Pepperpot epaper 12 25 2016

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Christmas in the Ghetto ► Page III When Duty Calls on Christmas day This Barrington Braithwaite's drawing captures the scene at the birth of Jesus and the celebration of his parents Joseph and Mary along with the Holy angels.

► Page

XXIII

The Adoration of the Magi ► Page XI

I am Joseph I

am Father

II

By Francis Quamina Farrier

WHETHER you are Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Rastafarian or Non-Believer,

the story of the Nativity should certainly impress you with the role of Joseph, the husband of Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

This intriguing story is repeated thou-

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

story of

A Father introduces his son to Nigel's Supermarket

the

sands of times all around the world every Christmas Day. It is certainly ahead of all the stories about St. Nicholas, aka Santa Claus and Father Christmas, the jolly old man with a full white beard and a bulging tummy.

He supposedly comes down the chimney at Christmas with lots of goodies for the nice children…even in countries such as Guyana, in which houses do not have chimneys.

Well, except bakeries, such as that one at the north-eastern corner of Robb and Alexander Streets in Bourda, Georgetown. Let's not focus on all those chimneys at sugar factories, since more and more of those sugar factories are closing down; Wales on the West Bank of Demerara, will be closed down forever in just a matter of days.

The story of Santa Claus is well known in most countries all around the world…which is also the story of Father Christmas. And in this feature, I'll be projecting the stories, in photographs about the many good fathers here in Guyana. Not the naughty, but the nice fathers. I will also say something about the

birth of Jesus, since that is the prin- c i p a l reason for the Season. All else are subplots of this wonderful dramatic, romantic, adventure story about the birth of a very important baby, and how a great father, Joseph, played a very significant role in that drama.

In the story of the Birth of the Christ Child, we are told from the out-set how politics was part of his parents' journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where He was born.

However, just before that birth, we are told of a serious situation of inner conflict in the relationship between Joseph and Mary. It was very dramatic. Here were two young people engaged to be married, and the groom finds out that his young, sweet wife-to-be is PREGNANT! That hit Joseph like a ton of bricks dumped from a canter truck on to a mini car, smashing it beyond recognition.

Let us continue to focus in on the unfolding drama. Which young man, who has never touched his delicate fianceé in a special intimate way, finds out that she is pregnant, and Turn to page IV ►►►

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

III

Christmas Ghetto in the

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Jerry Allicock, an overseas-based-Guyanese said he was home for Christmas just to be with his family…his daughter and her son.

Allicock said Christmas in Guyana was like no other and he wanted to be there to have a ‘good time’ with family and friends of John Fernandes Housing Scheme.

The John Fernandes Housing Scheme

By Michel Outridge CHRISTMAS at the John Fernandes Housing Scheme, Georgetown is no different from anywhere else in Guyana and from what I have heard it is the time of the year when sharing is the order of the day.

The small community consists of about 50 families located aback the John Fernandes Container Terminal on the Ruimveldt Back Road.

The community is a squatting area and has no roads and landline phones but it has electricity and water and when it rains the dam gets muddy.

Stacy McKenzie, a resident, told the Guyana Chronicle that she feels they are a forgotten people living at the back there because nobody visits even at Christmas.

She was at the time surrounded by her children and some others, all from the community as she detailed what it is like in the ghetto for Christmas.

She said that it was a nice time of the year when everybody would come out

on the dam and play music and bring out their food and drinks to make merry and share.

McKenzie added that the ‘street corner’ affair was the highlight of Christmas Day and after foods had been prepared everyone would all come out with whatever they had in terms of eatables and the men would provide the drinks.

All the villagers would share their foods and the children usually would have a grand time as well where they would be treated with goodies and toys.

McKenzie said, “Being a mother of six I like to dress up the house and prepare meals, all for the children because it is the best time of the year.”

She stated that the residents have cooperation and they live ‘good’ at the back there. And she knows because she has been residing at the location since a child.

A FORGOTTEN PEOPLE McKenzie told this newspaper that as long as she can recall no one would visit the area and it was as if they were

ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR FOR CHRISTMAS Meet 85-year-old Doreen La Fleur, who was a member of the Guyana National Service but her career was cut short when she had an accident which caused her to be wheelchair bound.

She was walking home one day several years ago when she was struck by a speeding vehicle and she suffered severe damage to the hips and legs.

“Granny” as she is wellknown as, said she lived almost all her life in the area but was alone since all her children had grown up and moved away.

Granny would like to have an electric wheelchair so she can move around on her own because with her current Senior citizen Doreen La Fleur, a resident of John wheelchair she has to be asFernandes Housing Scheme sisted and that was a burden. a forgotten people. And even during the She told the Guyana festive season there is no distribution of Chronicle that Christmas in the ghetto toys as done in other villages. was just like anywhere else where perHer wish for the holidays was for a sons came together to celebrate with proper road in the area. whatever they had.

Christmas time is nice time

By Michel Outridge TIS’ IS THE season for our good side to shine – with the impending festive season of Christmas we cannot help but ‘pull out all

the stops’…meaning we go all out to make this season the best for our families.

It is the time of the year when we are engrossed in preparing for Christmas, Boxing Day and of course welcome the New Year.

A traditional meal

We invest many days in cleaning, decorating our homes with the very best, applying layers of bright paint, new curtains, roll out new vinolay, rugs and carpets.

And there are hours of shopping when we

engage in finding bargains best suited for our pockets. And then there is always the cooking.

In Guyana, our table must have black Turn to page V ►►►

IV ◄◄◄ From page II

will still want to go ahead with the wedding?

However, as that drama unfolds, we are told that Joseph, while in a sleep, is informed by a Heavenly Messenger that Mary's pregnancy is spiritual and not physical. In other words, as some of our youths would say, "Look Joseph, doan tek worries, man. "Mary alright.

"She is a good girl". So Joseph goes right ahead with the wedding, and marries the pregnant Mary. How brave and heroic! A "Man of Purpose".

Now for the politics. (How could mankind exist without politics in our lives?).

Both pregnant Mary and her faithful husband Joseph are made to take the arduous journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, to be registered for the census that year, which was ordered by the powerful politicians. They were probably concerned about the next general elections. Joseph got a donkey, and lovingly lifted Mary onto the back of the animal.

This was the first time that Jesus, still safe

in his mother's womb, but well on his way to be born, would be on a donkey. And as related in the popular Jamaican song of years ago, the Savour of the World did "Ride De Donkey".

Let's now focus on Joseph, a "Man of Purpose", ever-loving and ever-faithful to his wife and their as-yet-unborn child. Mary is seated on the donkey, with Joseph walking at its side and guiding the animal along the smoothest portions of that rough, unpaved road. They arrive in Bethlehem where they are unable to find available lodging; a bit like our own Jubilee Year, when so many overseas-based Guyanese returned for the Fiftieth Jubilee Independence Celebrations in May. As the story of the birth of Jesus further unfolds, we are told that the young couple had to resort to a manger to have the baby delivered. Through all of these ordeals, Joseph remained faithful; faithful like so many husbands and fathers in Guyana, in this the twenty-first century. Almost in the

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

very same way in which St. Joseph was an unrecognized husband and father hero over two thousand years ago, in that very same way there are so many unsung hero husbands and fathers in Guyana.

While there indeed are just too many dead-beat fathers, not only in Guyana but in many countries around the world, in the Guyana Society, for some strange reason, the good fathers seem to be invisible by so many religious leaders and social workers.

They seem to speak only about the bad fathers, totally ignoring the good fathers. They hardly ever give recognition and words of encouragement to those "Men of Purpose" like St Joseph, the foster father of Jesus.

It is very tough out in the working world, and many fathers are faced with some grave challenges - low salaries, unhealthy working environments, hostile bosses, hostile coworkers - but they are "Men of Purpose" to their families, and keep on keeping on, doing the right things day in and day out for

their families.

During this Jubilee Year, I have taken over one hundred candid photographs of Guyanese fathers as they were doing what they choose to be doing as good fathers.

Accompanying this feature are images of some of those good fathers, who, like St. Joseph, do everything positive which they can do for their wives and children. As Guyana's Jubilee Year draws to a close, I can say that I have seen many, many good fathers in our beloved motherland, Beautiful Guyana. And as we celebrate the Birth of Jesus, the Christ Child, let us also celebrate with St. Joseph and all the good fathers in Guyana another Happy Christmas. We could also sing along with our own Guyanese entertainers, The Four Lords, the popular Christmas song "Happy Holiday", and enjoy the melodious voice of the lead singer, late Billy Moore, a father who passed away during this Jubilee Year.

An inter-racial Guyanese couple and their young daughter

This father, is so proud of his bright eyed daughter

A dedicated father of two - not 19

Like his father, this little son is cool

Literature Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

V

By Subraj Singh

Hans Christian Andersen’s

“The Little Match Girl” Hans Christian Andersen is perhaps one of the most famous writers/collectors of fairytales. His work on “The Little Mermaid,” “The Ugly Duckling,” “Thumbelina” and many others is universally recognized and children all over the world have grown up hearing these tales. However, sometimes, with fiction, as with real life, the stories that are most often told are not necessarily always the only stories that deserve to be told. Because of this, there are many good stories from Andersen that are not as told as often as the popular ones, and there can be many reasons why this happens. Andersen’s “The Little Match Girl” is one such story – it is an excellent tale that does not enjoy the same amount of popular retellings as others in Andersen’s collection and yet remains enduringly important, particularly now at Christmas as this is a season that is very much associated with storytelling and fairytales.

“The Little Match Girl” is set at the end of the year, on the last night of the year, in fact. Its subject is a poor little girl who sells matches in the streets. The story tells us of how the night is freezing cold and the little girl has lost her shoes and so she is forced to wander in the cold. She contemplates going back home, but she is scared her father will whip her for being unable to sell any of the matches. Instead, she tucks herself into a little corner between two buildings and tries to keep herself warm by lighting the matches. In the glow of the flames she experiences several visions: a well-lit Christmas tree, good food, and the person who loved her most – her grandmother. The child uses the matches to keep the flame going so she can continuing seeing the image of her grandmother. The story then takes a sorrowful turn and leads us headfirst

into feelings of intense sadness and pathos.

The story is important if we are only speaking about fairytales because it addresses themes that are often absent from, but necessary to, the tales that are told to modern children. In the popular fairytales the wealthy is always featured (kings, queens, princesses, princes) or the poor often ascend to a position of affluence and power (“Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Cinderella,” etc.). However, “The Little Match Girl” is the story of a child who

comes from extreme poverty and remains in poverty. The story does not hold back when it comes to presenting the circumstances of her plight and her desires, which are shockingly basic (food, warmth, love), that emerge from these circumstances. A tale such as this might be considered too dark for children, but is it not best to present children with stories that engage their imagination (those with giants and mermaids and elves) as well as those that present real-life society and the human con-

Christmas time is...

cake, pepperpot, ginger beer and all the other foods we prepare to share with family and others.

It is undeniably a lot of house work and all but at the end of it all it’s worth it when we have a freshly cleaned house minus all the junk we were storing all year and the foods we enjoy put the icing on the cake.

It is the time of year when the so-called ‘Grinch’ in us vanishes and we try to share

the little we have with others.

It is as if some people are totally transformed into better persons and it is quite refreshing to see the change in some of us.

Some people spend a lot on preparation – their homes are in order fully complemented by various decorations and fairy lights.

Christmas time for me and many others mean we do what we do –make a fuss with our children and families and we look forward for

the holidays when we can spend quality time with others to enjoy the fruits of our labour.

It is the time of the year that people come together to have drinks, food and catch up on the usual ‘gaff’.

Christmas is the time when we spend the money we have been saving all year to ensure everything is ready and we can have a grand time in whatever way we choose within the confines of our homes.

dition, such as “The Little Match Girl”? It is possible that there are dark fairytales that still manage to be age-appropriate and can be used to educate children on issues such as poverty, death, and desires – all of which are themes that can be found in “The Little Match Girl.”

Another essential aspect of the story is the fact, and great irony, of the story taking place in the middle of the holiday season, just after Christmas and moving into the New Year. It is supposed to be a time of joy, of warmth and plentitude, and yet, the girl in the story does not get to experience any of those things. The story, in my mind, and despite its bleak subject matter, is the ideal stories for Christmas because it forces us to not only think about ourselves but also about everyone else in the world who may not have all the things we have during the holiday season. While we feast, there will be children out there starving. As we gather with our family and friends, there will be people with no one to hug and wish happy holidays to. When we surround ourselves with bright lights and presents, there will be people in the world who are still struggling to make ends meet.

“The Little Match Girl” is important for children because it is a fairytale that represents, in the truest sense, aspects of the real world, presented through a fantasy that is borne from the story’s realism, and the story is equally important to adults who, during the year-end holidays, become blind in their celebrations to the plight of those around them. The story reminds us to feel and to reach out to those less fortunate than ourselves in a season that we seem to be forgetting has always been rooted in giving and saving.

◄◄◄ From page III

The atmosphere is usually cheery with bright colours of mostly decorated buildings, houses and offices and where the streets of the city are littered with vendors displaying all kinds of merchandise from curtains to flowers.

Christmas for me is the best time of the year when I like the hustle and bustle of ushering in the holidays and to feast on the goodies, most of all.

VI

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

12 days of Christmas CHRISTMAS is a time of sharing. This week, let us take a look at the free services that our environment has shared with us over the past year. Though priceless,nature gives us these services free. What is remarkable, though, is that without these services we would not have been able to make it successfully to the end of another year.

We tend to take environmental services for granted. Though we need these services, we seldom think about how much we depend on them. Now is a good time to take a moment to consider how our actions can affect the environment.

While we are at it, let us also ponder the consequences if the environment were to lose its ability to provide us with its essential services as we need.

Wishing each other health and wealth for the holidays is a tradition.

However, neither health nor wealth would be possible without the services that the environment provides. Let us resolve to be more conscious about the environment.

Here is a list of 12 gifts that the environment has given us over the year. Its written like the popular song “12 Days of Christmas” - Sing

along now!

1. On the first day of Christmas, the environment gave to us, clean air for breathing, and a healthy body.

2. On the second day of Christmas,the environment gave to us fresh water for drinking, clean air for breathing and a healthy body.

3. On the third day of Christmas the environment gave to us abundant food for eating, fresh water for drinking, cleaning air for breathing and a healthy body.

4. On the fourth day of Christmas the environment gave to us wood for our buildings, abundant food for eating, fresh water for drinking, clean air for breathing and a healthy body.

5. On the fifth day of Christmas the environment gave to us medicine for our coughing, wood for our buildings, abundant food for eating, fresh water for drinking, clean air for breathing and a healthy body.

6. On the sixth day of Christmas the environment gave to us a nice climate to live in, medicine for our coughing, wood for our buildings, abundant food for eating, fresh

water for drinking, clean air for breathing and a healthy body.

7. On the seventh day of Christmas the environment gave to us forests to hold carbon, a nice climate to live in, medicine for our coughing, wood for our buildings, abundant food for eating, fresh water for drinking, clean air for breathing and a healthy body.

8. On the eight day of Christmas the environment gave to us moderate weather, forests to hold carbon, a nice climate to live in, medicine for our coughing, wood for our buildings, abundant food for eating, fresh water for drinking, clean air for breathing and a healthy body.

9. On the ninth day of Christmas the environment gave to us wetlands to clean the water, forests to hold carbon, a nice climate to live in, medicine for our coughing, wood for our buildings, abundant food for eating, fresh water for drinking, clean air for breathing and a healthy body.

10. On the tenth day of Christmas the environment gave to us, plants to keep the soil fixed, forests to hold

carbon, a nice climate to live in, medicine for our coughing, wood for our buildings, abundant food for eating, fresh water for drinking, clean air for breathing and a healthy body.

11. On the eleventh day of Christmas the environment gave to us amazing wildlife to see, plants to keep the soil fixed, forests to hold carbon, a nice climate to live in, medicine for our coughing, wood for our buildings, abundant food for eating, fresh water for drinking, clean air for breathing and a healthy body.

12. On the twelfth day of Christmas the environment gave to us, beautiful landscapes to enjoy,plants to keep the soil fixed,forests to hold carbon, a nice climate to live in, medicine for our coughing, wood for our buildings, abundant food for eating, fresh water for drinking, clean air for breathing and a healthy body.

What more can you ask for?

The environment provides the best Christmas gifts ever! All you have to do in return is be kind and grateful to the environment.

Season’s Greetings from the directors and staff of the Environmental Protection Agency!

C/O EIT Division, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@ gmail.com

Guyanese students at Cave Hill encouraged to get on board with their country’s vision

By Peter Haynes

THE wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together, and a little child shall lead them. Isaiah 11:6.

At the Cave Hill, Barbados campus of the University of the West Indies, 40 young Guyanese students, being very patriotic towards their homeland, got together one year ago to form the Guyana Students Association (GUY-SA) Cave Hill, U.W.I. From its inception, this campus has attracted Guyanese, and today holding at roughly the level experienced in 1963 when two Guyanese joined the charter student body of 118 full and part-time enrollees.

One of the major objectives of the mem-

bers of GUY-SA Cave Hill is to identify with each other and as a group on the campus, and it could be attributed to their being Guyanese that, even though few in number, these students have made an impact on the Campus in the group’s inaugural year.

Rather than categorizing these young people as forming a chapter of the “Guyana Diaspora” on the campus, and thereby attributing to them the baggage currently being aired by various expatriate Guyanese groups, we should note that such a label would also be inappropriate, because these students did not “scatter from their homeland” or go to Barbados “in search of citizenship or jobs”, as essentially the case with the “Guyana Diaspora” in North America.

Cave Hill’s Guyanese, ever since the establishment of the Campus in Barbados in

1963, have chosen to study there to enhance their education and skills, and most of them have then returned home to make their contributions to the development of Guyana – an important distinction.

One of the most commendable aspects of the formation of GUY-SA at Cave Hill is that these students have recognized the need to band together in a patriotic and nationalistic manner to deal with issues common to students at Cave Hill. Also noteworthy about the formation of this organization is that no other group of Guyanese students at Cave Hill has even formed a national Association that has been officially recognized as such by the administration and other student groups.

Perhaps this is due to the current existence of a critical mass of Guyanese on this campus, because many of the issues that Guy-

anese students faced when the campus was created are still challenging the current Guyanese student population – including negative treatment by members of the administration.

When the campus started in temporary quarters at the Trade Fair Site over 50 years ago, the Guyanese and students from the Caribbean countries were deemed “Rif-Raff” by members of the local population, and at that time, the ‘foreign’ students decided to accept the moniker, generously extending to those Barbadians who associated with them the title of ‘Honourable Rif-Raff.” At the time, the Rif-Raff not only provided each other opportunities to socialize, but also resolved to be stellar in their performance; and interestingly, in the first graduating class at Cave Turn to page XII ►►►

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

VII

Toothache at Christmas LAST week a six-year-old patient asked me, “Doc, you ever had a bad tooth ache?” My response was immediate.

“Yes, and it happened on a Christmas day when I was as little as you are.” Studies have shown that during the last two weeks of the year there is a four hundred per cent increase in new dental cavities. In addition, more than half of the existing caries deteriorate to the extent whereby painful symptoms begin to manifest. But why is it that this exacerbation of dental disease generally takes place at Christmas time?

A global survey was done to find out what is the most common food relished especially during the Christmas season. The researchers examined the ten most widespread items consumed in over eighty countries. They came up with: Christmas Cookies, Christmas Candy, Pumpkin Pecan Pie, Cranberry Sauce, Candied Sweet Potatoes, Egg Nog, Apple Cider, Roasted/Baked Turkey and Leg of Lamb. In France, the Yule Log Cake symbolizes Christmas.

In Germany, Christmas tradition must include a cookie covered in powdered sugar. In Italy, stuffoli is a muffin with hazelnut eaten mainly at Christmas.

Technically, it is not the elevated and relatively frequent increase of that sucrose (sugar) ingestion during the festive season is to be blamed. In fact, sugar and carbohydrates cannot cause your teeth to decay or even pain. It is the acid produced from these foods that actually does the damage. Apart from this, there is the common lapse in maintaining oral hygiene concomitant with the disruption in routine personal activities which occur during the festive season.

A famous dentist wittingly remarked once that “people have always liked a sweet tooth, but sweet never liked the tooth.” Cakes, sweets, chocolates and dried fruits are among the most cariogenic (caries-forming) foods in existence, and they are eaten indiscriminately at this time of the year. The bacteria of dental plaque ferment these substances quite readily to produce the acid that erodes the tooth’s enamel, causing caries.

In Australia, Cuba, England and the United States, each citizen consumes over one hundred pounds of sugar a year. I spent three years in Cuba, and a slice of cake literally dripped sugar syrup. As in these countries, those who sell sugar,

sweets and beverages in Guyana experience between three and fivefold increase in sales during the Christmas season.

Ask any soft drink vendor how is sales during the Christmas season as compared to the rest of the year. And by the way, soft drinks attack and destroy teeth far faster than bacteria because of its corrosive effect on the enamel. Drink with a straw if you have to use these beverages.

Perhaps the worst news of all is that high levels of sugar in

your diet damage your brain. And this happens for three main reasons: firstly, sugar dramatically increases your metabolism, and high rates of metabolism become a major source of free radical production. Think of these as inert particles in your body, damaging your cells and impairing their function. They have been scientifically incriminated in the initiating scores of diseases, ranging from cancer to heart disease. Secondly, high levels of sugar in your body causes the sugar to react with various critical proteins, including enzymes that repair DNA ( the main genetic component) damage caused by the free radicals. Thirdly, continued high sugar consumption prevents your cells from absorbing the sugar needed to produce energy. This condition is called insulin resistance. A recent study found a high incidence of insulin resistance in those with Alzheimer’s dementia. Incidentally, the worst form of sugar is high fructose corn syrup. My advice is never to buy any food or drink that

has that as an ingredient.

What, then, can the average person do to counteract the destructive consequence of the prevailing neglect and abuse at this time of the year, apart from obeying the conventional health laws? Though largely impractical in our context, avoiding the use of foods containing natural sugar would certainly be a valuable starting base.

A person’s attitude should reflect an understanding of the mechanism of action of the disease process. Preventative methods may thereafter be concluded effectively without professional advice.

A tooth cannot decay unless acid is involved. The sustained contact of the acid on the tooth’s surface is enhanced by the plaque which contains the bacteria and its food (sugar). One of the most powerful mouthwashes can be made easily at home. All that is needed is half a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate (baking or eating soda) mixed in a cup (8 ounces) of water. Incidentally, one should not be confused between baking powder and baking soda. Baking powder basically contains some soda mixed with flour and other substances. The mouthwash should be bottled, and kept at hand.

After a meal of cake or similar delicacy, rinse the mouth first then agitate a mouthful of the liquid for at least fifteen seconds allowing free contact with every tooth. The intention is for the soda to neutralize the acid produced by the bacteria.

As an emergency measure for a sever toothache, crush a clove and place it in the cavity. A fluoride containing toothpaste may also be of help. Avoid sweet foods. Do not substitute the clove for aspirin because the problem can be compounded due to aspirin being acid. Chewing a clove can also freshen the breath when an alcohol scent causes embarrassment. Contact your dentist at the earliest convenience.

Have a happy and caries – free Festive Season!

Guyanese students at Cave Hill...

Hill, a Guyanese was the “Student of the Year”, based on academics, and many other Rif-Raffs achieved high academic honours.

To mark the first Anniversary of GUYSA, a number of events were staged, including a Motivational Forum, with Guyana’s Consul General, Ms. Cita Pilgrim, delivering an address on “Opportunities in the Land of Many Waters.” Ms. Pilgrim reminded the members of GUY-SA that they were young ambassadors of their country, and that by showcasing Guyana’s culture they were educating others about their country.

She stressed that Guyana had a vast undeveloped land mass and that agriculture would continue to be a major contributor to

the economy. She noted that it is a well-established fact that for Guyana to benefit in a significant way from the development of its agriculture sector, there needed to be greater concentration on the development of new value-added products to boost the current revenue from the primary product, and to develop further agro-processing aspects of the industry.

The Consul General further stated that an area in which the Guyana Government had been forging ahead was the development of a green economy: “We have agreements with a number of international partners, such as the Netherlands, Norway, and Germany, for assistance in the protection and the sustainable

development of our vast natural resources.

“A pivotal arm of the greening process is, of course, the sustainable development of renewable sources of energy. Our numerous rivers provide us with enormous potential for hydropower development.”

She also pointed out that the Guyana Government was keenly aware that measures had been taken to reduce the high level of youth unemployment, which stood at 40% for both qualified and unqualified young people, and recognized that it must provide an enabling environment for youth employment and youth entrepreneurship. Thus the GUYSA students were of tremendous interest to the government, and to her consulate, who

◄◄◄ From page VI

were hoping that they would return home to share the benefits of their education and not let their mother country continue losing young talent to foreign lands.

In closing, Ms. Pilgrim told the Guyanese students that their country was poised for major economic and industrial transformation. “With strong vision, imagination, courage and knowledge, this can happen, I encourage you as future leaders to get on board and make your valuable contributions to the process.”

GUY-SA has made a start by demonstrating the path that Guyanese who study abroad can follow to truly lead our country’s future successes.

folklore

VIII

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

By Neil Primus

RIVER BANTER

By Neil Primus

BASIL and Thelma were heading home from the farm after a long, exhausting day of work. It was around 4pm and the canoe was loaded with fruits and provisions harvested from their farm. The breeze was brisk and pushed at their backs as if it were encouraging them to hasten home. Birds swooped towards the water scooping up fish, and animals in the jungle on both banks of the river screeched and cawed to make their presence known. The black opaque water glistened in the fierce sunlight. The couple kept paddling. They still had far to go. Soon the light began to fade. Darkness crept in quickly, eating up the light.

From a few hundred yards away, the water seemed to take shape. A ripple became a surge, then the surge grew into a small wave.

Pretty soon the small wave took on gigantic proportions. It looked like a local tsunami and it was gaining speed and heading for the couple who were in the middle of the river.

Their only response was panic. They both knew that they stood no chance of reaching the safety of either bank. They were caught right out in the open. As the large wall of water approached, Basil could see a huge figure behind it. He knew right away that it was a Masacura Man and it was about to make a double kill.

Thelma began to wail and bawl at the top of her voice. She had a very loud voice and the sound of her crying crashed into the bushes on either side of the river, causing pandemonium among animals that had already settled down for the night.

Basil looked at his wife and wondered

how she could scream so easily. He had often been at the receiving end of her short-fused temper and constant nagging. He knew he was no Saint. He would often drink too much piwari and go home drunk and disorderly.

Now both their lives were about to be snuffed out. In desperation, Thelma implored him to give the creature anything it wanted in order that their lives be spared. Basil shouted at the top of his voice so that it could reach beyond the wall of water.

“If yo spare us we gone give you one whole boat load of food!”

The wave dissolved. They had struck a deal. An oath had been made.

From down the river, in the direction the wave had come, came the sound of voices raised in drunken argument. One voice tried to croak a song. This annoyed all the frogs in the neighbourhood. They all croaked their disapproval, which made things sound as if the frog kingdom was under attack. This horrible confusion of sound seemed to trigger an immediate response from the creature.

All at once a small ripple formed. This grew into a wave, which then exploded into

a giant wall of moving water. This mass of destruction sped toward the boat in which the three drunk inhabitants lay sprawled. More importantly, it went away from the terrified couple Crash!

The water hit the boat so hard that it cracked open, spilling its content into the water and straight towards the now angry creature. Screams were heard as the wave rolled over the craft.

This was the opportunity that Basil needed. With desperate strokes of the paddle, the couple rowed for the nearest river bank.

When they got to the bank, Basil was about to throw the provision and fruits into the river “Wat you doing?” you mad or wat!”

Thelma gave him a sound tongue- lashing.

She called him stupid, fool and idiot. The other names cannot be mentioned because of their spicy nature.

In order to please her and have a little peace, he agreed to keep their entire load.

Thelma called the Masakura Man all sorts of names and laughed at how easily it had been fooled. They settled down for the night. They would continue their journey the next morning. The journey was completed the following day without any further incident. Soon their experience was completely forgotten.

One month later, Thelma was returning home after visiting friends upriver.

As she paddled towards the approaching darkness, she saw a movement in the water. A ripple became a wave and the wave a great wall of water. Behind the wall of destruction was a creature out for revenge.

This time poor Thelma had nothing in the empty canoe to bargain with. Her screams echoed across the dark landscape.

Christmas at Uncle Eddie’s Home

By Michel Outridge

THE EXPECTATIONS of residents of Uncle Eddie’s Home, located at 826-829 Jackson Street, Tucville, Georgetown, are high, since most of them will be going to spend Christmas with their children, grandchildren and other relatives.

During a visit to the geriatric home, which is managed by a committee, a resident, Jean Dey, said she would be spending the holidays with her children and grandchildren at Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo.

She was in high spirits as she fondly spoke of her loved ones with whom she says she will have a good time.

The 74-year-old woman told the Guyana Chronicle that she has been a resident at the institution for three months, and describe a her stay there as alright.

Uncle Eddie’s Home

She is the mother of five, and during the season she plans to ‘take things easy’ as she

has her wish of being with her family for Christmas.

Mrs. Dey said Christmas back in the day was different, and although she missed those times, she was hoping for newer experiences.

As for spritely Gilbert Boyce, he will be spending the season very quietly at the Home with his children.

At 69, Mr. Boyce said, his ‘golden years’ are mostly spent in a wheelchair because he is an amputee as a result of his diabetic condition.

He related that his days at the home is spend with folks his age but he misses his six children and is excited to see them.

Mr. Boyce disclosed that he was a very active person, being a mechanical superintendent. He spent many years working and when he lost his leg he became despondent.

However, after two years he was coping Turn to page XV ►►►

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

IX

Happy Holidays!

Hello Everyone, I HOPE this week has treated you well.

The big day has finally arrived. To all those celebrating, I hope you are having the most amazing time. To those who aren’t, I hope you are using the day to relax and spend time with your loved ones anyway.

Christmas Day has always been my favourite day of the year. Most importantly, how I feel about it and what I enjoy the most have evolved and grown with me over time.

When I was a child, nothing made me happier than to see the gifts pile up under the tree, like most I’m sure. Now I get a quarter of the presents I used to get, but the same excitement comes from the simplest of things. I feel genuinely happy when I hear my sister sing her favourite carols. I feel instant joy when I see Christmas decorations – specifically the lit up park on Church Road, the trees on Main Street and the Bank of Guyana’s architectural light decorations.

Unfortunately, since we are dealing with mental health, I do need to speak about the negative possibilities that Christmas brings to so many. Let’s get that out of the way, so I can end on a more positive note and hopefully bring joy and understanding to those who may be suffering today.

As much as we love the holidays, it can be quite stressful and impact both our mental and physical health. Christmas can intensify mental illness. The added stress, pressure and financial strain that come with the holidays can cause anxiety, anger, disruptions in eating and sleeping patterns as well as increased levels of depression and suicidal thoughts. Even if we do not have an existing mental illness, it affects us as it disrupts our daily routines which automatically helps us to function better and keep our stress levels down. I believe that society puts special significance on Christmas as ‘family time; which on the surface may seem harmless. However, the expectations this brings can place added pressure on already strained relationships.

Many spend time with their friends and families, but just as many are distanced and isolat-

ed from theirs. Others have recently lost loved ones, and the grief can be especially poignant at Christmas.

The celebration of Christmas and New Year more often than not also involves an abundance of food and alcohol. Taking a drink over the holidays does tend to make you feel more relaxed – no one is disputing that. However, most of us know from experience what too much alcohol can cause – headaches, nausea, impaired judgement, accidents, hangovers etc. It is also important to remember that alcohol is a depressant, so drinking excessive amounts can result in irritability, low mood, lack of sleep etc.

During Christmas especially, it can increase family problems and unintentional injuries.

Overindulgence during the holidays does not only occur with alcohol, but with food also.

This will result in similar physical ailments as well as feelings of irritability, low mood and self-confidence etc.

Now, let’s talk about the many benefits of Christmas.

When we think of Christmas, many things, such as holiday leave, indulgence, family time and presents, enter our mind.

While I did state above that these have faults, like anything else, they also have wonderful benefits.

For the lucky ones, family traditions come out at Christmas. Whether it is opening pres-

ents while eating breakfast together, ‘ Home Alone’ or carolling together, family traditions unite all generations and create memories that strengthen the family unit.

This happens as most people are in a better mood during this holiday season. I am certain that I smile and laugh more at Christmas than at any other time of the year. This is great, as my research shows that a good

belly laugh lowers blood pressure and stress while increasing mood and general immune system functioning.

The season also allows for us to be more personally social. We actually see most of our friends and family face-to-face rather than on a screen. This type of communicaTurn to page X ►►►

X ◄◄◄ From page IX

tion drastically improves our mental health and physical well-being. The season is also a baby booming one – my research shows that condom sales double in December. Slightly inappropriate I know, but completely true.

I also love Christmas as it keeps me in the now. Very often, when I’m out having a good time, I tend to think of what I have to do or what I should be doing. I notice that I do not feel that way during the holidays - I enjoy my time off, I enjoy every conversation and I

enjoy the present moment.

Finally, and most importantly, Christmas expands generosity and gratitude – the giving and receiving of presents. You do not have to conduct scientific studies to come to the conclusion that giving and receiving gifts come with an emotional high. Forget receiving for a second, the selfless act of giving strongly correlates with happiness, and has uncontrollable benefits. We all know that feeling of giving someone special a gift that we know they will love. I believe that money cannot buy happiness, unless you spend it

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

on other people. Giving is contagious. Most of us have seen these social media videos of people receiving kindness and then paying it forward – these are real. When we give, we aren’t only giving to the immediate recipient, but we are creating a ripple effect of kindness and generosity that may reach even hundreds of other people which we have not yet met. Be a part of that chain!

If you are still worried about how you’re going to get through today and the reminder of the season, here are some simple tips for keeping your Mental Health good and stable.

1. Keep exercising. If you haven’t been doing it at all, do it. This releases good endorphins as well as keep you happy and energetic. Also, considering the amount of food and alcohol one might consume, it couldn’t hurt.

2. Decide which events and activities are the most significant and only do those. Try not to over exert yourself.

3. Have realistic expectations of what these events are going to be. Some people aren’t nicer with the season.

4. Get your sleep!

5. Be charitable.

6. Take some personal time and relax.

7. Keep healthy –Eat well! Again, all that eating and drinking has too many negative side effects.

8. Speak to a professional, if needed.

When I told people that I was writing this article, I received a bit of negative feedback.

Some people told me that they do not appreciate Christmas because of the marketing and consumerism aspects. I tend to respect everyone’s opinion, but it doesn’t mean that I need to agree. We are living in almost inhumane times - not just in Guyana but all around the world. I believe we all just want to be happy, to feel loved and at peace. What better time to push for that than now, when the feelings of joy and appreciation are everywhere we look – the decorations, the words and songs streaming through our radios and television? Try to relax and enjoy it. To some of you: I understand that you are going through a difficult time and this may be very hard, but do your best to feel joy, take part in the festivities, or go to someone you trust and confide in them.

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 meetingsWednesdays 4:15 Suicide Prevention Helpline numbers: 223-0001, 223-0009, 623-4444, 600-7896 Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

MERRY Christmas everyone! With the spirit of the season in full swing, I thought I’d use this opportunity to write about one of the most popular holiday themes in art history. The title “Adoration of the Magi” is traditionally used to describe the nativity scene in art where the three Magi (also called Wise Men or kings) followed the Star of Bethlehem all the way to the newborn saviour, Jesus. Once there, the Magi presented the young King with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to honour his arrival.

This pilgrimage is described in Matthew 2:2 in which the Magi ask, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” In some cases, the Adoration of the Shepherds from the Gospel of Luke (2:8-20) would be combined to expand the range of human figures and animals present in the composition. This was common during the 15th century, and continued long after, where the two scenes would either be presented in contrast with each other or together as part of a central Nativity scene. The first extant painting on this theme was the 2nd century fresco done in the Priscilla Catacomb of Rome.

But how did we come to be familiar with the nativity scene in the first place? How did it become such a permanent fixture in the festive season? Very few persons are knowledgeable of

XI

to be reminded that Jesus was born a poor child in a manger, and not a rich king in a palace. It was such a progressive idea at the time that he needed to write to Pope Honorius III for permission before proceeding with the live but silent performance.

Although there was no mention of an ox or donkey in the Gospel recounting the birth of Jesus, St. Francis added the live animals to the scene because he felt people needed to remember that Jesus was born among the animals. In many ways, he used them as a metaphor for the humility everyone should cling on to during the celebratory season. Since then, the two animals have maintained a relatively strong and consistent presence in most renderings of the theme.

Typically, many Nativity scene paintings depict the three Magi in adoration before the infant Jesus and his mother, Mary.

Some variations in the composition include the absence of the ox, donkey, and at times even Joseph himself. The treatment of the background also varies wildly, and could be pictured as anything from a kind of cave-like shelter to a stable or an inn.

Although there have been thousands of depictions of this particular scene, I wanted to highlight the Adoration of the Magi as interpreted by the German engraver and painter Albrecht Dürer. His 1504 portrayal of the Magi was commissioned by Frederick the Turn to page XIII ►►► Wise, Elector

the fact that the tradition originated roughly 800 years ago. It was St. Francis of Assisi who, in 1223, staged the first Nativity scene in a cave outside the town of Greccio, Italy on Christmas Eve night.

The driving force behind St. Francis’s decision to stage the scene was believed to be his disgust with the rampant greed in Italy at the time. He was convinced that his fellow men needed

XII

By Rabindra Rooplall MANY families geared for a tech-tastic Christmas, and they were not disappointed.

Gone are the days when a spinning top or wind-up car was the pinnacle of toy technology. Nowadays kids expect their toys to connect to the Internet, pair with smart devices, and let them join in the latest tech trends,

Spending a tech-tastic Christmas

often before their parents. To help you (and Santa) keep up, kids in the 21st century

have more demands and choices than I could have ever envisage 20 years ago.

Amongst the 2016 best gift ideas for kids, many collectively agree that they are interested in gadgets, the most popular being the electronic tablet with Inter-

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016 Whatever your budget, places such as STARR Computer, Gizmos and Gadgets, Game Express, The Gift Centre, The Giftland Mall and many other places have deals that give parents the opportunity to afford gadgets for their children.

net access.

Rather than take technology out of their lives, there are smart gadgets out there that can help kids develop programming skills while providing them with a safe environment to explore, play and grow.

Renee Thornhill relaxing on her Lenovo Tablet, browsing the Internet at home

Many parents collectively agree that they would have liked to fork out thousands of dollars on tech gifts, spending to fulfil their children’s Christmas wishes, but some saw such acts as a pricey investment.

Tablets topped the charts for the most wanted present, being bought by one in four parents, while video games remain popular among the boys.

Fourteen-year-old Sarah Harrell said she preferred a laptop computer, followed by an X-Box video game. “I love gaming on the Internet because it really takes up your free time and keeps you entertained. The Internet surfing teaches you a lot of educational things,” the East Coast Demerara resident said.

Jordon Ross,8, said that Turn to page XIV ►►►

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

Princess Hotel Amusement Park

XIII

All the rage these days

By Tamica Garnett AS the entertainment industry in Guyana continues to boom, the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel is looking to keep on top of the game, and last Saturday officially opened its “Fun Park” amusement park at its Providence, East Bank Demerara location.

There’s the exciting Pirate Ship, the rotating Flowers Ride, the Candy Paradise, the Carousel, the bumper cars, and so much more that makes this the place to be if you’re looking for thrills and excitement. Not to mention the wellstocked concessions bar, which is every kid’s dream come true, from chocolate fountain and cotton candy to its hot dogs and boiled corn.

And if you’re old enough to remember the travelling carnivals that came to Guyana in the past, or if you’ve ever enjoyed the rides that used to be a part of the GuyExpo experience, then you are going to love the Ramada amusement park.

And it doesn’t even matter if you’re not old enough to remember any of those things, because the Ramada comes with attractions that cater to just about any age, no matter how old or young you are.

JAM-PACKED The Park comes jam-packed with rides and attractions, but don’t let that have you thinking that the place is by any means clustered or confusing. The layout is well done; everything is well spaced, though the entire thing is enclosed.

But be warned! There are rides that will thrill and rides that will scare some of us.

The pendulum Pirate Ship is just one such ride that is not for the faint of heart. Able to seat 30 persons at a time, the ride takes you almost to the roof, and will have you screaming to come down.

But don’t worry! Like all rides, it’s completely safe; seatbelts and

The thrilling Pirate Ship ride

everything!

Another screamer is probably going to be the crazy-dance ride, which also swings like a pendulum, but also spins. The bumper cars will be all the rage though, and for those who want to stick to the less scary end of things, there’s the carousel, which seats 24. There’s also a sand box area.

Naturally, some of the attractions come with age and height limits for safety reasons.

part, enjoying it all the more because everything was free for the day.

The Park complements the Hotel’s “Fun City”, which already comes with the full quota of arcade games.

Fun Park Manager Huseyin Deminel explained, though, that while the Fun City facility is one that more caters to young children and teens, the amusement park is going to be for all ages.

“We figured that Guyana needs a bigger amusement park to which families can come altogether. Fun City is a nice entertainment centre, but we were thinking only children or teenagers would come there.

But with the Park, all the family members can come, with very nice rides for them to ride all together,” the Turkey-born electronic engineer said just before he took us on a tour of the facility.

And the prices for the rides are not exorbitant at all. As prices go in Guyana, theirs

“ain’t bad”. Entrance into the Park is free, and you only pay for the rides that you go on. Prices per turn on the rides range from $200 – $500. The payment system is much like the one at the already established Fun City at the Hotel.

HOW IT WORKS How it works is that you buy a Fun Park card for which you add “credits”, each of which is $100.

If you already have a Fun City card, then no sweat! The cards are interchangeable. This, of course, means you can also use your Fun Park card at the Fun City.

The Park opens daily from 12:00 to 13:00hrs, but it doesn’t actually really get busy until late in the evening, and of course weekends.

The facility is just behind the hotel, on the northern side, so as soon as you enter the compound, turn left.

And don’t worry! Before long you won’t have any worries with finding it, because there will be a shuttle train conveying patrons to and from the Park.

Going for a drive on the bumper cars

FIRST OF ITS KIND Though Guyana has other entertainment complexes and play parks, this amusement park is the first of its kind to be established in such a big way in Guyana.

The Fun Park officially opened to much fanfare and crowds. Its symbolic ribbon was cut by General Manager Eray Kanma, and then eager patrons got on to the fun

◄◄◄ From page XI

of Saxony, for the altar of the Schlosskirche in Wittenberg, and is considered by many to be one of his most significant works produced between 1494 and 1505.

His interpretation of the Nativity scene features six figures in the foreground: the Holy Mother and Christ Child, the three Magi and a man who is either taking something out of a bag or putting something in, on the right side of the picture plane. Many scholars believe that the most central, standing figure is actually Albrecht himself, as he had a penchant for inserting himself into many religious narratives. More figures are visible in the background, some on horseback and others on

foot. Also in the background is a stretch of architectural ruins and quite a few arches placed along a diagonal extending from the top left of the painting to the bottom right, guiding the viewer’s gaze along the way. Closer examination of the background elements reveals in the distant a man on horseback at the foot of a hill with a white flag looming over him. Further up the hill appears to be a kind of city mounted atop the slopes of the hill, with a body of water visible below it.

Coming back to the foreground figures, sure enough, the ox and donkey are pictured in Dürer’s interpretation of the Nativity scene.

They are found to the left of the picture plane in a shelter behind the Holy Mother, almost nudging her back. Mary sits in profile with

her son in her lap. He is reaching out for and collecting, the gift box presented by the eldest king, who is on his knees in a posture of humility. The second king, who was painted in the artist’s own image, stands facing the viewer, but his gaze is in the direction of the third king, who is of African descent.

Dürer’s use of diagonal lines of movement throughout the composition creates a cohesive and equally dynamic perspective that helps to balance the painting's composition. Additionally, his placement of the free standing arches neither crowds the background nor conflicts with the figures in the foreground. Instead, there is a sense of airiness despite his inclusion of quite a number of elements strategically placed throughout the entire picture plane.

In other words, Dürer has made effective use of every square inch of the painting without “doing too much.”

I wouldn’t go into detail about the incredible symbolism evident in his work, but it should also be noted that Dürer was heavily influenced by Italian architecture, landscapes and Da Vinci’s treatment of them. Even the poses of the central figures are reminiscent of Da Vinci’s style.

With that, I do hope that you enjoy this painting as much as I do. As you sip on your sorrel drink, take some time to contemplate this magnificent painting. You will be sure to discover something new and exciting with each viewing. Best wishes to all for this beautiful day and the New Year ahead!

XIV

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

Throne Room Expressions presents

Christmas in the street for Lindeners

By Vanessa Braithwaite A FEW DAYS BACK, the Christmas spirit came alive in Mackenzie, Linden as members of the Christian organization Throne Room Expressions, presented its second annual event called Christmas in the Street.

Republic Avenue was filled with residents who came from Worship Dancers dressed as every nook and cranny to get Angels flap their white wings to a glimpse of the wonderful the rhythm of Christmas Carols on display by the dancers and Republic Avenue singers in an array of colourful costumes. and braving the rain drops and winds, they The anxious crowd braving the inclement weather was in for a full treat stayed to the very end with the crowd only and they were completely satisfied by the increasing as the curtains came to a close. Coordinator of the event and founder of Throne banquet of dance and song.

What was more fascinating was the arrival Room Expressions Shandra Robertson told of a fully dressed King Jesus enthroned on his the Guyana Chronicle that Christmas in the lofty throne stamping his authority as King of Street was expressing Christ in art. In this his earthly kingdom which was demonstrated case it was dancing, sing and acting. The in the form of a globe which he proudly held event is the second of its kind and whiles last upwards for all to see. Dancers portraying year’s episode occurred in the evening and angels flapped their wings to the plethora of focused on Christ the baby, this year the focus dance moves to Christmas carols showing was Christ the King.

The event caters for those who love art the crowd that they too accept Jesus as King and the true reason for the Christmas season. and sends a message that Christ is the reason The entire event lasted for hours and for the season and his coming is fast apthough the scores of spectators were standing proaching. “If you love art whether it’s dance

The anxious crowd who braved the inclement weather to get a glimpse of the performances

◄◄◄ From page XII

his favorite gadget was the tablet because of the games and things that can be learned on the device. The Primary School student said he would love to have the gifts of his choice for Christmas.

Renee Thornhill said she prefers a tablet since it is like a small portable computer that can also access the internet while apps give the options of various applications whether educational or entertaining.

“We love tech, but Christmas is about something more isn’t it? It’s one of the few times in the year where we put down our smartphones to pull crackers, eat baked chicken and just sit and talk to each other,” one parent said.

Parents complain that what’s changing is that the once occasional tech gift has become standard with parents now struggling to

spend cash each year on gifts for their kids.

The thing is, one mother noted, was that the pressure of meeting the astronomical giftd is proving too much for many, as nearly half of all parents can’t afford the gadget their child wants most.

Parents who do manage to deliver a topnotch tech gift are also likely to lose out on quality time, as nearly a third will let their child spend more than three hours playing with gadgets on Christmas Day. Astonishingly, one in ten will allow their child to be absorbed by tech for more than 5 hours.

Just when are these families meant to fit in the mandatory ill-fated game of Monopoly?

By all means, buy your teen a second-hand smartphone; buy your dad a smart watch and spend an hour explaining how to use it. But don’t miss out on the holiday’s best bits because of our obsession with tech.

at every single practice session at Mackenzie High, in an effort to put on a perfect Christmas in the Street. She also spoke of the parents who allowed their children to be present at these sessions though sometimes it went late in the nights. The end result, though was indeed gratifying as days after the event concluded, it was still the talk of the town.

Worship Dancers in colourful costumes also captivated the crowd at the Christmas in the Street event

or singing, it’s just a way of expressing Christ and to show that his return is imminent,” Shandra said. She boasted of the overwhelming support from both the community and members of various churches across Linden who provided their dancers and singers to fully participate. “The support was great and even though it was raining persons stayed to the very end at one time someone came out and started distributing GTT umbrellas to the people.” A little rain was nothing for the spectators whose feet were swept away with the breathtaking dance moves.

Several Pastors also took the opportunity in delivering a prayer for Linden and for the nation. The Globe held by King Jesus was in the form of a Guyana flag which signified the need to take Jesus globally. Not only were young people participants but mature folks also wowed the crowd with their performances.

PREPARATION PERIOD Shandra spoke of the dedication and commitment displayed by the participants who, weeks before the event, were present

She revealed that Christmas in the street will be an annual event as it is already something that is being looked forward to by residents. “Persons were already asking if we would be getting it and so it will be a yearly something as the idea is to present Christ as long as the massage comes across clear and that persons will be able to understand that is return is imminent.”

Christmas in the street indeed jolted the Christmas feeling in many persons who were not in the holiday spirit as yet. “I really enjoyed the program, some of the dances grew my skin, it was like the Holy Spirit was moving about and it really makes people realize that Jesus in the reason for the season,” one spectator said. “It was nice to see King Jesus all dressed up in his robe and all, it makes you want to celebrate Christmas for the right reason, I was also happy to see a lot of young people getting involved in the dancing and so, it is good that they have been taken up in religious activities rather than partying and drinking,” another said.

Eight year old Jordon Ross and fourteen year old Sarah Harrell testing out their choices on their wish list for Christmas at STARR Computer, Brickdam

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016 ◄◄◄ From page VIII

with his inability to walk and is surrounded by friends of the home, who keeps his company.

“I don’t want no black cake or nothing fancy, I would like to have a “drink”…an alcoholic one, that would be fine,” he said.

Another resident, Lucille Lall, told this newspaper that she was an only child for her parents, who have passed away. She is the mother of one child, a son.

She said that she would spend the season at the home with the other folks there, since she finds it difficult to walk around, and with her high blood pressure, diabetes and her eye problem, she doesn't go out alone.

Mrs. Lall says she wants a peaceful Christmas, and that was what she was expecting, having been housed at the location for the past nine months.

Compton Larson said a lot had changed over the years, and he had adapted to his situation being in a geriatric home for six years.

He would be visiting his sister and his niece for Boxing Day, since he would not go out on Christmas Day. The 83-year-old says he has an eye disability which caused his career to end prematurely as a welder at the Wales Sugar Estate. Mr. Larson disclosed that his wish this year is to see his children, three of whom he hasn’t seen in many years because they had migrated to Suriname.

With his divorced finalized, he feels lonely at times, but thanks to his fellow elders at the home, he has good company.

Mr. Larson said he lost a sister this year, but has two others; and sometimes they would visit him, and at the home he tries to do his own washing and so on.

For Christmas, Mr. Larson says, he will indulge in some drinks in the form of juices.

Uncle Eddie’s Home is manned by 15 employees on a shift system to cater to 24 residents, both males and females, who pay a monthly rent.

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Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

"Do not allow yourselves to be disheartened by any failure as long as you have done your best." - Mother Teresa

The Glitter Continues...

Spread love and joy this season with more glitter! the way: • It doesn't matter what order you apply makeup foundation first or foundation after glitter application...glitter is the boss, and the only way to remove it is through aggressive measures.

• Tape, tape, tape is always useful and handy and easy to clean up, but it also removes makeup if applied after foundation sets into skin.

• To avoid mishaps, and alleviate the fallout from glitter bombs. Always, always, use powder.

• Powder is your best friend...powder absorbs oils, and it's the lubricity and adhesive quality of oil that attracts glitter.

When applying makeup we must go about it as a symphony does in an orchestra...or an army in a base camp. It's a series of events, a group of people in order, in synchrony, uniting and working together for a greater good, and a higher calling. The result is always beautiful when different elements work together.

The face should be seen in three whole parts at all times Eyes, Lips, Face...the nose being the nucleus of the Holy Trinity, and the centre and cardinal point of the face, but that's another topic!

GLITTER FOR LIPS The skin on the lips are delicate and must

'Tis the season to be jolly, merry, and bright....and there's no better way to achieve brilliance than with glitter.

We've already covered the bases. On all the right ways, products, and the right makeup artist you should choose.

Pat Mcgrath's latest makeup line was absolute and all about shine, liquid metallics in gold, silver, and copper. And as Guyanese, we know all about gold! It's no wonder, we're always thinking bigly in luxury.

Life is a series of events, and we should embrace it in true style and fashion...as Pangloss used to say to Candide "All events are linked together in the best of possible worlds."

We're here on this earth to live and embrace life challenges and events as they come, but first it's imperative to remember our roots, in

a country full of gold, we are gold, we are golden, we are a great and beautiful people.

Especially Guyanese women... lets just keep it real now!

Fearlessly, and fashionably show up to all Christmas parties dawned in full glitter, unless of course you want to be plain, insecure, and purposelessly distracting. Please don't be a distracting, embrace beauty.

As a student, a professional, and a hobbyist with Makeup Artistry my biggest challenge and fears came with manipulating and managing glitter.

I've learned these lessons along

be treated with extra care Use only soft light adhesives when applying glitter on the lips. Petroleum jelly, glitter glue, and eye creams and gels are good mediums to use as an adhesive for glitter.

As a bonus lipstick in any texture tone or viscosity can be used before or after applying glitter dusts.

You can also export some of the products to the back of your hands, mix it with glitter and blend perfectly creating a new look. The hands are good blending palettes and can be used for mixing because it warms up product at the same time.

Always use soft touches and patting motions to apply glitter on lips. This will reduce irritation and allows the pout to protrude perfectly.

GLITTER FOR EYES Place excessive powder under the eyes, creating a slight heap, the heap will hold the glitter debris and makes it easier to toss away from the skin. Another method, is to use an underlining product, adhesive tissues, or just plain tissue attached with tape. Those all help, even when glitter manages to be unruly and sneak out onto skin in unwanted areas.

Some are dauntless, and the dauntless have a way of upstaging others and highlighting their importance and significance. As minuscule as an individual tiny glitter may seem, it still manages to refract light. Especially, if it's in a place it wasn't manipulated to be in.

GLITTER FOR FACE Face is in the context refers to every area surrounding the eyes and lips.

Glitter on the face should be subtle at all times, it should be more of a sheen, a glimmer, a shine. If you do use glitter, it should be a light powder dusty texture, the same as powdered sugar. And should be applied on parts of the skin that naturally glows. The parts susceptible to light, that the sun hits: the cheekbones, the tip of the nose, and if you're daring the forehead and chin...the cardinal points of the face.

It's recommended that you use a fluffy powder brush to apply glitter. A mixing medium or any adhesive isn't necessary for this product.

Keep up the fun, embrace the holidays, and glitter mas!

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

‘Tis the Season…

DISABILITIES are not limited to a few ailments.

They encompass an innumerable amount of conditions- physical and mental - too often rendering persons helpless and, confronting them with the grappling horrors of stigma and discrimination.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a disability as, “a umbrella term for impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions.” The WHO also describes a disability as the interaction between the individual with the health condition and the personal and environmental factors exposed to.

There are many care centres across Guyana which care for persons with disabilities. However, while a lot of persons assume that these centres receive adequate support, this is often not the case.

In the spirit of the Christmas season, a group of my friends and I usually visit foster homes or centres that cater for persons with disabilities to try to spread some Christmas cheer in whatever way we can.

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to be compassionate to our friends with disabilities

Saying my good-byes to my little friends while they pleaded with me to come again

This year, we visited the Diamond Special Needs School and spent some time playing with the children and take along a few goodies.

One unfortunate feature noticed at this school, is that while efforts are being fostered to develop the infrastructure, there is a general lack of empathy towards these children because of their disabilities.

Speaking to the Headmistress of this school, Wendy Webster, it was discovered that the school caters for students who have various disabilities, including those disabili-

from another primary school.

Mind you, even mature adults have trouble dealing with the special needs of children with disabilities much less younger, less mature primary school students.

The Headmistress disclosed that there is often some conflict between the two sets of students, since there is a common playing area in the middle of the two schools and a common vendor from which both sets of students buy their goodies.

Due to the inability to communicate ‘normally’ some conflict arises between the two sets of students. She said too, that most times, her children with disabilities are the ones more affected due to a greater level of defencelessness and the taunts and emotional trauma meted out. Webster attested that she has petitioned to higher authorities to have a fence Children of the Diamond Special constructed between the two Needs School enjoying a small schools, but until now, this has game of football with us when been an unrealized solution. we visited While this school is closed now for the Christmas holidays ties which require specialized care like cere- since it is only operational during academic bral palsy to down's syndrome. terms, consider the plight of these children Webster highlighted that the children and how they have to deal with this trauma attending are aged 5-18 years but the school when they get back to school during the new gives primary classes from Grades 1-6 and school term. then secondary classes from Forms 1-3. Much Another problem the school faces is that emphasis is placed on remedial activities and a therapist visits only once every week, for developing the students’ vocational skills so half-day on Mondays. Don’t you feel that that even despite their disabilities, they would having a therapist visit these children is of be able to provide for themselves later in life. utmost importance?

Perhaps the most worrying situation It was explained that some children rethese children in the Diamond Special Needs quire more time and attention than others School are faced with outside of the lack of adequate facilities and personnel, is that they Turn to page XIX ►►► have to share the compound with children

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Marisoli’s journey to Bolivia

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016 soli was now ready to return to the land of her birth.

During last December’s interview, she told this publication that she was planning to return home this year , one which she said was significant in her lifetime.

Firstly , she said Guyana lies deep in her heart since most of her achievements were attained here . Secondly , the Golden Jubilee celebrations in which Guyana celebrated 50 years as a independent nation warmed her heart , since according to her , these shores are now her home , permanently, and each opportunity which arises to celebrate her patriotism she welcomes.

It was not the best of years since there were a few challenges, some Turn to page XXI ►►► of which made

Marisoli and her son Milan shortly after ascending the Copacabana Calvary. Lake Titicaca is in the background

On Friday December 23, two days before Christmas, Marisoli Flores Alima was awakening to the sound of church bells. It was a familiar sound to her restful ears .She was in bed in her homeland Bolivia.

Last Christmas, the naturalised Guyanese told this publication that her heart longed for a trip home. This year Marisoli’s wishes came through and although she will be away from her adopted homeland , spending Christmas in Bolivia , the land of her birth is a dream come through ; ten years later.

Marisoli’s journey to Guyana, including her ability to learn English, settling in the capital city after initial difficulties settling at Moruca in Region One , to finding a job and eventually being one of the better Spanish teachers in the country , is one admired by many.

She moved to Guyana in August 1999, a stranger in a country where English is the primary language and soon after the Spanish –speaking young lady recognized that she needed to adapt to the culture of these shores in order to settle . But that was the past, she had progressed to the state where she is well-known around many quarters, mainly for her love for traditions which she grew –up holding close to her heart.

Fast forward to 2016; Mari-

Marisoli hugs her mother, soon after she arrived home earlier this month

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

As we approach the New Year LAST week this column dealt with a number of the usual Christmas symbols.

Several readers contacted us saying that they found it enlightening and asked us to have a similar offering about the New Year festival. Since today is the last Sunday before the advent of 2017, we decided to make this offering today.

The media, at this time, have traditionally carried pieces of how the New Year is marked or celebrated in different countries of the world leaving the Guyanese reader with a feeling the way we celebrate New Year is not as interesting or unique as in other countries. Actually the way we celebrate New Year is just as unique and interesting as any other country.

The Guyanese New Year celebrations begin on Old Years Day that is 31st December.

It was de rigeur that the house had to be thoroughly cleaned and the furniture brightened or renewed and new clothing had to be worn.

The home-cleaning and renewal of furniture were done in the Christmas week as part of the Christmas preparations but with a strong feeling that it was done for the coming of the New Year as well. This manifested the linkage in Guyana between the Christmas and New Year celebrations. With the cleaning, everyone felt uplifted by the refreshing and pervasive odour of newness in the home.

People tried to pay off any debts they may owe before the arrival of the New Year.

On the day before Old Years Day, resolutions were made as to how one would act and achieve greater success in personal relations, in business and at work during the coming year. Very often people would write down these resolutions. New clothes were laid out which would be worn on the evening of Old Years and a good meal was prepared so that

the New Year would find one well-fed and well-clothed. A final house-cleaning was done on Old Years Day and all dust would have been thrown out during daylight since it brought ill-luck to do so after sundown.

It is important to note that this renewal and the very conscious turning away from the failures, tensions and depressions of the past year is cathartic and allowed Guyanese people to begin the New Year with optimism and strength.

The Guyanese New Year celebrations therefore had a creative psychological value.

Old Years Night was regarded as a continuum into the New Year and many felt that however the arrival of the New Year found one, he or she would have the same pattern of life throughout the year.

Many people go partying or

◄◄◄ From page XVII

because they were unable to communicate quickly. However, due to the ratio of teachers to students, not all students would receive the special care they needed.

The headmistress disclosed that during this coming school term (the Easter term) she was expecting a therapist to be there more often, or all week if possible. She explained that while all of her children needed special care, some students had more serious disabilities than others. Ms. Webster says that a therapist was necessary to help with the speedy treatment of the children.

In addition to the lack of a therapist all week long, the Headmistress pointed out that the therapy room was in need of refurbishment.

Indeed these are children with disabilities. However, they are not disabled children. What many of us overlook, is that despite having a disability or having disabilities, these children are not disabled. These are children with dreams just as any other.

This Christmas season, while enjoying yourself, reflect on those among us who aren’t fortunate enough to celebrate the way we can. Reflect on the stigma and discrimination faced by all persons with disabilities - not just these children from the Diamond Special Needs School - and strive to show some more compassion and empathy towards them.

Take some time off too, to spread some cheer with those among us who really need that extra attention and the extra cheer. There are so many Christmas drives available and even if you can’t make tangible contributions, spending some time with our little friends with disabilities is just as welcomed.

dancing into the New Year, being convinced that they would remain relaxed and happy for the rest of the year. At twelve midnight, there is a burst of noise everywhere, whether it is the firing off of guns by the army or the ships' sirens or the squibs and other noise-makers; the old superstition is that such noise will exorcise ill-luck.

In Guyana and other English-speaking countries Robert Burns' famous song "Auld lang syne" is one of the songs which is linked with the New Year. This song awakens nostalgia, good-fellowship, friendship and fraternity. During or after the song or music, toasts to friends, absent and present, and to loved ones are drunk. Some families and individuals would have the New Year find them praying for God's help and protection and this religious element does form part of the beginning of the year. The New Year festival is ofcourse purely secular and though the Christian festival of Epiphany falls on 5th January, the two festivals have

XIX remained distinct without any connection.

The most common New Year symbols are as small baby representing the birth of the New Year, an old man dressed in his sleeping gown representing the year which is about to die, champagne glasses representing the common practice of toasting friends, and bells representing the Church bells which help to ring in the New Year. The 1st of January is the international and secular New Year's Day but in Guyana there are also two religious New Years, the Hindu and Muslim, based on the lunar calendar, The adherents of these Faiths do observe their respective New Years and the Hindu New Year, Phagwah is a public holiday which is widely celebrated, but it is the moral and ethical aspects of the festival that are stressed and not the New Year's aspect.

The 1st January is however celebrated by people of all Faiths and they all vigourously celebrate it.

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Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

Spending Christmas home away from home They grew up together in the North West District , enjoyed the countryside customs and even though they are miles apart , the quartet is trying to upkeep the traditions of Christmas , an ideal which keeps them together.

Indra Jagdeo , Nicola Wessling , Shivon Rammit and Kezia Walton attended school together in the Mabaruma Sub-Region . Their most treasured years were spent at the North West Secondary School (NWSS) and as the years progressed, they grew to love each other’s company, learn and share their skills and values and kept contact almost daily, thanks to social media.

Kezia , Shivon and Indra grew up at Wauna , a remote community outside Region One ‘s administrative capital Mabaruma, while Nicola grew up at Port Kaituma also in

the region.

Kezia and Shivon currently live in Guyana while their two friends migrated to New York in the United States several years ago.

After their secondary school years, they all relocated to the capital city from the North West in a move aimed at enhancing their lives. For them, celebrating Christmas traditions in their childhood years has left lasting impressions on their minds.

Kezia spent her early Christmas years at Farm Corps, a small community which no longer exists due to migration.

It was located some 10 miles outside of Wauna. She said the season was always “like one family, plenty love and laugher”.

The neighbours and their children were always busy and talked with each other at every opportune moment. ”Even though

Kezia prepares to travel downtown during a rainy day recently

you are not related by blood, you are like family “she said.

She said at this time of year, she misses her late father the most, since he was the family’s designated baker. ”I would miss him the most because he is no more there, even though we would go back home, he is missed a lot“, she added.

She said she has now settled in the capital city and according to her the persons she grew up with are no longer at Wauna.”The traditions have changed over the past years and Turn to page XXI ►►►

Nicola , left stands alongside her mother and Indra in New York’s Manhattan several days ago

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016 relatives would gather at a central “family “and cook. “They would have these yard fowls you know, which we enjoyed eating”, she recalled.

Since leaving her hometown in 2005 to move to Georgetown, Christmas has not been the same for Indra since

◄◄◄ From page XX

even though I would go back I don’t think I would enjoy Christmas as how I use to enjoy it when I was growing up”, she added.

Shivon , who moved to the city several years ago recounted the eating of many foods as a special memory she has of Christmas at Central Wauna , her hometown . She said that she enjoyed the hospitality which was evident in her childhood days where persons would stop at the homes of friends and relatives and always find something to eat or drink. She said she spent Christmas at Wauna last year and it was memorable.

Indra moved to New York in recent times. She enjoys the company of Nicola, who also lives in New York and the two would socialise at any given opportunity, even though their busy schedules in the Big Apple are sometimes hectic.

Indra grew up at the village of Kamwatta outside Wauna . She recalled NEOCOL, the former National Edible Oil Company Limited, which promoted Christmas activities in the area and business persons from the area would sell toys and food at fairly cheap prices. ”Christmas day in general we always would look forward to at least one gift “, she said. She recalled receiving a kitchen set for a toy one year but devastatingly, she lost the spoons!

She noted that the children would also share their toys while the households of most

mit tries Shivon Ram odeling m at nd ha her recently

Marisoli stands alongside her brothers in Bolivia ◄◄◄ From page XVIII

her stronger as a mother of three, but going home to the land of her birth was the climax of her 2016 plans.

After classes ended at The Georgetown International School College (formerly known as the American School) earlier this month where she teaches Spanish, Marisoli boarded a COPA Airlines flight and with her baby Milan by her side , she was determined to return home.

“It’s magical. This morning (Friday December 23) I woke up at the church bell reminding me is time to church. Seeing my mother and siblings after 10 years…. It’s been great… beyond words”, she related.

She said that she is currently 4000 meters above sea level at her parents’ home in Santa Cruz De la Sierra , the capital of Santa Cruz ,a province located some 850km west of the capital La Paz. Since her arrival Marisoli wasted no time in venturing around her hometown as well as historical sites outside of her community. She ventured into the markets and even compared prices of items with those back in Guyana .

For Christmas, she plans to re-live the

XXI

traditions which she was accustomed to when prior to her migration here.” On Christmas Eve my siblings will gather at moms home for our traditional Christmas dinner and we will spend Christmas Day together”, she said joyfully.

She has since reunited with her siblings, friends and relatives over the past two weeks.

But perhaps the greatest feat she achieved since her return home was her trip to the Copacabana Calvary site, a major pilgrimage and tourist center in Bolivia. The site is located close to Lake Titicaca , the highest navigable lake in the world.

“Climbing the Copacabana Calvary that’s’ over 4000 meters above sea level was tough. But proud that my 3 year -old (Milan ) did it like a boss. We lighted candles and prayed for our family in Bolivia and all of you in our beloved Guyana”, she said as she expressed delight at being “home away from home”.

In Guyana, her two elder children Fernando and Shakira are “holding the fort” until her return with young Milan early in January.

“May the New Year 2017 be prosperous and happy for all of us”, she said, in her unique smiling demeanor.

the family-like traditions which she was accustomed to is no longer there. “Back home Christmas is real enjoyment, fun time with family and special”, she added.

She said one of her wishes is to return home at Christmas and share a gift with every child at Kamwatta.”I would like to have like a lunch or a dinner for all the children”, she added.

Nicola grew up at Port Kaituma , a busy mining community in the North West District . She said her distinct memories of Christmas at the hinterland area was the making of decorations, made with coloured strips of paper and sometimes, old copies of newspapers.

“Well we had food ….usually everybody bakes Christmas Eve night and everything was done that night ….we never slept till 4 am on Christmas morning”, she recalled. Even though she is far away from home she continues to keep the tradition alive.” We made everything like I do now including pepper-pot and cakes and ginger beer etc”, she said from her New York home.

She said in her younger days, the Indra poses for the season was celebrated differently. ”It was camera moments different at Kaituma everybody knows after arriving home everybody but now things change…. there from work one day are so many strange people there now”, this week. She said she added. has adopted to the This year, even though they are cold weather which miles apart, the quartet plans to spend can become too cold for her at times Christmas in each other’s company, thanks to social media.

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Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

Veterans feted at the Duke Lodge AS veterans of the Joint Services gathered to receive another unforgettable treat at the sixth annual Veterans Luncheon held at Roraima Duke Lodge, Kingston Georgetown, Tuesday, the retired military men have called for more respect from a nation which they have risked their lives and all to serve and defend.

Over fifty veterans from the Guyana Defense Force, Guyana National Service, Guyana Police Force and People’s Militia shared memories, lunch and a cultural show and enjoyed good karaoke, all complements of Captain Gerald Gouveia, a Veteran himself.

One of the leading men in the organization, Colonel Desmond Roberts, highlighted

that veterans have in the past saved the country in aggressive controversy from both Venezuela and Suriname, while many fought in World War 11.

They have not received the honor they deserve, he reiterated, even as he called for documentaries to be produced on the lives of those who fought in the World War, while some should be frontrunners in national affairs.

“We’ve done a lot. People take it for granted. It was only because we’re so efficient… What happened at Lethem in the Rupununi? We went in there and save 23,000 square kilometers of land. Do you know the Venezuelans were waiting for just one more At the Veterans Christmas Brunch: Guyana Defense Force Retired Colonel Egbert Fields, Captain Gerry Gouveia and President of Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) Vishnu Doerga sharing a moment

Some of the veterans and relatives who attended the gala yesterday

day to (say) that ok we recognize you as a new country? We got in to one open airstrip and not one of us died, so it was a very successful operation. I think Guyanese take that for granted,” Colonel Roberts said.

He was speaking about the Rupununi Uprising, and also recalled in 1969 too, soldiers in the GDF saved Guyana’s land from Suriname in the New River Triangle controversy, when Surinamese soldiers had camped on Guyana’s land and planned a takeover of the area with the hopes of constructing additional military stations.

“And in the same year in 1969, with a wonderful operation, we moved into a place called New River and pushed out the Suri-

namese. We would have lost another 18,000 square kilometers… so if we have not had those two successful operations, Guyana would have been a very different country right now,” Colonel Roberts said.

Still many take their efforts and service to the country for granted, because the lawmen said though they were efficient in their operations, they have remained humbled. “…We were so good… suddenly now we’re just ordinary veterans,” he stated.

Colonel Roberts said the Guyana Veterans Association has made successful attempts to solicit assistance for some of its members and Turn to page XXV ►►►

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

– Men and women in uniform

“To be honest, sometimes it does be difficult and hard but as a single parent you would want to have the best for your children.

And sometimes I find myself working shift,” she said.

Today, Bhagwandin’s two children will be spending Christmas with their grandmother but the celebration would continue when she returns home in the evening after reporting for duty at 7:00h. “When, I get home, we would have our own celebration. But whether I am at work or at home, knowing that I have them in

Corporal Nirmala Bhagwandin

By Svetlana Marshall The table has been laid with the finest delicacies you can think of. From a distance I could smell the irresistible aroma emanating from that mouthwatering pepper pot – it is like everything I have been longing for and more.

In the house, the excitement peaks, as we unwrapped our gifts just before breaking our fast as a family, something we rarely ever do because of the usual hustle and bustle during the year. But wait, where is dad? “He is off to work,” my mother shouts. And it was then that it dawned on me, that for a second time in a row, he wouldn’t be home for Christmas.

Though I am sad, deep down in my heart, I understand the oath he took to serve and protect. And again though I am sad, I am com-

forted by the fact that he is out there making a difference, keeping the peace and providing assistance to people who really need it.

But he is not alone he is joined by our “superheroes” – the policemen and women, firemen, soldiers, prison officers, nurses, doctors and even midwives who are working beyond the call of duty.

Thirty-eight-year-old Corporal Nirmala Bhagwandin is among the men and women in uniform who are working this Christmas.

The single-parent mother of two joined the Guyana Police Force 18 years ago and for the last four years, she has been traveling from her Lot 185 Block ‘8’ Tuschen home on the East Bank of Essequibo to the capital city, Georgetown, to report to duty at the Brickdam Police Station – a journey that usually takes close to two hours.

Police Constable Phillip Chapman about to go and control the flow of traffic

XXIII

my life makes me happy,” she posited.

But it is not all doom and gloom at work on a Christmas Day; according to Corporal Bhagwandin even there you would feel the spirit of Christmas.

“This wouldn’t be the first time I am working on Christmas Day. Although I would love to spend the day with my siblings – I took an oath and so if I have to work on Christmas Day, that’s it, I have to work.

Detective Constable Terrence Browne Jr. would also be working this Christmas. For him, it means altering his plans with family Turn to page XXIX ►►►

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Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

Masquerade still a

BIG THING

By Shauna jemmott

“Christmas comes once a year Everybody must have their share But poor Mr. Willie in the jail Drinking sour ginger beer” The poetic sounds of masqueraders penetrate the placid Main Street atmosphere as drummers, flutists and other costumed musicians compose consecutive beats while men, girls and boys rhythmically flounce through the streets of Georgetown in flamboyant apparel.

It’s masquerade time! Crowds of shoppers

heading to Singers or Mattai’s supermarket to complete the final details of the new seasonal furniture and appliances or getting final ingredients for bread and pepperpot became energized by the beats of the masquerade bands.

“This is Christmas fuh me!” one lady anxiously shouted, prancing around with smiles of satisfaction that indeed it is ‘Christmas time in the City.’ Instead of the sounds of silver bells, Guyana now hears the pulsating of drums.

There went men on stilts, flouncers, madbulls and mother sally passing by on Water Street, as a masquerade parade headlined the launch of ‘Masquerade Jamboree – Festival of

Guyana Masquerade 2016.’

National Dance Company Coordinator Linda Griffith and Guyana Cultural Association’s Executive member Dr. Rosalind October-Edun led the parade of over 100 masqueraders to Main Street, Georgetown, where an organized dance-off and a formal ceremony were done to open officially ‘Masquerade Jamboree 2016.’

The excitement remained but members of the masquerade bands which gathered from administrative Regions 4 and 10, rallied around one man, who was recognized as a stalwart in the art and held responsible for fighting for the survival of the native art.

Flautist Rudolph ‘Putagee’ Vivierous and his band performed to the pleasure of the audience and was announced winner of the 2017 ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the United States of America (USA) based Guyana Cultural Association (GCA). The annual award is given to culture legends of Guyanese heritage around the world, and Vivierous, who is now an amputee, has been called ‘Stalwart’ in the masquerade culture.

The festival, a production of the GCA and Ministry of Education’s Department of Culture, Youth and Sport, was supported by Fly Jamaica, and featured three days of activity.

At Main on Monday Street there was a masquerade exhibition and performance by each of the seven bands, with the youngest flouncer, 3-year-old Levi Barry of the Ann’s Grove band, touching hearts and thrilling audiences with his skillful choreography.

Chants and a benefit concert and a masquerade parade followed Tuesday and Wednesday with the bands participating in a masquerade parade through Plaisance, East

Coast Demeara, the village from which Vivierous originate. At the community center groung there, a massive ‘flounce off’ was staged where individual masqueraders face off for awards of ‘best flouncers’ ‘best stilt dancer’ and ‘best village dancer’ among other titles.

“Putagee was a very good flauntist. He’s an amputee, so we’re trying to raise funds to assist him,” Griffith said.

Thursday the team hosted a party for children, and featured the reading of excerpts from a research on Guyana’s masquerade done

by Dr. Paloma Mohamed. Thursday saw the launch of book by Dr. Juliet Emanuel titled ‘Masquerade for Children’ at the National Dance Company.

In an interview with Pepperpot Magazine, Dr. October-Edun said the reception received throughout the jamboree indicates that preservation, promotion and development of masquerade is needed indeed.

She said as they danced, crowds of people commented “I can’t tell when last I saw a masquerade… this is the real thing… I feel like if I were young again.”

“It shows that it is needed, and we can really bring this back! Today is the indicator that it can happen because it was embraced around town,” she told Pepperpot Magazine.

That is why a massive masquerade revival is in the making and the organisations move to push masquerade power in every festive season as Guyana moves ahead on preserving the art.

According to guyaneseonline.wrdpress. com, ‘Masquerade’ may very well be the only Turn to page XXX ►►►

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

XXV

◄◄◄ From page XXII

those approached – including government and other organisations - seem “favourably disposed” to assisting veterans, since they all desire to see them do well as rewards for their contributions to Guyana’s wellbeing and development.

Captain Gerald Gouveia, who hosted the event, said he is thankful for the opportunity to fete and fellowship with the men and women once again.

In brief remarks, he said while many worked eight and twelve hours, military men worked at least 18 hours, and there is no amount of money or expression of gratitude that could have paid them for such dedication to serving country. He said veterans are in need of much care.

“More needs to be done to help our veterans. They have served the nation with distinction and need not just be remembered but must be cared for”.

The Veteran’s Luncheon has become an integral part of Christmas tradition at Roraima Airways. The veteran’s associations which participated in the Roraima Veterans Luncheon were the Guyana Veterans Legion and the Millicent Greaves Citizens Home.

He said though veterans must receive worthy honor, they too need to continue giving honor to the state.

“Serving in the military was the building block for us veterans and together, we are grateful to the Government for giving us the opportunity to serve. We ourselves need to say thank you to the state for letting us serve,” Captain Gouveia remarked.

Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Veterans League Retired Colonel George Gomes hailed Gouveia as one of the most ardent supporters of the association. He said, faithfully, the former Army Captain contributes monthly to the organization, for the wellbeing of several of the men and women.

Colonel Gomes said such contributions help satisfy the welfare of the veterans, many of whom are sick and are shutins. Some 86 of the veterans are from the Guyana Defense Force, including 20 who fought in World War 2.

In addition to Captain Gouveia, other senior retired Guyana Defence Force Officers and Private Sector leaders addressed the large audience. Among the speakers were the President of the Guyana Veterans Legion, Lieutenant Colonel (ret’d) George Gomes, Lieutenant Colonel (ret’d) and Director-General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, Egbert Fields, Colonel (ret’d) Desmond Roberts, Ministerial Advisor, Basil Blackman, Vice-President of the Private Sector commission, Desmond Sears and President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vishnu Doerga.

Special recognition was given to one of Guyana’s oldest veteran private soldiers, Lloyd DeFreitas who served in World War II. He was honored for his outstanding bravery in that war and contribution to the Veteran Clan.

Private DeFreitas is now 93 years old.

Captain Gerald Gouveia Snr., and Captain Gerald Gouveia Jnr rap with one of Guyana’s oldest veteran, Private Soldiers, Lloyd DeFreitas who served in World War II. (Photo compliments of Roraima Airways)

Swimming in a

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Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

a pool of creativity Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

FROM TODAY to the end of 2016 it’s a season of festivity, fashion, family and fun!

While the world is moving up in style, women and men in Guyana have decided to lead and not be left behind.

Trendsetters are grazing on local fashion ground this time around to maintain that unique flair, even in the midst of casual affairs. Since everybody is important, let us today, look at some picks considered masterpieces from designers of Guyanese heritage.

With big events like the Guyana Fashion Week, an avenue made possible by Mistress of the art - Sonia Noel – the talented and the super talented have decided to dig

See more photos on page XXVIII ►►►

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deeper in the pool of creativity and showcase the best of what 2016 brings.

Today, Pepperpot Magazine showcases graceful casuals and an evening gown from the 2016 collections of fashion icon and humanitarian Dr. Sonia Noel.

Whether you are attending a cocktail reception, lunch with a friend, taking a walk in the Promenade, boat-riding to Bartica or visiting family in Silver City, take your pick from the showroom of Sonia Noel designs, or check out her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/sonianoeldesings/?fref=ts, to access more.

Look out next week again as we continue to highlight fashion trends from Guyanese designers!

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Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016 Christmas. Yes I am sad because Christmas is more of a family holiday but as a nurse or an nursing assistant, there are times when you would have to be away from your family so that you can help someone’s family,” 29-yearold Deon Primus uttered as she thought about Christmas without her two children.

◄◄◄ From page XXIII

and friends, to investigate possible fraudulent activities. “I am not married and I don’t have children but I am a family person so my siblings would have wanted me to be around but I took an oath and so if I have to work on Christmas Day, well duty calls,” Detective Browne said.

On a regular day, Detective Browne is part of a team investigating matters involving forgery of documents be it bounce cheques and counterfeit notes whether local or foreign currency. While the number of cases would increase during this period, on Christmas Day, the Department rarely ever receives complaints.

“Although I would prefer to be home with my family, I feel good knowing that I could still assist the people even on Christmas Day,” Detective Browne posited.

Like Corporal Bhagwandin and Detective Browne, Police Constable Phillip Chapman enjoys serving his fellow Guyanese in and out of season. Eleven years into his profession, Constable Chapman is living his childhood dreams of being a peace officer.

And though he would not be able to have breakfast with his sons this Christmas, he will share a special breakfast with his wife at around 5:30h before reporting for active duty at the Brickdam Police Station as a Traffic Rank.

“It is usually a light day but I would like to encourage drivers to pay attention while driving, don’t use your cell phone and the

Detective Constable Terrence Browne Jr.

main one, don’t drink and drive.”

On Christmas Day, all across Guyana, while officers of the law would be required to report to work, they are usually treated to a special as the embrace each other.

Like some police officers, hundreds of nurses across Guyana are will be reporting to duty this Christmas as they offer much needed care to the sick.

“This is the third time I am working on

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The Nursing Assistant said in the absence of her children, she would try to put smiles on the faces of her patients at the Linden Hospital Complex.

“I still try to comfort myself with the fact that I am actually making patients happy by showing up to work and trying to keep them a bit jolly because it is already hard to know that you are in hospital on Christmas Day.” After enjoying a delicious breakfast with her children, Primus will report for duty at 13:00h. As such, her five year old daughter and nine months old son would spend the rest of the day at their grandmother, until their mom returns home from her eight hours shift.

“To tell you the truth, I speak with mixed emotions, because while I am away from my children, I am helping other people get better. I could remember this one Christmas, there was this elderly woman who was crying because she had no visitor on Christmas Day but I had to remind her that she had life, and that she had When Deon Primus is not working as a Nursing me. As nurses and nursing assistants Assistant, she enjoys spending time with her we do more that give out medication,” children. In this photo, she is having a light said a very emotional Primus. moment with them

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“original form of music and dance from Guyana.” Masquerade originates from Yoruba and Ibo traditions in Nigeria and is one tradition which was not completely eradicated through slavery, the website said.

With a determination to preserve, and a life that survived slavery and lived past mere emancipation, there is no chance of an end to masquerade entertainment where men don masks and costumes and dance to the sounds of a particular drum.

It started with “not a competition as such, but it’s a masquerade jamboree, where we have several activities. And this is to resuscitate this dying art form masquerade – which happens at Christmas time and then later on it became part of Mashramani.”

Many Guyanese reminisced what they used to see when they were children – they remembered seeing these masquerade groups at Christmas time, with the cow running and the long lady, the stilt dancers and the founcers, Griffith said too.

She said the jamboree fest was used as a

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

stepping stone for a bigger component of such bands in parades during Mashramani 2017.

“We use this to let people know that yes masquerade is still here. We’re encouraging the youngsters, we’re encouraging the teachers in the schools to teach them it because it’s part of the Children’s mash competition…

Part of the African tradition is that it’s passed through the family, and then the village also becomes part of it… the father is the leader, and the uncle is there, the niece, the nephews, the children... and they took it over from their grandparents,” Griffith explained.

She said Masquerade is a family affair which ignites a feeling of excitement. The National Dance Company is also working with masquerade groups across the country to help them perfect the flounce.

“The groups are excited that people have

become more interested in what they are doing so it gives them a kind of impetus to go forward. So they’re asking us to work with them so that they can learn particularly the correct flouncing movement, so that they can teach the different groups and people in their areas,” Griffith said.

Meanwhile, Dr. October-Odun said her USA based association plans to promote and propogate Guyana’s masquerade.

“Any type of art that is relative to Guyana we embrace and really bring it alive to the diaspora… Masquerade is a part of our culture, like so many events… It needs to be an event … it also gives a sense of who we are as a people. If we understand our traditional culture, then we are hopeful beings. Masquerade lives,” she told Pepperpot Magazine.

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

Aries The mood is just right for a day of celebration whether or not you have special plans in place. The spirit of togetherness and joviality is in the air as lovely Venus graces your 11th House of Networking, making this the perfect time to gather a large group of friends and share everything so no one feels left out. However, there's a risk of overindulgence, so avoid having too much fun by setting a healthy limit on your consumption today. You will thank yourself tomorrow if you exercise a modicum of self-restraint now.

Taurus If ever there was a time to eat, drink and be merry, it's today. Charming Venus is your lovely cosmic assistant, helping you roll out the red carpet for family and friends. Your warm hospitality allows others to completely relax and enjoy themselves. You are likely to execute your plans without a hitch, and there's a distinct possibility that people will talk about your wonderful party for a long time to come.

Apparently, your methodical preparation and your desire to create a special memory combine to make a magic all of your own.

Gemini It almost feels like being a kid again when you wake up this morning; the potential of the day buzzes with the innocent joy of the holidays. Today's cosmic harmony promotes light-hearted interactions and fun adventures while delightful Venus hooks up with exhilarating Uranus. You're enjoying the spotlight now that several planets align to showcase your well-known wit and clever sense of humour. Comedian Yakov Smirnoff said, "If love is the treasure, laughter is the key."

Cancer A remarkable cosmic confluence turns the stormiest of circumstances into a smooth flow of events. You seem to quickly check one thing after another off your to-do list, while still engaging in plenty of merriment along the way. Everyone appears to be getting along famously, keeping conversations cheerful and light. Childhood stories are recounted with special fondness. The only danger that lurks about today is the potential for getting lost in sensory pleasures. Set sensible limits so you can enjoy the celebration without going so far as to negatively affect tomorrow's performance.

Leo Everyone you encounter today seems to be in a festive mood, lifting your spirits and restoring your faith in humankind. Surprisingly, the conversations that unfold contain a rare balance of enthusiasm and respect, exploring the wildest possibilities while somehow staying grounded. It's a storybook day; your heart swells with gratitude and you can't figure out what you did to deserve such generous friends.

Bask in the warmth of mutual admiration and soak up all the love while you can.

Virgo Your complicated schedule holds together better than you expect. You might have over-stressed about the little things, but your excessive planning results in an effortless launch today, and everyone pitches in to facilitate maximum merriment. Your confidence surges as you realize everything is going according to plan. Although you may deceive yourself into believing you can add a few extra items to your agenda, stick to what you have on your already full plate. Quit while you're ahead and leave them wanting more.

Libra Everything seems to sparkle, letting you know the day will be one for the books.

Auspicious Jupiter creates a beautiful trine to romantic Venus in your 5th House of Pleasure, setting the tone for making marvellous memories. There's nothing to stop you from having the time of your life as you make all the right connections and somehow squeeze in every bit of frivolity humanly possible. Nevertheless, it's easy to go to extremes when things are so heavenly; keeping the needs of others in mind puts you back on the track of moderation.

Scorpio It's a wonderful feeling to be home today, where you feel adored and accepted for exactly who you are. You may have prepared to defend yourself against the awkward conversations that often occur at holiday gatherings, but it seems that everyone is pretty much on the same page now. The priority for the moment is creating an inclusive atmosphere where everyone is comfortable and content. All is right in your world when the cosmos is smiling at you, and you are surrounded by those you love.

Sagittarius Kind remarks are flowing every which way, setting the stage for a day that's suitable for merrymaking and mending fences. It sounds impossible, but things are only going to get better as vivacious Venus forms favourable contacts with several other planets. Meanwhile, the Moon parties her way into your sign, and you're likely to catch a second wind after the festivities begin to wind down. Round up some friends and head to a local dive bar or convene at someone's home; just don't get so carried away that you can't find your way back home.

Capricorn You may be pleasantly surprised when you realize how amazing your day is turning out. Everything just falls into place; it's as if you have been blessed with a guardian angel who is looking out for your happiness. You are prepared for nearly any contingency today, but it appears as if everything is going swimmingly. Enjoy all the abundance the cosmos has to offer before the Moon slips into your 12th House of Invisibility this evening. Play your cards right and you will fall asleep with a smile on your face.

Aquarius You're no stranger to feeling like an outsider but the energy is different today. Your personality is extra charismatic and you can't help but exude confidence in all that you do. You are a gift to everyone you encounter as jolly Jupiter trines sweet Venus in your 1st House of Personality. The Love Planet is receiving support from her celestial family, creating a harmoniously balanced atmosphere which makes for enlightening conversation and emotional bonding here on Earth.

Pisces The unrelenting spirit of camaraderie is palpable as you mix and mingle with friends and family today. Affectionate Venus makes cosmic music with magnanimous Jupiter, filling every gathering with the ambiance of spiritual connection. Kick back and enjoy the loving vibrations while you get the chance. Relish the vivid dreams that arrive in your sleep. You wish you may, you wish you might, to have your wish come true tonight

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Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

‘Dynamic’ bride gets lucrative offer Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Roraima Airways has said the correct wedding date of Leezel Cambridge did not matter but his local company would like to offer the newly wedded couple a beautiful ‘Wedding Expo’ honeymoon package.

Cambridge was one of the passengers held up at John F. Kennedy International last week as a result of misfortunes experienced

by Dynamic Airline when two of its planes experienced mechanical troubles of two different natures.

Cambridge arrived in Guyana Monday evening and eloped with her longtime lover and father of her young daughter, with whom she shared a relationship before she migrated

to the USA. The event was a well-organized all-white affair and its reception hosted at a ‘palace’ in a Demerara community.

Captain Gouveia was told the media at a Dynamic Airways Press conference Thursday that Roraima, being the home of the annual ‘Wedding expo’ exhibition, is delighted to offer the ‘quiet’ couple a stay at Arrowpoint Nature Resort with all the complements that come with it.

He would also like to offer the American-based bride and her husband an experience of the mighty Kaieteur Falls, the world’s highest one-drop waterfall and one of the world’s most powerful water engines - Guyana’s cream of its tourism crop.

Captain Gouveia said even though Cambridge did not really miss her wedding, his company is delighted to offer a newly-wed couple a splendid vacation, even as she too was robbed two days of her homecoming wedding vacation.

“To me it didn’t matter whether her wedding was on the day which in was said or not, but we are the home of ‘wedding expo’,

and this is a person that is getting married that was on our plane and it would give us great delight to get to meet with her,” Captain Gouveia told the press.

Himself and wife Debbie being married some 30 years, the award-winning businessman said he has recognized marriage as ‘sacred’ and a once-in-a-lifetime event in a Turn to page XXXVII ►►►

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

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Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016 ◄◄◄ From page XXXII

couple’s life.

“I’d been married now for 30 years, and I love marriage and I would love to be able to send this couple off to have a honeymoon.

They just happen to cross my path in my life and cross Roraima and it was brought to my attention and we will meet with her and make this possible,” Gouveia said.

A trip to Kaieteur is a lifetime opportunity – one that awaits many Guyanese at home and abroad and which many only dream of experiencing!

Flowing off the Potaro River watercourse in Kaieteur National Park in Region 8, Kaieteur plunges 741 feet or 226 metres over a sandstone and conglomerate cliff, into its gorge, and is the world's largest single drop waterfall by the volume of water which it carries. Documentaries said Kaieteur flows a further 81 feet in a series of steep cascades, bringing its total flow to a height of 822 feet or 251 metres and making it the fall with the most impressive combination of height and water volume.

“Kaieteur Falls is about four times higher than Niagara Falls, on the border between Canada and the United States, and about twice the height of Victoria Falls, on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe in Africa,” Wikipedia said.

Kaieteur has been featured in various internationally produced documentaries and

films including ‘The White Diamond by Werner Herzog’; ‘Animal Planet's River Monsters with Jeremy Wade’; the science fiction animation television series G Gundam (in which the lead character trains and bathes under the falls before his final fight); the opening of the fourth season credits of the Discovery Channel's series "Gold Rush" (2013), and in the body of a few of its episodes of that season; episode 6 of David Attenborough's series ‘Life on Earth’ in which the native frogs, which thrive in the moist conditions, are discussed; and episode 1 of Steve Backshall's series ‘Deadly Adventures’ where Steve abseils to the bottom and camps overnight.

Arrowpoint Nature Resort is a blissful habitation! A serene vacation home cushioned within the bank of Kamuni Creek, a tributary of Demerara River, the resort is an admirable product of Roraima and one which never lost its flavor. Built from timber and other forest materials, it truly signifies Guyana’s native beauty, and carries several cabins and a main hall in an intimate setting.

Recreational excursions include mountain biking, trekking, bird watching, and visiting nearby Santa Mission, to see local crafts and foods produced there.

“I will send her mountain biking and so she and her husband can go mountain biking and go kayaking in the jungle and hopefully have some romance in the jungle,” Gouveia told the press.

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Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

Music Business Losers 2016: One Direction, Kanye West, Inauguration Concert Yesterday I took a look at some of the biggest winners in the music business over the past year. The appearance of some figures (Taylor Swift, the highest-paid celebrity of 2016) may have been less surprising than others (Michael Jackson, by far the top-earner if deceased stars are considered).

Today I'll dig into the other side: the losers of the music business over the past year. Prior iterations of this year-end roundup have featured names from Robin Thicke to Apple.

To be clear, these are not necessarily value judgments--I'm an avid consumer of Apple products and pop music--these

are vignettes about what, or who, went badly in a given year.

Let's kick things off with One Direction. At first glance, it may seem strange to put a band that earned $110 million-the second-most behind Swift on our latest highest-paid musicians list--in this column. But after making a ton of money, then losing Zayn Malik to a solo career, then making more money, then going on hiatus, I'd argue One Direction's inclusion is actually appropriate.

In recent years, the band has been grossing a phenomenal average of nearly $5 million per tour stop, according

Celebrity Apprentice? Kanye West and Donald Trump got cozy in New York earlier this month.

(Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

to Pollstar. Yes, Zayn has already had some success as a solo recording act, but touring is where most superstar acts make the bulk of their bucks, and the group's members will now have to start over on their own on that front. They may build lucrative solo touring careers eventually, but for now, that appears to be a long way off--and it seems unlikely the quintet will ever make as much money individually as they did together.

Next up: Kanye West. Things started out on a promising note this year, with the release of his long-awaited album The Life Of Pablo and the announcement of an accompanying arena tour. Admire West or hate him (I generally fall into the former category due to his willingness to take risks as an artist), it's hard to deny that he puts massive amounts of time, thought and energy into planning his tours. That should be clear to anyone who saw it snow inside an arena at his Holy Mountain-inspired Yeezus Tour, or marveled at the flying carpet stage of his latest outing.

Unfortunately, the Saint Pablo Tour soared too close to the sun--and came crashing catastrophically down this fall when West abruptly cancelled the tour's remaining 21 dates. The move likely set him back at least $10 million in lost earnings, and perhaps millions more, depending on his level of financial responsibility for issuing ticket refunds and other costs associated with the shows.

West ended up in a Los Angeles hospital shortly thereafter and briefly experienced an outpouring of support and concern from fellow stars and fans alike. He appears to have exhausted much of that goodwill weeks later when, for reasons that are still unclear, West found his way to Trump Tower and was spotted chumming it up with the President-elect, who is remarkably unpopular among West's fellow entertainers ("We discussed life," Trump said).

West reportedly isn't going to perform at Donald Trump's inauguration, and the ceremony's musical performance list looks to be another casualty of 2016. What might have been a Coachella-topping lineup of Hillary Clinton supporters--possibly including the likes of Katy Perry, BeyoncĂŠ, Jay Z, Bruce Springsteen and Jennifer Lopez, all of whom performed for her on the campaign trail--now looks like a show whose best prospects may be Kid Rock and Riff Raff.

On the bright side for Trump, who recently bragged that he spent "FAR LESS MONEY" on his victory than Clinton laid out for her electoral loss, Riff Raff comes cheap: the rapper said he'd play the inauguration for $50,000.

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

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but would affect your 2017 tax year.

2. Consider a loan not tied to your tax refund. You may not be in a position to get another loan - but there's no harm in looking, right? If you are able to refinance your home, you get the advantage of being able to claim home mortgage interest as a deduction on your taxes. Alternatively, it may be that you would qualify for a short term loan that you could pay back with your tax refund without shelling out extra fees - especially those tied to tax preparation. The IRS offers free tax prep services through its FreeFile partnership for more than 70% of taxpayers. If you e-file and rely on direct deposit, you can get your refund back in as little as 8-10 days after filing (with no fees or interest) which you can use to repay another loan.

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Making last minute Christmas purchases? If you're planning on paying your Christmas bills with your tax refund check, you may want to think again: the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced earlier that some taxpayer will see delays at the open of the 2017 tax season. A new law requires the IRS to hold refunds tied to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) until February 15. There may be additional delays: factoring in weekends and the President’s Day holiday, the IRS cautions that many affected taxpayers may not have actual access to their refunds until the week of February 27.

With that in mind, some taxpayers are hoping to use tax Refund Anticipation Loans (RALs) or Refund Anticipation Checks (RACs) to bridge the gap between the holiday season and mid-to-late February. However, RALs (and RACs) can cause real problems for taxpayers. Here are a few things to keep in mind: Interest rates. The lure of the RAL is that you receive cash right away. In a typical agreement, the taxpayer agrees to repay the RAL at tax time, plus interest. While some states limit the amount of interest that a lender can charge, in some instances, the annual percentage rate (APR) of an RAL can hit triple-digits.

Fees. RALs can be expensive. Often, providers make their money from fees that can easily eat up your tax refund.

According to a 2013 report from the National Consumer Law Center (downloads as a pdf), some add-on fees they observed included application fees; data and document storage fees; document processing fees; e-filing fees; service bureau fees; transmission/software fees; and technology fees. At least one lender, the owner of Instant Tax Services, Fesum Ogbazion, referred to those fees as "junk fees" (Ogbazion was later charged with crimes related to RALs at his business).

Uncertainty. The idea of an RAL is, of course, to borrow an amount that you expect to receive at tax time. You have to repay the entire amount of the loan even if you receive less than you anticipated. That means that you have to hope that your tax refund is large enough after you take out those interest rates and fees - as well as any tax prep fees - to pay off the loan. All kinds of things could reduce the amount you actually receive, including tax law changes and offsets (where the government dings your refund for money that you owe, such as child support or student loans). The IRS no longer provides tax preparers, banks and lenders with a "debt indicator," which advised whether any part of your refund was earmarked for offset. That makes it more difficult to know in advance what your bottom line might be.

So what's a taxpayer to do? If you're considering applying for an RAL or other loan secured by a tax refund, consider these strategies: 1. Adjust your withholding. If you're getting a big refund at the end of the year, that can mean that you're having too much money withheld from your paycheck. You'd do better to take a little bit out as you go by adjusting your withholding rather than waiting for a lump sum at the end of the year (after all, the IRS isn't going to pay you interest for keeping your money). You can ask your tax pro for recommendations or if you're not sure where to start, grab a copy of your last tax return and your most recent pay stub and head over to the IRS withholding calculator. You'll make any changes on a federal form W-4. In most cases, if the change is for the current year, your employer must put those changes into effect no later than the start of the first payroll period ending on or after the 30th day after the day you turn in the form. However, since it's so late in 2016, the change would not affect your 2016 tax year

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Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

President Obama's Energy Report Card

President Barack Obama speaks in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, April 17, 2012, about a plan to increase oversight and crack down on manipulation in oil markets. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

President Obama has been called one of the most anti-energy presidents in U.S. history. As if to put an exclamation point on this perception, last week the Obama Administration intervened to block an easement for the nearly completed $3.8 billion Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). This intervention was despite the fact that the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers had previously approved the easement across the Missouri River, and despite the fact that multiple pipelines already cross the river.

It was a similar story with the Keystone XL pipeline.

This pipeline would have been similar to the other 75 oil and gas pipelines that cross the U.S./Canadian border, but this one caught the attention of protesters who ultimately succeeded in getting the Obama Administration to deny the pipeline project (after delaying the decision for years). It was a decision rooted in politics rather than sound energy policy.

The Obama Administration has also banned offshore drilling in the Arctic, and placed additional rules and regulations on the fossil fuel industries -- particularly on the coal industry. Thus, it’s clear that there is some substance to the narrative that President Obama is hostile to fossil fuel development.

So let’s take a look at what has happened with respect to energy production while President Obama has been in office.

Let me first make clear that presidential policies typically take years to impact energy production. In other words, the administration preceding Obama’s had an impact on domestic energy production, and Obama’s impact will last well beyond his final term.

Recent history in the coal industry definitely supports the anti-fossil fuel narrative of President Obama. In 2008, President Bush’s last year in office, the U.S. produced 1.06 billion metric tons of coal -- an all-time high. By 2015 it had fallen to 813 million metric tons. Final data for 2016 won’t be available for several months, but during the first six months of this year the EIA reported that domestic coal production had fallen to an annualized rate of 667 million metric tons. That marks a decline of 37% in coal production during Obama’s presidency.

Natural gas production actually started to rise in 2006, and then rose each year for the next ten years. Thus, through seven of President Obama’s eight years in office, natural gas production rose. In President Bush’s last year in office, U.S. dry natural gas production was 20.2 trillion cubic feet (tcf). By 2015 that had risen to 27.1 tcf -- an increase of 34%. Even though this year natural gas production is likely to retreat to ~24 tcf, President Obama did preside over the highest U.S. natural gas production levels in history.

The surge in oil production began a couple of years later than the uptick in natural gas production. In fact, it coincided with President Obama’s first year in office.

Following eight straight years of declines during the Bush Administration, oil production rose for the first seven years of the Obama Administration. From 5 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2008, crude oil production rose by 88% to 9.4 million bpd in 2015. Oil production rose during the Obama Administration at the fastest rate in the 150-year history of the U.S. oil industry.

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

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ESPN Is Boldly Putting Women At The Forefront Of Its NBA Coverage When Doris Burke called her first ever basketball game on television, she didn't look at the camera during the opening segment.

Twenty-five years later, she's one of ESPN's lead NBA analysts. It's a testament not only to her wealth of basketball knowledge and broadcasting acumen, but also to how far we've come. Burke started covering the NBA Just like her male regularly in 2003. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) colleagues, Burke has been afforded the opportunity to work her way up.

ESPN made headlines last year when it announced Jessica Mendoza would take over Sunday Night Baseball color duties from Curt Schilling, making her the first ever female national baseball analyst. But on the NBA side, something even more remarkable is happening. Many of the network's most prevalent NBA voices, from Burke to Countdown anchors Michelle Beadle and Sage Steele, are women. And nobody seems to be talking about it. That's perhaps the strongest indication of the country's changing social landscape.

"I’m thrilled that ESPN has been the leader in trying to find opportunities for women in visible and non-traditional roles," Burke says. "You can criticize ESPN for many things, but as a company, we should be commended for the fact that we’re now starting the process of putting women in these roles."

Burke is a familiar face to basketball fans. After a notable career at Providence College –– she's the school's all-time assist leader –– Burke started calling her alma mater's games on the radio in 1990. She arrived at ESPN one year later, announcing women's college basketball before moving to Big East men's games by the mid-90's.

Now, in addition to being a sideline reporter on the network's top NBA team –– working alongside Mike Breen, Marc Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy –– Burke also regularly sits in the booth herself (she'll be analyst for the prime-time contest on Christmas Day between the Timberwolves and ◄◄◄ From page XXXIX

3. Open a savings account. One of the explanations that I often hear from taxpayers about waiting for a big refund check in January or February is that a refund check acts as a forced savings account. If that's the case, why not adjust your withholding (see again #1) and open an actual savings account?

Check around with banks and credit unions: you may be open a savings account with a low minimum balance. And with direct deposit, you can route funds directly from your paycheck to your savings account (if it's not in your hands, you won't be as tempted to spend it). Figuring the amount to save is simple. Look at your last few refund checks. Take the average - let's say $1,500 for our example - and divide it by the frequency of your pay (if you're paid weekly, that would be 52). In our example, that works out to $28.85 per week: that's the amount you'll want to sock away each paycheck to save the same amount as you would have received as a tax refund. Bonus? You'll earn interest (the IRS sure isn't giving you any) instead of paying it.

4. Don't cheat yourself out of deductions and credits.

In the rush to get a tax refund quickly, many taxpayers speed through their tax returns or rely on unskilled or unsavory tax preparers. You shouldn't underestimate the value of using the services of a good tax professional.

Also, if you use the same tax professional from year to year, it makes it easier to make recommendations and find deductions and credits that you might be missing.

Spending the time to find a qualified tax preparer - especially one without an incentive to sell you extra services - may yield you bigger tax savings in the long run.

Thunder). Though gaining acceptance from misogynistic viewers may still be a trying task at times, she says she's never experienced a problem in the locker room.

"The players and coaches have been nothing but accepting of me from the very first time I broadcasted their games," she says. "I’ve had a couple along the way, including an NBA official, who admitted to a little bit of skepticism when they first saw and heard me on the game. But this person quickly followed that with, 'But then I listened to what you had to say.' And I realized, ‘She knows what she’s talking about.’"

That, more than anything, is the defining characteristic of the women who now lead ESPN NBA's coverage. They know their stuff. Rachel Nichols, who hosts The Jump, has

one of the most extensive rolodexes in the industry. She's also a fierce interviewer, which was evident to anyone who watched her pepper NFL commissioner Roger Goodell with questions about how he bungled the Ray Rice investigation at the Super Bowl three years ago.

Nichols says she notices her abundance of female colleagues, but doesn't think breaking social ground is management's modus operandi. She says they simply want the best people in place. "The fact that nobody sat there and said, 'I don’t know, we’ve got a lot of women here all of a sudden' is significant," she says. "It was just like, 'Hey, these people are great. Let’s have them talk about basketball.' I think it says a lot about ESPN and a lot about the women we have here."

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Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

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Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

Samsung May Unleash a Beast Hot off the rumor mill on Wednesday is news of a new feature Samsung may include in its upcoming Galaxy S8.

It's dubbed "Beast Mode," and that's just about all that is known about it so far.

Spotted in an EU trademark application, Beast Mode would apply to smartphones, mobile phones and application software for smartphones, noted Galaxy Club, a Netherlands-based blog.

The Galaxy S8 is expected to be the first smartphone built around Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 processor. If true, that lines up with the notion that Beast Mode could allow super high performance.

Another rumor is that the Galaxy S8 will have an optical fingerprint scanner built into the display instead of the body.

Further, it's rumored that it will include Bluetooth 5.0, recently approved by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group -- and that idea seems to carry a fair amount of weight.

COUNTERING BAD PR "There's a strong possibility that Samsung will incorporate Bluetooth 5 into the Galaxy S8," said Ken Hyers, director of wireless device strategies at Strategy Analytics.

"With the cancellation of the Note7, the Galaxy S8 is now [Samsung's] premier device to showcase the latest and best smartphone technology," he told TechNewsWorld.

Samsung had to institute a global recall of millions of Galaxy Note7s after multiple instances in which the device spontaneously burst into flames. Some replacement devices also caught fire.

"Samsung has a PR problem," observed Michael Jude, a program manager at Stratecast/Frost & Sullivan. "Note7 is a disaster, and they need something with which to seize the technological high ground."

Putting cutting-edge technologies in the S8 "will help a lot," he told TechNewsWorld.

"Remember, practically nothing is Bluetooth 5-compliant," Jude noted. "As long as the S8 can talk to existing Bluetooth devices, it's golden. People will be drawn to the latest, greatest technology."

Bluetooth 5.0 doesn't replace 4.0, 4.1 or 4.2. It extends the functionality of these previous versions of the Bluetooth Core Specification.

Further, Bluetooth 5.0 lets manufacturers leverage interoperability and performance improvements incorporated in the core specs since 4.2 was released.

"From Bluetooth headsets and speakers to home control, personal robots and drones, Bluetooth is a default technology for connecting devices, with the smartphone as the hub of consumers' device universe," Strategy Analytics' Hyers remarked.

"We are rapidly moving into a more complex connected device world," he pointed out.

Samsung has focused heavily on the Internet of Things, offering smart TVs and smart appliances that can be tied to its smartphones.

Bluetooth 5 "is a huge advance over previous versions of Bluetooth from a connectivity speed and capacity standpoint," Hyers pointed out, noting that it's a natural fit for Samsung's next flagship device.

The S8 will "be both a mass market flagship and a showcase for Samsung's technological leadership" since the company has canceled its Note series of phablets, he said.

Therefore, Samsung "will be careful to only put technology and features in it that it's certain will not create issues," Hyers contended. As a relatively low-risk feature, Bluetooth 5 likely will appear in the S8 in Q1 2017.

BLUETOOTH 5.0 SPECS Bluetooth 5.0 offers 2Mbps of bandwidth, twice that of Bluetooth 4.2, with low energy.

The bandwidth can be decreased to achieve up to 4x the broadcast range of Bluetooth 4.2 with the same power requirement. That means home automation and security devices can cover entire homes, buildings or locations.

Developers can adjust the broadcast range, speed and security for different environments.

Bluetooth 5.0 delivers reliable Internet of Things connections, and it will increase the relevance of beacons and other location awareness technologies, which will enable a seamless IoT experience.

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Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

Apple AirPods Finally Good to Go Apple's new wireless AirPods are finally available.

The company on Tuesday began taking orders for AirPods at its online store, and said it would start delivering the US$159 earphones to customers, Apple Stores, resellers and carriers next week.

At the iPhone 7 launch in September, Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller said the AirPods would be available in October, but the company missed that target time frame due to unexplained delays.

Missing the deadline for release of any hot product is bad news for a company, but what made the AirPods miss worse was that the they were supposed to offset some of the sting consumers felt over Apple's decision to omit the traditional headphone jack in the iPhone 7.

"Someone clearly dropped the ball, because without something like this with the iPhone 7 the attached sales for the earbuds were stalled, and it made it harder to sell iPhone 7s," noted Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.

"Both products should have shown up at the same time," he told TechNewsWorld.

MISSED OPPORTUNITY However, the absence of AirPods doesn't seem to have affected iPhone 7 sales that much.

"Sales of the iPhone 7 seem to be doing well," said Ross Rubin, principal analyst at Reticle Research.

"The absence of AirPods hasn't been a deal breaker for consumers interested in the phone," he told TechNewsWorld.

On the other hand, the late release certainly will impact sales of the AirPods.

"Apple missed an attractive cross-sell opportunity when the new iPhones were released," Rubin noted, "and they missed the Black Friday opportunity, when there would have been increased traffic going through stores."

AirPods still could be a popular item this Christmas, though.

"It's a relatively small product, easy to pick up online, easy to ship," Rubin pointed out. "It could still wind up in stockings or under trees."

CHIP TROUBLE Apple is being mum about what caused the delay in bringing the AirPods to market, but several reports link it to the new W1 wireless chip in the headphones.

"There's definitely been a problem with the supply chain, and the best I can figure it was related to the custom Apple W1," said Kevin Krewell, a principal analyst at Tirias Research.

If that's the case, though, it wouldn't explain why Apple could ship the Beats Solo 3 and Powerbeat 3 headphones, which also use the chip. Another Beats model, however, the X BT, also is experiencing delays and may not reach retail shelves until next year.

"It could be that Apple needed more time fine-tuning the chip for rated battery life," Krewell told TechNewsWorld.

Battery life is one of several drawbacks that have dampened demand for products similar to the AirPods.

"There aren't a lot of products like this in this segment, largely because they are expensive, easy to lose, have poor battery life, and the sound quality isn't in line with their cost," Enderle said. "Most folks in this price band prefer headphones, because they provide a much better experience at the same price and they are harder to lose."

SYNC CHALLENGES Some reports have blamed sync problems for the delay.

"It's rumored that the AirPods were receiving signals slightly out of sync," said Jeff Orr, senior practice director for mobile devices at ABI Research. "The stereo effect was not working right."

In most Bluetooth earbuds, the signal from a device is transmitted to one of the buds and transmitted to the other via some kind of wired connection between them.

AirPods don't have any wires so the signal is sent to each bud separately and must be received by them simultaneously. If not, the signal is out of sync, which scotches the audio experience.

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

Nvidia Takes Self-Driving Journey to California Roads Nvidia last week began test-driving autonomous cars on California roads, after the state's Department of Motor Vehicles gave it the green light, according to The Verge.

The company is testing its Drive PX2 autonomous driving platform, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.

Nvidia recently has made several well publicized moves in the autonomous car arena. It forged a partnership with Baidu this summer to build a cloud-to-car platform for semiautonomous cars. Its Drive PX2 technology will be used in vehicles participating in the upcoming Roborace autonomous car race.

Nvidia this fall rolled out Xavier, a system on chip for autonomous cars, which it described as an "artificial intelligence supercomputer."

Nvidia has been testing cars for well over a year -- on public and private roads and in parking lots -- in order to train its PX2 systems, Enderle told TechNewsWorld.

WHERE NVIDIA IS GOING Nvidia's focus is "on bringing high-level artificial intelligence into the autonomous driving game, especially supporting SAE Level 4 and 5," noted Praveen Chandrasekar, mobility research manager at Frost & Sullivan.

Tesla now uses the Drive PX2 on the self-driving hardware available in the new Model S, he told TechNewsWorld.

THRASHING THE COMPETITION Nvidia is competing with Qualcomm and Intel for the autonomous car industry's business.

Intel, the 800-pound gorilla in the chip market, has been busy: It secured US$1 billion in design wins with its software-defined automotive cockpit platform; It set aside $250 million to invest in autonomous driving startups; It partnered with BMW and MobilEye to establish an open development platform initiative for autonomous driving; It introduced the Atom 3900 processor for autonomous cars; and It reorganized its autonomous car efforts into a new unit, the Automated Driving Group.

Still, Nvidia is the farthest along with a solution independent of automakers, said Enderle, and it has the inside track to becoming a standard.

BMW also is partnering with Nvidia, which is "likely to create competition and ensure it isn't held captive by any one vendor," Enderle pointed out.

BAIDU COLLABORATION Nvidia will use the Drive PX2 in conjunction with Baidu's mapping platform for Level 3 SAE automated driving and above to "create a complete cloud-based platform to support automated driving," Frost's Chandrasekar said. The partnership is will encompass both the United States and China.

AI, supplied by Nvidia, and mapping are "highly crucial for OEMs who are serious about Level 4 SAE and above, such as Ford, Tesla and BMW," Chandrasekar pointed out.

Further, the partnership gives Nvidia tried and tested technology, along with an entry into the China market.

Baidu "is one of the companies that is likely to become a power in self-driving car services," Enderle predicted. "Testing is currently going on broadly all over the world, and even Ford and GM are currently working on this."

However, the cost of the Nvidia-Baidu solution at entry "may be prohibitive for many of the volume OEMs," Chandrasekar pointed out.

Also, OEMs considering the cloud technology "need their vehicles to be equipped with high speed real-time connectivity, which is not a given in the market today" he said.

In addition to its Tesla and BMW partnerships, Nvidia currently has teamed with Daimler, Audi and Ford on autonomous driving, Chandrasekar said, noting that "the risk is that OEMs might simply view it as a technology and solutions provider for autonomous driving."

On the other hand, Enderle said, Nvidia "is the only company that has a packaged solution that works at this time."

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Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

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English

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

2016-12-25

STUDY SUCCESS Dear Student, Regardless of how you think your performance is at this time, there is still need to carry on proofreading your work.

Indeed, you should be making fewer mistakes when you write quickly and steadily, but that does not debar you from looking over what just passed from your faculties on to the paper. Carry on using widely-approved proofreading symbols like those your tutors or teachers use, alongside those you’ve personally coined. Be wise.

Love you.

THE SHORT STORY Story Writing Revisited Working at short story writing is something like working at a beloved cake recipe in which the prescribed ingredients are gathered and put together until you gain the ‘knack’ of it.

Never mind, your efforts can only look and sound like you, vibrant and full of goodness!

You see, your story or fiction comes from your imagination. You, the writer, have heard or read stories and witnessed incidents personally. Some of you are chock-full of real life experiences, churn them out to full advantage!

Get a good grip upon the ingredients of setting, plot, characters: the place, time, atmosphere, etc within which the plot is acted; the happening flavoured by conflict, suspense, choice spell-bound expressions as only you can say them; and the people who inhabit the story. Don’t forget to make characters do meaningful dialogue.

Use new ideas! Keep a notebook or diary: have an eye for intricate and interesting details, twist around ordinary details and make them very humorous; spice up slight humour to further its hilariousness. Let your fertile imagination fill in all noticeable gaps and grey areas.

Compose your own stories. Don’t wait for class assignments only. Right now you can make up a short story about a family trying to make Christmas a time of success. Show them trying to maintain a small-scale roadside business and winning against all odds.

Here is a well-used story for you to work with.

This story is a pet tale of a black cat. It is very good at plot and dialogue. Its content will appeal to all, especially the little people; and its technique will appeal to you in particular, a story writer. Every time you face a known story, try to discover new things about it.

Winnie the Pooh Winnie the Pooh has a normal cat’s fear of dogs. Last Tuesday afternoon while crossing the lawn, Winnie spotted a neighbourhood stray moving in quickly from the right. Winnie was away light lightning. Across the street she dashed

and up a steep hill into a garden of saguaro cactus. Surely she would be safe there, hidden among these sturdy desert plants.

But Winnie was wrong. The dog overtook her. With a tremendous leap, Winnie scrambled up the thick, woody stem of a giant saguaro. Up, up she climbed, scrambling frantically until she gained the top.

Some neighbours spied the black-and-white cat sitting fifteen feet up on the very top of the huge cactus.

“Call the Humane Society!” cried one.

“No, send for the police!” shouted another.

“Get the Fire Department!” exclaimed a third.

But no one could help the little cat. Safe enough but alone, she looked, for all the world, like a statue atop a tall green column.

The news of the cat’s plight spread through the neighbourhood. It came at last to the home of a little girl named Pixie.

“That’s my cat,” said Pixie. “I just know it must be Winnie.” So off they went, Pixie and her mother, to claim the cat. But they could not get Winnie down. Darkness came, and Pixie and her mother had to go home, leaving Win-

nie to her solitude.

Pixie began to cry. Her father came home and was greeted with the story of Winnie’s predicament.

“Can’t you do something?” begged Pixie’s mother.

“Please, Daddy,” sobbed Pixie….

(Of course, her father did use some fish to

Amazing Facts

A wit’s a feather, and a chief a rod; An honest man’s the noblest work of God. ALEXANDER POPE (1688-1744), An Essay on Man Ep.iv, 1.247 get Winnie down.)

A Closer Look at the Story 1. Did you enjoy the story? Why or why not?

2. How do you perceive the story to be organised or brought into working order?

3. Say something about the suitability of the author’s language to his audience. Give some pointers.

4. How much enablement does the writer give the reader to picturise a saguaro? Give some pointers.

5. Complete the story with interaction of Father and Winnie.

6. Go over the story and look at its dialogue. List the different terms used instead of the word ‘said’ that young writers like to use. Explain to a study partner how you see this technique helping to bring style and urgency to the buildup of the story?

7. Find where Winnie was called a “little” cat. How does this term work for the cat and story at this point?

8. Go out of the box and give wide reaching comments on the term, “Some neighbours spied.”

9. Develop a tale of your own adapting the above storyline and structure to advantage. Read it to members of your study group. After you have refined it, re-write and place it in a position for family members to enjoy and be pleased about your effort.

GRAMMAR At Your Fingertips?

Rewrite the following sentences so their messages are clear and definite. Hint: eliminate all inconsistencies.

1. The great dancer appeared on stage with her scarf trailing, and all her expensive costume was scattered.

2. Go to the next yard, and then you walk in for four houses.

3. She was tending the plants and upon hearing the bad news decides to respond to the call at once.

4. The inexperienced tourists tried surfing in the Pacific and to ski on Mid-range Mountains, but they were far from skilful in none of them.

5. We must soon state either our eating or to fast.

Chronicle Pepperpot December 25, 2016

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Entertainment

Why Is It So Difficult To Make A Good Video Game Movie?

Assassin’s Creed, you were supposed to be “the one.”

The cast and crew were incredibly talented, the locations were gorgeous and the costumes were lovingly hand-stitched. And, Michael Fassbender. But regardless of ability and effort, Assassin's Creed still only scored a pitiful 20% on Rotten Tomatoes, failing to break the curse of the video game adaption.

Why? Why is it so difficult to adapt a video game into a good movie? Nobody is expecting Grand Theft Auto to translate into The Godfather, Actor Michael Fassbender attends the Assassin's Creed but why hasn’t there at least special screening at AMC Empire on December 13, 2016 been a decent blockbuster in New York City. / AFP / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) yet? Resident Evil, Prince of simply wouldn’t work outside of the gaming Persia, Hitman: Agent 47; they weren’t supposed to be masterpieces but they world. At worst, convoluted, confused nonshould have at least been fun. Every video sense that you’re not even listening to because game adaption I’ve seen has been a joyless you’re desperately smashing buttons to skip slog of terrible plots, forgettable characters the cutscene.

These weird narratives tend to make perand awkward references to the original game. fect sense at the time because you are experiI’ve only played a couple of Assassin's Creed games so I’m not too familiar with the encing them, not passively sitting and watchfranchise as a whole, but it always seemed to ing. Illogical and melodramatic twists hit me to be a strange choice of property to adapt, you hard, because this is your story. You’re especially with such a high pedigree of talent. deciding how to cope with the situation, not Assassin Creed takes place in a vibrant, questioning if it makes sense in the first place.

The protagonists of gaming narratives detailed recreation of the ancient world, tend to be blank slates, with zero personality where you play as an oddly conspicuous assassin who’s really good at freerunning for and sometimes, not even the ability to speak. some reason. There’s always an emphasis And when the protagonist’s personality is on historical accuracy (sort of) and the plots well-defined, the actions of the player often aren’t terrible by any means. By and large, violently contradict them. Characters can I found it to be a very decent game. But for have unsettlingly casual conversations while some reason, there’s an unnecessary sci-fi running through scores of pedestrians, while element inserted into this historical fiction, an self-righteous heroes slaughter innocent odd genre clash that I couldn’t see working goons by the thousand.

An interactive experience is difficult in a feature film. to translate into a straight narrative. So And that tends to be a common theme amongst video games; bizarre storytelling which game has a story that would fit choices that throw the traditional rules out smoothly into the three-act structure? the window. At their best, games can tell Which character would be genuinely combrilliantly deranged, disjointed sagas that pelling to watch on screen?

The Clever Place Star Wars: Rogue One Hid A Kyber Crystal

Kyber crystals have been part of the Star Wars canon for years, mainly in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. However, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was the first time they appeared on the big screen. Before now, the crystals were best known to be a lightsaber's source of power, but in Rogue One, the Empire was using them to power the Death Star's superlaser. The main kyber crystal seen in the movie was the one around Jyn Erso's neck that her mother gave to her, but it turns out that there was also one hidden inside Chirrut Îmwe's staff.

In Star Wars Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide (via ComicBook.com), it's mentioned that a kyber crystal is located within the metal component of Chirrut's staff in what Lucasfilm Story Group executive Pablo Hidalgo called a "Crystal containment lamp." However, it's worth clarifying that rather than being a full crystal, the staff's artifact is described as a "sliver." While this still

doesn't mean that Chirrut (played by Donnie Yen) was a Jedi or Force sensitive, there was a benefit to him having that kyber sliver.

Apparently kyber crystals can create a harmonic sound only Jedi can hear, but thanks to Chirrut's own enhanced hearing due to his blindness, he was able to pick up on that sound. This might also be the reason why he knew that Jyn had her own crystal.

While one of Rogue One's earlier drafts did contain some Jedi, the final version lacked any Force-manipulating individuals other than Darth Vader. Chirrut Îmwe, however, served as the Force's main representatives. When Rogue One begins, one of the last Guardians of the Whills, the protectors of the Temple of the Whills, which contained Jedha supply of kyber crystals in the Holy City until the Empire looted it. While Chirrut kept this faith after he and his brethren were tossed out onto the street, his friend, Baze Malbus, lost his spirituality.

Pepperpot Ingredients 2 pig trotters or I cow heel 2 lbs stewing steak or brisket 8 oz pickled meat 2 lbs ox tail ¼ pt cassareep

2 red peppers 1 inch piece dried orange or lemon peel 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick 3 cloves 2 oz sugar Salt to taste

Method 1. Wipe and clean meat thoroughly.

2. Put heel or trotters in pan. Cover with water and bring to boil. Skim.

3. When half tender, add other meats, and hot water to cover. Cook for about 1 hour.

4. Add other ingredients and simmer until meat is tender. Adjust flavour for salt and sugar.

5. Serve hot.

Note: This dish develops more flavour when left over a period of days. It must be reheated to boiling point each day.

Garlic Pork Ingredients 3 – 4 lbs lean Pork (with just a little fat) 2 pt vinegar 8 oz garlic 6-8 wiri-wiri peppers

1 bunch thyme (1 broad leaf and 4 stalks fine leaf) 4 tsp salt 4-6 cloves

Method 1. Cut port into suitable sized pieces. Steep pork in a solution of ¼ pint vinegar and ¼ pint water, then lift out using two forks and put into a large jar or bottle.

2. Pound garlic, peppers and thyme. Added to the rest of the vinegar. Add salt and cloves. Pour over pork, making sure that there is enough liquid to cover pork completely.

3. Leave to soak for about 3-4 days or longer if possible.

4. Put pork into a pan with some of the vinegar liquid and leave it to boil until liquid evaporates. The fat of the pork should also melt, supplying the fat in which the pork will fry until brown.

5. Serve hot.