pupils prepare

ask a pupil to pick up a grape, because they’d go mad.”

She says one of the things that is different about Michaela, the state secondary school she founded three years ago, is its unwillingness to let even a single pupil – or grape – go astray.

“It’s about habit change, and constantly reminding pupils to be respectful,” Birbalsingh says. “We have made it unacceptable not to pick that grape up.”

The year 7 pupils file out to their next class, illustrating another Michaela principle: silent corridors.

The children walk between classrooms without speaking, in single file, moving quickly. Anyone who does not gets a demerit, leading to

school, for not completing homework, for scruffy work, for not having a pen or ruler, for reacting badly to a teacher’s instruction by tutting or rolling eyes, and even for “persistently turning round in class” after being told not to.

Katharine Birbalsingh: I regret telling Tories education system was broken Detention for not having a pen sounds harsh – until you learn that Michaela provides pens to all pupils at the start of the year, that there is a school shop selling cut-price ones each morning, and that parents are given persistent reminders about the equipment their children need to bring every day.

Michaela hit the headlines in 2016 when it emerged children whose parents had not paid for school lunches were made to eat in a separate room. But Birbalsingh was unmoved by the criticism. She says: “At other schools

a detention.

The reason, says Birbalsingh, is that corridors in schools are where bad behaviour often takes place: pushing and fights breaking out as large groups of children mill around.

By moving in a straight line, the children stay calm and focused for their next lesson.

Michaela’s staff are mostly young and active on Twitter and the education blogosphere, and Birbalsingh and the school have just published a book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Teachers. It carries an endorsement from the philosopher Roger Scruton, who says Michaela is a model “that all our schools should imitate”.

One of the staff, Joe Kirby, has detailed Michaela’s “no excuses” policy: detentions are awarded for arriving one minute late to

if their parents didn’t pay they wouldn’t get any lunch at all. Here they still get lunch, a good lunch.”

Birbalsingh herself has been in the news since she spoke scathingly about the state of England’s schools at the 2010 Conservative party conference. After her appearance, she left her job as vice-principal of an academy in south London.

The launch of free schools gave her an opportunity to open Michaela in 2014, in an old college building close to Wembley stadium.

In her office, Birbalsingh briefs the visitors – teachers and officials from Abu Dhabi’s education council – on the school, starting with its discipline.

to end their break and move to their next lesson. They line up quietly under the eye of their teacher – who stops to ask one of them to pick up a grape from the floor.

Advertisement “Do you see that?” Birbalsingh tells a group of visiting teachers. “In other schools that would never happen. You’d never see a teacher

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Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

VII

New Year, New us!

HELLO Everyone, I hope this week has treated you well.

Today, the new day equals a new year. I hope that 2016 brought you good opportunities, even better health and happiness that 2017 will have to try hard to rival.

To those who have had an unfortunate 2016, I hope you are positive that better will come in the New Year. In 2017, our/others mortality, fears, some opportunities and unfortunate events will still be uncontrollable but our attitudes, behaviour towards ourselves and others as well as our own perceptions will be. It is obvious why we celebrate the New Year. Much like birthdays, we rejoice because we made it to another year in these hard times- Time to our raise our glasses and toast our survival!

My favourite thing about New Years has always been resolutions and the hope and determination that comes along with them. I’m aware (based on my own actions as well as those around me) that most resolutions only last until the end of January. We tend to give up on these easily for various reasons- they may have been unrealistic, unimportant or maybe one felt pressured and just didn’t really want to do it. To solve this- the answer seems obvious. Choose resolutions that you are able to do, that you want to do and most importantly, that improves your overall quality of life. For a tip, I researched some scientific studies conducted on individuals who made resolutions. Those who planned theirs in detail were 22% more likely to succeed. For example, aiming to lose 10 pounds in 2 months rather than just having the resolution to ‘lose weight’.

Additionally, those who told their friends and families about these resolutions were 10% more likely to succeed than those who did not.

When you decide on a resolution, it is important to identify both the advantages and possible disadvantages of them. I have two New Year’s Resolutions this year. My typical ones have always been simple and measureable- to lose weight or get more jobs etc. This year however, I am more focusing on mental health and self-development. Resolutions that revolve around your character are much harder to measure and are not clear-cut. For example, how does one know if they are improving or for a lack of a better term- becoming a better person? In order to attempt these kinds of resolutions, there needs to be high self-awareness of both personal strengths and weaknesses. My resolutions are to adapt healthier coping strategies for my stress levels and more importantly, practice only positive thinking. I hate to admit it but I am quite the negative thinker and I do hope this changes in 2017. I will examine the benefits of this as well as how I will go about doing this.

I hope you will do the same for your own resolutions. If you do not have one, try mine.

It takes time but it is possible to change the way we feel by changing the way we think. Positive thinking makes a huge difference in our lives. There are so many mental and physical health benefits to this. It results in lower rates of anxiety and depressive symptoms, cardiovascular diseases, stronger/ more effective coping strategies, and just an increased lifespan due to a general healthier lifestyle. We all know the mental stress that comes with constantly worrying about the unpleasant situations in our life and all the while, always imagining an even worse outcome. How much better would life be without this crippling and unproductive habit?

First, identify which kind of thinker you are. How would you know whether you are a positive or negative person?

There are a common types of negative thinking. There is filtering. This happens when you ‘filter’ out all the positive and focus only on negative factors. For example, you could have had a great day at work- been super productive, made

new friends or received a raise. Then, on the way home, you hit terrible traffic and branded it a bad day, ignoring all the good that previously happened. There is catastrophizing which happens when you over analyse a small situation and believe it is going to determine how the rest of your day is going to go.

Polarizing occurs when the individual sees things in black or white- good or bad. There is no middle ground and no room for error. Finally there is personalizing, which I believe is the worst. This occurs when we blame ourselves for whatever bad thing happens around us or we take things too personally. For example, a co-worker is rude to you and you automatically think you must have done something wrong.

I believe this is the worst as it encourages negative selftalk. A lot of people tend to confuse positive thinking with head in the clouds ignorance - it’s really not. It’s simply believing that things will work out for the best and it starts with self-talk. How do we speak to yourselves? For a lot of us, the answer is not very well. Self-talk is the unspoken thoughts that run through our head. They are automatic, different for each individual and can be either positive or negative; kind or cruel.

They can come from basic logic and reasoning or from our emotions. A common example is what we might think about ourselves when we look in a mirror. It’s quite simple thoughif your thoughts are mostly positive, then you are optimistic; if they are mostly negative, you are pessimistic. Sadly, I am pessimistic but not anymore!

HOW CAN WE IMPROVE OUR SELF-TALK? I believe I am more critical on myself than anyone else can never be on me. Is that a good thing? No, it’s really not.

The first rule to follow is to never say anything to ourselves that we wouldn’t feel comfortable saying to anyone else. Be as kind to yourself as you are the others, even if you feel it might not be the truth.

Here are a few examples of how to change negative selftalk to positive ones. A lot of us feel frustrated when faced with something unknowing. Rather than saying ‘I don’t know how to do it’, say ‘it’s an opportunity to do something new.’

‘I do not have what I need to do something so I can’t do it’ turns into ‘Necessity is the mother of invention.’ You need to identify when you use negative self-talk and twist it into your own, relevant positive one.

WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO? Practice positive thinking every day!! It won’t come naturally right away but keep at it and it will over time. As always, begin and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eating/ sleeping well and exercising positively effects our attitude, body, mental state and just overall well-being. Avoid making self-critical comments at all costs- be careful what you say to yourself as you are listening. Instead, remind yourself of all that you have achieved; give credit to your strengths. Keep positive people around; those that lift you up rather than bring you down. Finally, as always- keep a journal. Write down these resolutions and your progress to achieve them every day. My avid readers know how much I believe in making lists and ticking them off.

This strongly encourages and reinforces productivity.

I believe we can all benefit from healthier coping skills and positive thinking to reduce stress. When researching this, I stumbled upon “10 Commandments to Reduce Stress”. I hope this helps you as much as I believe they will help me.

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VIII

Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

How to manage your resolutions WE are finally into the New Year and I think most persons would agree that 2016 was particularly trying, in one way or another. I couldn’t believe there could be so much buzz about the end of a year as there was for the big, bad Y2K but last year was proof once again that great tragedies can unite even the most divided among us. It was a long time since any of us witnessed

the collective cries of people all over the world praying for the end of that chapter and the beginning of a new one. Murphy’s Law might have won last year but those of us who were spared have the opportunity to shape 2017 into our best year yet.

At this point I think we’re all tired of reading the “New year, new me” posts on our social media timelines. They are well intentioned

but also so short-lived that most of us looking on are left shaking our head in disbelief. But the good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way. Even the most undisciplined of us can take charge of this year and remain consistent in our effort to be productive. Creatives are especially prone to the dreaded “burn out” early in the year, so in an attempt to curb that here are a few tips to help manage your resolutions effectively.

Expand your vision. Whatever you imagine for yourself in this New Year, magnify it by one thousand. It might sound cliché and

borderline ridiculous but there is something to be said for dreaming big. If you could envision greatness in your life then why would you only envision a limited amount? Think beyond your current situation, way past all boundaries geographic and otherwise. Ask yourself “How could I use the things I love to make a meaningful contribution to this world?” I don’t think there is anything more fulfilling than discovering what you were meant to give back to the world, particularly at this time when self-obsession seems to be the order of the day.

Write it down. I love writing things down, especially lists. I like to think myself a professional list maker. There’s a strange kind of satisfaction I get from crossing items off my many lists. But aside from that, there is power in writing down your goals and constantly seeing them in front of you. This is particularly useful for persons who identify as either slightly or severely scatter-brained.

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Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

IX

Trench mouth ORAL infections vary in severity according to a person’s susceptibility and resistance. Generally, the healthier you are, the more resistant you are likely to be, but even where general health is good, the health of the gums may be poor. Not infrequently a balance is reached between the host – you – and the invading organisms, in which case a standoff occurs.

The condition becomes chronic, ever present but in a rather mild form.

Also, many dental infections are due not to the introduction of new organisms but to an increase in the virulence of the viruses and bacteria normally present in the mouth, particularly as your resistance decreases.

Because we are all likely to have the same organisms in our mouths, the more common dental infections are not contagious. It is lowered resistance to our own bugs rather than invasion by others that causes most diseases of the mouth.

So, by so called French kissing someone with a mouth full of rotten teeth will not cause any harm to the other person (except perhaps psychologically).

Trench mouth, Vincent’s infection, and ANUG are interchangeable names for acute necrotizing ulcerative gin-

givostomatitis. Marginal gingivitis is frequently a precursor of the ulceration and degeneration (or necrosis) of the gums that characterizes ANUG. The interdental papilla between each tooth looks (punched out,” and the surrounding gum cuff is loose and raw.

The odour coming from the mouth is extremely offensive and this alone gives the dentist an accurate diagnosis.

If untreated or if superimposed on a more serious illness that affects gum tissue, such as anemia or leukemia, ANUG becomes progressively worse, destroying the underlying periodontal bone and extending to other tissues. Such extensive infection is rare today since the disease responds well to therapy.

In addition, unless the person is isolated from civilization, help is usually sought from early onset.

Microscopic examination of infected tissues reveals an unusually large number of fusiforms and spirochetes, bacteria that are always present in our mouth, though normally in lesser numbers. ANUG is associated with lowered resistance, stress, poor nutrition, and poor oral hygiene. I saw many cases when I worked as the dentist for the Mazaruni Prison.

Trench Mouth is often seen among young persons, especially during adolescence and the early twenties. In World War I it cropped up in epidemic numbers among the troops in trenches, giving rise to the term “trench mouth.”

Epidemic outbreaks also occur among students during examination week. However, the epidemic is not caused by the communication of the fusospirochetes to others but by the shared stress, fatigue, and neglected oral hygiene that lower the resistance of many members of group simultaneously.

The tissue is covered by a gray pseudornembrane that peels off, leaving a red, raw surface that bleeds easily and is extremely painful to touch. There is usually a foul smell, and the patient frequently has a fever and feels listless.

The infection is not contagious. It responds quickly to antibiotics, usually penicillin. Simpler remedies such as frequent rinsing with a dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide are also effective. Scaling of the teeth to remove sub gingival calculus and plaque is also necessary to reduce the infection and prevent recurrence. Without dental prophylaxis and adequate oral hygiene, the condition settles in as a sub acute or chronic infection, with acute flare-ups during periods of stress.

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Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

Green your New Year Resolutions AS the curtains come down on the year 2016, we at the Environmental Protection Agency wish our readers a prosperous New Year. At this time of year, most of us are motivated to turn over a new leaf so as to kick-start new ideas and plans in our lives. Traditionally, this includes making the all-important New Year’s resolutions.

Regardless of what lifestyle changes you resolve to make, we hope that you achieve them, and that they work to uplift you spiritually, physically and environmentally. It is our fervent hope that our articles on the environment have inspired you to add a few environmental resolutions in the mix!

Setting some green resolutions will no doubt improve your lifestyle as well as benefit the Earth. Here are some green ideas you can add to your list of New Year’s resolutions.

1. CHOOSING REUSABLE ITEMS OVER DISPOSABLE Before you buy an item, think about the amount of waste it will contribute to the waste stream. Choose reusable products - bottles, cups, canvas shopping bags etc. to significantly reduce the amount of waste you generate on a daily basis - and you can save cash too.

2. SAVE ENERGY AND WATER This idea will allow you to save cash for the New Year by conserving on your use of electricity and water. Change those old incandescent light bulbs to energy saving bulbs! Go a step further and replace those high-energy household appliances to energy efficient ones and watch your savings grow. A useful tip is to look for the energy star on any new appliances you plan to buy. To use less energy when doing laundry, try to iron and wash all your clothes on one day!

To start your New Year right, fix those leaking faucets and broken pipes around the home. Think about all the ways you now use more water than you really need, such as taking long showers, washing your car too often with the hose, brushing your teeth while leaving on the tap, doing laundry or dishes and leaving the tap running. Resolve to change these bad habits to conserve more water and lower your water bill.

3. EMBARK ON A COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT PROJECT How about enhancing your community’s environs? Think of any aspect of your community that you would like to restore, and embark on a plan to get it done. Some good ideas are planting trees, conducting clean-ups, and enhancing parks.

Such projects can give you a chance to connect or reconnect with old friends in your community. A cleaner community means clean air and water, with plants flourishing, and people enjoying the outdoors.

4. JOIN OR START AN ENVIRONMENT CLUB Joining an environmental club will help you learn more about the environment. Occupy your spare time by planning within your team members fun and interactive activities to explore and learn about your environment. In this way, you will also help to build your communication and other people skills.

5. USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION With the increasing congestion, especially in the city and other commercial areas, you would save both time and money using public transportation. As far as possible, ride or walk short distances, it’s good for your pocket and the environment.

6. BE AN ADVOCATE If you notice someone being errant to the environment, speak out against it. Remember, you have to do your part to protect your health and make Guyana beautiful.

Think Green, act Green, go Green!

Continue to look for our column in 2017 and be sure to like our Facebook page and follow us.

EIT Division, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@gmail.com ◄◄◄ From page VII

1. Thou shalt not be perfect, or even try 2. Thou shalt not try to be all things to all people 3. Thou shalt not leave undone things that ought to be done 4. Thou shalt not spread thyself too thinly 5. Thou shalt learn to say “NO” 6. Thou shalt make time for thyself 7. Thou shalt learn to switch off and do nothing regularly 8. Thou shalt be boring, untidy and unattractive at times 9. Thou shalt not feel guilty 10. Thou shalt not be thine own enemy I urge you all to write in to my email below and tell me what your resolutions are. I can discuss them in the upcoming weeks. I hope this will benefit you as well as encourage others to choose and maintain their own resolutions.

Thanking you for reading. Please keep sending any topics you’d like to talk about to caitlinvieira@gmail.com Or come in to see me at: Georgetown Public Hospital: Psychiatric Department: Monday- Friday – 8am- 12pm Woodlands Hospital: Outpatient Department Drug and Alcohol group meetings - Mondays 4:15 Good mental health group meetings- Wednesdays 4:15 Suicide Prevention Helpline numbers: 223-0001, 2230009, 623-4444, 600-7896 Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always

Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

XI

◄◄◄ From page VI

“The children love it here because they know that in comparison to their primary schools or schools where they were before, they learn so much here. It’s quiet, they are not being bullied,” she tells them.

“They can go to the toilet here and not be worried about being bullied. At other schools you will find children who train themselves not to go to the toilet all day because they are so scared of the bullying that takes place. So they just don’t go to the loo. That isn’t the case here.”

The second big difference, Birbalsingh says, is the school’s traditional style of teaching.

“We have the teacher standing at the front and imparting knowledge. We believe the teacher knows more than the children.

Most teachers in Britain do not believe that.

They believe that the children and teachers all know pretty much the same stuff, which is why the children just need to be guided by the teacher as opposed to being taught by the teacher.”

But the third reason is more arresting.

“We teach kindness and gratitude, because we think children should be kind to each other and to their teachers and be grateful for everything we do for them.”

Being a teacher and a parent, Birbalsingh explains, is “the most exhilarating, most exciting, most important job in the country”.

Instead, she says, teachers in Britain were ◄◄◄ From page VIII

Sometimes we lose track of our vision in the every day craziness of life. Things will pop up; life will throw us our fair share of curve balls but in the midst of that it helps to stay grounded in the vision we have for our life by reaffirming our goals.

Organize. This is perhaps the single most important thing we can do to effectively manage our New Year resolutions. Often times our resolutions fall flat long before we even get to February simply because we failed to properly organize our schedule. Effective time man-

“driven into the ground”.

The stories you need to read, in one handy email She adds: “Teachers and parents need support and appreciation. That doesn’t happen in this country. Teachers are constantly being vilified in the press, they are constantly being attacked. There are actual examples of teachers getting attacked in the street, and nothing really happens to the assailants.

“If I’d have had those children in this school, they wouldn’t be attacking anybody.

They would be different human beings when they grow up, and that is because they would

have learned kindness and gratitude here.”

“You will find in other schools children are not kind at all, they are horrible. And they are horrible because nobody has taught them how to be kind,” Birbalsingh says.

There is an element of hyperbole in Birbalsingh’s depiction of other schools.

Sir Michael Wilshaw, the outgoing Ofsted chief inspector, made his name with a strict regime as head of Mossbourne academy in Hackney. And the Ark academy chain’s King Solomon academy in Paddington uses similar techniques.

The stakes for Michaela are high: it is

agement is something most persons struggle to achieve. Most artists find it especially difficult since they are usually trying to balance multiple careers and projects at the same time. It might take some time until you find the rhythm that suits you best but you should commit to organizing your schedule in a way that accommodates work and play. Both are crucial to maintaining a healthy mental space.

Build your network. The saying goes, “Your network determines your net worth” and this is especially true for creative practitioners. Spend time nurturing a network that understands and supports your endeavours.

Learn to discern the good from the bad; the people who want to see you win from the ones rooting for your downfall. Get familiar with the curators, writers, musicians and artists who understand that there’s room for everyone to shine; the ones who willingly share knowledge and offer constructive feedback about the works coming out of your studio. More importantly, don’t forget to return the favour to your colleagues should they need your support. As the mature folks would say, “Hand wash hand mek hand come clean.”

Take a break. Finally, don’t forget to breathe. Life can be overwhelming at times.

awaiting its first Ofsted inspection, and in two years’ time will produce its first GCSE results.

What is particularly striking is the school’s attention to detail. The corridor carpet has a black line woven into it for the pupils to follow. The classrooms have hooks on the back wall to stow jackets and bags, to stop them getting in the way. Pupils must use a school-issue pencil case made of clear plastic.

The pupil’s bathrooms don’t have mirrors, and makeup is banned. The staff bathroom has a framed letter of praise from a government minister in one of the cubicles.

Every detail, and the silent corridor routine, has a single purpose: to maximise the pupils’ time in front of a teacher so that learning takes centre stage.

Even lunch, a spirited affair starting with pupils loudly reciting the poem If, includes exhortations from the deputy head about pupils completing the homework over Christmas. “Don’t make the wrong choices,” he warns the pupils, underlining a Michaela theme.

Birbalsingh, meanwhile, is applying to open another free school, this time an “allthrough” school from reception to sixth form.

But would Michaela need to be strict if it was in a wealthy suburb such as Hampstead rather than deprived Brent, where 30% of pupils are on free school meals?

“I don’t think it would need to be. But I think all schools should be like this,” Birbalsingh says.

Responsibilities can cloud your vision and threaten your aspirations. It’s okay to stop every now and again to regroup (just as long as you don’t stop for months at a time). Sometimes taking a break is the perfect answer to any blockage you might be experiencing in any aspect of your life.

It gives you an opportunity to step back and examine your situation through clearer lens. So don’t feel guilty if your body is telling you that you need to slow down or stop altogether. Instead, learn to take cues from your body and observe the positive transformations that unfold as a result.

folklore

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Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

By Neil Primus

GOINGS AND COMINGS

By Neil Primus

ANDREW was 23 and worked in the Gold Bush. He decided to work independently as a Porknocker. He learned his new trade quickly. His love for the interior was genuine. He became expert at locating gold. He also became an excellent hunter and tracker. Whenever his camp was low on meat he went hunting.

He always returned with game.

One afternoon he decided to go hunting.

There was urgent need to replenish stocks.

He headed into the thick bushes. As he moved he stopped regularly to listen. Scanning the forest floor he looked for familiar tracks then he saw one. A deer was close by. He became quietly excited. He would be eating venison very soon.

Somewhere up ahead something moved.

He took aim and squeezed off a shot. The sound of the shot reverberated through the forest. When he got to the spot he found tracks going off in one direction. He followed looking for traces of blood. He found none. The tracks led him deeper into the forest and far away from his camp.

Suddenly new tracks appeared. They had replaced those of the deer. The deer tracks had simply vanished. He was totally confused. He had never encountered anything of the sort. But that was the least of his worries. The strange tracks had a shocking feature. The feet were pointing in opposite directions. He didn’t know what kind of animal this was and where it was headed.

Excited and slightly apprehensive he followed continuously. The tracks led deeper into the jungle. Suddenly he emerged onto a magnificent savannah. He could see clearly for miles around. He kept following the tracks when reason defied him once again. The tracks suddenly stopped. Worse than that, it disappeared altogether. There was no way he could do any backtracking.

He was well and truly lost.

That night he slept a restless sleep. The next morning he scouted around trying to pick up the tracks once again. There was nothing to follow. How would he make it back to his camp, he wondered?

Fruits and a salepenter (large lizard) were what he used to help with his hunger.

He used the leaves of certain trees that stored water to quench his thirst. He decided to walk towards the sun and hope to run

hunting he would begin to fish. Now he would go out at night to catch fish. Technically he was not breaking his vow. Fish it would be.

His Amerindian friends told him he would catch the best fish late at night, especially moonlight nights.

The next full moon night he was ready.

He borrowed a canoe, prepared his lines, hooks and bait. He was ready for his first catch. Rowing to the middle of the river he tossed out his lines and sat patiently waiting on a bite.

Splash!

Something big was out there. He smiled with excitement. There was another movement and a flash of silver.

Splash!

A tail became visible for a split second then vanished below the water’s surface.

Something took hold of one of his lines. It was strong but did not put up too much of a fight. He began to haul in the line.

Splash!

This time he saw the tail and a bit of the lower body, it was humongous. What a catch! He stood up in the rocking canoe and pulled with all his might. As the fish came closer he began to see it better. It was only when it reached the side of the boat that he knew he was in trouble. He found himself looking down into a pair off flashing gold eyes. The face was beautiful and the hair a shimmering mass spread out on the surface of the water.

The magnificent creature smiled at the petrified youth then it grabbed the side of the canoe and pulled hard.

into someone. He did.

Suddenly, up ahead something moved.

He unslung his gun and took aim then he thought better of it and did not shoot. Slinging his rifle on his shoulder he headed for the spot where he had noticed the movement. The bush was getting thicker but he managed to reach the area.

Looking around he saw a deer. It stood looking directly at him with gentle pleading eyes. Something melted within him and at that moment he vowed to himself never to hunt in the jungle again.

The deer turned and melted into the bushes. He went after it and saw clear tracks leading away. He followed willingly.

In a few hours he was back in familiar surroundings. The strange animal had led him

back to his camp. Elated he ran into his shelter and began eating like crazy.

A few days later he was chatting with a native man.

He told him his strange story and the man nodded in complete belief and understanding.

“You met the protector of the forest. You’re lucky you didn’t hit the deer or you wouldn’t be here now.”

Andrew trembled at the thought. He would keep his promise. He would not hunt in the jungle. But he had an ace up his sleeve. Instead of

Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

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Wedding vows a blessing for clean-up of filthy Indonesian river

ONLY a year ago, this stretch of the Ciliwung river in Indonesia's capital was foul-smelling and clogged by a thick layer of floating plastic and other trash.

Now, after a clean-up involving hundreds of volunteers, the river hosted a wedding ceremony for a young couple who grew up on its banks in a bid to inspire others to help preserve Indonesia's fragile environment.

"We have shown our love for our language, culture, now we should start to show our love for the environment," said the groom, Novanto Rahman. His bride, Sandra Fidelia Novianti, is a volunteer for the

Depok Ciliwung Community that launched the clean-up with the local government in 2015.

The couple made their wedding vows on an inflatable boat decorated with flowers that was paddled down the Ciliwung on Dec.

18, something that previously would have been impossible due to the piles of trash in the water.

The Ciliwung, which runs more than 100 km (60 miles) from its source in West Java to Jakarta bay, has played an important role in the livelihood of the city since the 17th century.

Despite the dire water quality, poorer communities living by the river have used its water to wash clothes and shower.

The Ciliwung, however, became a dumping ground for trash and barely able to flow into Jakarta bay. This contributed to flooding on the swampy plain of greater Jakarta, which has sunk 4 meters (13 feet) over the past three decades.

Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama

has relocated some illegal settlements along its banks in a bid to allow the river to flow.

The founder of the Depok Ciliwung Community, Taufiq Deso, said he hoped community help in cleaning up the river would focus the city government's attention on the problem.

About 4,000 city workers retrieve trash from 13 rivers and hundreds of canals zig-zagging through the city of 10 million people, according to Jakarta's Sanitation Department.

Even though there has been a reduction in surface trash on the Ciliwung, an environmentalist said better enforcement of existing laws against polluters was needed to improve water quality.

"Despite evidence that showed a few companies are guilty of releasing waste into the river, these companies are still able to continue their operations," said Dwi Sawung of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment.

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Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

Are New Year resolutions achievable?

TO-morrow the New Year 2017 will begin its march towards 2018. The New Year is often symbolized by a new-born baby who, every day grows bigger and bigger, moving forward all the time, until he is full-grown and ready to quietly retire off the scene making way for his successor.

We are now within the progression of the New Year for the next 365 days and each one of those holds out a challenge to us to make our lives happy and useful to ourselves, our family and friends and our Society. Non-Western cultures which use lunar calendars have their New Year’s falling on dates different from 1st January.

But despite the New Year being celebrated on different dates, people of all cultures share the same characteristic of regarding this date as marking a new beginning and as the rest of the New Year progresses onwards, people gird themselves to successfully meet its challenges. At the beginning of the New Year it is customary everywhere, therefore, for "New Year Resolutions" to be made.

These "Resolutions" are in effect broad plans for the goals which one hopes to achieve during the New Year. The detailed plans under these broad areas of planning could only take shape as the year progresses and one is faced with the realities of existence.

The realities of existence which confront us are numerous and every person is faced with his or her own specifics. A few examples of these realities are one's housing and the amenities of a home; relations with one's family and other persons; education of children and development of one's personal skills, enough food and clothing; dealing with matters of Law and the Courts; earning enough money to cover one's expenses which is a worry not only for wage-earners and the unemployed but also for the self-employed; having to protect one's social and economic rights which is equivalent to protecting one's rights as a consumer; then there are the afflictions to one's health, whether it is a mild 'flu or a more serious illness.

We will take one or two of these realities

and ruminate on them as challenges to be faced: For several weeks now the media have been writing about the National Budget which has finally been passed by Parliament.

Those who were critical of the Budget complained that its basket of taxes would cause goods and services to become dearer and less affordable. They also claim that there are not many plans and possibilities for wealth generation by industry, agriculture and services and so there would be little expansion of employment and money. As against these forebodings, it is pointed out that workers would pay less income taxes and pensioners would enjoy larger old age pensions. Small businesses would be subsidized and training would be accorded those who wish to start new businesses. Such businesses will generate wealth and employment. And there are some infrastructural developments which would help economic development and so employment.

One could not know precisely how a Budget will impact until it begins to be operative and it is only then one could know what prognostications were valid or invalid. In any case, one should try to look at the positives and try to find the silver lining behind every dark cloud; by so doing one makes existence more bearable.

Another reality early in the New Year is that GTT has applied to the Public Utilities Commission to steeply increase landline

telephone rates claiming they are not making enough profits. The Guyana Consumers Association and members of the public have rejected GTT's rate increase demands on the basis that the landline is profitable. The Hearing of this matter by the PUC will take place in January, 2017 and the invitation to the public would be advertised and consumers are enjoined to attend. In Consumer Concerns in the first or second Sunday of January, we will address this issue and answer questions by telephone or preferably email.

Almost all Guyanese believe in God and as such, in one way or another, the Divinity features in New Year Resolutions.

Many resolve to pray God to protect them and to face with fortitude the difficulties which may beset them during the New Year. Many people resolve year after year not to be lethargic in doing the world's work. Yet at the end of the year there are still many important things which have been left undone and there is no time to do them. In this regard we shall share with readers the injunction of the great Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius: "Remember how long thou hast been putting off these things, and how often thou hast received an opportunity from God, and yet thou dost not use it ... that a limit of time is fixed for thee, which if thou dost not use in clearing away the clouds from thy mind, it will go and thou wilt go."

THIS WEEK’S PREVIEW: Jan. 2-8, 2017

BUSH get ears and dutty get tongue. Be careful James. Eyes are watching your every move!

Cecil is having a peaceful day in his kitchen when Sister Patsy arrives and put him in a terrible mood. What has she told him?

James discussed the first ever National Conference for Regional Chairmen with June when he receives a call from Catalina. What is his decision?

Ignatius has promised Shelly $150,000 to participate in his devious scheme against James. Will she compromise her friend, Catalina?

org

Don’t miss this week’s episode.

You can also listen on www.merundoi.

Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

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Agriculture Minister tours Bounty Farm operation

– lauded contributions of investors to Guyana's economy THE contributions of Bountry Farm Ltd. to Guyana's economic development were underscored by Agriculture Minister, Hon. Noel Holder during a visit today, to the company's headquarters at Timehri, East Bank Demerara.

The Minister who was accompanied by Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), was met by Peter De Groot and David Fernandes, who gave the team a firsthand look at the company's operation.

Over the last five years, the proprietors invested some US46M to ensure that Guyana not only has a functioning poultry industry, but also farmers benefiting from a State of the Turn to page XVII ►►►

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Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

Let go of your insecurities IT's a new year, and it's a different you, you're older, wiser, experienced, and more resilient to the perils of time. That should be

enough! You should embrace your truth and wear the bold orange lipstick you want, just make sure the lipliner has a complementary

hue. I'm not going to be the optimist spewing stories of hope, motivational quotes, and repetitive clichés of "this is your year" "this year will be better" "moving forward in 2017" because you don't have a choice. The future is now!

There has been a decade long conundrum of criticism in the beauty debate. One conclusion is that there is nothing more beautiful than being true to yourself. One way of discovering is finding the right of foundation...your nude is not everyone else's. Companies are listening to their consumers...we work for you! So be honest open and let us know what you really want.

Here's a deeper insight according to Rachel Felder.

‘NUDE’ IS NOT ONE COLOUR SKIN DEEP

By RACHEL FELDER There is no shortage of neutral foundations and lipsticks on the market, but for many shoppers, finding just the right “nude” is still a challenge.

Cosmetics companies have traditionally relied on a concise range of colors to theoretically accommodate what are in actuality myriad complexions. Now that is changing, as more brands increase their ranges of nude offerings to match the skin tones of customers of diverse ethnic origin.

“Marketing teams are more and more aware of trying to speak to a customer that was just unspoken to,” said Troy Surratt, a makeup artist and the founder of Surratt Beauty. “She’s been marginalized in the beauty arena for sure. Can you imagine how disheartening it is to see just

six shades, to see a beautifully packaged range and to admire it and then realize that it’s not for you?”

This year, Surratt Beauty introduced 15 shades of its Surreal Skin Foundation Wand, from a fair beige to a deep caramel-toned bronze; five more are expected to be added in late spring, including three dark brown options. Sephora Collection Matte Perfection Powder Foundation, introduced a few months ago, offers a wide selection of saturated browns and terra-cotta shades. It’s a handy, leakproof option to throw in a handbag or makeup case.

In January, Dior will extend the range of its Diorskin Forever Foundation to include three shades of almond and a deepened beige called Praline. The formula is sheer, more like a tinted moisturizer than a traditional foundation, and includes SPF 35. Also next month, Lancôme will add five nuanced shades of dark cream to its Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation collection.

Last year, the company introduced a madeto-order product, Le Teint Particulier Custom Made Makeup, that is blended according to a customer’s skin tone. It is available at 11 Nordstrom stores, and is expected to be added in five more next year.

Cosmetics companies are also becoming more sophisticated in the way neutral-hued products are developed, eliminating the ashy or orange patina of some earlier foundations. “The formulation strategy is different,” Balanda Atis, the manager of L’Oréal’s Women of Color Lab, explained. “For Caucasian skin, you may start out with titanium dioxide, which is white, and then build the colours. For the deepest shades, we use ultramarine blue, and from there can add reds, yellows and blacks to make it more natural, more realistic.”

For some of the products she worked on, Ms. Atis incorporated data the company acquired in a study of American women from 57 countries of origin. Advancements in ingredients have also made it easier to create more natural-looking shades. “There have been incredible technological advancements in the pigments and how you coat them, so you get what we call cleaner formulas that allow skin to come through a little more,” said Susan Akkad, a senior vice president at the Estée Lauder Companies. “It gives so much more flexibility for nuance in formulations.”

A widening range of nude lip colours is also reaching beauty counters. Next month, Hourglass will introduce Girl Lip Stylo, a highly pigmented, chubby pencil designed for full coverage; half of its 20 shades are neutrals. “We made a big effort to create a nude for every skin tone,” said Carisa Janes, the company’s chief executive. The product, made with shea butter and sunflower seed oil, leaves a subtle, moist finish on the lips.

Also in January, Maybelline will release its Inti-Matte Nudes: 10 shades, from pale beige to milk chocolate. And early next year, Marc Jacobs Beauty will extend the shades offered in its New Nudes Sheer Gel Lipstick line. Especially pretty is May Day, a slightly sparkly deep brown. Inclusivity is commendable, but the fiscal incentive for more shades is not insignificant. “Customers have been demanding it, and the brands are really listening,” said Jennifer Miles, who oversees the beauty selection at Barneys New York. “You don’t want to send a customer away.”

Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017 â—„â—„â—„ From page XV

Art hatchery.

Apart from the hatching facility, the company boast of a state of the art feed factory which augments the local feed supply needs.

"I am extremely pleasured with the operations here and the investment which has been

XVII made over the year to ensure that the local poultry and feed industry continues to thrive," Minister Holder said.

Guyana's poultry industry has recorded significant growth over the past five years.

Government has committed to ensuring that the necessary incentives are provided to ensure the sustenance of the industry.

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Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

2016 reflections, 2017 resolutions AS we step out of 2016 and launch into 2017, it is customary that we sit and reflect on the year through which we struggled, skyrocketed, created history, tied the knot, achieved new academic height, made sacrifices, received breakthroughs, climbed spiritually, received healing, mended hearts, loved stronger.

Whatever made 2016 unique, it is a time to reflect.

But after we reflect, we must make new resolutions! We have plans: plans to conquer setbacks, overcome challenges, break through boundaries and change the world.

Today, we allowed a few Guyanese to reflect on the year that is now over, and as they share their reflections, to share with us too resolutions for the year which now begins. Here is what they had to say: DR. SONIA NOEL – HUMANITARIAN, BUSINESSWOMAN AND FASHION DESIGNER

The year 2016 was a very special because of the many challenges but more triumphs.

I am so thankful for my personal growth which afforded me the opportunity to interact with some amazing people around the world. Imagine having the opportunity to be trained by the number one leadership guru in the world, John Maxwell, Les Brown who is one of the world’s most-requested motiva- Sonia Noel – Guyana Fashion tional speakers and one of Week CEO

the best transformation coaches in the world, Lisa Nichols.

I thank God for waking up most mornings with the unbelievable energy knowing failure is not my enemy.

In 2017, I plan to continue to add value to myself so I can better serve people.

Loving and helping others gives me a true sense of accomplishment.

I try to live my life by this simple Maya Angelou quote: "When you get you give and when you learn you teach."

My PASSION to TRY is bigger than my FEAR to FAIL. I am loving life beyond the runway where I can inspire lives through fashion.

NADINE ADAMS – NURSE, GPHC Well for what was unique in 2016, I am currently in my final year at university of Guyana completing my degree in nursing. That’s a great feeling because of the sacrifices I am currently making I have to attend classes during the day and had to work nights so it was challenging - but I've made it thus far.

Secondly I have grown as a person in the sense that I'm more focused as to what I wish to accomplish in the Nadine Adams – Nurse (GPHC) near future both personally and academically ... I also found out just recently how much it's means to be happy and to also see others close to me the same way and that's in relation to my mom especially. She is a hard worker and what I wish in the world is that she continues to strive in good health and strength and continue to be the happy soul she is.

And last but not least, my partner - even though not married yet - I'm happy about the relationship we share and the experiences we have had that made us stronger and closer than ever.

My projections for 2017 - first of all is that I'll draw closer or rather back to my first love that is God. I would have drifted away in many areas so that is my priority. Secondly, I will graduate and complete my Degree in Nursing and venture into new avenues that God has directed for me.

I see the New Year as a year of good, success and great things to come!

GIFFORD MARSHALL – MAYOR BARTICA TOWN With the support of my family and friends 2016 undoubtedly was one of my best years!

I'm firstly grateful for health and strength, granted to me by almighty God to execute the many assignments afforded me and to overcome the many challenges that came with them.

I am honored and deeply moved by the confidence of the people who allowed me to be elected as the first Mayor of Bartica in the year Guyana Celebrated its Golden Jubilee of Independence. Moreso, being one of three new towns in Guyana, I count it a privilege to witness Bartica inaugurated as a town. It’s a privilege Gifford Marshall – because it was the first Mayor Bartica Town Township inauguration in decades for Guyana and most importantly a deserving title for my hometown.

It is my hope that in a few years Bartica will be elevated to ‘City’ status, Guyana’s Tourism Capital.

With much joy and optimism, I look forward to a great year in 2017. Our Township transformation will continue with the support of Turn to page XIX ►►► Central Government.

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Could Climate Change Build Big Business in Kenya?

THE country is riding a wave of entrepreneurialism, but the Rift Valley is still a long way from Silicon Valley. When Sam Rigu was a kid, growing up on a maize farm in central Kenya, his grandmother made a disturbing prediction.

“She said something I’ll never forget,” he recalls. “She said, ‘Twenty years ago we were harvesting double this. Twenty years from now we might have nothing to feed our children.’ That really scared me.”

It wasn’t until many years later, when Rigu first learned about climate change as a university student, that he realized just how right she was.

After college, Rigu began managing his own maize farm, and saw firsthand the toll that rising

Farmers like Josephine Wamela are reeling from climate change, but struggle to get the money needed to buy adaptive tools

◄◄◄ From page XVIII

Barticians can expect work to be continued on our greening status while improving our infrastructure, addressing social issues and combating the scourge of littering.

On a personal note, I intend to create some space between my Office responsibilities and that of my family. Over the last year because of my office duties, I've drawn some distance away from my extended family. This I intend to correct by creating more family time.

I've learnt very quickly that being a public figure has its advantages and like everything else its disadvantages. You cannot please everyone, the more you do, the more you will be criticized. At the end of the day, it’s your family that is left standing at your side.

On behalf of my wife Afesha, daughters Gianna and Amariah, I wish all of Guyana a blessed, healthy and joyous 2017!

MICHAEL JORDAN – JOURNALIST What made 2016 unique for me was the fact that I overcame some great challenges, and emerged, I believe, a tougher and more focused individual.

Not only that, but in the face of adversity, I completed the manuscript of my novel ‘Kamarang,’ which, God willing, I will publish in early 2017. That was tough, tough, work!

The other great accomplishment was receiving an award from the Guyana Police Force for assisting in solving a cold case. That meant a lot to me, because keeping tabs on such cases is central to my work. Having a loved one slain, having that case remain unsolved is like a wound that never heals, and it

is nice to see so many families finally getting closure. It was also rewarding because, sadly, not many individuals, (including some of my colleagues) appreciate this sort of work, and the effort it takes.

For 2017, I intend to focus more intently on investigative work, particularly as it relates to unsolved murders and disappearances. I know that more of these will be solved.

But the truth is, I see myself more as a fiction writer than a journalist. It is a hundred times tougher than journalism.

It is also, in many ways, more rewarding.

Getting at least two other books out in 2017, having my work---Guyanese work-recognized internationally, will be a central goal for me.

temperatures and unpredictable rain had on his corn. He sought solutions, but he was never much of a green thumb: His dream was to help farmers with the business

side of farming. One day, on a shopping trip to the rice-trading hub of Mwea, he saw his opportunity.

Outside every rice processor’s storefront were great mountains of chaff, the featherweight rice husk that is separated from the grain during processing. Many of the heaps Rigu saw were burning, just to get rid of the stuff. But where most people saw trash, Rigu saw shillings.

“I decided to work around the waste and see if I can make it into something economically viable,” he says.

Rigu’s entrepreneurial spirit is common in Kenya, where everyone seemingly has a side hustle and every sidewalk teems with ad-hoc businesses. But he’s also part of a growing niche that could help small-scale farmers—the lifeblood of Kenya’s economy—adapt to the challenge of climate change.

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Budapest museum lifts lid on Houdini's magic, Hungarian roots EVEN almost 100 years after his death, the name Harry Houdini is synonymous with escapology, but less is known about his first great escape how he left his Hungarian home as a child for a new life in the United States.

The House of Houdini, a museum in Budapest's historic Castle district, seeks to shed light on the illusionist's roots with a display of memorabilia and a research team tracking down documents about his life.

"He was of course the greatest escape artist history ever had ... but I believe his secret lies from deep inside from his Hungar-

ian roots, when as a poor Jewish family they escaped Hungary," museum founder David Merlini said.

"That was maybe his first escape: to America, in the hope of a better life."

For Merlini, 38, himself a Hungarian escape artist who advised actor Adrien Brody about Houdini for a mini-series in 2014, Houdini has been a major inspiration.

Merlini opened the museum this year as a tribute to the artist who was born in Budapest as Erik Weisz into a Jewish family in 1874.

He left with his family for the United States in 1878 and became an American citizen.

When he became a magician, Houdini started to call himself Harry Houdini after the French magician Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin.

He went on to become the most famous escape artist of his day, captivating massive audiences with his daring escapes. He died in 1926 from a ruptured appendix.

"We are all a little bit Houdinis because everybody has a secret dream that is just waiting to be fulfilled," Merlini said.

The museum displays Houdini's handcuffs and other artefacts, many photographs about his life and performances, and also a Bible from 1883, which belonged to his family.

Six magicians take turns in entertaining visitors in a small theater within the museum.

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United States returns stolen 14th century image of saint to Italy A STOLEN 14th century illustration of a Roman Catholic saint was returned on Friday to Italy, where it will be put in a museum, U.S. Customs officials said.

The image, an ink, tempera and gold image of a haloed Saint Lucy, had spent decades at the Cleveland Museum of Art, which bought it in good faith in 1952, the

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said in a statement.

It said the artifact was turned over in a ceremony at the Italian Embassy.

A two-year investigation determined that the item, a leaf of the book, had been stolen and the museum turned it over to U.S. officials last month after another stolen leaf from

Tips from Spain’s centenarians on how to live to 100

WITH more than 100,000 people aged 100 or over, Spain is the country with the greatest life expectancy after Japan, OECD data and the latest population census shows.

Over a year, Reuters photographer Andrea Comas interviewed and photographed Spaniards aged 100 or more across the country from the green-hilled northern region of Asturias to the Balearic island of Menorca.

Average life expectancy at birth in Spain is 83.2, according to the latest OECD statistics made available in 2013, just a shade below the 83.4 Maria Josefa Guillen, 103, laughs at her home years on average a Japanese newborn in Cazalla de la Sierra, Seville, southern can expect to live.

Spain, September 18, 2016. Guillen lives with Most of the men and women Co- her disabled son. She started working as a mas interviewed showed a zest for seamstress aged 12 and laughs when she life and an interest in pastimes from recalls that the first item she had to sew was a ball gown. Guillen loves gazpacho Ð a amateur dramatics to playing the traditional Spanish cold tomato and piano. Many also continued to carry out daily duties from farm work to cucumber soup. REUTERS/Andrea Comas caring for a disabled child. lives with his wife who is nearly 20 years Pedro Rodriguez, 106, plays the piano younger than him. Their daughters visit every day in the living room of his flat Turn to page XXII ►►► in Asturias, northern Spain, where he

the same book turned up in the Swiss market.

That leaf has also been returned to Italy.

The Cleveland leaf, which measures about 17.4 inches (44.3 cm) by 13.9 inches (35.2 cm), was taken from a page in an illuminated parchment antiphonary, a type of hymnal, created around 1340. Known as Codex D, the manuscript is in a museum in

Castelfiorentino, near Florence.

The customs agency did not say how or when the leaf had been stolen.

In addition to the manuscript leaf, U.S. officials repatriated a 19th century painting by artist Consalvo Carelli that had been stolen from a home in Naples in 2001.

A page from a 14th century manuscript repatriated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) repatriated to the government of Italy at a ceremony at the Italian Embassy in Washington,D.C., is shown December 9, 2016. Courtesy Josh Denmark/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Handout via REUTERS

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Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017 Turn to page XXI â–şâ–şâ–ş

them often.

"The nuns taught me how to play the piano as a child," he said after giving a rendition of a Spanish waltz.

The majority of these elderly people were surrounded by family or had loved ones calling in on them daily showing how Spain continues to be a closely-knit society, where family ties are paramount.

CIVIL WAR Francisco Nunez, 112, is the oldest person Comas interviewed. He lives with his octogenarian daughter in his house in Badajoz, south-western Spain. He says he doesn't like the pensioners' daycare center because it's full of old people.

"He hasn't had to leave his home. I'm single and I live here with him," says daughter Maria Antonia Nunez, 81, as she adjusts his beret.

When questioned about their most vivid memories, many recall Spain's 1936 to 1939 civil war which set neighbor against neighbor and resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths followed by the 36-year dictatorship of Francisco Franco.

Pilar Fernandez, 101, suffered hunger and hardship during the war years alongside her nine brothers and sisters. To avoid history repeating itself, she limited herself to one child.

"From pure fear, I didn't have any more," says the sprightly woman who lives with her daughter's family in Asturias and tends livestock and a vegetable garden.

Tips for long life ranged from a spoonful of honey a day to regular intake of gazpacho, a traditional cold Spanish soup made from tomatoes and cucumbers.

Gumersindo Cubo, 101, from Avila, puts his longevity down to a childhood spent in a house in the woods with his eight brothers and sisters, where his father was a park ranger.

"It's from inhaling the pine resin from the woods where I lived as a child," he says, telling of how his mother would put a jar of the resin under the bed of the sick.

Francisco Nunez, 112, poses for a portrait at his home in Bienvenida, Badajoz, southern Spain, December 11, 2016. Nunez lives with his octogenarian daughter. He says he doesn't like the pensioners' daycare centre because it's full of old people. REUTERS/Andrea Comas

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Gov’t to give Salvation Army $10M

Captain Gerry Gouveia, CEO of Roraima Airways, Minister of Social Cohesion, Ms. Amna Ally, and Chairman of the Salvation Army’s Advisory Board, Mr. Edward Boyer during brief discussions before the start of the programme

MINSTER of Social Cohesion, Ms. Amna Ally, Friday evening, announced Government’s allocation of $10M towards the advancement of the work of the Salvation Army in Guyana’s Rehabilitation Programme for 2017. The Minister made this announcement at the Organisation’s Past and Current Clients’ Reunion Dinner at their headquarters in Water Street, Kingston. “Together, Government, civil society and private sector can work together to reduce drug abuse and build stronger, healthier and more prosperous families and communities throughout Guyana,” Minister Ally said.

Minister Ally also spoke on the importance of wider education on the dangers of drug abuse and called on past victims and relatives of those affected to raise awareness among members of at risk populations. “For too long we’ve been silent and I am aware that many parents and families have been silent because of

Chairman of the Salvation Army’s Advisory Board, Mr. Edward Boyer speaking to the attendees

the stigma of this disease… We need to let our voices be heard so that people don’t feel ashamed. This is a disease… We need to educate ourselves as well as others as much as we can as family, as a friend and as a confidant, because speaking out raises awareness, which is critical in helping more persons to understand the disease,” Minister Ally said.

Highlighting the fact that the social ill of drug abuse has plagued society for too long, Minister Ally said that drug addiction is a disease, which requires the collective will of the people to end its scourge across the nation. “Social Cohesion is about embracing all, irrespective of differences and that is why I am here. Because I want you to know you are important and valuable to Guyana and that this Government is committed to the fight against addiction,” Minister Ally said.

Also speaking at the event, Chairman of the Salvation Army’s Advisory Board, Mr. Edward Boyer described the pride he feels knowing the work that the organisation has done over the years.

“We will continue at the Board level to give all the support to the rehab centre in whatever programs they embark upon,” Mr. Boyer said.

Minister of Social Cohesion, Ms. Amna Ally delivering Reiterating Minister Ally’s point on the need for recovering an address to the audience at the Salvation Army's Past addicts to speak out against drug use, Captain Gerry Gouveia, and Current Clients' Reunion dinner Chief Executive Officer of Roraima Airways, who delivered greetings at the event, said that those who have benefitted from the programme can also provide critical support for the Salvation Army’s work. “You should let people know, because in letting people know, people learn to, first of all, understand the value of what happens here and second it might help other people to make better decisions... It is important that you do not forget this programme and forget this organisation as you move on,” Captain Gouveia said.

Programme beneficiary, Mr. Parmeswar Persaud, who delivered a testimonial at the event, shared his story of homelessness and addiction. He said that with support from the Salvation Army, he was able to fight his addiction and today he has now been drug free for five years and seven months.

The Salvation Army’s Men Social Centre has been offering the Rehabilitation Programme for over 20 years.

Tonight’s event marks the sixth Past and Current Clients’ Reunion Dinner where Members of the audience listen to the testimonial by Mr. Parmeswar the accomplishments of recovered and Persaud, who has been drug free for five years and seven months recovering addicts are celebrated.

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New beginnings wi

Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

XXV

ith fashion goodness ACTIVATE a fresh brilliance in your life as you embark upon a new beginning with fashion goodness from one of Guyana’s most loved designers – Nelsion Nurse.

Today, we usher in the light in neutral style and we wish you a beautiful new year with a virtuous flow even as we open the showroom of ‘Nandre’s

See more photos on page XXVI

Kreations.’

Color your clothes to perfection and arm yourself with positivity as you make a new resolution for success and a beautiful 2017.

Take purity wherever you go with a one-of-a-kind design in the colour which G.K. Chesterton said “is not a mere absence of colour,” but shining and affir-

mative, “as fierce as red (and) as definite as black.”

Online sources say white represents “the color of light and is an emblem of the divine.”

Marvel with grace and put a delicate glow on it from day one this January!

We also feature three pieces from Sonia Noel collections.

XXVI ◄◄◄ From centre

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XXVII

2016 Photo review Colourful crowd ushered in the New Year 2016

Official opening of the DEA office in Guyana

A West Coast Berbice student holds up a placard during a march against suicide

Riot at Camp St prison

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◄◄◄ From page XXVII

Students of the Peter’s Hall Primary School, EBD, pray in the school’s compound before the start of the National Grade Six Assessment

Agriculturalist Alvin Murray talks with farmers at the Laluni Irish potato farm

Jubilee celebration

EU Contributes to Guyana

4th July celebration, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo toasts with Ambassador Perry L. Holloway

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Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017 ◄◄◄ From page XXVIII President David Granger talks with a graduate of the SLED Programme

XXIX 2016 Miss Universe Guyana winners

GDF new Chief of staff parade

Kristian Jeffrey at south Dakota races

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Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

◄◄◄ From page XXIX

President David Granger is joined by some members of his Cabinet, Guyana Post Office Chairman Reverend Raphael Massiah, Bartica’s Mayor Gifford Marshall and Victorians at the entrance to the Lady Sendall Park, Victoria on Monday morning

Stabroek market at night

Caricom signing

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Pop star Marx helps subdue 'dangerous' airline passenger AMERICAN soft rock singer Richard Marx helped subdue a "chaotic" and "dangerous" passenger who launched a lengthy, violent scuffle on board a Korean Air flight from Vietnam to South Korea, the singer said on his Twitter account.

Marx, along with fellow passengers and cabin crew, tried to restrain the unruly traveler with Musician Richard Marx poses backstage at the American Idol XIII 2014 rope on the Tuesday Finale in Los Angeles, California May flight, he said.

21, 2014. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok "Passenger next to us attacked passengers and crew. Crew completely ill trained," Marx said.

The singer had been in Vietnam to sing at a Christmas concert at Hanoi's Opera House this week.

Photographs uploaded to an Instagram account belonging to Marx's wife, Daisy Fuentes, showed a man with thickrimmed spectacles being held back by flight attendants on one side and Marx on the other.

Some video footage of the incident was also posted on YouTube.

"Stop it, you sons of a bitch!" the passenger said in Kore-

an, spitting at airline staff as they used cable ties and a rope to restrain him.

"Do what you like!".

One photo on Fuentes's Instagram account showed a flight attendant aiming a stun gun at the passenger.

The man was handed over to police after the plane landed at Incheon airport in the South Korean capital, a spokesman for Korean Air told Reuters.

"The incident happened about an hour and 40 minutes after takeoff," the spokesman said.

"It seems like the passenger had a drink with his meal".

Marx described the incident as a "chaotic and dangerous event", which cabin crew had been "completely ill-equipped to handle".

The spokesman said cabin crew followed regulations and did not fire the stun gun for fear of injuring nearby passengers in the melee.

Fans of Marx expressed concern on Twitter for the 53-year-old's safety.

"No big 'hero' move at all," he responded.

"Just did what I would hope anyone would do in same situation".

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XXXIII

10 Ways to make your New Year's resolutions stick

10 ways to stay strong in the face of tempting cupcakes, pricey shoes, and the urge to hit the snooze button instead of the gym.

By Sarah Mahoney THERE'S an inevitable rhythm to January 1 at my house. I take down the tree, vacuum up pine needles, and start making my New Year's resolutions. The list usually looks like this: Lose weight. Swear off TV and saturated fat. Eat salads. Call Dad more. Write that novel. Floss. By midday I'm worn out, intermittently dozing in front of a football game and swiping my husband's million-calorie nachos.

It's not that I totally lack discipline. It's just that I don't sufficiently appreciate what's going on in my brain, explains Joseph Shrand, M.D., an instructor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Self-restraint is a rational desire, which means it lives in the front of the brain, the section that's most recently evolved and most vulnerable to being overruled by survival instincts. Pleasure resides in the brain's most primitive part, which has spent millions of years learning to reward us with a deeply satisfying jolt of dopamine when we give in to these kinds of urges. And while that

brain circuitry evolved to encourage life-prolonging desires like eating and sex, says Dr. Shrand, we now get a rush from giving in to anything we want, whether it's an illicit drug, chocolate, or buying expensive purple peeptoe boots, even when the more evolved part of our brain tells us we'll quickly regret it.

So how do you help the rational (i.e., your New Year's resolutions) triumph over the pleasure-seeking? You need to outsmart it with these research-proven strategies.

1. GIVE IT A WORKOUT I'd always thought of willpower as a steady, steely resolve that made some women triathletes and some (not my real name) couch-nappers. But it's more like a muscle, says Marvin D. Seppala, M.D., chief medical officer at Hazelden, the well-known addiction treatment center. That means the more we use it, the stronger it gets — and quickly. In an experiment at the University at Albany — State University of New York, researchers asked 122 smokers who were trying to quit to exert extra self-control for two weeks, either

their self-control exercise successfully kicked their cigarette habit, compared with just 12 percent of volunteers who'd been given a task that didn't call for self-control. To try this at home, squeeze a grip strengthener (available at sporting-goods stores for under $10) or a rubber ball till it becomes uncomfortable, then hold as long as you can. Repeat at least twice a day. Or, flex your self-control emotionally by trying not to tear up during a sad movie.

Just don't expect to become the Wonder Woman of Willpower, advises psychologist and study author Mark Muraven, Ph.D. As with a muscle, push too hard or under conditions that are too challenging, and your resolve (like an overworked hamstring) will collapse. "If you're very hungry, I can't imagine that any amount of willpower will keep you from eating a cupcake," Muraven says. by avoiding sweets or by squeezing on a grip strengthener for as long as they could twice a day. In the following month, 27 percent of those who were diligent about practicing

2. MAKE ONE CHANGE AT A TIME Once you understand that you have only a limited amount of willpower, it's easy to Turn to page XXXV ►►►

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understand why multiple resolutions aren't likely to work, says Ian Newby-Clark, Ph.D., a psychologist at the University of Guelph in Canada. Most resolutions actually require many behavior changes. Sure, some are straightforward, like remembering to take a calcium pill every day — but a successful weight-loss program, for example, calls for more than just a decision to eat less. You have to shop and cook differently, start or ramp up an exercise routine, maybe even ditch certain social or family events. "Thinking through these substrategies boosts success rates," says Newby-Clark. "But it would take too much attention and vigilance to do all that and also decide it's time to brush your teeth for the full two minutes and become better informed about world events."

3. BREAK IT UP Since your supply of self-control is finite, make resolutions that require small acts of will, not weeks of vigilance. " 'Lose 10 pounds' sounds specific, but it's less likely to work than behavioral goals like 'This week I'll try to go to the gym three times, take the stairs at work at least twice, and bring a healthy lunch every day,' " says Andrea Bonior, Ph.D., a psychologist in private practice in Washington, DC, and author of the "Baggage Check" column for the Washington Post Express. You'll feel good when you accomplish each goal, and your success will help bolster your resolve: The better you are at making small changes, the easier it will be for you to keep going.

4. LIFT YOUR SPIRITS Watching funny movies — or doing just about anything that puts you in a good mood — also helps when willpower starts wearing down. In a particularly sneaky study, researchers asked a group of 30 hungry students to sit in a room that smelled like freshly baked cookies. Although a plate of M&Ms and still-warm cookies was placed within reach, participants were told to snack on a bowl of radishes. Then they were left alone for 10 to 12 minutes in order to exhaust their

self-restraint.

Next, some of the students watched a film clip of Robin Williams doing stand-up, while another group viewed a film about dolphins.

When, in the last part of the experiment, they were asked to perform a complex tracing project that called for lots of self-control, students who'd seen the funny film stuck with the trying task for about 13 minutes. The Flipper crowd hung in for only nine.

5. HAVE SOME OJ Self-restraint — stifling your disagreement during a politically charged discussion, for example — can reduce blood glucose to less-than-optimal levels, report Florida State University researchers. But a glass of orange juice or lemonade can replenish your self-control. The brain relies almost exclusively on glucose for energy, so it has to be the real thing — artificially sweetened drinks won't deliver the jolt.

6. Outwit Your Inner Rebel To give your willpower some wiggle room, avoid making 100 percent resolutions.

"Absolutes like 'I'm giving up all sweets' or 'I'll never use my credit card again' set you up to try to get around your own overly strict rules," says Connie Stapleton, Ph.D., a psychologist in Augusta, GA. Instead, try drafting more limited restrictions like "I'll have sweets only when I'm in a fancy restaurant."

7. CRANK UP YOUR GREATEST HITS When you feel discouraged, remind yourself how much you've accomplished in the past, suggests Elizabeth Lombardo, Ph.D. "People beat themselves up about still needing to lose the baby weight or no longer going to yoga class. But they overlook the long list of things they have done that required major self-discipline, like building a nest egg or sticking with the computer training they needed in order to get a better job." Lombardo's advice: "Write down 100 things you're proud of, right down to 'I get out of bed when I don't want to.' It'll remind you how much willpower you really have."

8. BE EXTRA NICE (OR NASTY) Do unto others, and you'll be doing

unto yourself as well. In a Harvard University study, psychologist Kurt Gray, Ph.D., gave 80 participants a dollar, told half the group to keep it and the other half to give it to charity, and then asked all the volunteers to hold a five-pound weight for as long as they could. Those who had donated their buck to a good cause held the weight significantly longer than the "selfish" ones.

But imagining doing something not nice makes us even stronger. In another experiment, Gray asked participants to hold the weight while writing a story that involved their helping someone, harming someone, or doing something neutral.

Those who envisioned dastardly deeds held the weight longer than the helpful ones, who in turn beat out the neutrals.

Whether we're doing someone a good turn or a bad one, it increases our feeling of personal power, making it easier to stick with something uncomfortable, says Gray.

XXXV 9. USE YOUR SENSES The primitive cravings center is highly susceptible to visual cues, explains Tufts University psychologist Christopher Willard, Psy.D. Draw on the strength of images by putting a photo of a thinner you on the fridge, or a picture of a Caribbean beach in your wallet near your credit cards to remind yourself of the vacation that you're saving for.

10. FINALLY, GET OUT OF DODGE The same way a sprinter can tell when she doesn't have another 100 yards in her, "it's important to know when your resistance is tapped out," says Dr. Seppala. "Stress will wear it down. So will being hungry or tired." His advice for those times: Get away from whatever is tempting you until you've eaten and rested, which will give your willpower a fighting chance.

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Cougar subspecies declared extinct U.S. FISH and Wildlife Service concludes eastern cougar extinct.

March 2011. Although the eastern cougar has been on the endangered species list since 1973, its existence has long been questioned. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a formal review of the available information and have declared that the Eastern cougar is extinct, and have recommended the subspecies be removed from the endangered species list.

"We recognize that many people have seen cougars in the wild within the historical range of the eastern cougar," said the Service's Northeast Region Chief of Endangered Species Martin Miller. "However, we believe those cougars are not the eastern cougar subspecies. We found no information to support the existence of the eastern cougar."

SIGHTING CONFUSION Reports of cougars observed in the wild examined during the review process described cougars of other subspecies, often South American subspecies, that had been held in captivity and had escaped or been released to the wild, as well as wild cou-

mation from the 21 States within the historical range of the subspecies. No States expressed a belief in the existence of an eastern cougar population.

According to Dr. Mark McCollough, the Service's lead scientist for the eastern cougar, the subspecies of eastern cougar has likely been extinct since the 1930s.

The Service initiated the review as part of its obligations under the Endangered Species Act. The Service will prepare a proposal to remove the eastern cougar from the endangered species list, since extinct animals are not eligible for protection under the Endangered Species Act. The proposal will be made available for public comment.

gars of the western United States subspecies that had migrated eastward to the Midwest.

EXTINCT SINCE 1930S During the review, the Service received

573 responses to a request for scientific information about the possible existence of the eastern cougar subspecies; conducted an extensive review of U.S. and Canadian scientific literature; and requested infor-

FLORIDA PANTHER The Service's decision to declare the eastern cougar extinct does not affect the status of the Florida panther, another wild cat subspecies listed as endangered. Though the Florida panther once ranged throughout the Southeast, it now exists in less than five percent of its historic habitat and in only one breeding population of 120 to 160 animals in southwestern Florida.

Bus-Size Sea Monster Found Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

A NEW species of prehistoric sea monster unearthed in Nevada chowed down on prey its own size—the first ocean predator that evolved to do so, a new study says. (Explore a sea monster interactive in National Geographic magazine).

Thalattoarchon saurophagis— which translates to "lizard-eating sovereign of the sea"—was at least 28 feet (8.6 meters) long and lived about 244 million years ago during the Triassic period, said study co-author Nadia Fröbisch of Berlin's Museum of Natural History.

The bus-size beast was an early ichthyosaur, part of a group of reptiles that prowled the world's seas during the dinosaur era.

The Thalattoarchon fossil, partially excavated in 1998, was unT. saurophagis, seen in an usually well preserved, including artist's illustration, was at the skull, fins, and entire vertebral least 28 feet (8.6 meters) long. column. "It is pretty amazing, (Illustration by Raul Martin, particularly for an animal this National Geographic) size," said Fröbisch, who is also a expedition.

National Geographic explorer. (National So, in 2010, Fröbisch and colleagues Geographic News is part of the National returned to the Nevada site to dig up the rest Geographic Society.) of the fossil. In the process, the scientists But more compelling to Fröbisch were discovered an enormous skull and jaw-laden reports of the animal's fearsome teeth, with large, sharp teeth that are big enough briefly spotted on the last day of the 1998 to carve up other large marine reptiles, she

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shows that species returned quickly. The presence of a top predator like Thalattoarchon during that time period shows that the system was intact within a relatively short time, since marine ecosystems build from the bottom of the food chain up. In other words, the monster had tons of food to eat. (Also see "Ancient Sea Monster Found—First Freshwater Species Known.")

"So with the appearance of Thalattoarchon we know it was complete and that it had the same structure as modern ecosystems, the same structure we've seen in place, with different players, ever since."

Despite thriving some 160 million years, Thalattoarchon and fellow ichthyosaurs went extinct for unknown reasons—leaving no living relatives.

"Toward the end of the Cretaceous, they declined more and more, and their diversity also declined—and then they finally disappeared," Fröbisch said.

The sea monster study was published in the early-electronic issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Took On Prey Its Own Size said. (Related: "Sea Monster Battle Seen in Prehistoric Bite Marks.")

Thalattoarchon's modern counterparts would be orcas and great white sharks, both of which will take on similar-size prey. (Related blog post: "Sharp-Toothed Thalattoarchon Was the First Ruler of the Triassic Seas.")

NATURE FINDS A WAY The sea monster's discovery also shows how ecosystems can bounce back from even the most extreme events, Fröbisch noted.

"This animal occurs only eight million years after the biggest mass extinction event in Earth's history, the Permian extinction, which literally wiped out up to 95 percent of all the species in the ocean," Fröbisch explained. "The ocean was a pretty empty place afterward."

But not for long—the fossil record

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Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

Aries You are about to embark on a great spiritual quest that will carry you through the year ahead. But your energy is mushy as self-directed Mars wobbles into ethereal Neptune in your 12th House of Destiny. Rather than assuming a know-it-all attitude, you can derive great benefit by revealing your vulnerability. Forcefully ploughing ahead isn't your best strategy now; instead, give yourself permission to wander in your imagination or waste time in the pursuit of an unattainable dream. Nourishing your soul restores your spirit. Arthur C. Clarke wrote, "The limits of the possible can only be defined by going beyond them into the impossible."

Taurus It's only natural to dream about the future on this first day of the New Year. Happily, the progressive Aquarius Moon invites you to look ahead rather than ponder the past. Your desire for deep and meaningful friendships intensifies while ardent Mars energizes idealistic Neptune in your 11th House of Social Networks. However, you may become less certain about your destination but more insistent about getting there. Remember, you might be missing an important piece of the puzzle; your imagination can inspire you to great heights or it can lead you down the proverbial rabbit hole.

Gemini You're driven to achieve success in the outer world as you look forward to an as-ofyet unformed year. But it's challenging to distinguish between fact and fancy when insistent Mars joins imaginative Neptune in your 10th House of Career. Unfortunately, your enthusiasm waxes and wanes as diffusive Neptune dissipates your excitement as quickly as it comes. Hold steady and let the discouragement pass without taking any setbacks as personal defeats. Don't let today's disappointments cast a shadow on tomorrow's dreams Cancer You're happy to set aside this first day of the New Year for a fantastical escape of imagination and adventure. A dreamy Mars-Neptune hook-up in your 9th House of Big Ideas is a cosmic reminder that the magic is within you. Nevertheless, an inspired relative or a free-spirited friend shows you that there's no need to struggle to make your dreams come true. Exploring your fantasies can be a powerful vehicle to free you from your fears, revealing ways to bypass any obstacles. Sometimes play is serious business if you use it to fuel your confidence.

Leo Your tenderness is both a blessing and a curse. Your interactions with others could be quite inspiring when can-do Mars joins compassionate Neptune in your 8th House of Deep Sharing. Although you may be duly impressed with someone's emotional or financial riches, what you're seeing and hearing might not reflect reality.

Misplaced faith or outright fraud can take more from you than you wish to give, so don't make any serious long-term commitments today. Fantasy Island is a lovely spot for a quick getaway, but you can't live there forever.

Virgo Someone's sweet but misleading behaviour may lure you down a garden path today. However, you can easily misjudge the intentions of others by assuming you understand them because you share an emotional connection. Nevertheless, a shape-shifting Mars-Neptune conjunction falls in your 7th House of Relationships, making it so difficult to tell what's real that you could exhaust yourself trying. Don't let your idealism become a trap that entices you to believe the impossible. Ask for help from a trusty ally if a burden is too great rather than stumbling ahead without the support you need.

Libra Surprisingly, having fun today may be quite challenging if you see chores that need to be done around the house. However, being productive is a bit like nailing jelly to a tree when macho Mars pushes elusive Neptune into starting a project. Unfortunately, positive feedback might not be forthcoming and evaluating your progress objectively could be a daunting task. The silver lining in this dark cloud is that once you know the truth, you can do something to change the situation. Adopting a more enlightened approach to a current setback allows you to overcome it in the days ahead.

Scorpio Your imagination enables you to see all kinds of potential where none exists today.

However, there's no need to struggle for control while enterprising Mars connects with nebulous Neptune. Thankfully, taking time off to connect with your friends or family is a perfect use of this magical planetary alignment that makes adversarial relationships nearly impossible to sustain. Relax your expectations; the spirit in which you act is more important than the results you achieve.

Sagittarius Although you like the idea of participating in a holiday celebration, you might feel as if you're just spinning your wheels today without doing anything of significance.

Nevertheless, you want others to see you striving for something more in life, but pursuing unrealistic goals or playing out the role of a martyr can be exhausting.

Luckily, the wizardly Mars-Neptune conjunction casts an enchanting spell, empowering you to make a little magic at home by showing tenderness to those you love.

Capricorn Ironically, you're good to go today as long as you don't attempt to accomplish something practical. Your stamina is running low and you might feel discouraged as courageous Mars bumps into confusing Neptune in your 3rd House of Communication. Although this planetary dance bodes well for artistic endeavours or flights of fancy, it's frustrating if you can't transform your high intentions into the physical plane. When in doubt, manifest positivity energy until your strength returns.

Aquarius Relying on blind faith can lead you astray unless your core beliefs are so strong that they become the primary motivational force in your life. Avoid forcing a situation or committing to a group activity that's likely to deplete your energy today. Acts of creativity and charity can produce lasting inspirational value. Invest in doing whatever touches your heart and you'll find continued momentum to carry your ideas across the threshold. Robert G. Ingersoll said, "We rise by lifting others."

Pisces Taking charge of your life by being more physically active makes good sense now.

Although you're eager to act, your intentions are muddled, so don't push yourself too hard or too fast. Luckily, your imagination and compassion can melt obstacles in your path when the supernatural Mars-Neptune conjunction sizzles in your 1st House of Self. Although reality may slip through the cracks, your compelling stories convince others to buy into your dreams. Avoid wasting everyone's time and energy by making sure your visions are rooted in something solid and serious right from the start.

Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

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Top 7 Must-See Sky Events for 2017 celestial disappearing act seen there since 1979. In August, a total solar eclipse will cross the United States from coast to coast, changing daytime skies into dark twilight for a few minutes along a narrow path from Oregon to South Carolina.

Totality will touch many cities, and expectations are that most of the U.S. population will be within a day’s drive of places to see this dramatic event. A partial eclipse—where the moon seems to take only a bite out of the sun—will be visible over a much wider area across the entire continent.

Miss this one and you’ll have to wait until 2024 for the next total solar eclipse to grace North American skies. Stay tuned for detailed eclipse coverage in the months leading up to this grand August sky event.

AMONG the many eye-catching astronomical shows coming up, 2017 may be best remembered for the much anticipated total eclipse of the sun that will cross the continental United States in August.

In addition to that spectacular sight, sky-watchers will have a plethora of treats to look forward to in the coming months. To kick things off, an icy comet will swing by Earth in February, hopefully offering picturesque views.

Elusive Mercury and giant Jupiter will both put their best faces forward as they appear their biggest and brightest early in the year. And in December, the annual Geminid meteor shower will put on an especially brilliant display.

Here's a rundown of these and other superb sky-watching events worth circling on your calendar in 2017.

COMET 45P/HMP, FEBRUARY 11 In the first half of February, sky-watchers may get a chance to see a comet swing by Earth. After rounding the sun in December 2016, Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova will be heading back to the outer solar system. On its journey it will make an appearance in our dawn skies, seeming to zip across the constellations Aquila and Hercules.

On February 11, it will reach its closest point to Earth at only 7.7 million miles. This should be the best time to catch sight of this icy visitor, since its brightness may reach naked-eye levels, and it should appear as a tiny but distinct fuzzball in the sky. Stay tuned for a detailed viewer’s guide in February.

ANNULAR ECLIPSE, FEBRUARY 26 Lucky sky-watchers along a narrow path in the Southern Hemisphere will get to see a “ring of fire” eclipse of the sun. Also known as an annular solar eclipse, this stunning event occurs when the moon’s disk is too small to cover the entire sun, and it leaves a ring of sunshine around the dark lunar silhouette.

The eclipse path starts over the South Pacific Ocean, crosses South America, and ends in Africa. North and south of this pathway, a much larger region of the world will be able to witness a partial solar eclipse.

MERCURY, MARS, MOON, MARCH 29 After sunset, stargazers should look toward the western sky to see the thin crescent moon forming an impressive celestial triangle with Mercury to its lower right and ruddy Mars above the pair. What makes this event worth watching for, beyond the lovely display, is that the formation will help viewers see Mercury at its brightest and highest in our skies.

The innermost planet is normally very hard to spot, since the tiny world usually gets lost in the glare of the sun. But at the end of March, it will reach its most distant point from the sun as seen from Earth, and so will be easier to catch.

MOON MEETS JUPITER, APRIL 10 Brilliant Jupiter will be paired with Spica, the lead star of the constellation Virgo, all year long. But April will be extraspecial, as the largest planet in the solar system will also pair up with the full moon. On this night, both objects will rise together in the east moments after the sun sets in the west.

And if you think that Jupiter looks even brighter than normal during this event, that’s because it will have reached opposition just three weeks before, when the planet is the biggest and brightest in our skies for all of 2017.

TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE, AUGUST 21 This year will be especially stunning for viewers in North America, as the sun will undergo the most amazing

VENUS JOINS JUPITER, NOVEMBER 13 Two of the brightest celestial objects in our skies will have a superclose encounter at dawn on November 13.

Neighboring planets Venus and Jupiter will have a spectacularly close conjunction very low in the eastern sky. The two worlds will appear to be separated by only 18 arc-minutes, or about equal to the apparent width of a half-lit moon.

Since this conjunction event will take place so low to the horizon, the planets will be battling the glare of the morning twilight, and binoculars will make viewing more enjoyable.

GEMINID METEORS, DECEMBER 13 The annual Geminid meteor shower will reach its peak activity this night for viewers in the Americas. The Geminids are known to be quite prolific, with rates as high as 60 to 120 shooting stars an hour at peak times. This year’s event will be special because sky-watchers will only have to contend with the waning crescent moon until about local midnight. Once the moon sets, the best viewing will be in the predawn hours of December 14—exactly when the shower is predicted to reach its peak performance.

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Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

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Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017 have dampened interest in targeting devices running Windows, Trend Micro explained. Microsoft also has upped its security game in recent times, which has made it more difficult for attackers to find vulnerabilities in Windows.

MORE security vulnerabilities will appear in the software of Adobe and Apple than in Microsoft's, more attacks on the Internet's infrastructure will occur, and cybersecurity events will stoke international tensions.

Those are a few of the predictions for 2017 that security experts shared with TechNewsWorld.

Users of Apple desktops and laptops for years have

been relatively insulated from the kinds of malicious activity that has besieged those in the Windows world, but that's going to change next year, warned Trend Micro.

More software flaws will affect Adobe and Apple in 2017, compared to Microsoft, the company noted in a security predictions report.

Declining PC sales and an exodus to mobile platforms

FOLLOW THE MONEY Signs of hackers' increased interest in Adobe and Apple started appearing in 2016, Trend Micro noted. Zero day vulnerabilities -- flaws unknown to researchers until malicious actors exploit them -- numbered 135 for Adobe compared to 76 for Microsoft.

Meanwhile, Apple's vulnerability count during the same period increased to 50, shooting up from 25 in 2015.

The increased attention Apple has drawn from criminals can be associated with its growing success in the desktop and laptop market.

"There's a much broader use of Apple products now," said Ed Cabrera, vice president of cybersecurity strategy at Trend Micro.

"The criminals go where consumers and enterprises are," he told TechNewsWorld. "If consumers and enterprises are utilizing more Apple products, then that's where they're going to focus their activity, because that's where the money is going to be."

UPSTREAM ATTACKS Distributed denial of service attacks long have functioned as a cyberweapon against websites, but their use reached a new level in 2016, when they disrupted Internet service in parts of North America and Europe by choking an important piece of Net infrastructure: the domain name system.

The DNS converts domain names into corresponding IP addresses. If a domain name can't be paired with its IP address, then a browser becomes lost on the Net. More "upstream" attacks on the Internet will take place in 2017, said Chase Cunningham, director of cyberoperations at A10 Networks.

"If you're an enemy of someone who depends on the Internet for business or commerce, last year it was shown that if you upstream a little bit and launch a crafted Denial of Service attack, you can bring down large provider websites and infrastructure," he told TechNewsWorld.

"In 2017, we're going to see more upstream attacks, and DDoS is going to make a comeback as a cyberweapon," Cunningham said. "We're going to see a powerful denial of service attack on something that will cause problems for a national infrastructure."

GEOPOLITICS FEEDING CYBERATTACKS Simmering tensions over nations hacking nations will come to a boil in 2017, predicted Tom Kellermann, CEO of Strategic Cyber Ventures.

"Geopolitics will be the harbinger for cyberattacks in 2017," he told TechNewsWorld.

Those cyberattacks will be fostered by both old and new presidents of the United States.

"Due to the president elect's rhetoric against China, Chinese hacking will begin again with increased vigor," Kellermann said. "North Korea will leverage IoT for more denial of service attacks against the West."

In addition, he continued, Trump's anti-Muslim statements during the presidential campaign have increased the membership of cyberterrorist organizations -- like al-Qaida and the Cyber Caliphate -- that will use their new resources to dismantle and destroy U.S. infrastructure in the coming year.

Russian cyberattacks also will increase.

"Once President Obama takes revenge upon Putin for the hacking of the election and other things, you will see increased cybermilitia activity via Russian proxies in Eastern Europe against the U.S.," Kellermann said.

ELECTION HANGOVER A cyberhangover from a divisive and inconclusive presidential election also can be expected in 2017.

"Disillusioned American voters will become more inclined toward hacktivism," Kellermann predicted.

That hacktivism will be more destructive than it has been in the past, he said. For example, ransomware will be used to encrypt data solely for denying access to that data and not for ransom. Malicious software delivering "wiper" payloads, which destroy data, also will increase.

Voter disillusionment could give old line hactivist groups, like Anonymous, a new reason for being.

"Anonymous has been fractured for some time," Kellermann noted. "On Jan. 20, you could see a consolidation of Anonymous once again, for the cause of acting out against the incoming administration."

Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

Germany Could Ding Facebook for Fake News

THE frenzied 2016 election cycle mercifully is over, but Facebook's fake news problem isn't going away. The company may face steep fines in Germany if it fails to address it satisfactorily.

GERMANY COULD DING FACEBOOK FOR FAKE NEWS A bill slated for consideration next year would establish fines of up to $500,000 euros per day for each day that a fake news story persisted after notification of its falsehood was provided. The legislation, which has bipartisan support, would apply to other sites as well, but Facebook clearly is its main target.

TREADING LIGHTLY Facebook recently began testing and rolling out updates to help it fight fake news.

The company "cannot become arbiters of truth ourselves, so we're approaching this problem carefully," noted VP of News Feed Adam Mosseri.

Facebook is focusing its efforts on "the worst of the worst, on the clear hoaxes spread by spammers for their own gain, and on engaging both our community and third party organizations," he said.

It is taking a four-pronged approach: Letting users report a hoax on Facebook by clicking the upper right-hand corner of a post; Flagging stories as disputed. Facebook is relying on third-party fact checking organizations that are signatories of Poynter's International Fact Checking Code of Principles to make those determinations; Informed sharing -- that is, giving articles that are shared less a lower ranking because that may indicate they are misleading; and Disrupting financial incentives for spammers. Facebook is eliminating the ability to spoof domains, as well as analyzing publisher sites to see where it might need to enforce its policies.

The company initially is working with five fact-checking organizations: ABC News, the Associated Press, FactCheck. org, PolitiFact and Snopes. It might add to the pool in the future.

It is very important to solve the fake news problem, said Mark Coker, CEO of Smashwords, because "it's critical to the future of our democracy."

If our society continues to make decisions big and small based upon, or influenced by, faulty information, that will take it to a bad place, he told TechNewsWorld.

The issue is "probably best viewed on a spectrum," Coker suggested. On one end, there are the 100 percent blatantly false stories, and on the other there are true stories mixed with fake news, making it more difficult to recognize.

THE DEPTH OF THE PROBLEM Fake news "manipulates emotions and positions which then convert into decisions [people] make in their lives that aren't in their own best interest," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.

This "really should be considered a crime for the damage it can do," he told TechNewsWorld.

Facebook's concern is driven by self-interest, suggested Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. Fake news shows how the company is being actively gamed, which damages its brand.

By serving as a repository for news stories, Facebook has "become a de facto media company" despite its insistence to the contrary, King told TechNewsWorld.

Fake news has been blamed for affecting the results of the recent presidential election, but "the mainstream media's willingness to continually chase Trump's tweets and what turned out to be bogus or frivolous stories, like the Clinton email investigation, probably had a larger impact," he added.

WILL FACEBOOK'S EFFORTS SUCCEED? Facebook's program is unlikely to succeed on its own, because "at the heart of the problem is that you can make a lot of money from Google with fake news," Enderle suggested.

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Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

Battlefield 1: Big, Bombastic and Very Loosely Based IF filmmaker Michael Bay -- known for over-the-top films such as the Transformers series -- were to decide to make a film about World War I, and if he chose to rely on comic books as his research materials, the result would be very much like Electronic Arts' newly released video game Battlefield 1.

This latest entry in the popular series -- somewhat confusing given the "1" in its moniker -- moves the action from recent modern settings to the Great War, taking the action back in time 100 years.

The intent was to provide slower-moving vehicles, including lumbering tanks and biplanes, rather than the latest 21st-century attack helicopters and fast-moving armored personnel carriers. Moreover EA DICE, which developed the game, suggested that Battlefield 1 should include bolt action

rifles and melee weapons to accurately depict the combat of World War I. The game plays much like a traditional Battlefield title, meaning there is much chaos and confusion. Machine guns are so omnipresent, however, that it hardly feels as though this is actually set during the First World War.In other words, those seeking a game that approximates such films as All Quiet on the Western Front or Paths of Glory aren't likely to find it in Battlefield 1, which is closer to what an Expendables film might look like if the characters had to rely on antiquated technology. This isn't to say that it makes for a bad game.

Far from it in fact, because Battlefield 1 does everything the series has done since it first stormed onto the PC with Battlefield 1942 15 years ago. It is big, bombastic,

chaotic -- and for gamers who prefer action-packed intensity over historical accuracy, this one delivers many times over.

CAMPAIGN FOR ONE As with many first-person shooters, this is really two games in one -- or one game with two very distinct modes. Battlefield 1 includes a single-player campaign that allows the player to take part in key engagements around Europe and the Middle East.

Unlike such titles as Medal of Honor ◄◄◄ From page XLIII

"The fix really needs to start with Google's ad funding model, as they're the cause of much of the problem even though they aren't the source of the fake news," he explained.

"Macedonia, where there's massive unemployment, is making huge amounts of money just producing fake news," Enderle pointed out.

Then there's the question of how close Facebook's program might come to censorship.

"It will be very hard to differentiate between fake news and something someone just doesn't agree with," Enderle cautioned.

WHERE DOES THE BUCK STOP? Opinion among members of the public is

or Call of Duty -- which originally were set in World War II -- the campaign isn't presented in a linear order. Nor should players expect absolute victory.

World War I didn't culminate with the defeat of one side, of course, but rather ended suddenly with an armistice that came as something of a surprise to both sides.

Players can jump into five unique "War Stories" after a brief introduction that serves as the game's tutorial. divided, based on an online survey of 1,600 adults conducted earlier this month by Morning Consult.

Among its findings: ► 67 percent of respondents thought search engines were responsible for preventing exposure to fake news; ► 66 percent thought the reader was responsible; ► 63 percent say social media sites should bear the responsibility; and ► 56 percent thought the government should be responsible.

About one-fourth of respondents said the reader should bear the most responsibility for discriminating between real and fake stories.

Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

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English 2017-01-01

STUDY SUCCESS Dear Student, Let’s continue at this point in grammar to help you understand further about the gerund and gerund phrase.

They aid in conscious and purposeful construction of a variety of sentences – a skill which certainly adds interest to the written word. Be wise.

Love you.

COMPREHENSION The poem: R.S. Thomas She woke up under a loose quilt Of leaf patterns, woven by the light At the small window, busy with the boughs Of a young cherry; but wearily she lay, Waiting for the siren, slow to trust Nature’s deceptive peace, and then afraid Of the long silence, she would have crept Uneasily from the bedroom with its frieze Of fresh sunlight, had not a cock crowed, Shattering the surface of that limpid pool Of stillness, and before the ripples died One by one in the field’s shallows, The farm awoke with uninhibited din.

And now the noise and not the silence drew her Down the bare stairs at great speed.

The sounds and voices were a rough sheet Waiting to catch her, as though she leaped From a scorched storey of the charred past.

And there the table and the gallery Of farm faces trying to be kind Beckoned her nearer, and she sat down Under an awning of salt hams.

And so she grew, a small bird in the nest Of welcome that was built about her, Home now after so long away In the flowerless stress of the drab town.

The men watched her busy with the hens, The soft flesh ripening warm as corn…

The men watched her, and, nodding, smiled…

Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country.

TOM PAINE (1737-1809), The Crisis, Intro., (Dec. 1776)

day on a farm. b) country sounds throughout the day. c) a farmer’s daughter who returns after living in a town. d) a town girl goes to live on a farm. e) a girl recovering from serious injuries caused in a fire.

2. At the beginning the girl is lying in bed a) suspicious of the silence. b) impatiently waiting for people to awake. c) tired after a sleepless night. d) picking cherries from a bunch and eating them. e) feeling very cold.

3. The leaf patterns are a) the design of the quilt. d) the design of the wallpaper. b) a memory of the girl’s former life. e) shadows cast by the sun. c) her recollection of the cherry tree.

4. The statement that most accurately describes the development of the poem is a) it begins quietly and steadily builds up to a climax at the end. b) the atmosphere remains tranquil throughout the poem. c) the beginning and end are both quiet but there is some activity in the middle. d) after a dramatic opening, the bustle and activity gradually diminish. f) there is a feeling of vigorous activity throughout the poem.

5. The comparison in lines 16-17-18 is intended to call up the idea of a) relaxation. b) romance. c) rest. d) rescue. e) excitement.

Questions 1. The poem is about a) a stranger’s holi-

Amazing Facts

GRAMMAR Another look into the gerund and gerund phrase Reminder about the gerund: It is a verbal noun and can be companied by adjectives modifiers just like a regular noun; “good,” in the first example, is such a modifier.

Here are six sentences to illustrate the use of the verbal noun or gerund.

(1) Subject: Yes, good understanding is needed.

(2) Direct object: Herma enjoys crocheting.

(3) Appositive: This pastime, hiking, has benefited many broken hearts.

(4) Indirect object: The president gave the killings his attention.

(5) Predicate nominative: Her primary duty is decorating.

(6) Object of Preposition: The geriatric was saved from overdosing.

Note: i) The predicate nominative is also called the subject complement. ii) The object of preposition means the object is governed by a preposition, and completes its meaning. It is sometimes described as a prepositional complement.]

Reminder: A gerund phrase is made up of a gerund and its complements or modifiers.

Gertrude loves crocheting babies’ booties.

Work the Following Exercises A..By using a gerund or a gerund phrase, combine each of the following sentence pairs into one good sentence. An example is done for you.

I kept a copy of my short story. That record proved useful.

Keeping a record, such as a copy of my short story, proved useful.

(1) That afternoon we slept under a bridge. That was a new experience for most of us new travellers.

(2) Daisy has three talents. She dresses dolls, caters gourmet meals, and arranges live flowers.

B..Write six original sentences using the gerund suckling in the following ways: (a) as a sentence subject. (b) as an indirect object. (c ) as an object of preposition.

Chronicle Pepperpot January 1, 2017

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Entertainment Debbie Reynolds and daughter Carrie Fisher to be buried side by side A JOINT memorial service and side-by-side burial are being planned for mother-and-daughter Hollywood stars Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher, who died a day apart earlier this week in Los Angeles, the family said on Friday.

Todd Fisher, son of Reynolds and younger brother to Carrie, said a glimpse he caught of hummingbirds at a cemetery site at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills convinced him it was the ideal spot for their final resting place.

"That's the way it was meant to be," Todd Fisher, 58, told Reuters, recalling that his mother, the Oscar-nomiActress Debbie Reynolds poses with her daughter nated singer and actress, had actress Carrie Fisher backstage after accepting her a special fondness for hum- Lifetime Achievement award at the 21st annual Screen mingbirds, which were regular Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles, California January visitors to the grounds of her 25, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo Beverly Hills home. to Reynolds and the late singer Eddie Fisher, Fisher said he and other relatives were gathering this weekend to firm up whose marriage ended in scandal in 1959 after the crooner began an affair with actress funeral arrangements, including dates.

He said the family was planning two Elizabeth Taylor.

In an interview to be broadcast Friday private events - a joint memorial celebration on the ABC News program "20/20," Todd and a burial of his mother and sister next to Fisher elaborated on his mother's final hours, one another at Forest Lawn - to be followed by some form of public commemoration of insisting "she didn't die of a broken heart" but rather "just left to be with Carrie." the two women.

"It wasn't that [Reynolds] was sitting Reynolds, who sang and danced her way into the hearts of moviegoers in such Hol- around inconsolable, not at all," her son lywood musicals as "Singin' in the Rain," recounted in excerpts from the interview suffered a stroke and died on Wednesday at published by ABC. "She simply said that she didn't get to see Carrie come back from the age of 84.

Her daughter, Carrie Fisher, best known London. She expressed how much she loved as Princess Leia in the "Star Wars" films, died my sister.

"She then said she really wanted to be a day earlier on Tuesday, four days after suffering a heart attack on a flight from England, with Carrie," he added. "In those precise where she had been shooting the third season words, and within 15 minutes from that conversation she faded out, and within 30 of a British television comedy. She was 60.

Carrie and Todd Fisher were both born minutes, she technically was gone."

Scarlett Johansson is 2016 top-grossing movie star SCARLETT Johansson was named the top-grossing actor of 2016 on Tuesday thanks to her roles in superhero movie "Captain America: Civil War" and Hollywood satire "Hail Caesar."

Forbes said Johansson just edged out her "Captain America" co-stars Chris Evans and Robert Downey with box-office earnings of her second 2016 movie, "Hail Caesar."Johansson's movies grossed a leading $1.2 billion at the worldwide box office this year, compared with $1.15 billion for "Captain America: Civil War." Released in May and featuring a conflict between Marvel comic book heroes like Iron Man, Spider-Man, Black Widow and Ant Man, Walt Disney Co's "Captain America" was the biggest earner worldwide in 2016, according to data from Boxofficemojo.com.

Australian actress Margot Robbie, who

enjoyed a break-out year, placed fourth with $1.1 billion thanks to roles in two Warner Bros movies "Suicide Squad" and "The Legend of Tarzan."

The Forbes list was dominated by superhero and comic book movies, including "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" and "Deadpool."

Britain's Felicity Jones entered the Forbes list for the first time, with roles in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," thriller "Inferno" and magical children's story "A Monster Calls." Jones came in ninth place with $805 million.Forbes made its calculations based on global ticket sales from the films of top Hollywood actors, but it did not count animated movies such as Disney's "Finding Dory," the second biggest release of 2016 with $1.02 billion.

Sensational Sirloin Kabobs Ingredients • 1/4 cup soy sauce • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar • 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder • 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt • 1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper seasoning • 4 fluid ounces lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage • 2 pounds beef sirloin steak, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes • 2 green bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces • skewers • cherry tomatoes • fresh pineapple - peeled, cored and cubed Directions 1. In a medium bowl, mix soy sauce, light brown sugar, distilled white vinegar, garlic powder, seasoned salt, garlic pepper seasoning, and lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage. Reserve about 1/2 cup of this marinade for basting. Place steak in a large resealable plastic bag. Cover with the remaining marinade, and seal. Refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight.

2. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add green peppers, and cook for 1 minute, just to blanch. Drain, and set aside.

3. Preheat grill for high heat. Thread steak, green peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and pineapple onto skewers in an alternating fashion. Discard marinade and the bag.

4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Cook kabobs on the prepared grill for 10 minutes, or to desired doneness. Baste frequently with reserved marinade during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Ultra Easy Pineapple Chicken Kabobs Ingredients • 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces • 1/2 onion, cut into 1-inch pieces • 1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces • 1 (15 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained • 1/4 cup barbeque sauce, or as needed • 6 skewers Directions 1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.

2. Thread green bell pepper, onion, chicken, and pineapple onto skewers; brush with barbeque sauce.

3. Cook on the preheated grill until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 7 to 10 minutes per side.