8th Dec 2013 Sunday Magazine

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Times December 8, 2013

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A chance introduction turns career for make-up artist Renee Chester-Thompson Page 5

Making a Difference in Communities Doris Shelto-Mc Lennon takes inspiration from her late mother in her concern for local communities

Page 2

2 Times Sunday Magazine

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december 8, 2013

Times Feature

Doris Shelto-Mc Lennon takes inspiration from her late mother in her concern for local communities

F

ounder of the Mothers Action Group on Social Issues and the Sophia Sparkle Youth Group, Doris Anetha SheltoMc Lennon aims to look at situations and formulate strategies best suited for positive growth and development for families and community.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Shelto-Mc Lennon revealed that since a teenager she was always giving back to her community. She saw her late mother’s charitable efforts and emulated then, noting that her mother would constantly encourage her to give back to others.

“As a teenager I thought the Bible to children. This continued when I got married. I had children over at my house teaching them the Bible and sharing out snacks. Parents expressed their gratitude for what I was doing with their chil-

my efforts,” she confessed upon reflecting.

The Mothers Action Group on Social Issues

Doris Anetha SheltoMc Lennon

dren and how well-behaved they have become since coming by me. These children are now grown up and have children of their own, but they still call out whenever they see me to thank me. It is truly a wonderful feeling when persons acknowledge

Sewing classes

Living in another part of Georgetown for a while, Shelto-Mc Lennon and her family later moved to Sophia, where she lives presently. She noticed it was a depressed community, although, she disclosed, many of the residents do not want to admit that it is. Wanting to help, she decided to reach out to the mothers in the area, who are mostly single-parents. After learning of their needs, Shelto-Mc Lennon planned a meeting to further find out how they could be assisted.

“At my first meeting I was a bit discouraged. Only four women showed up, and one even tried to deter me from what I wanted to do.

However, I knew what I wanted to do and I did not give up. Through much talk and encouragement, we were able to identify avenues of self-empowerment.

One such way was farming.

At that time I was working with the Ministry of Agriculture. I approached the-then minister, Robert Persaud, with a proposal of helping my community, and the help was tremendous. Truck-loads of equipment and plants were donated and kitchen gardens were started. More women came out to meetings and the group flourished,” she recalled.

The Mothers Action Group on Social Issues was officially launched Oct 2, 2008 under the Friendly Societies Act. Shelto-Mc Lennon said more than

Having fun with art

97 women later began attending meetings held under her house. She has since enclosed the bottom of her house into a cosy location where meetings and workshops are still held every Saturday. It is neatly packed with books and chairs, and decorated with creative work done by children as young as two years old.

Presently, the women’s group is somewhat dormant in their farming efforts, but the humanitarian is adamant in reviving it.

Sophia Sparkle Youth Group

As mothers attended the meetings, Shelto-Mc Lennon encouraged them to bring their children along.

Seeing the interest shown by the young ones, SheltoMc Lennon decided to officially start a youth group – the Sophia Sparkle Youth Group.

“The youth group was started over three years ago.

I want to do as much as I can until I leave this earth.

I lost my 28-year-old son in a fatal bus accident in 2011, and just after, my mother died. I still cry up to this day, but doing this work really helps me to keep focus and channel all my emotions to help others,” she declared.

Shelto-Mc Lennon also actively advocates against speeding since her son’s death. She has campaigned and handed out fliers focusing on passengers who encourage speeding. The advocate wants to see laws against passengers who allow drivers to speed.

Since that fatal day, Shelto-Mc Lennon has invested all her efforts into making the groups more successful. She speaks passionately of how the children are becoming brave public speakers and showcasing their talents by creating beautiful art work.

The groups engage in sewing classes, floral arrangements, recycling bottles to create decorative items for Some of the children's creative pieces

Decorative pieces made by 2-year-old children

the home, tie- dying and literacy classes for slow learners.

“We have to remember our role as parents is to guide our children into becoming productive people who will honour themselves and their community. Our children are learning our values by how we live, not by what we say. Just doing the right and decent thing can set the pace for them to follow,” she declared.

Shelto-Mc Lennon welcomes donations of clothing, books and other items to donate to her community. She is thankful to all those who have contributed thus far.

“I want to say thanks to Lynette Barbara Shelto, my sister who is a nurse in England, for her continued support. Also Mr Desmond Burch-Smith, a retired judge, who continues to help me with all legalities of the group. Mariel Blair, Dorcus John, Loraine Mingo are also active supporters of my groups,” she added.

For more information on these groups, call Shelto-Mc Lennon on 628-1557.

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december 8, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine

3

Times Focus

INSIDE Jewellery designer Kim Evelyn taps into her talents and finds her independence

K

Designer Kim Evelyn

C Creations, founded by Kim Evelyn started off as a challenge and ended up being a career, and is now well on its way to becoming a top fashion brand. KC Creations is an exquisite brand with an abundance of beautifully hand-crafted jewellery.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Evelyn recalled one of her daughters, who, after purchasing a beautiful pair of earrings, asked Evelyn if she could make one like it. Evelyn examined it and challenged herself.

After completing the task, she realised how easy and enjoyable it was, and decided to pursue it. She has been working with her business for about a year now, and has produced more than 400 different earrings, hand band and necklace designs.

She credits her artistic abilities to her father who loved painting and drawing, something he did as a hobby. Her elder brother, she noted, is a cartoonist for a local newspaper and so she concluded their artistic talent must be hereditary.

“Designing comes naturally. I used to make greeting cards with fun and distinct designs on them. Friends and family support-

ed me but, because most of the time I had to hand paint them, it became time consuming.

I also take care of my elderly mother. But creating jewellery comes so easily. I have time to take care of my mom and still earn. I work from home which is my comfort zone,” she revealed.

Initially, Evelyn disclosed, it was difficult sourcing certain materials. However, after doing research, she learnt that Trinidad was selling what she wanted and so had a friend bring the materials in. Evelyn noted that her jewellery is of good quality and affordable.

Being a creative thinker, Evelyn recycles items such as bottle caps and tabs, wood, nut shells, ribbons, paper clips and much more, making them into contemporary pieces suitable for any outfit.

She has exhibited her at local arts and crafts events including GuyExpo. The response so far, according to Evelyn, is encouraging.

One of her functional ideas was to use beer caps and making them into earrings and bands. She plans to approach companies who can use her designs in promoting their brands.

“I’m working to get my collection out there.

I want to expand my collection and to market it regionally. For me, it’s all about catering to

I

Shaunda Yarde

degree in public communication, Shaunda worked in a similar field for a while.

However, when she got pregnant, Shaunda, a single-parent, decided to leave her job because it could not facilitate taking care of her baby. This led to investing more into her biscuit business. Soon enough, Golden Crunch Coconut Biscuits was founded.

“I wanted to be there for my baby’s first step or word,

An Overseas Company with Guyana at Heart Pg 4

Star of the Week

Pg 7

Unpredictable life inspires collection Pg 10

Holiday Drinking: How 8 Common Medications Interact with Alcohol Part I Pg 15

Walter Roth Pg 22 Stylish earrings made from wire

Baking up batches nheriting a recipe for coconut biscuits from her grandmother, Shaunda Yarde has tapped into her inner entrepreneur, coupled with what she learnt as a public communication major at the University of Guyana, to create a growing business: Golden Crunch Coconut Biscuits.

The coconut biscuits are a savoury, coco-nutty heaven enjoyed by Shaunda and her family for years. In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Shaunda recalled that her grandmother was always cooking and baking every Saturday for her family. The coconut biscuits, a Guyanese treat, were Shaunda’s favourite.

“My grandmother gave me the recipe. I made these to sell while I attended UG. The money I got helped me finance my expenses throughout UG. During a course I did on business marketing, my friends encouraged me to invest more into the biscuits business because they enjoyed the biscuits and thought it had potential,” she reminisced.

After graduating with a

my customers’ needs to look distinct and I hope to take that to other countries. I want to bring something different to the jewellery industry,” Evelyn expressed.

She noted that there is an urgent need for more opportunities to showcase local talent, as many here are foreign-minded, and locally-made items suffer. However, Evelyn is not deterred by this. Inspiration by her environment, Evelyn aims to develop her brand and be the independent women she initially set out to be.

“I needed to be independent and looked to tap into my talent I inherited to help me. My encouragement to other women is: don’t be afraid. If you have talent, don’t be afraid to invest in it.

All you need is one person to purchase something from you and the feeling of accomplishment motivates you to keep going. If you have a dream, work to fulfil it. You may not succeed at first but don’t give up, keep pressing on. I’m thankful to my family and friends for their support and encouragement,” the designer noted.

For more information on KC Creations, call 642-4032.

Zara Realty Donor Team

and that is why I took coconut biscuits seriously. I’m very thankful to my grandmother for her recipe. I started off with a few packs and now make over 100 packs of five biscuits weekly. I have clients I supply to at banks and other businesses. I’m hoping to expand to supermarkets and I’m working on that currently,” she outlined.

Shaunda recalled a person who remarked that her biscuits have drugs inside because of how addictive they are. Hearing these amusing but appreciative comments, and having the support of family and friends has encouraged Shaunda to continue pursuing her goal of establishing her business.

“This is no easy walk in the park. It has it challenges. When I’m grating coconuts and I grate my fingers, I look at my baby and keep on grating because I have to support him. He’s my motivation to keep going. I’m thankful to my family and friends for their support and encouragement,” she declared.

Holding a degree is a se-

An old family recipe for biscuits becomes a new business

Shaunda's yummy coconut biscuits

curity for Shaunda because she knows she is qualified if the need arise to get a job.

It also helps her to put her business into perspective.

“My encouragement to women is to take the chance if you have the business opportunity.

Pregnancy has also taught me about faith and God, and this has helped me through my darkest days,” she noted.

For more information on Golden Crunch Coconut Biscuit, visit its Facebook page of the same name or call 622-2290.

4

Times Sunday Magazine

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December 8, 2013

Times Feature

Zara Realty Donor Team

By Indrawattie Natram

I

t is often said that a single act of kindness can change someone’s world. This statement is indeed true, and has been displayed by Zara Realty Donor Team, an overseas-based Guyanese company that has indeed defined what serving humanity is about.

The company, which comprises many Guyanese, has pooled its resources to help other Guyanese in the Information Technology field. Today, many persons from Essequibo, Berbice and Demerara are reaping the benefits.

The company’s recent commitment to Guyana was the opening of its third state-of-the-art computer\ video audio centre and library, in Georgetown. It was opened Nov 30, 2013 with the aim of keeping persons updated with technology.

Commissioner of Police Leroy Brumell (left) at the cutting of the ribbon to officially open the IT centre

In an interview with

Guyana

Times

Sunday

Magazine, Zara Realty vice

president, Jay Sobhraj, said their commitment to the Guyanese population came about after the Zara Reality Donor team realized that IT is accelerating very fast.

He said that it has been proven over the years that many day to day activities have changed, and more focus is heading to more advanced training. He said too that a number of things have changed that is believed to have accelerated the pace and change in every field. As such, persons need to be trained to cope with these changes.

He noted that this is where Zara Realty Donor Team saw it fitting to assist, and has partnered with the Guyana Police Force to help equip persons with IT skills in this fast-track field. He revealed that Zara Realty Donor successfully opened its third state-of-the-art computer\video audio centre and library; this one at Eve Leary in Georgetown.

Serving compassionately

Shedding some light on the company's achievements, the vice president pointed out that in less than two years, Zara Realty donor team has successfully built three such state-ofthe-art centres and libraries in Berbice, Essequibo and Demerara.

vide back-end support and training for the staff and students.

He said the projects, which required major planning, finance, infrastructure work and commitment, were supported by the Zara Donor Team. The team is made up of Jay Sobhraj, Zara Realty senior vice president, his wife Sylvia Sobhraj; New York businessman Sravan Budhu and New York IT consultant Nardeo (Naresh) Singh. The group used their own finances and technical resources to build more than seven state-of-the-art computer centres and libraries throughout Guyana, and another three in New York.

Apart from the Guyana Police Force, the donor group worked with the Cove and John Ashram (Hindu College), the Central Islamic Organization of Guyana, and the SVN Secondary School on the West Coast of Demerara to spread IT. They also made a contribution of computers and books to the Enmore community group.

“It is Sewa , and that is to serve our fellow man compassionately without any attachment. Some consider it the Art to Happiness,” Sobhraj reiterated when asked why such a huge commitment.

The first centre was the

The Commissioner of Police and executive members of Zara Reality Holding, Jay Sobhraj, Nardeo Singh and Sarvan Budhu unveil the plaque at the official opening of the centre

All three centres provide training for law enforcement divisions, including immigration, drug enforcement and traffic. The centres are equipped with 60 highend HP computers, servers, Internet connectivity and an advanced video/audio theatre system for video training and video conferencing.

The centres serve to provide sufficient internet bandwidth and video conferencing, linking all three centres for training\ communication between management and divisional police groups in the three counties.

Subhraj made the commitment that Zara Donor Team will continue to pro-

GPF-Zara computer centre, built at Number One village, Adventure Village, Berbice, which commenced in June 2012, and, as of today, they have trained more than 600 people of all ages excluding cadets, police and police management.

The second centre was opened in June 2013 and, as of today, they have trained more than 300 civilians. A similar centre was opened at Suddie at the Richard Fiakall College also, where persons are trained. The group also made donation to Zamina Rasheed and Yogeeta Persaud, the two top CSEC students, for their achievements.

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december 8, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine 5

Times Women

A chance introduction turns career for make-up artist Renee Chester-Thompson

M

oving away from the label, 'ex-pageantry candidate,' professional make-up artist Renee Chester-Thompson is working diligently to make a name for herself as a successful and strong entrepreneur.

Renee first attended South Ruimveldt Primary then graduated from School of the Nations. Her range of activities covers dancing, poetry, drama, track and field events, basketball, singing, playing the drums for church, modelling, debating, gardening, photography and painting.

She is an artistic and ambitious individual who is very proud of her achievements in poetry – her first love. She was awarded the second place winner for the AGWA prize for literature in 2003. She so far has four unpublished books of poems.

With a deep love for

A bridal look

Renee at work

the arts, Renee accidentally stumbled upon an interest that quickly became her passion.

“Make-up found me. I One of her favourites is working with rhinestones

didn’t plan on doing this as a career. I am now an authorized dealer for Black Opal beauty products. A make-up artist had used it on me and I fell in love with it because

of how flawless it made me look. I wanted to know more about the brand because it was difficult to find them in Guyana. I met a Barbadian Hollywood make-up artist – also a product manager for the Black Opal brand in various countries – who taught me about skin care and how I can use the brand to get the look I want. I started her classes and came out as a top achiever. I really got interested in make-up and, after lengthy studies, I returned to Guyana to share what I know with others,” Renee, now a professional and certified make-up artist, recalled in an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine.

When she returned to Guyana, Renee knew she wanted to start her own business. As founder of Bromeliad, located at 28 Queen Street, Kitty, Renee works with a packed schedule daily. Her clientele includes professionals, brides, models and the average woman; all who want to look flawless.

The make-up artist pointed out that it irks her when people want to keep her in the limelight of her pageantry days. She stated that she is somewhat still into pageantry but behind the scenes as a make-up artist, and is now focused on promoting herself as a business professional.

“I did enjoy my days in pageantry but I am now looking to the future working with Black Opal which I have been an authorized dealer for some time. Now my work includes working with people who want to enhance their beauty. I love doing bridal work. I also like working with rhinestones but not many persons are

open to wearing it, except if they have a special event that requires it. I keep researching and looking at ways to develop my work. I get inspiration from top international fashion magazines and developing my styles to that quality,” she mentioned.

The feedback, she said, is overwhelming, and such a response motivates her to continue her work and keep developing herself. Her clients always commend her work for her flawless techniques and have stayed faithful to her since she began her make-up business.

“Seeing my clients coming back to me regularly has reiterated to me that what I’m doing is quality work and is on par with international standards. I’m now focused on getting my work out there. I hope to start working with pageant candidates, firstly with Guyana and then branch out to other countries. I want to capture their beauty with my techniques and then work my way up to reach the Vogue magazine level,” she noted.

Eager to share her knowledge with others, Renee opened her make-up artistry school, Bromeliad, to train persons who share her passion to offer quality services in make-up. She disclosed

Make-up artist Renee Chester-Thompson

that she is very strict with training her students on the correct techniques of makeup, especially on hygiene.

Renee said if hygiene is lacking then this can cause serious irritations and skin allergies. Thankfully, Renee has never had such an experience with clients and continues to abide to rules of austere hygiene and sanitation.

“Hygiene is on the top of my list. Also proper skin care is important. Cleanse, tone and moisturize should be done in order to care for your skin. I work closely with skin care professionals to whom I refer people.

My aim is to help people

care for their skin and so if I see there’s something seriously wrong with your skin I won’t recommend you to cover it up with thick makeup just to sell my products.

I’m seriously bent on providing quality service and will do so always,” she declared.

Next year, Renee plans to further her studies in make-up overseas so that she can achieve her goal of one day becoming an internationally renowned makeup artist.

For more information on Renee’s work, visit BROMELIAD.rnc on Facebook. (Cover photo- She calls it the 'Egypt crease' eye design)

6 Times Sunday Magazine

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December 8, 2013

Times Book World

The Shaping of Guyanese Literature

New book on Guyanese literature launched a platform to reflect a little bit on Guyanese literature – what it is, where it came from, and where it is at the moment because those are themes at which Persaud’s work aims.

Now this “Introduction to Guyanese Literature” is a documentary; it is a description of what has been published in Guyanese litera-

By Petamber Persaud

O

n Friday Nov 22, 2013, the book, “An Introduction to Guyanese Literature”, written by Petamber Persaud, was launched in a special room of the National Library. That room houses the IT Section and a number of book collections and artefacts. It was named in honour of the first librarian of the National Library, Ms Emily Murray, who served the institution from 1909 to 1940.

It was a fitting place to launch such a book because the beginnings of the book started with the library which was opened to the public in 1909. As the author related during his remarks: “...it all started right here at the National Library.

While wading through the books in the juvenile section, I was itching to qualify for the adult section, and when that time arrived, the first column of shelves that engaged my attention was the one marked ‘Caribbeana’ – firstly because it was right in my face on entering that section, and secondly, this was a different world of books: columns and columns of books, reaching almost to the ceiling; so I was taking tentative steps and the ‘Caribbeana’

Anthologies of Prose and Poetry...

The Hon. Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, in her contribution to the book launch said, “...I believe this would be a great addition to our literary landscape across the country.... I can see young people becoming excited by the snippets provided by this

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand (centre) previews the new book at the launch alongside Chief Librarian of the National Library Gillian Thompson (L), and the book’s author Petamber Persaud (R)

section beckoned me, and I was not disappointed.

Here I found books written by our own people: Guyanese and Caribbean people. From Guyana:- A. J. Seymour, N. E. Cameron, Sheik Sadeek, Jan Carew, Roy Heath, Edgar Mittelholzer, Denis Williams, O. R. Dathorne; from the Caribbean: V. S. Naipaul, Derek Walcott, Alejo Carpentier, Andrew Salkey, Sam Selvon, Austin Clarke, George Lamming and many others...

Later I met Caribbean writers like Walcott, Cynthia McLeod, Earl Lovelace, Michael Anthony of “Green Days by the River”; Austin Clarke, Nancy Morejon, Lakshmi Persaud and George Lamming, among others.

What attracted me most in this section were the magazines and journals like Kykoveral, Kaie, Bim and others which later became my primary sources for research.

Then in the early 70s, I met two writers who authored some of the books on the shelves – Author J. Seymour and Sheik Sadeek, who were the facilitators of the National History and Arts Council’s writing courses. That meeting with living writers in the flesh added a new dimension to literature and that meeting was a fillip to my interest in Guyanese literature which manifested itself when an article I wrote calling for a Caribbean publishing house was published in the local press.

Caribbean arts critic and former deputy vice-chancellor of UG, Al Creighton (L) speaks at the launch of the new book documenting Guyanese literature

That was in the early 90s; then in the new millennium I started to write columns for local newspapers and to produce two television programmes... at this point there was a deeper interaction with emerging local writers, established writers – both local and in the diaspora, and the rest is history now manifested in this book.”

The book is an up-to-date guide featuring significant literary landmarks from the 16th century to the new millennium. This 150-page book, including more than 100 photographs, is an attempt at bringing to the fore little known facts about lesser known aspects of our literature. The big books, the big authors and the big success stories in Guyanese literature are also featured.

Another reason for the launch of the publication in the library is that the library played the role of publisher to the book. The National Library is celebrating its 104th year in service to the nation, and throughout that duration this noble institution continues to explore new areas to carry out its mandate, which is ‘to satisfy both nationally and internationally, the informational and recreational needs of the library’s users through the collection, organisation, dissemination and preservation of information in printed and other formats’.

Al Creighton, making remarks on the book said, “I will not do a close critical review of the book but I will speak to it, I will speak to it as a very important stimulus to the study of Guyanese Literature and the discourse on Guyanese Literature. I will speak to it as a book that takes us into the world of Guyanese literature through various windows that Persaud opened through the book and I would use this as

ture, and it tries to list all of those. It is not a critical analysis ...but it is certainly an extremely scrupulous account of Guyanese literature since its beginnings, up to the present time. It deals much more with the historical importance of the works than is does with current Guyanese literature as it is.

It covers a wide range of areas, as I said before, reflecting considerable reading...

The record is of course not totally comprehensive, but it comes near; it comes quite near to being that. We find

book and I am glad it was crafted in a way that makes it exciting ...”

During the book launch, a minute of silence was observed in tribute to a literary luminary Cecile Nobrega, who died Nov 19, 2013.

The book was well received by those in attendance and is now available at the National Library, Austin’s Book Services and from the author.

Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or

Author Petamber Persaud (R) presents his new book on Guyanese literature to Chief Librarian Gillian Thompson

that Persaud compartmentalises the whole wide world of Guyanese Literature into several small areas...”

Those areas are: Oral Literature, Travelogues and Histories, First Examples of Writings by Guyanese - The Early Versifiers, Modern Guyanese Poetry, Literary Groups, Magazines, Journals, the Short Fiction, Children’s Literature, The Theatre Movement and Modern Guyanese Drama, The Rise of the Novel, Book Publishing, The Cheddi Jagan Gold Medal for Literature, The Guyana Prize for Literature, The Guyana Annual, Guyanese Short Story, Landmarks of Literature - Guyanese

email: oraltradition2002@ yahoo.com What’s happening: • “An Introduction to Guyanese Literature” is now available from the above contacts, Austin’s Book Service and at the National Library. This book is an upto-date guide featuring significant literary landmarks from the 16th century to the new millennium. This 150page book including over 100 photographs is an attempt at bringing to the fore little known facts about lesser known aspects of our literature. The big books, the big authors and the big success stories in Guyanese Literature are also featured.

guyanatimesgy.com

December 8, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine 7

Times Feature

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Star of the week

Junior Librarian

By Vahnu Manickhand

F

rom a fairly challenging childhood, Abigail Brower overcame the odds and is pursuing her dreams of becoming a writer/director.

Brower spent most of her childhood in Tucville, with her mother and six children. Growing up with a single parent was tough, but, with the strong will of her mother, she and her siblings were able to become successful characters of society.

“We are very close as a family, and my mother, whom I admire very much for her strength, has kept us on the right path. She is a phenomenal woman,” Brower declares.

When her mother remarried, and while her father was still in her life, her stepfather stepped in to play a full-time role, leading to her having a stable childhood.

“As a child in that area, it was different because back then there was a lot more harmony among villagers. We would get together as a team and clean the community, go at each other’s house for story telling…everyone used to live in love and as a team,” she recalls.

Brower spent her early schooling in Tucville, after which she attended Charlestown Secondary School.

However, she left to attend Monar Education where she wrote her CXC exams in 2007 and attained passes in seven subjects.

The following year she participated in the culture ministry’s 'Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training Program' in information technology and office administration, from which she obtained distinctions. Afterwards, in 2012, she went to the IDC and furthered her studies in industrial relations and management.

Currently, Brower is a junior librarian at the National Library while at the same time pursuing studies in public communication at the University of Guyana. She is also a performer in the areas of dance and acting.

Her enthusiasm for dance began when she was in third form and was encouraged by the school’s deputy head teacher to perform a dance at one of the school’s functions, which was well received. From this she decided to pursue the art form.

“I never thought I had the skills of dancing, but everyone was impressed, and my deputy pushed me to do dancing, so I join the Crystal Lite Dancing Company then moved to the Dance Fanatics, and now I’m with the Heat wave band,” she reveals.

She got into acting when she was stage manager at CARIFESTA X, which was held in Guyana, and developed an interest in it. She began attending theatrical training classes where she made her debut performance in a play called “Hope” for which her excellent work was praised.

In addition, Brower has volunteered with the Guyana Red Cross Society where she was a peer counsellor to persons between the ages of 14 to 25 on HIV and STIs. She still counsels. She was also a part of the President’s Youth Award Program from which she attained bronze, silver and gold medals. She further represented Guyana in Trinidad at a youth forum on HIV.

Yaphet Jackman

S

ignificantly making his mark on the local arts scene, Yaphet Jackman is known as one of Guyana’s notable contributors to keeping the art of the “spoken word” alive.

Through numerous art shows, where poetry is superbly and vividly performed, Yaphet encourages youths to grow artistically. Yaphet’s interest in poetry sparked in 2007 when he started writing. He attended many literary workshops, which helped develop his writing skills. For the 28-year-old poet, life is his inspiration. Every poem he has written is a testimonial of his life’s events. He believes people connect personally with his work because of his honesty. Yaphet views writing as a release and a means to clarifying his baffling thoughts. Writing is mostly a surreal experience for Yaphet which he uses as an escape to a beautiful world: a place where all energy is good, healing and positive. Other than poetry, film is his next big interest. Yaphet describes himself as a visual person who has always been fascinated by the way images tell stories without a single word.

He is currently working feverishly on honing that craft, to become one of the best who uses the art of filmmaking to address topical issues affecting the world today. Focused on youth empowerment, Yaphet is part of several groups centred on building youths and communities. Groups such as Global Shaper Community, the National Youth Council Committee, Young Journalist and Writers (an international writers’ hub for young writers and journalists around the world) and Youth Media Guyana, just to name a few, have given Yaphet numerous opportunities to fulfil his mission to empower youths. His advice to youths is to learn to distinguish right from wrong; strive to be a positive influence to other youths and surround themselves with positive people who will help in their selfdevelopment.

8 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

December 8, 2013

Times Kids Page

Hazel Dormouse or Common Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius)

T

he dormouse (Gliridae) is a small mouselike rodent predominantly found in Europe, though a number of dormouse species also extend into the warmer Asian and African continents. There are 29 different species of dormouse found inhabiting areas of dense forest and woodland.

The dormouse can grow 6cm - 19cm (2.4in 7.5in) and weigh between 15g - 200kg (0.5oz 7.1oz) depending on the dormouse species. It is omnivorous: it hunts and feeds on fruits, nuts, insects, seeds and berries; flowers and small animals, although the exact diet depends on the species and the area it inhabits.

Due to their relatively small size, the dormouse is preyed upon by numerous predators in its woodland habitats. The dormouse is most wellknown for their long periods of hibernation throughout the cooler winter months.

Did you know?

M

ost dormouse species are very agile and welladapted to climbing and life in the trees.

Many species of dormouse are also nocturnal, although not all.

Birds such as owls, falcons and small eagles prey on the dormouse from high in the sky, while mammals such as foxes, cats, stoats and weasels hunt the dormouse on ground level.

MAZE DAZE

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

please see solution on page 22

Colouring Fun

FUN FACTS

CHRISTMAS

Christmas trees are also known as the Yule tree.

Did you ever wonder where Xmas came from?

X means Christ in Greek, so to shorten the word Christmas, we sometimes use Xmas or X-Mas. Do you know why we say the Twelve Days of Christmas? It is believed that it took the three kings 12 days to find the baby Jesus.

guyanatimesgy.com

December 8, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine 9 Cameo glass fragrance bottle (1884)

By Laurie Triefeldt

Easy soap making This soap-making process is very easy, but adult supervision is recommended.

What you need: • Clear glycerin soap blocks (found at craft stores) • Liquid food coloring • Stir sticks • Essential oil (optional) • Petroleum jelly or cooking spray • Microwave oven and microwavable container • Ice cube tray or candy mold or soap mold Step one: Coat an ice cube tray or mold with petroleum jelly or cooking spray.

The earliest soaps are thought to have been used more to clean wool and textiles than for personal hygiene. Some people preferred smelling good to actually being clean and thought perfume did the trick nicely.

Through the ages, the medical benefits of cleanliness were well-known to many cultures, but forgotten or ignored by others. It has been suggested that modern society is too clean and that an excessive use of soaps, detergents and sanitizers may lower our immune systems and could be responsible for a rise in allergies.

Step two: Place glycerin in a microwavable container.

Heat in microwave oven.

Time varies depending on microwave wattage. Stir every 10 to 15 seconds until completely melted.

Soap basics

Perfume basics

Soap can be made from a variety of ingredients. Animal fat, called tallow, and vegetable oils such as castor, olive or coconut oil are combined with chemicals called alkalies. The most common alkali used to make soap is sodium hydroxide, also known as lye.

Perfumes are made of many components, sometimes hundreds.

Step four: Pour the melted glycerin into the tray or mold, fill almost to the top.

This perfume recipe is gentle and nontoxic, but adult supervision is recommended.

What you need: • Clean bottle for finished perfume • Essential rose oil (optional) • Red food coloring • Measuring cup and strainer • Cooking pot with lid • 2 cups of fresh rose petals • Glass bowl and spoon Step one: On a stove top, bring 2 cups of water to bowl. Turn off heat.

Step two: Add rose petals and let steep until water is cool.

Essential oils can be natural (from plants or animals) or synthetic.

These oils are very strong and must be combined with alcohol or water for use in a perfume.

The concentration or dilution level of essential oils is an important characteristic of a perfume. A true perfume is the costliest form of fragrance with 22 percent essential oils. Eau de parfum has between 15 and 22 percent essential oils.

Eau de toilette is made with 8 to 15 percent oils. And Eau de cologne uses 4 percent essential oils.

Soap manufacturers add fragrances, colors, germicides, builders and active agents to their soaps, depending on the purpose of the soap. The industry is always working to improve and create new formulas.

Step three: Carefully remove the melted glycerin from oven and stir in a small amount of food coloring. If you wish, stir in a drop or two of scented oil.

Rose petal perfume

Step three: Add a drop of red food coloring. If you wish, add a drop of essential rose oil to the mix. Stir.

Step four: Strain the cool water into a glass bowl.

Squeeze as much liquid out of petals as you can.

There are many kinds of soap.

Some are liquid, others hard or shaved into flakes. Personal Perfumes are designed to unfold Step five: Cool for an hour soaps are made to wash our skin their scent over time. What you or so before removing from or hair. Soaps made for bathsmell initially is called the top the mold. Placing them in the ing are called toilet soaps. Denote, it lasts 10 to 30 minutes. freezer can speed up this tergents are designed to clean The middle note follows as the process. They should dishes or laundry. Household top note evaporates; it lasts 10 to just pop out. cleansers often have mild abra45 minutes. The base notes are sives that can clean a variety of heavier, and some last 24 hours. surfaces.

Perfume has been used since ancient times. It has also played an important role in the religious ceremonies of many cultures.

Scholars believe that the use of perfume began in ancient Egypt. The Persians used scent as a sign of rank. The Romans began to use perfume around 750 B.C. to celebrate the goddess Flora. Attractive scents go hand in hand with attractive containers.

Step five: Pour the mixture into a clean bottle and label your perfume with a name of your choosing.

Perfume through the ages

Perfumes in the form of burning incense are used in religious ceremonies.

The use of perfume spreads to Greece, Rome, Persia and the Islamic world.

2000 B.C.

Egyptian scent bottles (c. 5000 to 3050 B.C.)

The first alcoholbased perfume is made for Elizabeth of Hungary in 1370.

Roman green glass scent bottle from the second or third century A.D.

Ancient Egyptian glass perfume bottle from the New Kingdom period

3000 B.C.

Arabian physician Avicenna is the first to extract attar, an oil from flowers.

Diluted with water, this became the first modern perfume, rose water.

1000 B.C.

A.D. 1000

1100

“Eau de Cologne” is invented by the Farina brothers in Cologne, Germany. The scent is used in everything from ointments to mouthwash.

Irish-cut crystal with mushroom stopper (1820s)

Semiprecious stone perfume flasks (1860-70s)

1200 English engraved silver-gilt bottle (c. 1690)

Corinthian Greek terra-cotta Fragrant ointments are terra-cotta bottle scent bottle used in toiletries and (650–550 B.C.) (610–650 B.C.) cosmetics. Cinnamon and honey scents are The use of perfume declines Lavender water popular and the fragrant with the fall of the Roman is distilled by myrrh was more Empire, but continues in a German precious than gold.

Muslim communities.

Benedictine nun.

1300

1400

Stored in a cool, dark place, the perfume should keep for about two weeks.

Chanel No. 5 hits the market in 1920.

Joy, one of the most expensive perfumes ever made, is created in 1926.

Charlie becomes a modern marvel of perfumes in the 1970s.

Joy bottle (1926)

1500

1600

1700

1800

1900

2000

Wedgwood jasper ware bottle (1785–90)

Perfume becomes very popular in the 17th century. Louis XV’s court was nicknamed “the perfumed court” because scent was used on everything.

The town Celebrities Perfume of Grasse in Lalique glass for begin to makers Provence, L’ Air du Temps by have their search the France, Nina Ricci (1947) own scents globe for becomes a created. new scents. major source SOURCES: World Book Encyclopedia, World Book Inc.; for fragrant www.soaphistory.net; www.soapmakingfun.com; raw materi- www.perfumers.org; www.perfumeandfragrances.com; www.ehow.com; http://www.soaphistory.net; als. www.pbs.org; www.scentiments.com; www.fashion-era.com

10 Times Sunday Magazine

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December 8, 2013

Times Fashion

D

esigner Wynetta Jones’ latest and most stylish collection ever was recently launched at the gala fashion event, Guyana Fashion Weekend 2013 (GFW).

‘Jours Sombres de l'été’, meaning “Dark Days of Summer”, featured 18 contemporary designs.

“This concept emerged from the unpredictable climate weather and some unexpected changes life throws your ways. Using my knowledge gained at E. R. Burrowes School of Arts, I plan to bring this collection alive by using fabrics such as linen, lace, stretch cotton, cotton, leather. The colours used in this collection are black, white, green, yellow, and orange. It caters for both ladies and gents,” the

Designer Wynetta Jones

designer explained in a recent interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine .

Jones is not new to the fashion industry and has participated in GFW over the years under her label Wynetta Jones Creations.

For more information on this collection call 226-3099.

guyanatimesgy.com

December 8, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine 11

Star Times Hollywood

R

omeo Miller, born August 19, 1989, better known by his stage name Romeo (previously Lil' Romeo), is an American rapper, actor, basketball player, entrepreneur, and model. As a rapper, Miller has released three studio albums, one independent album, three soundtracks, four collaboration albums, and two compilation albums. Miller was born in New Orleans. He is the son of rapper and entrepreneur Master P and former rapper Sonya C. At age 12, Miller released his debut album titled after his original alias “Lil' Romeo”. This offering contained the hit single "My Baby" that charted No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-hop Singles chart. Miller started his acting career with a cameo appearance in the 2001 film “Max Keeble's Big Move”.

He later co-starred with Jessica Alba, Mekhi Phifer and Zachary Isaiah Williams in the film “Honey” (2003). On July 24, 2010, Miller launched his own clothing line titled ‘College Boyys’. The brand has been been promoted by artists such as Justin Bieber, Big Time Rush and Jaden Smith. Currently, Miller is working and planning to release his mixtape “Rome Everything” on his newly founded label No Limit Forever. Additionally, he has released an official single off the album entitled “Girls X3 (Hit Me Up)”.

12 Times Sunday Magazine

december 8, 2013

december 8, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine 13

14 Times Sunday Magazine

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December 8, 2013

Times Bollywood

Katrina Kaif named world's sexiest Asian woman

B

ollywood actress Kajol feels it is much easier for a man to survive and succeed nowadays than a woman, given the deteriorating state of the fairer sex in our country.

The 39-year-old actress, who has starred in several hits like “Baazigar”, “Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaenge”, “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”, said that men often make it difficult for us women to lead our lives liberally and there is an urgent need to change their mindset.

"Every woman goes through a lot of struggle. To struggle and succeed in today's world, especially in India, is much tougher for a woman than for a man...

The same men, who invoke the goddesses before every important moment of their lives, go on and kill their daughters or beat up their wives. If we want to empower our women, we will have to change the mindset of

men," Kajol said.

The actress, a mother of two, also lamented that the authorities in our country are not women friendly and that is the major reason for several unreported crimes.

"Implementation of laws is necessary, but another

important aspect is to see whether local police stations are doing their job. In several occasions, we hear that police are not willing to lodge an FIR and ignore the victim's pleas for help," said Kajol, who was in the capital for the launch of a book

by the Vodafone Foundation titled "Women of Pure Wonder".

The book chronicles the struggles, survival and ultimate success of sixty extraordinary women, which includes acid-attack survivor Lakshmi who fought for seven years to get the sale of acid at retail outlets regulated.

"We strongly believe that what is good for society is good for business.

Women empowerment is a key theme for us across all markets we operate in. The book is a small token of our admiration and respect for the women who have braved all odds to exemplify what women are capable of," said Vittorio Colao, CEO, Vodafone Group Plc. MP Priya Dutt, entrepreneur Shahnaz Husain and several other accomplished women attended the event, which saw a performance by singer Sona Mahapatra.

(India Today)

H

er absence from the big screen for a year has not stopped Bollywood beauty Katrina Kaif from winning the world's sexiest Asian woman title for the fourth consecutive year in a poll by a weekly magazine.

The actress narrowly defeated Priyanka Chopra, TV star Drashti Dhami and current box office queen Deepika Padukone.

She secured the top spot in the world-renowned '50 Sexiest Asian Women List 2013' with Chopra coming second, Dhami third and Padukone fourth.

A permanent fixture in the top three for the past six years, Kaif beat off competition from the world's most stunning Asian women in the tenth edition of UK

S

hahid Kapoor has said that he is "underrated" as an actor, In his ten-year career, he has starred in 20 films but only had three hits, namely “Ishq Vishk” in 2003, “Vivah” in 2006 and the 2007 Kareena Kapoorstarrer “Jab We Met”.

Speaking to PTI, he said: "I agree when others say I am underrated as an actor. When you give superhit films, then only you are considered as a good actor. At least that is how it is in our industry. I think you need to be successful to be appreciated.

"Eventually, the most important thing is success.

I want to achieve a lot of success. It doesn't feel good when your film doesn't do

based, Eastern Eye newspaper's definitive Sexy List.

The fourth win comes just weeks before Katrina hits the big screen again in one of the year's biggest Bollywood releases “Dhoom 3: Back In Action”.

"I didn't know it was a record! That's a nice surprise and a lot of fun to hear. I like it because Eastern Eye newspaper is the one my sisters see because they live in London. It's lovely, but also people are reacting to what they see. Obviously if everyone were to see me when I wake up in the morning or in my track pants and then vote for me, then maybe I would be a little bit more believing of it myself. But of course it's very flattering," Katrina said. (Hindustan Times)

well and yet you are appreciated. Everybody should succeed.

"I want lot of luck and want all my films to be really superhits. I don't want to hear that the film is not good but you did a good job. I am tired of hearing that.

"I am hoping for little luck so that my films do really well. Now I am at that stage where I want a little luck and a superhit film.

The desire is there."

The actor also said he is hopeful about his forthcoming release, the Prabhu Deva directed “R…Rajkumar” "I love action genre," he explained. "Every guy dreams of beating up several men in one go. Prabhu Deva has always presented action in his films in a stylised manner. He does not have people and bikes flying or superheroes. He has normal action in his films but shoots in a stylised manner, larger than life way and it looks good."

The actor said recently that he wanted to do more action films, since he does not want to be tagged as a romantic hero. (Digital Spy)

Shah Rukh Khan: ‘I am never aggressive with a woman’

S

hah Rukh Khan, who is considered Bollywood's undisputed king of romance, had some valuable tips on romance to share during his recent visit to the capital.

Shah Rukh has featured in a string of romantic films like “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge”, “Dil To Pagal Hai”, “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” and “Kal Ho Naa Ho” in his over two decade long career in Bollywood.

SRK told the men, especially the young men, "Never disrespect a woman in words, action or spirit.

You should always take care of small things like opening the door for a lady and never sit before she sits."

He said a man should always be gentle with a wom-

an. "I never abuse in front of a woman and try not to be aggressive with a woman or even in front of her.

A real man is one who can touch his femininity. I find my masculinity in the fact that I can touch my feminine side," said Shah Rukh.

(Hindustan Times)

guyanatimesgy.com

December 8, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine

15

Times Healthy Living

blockers, medications taken by people who have had heart attacks or are being treated for heart failure, chest pain or an abnormal heart rhythm. Therefore, experts recommend that people using beta-blockers avoid drinking alcohol.

For those taking angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE inhibitors) to control hypertension or treat heart attack and strokes, alcohol can actually cause blood pressure to drop too much, Elder said.

When blood pressure dips too low, a person may feel dizzy or lightheaded, and might even faint.

Because alcohol compounds the blood-pressure reduction effects of ACE inhibitors, it's best to avoid drinking while taking them, Elder said. (TO BE CONTINUED)

Part I

A

lcohol is often a familiar sight at holiday celebrations.

But if you're taking one or more medications a day — whether they're over-thecounter or prescription — is it safe to raise a glass or two, or should you avoid drinking altogether?

In some cases, mixing alcohol with medications can be dangerous. Some drugs contain ingredients that can react with alcohol, making them less effective.

Drinking while on other types of medications might have a negative effect on your symptoms or the disease itself. For example, consuming alcohol can reduce blood-sugar levels, leading to poor control of diabetes.

Knocking a few back can also intensify the sleep-inducting effect of medications that may cause drowsiness, making it risky to get behind the wheel or use dangerous machinery.

"The danger of combining alcohol and some medications is real and sometimes fatal," said Danya Qato, a practicing pharmacist and doctoral candidate in health services research at Brown University in Providence, R.I. "Alcohol works in various and unexpected ways to impact the effectiveness of a medication," Qato told LiveScience.

Older people are at a particularly high risk for drugalcohol interactions because they often take more medications than younger adults do, and are more susceptible to alcohol's effects on thinking and motor skills, which may result in falls and other injuries. Aging also slows the body's ability to break down alcohol, so its negative effects are felt sooner, and it remains in an older person's bloodstream longer.

Knowing which of the eight common medication classes below may interact harmfully with alcohol, and what side effects may occur as a result, could go a long way toward helping you to enjoy a happier and healthier holiday season.

Be sure to consult your pharmacist or doctor if you have additional questions about the medications you are taking.

Antidepressants

With antidepressants, the concern with drinking alcohol is that they both slow down the central nervous system, affecting the brain and impairing thinking skills and alertness.

This combination can also make people feel sleepier and decrease their judgment abilities, coordination and reaction time.

Combining alcohol and antidepressants may also

worsen the symptoms of depression.

For people taking a particular class of antidepressants called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), it's best to avoid alcohol entirely, Qato said. Alcohol can interact with these drugs and cause a dangerous rise in blood pressure.

Some persons use antidepressants that are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) — such as Zoloft, Prozac and Paxil — and there is less evidence of these particular drugs interacting adversely with alcohol, Qato said.

Still, she advised, if you have a drink while taking SSRIs, avoid driving because of alcohol's influence on drowsiness, dizziness and concentration.

Birth-control pills

Alcohol tends to leave the body at a slower rate in women who take oral contraceptives than in women who do not. As a result, when a woman who is on the pill drinks, she may feel intoxicated sooner.

While alcohol does not reduce the effectiveness of birth-control pills, drinking can have other negative consequences for women, said Stacy Elder, an assistant professor of clinical pharmacy at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy.

Too much alcohol can impair a woman's decisionmaking skills and reduce her sexual inhibitions. If she gets drunk, a woman may forget to take the pill or neglect to tell her partner to wear a condom, Elder noted.

Because drinking might lead to risky sexual behaviour and poor judgment, Elder also reminds women that "the Pill does not prevent sexually transmitted diseases."

Blood-pressure and heart medications

Alcohol is thought to decrease the effect of beta-

16 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

December 8, 2013

Times Home & Cooking

Decorating with Candles Decorating with candles at Christmas is a traditional practice all over the world. Today, candles come in all shapes and sizes, and, along with candle holders, make an ideal Christmas display in your home.

Candles arranged with seasonal greenery and ornaments is a popular decorating display

Caribbean Honey-Spiced Chicken with Mango Ingredients: 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 2 tsps freshly grated lemon peel 1 ripe mango, peeled and diced 1 small onion, peeled and quartered 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded 2 tsps - paprika

2 teaspoons - vegetable oil 1-1/2 tsps garlic salt 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tsp ground allspice 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Method: In a small bowl, combine honey, lemon juice and lemon peel; whisk until well blended.

Remove 1/4 cup of mixture to food processor container; set aside. Add mango to honey-lemon mixture in bowl; toss to coat.

Store in refrigerator.

Add onion, jalapenos, paprika, oil, garlic salt, cinnamon, pepper and allspice to honeylemon mixture in a food processor container.

Process until very finely chopped; scrape down sides when necessary.

Spread mixture evenly over both sides of chicken breasts. Spread oil in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Arrange chicken breasts in pan.

Bake at 375째F for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken to serving platter; top with reserved mango. (Makes 4 servings)

Broccoli and Chicken Casserole Red Christmas candles in seasonal candle holders add to the festive look on tabletops

Ingredients: 4 oz dried medium noodles Two 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey One 10-oz package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed 1/2 cup sliced green onions

One 10 3/4 oz can condensed cream of mushroom soup 1/2 cup skim milk 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese (2 oz) 1 tsp dried basil, crushed 1/8 tsp pepper Paprika Method: Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain well.

In a 2-quart casserole stir together noodles, chicken or turkey, broccoli, and green onions.

In a medium mixing bowl stir together soup, milk, cheese, basil, and pepper. Stir into noodle mixture.

Bake, covered, in a 350 degree F oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until heated through.

Sprinkle with paprika. (Makes 6 servings.)

Greatest Cooking Tips

Do-ityourself candle decorations are a hit with crafters

To retain honey's wonderfully luxuriant texture, always store it at room temperature, never in the refrigerator. If honey becomes cloudy, don't worry. It's just crystallization; a natural process. Place your honey jar in warm water until the crystals disappear. If you're in a hurry, place it in a microwave-safe container and heat it in the microwave on HIGH for 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Remember, never boil or scorch honey.

Home Help

Combat mould and mildew on tiles and shower curtains with a paste of equal parts lemon juice and baking powder. Spread on the mixture, leave for two hours, then rinse.

A dry paintbrush (with bristles at least 3 inches long) is great for both the surface and grooves of your collectibles. Dust framed photos with a pastry brush, which is softer than a paintbrush and easier to dip into corners and places that are difficult to reach.

Keep air pure with houseplants. Research from NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America suggests that palms, English ivy, ferns and similar plants remove up to 87 percent of indoor pollutants.

guyanatimesgy.com

December 8, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine 17

Times Sunday Puzzle

Take the given words, and by moving a single letter from one word to the other, make a pair of synonyms, or near synonyms.

For example, given: Boast - Hip, move the 's' from 'Boast' to 'Hip' creating two synonyms: Boat - Ship.

1. Pain – Nil 2. War – Zoned 3. Routing – Tip 4. Shot – Teaming 5. Right – Blight

see solution on page 22

see solution on page 22

see solution on page 22

18 Times Sunday Magazine

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December 8, 2013

Times Creative Writing

Essays of Life

I

t was a quiet Christmas Eve night with just the whispers of a light drizzle, when Old Joseph was called out to empty the garbage from several houses with his horse cart. He was the odd-job man of the small village. But Old Joseph didn’t mind, he was past 70 years old and needed the income, as meagre as it was.

His horse was perhaps also a pensioner in horse years - neither old Joseph nor the villagers were sure. But the two were inseparable, always seen around the village fetching anything and everything they could. Sometimes they even got work from the next village. But as slow as they were, the two would be out all day, which for them both was tiring, so Old Joseph did not take such long runs very often.

Suddenly the quiet of the Christmas evening was shattered by two neighbours quarrelling loudly: the Bradfords and the Persauds. As Old Joseph passed by their houses, he could hear the loud insults and curse words being traded from the landings. He shook his head sadly and with some disgust.

“Even though I should be accustomed to their constant quarrelling,” he thought to himself, remembering the almost daily feuds during the year, “it is Christmas Eve, why should people be behaving so with each other?”

The old man and his horse passed silently by, and, as the nasty words faded into the night, he began to hear Christmas carols, sung from the church a street away. The sounds soothed his

dismay while the horse’s ears seem to prick up and his walk became slightly livelier as if he too felt the beauty of the carols.

It was almost 10‘o’ clock by the time Old Joseph was finished. He collected his pay which, to his surprise and delight, was a lot more than he was accustomed to receiving. Adding it up back in his small shack at the edge of the village, he realised that together with what he had saved over the year, he had quite a decent sum for himself.

He smiled happily and went out to get food for himself and his horse for the long Christmas weekend fast approaching, returning home about two hours later, laden with groceries and supplies. The Bradfords and the Persauds had by then ended their feud, and the night became calm once more though now rainy.

The whole village settled in for the night as the outdoor Christmas fairy lights decorating most homes twinkled on, their reflections sparkling in the puddles of water outside.

The next morning everyone was up early, the children eager to see what Santa had brought them. But it was the cry of surprise from the older Bradfords later, who then called out to the Persauds, which sent everyone else nearby rushing out to see what was going on.

Mrs Bradford had opened her front door to sit on the landing with her cup of tea after the family had their Christmas breakfast, when she glanced

down and noticed a parcel several stairs down. It was a brown paper bag, enclosed in a clear plastic bag for protection from the rain, with the words, “Merry Christmas to the Bradfords from the Persauds” written in bright red and tied with green ribbon.

Rushing down to pick it up, Mrs Bradford opened it and discovered a small packet of chocolates and a bunch of grapes inside. When she called out to the Persauds, Mrs Persaud also rushed out to find a brown parcel at her front door but with the words “Merry Christmas to the Persauds from the Bradfords”. Opening it, she too found a small packet of chocolates and a bunch of grapes.

The two women looked at each other, “But I…”. But how…?” they asked each other simultaneously.

Then the two started to cry and ran out to hug each other. The children and husbands all came out and looked on, astonished at the women who, by this time, were tearfully apologising to each other for the brouhaha the night before, and wishing each other only the best for the season.

The other neighbours, who had also rushed out onto their landings, suddenly noticed the same kind of parcel on their steps, and they too cried out with astonishment to their equally astonished neighbour. Each gift was from the other neighbour. The whole village of about 10 families had each received fruits and chocolates for Christmas.

Everyone gathered outside their front gates that morning, discussing and wondering who put the gifts out for them late that rainy Christmas Eve, because when they went to bed, nothing was outside.

Everyone was hugging each other, some neighbours crying with joy at the gesture, whoever it was that performed such a small but wonderful deed.

As Old Joseph came out to pick up the trash left behind from the eagerly opened presents earlier that morning, the few others about asked him if he too got any gift; to which he quietly said no and continued on his way.

The neighbours began feeling sorry for Old Joseph, and realising how selfish it would be to leave the old man without a gift for Christmas.

One by one, they arrived at Joseph’s little home and offered him pepper pot, black cake, mauby, baked chicken and all the traditional Guyanese Christmas foods.

They even brought food for Old Joseph’s horse - which appeared to be enjoying the rubs from the children as he munched his gifts.

It was a special Christmas for the small village that year, and a tradition, started that rainy Christmas Eve, continued for years after.

No one ever seemed to have noticed that, on Christmas Day, upon seeing the joy and togetherness of the villagers, especially among the Bradfords and the Persauds, Old Joseph had an extra wide grin when he passed by with his horse and cart gaily decorated with Christmas ribbon.

(A. Ally)

By Sr. Shamane Hassad

Y

esterday something made me very sad .Just when I thought I found a friend and a system to help me in with important things, I heard my friend is leaving. Then I heard about some practices of others that shook my belief in the good of mankind.

I ate a cold, burnt BBQ chicken without tasting the sauce. Then I pinched some cake and gobbled some soda while standing, and then I walked past my chattering children to sit with a pack of old salted nuts, eating them one by one, all the while processing the new information.

There is so much these days to make us sad. Like listening to the young woman telling the BBC reporter that she and her family survived the typhoon but she did not know if they would survive the aftermath. And seeing the news reporters discussing how much aid New Zealand sent to the Philippines and how much aid China sent and who had the greater GDP (Domestic earnings) and why is the USA helping so much…

What is the “hidden agenda”? They call it geopolitics… It is sad! Whatever the “agenda”, the aid is needed by the people now.

And listening to our own news; matters of the heart supposedly causing more death and destruction and storm – surges of emotion that cannot easily be cleaned up. So much sadness sometimes happens under the banner of love.

Suicide, love triangles, love rectangles, unanswered love, unreturned love, revenge love, possessive love.

Youths are quick to feel hurt and take action as per their youthful logic and understanding.

Like the wrangling in our parliament. But that is not sad; it is informative and entertaining and happens in many parliaments and congresses and houses of power.

But what is sad is that no positive energy comes forth.

Some ask, some answer, but no solution and what is sadder is that I see no sincere, shining intellect with ability and gumption to take this beautiful country to where it can go. But, what do I know? I am only one of the electorate with one vote whose happiness and protection the government is elected to uphold.

After the bad nuts and burnt chicken, and before the indigestion, my one-year-old made his first four walking steps unassisted. Hooray! That made me smile.

My pet cat, sensing my down mood curled at my feet and put her head on my toes. That made me smile.

The cabinet secretary with his ‘cool composure’ makes me smile. The housing minister with his ‘fired up enthusiasm’ makes me smile.

The rain, the noisy parrots and the mango trees; the six-o-clock crickets, the pink cashew blossoms and the wild tiger lilies…Dear Land of Guyana and the glorious Golden Arrowhead…

Those things make me smile and make me happy.

There is much love I have for this land I was born and raised in, but we are not a happy, stable people, and this makes me sad.

The solution to all this sadness is Hope. We must have Hope that things will get better. Good will be more than evil. Good judgment will prevail over temptation.

To have Hope we must establish that connection between our hearts and the realm of the Almighty Creator. We must be part of the greatest love story of all…. Loving a God who never leaves but is always looking and listening and taking care of us; even those who doubt that He is. God knows what is best for us.

He guides and comforts us as we go through our paces in life.

We must pray. Pray that attitudes are corrected and our country is blessed on a right path with clean values and positive ideals. May Almighty God continue to grant us His mercy and grace and save us from His anger and wrath.

Send your creative writing to sundaymagazine@guyanatimesgy.com

guyanatimesgy.com

December 8, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine19

Times World

A look at global population trends The story of the 21st century has been one of falling birth rates, rising standards of living, and a revolution in food production. But the global picture is uneven: As populations decline in wealthier nations, in other countries – particularly in Africa, says a new report – they are rising at rates that may mire their people in poverty.

Q: What countries are growing the fastest?

The 10 countries with the highest fertility rates are all in Africa, led by Niger, where women give birth to an average of 7.6 children. Burkina Faso, with a fertility rate of 6 children per woman, is the slowest growing of the 10, all of which are among the world's poorest countries as well. Recent research by the Population Reference Bureau in Washington projects that Africa's population will more than double by 2050, from 1.1 billion people today to 2.4 billion. Nigeria, already the most populous nation on the continent with 174 million people, is projected to be the third most populous in the world by 2050, with 440 million, after China and India.

Q: What countries are

While the population is growing rapidly, Africa is also home to seven of the world's fastest growing economies. In Ruyigi, Burundi, students wait for class to resume after recess in 2006.

growing the slowest?

The surprising leader is Bosnia-Herzegovina, with just 1.2 children per woman. The others in the top 10 least-fertile countries all average 1.3 children per woman and include three Asian countries: Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea. The others are in Europe: Moldova, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Slovakia,

and Hungary. The fertility rate in the United States is 1.9 children per woman, which implies a declining population. But America is expected to grow in the coming decades because of immigration.

The average global fertility rate is now 2.5 children per woman, down from almost 5 in 1960.

Q: So does that mean

Africa is in trouble and everyone else is not?

Not necessarily. While there are major concerns that population growth will outstrip economic growth in many African countries, many other countries are deeply worried about the possibility of declining populations, which undercut economic growth and leave fewer and fewer workers to

provide for systems that will burgeon with retirees.

Even China is worried about the effect of a declining population 35 years after instituting its draconian "one child" policy. China was concerned that it wouldn't be able to feed its people when it made it illegal for couples to have more than one child and engaged in forced sterilizations and abortions to cut population growth. China's population, now at 1.35 billion, is expected to drop by 2050.

Q: What are the solutions?

There aren't any easy ones when it comes to the African countries whose population growth rates are so high. Rising income and education levels lead to lower fertility rates, but accomplishing those first two things is challenging – even more so when a poor country's limited educational resources are swamped by a vast number of children.

Consider Niger, which the Population Reference Bureau compares to the Netherlands, since both countries have roughly 17 million people today. At the moment, 50 percent of Niger's population is

younger than age 15, compared with 17 percent of the Netherlands'. And given Niger's extremely low standard of living, parents in Niger have an unfortunate incentive to bear more children: The bureau estimates that 43,000 infants died in Niger last year. In the Netherlands, by contrast, the figure was 650.

Q: Which countries are expected to have the largest populations in 2050?

India, which has 1.3 billion people today, is expected to supplant China in the top spot by then with a projected population of 1.65 billion.

The US, though still growing, will fall from its current No. 3 position, with 316 million, even though it will rise to a projected 400 million.

That will put it at No. 4, behind Nigeria, which is about one-tenth the size of the US in area.

Ethiopia and Congo are expected to join the top 10 by 2050, pushing out Japan and Russia. Congo's population is projected to rise from 71 million today to 182 million, and Ethiopia's from 89 million now to 178 million. (By Dan Murphy, Sept 21, 2013, Christian Science Monitor)

How ‘Walking’ Fish Made the Leap from Ocean to Land

T

he Pacific leaping blenny (Alticus arnoldorum) is a fish out of water. The legless land fish makes its home on the intertidal rocks on the island of Guam and new research shows how this strange fish was able to make the leap from stealthy swimmer to landlubber.

The two- to three-inch (four- to eight-centimetre) blenny does everything on land, from finding its steady

a hiding place on land,” said Terry Ord, an ecologist at the University of New South Wales in Australia and coauthor of the new study in Animal Behaviour.

One of the keys to the blenny’s success on land is camouflage: The fish’s brown, mottled skin blends in with the intertidal rocks, allowing it to escape predators like birds and crabs.

Animals can use a variety of techniques to keep

sis, Ord and Morgans constructed life-size clay models of blennies. They placed a bunch of these models either on the rocks (where they would blend in almost perfectly) or on a sandy beach (where their colouring would make them stand out).

After several days, the researchers collected the models and recorded how often the blennies had been attacked by lizards, birds, and crabs by counting the bite marks and other wounds in the clay. The more obvious models on the sand had significantly more bites than the models on the rocks.

Evolutionary Snapshot

A Pacific leaping blenny clings to a rock above the water

diet of algae and detritus to mating and nesting. Its love of dry land is perhaps best reflected in how it escapes from threats like predators or researchers trying to trap it.

“They actually don’t retreat into the water.

Instead, they hop across the rocks and try to hide in rock holes and crevices. Their body shape has changed just enough to make them poor swimmers, so it’s better for them to try and find

from being eaten, but one of the most common is being invisible. In recent experiments, Ord and UNSW colleague Courtney Morgans compared the colour of five different populations of blennies around Guam to the rocks on which they lived.

In each case, the two colours were nearly identical, which was a strong hint that the blennies were blending in to the surrounding environment to hide from predators.

To test this hypothe-

Animals first left the oceans for dry land nearly 400 million years ago, at the end of the Devonian period.

Understanding how animals made this move will provide tremendous insights into the evolution of life on land, Ord said.

But since only fossils remain of these pioneering life-forms, scientists can’t watch these animals in action. But they can study another species making a similar transition, the blennies, to learn how animals made the switch to land.

“The blennies were probably reasonably well camouflaged when they first emerged from the water—at least enough to let them survive long enough to reproduce and adapt,” Ord said.

Besides camouflage, the blenny’s fish ancestor had to make some other major adaptations, like figuring out how to move on rocks in-

stead of just swimming, and how to breathe air instead of getting oxygen from the water.

Although Ord still isn’t

sure exactly when the blennies began their move from sea to land, he knows it was later than the Devonian.

“These blennies provide

an evolutionary snapshot of the colonization of land,” Ord said. (By Carrie Arnold, National Geographic Weird & Wild, Dec 4, 2013)

20 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

December 8, 2013

Times Tech

The Buzz

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul R. La Monica.

Other than Time Warner, the parent of CNNMoney, Abbott Laboratories and AbbVie, La Monica does not own positions in any individual stocks. he battle between iBulls and iBears over the direction of Apple's stock has been fascinating to watch this year.

For most of 2013, the animals of the more ursine variety were trouncing their taurine rivals. But the tables have turned.

Apple (AAPL) shares have enjoyed a stellar rally over the past few months, surging nearly 50 percent from the 52-week lows they hit back in April. Amazingly enough, Apple's stock is now up 6 percent year-to-date.

The Apple bulls have several reasons to feel vindicated.

It looks like an official deal with China Mobile (CHL) to bring the iPhone to the largest wireless carrier in China

T

Tech Byte

may finally be getting closer to reality.

And, despite the big jump in the stock over the past few months, it's still cheap.

And legitimately cheap. Not cheap in an iPhone-5C-ischeap-just-because-it's-notas-pricey-as-the-5s kind of way. The stock trades for just 13 times fiscal 2014 earnings estimates.

To put that in perspective, Apple is trading at discount to Microsoft (MSFT), which is valued at nearly 15 times fiscal 2014 profit forecasts.

Call me crazy. But doesn't Microsoft's future look a lot cloudier than Apple's?

Apple does seem to have momentum on its side again.

Sales of the latest iPads are expected to be strong during the crucial holiday shopping season. And analysts have been busy raising their earnings forecasts for the current quarter and fiscal year as a result.

According to data from FactSet Research, the consensus earnings estimate for

Apple's fiscal first quarter (which ends in December) is now $14 a share. At the end of August, analysts were expecting a profit of just $13.41 a share. For the full year, Wall Street expects Apple to earn $43.38 a share -- up from a consensus of $42.44 in August.

And those numbers may be too low. If you look at Estimize, a site that crowd-

Knightscope reveals robotic security guard

The robotic security guard could become a useful security aid in schools, shopping centres, private businesses, sporting venues, border patrols and airports

S

Shares of Apple have roared back to life after bottoming in April. iBulls have the upper hand over iBears

ilicon Valley startup Knightscope Inc. revealed Thursday it has already started securing beta customers for its first two robotic security guard models, the Knightscope K5 and K10.

The robots, which share a passing resemblance to R2-D2, collect real-time data via a network of sen-

sors. These sensors can include a 360-degree high definition video camera, high quality microphones, thermal imaging sensor, infrared sensor, radar, lidar, ultrasonic speed and distance sensors, air quality sensor, optical character recognition technology for scanning things like license plates, among other capa-

bilities.

The data the robots collect would be fed into a centralized data centre with law enforcement also able to access data in real time, giving them a unique vantage point to assess the situation before arrival. As well as providing real time alerts, Knightscope says companies will be able to analyze historical data collected over time to help predict crime and allow companies to make better business decisions.

Knightscope says the K10 model is intended for vast open areas and on private roads, while the K5 robot is better suited to more space-constrained environments. While security is the most obvious application for the technology, Knightscope anticipates the units could be used for everything from detailed traffic analysis to factory inspections. (GIZMAG)

sources estimates from a wider array of investors that includes traders, institutional money managers, the consensus estimates for the first quarter and all of 2014 are $14.55 a share and $44.66 a share, respectively.

What's more, Carl Icahn (love him or hate him) has clearly put a floor on the stock. Shares of Apple are up more than 20 percent since the activist shareholder first tweeted on August 13 that his Icahn Enterprises (IEP) firm has a "large position" in Apple and that he thought the stock was "extremely undervalued."

As the chart below shows, Apple's performance has trounced the NASDAQ’s (and it hasn't exactly been a slouch) over the past four months or so.

Now Icahn may not convince Apple CEO Tim Cook to raise its dividend or increase its stock buyback program.

Then again, Apple does have $146.8 billion in cash burning in its iPocket, so why not

Tech news

F

throw Icahn and other shareholders a bone.

Even when you account for the fact that much of Apple's cash is parked overseas for tax reasons, this is a company that can clearly afford to boost its quarterly payout, buy back more stock and still have plenty left over for investing in the company's future through acquisitions, capital expenditures and research and development.

Which brings me to my final point. If Apple is ever going to get back to the alltime high above $700 a share that it set in September 2012 shortly after the launch of the iPhone 5, it's not going to do it just through share repurchases and dividends.

For Apple to do that, it probably will need to prove to some sceptical investors that it has another new product category or two up its sleeve.

The big knock on Apple for most of 2013 has been that it is no longer innovating. It is merely spitting out updates of iPhones and iPads every year or so.

But that perception can change.

Just look at Google (GOOG). A few years ago, it was facing some of the same challenges and questions that are currently dogging Apple.

Investors erroneously thought that Google's best days were behind it because the company was apparently a one-trick pony (search) that was starting to lose relevance in the social media revolution being led by Facebook (FB) and Twitter (TWTR).

But Google invested heavily in mobile. And now its Android operating system has supplanted Apple's iOS as a market share leader. Google has also done a great job expanding into video advertising with YouTube and continues to dominate search. That one-trick pony has turned out to be a Man O' War. Add that up and Google is trading near its all-time high.

I pointed out last week that Google could soon pass Exxon Mobil (XOM) in market cap.

If it does that, Google would be the second most valuable company in the U.S. -- trailing only Apple. (Information

by Global Tech)

Internet Firms Step Up Efforts to Stop Spying

or big Internet outfits, it is no longer enough to have a fast-loading smartphone app or cool messaging service.

In the era of Edward J. Snowden and his revelations of mass government surveillance, companies are competing to show users how well their data is protected from prying eyes, with billions of dollars in revenue hanging in the balance.

On Thursday, Microsoft was the latest technology company to announce plans to shield its services from outside surveillance, adding state-of-the-art encryption features to various consumer services and internally at its data centres.

The announcement follows similar efforts by Google, Mozilla, Twitter, Facebook and Yahoo, in what has effectively become a digital arms race with the National Security Agency as the companies react to what some have called the “Snowden Effect.”

While security has long simmered as a concern for users, many companies were reluctant to employ modern protections, worried that upgrades would slow down connections and add complexity to their networks.

But the issue boiled over six months ago, when documents leaked by Mr Snowden described efforts by the N.S.A.

and its intelligence partners to spy on millions of Internet users. More than half of Americans surveyed say N.S.A. surveillance has intruded on their personal privacy rights, according to a Washington PostABC News poll conducted in November.

The revelations also shook Internet companies, which have been trying to reassure customers that they are doing what they can to protect their data from spying. They have long complied with legal orders to hand over information, but were alarmed by more recent news that the N.S.A. was also accessing their data without their knowledge.

Already, the Snowden revelations threaten to erode the market share of American technology companies abroad.

In India, government officials are now barred from using email services that have servers located in the United States. In Brazil, lawmakers are pushing for laws that would force foreign companies to spend billions redesigning their systems — and possibly the entire Internet — to keep Brazilian data from leaving the country.

Forrester Research projected the fallout could cost the so-called cloud computing industry as much as $180 billion — a quarter of its revenue — by 2016. (Excerpted from New York Times, Dec 5, 2013)

guyanatimesgy.com

December 8, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine 21

Times Art

Seawall art mural celebrates Universal Children's Day

U

sing art as a vehicle of self-expression, children from all walks of life recently converged at the Georgetown Seawall to speak out against violence, abuse and discrimination.

The activity was held Nov 23 at the Georgetown Seawall between Pere Street and Vlissengen Road. It was hosted by the Guyana Equality Forum (GEF) in collaboration with the Guyana Girl Guides Association, Youths for Guyana, Youth

Challenge Guyana, the interim Guyana National Youth Council and Society against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD).

GEF is a network of civil society groups working cohesively to achieve equality and realise human rights for all Guyanese and is currently chaired by Red Thread while SASOD serves as its administrative secretariat.

The mural painting activity was held in observance of Universal Children's Day, which was observed globally

on November 20.

GEF held the mural painting activity under the theme, “Speak out against violence, abuse and discrimination”. Remarks were made by Childcare and Protection Agency Director, Ann Greene, and UNICEF Representative to Guyana, Marianne Flach. They both commended GEF on hosting successful activity and alluded to the fact that art was a very effective way to engage children.

A number of children

Children's hands painted on a section of the seawall

and volunteers attended the event, including the Guyana Girl Guides Association, Youths for Guyana, Youth Challenge Guyana, the Guyana National Youth Council, St. Ann's Anglican Youth Group and SASOD. “Art is a powerful means of expression, and this is especially so for children, who may sometimes not have the right words to express what they are thinking and feeling. This activity is an excellent way of encouraging children to express them-

Having fun with with palm-painting

‘Enjoying the creative process’ acrylic painting and drawing. After 1995, she valiantly decided to showcase her artistic talents.

“My visual art interests include acrylic painting, drawing and creation of computer graphics – short digital presentations including music for educational or artistic use. My inspiration comes from several sources: nature, music, curiosity, some incidents, experts, teachers and peers. At high school in Linden, the great Guyanese artist Bernadette Indira Artist Enid Deserie Lorrimer Persaud was in the lthough artist Enid same class with me.

Deserie Lorrimer mi- So I had a lot of artistic ingrated to Canada fluence while growing up,” many years ago, memories she noted. of growing up in Linden, The artist pointed out along the Demerara River, that she especially enjoys burns brightly in her mind; the creative process while through her art, she gets to painting because she berelive those wonderful mo- lieves it connects, motivates, ments. evokes images, allows viewIn an interview with ers to have different perGuyana Times Sunday spectives and allows her to Magazine, Lorrimer recalled express herself in a creative that art was a subject of- way without the inhibitions fered to her at the G.C.E and limitations of language.

‘O’ level examinations.

Fond of landscapes Sporadically, after complet- since growing up in a place ing high school, Lorrimer that is notable for its scenrecollected attempting to ery, Lorrimer revealed that contribute to the world of she especially likes to paint

scenes with water. She also paints abstracts and still life. Her favourite is using acrylic on canvas because for her it is so easy to correct mistakes in this medium. Lorrimer has also produced fabric painting designs on dresses, T-shirts, household linens such as kitchen towels, and much more. Additionally, she enjoys crochet, scrapbooking, embroidery, cross-stitch and sewing.

“The scene from the Wismar boat landing is my

selves through art, and in a way that is prominent and visible to all. UNICEF applauds your efforts in encouraging the participation of children through this activity,” UNICEF representative Marianne Flach noted at the event.

“Children’s participation is fundamental and theirs is a necessary “voice” for us to listen to as stated in Articles 12 and 13 of the CRC. As we listen to children in Guyana, we hear them saying that they want love from their

parents, and protection from all other adults who are near to them. And we hear teenagers saying that they want adults to listen to them and value their opinion, but that we should also not forget that they are still children who need love and protection. In essence, it reminds us that children have the right to freedom of expression, including access to information, and the right to express their views freely in all matters affecting them,” she also noted.

Overseas-based Guyanese artist Enid Deserie Lorrimer relives her Guyanese experiences through her art

favourite,” Lorrimer stated, describing her most favourite piece, “It triggers strong memories associated with the crossing of the Demerara River in my hometown. The use of this type of ferry was at one time the main method of public transportation from Mackenzie to Wismar/ Christianburg. Later on, a bridge was built to help take care of the traffic.”

In March 2007, Lorrimer grasped the opportunity to exhibit some of her craft at one of Canada's most im-

A

Painting of Wismar boat landing

portant venues for contemporary art- Art Gallery of Alberta. There she participated in an exhibition which celebrated the creative vitality of the community of Edmonton, Canada.

Invitations, she disclosed, were issued, whether to professionals, amateurs, emerging or “Sunday artists”.

She suggests that young artists should “seize the day, follow your passion, believe in yourself, work hard without letup and be innovative,” and plans to work harder to increase her contributions to the art world.

For more information on the artist’s work email her at desel1@telus.net

22 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

December 8, 2013

Times Heritage

Walter Roth

W

St Peter's Church, Leguan Island, Essequibo Circa 1900s

alter Roth Walter proved to be Roth a conscien- while in tious man though not Australia without some controversy, and a man of his times. He arrived in British Guiana in 1907 as medical officer and government stipendiary magistrate, with the title Protector of Indians of the Pomeroon, North West district, having left Queensland, Australia in 1906 where he was first given the title Northern Protector of Aborigines in 1898 and later Chief Protector up to 1906.

It was in Australia that Roth first came in 1891-92. After graduatin for some criticism, facing increasing hostility ing he worked for a while from white settlers for his in a medical partnership in work among the aborigines, a small New South Wales and from his peers for his town and seemingly settled seemingly unorthodox re- down to write scholarly arsearch methods in the name ticles on a range of subjects.

However, that quiet rouof science. He would then move to British Guiana to tine did not satisfy Roth become one of the pioneer- and he soon accepted the ing ethnologists in the coun- Queensland, Australia post just after an 1893-94 stint try at the time.

Born Walter Edmund as a ship’s doctor. After 12 Roth on April 2, 1861, he years working in Australia, was one of nine children: he resigned on June 10, 1906 seven sons and two daugh- and later arrived in British ters, of Hungarian-born Guiana to begin working in Dr Matthias Roth and his what has been described as English wife Anna Maria the “mosquito-cursed district of the Pomeroon”.

Roth nee Collins.

It was here that Roth The Roth sons were well educated: attending school became keenly involved in in London, and French and recording the cultural traGerman boarding schools; ditions and customs of the learning several languages Guiana indigenous Indians. before moving on to univer- With much experience from Australian sity where Walter studied documenting languages, biology at Oxford. He later aborigines’ transcriptions “An began medical training after his graduating in 1884 then en- Inquiry in the Animism and rolled in law school in 1886 Folklore” in British Guiana while still in medical school. has today earned him much In 1887 he put his stud- academic regard.

According to Janette ies on hold and moved to Australia where he worked Bulkan, writing in the inin several different fields troduction of the Guyana including teaching, be- Classics Library’s 2010 pubfore returning to London lication of Roth’s 1915 “The to complete medical school Animism and Folklore of

the Guiana Indians”, Roth ranked indigenous belief systems as inferior to those of the Indo-European world, which is evident from his text.

Roth was not the only European to think this way at the time, and was part of a wider Eurocentric point of view that permeates much research even today.

His dedication to reporting these systems however, remains among the few detailed researches on indigenous life we know of in the world today.

Walter Roth was married in 1887 to Ada Toulmin whom it is believed he left just a few weeks after their wedding to move to Australia.

According to Appendix W of the Toulmin family website, Roth, then 26 and Ada, a widow at 40, married on Aug 2, 1887 but he later arrived in Australia accompanied by a nurse called Eva Grant who bore him a daughter and a son who both died in childhood.

Then in 1893 he is believed to have married Edith Humpherson with whom he had three sons who survived him.

Walter Roth resigned in 1928 and became government archivist and the curator of the Georgetown Museum. He died in Georgetown, British Guiana on April 5, 1933, just three days after his 72nd birthday.

The Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology and Art History was founded in 1974 from the collections of the late Guyanese archaeologist Denis Williams and named in Roth’s honour. It was renamed the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology in 1980.

Brain Teaser Answer 1. Pin - Nail 2. Ward - Zone

KID SUDOKU

SUDOKU

3. Outing - Trip 4. Hot - Steaming

5. Bright - Light

CROSSWORD

guyanatimesgy.com

December 8, 2013

Times Sunday Magazine 23

Times Travel & Tourism

R

Lake Amucu

upununi, one of the last great wilderness areas on the planet, is a biological treasure trove, with a level of species-richness on par with that of all of western Amazonia.

Since the 17th century when Sir Walter Raleigh was convinced that the Rupununi was the location of the mythical El Dorado, this remarkable area has captured the imaginations of explorers and naturalists.

And El Dorado lives on. Travelling from Yupukari, Rupununi – more than 45 minutes of expansive landscape – there lies, among the beauty of Guyana’s interior savannah, El Dorado.

It is a picturesque location in the Rupununi savannahs decorated with the calm waters of Lake Amucu and teeming with biodiversity.

As the sun sets, El Dorado shines. It is a view that will take your breath away! Exploring El Dorado offers an unforgettable journey. (Photos by Rupununi Learners Inc)

Infinite land and sky- the reason the Rupununi is renowned as one of Guyana's most spectacular locations to visit

As the sun sets the views get more spectacular

El Dorado teems with beautiful plants and insects

The Pakaraima Mountains mark the northern edge of the famed site

One of the serene spots of El Dorado

24

Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

December 8, 2013

Times Last Laugh

By Melvin Durai

A

nyone want to adopt a chicken?

Hundreds of chickens are being dropped off at animal shelters and sanctuaries around America every year, according to an NBC News article. Chickens, as you know, make really good pets: they don’t need much food, they don’t require you to take them for walks, and they easily fit in a small space, such as between the two metal racks in your oven.

The NBC News article states that about 225 former backyard chickens are awaiting new homes at three shelters operated by Farm Sanctuary – and many more are also seeking adoptive families at other shelters around the country. The good thing about adopting a chicken is that it doesn’t involve as much paperwork as adopting a turkey. I tried to adopt a turkey last November, but there were just too many other families interested in giving the turkey a good home. It probably didn’t help my chances that when the shelter worker asked me, “Do you have any experience with turkeys?” I felt compelled to share my favourite turkey recipe.

This year, I might try to adopt a chicken.

I called the bylaw officer in my city to ask if they allow residents to have chickens and he said sternly, “No backyard chickens permitted!” So if I get a chicken, I’m going to have to keep it in my front yard. I don’t mind that at all, but my neighbours might complain.

Neighbours can be such hypocrites. They don’t want to see a bird in my front yard, but have no problem putting a bunch of plastic pink flamingos in theirs.

Truth is, my wife and I have talked about having several chickens – not just one. We’d love to have fresh eggs from our very own layers. But we also know that it’s not as easy as it sounds. As the NBC News article points out, chickens can be “noisy, messy, labourintensive and expensive,” which is the same description I use when people ask about my children. The difference, of course, is that chickens produce eggs and can usually go an entire day without listening to a Taylor

Swift song.

The egg-laying, unfortunately, lasts only two years or so, but a chicken may live an entire decade longer. Most chickens are unprepared for this, having set aside not a scrap toward their retirement. Thanks to humans, they’ve been left with no nest egg whatsoever.

So what becomes of them? Well, if they’re lucky, they get dropped off at animal shelters and sanctuaries, the closest thing they have to a retirement home. That’s sometimes what happens to chickens raised by city folk who thought it would be nifty to have a backyard coop, but didn’t consider all the problems, not just the noise and mess, but even the pests and predators that chickens attract, such as rats, raccoons and nosy neighbours.

“People don’t know what they’re doing,” Mary Britton Clouse, who runs the Chicken Run Rescue in Minneapolis, told NBC News.

“And you’ve got this whole culture of people who don’t know what the hell they’re doing teaching every other idiot out there.”

With so many birds being dropped off at her shelter, you can’t really blame her for crying fowl. But is it really such a huge problem, one that threatens the growing backyard chicken/self-sufficiency movement that has convinced many cities to allow residents to have hens and filled many neighbourhoods with the sound of clucking, mostly from disapproving neighbours?

Certainly not, says Rob Ludlow, owner of the website, BackYardChickens.com.

“Hundreds of thousands of people are realizing the wonderful benefits of raising a small flock of backyard chickens, the pets that make you breakfast,” he said.

Pets that make you breakfast? Somewhere in America, there’s a guy sipping a beer and yelling at a chicken: “Hey bird brain, I said I wanted pancakes and bacon too!”

Ludlow has authored three books, including one called “Raising Chickens for Dummies.” It has sold so many copies that he might have to write a follow-up book: “Surviving Dummies for Chickens.”

Alligator Shoes

A man was on holiday in the depths of Louisiana, where he tried to buy some alligator shoes. However he was not prepared to pay the high prices, and after having failed to haggle the vendor down to a reasonable price level, ended up shouting "I don't give two hoots for your shoes man; I'll go and kill my own "croc!"

To which the shopkeeper replied, "By all means, just watch out for those two "ole boys" who are doing the same!"

So the man went out into the Bayou, and after a while saw two men with spears, standing still in the water. 'They must be the 'ole boys' he thought.

Just at that point he noticed an alligator moving in the water towards one of them. The guy stood completely passive, even as the gator came ever closer. Just as the beast was about to swallow the him, he struck home with his spear and wrestled the gator up onto the beach, where several already laying Together the two guys threw the gator onto its back, where-upon one exclaimed "Darn! This one doesn't have any shoes either!"

Good Excuse

Little Johnnie got so good at forging signatures that he began charging his friends to write absentee notes for them.

One day the principal found out and called him into the office. “Well, Johnnie,” said the principal, “you’d better have a good excuse for me.”

“I do,” Johnnie replied. “But it’ll cost you.”

Idiot of the Week

When their car broke down in the desert, John, Paul, and Tim decided to go their separate ways. John took the radiator out of the car so he would have some water for the way. Paul took the mats from the car so he could shield the sun a bit. Tim, however, removed the door and started to walk.

“Wait a minute,” said John. “Why are you taking the door with you?”

“In case I need some air,” replied Tim. “I can roll down the window.”

A Plan

My daughter has been going out with this guy for awhile, so when she came home from a date all upset I asked her, “what happened?”

She replied, “He asked me to marry him.”

"Then why are you so sad?” I asked.

“Because he also told me he doesn’t believe in religion. Mom, he doesn’t even believe there’s a hell!”

I quickly replied, “Don’t worry, Between the two of us, we’ll show him how wrong he is.”

Lucky Number 4

Two men at a racetrack were discussing their luck.

“An amazing thing happened to me last time I was here,” said the first man.

“It was the 4th day of the month, and it was the day of my son’s 4th birthday.

The address of our house is 44, and I arrived at the track at 4:44 p.m.”

“I bet you put money on the 4th horse on the card,” said the second man.

“Yes, I did,” said the first man.

“And it won?”

“No, it came in 4th!”

What time is it?

One evening I went to visit my grandfather and lost track of the time. I asked him if he had the time, as I didn’t have my watch with me.

“I don’t have a watch or clock around here” he tells me.

“Then how do you tell the time?” I asked.

“You see that trumpet in the corner?

That’s how!”

He picks it up, and thirty seconds later, an angry neighbour shouts, “Two thirty in the morning and you’re playing the trumpet!”

Too much movement

As a police officer I was patrolling one night when I noticed a car swerving all over the road. I quickly turned on my lights and pulled the guy over.

“Sir, you know you’re all over the road, please take a step out of the car.”

When the man gets out of the car I tell him to walk in a straight line.

“I’d be happy to,” says the drunk “just can you get the line to stop moving.”

Animal Humour

Just as I was finishing a hike at Piney Run Park in Baltimore, I overheard a group of kids talking about their recent bear sightings. “If you meet a bear, don’t run,” one kid said.

“Really why?”

“Because,” I interjected, “bears like fast food.”

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