Guyana Times Sunday Magazine

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SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

Times Feature

Pandit Suresh Sugrim

“W

here there is no education we live in a house without a light: we are in darkness,” says Pandit Suresh Sugrim, chief executive officer of the New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir Inc. Humanitarian Mission and founder of the New

The centre at Ankerville, Port Mourant

Jersey Aryan Samaj Mandir Inc., who, on August 9, 2015, officially opened a $38M (US$400,000) skills training centre and counselling facility in Guyana.

The Seva Sadna Home of Service at Area Q, Ankerville, Port Mourant, Corentyne in Berbice was

made possible by the generous contributions of donors who saw the need for education to break the cycle of poverty that has engulfed communities in the region.

Speaking with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Pandit Sugrim shared his concerns for the region and

the need for the facility.

Sugrim stated that the cycle of poverty can only be broken by educating and empowering persons, and by creating jobs for the less fortunate in the region.

“Education,” he stated, “is the key to unlock the door of poverty.”

He expressed his concern that people in Region Six, as well as other areas in Guyana, no longer seem to value education as a top priority. Instead parents appear to have let go of their responsibility toward their children in this regard.

Sugrim noted that there is a need to understand the value of education and what education can do for persons. “The only way to get out of the poverty cycle is to get ourselves and children educated,” he added.

He implored parents to look at their children’s future. “As parents we all have goals and ideas of what we would like our children’s future to be like. Education is how we take that step to ensuring they come out of poverty,” he insisted.

Berbice, he said, is a rural community with few jobs; those who have finished school are unemployed; young girls have turned to prostitution while young boys and teenagers turn to drugs and alcohol, which are ills constantly plaguing the community.

In addition, he said that domestic violence, suicide and lawlessness are invading the communities, and the question is how we take back our communities as NGOs, government agencies and other such organizations.

Programmes

Among the programmes that are free of cost the centre will offer are English and Maths for those who failed these subjects at CSEC as well as those who are about to write CSEC. There are also extra lessons for those writing the National Grade Six exams as well as others in the primary and secondary levels.

Sugrim said that the organization has discovered that many adults and youths never had the opportunity to go to school so don’t know how to read and how to write. As such, there is a lack of effective communication because of illiteracy. One of the more significant programmes therefore is teaching literacy.

Communication, résumé, letter writing and public speaking – some of the resources lacking in Berbice – are also being taught at the facility.

He called on other faithbased organisations to make an impact in the community by working together as a team because there are so many problems that one organization cannot handle everything by itself.

“As faith based organizations we all have a vision for our communities; it is important then that we join

reason for the many ills of society today.

He also blamed the “many social ills” found in Guyana and around the world, which have destroyed “the foundations of families at a national level”, for the current crisis that also includes domestic violence, abuse, rape, suicide, HIV, drugs, teenage pregnancy, high school dropout rates and lawlessness.

All these societal breakdowns, he stated, come as a result of the lack of education.

“I strongly believe that if you educate a man you educate an individual; if you educate a woman you educate a nation. As long as a woman is educated she will pass on those values to her children. Our mothers and our daughters and our sisters need to get themselves educated,” Sugrim stated.

Instead, he lamented, we

“Where there is no education we live in a house without a light: we are in darkness,” – Pandit Suresh Sugrim hands and shoulders together to take our community back,” Sugrim said.

Jobs and sustainability

“The organization is not looking for money but to touch lives and change lives in a very meaningful way,” Sugrim declared.

There are plans for cottage industries: teaching women to sew uniforms, bedsheets and pillowcases as well as mosquito nets to earn an income, for example.

Sugrim pointed out that there is no debt for the building, and very light maintenance – mainly water and electricity bills. Through the cottage industries, the bulk of money would go toward its recipients and the remaining for building maintenance.

He admitted that there has not been much help from local businesses, and the organization is still “struggling” to find local donors for furniture and computer items since American and Canadian donor funds went into the construction of the building.

Breakdown in society

According to Sugrim there is a “massive breakdown in society right now in the sense that there is no relationship or communication”: no dialog between husbands and wives, and children and parents – the

are investing in the material things: the house; the cars – while moral values drift away and our children “fall through the crack.”

Making the change

“More than 100 students are already enlisted for the programmes and more keep coming in, looking for a way out of their poverty,” he revealed.

But, Sugrim noted, there are still many more persons willing to make a change but many experience hopelessness.

“Hopeless in the sense that we as Guyanese have become very selfish individuals and have surrounded only ourselves and our immediate surroundings,” he explained.

“Until we become the victim, only then do we understand somebody else’s pain.

We no longer are our brothers' and our sisters’ keepers; our neighbours’ keepers.”

He recalled the old African proverb: “It takes a whole village to raise a child” and implored residents of Berbice to utilise the facility as it is theirs.

He also assured that noone who is willing to make a change in their life would ever be turned away from the centre, regardless of their circumstances. (Cover photo: Encouraging slogans are painted on the building)

guyanatimesgy.com

September 20, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine

3

Times Feature

A preliminary chronicle of Georgetown’s Umana Yanas

By Lennox J Hernandez

T

he Umana Yana, once an iconic and popular structure in Kingston, Georgetown, its Wai Wai name translated into English as “meeting place of the people”, was gutted by fire on Sept. 9, 2014.

This article is a preliminary chronicle of the factual history of the Umana Yana, and at this stage there is still much to learn of Guyana’s most famous indigenous at-

being paid to the building (this writer remembers seeing images of the deteriorating structure in the newspapers of the day).

Though the thatchedroof building was always seen as a fire risk, fire did not destroy the first Umana Yana: it was perhaps a combination of the North-East trade winds and the building’s weakened, neglected structure.

This original Umana Yana was constructed to

but can be developed with research. From McDowell’s article for instance, we see a photograph of a benab strikingly similar to that which was destroyed by fire last year, though there was no caption to indicate this (or otherwise).

McDowell concluded his article with a tribute to the first building and its builders, ending with the words “its replacement, a smaller structure, should bear that torch proudly.” This last

The Umana Yana portrayed in a 1995 publication: most likely the second Umana Yana (Guyana Review, April 1995, p 34)

original.

We can also infer that very likely the image seen in that article is that of the then newly built benab and the one that existed until September 2014.

This second Umana Yana, from newspaper re-

(a Wai Wai village) Paul Chekema and his team.

At this stage then, what can be surmised and questioned about our famous Umana Yana?

Firstly, we have had two Umana Yanas: the first from 1972 to 1993 (about 21

The second Umana Yana in 2013 – interior view

traction.

According to William McDowell, who has published possibly the most detailed story of the original Umana Yana, (Guyana Review, April 1995) “it reminded the world that it is natural for people to build with materials at hand, and that Amerindian culture is still vibrant.”

Indigenous buildings are

house the meetings of the first conference of Foreign Ministers of the NonAligned Movement of Third World Nations scheduled for August 1972.

As is well known, the Guyana government, not having a suitable building for the occasion, came up with the idea of building a large version of an indigenous building (a ben-

The second Umana Yana in 2013

known for their coolness in our tropical heat because of the natural materials used, especially the thatch roof.

Here I deliberately say “thatch,” the generic term for a roof of dry vegetation such as leaves, reeds, etc., which are plaited, as there are different forms of thatching depending on the materials available and the tradition of the community.

In Guyana the major vegetation used by the indigenous peoples for thatched roofing includes the troolie palm, the cokerite palm and the dhalebanna leaf.

The original Umana Yana was destroyed in 1993 as a result of little attention

ab), probably because of the short span of time available.

Sixty members of the Wai Wai community, under Chief Elka, were brought to Georgetown for the purpose of building a benab similar to, but larger than that then existing in their village of Konashen, in the deep south of Guyana.

The enormous task was completed in time for the opening of the conference on August 8, 1972. This first Umana Yana became quite popular and remained part of the cityscape until its collapse in 1993.

Details of the second Umana Yana are sketchy to the writer at the moment,

The first Umana Yana under construction showing details of structure and roof thatching: July 1972

statement perhaps implies that by April 1995 (the date of the publication) a new Umana Yana (the second one) was already built and that it was smaller than the

ports over the years, seems to have gone through a number of repairs, the latest being in August 2010, when it was rehabilitated by the Captain of Gunns Strip

years) and the second from about 1994/1995 to 2014 (about 20/21 years).

Secondly, that the first Umana Yana was larger than the second.

Thirdly, in my opinion, from a study of the photographs available, the first was more in-keeping with the Wai Wai building tradition than the second.

Fourthly, the Wai Wai did build the first Umana Yana, but who built the second? Paul Chekema and his team only rehabilitated the building in 2010.

Fifthly, as stated by McDowell, troolie was used as roofing finish in 1972, but there seems to be some difficulty in identifying the specific roofing material of the structure that was burnt in 2014; some reports mention troolie, at least one other mention “allibanna” (more correctly, dhalibanna or dhalebanna).

Available photographs of the interior seem to indicate a dhalibanna thatched roof.

Let us strive to have a proper chronicle of this once famous landmark, and importantly, more accurately document its future replacement. (Cover photo: Aerial view of the first Umana Yana from north-east: most likely taken soon after completion in August 1972. (Photo courtesy of National Trust)

4

Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

Times Feature

A

packet of “Salt Siew” on my kitchen table began a lively discussion among the family about the origin of the salty snack as well as its name, which got me even more curious when no one could satisfactorily answer those questions.

Some pronounce it as salt “SO” and write it as “sew”, while I have seen some spell it as “salseo” (pronounced SAL-SO or SAL-SAY-O). Looking at the packets sold in stores, the preferred spelling seems to be “salt siew”.

Further probing discovered that for some persons, salt siew and chicken foot are one and the same thing while others feel salt siew is a type of chicken foot and others insist that salt siew is the fatter of the two thin crispy strips.

Generally made into thin crispy strips of flour, salt, pepper, seasoning, spilt peas, spices, vegeta-

ble oil and yeast (at least those are the ingredients of one store-bought “Salt Siew” packet),there seems to be many variations of the snack’s ingredients, whether it’s called salt siew or chicken foot.

That still doesn’t answer the questions however. But it made me recall that salt siew, chicken foot, cassava chips, plantain chips, nuts and channa (the hard, fried type of channa peas and split peas) are all traditional Guyanese salty snacks that some would refer to as “street snacks” as they are traditionally homemade snacks sold on the streets from vendors at stalls or walking while hawking their snacks.

It is only within recent times that some have begun to be sold in supermarkets and some, like plantain and cassava chips, are now being imported.

No one has any idea of the history of chicken foot

(not to be confused with the real chicken’s foot) – neither its name nor cooking past. Most just confess to knowing how to make it by watching their mother or grandmother making it or being taught by such elders to make it to sell.

Like learning to cook curry, cook up, pepper pot and getting round roti, it

seems a basic Guyanese rite of passage to know to make plantain/cassava chips, channa, and, for many, chicken foot as well.

Some persons look to the ingredients to provide an idea of the original creators of the snack,

Plantain and cassava chips, chicken foot and salt siew from a street stand

round to the “salt siew” as we know it.

Vendors selling salty street snacks from their “plantain chip stand” at the Berbice Car Park in Georgetown (Photo from realfmgy by Ava Solomon)

but to me that is an unclear research area since the ingredients I read on the packet could be from anywhere.

In addition, some look at the name, in the case of “salt siew”, for clues. The tenuous (at best) link I found were the Cantonese dishes char siew (char siu) and siew yuk where the meats (traditionally the pork skin) are roasted crisp and cut/chopped into (long) thin strips.

With the many ethnic food cultures in Guyana, there are untold ways the term could have gotten

The Guyanese “chicken foot” snack also could do with some explaining – but again the origin of its name is seemingly so obscure as to be long lost over time.

While most ethnic groups have a love for the actual chicken foot that has led to many recipes that include frying the chicken foot, (deep-fried chicken foot is a well-liked street food in many other parts of the world) that analogy is again at best tenuous despite the similar looks.

It could simply be a re-

sult of this similarity in looks to the thin chicken’s foot rather than its ethnic origins. Or not. Besides, Guyanese also have a chicken foot souse recipe made with true chicken’s feet, but that’s another story.

There is as yet no serious work done on traditional Guyanese gastronomy (study of our local foods) so there is much to be done by the intrepid researcher or historian here.

Our traditional salty street snacks (often served with a spicy but sour “dip” that Guyanese call “sour”) have been a common part of our street food offerings for so long that few think about their origins from a rich and diverse collection of ethnic foods brought here by our various ancestors as a result of our history.

Vending food that is known as street food is a worldwide tradition that also includes Guyanese traditional cuisine; it is not hard to envision the mix of ethnic recipes being handed down over generations that may never be fully explained or documented.

Most, if not all street vendors don’t label their packets, and the traditional ones bought off the streets remain sold in a plain, clear and sealed plastic bag (unless you ask for sour) filled with chips, chicken foot or channa etc. doused with the splash of sour requested. After all, how else would they be considered traditional Guyanese street snacks? (A. Ally) (Cover Photo: Chicken foot (l) and the “other” chicken foot: salt siew (r))

Guyanese Chicken Foot recipe Ingredients: 1 cup flour 1 tbsp. curry powder 1 tsp cumin powder or gheera

Pinch of cayenne powder Salt to taste 1 cup water 3 cups canola oil for frying

Method In a small bowl combine all the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add water. Knead together water and dry ingredients to make a stiff dough.

Roll dough out on a floured surface until really thin.

Divide dough into two halves. Roll half out until it doubles in size, then cut in two halves. Cut halves into squares, then using a sharp knife cut into strips.

[Some suggest frying it first to a stiff consistency that would allow you to cut it with a scissors] Repeat process for other half of dough. Fry strips of dough in hot oil (about 250 degrees Fahrenheit) until golden brown. Remove from heat and drain on paper towel.

Let cool and enjoy with some mango sour. (From metemgee.com)

guyanatimesgy.com

September 20, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine 5

Times Women

W

hile many of us know of Miss Guyana World and Miss Guyana Universe, there are a “world” of other pageants in which Guyanese women by birth or descent are involved, some of which are not so well-known; we shall look at their reigning queens.

Miss Guyana UK

Still awaiting the 2015 Miss Earth Guyana means 24-year-old Stacey Ramcharan is the reigning Miss Earth Guyana. Crowned in April 2014, Ramcharan is an aspiring accountant who was born on Christmas day and grew up in LBI, East Coast Demerara before the family moved to the city.

The second of three children, she is the only girl and was an adventurous tomboy among her older and younger brothers, enjoying cricket, football and other sports related activities.

A former student of Mae’s, she later began studying accountancy, and also works as an accountant with her father’s automotive accessories business.

One of her special memories of the family is the many travels they have taken that have taught her about other cultures around the world. She also enjoys modelling and listening to music.

As the reigning Miss Earth Guyana, Ramcharan is bringing awareness to recycling.

Miss Guyana Talented Teen

Alicia Bess

Cherese James

ployed by the New York Vein Centre assisting doctors during surgery.

The 25-year-old would like to further her career with the aim of completing her studies in the medical field and becoming a doctor.

Miss Global International

Twenty-five-year-old Alicia Bess was crowned Miss Global International Guyana 2015 and is off to Trinidad and Tobago to represent Guyana at the international pageant being hosted there.

Bess has participated in several pageants before copping Miss Global International

Zena Bland

Zena Sherlock Bland was recently crowned Miss Guyana UK 2015 at the Guyana High Commission in Bayswater, London.

British by birth,she came to Guyana at age threesince her father, then a single father to herself and brother, believed a Guyanese education was best for his children.The family lived in Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara for 12 years.

In Guyana during her younger years, Bland grew up a tomboy. She loves sports, and is said to have been very active in community development activities. She is also said to be inspired especially by her late father, whose guidance and advice she said has helped her achieve her life goals.

Bland, 25, a former student of President’s College, now resides in South London and recently graduated in journalism from Middlesex University. She had earlier participated in the Miss Guyana UK 2012 pageant, earning first runner-up spot.

She hopes to become a qualified teacher (her father was a headmaster) as well as to launch her own charity.

Miss Earth Guyana

Reesa Sooklal

Reesa Sooklal is the current Miss Guyana Talented queen, upon the postponement of the 2015 pageant to a date to be officially announced.

The Queen’s College student, who took the title in July 2014 at 14 years old, was born Oct. 8, 1999 in the city and grew up in Ogle before moving to Mon Repos, an East Coast Demerara community.

She was a student of Starter’s Nursery school and Graham’s Hall primary before earning a spot at QC, and enjoys playing cricket as well as other outdoor sports activities. Her other pursuits include photography, playing the guitar and drawing and painting.

Sooklal hopes to become an obstetrician/ gynaecologist and while studying for this also finds time for modelling, guitar and dance lessons, among other pursuits.

Miss United Continents Guyana

Stacey Ramcharan

Cherese Latoya James is the current and first Miss United Continents Guyana and no stranger to pageants, having been a contestant at the Miss World Guyana competition and Miss Caribbean United States pageant.

She was born in the city but grew up in Region Three before migrating to the USA when she was 15 years old. In the rural region she enjoyed outdoor activities including climbing trees and playing cricket.

Her hobbies include reading and meeting new and interesting people and learning about their cultures.

The eldest of four children and a medical assistant by profession, Cherese successfully completed her certificate program at the Allen Nursing School. She is currently em-

Guyana and the Miss PJD2 Caribbean Queen 2014 crown. Previously she had won the 2013 Miss Guyana Jamzone pageant, and earned first runner-up at Miss Jamzone International.

She was also first runner up at the 2013 Miss Guyana Universe pageant, as well as first runner-up in the Miss Bartica Regatta 2013. Earlier she had won the Miss East Bank Supermodel pageant and was first runner up at the Miss Republic Bank CARICOM pageant, both held in 2010.

A former student of St Joseph’s High School where she earned her CXC subjects, Bess moved on to St Roses High to earn her “A” Levels, becoming valedictorian for that year.

Bess, who is the youngest in her family and the only girl, hopes to earn her Masters in Business Administration and is currently executive aide to the Australian Honorary Consulate and president of her charity group, Expressions – Beacon of Hope.

6 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

Times Book World

The Shaping of Guyanese Literature

A review By Petamber Persaud

T

he book, “Taxes”, by Peter Fraser is an eye-opener to the un-

initiated; a prompt to those conversant with the subject, and a tax relief to those who find the subject perplexing.

As an eye-opener, the

book states the premise that “[w]hen tax rates increase, so does the incentive to evade the taxes, when the rates are high, the cost of

honesty also becomes high and many taxpayers who, under lower tax burdens would have been honest with their tax matters, may be inclined to evade taxes…”

That’s just one example; there are many more.

As a prompt, the book declares, “the state in never a neutral agent in economic life” for the “huge volume of expenditure enables the State to exercise a great influence on the economy of the country, since recently, taxes are no longer paid merely to cover the unavoidable cost of services provided by the State, but it has become an important instrument of economic policy.”

There are many other examples.

As a tax relief, the book shows the importance and benefits of paying taxes.

For instance, Fraser tabulated five theories of taxation: the “Benefit Theory”, the “Sumptuary Theory”, the “Social Theory”, the “Faculty Theory” and the “Compensatory Theory”; all bring elucidation to the issue of paying taxes.

This volume is designed to be user friendly. It is divided into three parts that are further subdivided into chapters which, step by step, brings elucidation on particular subjects. The headings are self-explanatory, acting both as introduction and summary of particular subjects and, as such, a verbatim reproduction is in order.

Part one, titled “Brief Review to the Introduction of Taxes in Guyana 19291998” deals with the introduction of taxation in Guyana via organizational structure of the unit, its decentralization, its relocation, change of title, and appointments of Guyanese commissioners.

This first part also gives a history of taxation, income tax in the context of Guyana, theories and canons of taxation relevant to Guyana where it is stated that taxation started as a money-raising mechanism, a regulator of the country’s economy and as an instrument for redistribution the

Peter Fraser

national income.

Obviously during the focal period of examination there were many changes, revisions, amendments.

Fittingly closing out part one is an examination of the efficiency of the Inland Revenue Department.

Part two, titled “Tax reform and structural changes, a new perspective to the informal economy in Guyana, 2002-2012” deals with the definition of the informal economy in Guyana

and other countries; the difficulties in measuring something that is making a huge impact on the country’s economy mainly because all transactions are done in cash.

But there is hope since more focus is been placed on this “phenomenon” by economists.

Part two also deals with the role of lending agencies and their influences on the local economy. Both lending agencies and the informal economy have significant impact on the country’s economy.

Part three, titled “InterAgencies fight against drug use and abuse in the Caribbean region” defines drug use and drug abuse

and states the differences between addiction and dependence.

This section offers some solutions in “preventative education and public information programmes” and “early intervention, treatment and rehabilitation programme.”

This book came out a burning desire of the author wanting to share information on the subject in order to shape a better Guyana. It is also the outcome of over twenty years’ experience in the field by the author who served in various capacities including Inspector of Taxes in the field audit section, secretary to the Board of Review, Public Relations Officer and Assistant CommissionerRegional Debt Management of the Inland Revenue Department.

The word “tax” is still being treated as a perplexing subject, sometimes bordering on the taboo and falling into the category of four letter words. This could be all round taxing on the authorities who are informed and in the act of

carrying out their mandate, on the beneficiaries/taxpayers who are less informed and can’t reconcile a situation of paying tax and on the tax evaders who are insensitive that they are biting the hands that feed them.

But the book, “Taxes”,

by Peter Fraser comes like a welcome tax-relief, filling a lacuna.

However, all this good work is slight marred by poorly laid out inter-textual references and citations where authorship of some concepts is seemingly blurred.

Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@ yahoo.com

guyanatimesgy.com

SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine 7

Times Heritage

The ex-slave who influenced Darwin

J

ohn Edmonstone was a freed Guyanese slave who taught taxidermy to famed naturalist Charles Darwin at Edinburgh University in Scotland.

Edmonstone is said to have been born in Demerara, Guyana and while still a slave,he learned taxidermy from British naturalist Charles Waterton (1782 -1865). His 'master', Charles Edmonstone, had a daughter who married Waterton in 1829, and Waterton was a regular visitor at his father-in-law’s Mibiri Creek, Demerara estate.

John Edmonstone, writes Melissa Pandika, author of

OZY magazine online, accompanied Waterton on bird collecting expeditions, entrusted with the crucial task of stuffing captured birds on the spot, before they rotted.

According to Professor Janet Brown in the BBC programme “Making History: John Edmonstone”, in 1807, Charles Edmonstone brought John to Glasgow to his estate north of the city then later freed him.

When Edmonstone was freed he moved to Edinburgh and settled in a house a few doors down from Darwin and his brother, Erasmus, where he became self-employed, earning his living

stuffing birds at the Natural History Museum and teaching taxidermy to Edinburgh University students.

Seventeen-year-old Darwin had arrived in Edinburgh in 1825 to study medicine but he was more of an outdoorsman and discovered a diversion during his first winter at Edinburgh when he hired Edmonstone to teach him taxidermy for one guinea a week.

It has also been suggested that Edmonstone also influenced Darwin’s outlook on the institution of slavery and racism, of which Edmonstone was a victim.

According to authors

Charles Edmonstone’s timber estate at Mibiri Creek where John Edmonstone is assumed to have been a house slave; one of some 400 – 500 slaves (Sketched by Thomas Staunton St Clair, 1808)

British Guiana bullock cart transport 1943

Georgetown Sewerage Scheme British Guiana 1924

John Edmonstone teaching Darwin taxidermy (from the Russian State Darwin Museum exhibit which includes the works of Mikhail Yesuchevskii (1880-1928) and Viktor Yevstafiev (1916-1990s) – posted on the Rough Guide to Evolution Blog) Picture credit: OZY)

Adrian Desmond and James Moore in “Darwin's Sacred Cause: How a Hatred of Slavery Shaped Darwin's Views on Human Evolution” (2009), Darwin was one of those “genteel shooters” whom John taught to stuff their hunting trophies.

Darwin came to consider his teacher “an intimate”, and testified in his autobiography that when he was a student at Edinburgh (1825 Oct – 1827 Apr), “a negro lived in Edinburgh, who had travelled with Warton, and gained his livelihood by stuffing birds, which he did excellently; he gave me lessons

for payment and I often used to sit with him for he was a pleasant and intelligent man.”

As Darwin perfected his taxidermy skills, Edmonstone narrated his accounts of plantation life and lush rainforests teeming with wildlife.

According to Scientific American blogger and biologist DN Lee, Edmonstone is believed to have tutored the young Darwin on the natural history of the fauna and flora of South America prior to Darwin’s historic voyage on the SS Beagle.

At the time, Waterton’s

then new book about his expeditions to Guyana, “Wanderings in South America”, was hugely popular, and Edmonstone’s stories probably whetted Darwin’s appetite for exploration and discovery.

Hooked on natural history, Darwin dropped out of medical school and signed up for travel aboard the H.M.S. Beagle.

The taxidermy skills Darwin learned from Edmonstone were indispensable during his voyage aboard H.M.S. Beagle in 1831.

Little is known of John Edmonstone’s death or where he was buried.

8 Times Sunday Magazine

SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

guyanatimesgy.com

Times Travel & Tourism

T

he indigenous village of Akawini in the Lower Pomeroon derives its name from an Arawak work meaning “Many turns”.

About 50 miles from Charity, the community is accessible mainly by boat through the creek. The community is managed by a Toshao (captain) and a village council.

There are 25 small islands where people live, work, and farm to sustain their livelihood.

In School Islands there is a primary school, a teachers’ quarters and a health centre.

A nursery school along with a health post is also located at another island, Baracara.

The children in Akawini also have access to computer facilities, and areprovided with hot meals daily to encourage them to attend school in the area. The community has a farming project where persons in the community cultivate different crops for the schools so that the children can have a variety of vegetables in their meals.

Adel’s Resort, which is 25 miles from the creek area, is a nearby tourist attraction. (Indrawattie Natram)

Entering Akawini, passing Adel's Resort

Travelling to school by canoe

Children disembarking at Akawini Landing on their way to Akawini Primary School

The lush tranquility of Akawini

A view on the way to Akawini

guyanatimesgy.com

SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine 9

Times Healthy Living

T

he salt shaker can be the easiest thing to grab when you feel like your dish needs a little something. But there are many good reasons to fight the habit.

Herbs and spices (both dried and fresh herbs can be used to improve any dish) are your secret weapons here: these seasoning options are a great alternative to using salt, and they reduce bloat and heart disease risk too.

Citrus While not technically a spice, citrus juice or zest, such as lemon or lime, can perk up poultry, vegetables or meat by adding a bite similar to salt. This lower-sodium alternative is easy and livens up a boring chicken dish. Tip: Be sure to use a citrus zester to extract just the zest of the peel without the bitter-flavoured, white pith found underneath.

Nutmeg You may only think of nutmeg as a spice to use in pumpkin pie and other baked treats, but adding a pinch of nutmeg to cooked spinach or other green vegetables can cut the bitterness and add a warm, sweet flavour.

Basil Basil's sweet and peppery taste works great with mild flavoured foods, such as pasta, tomatoes, pork, and mozzarella cheese.

Tip: For perfectly sliced ribbons of fresh basil, stack the leaves in a pile, roll the whole pile up together in a tube-like shape, and then cut into slices from one end to the other.

Garlic The unmistakable flavour and aroma plus the positive heart health benefits (including lowered blood pressure) are reason enough to eat garlic. But sautĂŠing it fresh with olive oil before cooking vegetables, stir

Social media pressure may lead to anxiety, depression in teens

N

ew research is suggesting that the pressure to be online 24 hours a day disrupts teen sleep patterns and may lead to mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression.

The researchers found that teenagers who used social media and had high emotional investment in social media had poorer sleep quality, lower self-esteem and higher rates of anxiety and depression than teenagers who were less emotionally invested in social media.

The suggestion is that the pressure teenagers feel around social media can cause anxiety and depression, which may lead to poor sleep quality, exacerbating the problem.

The researchers found that this association was particularly strong for teenagers who used social media at night.

Lead researcher Dr. Heather Cleland Woods from the University of Glasgow in the UK explains: "Adolescence can be a period of increased vulnerability for the onset of depression and anxiety, and poor sleep quality may contribute to this. It is important that we understand how social media use relates to these. Evidence is increasingly supporting a link between social media use and wellbeing, particularly during adolescence, but the causes of this are unclear."

Commenting on the overall findings,

Dr. Woods says:"While overall social media use impacts on sleep quality, those who log on at night appear to be particularly affected. This may be mostly true of individuals who are highly emotionally invested. This means we have to think about how our kids use social media, in relation to time for switching off."

To better understand the reasons for the link between social media use and wellbeing, the team says further research is required.

The research team, which also included Holly Scott from the University of Glasgow in the UK, recently presented their findings at The British Psychological Society (BPS) Developmental and Social Psychology Section Annual Conference in Manchester, UK.

Fast facts about anxiety Anxiety disorders affect 1 in 8 children Anxiety disorders often go hand in hand with depression, eating disorders and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

fries, and meat not only adds huge flavour, it also releases an aroma that will make any food-lover's mouth water. A pinch of garlic powder perks up almost any sauce or dip from hummus to guacamole to salad dressing.

Mint Mint can actually boost your immune system and improve digestion by stimulating the digestive enzymes to utilize the nutrients of your meal faster. It adds a fresh, flavourful accent to lamb and steak, complexity to stir-fry, and a light crisp flavour to both fruity and chocolaty desserts.

Cayenne/chilli powder You already know that chilli powder and cayenne pepper can add the perfect heat to chillies and stews, but have you ever tried adding a pinch to chocolate desserts? The contrast adds complexity and brings out the rich, chocolate flavour. Bonus: Some studies even suggest that eating spicy food can cause you to eat less at a meal. But remember, less is more with chilli powder.

Paprika It's sometimes easy to forget about this spice, but paprika not only adds a great scarlet colour to dishes to make them more aesthetically pleasing, but also contributes a sweet, smoky flavour making it a great seasoning for roasted sweet potatoes, chicken, or dips.

Chives A nice alternative to onion, chives can add a lighter, milder oniony flavour and also

contribute a bright green colour to otherwise bland foods. They're more than a topper for your baked potato; since they enhance the natural flavour of foods, try using them in your favourite egg dish or mixing them into some plain Greek yogurt to make an easy veggie dip.

Ginger Ginger's hot-and-sweet flavour makes a great, interesting addition to stir-fry and marinades for chicken. Its calming effect on the GI tract doesn't hurt either. Bored with your basic fruit salad or fruit-and-yogurt parfait? Try mixing in just a tad of minced ginger for a tangy treat.

Dill Don't like fish, but wish you did? Try seasoning it with dill. Its light yet distinctive flavour freshens up any fish dish. It also adds a subtle something extra to your usual blah salad.

Rosemary This herb can enhance the flavour of roasted vegetables including potatoes, but there are so many great uses for this versatile herb. Make your own rosemary-infused olive oil as a dip for crusty bread or when drizzled over popcorn. Long rosemary sprigs make great skewers for grilled or roasting vegetables and fish—they add flavour while they cook and are great for presentation.

And if you want to enhance the flavour of your favourite drink of dessert, adding just a pinch of fresh rosemary will make it taste more complex. (Self magazine)

10 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

Times Fashion

Determination carries multi-talented Shanice Jones into new horizons

W

hile attending a summer sewing program in 2006, Guyanese Shanice Jones discovered her exceptional talent for fashion and design.

“As a young child I always made dresses for my dolls, and dreamt of wearing my own designs, Jones recalled in an earlier interview with Sunday Magazine, but after cre-

ating a stunning gown for herself, Jones knew that she had found her purpose.

Since then the designer has made a name for herself on international catwalksas model and fashion designer, and has launched her own shopping website.

Describing herself as a designer, model, aspiring actress and investor, Jones in 2010 launched her designs out of her Brooklyn

apartment after migrating to the USA. The Shanice Jones Collection was born and has received rave reviews.

One of Jones’ goals is to showcase her designs in a fashion show in her hometown Berbice, and also to feature the Shanice Jones Collection during Guyana Fashion Week.

“I left Guyana for a better life with more opportu-

nities,” Jones said. “I love my country Guyana but I knew I would have more exposure in the U.S. for my line of work and to be able to represent my country on a larger scale.”

Known for her women’s collections, she has also turned her focus on men’s shirts, exploring her graphic art talents in this fashion arena.Branching into accessories, Jones was scheduled

Designer Shanice Jones in one of her creations

to launch her Tie collection on Sept. 15, 2015 and Scarf collection on September 30.

For more information,

visit "The Shanice Jones Collection" on Facebook and theshanicejonescollection.com.

L

auren Keyana "Keke" Palmer is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Palmer was born August 26, 1993 in Harvey, Illinois and raised in Robbins, Illinois.Palmer and her family moved to California to help her pursue a career in acting. Palmer released her debut album, “So Uncool”, on September 18, 2007 through Atlantic Records. The album failed to chart on the US Billboard 200 but did chart at number 85 on the R&B chart. The album was preceded by the lead single "Keep It Movin'". She made her acting debut in the 2004 film “Barbershop 2: Back in Business” and rose to prominence in 2006 for her breakthrough role in “Akeelah and the Bee” as well as starring in “Madea's Family Reunion”.

Palmer has also starred in films such as “The Longshots” (2008) and “Shrink” (2009). In 2012, Palmer starred in four films “Joyful Noise”, “Winx Club: The Secret of the Lost Kingdom”, “Ice Age: Continental Drift”, and “Virgin Mary” Besides films, Palmer has also starred in the television films “Knights of the South Bronx” (2005), “Jump In!” (2007), and “Rags” (2012) amongst others.

Palmer has also had numerous television roles including the lead role in Nickelodeon sitcom “True Jackson, VP”. She is believed to be the first black actress to play the title role in "Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella" on Broadway when she took the role in 2013.

guyanatimesgy.com SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

Star Times Hollywood

Times Sunday Magazine 11

12 Times Sunday Magazine

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September 20, 2015

Times Hollywood Jenna Coleman confirms ‘Doctor Rihanna won’t join Taylor Swift onstage: Who’ exit: ‘I have left the TARDIS’ they’re not ‘the same’ J

R

ihanna will not be one of the musicians whom Taylor Swift "welcomes to the stage" during her 1989 tour.

The singer, who covers the latest issue of NME magazine, opened up about why she doesn't think an onstage collaboration would be a great idea, saying, "I just don't think it makes sense."

She added, "I don't think our brands are the same: I don't think they match, I

don't think our audiences are the same. In my mind she's a role model, I'm not."

Rihanna has long shunned the term "role model" when it comes to her public image. In an interview with USA Today back in 2014, she said that she doesn't like to use that word "because people have their own opinion on what that means to them," adding, "I'm not perfect. I'm not trying to sell that." (Popsugar)

enna Coleman is saying goodbye to ‘Doctor Who.’ After three years of playing Clara, Jenna will be exiting the series by the end of the season. Her departure has been in the works for a ‘long time,’ and she’s already filmed her last scenes.

Jenna Coleman, 29, is leaving Peter Capaldi and the TARDIS behind. The actress revealed that she is leaving Doctor Who and will be tackling the role of Queen Victoria for a new miniseries. She admitted that the exit has been an “emotional”

one but not a total surprise.

“I have left the TARDIS – it’s happened,” she told BBC Radio 1 on Sept. 18.

“I’ve filmed my last scenes.”

Jenna first appeared on the show in 2012, back when Matt Smith was still the Doctor. The show’s upcoming ninth season will be her last.

Her exit isn’t unexpected, at least for the Doctor Who crew. It’s actually been in the works for over a year.

She admits her impending departure was one that tugged at the heartstrings.

“It was emotional! It’s

been in the works for a very long time,” she told BBC. “Steven [Moffat] and I sat down a year and a half ago and tried to work out the best place to do it, and the best place to tell a really good story – hopefully that’s what we’ve done. I think it’s really cool … obviously we’re not going to give away any details but it will happen at some point this season.”

Despite her bittersweet departure, Jenna is excited about her next royal gig.

“She is a vivid, strong, inspirational and utterly fascinating woman in British

history,” Jenna said about playing Queen Victoria. “I can’t wait to tell her story.”

Season 9 of “Doctor Who” premieres Sept. 19 at 9 p.m.

ET on BBC America. (hollywoodlife)

Jessica Simpson unsteady during live HSN taping

V

iewers around the world are questioning Jessica Simpson’s state during a live taping to promote her line on the Home Shopping Network after she appeared unsteady next to host Colleen Lopez.

During one segment,

while promoting the Jessica Simpson "Kiss Me" Super Skinny Gray Jean, the fashion-forward star slurred her speech as she explained that her sister, Ashlee Simpson, shares jeans with Evan Ross. "Ashlee is like the best at wearing gray. My sister...

Like, she's very rock 'n' roll, but there's something about a gray that's like...sexy.

Maybe it's her and her husband, they share jeans...I have no idea...I don't know.

There's just something hot about them," Jessica rambled.

Many people on Twitter accused Jessica of being under the influence.

Colleen posted a photo of herself with Jessica after the taping ended. "Thank you so much for watching tonight!" she wrote on Facebook.

"Congrats to Jessica Simpson and her Mom, Tina on a sell out show!!"

Several of her fans continued to call out Simpson in the comments, though. "God

Bless you Colleen, you are a true professional! I am 99% certain that Jessica was 100% inebriated throughout that segment," Stefania Campioni Ferrandino wrote.

Jessica, who did her job and sold out the line, has not commented on the taping. (eonline)

'The View' loses advertisers over controversial comments about nurses Miss Colorado defends monologue

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he ABC daytime talk show is losing major advertisers, including Johnson & Johnson, and Eggland's Best, in the wake of comments made about nurses by its co-hosts on Monday's show while they were talking about the recent Miss America pageant.

"Johnson & Johnson values and appreciates nurses and we respect the critical role they play in our healthcare system," the company said on its Facebook page. "We disagree with recent comments on daytime television about the nursing profession, and we have paused our advertising accordingly."

Meanwhile, Eggland's Best announced it was cutting ties in a statement on the company website, writing, "Eggland's Best appreciates nurses and values the important role they play in family health. In light of the comments about the nursing profession recently made on daytime television we will no longer be advertising on the show in question."

While appearing on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show", Nurse Kelley Johnson, who appeared as Miss Colorado in the televised pageant, defended her choice to do a monologue as part of the talent portion of the competi-

tion, in which she shared her experience working with an Alzheimer’s patient.

On Wednesday, "The View" hosts apologized for the controversy. Co-host Michelle Collins said, "We love nurses. We adore you. We respect you. You guys are wonderful.

You're the most compassionate people. I was not talking about nurses, we were talking about the talent competition, and it got misconstrued."

Co-host Joy Behar also apologized, saying she was "just not paying attention," adding, "I was looking at a Miss America tape, and there's a woman wearing an outfit with a stethoscope, and I'm thinking is she in a costume?"

"I didn't know she was a nurse," she added. "I'm used to seeing them in gowns and bathing suits. It’s not like I was trying to be funny. It was just stupid and inattentive on my part. I didn’t know what the hell I was talking about.

My son-in-law is a physician assistant, one of my nieces is a nurse, so I mean I know they use stethoscopes, I just was not paying attention."

While the American Nurses Association has accepted the apology, Johnson & Johnson and Eggland’s Best have placed their relationship with ‘The View’ on hold.

S

ushant Singh Rajput is an Indian actor who was born January 21, 1986 in Patna, Bihar, and has four sisters. His family moved to New Delhi in the early 2000s where he attended St. Karen's High School in Patna and Kulachi Hansraj Model School. He was studying Mechanical Engineering at the prestigious Delhi College of Engineering (now known as Delhi Technological University). He had a starring role in the soap opera “PavitraRishta”, and later participated in the dance reality show “Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa”. Rajput made his film debut as one of the three male leads in Abhishek Kapoor's drama “Kai Po Che!” (2013). He went on to star in the romantic comedy “Shuddh Desi Romance” (2013) and played the titular detective in the thriller Detective “Byomkesh Bakshy!” (2015), both of which were produced by Yash Raj Films.

guyanatimesgy.com SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

Star Times Bollywood

Times Sunday Magazine 13

14 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

September 20, 2015

Times Bollywood

Koirala warns fans Jackie Shroff defends daughter Manisha about fake Facebook accounts Krishna's 'topless' pics B

K

rishna Shroff made headlines when she apparently posted some pictures of herself on her Instagram account.

Media reports claimed that the star kid had posed topless.

However, Krishna's daddy, Jackie Shroff, immediately came to her rescue. According to reports, Jackie has been quoted as saying that, "Let me clarify one thing - she is not topless in the pictures. For a picture to be topless, you won't

be wearing anything. You should have checked the picture a little more clearly. She

has a towel wrapped around her. How can you even call it a topless picture?"

When asked if Krishna, too, was interested in acting, Jackie has said, "She has never spoken to me about her interest in acting ever.

Rather, Tiger too had never told me that he wanted to act. This industry has given me everything and it has welcomed my son with open arms. So if Krishna wants to act, I would not stop her at all. I will be a rather happy person."

ollywood actress Manisha Koirala recently warned her fan following against 'many fake' Facebook accounts on her name.

“There are many fake fb account on my name.. Pl don't respond to them!!!!!” she stated on her Twitter account.

An avid user of digital platforms, Manisha often likes to share views on various subjects including her homeland Nepal. (zeenewsindia)

Salman Khan rubbishes gender income disparity

A

ctresses like Vidya Balan, Deepika Padukone and Kangana Ranaut might have rued over less or unequal pay for female actors than their male counterparts, but superstar Salman Khan, who has now been acclaimed as the highest paid actor in Bollywood, rubbishes this topic.

According to a report published in Hindustan Times, the “Dabangg” Khan opines that all this discussion over unequal pay for the actresses is bull [...] talk.

Salman Khan says, “The

question is, who is pulling those people into a theatre?

If a female star is getting those many people and the producer is making money, the exhibitor and distributor are all making money, then obviously they (female actors) will get that much money … but if it’s a male star, then he will get it.”

Adding to his strong statement, Salman stated, “There are so many male stars who get a lot less than many female stars … that’s also there, right?... So this whole female s­ tars-male stars debate is bull [...]

Whoever is selling, and as much he or she is selling, will get that much.” (Indian Express)

Film from Shankar diaries opens at TIFF

W

hen Gingger Shankar, grandniece of the late composer, singer and sitar virtuoso, Pandit Ravi Shankar, first met Dave Liang, a Chinese-American producer, a partnership was quickly cemented. Dave is also the founder of a popular, contemporary, electronic music group, The Shanghai Restoration Project, and the two are collaborating on a film.

While working on their first co-production, Himalaya Song, with filmmaker Mridu Chandra, Gingger began narrating stories from diaries and scrapbooks that her grandmother, Lakshmi Shankar, Ravi Shankar's sister, had passed on to her after his death in 2012 and before hers, a year later.

"I was telling Dave about these fascinating music sessions in the wee hours that I had read about and he immediately insisted that the story needed to be told. And that is how Nari, a full-length feature film about my family, began," Gingger told Mirror from the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) where Nari had its world premiere on September 11.

The film focuses on the journey of two incredible woman artistes who constantly collaborated with the maestro. "What my mother, Viji, and my grandmother, Lakshmi went through being women, the sacrifices they made for their music and just how strong and talented they were, comes to light in the film," asserts the singer.

She added that the most crucial aspect of the film is the focus on Ravi Shankar's collaboration with Beatles singer and multi-

The late Pandit Ravi Shankar

instrumentalist, George Harrison. The two composed a four-disc set of songs together in India. "We wanted to showcase not just the pivotal but seldom-recognised role these two women played in the musical revolution that bridged the East with the West for the first time, with Raviji's sitar lessons to George Harrison," Gingger reminisced.

Gingger, who is known as the 'only girl in the world' to wield a 10-string double violin, says that the film's album comprises 13 songs, with unreleased recordings of Viji Shankar from 1972. "Dave, who is also my musical collaborator, has turned these recordings into modern, electronic songs featuring vocals, the double violin, a santoor, guitars, pianos, the mandolin and percussion," she pointed out. (Mumbai Mirror)

Priyanka Chopra reaches 11 million followers on Twitter, thanks fans

P

riyanka Chopra has reached the mark of 11 million followers on Twitter and three million followers on Instagram, and the actress thanked her fans for their love. Priyanka, 33, who joined the micro-blog-

ging site in 2009 and is one of the most popular Indian celebrities online, made a special video to share her excitement.

"Thank u guys for the love!! #3MillionOnInstagram #11millionOnTwitter so Grateful!," the "Mary Kom" star tweeted along with the video link. "11 million on twitter, 3 million on Instagram. Thank you so much. I truly feel very very loved... Very excited," she said in the video.

Priyanka is gearing up for the US premiere of her debut American TV series "Quantico" that will be telecasted in India from October 3.

The "Gunday" star is also working on Sanjay Leela Bhansali's love saga "Bajirao Mastani" in which she is essaying the role of Peshwa Baji Rao's first wife Kashi Bai. The film is slated for December 18 release. (midday)

guyanatimesgy.com

September 20, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine

15

Times Trends

Star of the week

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orn Sept. 3, 1992 in a village near the Guyana-Venezuela border, Analisa Andrews, who grew up to become Miss Amerindian Heritage 2013-2015, moved at age three with her family to the Arawak village of Moraikobai, two-and-a-half miles up the Mahaicony Creek. She attended the Moraikobai Primary school then went on to Mahaicony Secondary where she stayed in the dormitory during her time there. After passing her school leaving exams she arrived in Georgetown to study accountancy, earning five courses at CAT Level. More of a tomboy who enjoyed climbing trees and playing marbles when she was young, Analisa loves swimming as well as playing cricket, and enjoys music. For Analisa, the pageant has helped her learn new ideas and about different cultures. For a person who confesses to like learning new things, the unique experience has been an extraordinary one for her.

She encourages as many young persons as possible to become involved in the pageant to learn new experiences, and believes passionately in youth leadership. Her goal is to inspire youths to aim for greatness in their lives and advises them to “lead by example.�

Trending Now

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Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2015-2016 jewellery trends

ith ear cuffs at Balenciaga, crystals at Lanvin, initial rings at Versace, fringed bracelets at Nina Ricci and statement facial piercings at Givenchy, Vogue magazine presented a roundup of the jewellery trends seen on the New York, London, Milan and Paris runways this Fall/Winter 2015-2016 Fashion Week.

Lavin went big with crystal necklaces

Knotted pearls at Stella McCartney

Medusa necklaces stood out at Tom Ford

Marc by Marc Jacobs belt watch

Balenciaga took classic Parisian pearls one step further with a new reinterpretation of the ear cuff

Proenza Schouler presented midi cuffs

16 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

September 20, 2015

Times Art

Visual Expressions

Deaf Theatre Guyana presents annual production

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“Dramatic performance of the New Amsterdam group in 2011 at NCC”

ouder Than Words, a production by Deaf Theatre Guyana, is set for the National Cultural Centre stage on Sunday, September 27, at 5 p.m. on the occasion of International Day of the Deaf.

The annual show, associated with the Deaf

Association of Guyana, (DAG) will feature the Diamond Drummers from Diamond, the Icebreakers and The Signals from Georgetown, Shania from Corriverton and Shaunique from Linden; the East Side dance and drama group from New Amsterdam, along with a Patamona tale

from Region Seven.

Co-ordinator of the event and founder of DAG, Sabine McIntosh, spares a moment to provide a background into the show, and association, for Guyana Times Sunday Magazine.

GTSM: What started the Deaf Theatre?

SM: Actually, the Deaf Association started as a dance/theatre group and only later expanded to practically all issues relevant to the Deaf community. It was started when we (a small group of Deaf and friends of the deaf) realised that visual expression is a natural gift of the Deaf and it can also be used to bridge the gap between hearing and deaf.

GTSM: How long has it been in production?

SM: The group became active end of 2008 and by 2009 we had our first production in Theatre Guild: Talking Hands - Dancing

“Yes: Deaf got talent - and Louder Than Words will prove it all over again,” says Deaf Theatre

Feet.

GTSM: Can you give a brief background on how the different groups were formed?

SM: Over the years DAG has become facilitator for dance, drama, chess, football, fingerspelling competition, agriculture (hydroponics), and vocational training, amongst others.

GTSM: Give us an idea

of what a day of rehearsals is like for the group.

SM: Outside of Georgetown: in Linden, Diamond, Tuschen, Corriverton, New Amsterdam groups do their own thing preparing for the show (under that year's theme) and organising rehearsals. In Georgetown, it's a balancing act to organise rehearsals for students

and out of school youth - and there's always that last minute rush - like right now.

GTSM: Who does the costuming and make-up?

SM: Most of it is done

by Kreative Arts; their team, Esther and Jonathan Hamer, also do a lot of the choreography.

GTSM: What are the plans for the group and Deaf Theatre?

SM: For Deaf Theatre Guyana to become a recognised performing group with more and more leadership from within the deaf community.

Tickets for the show are on sale at the National Cultural Centre for $1,000.

Tickets at reduced cost for students and members of youth groups are available only through the Deaf Association of Guyana.

Contact 225-4489, 6873597, or email smac888@yahoo.com for more information.

The ethnographic value of art I

n 1841, Edward Goodall was appointed artist to Robert Schomburgk’s government-commissioned expedition to define the boundaries of British Guiana, sketching the inhabitants, flora, fauna, and landscape of the interior.

Schomburgk had been exploring the region since 1835 and had just returned from surveying the border with Venezuela. Goodall was recommended to the government by Colonel Jackson, Secretary of the Royal Geographical Society.

He impressed with his sketches, his readiness (he could be ready in twentyfour hours, he claimed), and his lack of anxiety about health and venomous reptiles, which had concerned other interviewees.

While waiting to depart with the expedition (delayed for several reasons) Goodall found plenty to fill both his time and the diary he had begun the day he arrived in Georgetown in late July 1841.

He sketched and drew almost every day, often

E.A. Goodall

for commissions, including works for the governor.

Goodall worked on a wide variety of subjects whilst waiting for the expedition to set off: the town and its buildings, flora and fauna, people, topographical features, boats, and maps.

He also spent many mornings atop Georgetown’s lighthouse working on three panoramic views of the town.

The quality of the light during sunrise in Georgetown was such that Goodall ‘Chieftain of the first Taruma believed “Turner Settlement himself, in his most near the successful bits nevCuyuwini’. er approached anyAdd. MS. thing like it for 16937, f. 55. beauty of colour or such magnificence of form.”

When the expedition finally left Georgetown Dec. 23, 1841, he also took as many opportunities as possible to sketch the

Amerindians the party used as porters and guides, and those they came across on their travels.

This was not always a straightforward task. The modesty of the local women made them less than willing models, and the gradual appearance of their likenesses on paper beneath Goodall’s fingers left them uneasy.

Despite all of the difficulties encountered during the expedition Goodall managed to complete an impressive, and extremely important, body of work.

There are 255 watercolours and sketches in the four volumes depicting Amerindian villages and dwellings, river scenes and landscapes, topographical and geological features, flora, and members of the indigenous population as individual studies and in groups.

Schomburgk hoped to have Goodall’s works published on their return to England but despite his support and that of Lord Stanley, Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, and successful exhibitions in Berlin, Paris and London, the Treasury could not be persuaded to find the estimated £500 publication cost.

The works remained in the Colonial Office library until 1847 when Schomburgk suggested they be donated to the British Museum’s Department of Manuscripts rather than be left ‘hidden’ at the Colonial Office.

Earl Grey, the new Secretary of State, agreed, and the watercolours and sketches were transferred to

An indigenous group preparing food. Add. MS. 16937, f. 82.

the Museum where Josiah Forshall, the Museum Secretary, described them as “a collection of great interest and value.”

Goodall’s portraits of the Amerindians were deemed invaluable even then as a record of “fast disappearing” peoples.

Schomburgk himself was also well aware of the importance of Goodall’s drawings, being portraits of indigenous people who were nearing extinction owing to disease introduced by white settlers, particularly smallpox, cholera, and measles.

Inbreeding was also considered a factor in their de-

cline.

By the time of the expedition, he was writing of the need “to depict some of these Indian tribes which are scarcely known by name in the colony, much less in Europe.”

In 1839 Schomburgk had estimated that there were only thirteen groupings comprising 7,000 Amerindians left. By 1977, six of those groupings were extinct, making Goodall’s depictions of members of those indigenous populations all the more important.

On his return from Guiana, Goodall’s artistic career developed apace.

He had ten works exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1841 and 1853, exhibited regularly at the Royal Society of Painters in Water Colours, and also had works exhibited at the British Institution and the Society of British Artists.

In December 1854, he became artist correspondent for the Illustrated London News and was sent to the Crimea, apparently as a replacement.

Edward Angelo Goodall was born June 8, 1819 in London and died on April 16, 1908.

It is perhaps in his work from British Guiana where Goodall’s real legacy lies.

Some of the human subjects of his expedition sketches and watercolours were both unknown and on the verge of extinction.

Without Goodall’s works it was entirely feasible that some of these groups could have vanished from the earth without a trace of their physical features, dress, and dwellings being left behind.

As an ethnographic record Goodall’s works are invaluable and their importance cannot be overestimated. Without a chance outbreak of yellow fever and the fear it struck into the heart of another artist Goodall may never have made the trip to British Guiana and these wonderful recordings of his experiences may never have been set down.

(Excerpted from “Edward Angelo Goodall (1819-1908): An Artist’s Travels in British Guiana and the Crimea” by Michael St John-McAlister)

guyanatimesgy.com

September 20, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine 17

Times Tech

T

he Apple iPhone 6 Plus delivers longer battery life than competitors’ flagship phones even though its battery does not have the highest capaci-

Tech BYTE

T

F

launch of iOS9, which features power-saving tweaks said to extend battery life by an hour.

In tests emulating typical smartphone usage, Strategy

Apple gives the nearly-forgotten iPad mini its biggest update in two years

he iPad mini? Its biggest upgrade in two years got just a few seconds of mention at Apple's iPhone 6 Plus event earlier this month. Easy to lose among the day’s announcements was Apple's brief mention of a new iPad mini.

While it doesn't look like the iPad Air is getting updated this year, the iPad mini 4 brings the minislate into alignment with last year's iPad Air 2.

It's almost hard to believe that the iPad mini was, only two or three years ago, considered by many to be the future of Apple's tablet line-up. But as interest in tablets has waned, smartphone screens have grown bigger and 2-in-1s have become more common as mobile PCs. Apple is now framing the future of the iPad as a 12.9-inch productivity tablet.

The new iPad mini 4 is a smaller version of the razor-thin iPad Air 2: just 6.1

Tech news

ty, Strategy Analytics found in testing flagship smartphones.

The battery life of the iPhone 6 Plus promises to get even better with the

The new iPad mini 4 gets a newer chip and lighter/thinner build (Credit: Apple)

mm (0.24 in) thick. It also weighs in at 299 g (0.65 lb), 10 percent lighter than the last two iPad minis.

Though it keeps the same Retina Display as the last two models (7.9 inches, 2,048 x 1,536 resolution), the iPad mini 4 has an upgraded A8 system-ona-chip.

That isn't Apple's latest model (the A9 and A9X power the just-announced

iPhones and iPad Pro, respectively), but it's still a generation newer than the A7 (ye of 2013) found in the iPad minis 2 and 3.

The new iPad mini also gets the improved cameras found in the iPad Air 2: 8 MP on the rear and 1.2 MP on the front.

Orders are already open for the iPad mini 4, starting at US$400 for 16 GB and Wi-Fi only.

Facebook Users to Zuck: We Don’t Want a ‘Dislike’ Button

acebook got the online world up in arms Tuesday when CEO Mark Zuckerberg casually mentioned that the company has plans to implement some form of a “dislike” button.

Users took to Zuckerberg’s Facebook Page to discuss the issue, with many saying they have no interest in a “dislike” button.

Several users worried that the dislike button would lead to cyberbullying or make Facebook a more negative space. However, others pointed out that social sites such as YouTube already have a thumbs-down function and are still popular and usable.

Facebook users probably shouldn’t worry too much, as there’s little chance the company will explicitly put “Dislike” next

to “Like” as an option below every post.

Facebook isn’t trying to boost negativity, but rather engagement.

“Dislike” will be a way for people to interact with content that is sad or emotionally complex, like someone posting about a loved one dying or a serious news story.

The goal will be to give this content a better chance of competing with happygo-lucky posts that rack up lots of “Likes,” which Facebook’s News Feed algorithm is biased towards.

In the end the button may not even be called “Dislike.” Some writers have speculated that Facebook will give users a variety of options, like “Sorry” or “Empathize,” and let them decide when to use these buttons in addition to “Like.” (TIME)

Analytics compared flagship smartphones from Apple, HTC, Huawei, LG, Google, Nokia/Microsoft, Samsung and Sony.

The Apple iPhone 6 Plus battery lasted 3,191 minutes in testing, while for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 battery life was at 3,116 minutes.

The LG G4 battery life clocked 2,982 minutes and the Nexus 6 2,971 minutes.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 saw a battery life of 2,943 minutes and Apple’s iPhone 6 at 2,940 minutes.

For its trials, the company tested all models simultaneously based on an average smartphone usage profile of 178 minutes of use every 24 hours across a range of activities such as voice calls, messaging, music, web browsing and the like.

Tech BYTE

H

H

point out that “simply having the largest battery capacity does not automatically mean having the longest battery life. It is important for smartphone manufacturers to optimize the performance of a device to give the longest possible battery life in order to improve user satisfaction." (Twice)

N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo takes pole position on Hyundai N car grid

yundai has showcased its new N sub-brand at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The carmaker says its N cars will focus on performance, with new powertrains and lightweight materials.

Its first models include the Generation i20 WRC rally car, and the RM15 and N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo concepts.

Perhaps the most exciting of the N models shown off at the IAA is one that will only exist in the digital realm.

Described by Hyundai as the ultimate concept car, the N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo has been designed exclusively for PlayStation’s Gran Turismo racing game and is described as looking like a floating jet fighter.

Its powertrain is said to be based on the world’s first mass-produced hydro-

Tech news

Battery life is one of the most important aspects taken into consideration when a consumer buys a smartphone, the company said, and it is “also one of the greatest causes of smartphone owner dissatisfaction.”

Analyst Chirag Upadhyay said the tests

The N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo has been designed for PlayStation’s Gran Turismo racing game (Credit: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag)

gen fuel cell system and kicks out a projected 650 kW (871 hp).

The dual fuel cell stacks themselves deliver an estimated 500 kW (670 hp) of that, with the remaining 150 kW (201 hp) produced via regenerative braking.

Each wheel of the 2025 Vision Gran Turismo has

its own independent motor.

Those lightweight fuel cell stacks and a carbonfibre reinforced plastic monocoque structure keep the car's weight down to 972 kg (2,142 lb), with the vehicle being designed to have a favourable powerto-weight ratio and a low centre of gravity.

Honda unveils crucial redesign for troubled Civic

onda Motors unveiled the production version of the 2016 Civic late Wednesday and it will arrive in showrooms soon. The former top seller has fallen on hard times in recent years.

Honda describes its new Civic as its most ambitious remake of the compact car ever. It's clearly the most important.

Sales of the Civic are down 4 per cent this year, while sales improved for rivals such as the Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra, as well as the compact car segment overall.

The Civic even suffered in comparison to other Honda models: The Honda CR-V crossover outsold the Civic for the first time in 2014 and continues to outsell it this year.

The Civic's 2012 redesign was a major embarrassment for Honda, as critics complained about the cheapness of the interior and the poor quality of the ride.

Consumer Reports rated the 2012 mod-

el too poor to earn the magazine's recommendation, a first for the model. While Honda quickly fixed many of the problems for the 2013 model, it has had trouble winning back buyers.

"The Civic established Honda as a viable Japanese automaker in the U.S., but recent versions haven't lived up to its iconic status," said Karl Brauer, senior analyst with Kelley Blue Book, in the spring when Honda gave a peak at this redesign at the New York auto show. "The 2016 Civic should correct that trajectory." (CNN Money)

18 Times Sunday Magazine

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September 20, 2015

Times Home & Cooking

Recipe of the Week

Double duty furniture

Furniture that does a bit more than expected is always welcome in households. Explore some furniture that gives its owners that little bit more...

Grilled Citrus Chicken

Ingredients: 1 3½–4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

Kosher salt Freshly ground pepper 2 lemons, halved 2 oranges, halved

Storing almost everything, used as seating as well as for resting things on them, the storage ottoman can even be said to do triple duty

Cat-friendly modular bookshelf. You love books and you love cats. The bookshelf provides stairs for the cat to climb as well as for you to artfully display your collection

Method: Prepare a grill for medium heat. Rub chicken pieces with 2 tbsp. oil.

Season with salt and pepper.

Grill chicken, skin side down, turning occasionally and squeezing juice from 2 lemon halves and 2 orange halves over often, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165°, 25–35 minutes.

Meanwhile, brush remaining 2 lemon halves and 2 orange halves with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil.

Grill, cut side down, until lightly charred, 5–10 minutes.

Serve chicken with grilled lemon and orange halves alongside for squeezing over.

Makes 4 servings

GREATEST COOKING TIPS Cook fish on lemons. Because fish sticks and falls apart so easily on a grill, this is the best way to cook it. Not only does the fish soak up the citrus flavour of the lemons, but it keeps your fish in one piece and makes clean up really easy.

Reheat pasta in the shape of a doughnut. Instead of stirring your pasta several times in between the cook time in your microwave, leave a small circle empty in the middle of your plate so that the pasta will cook more evenly.

Never put egg-based sauces in your freezer. Mayonnaise, hollandaise, custards, and meringues just don't hold up in a freezer. They leak liquid and take on a texture you definitely don't want from anything egg-related.

HOME HELP

The daybed: BoConcept Fusion Sofa. Contemporary sofa by day, comfortable bed when it’s time to rest

Have you ever thrown out crystallized honey because you thought it couldn’t be saved? It turns out the crystallization of honey is natural and not harmful. You can revive your little honey bear by placing it in a pot of hot water to warm it up. It will stay soft for a long time.

A plastic freezer bag keeps the cold air from making your ice cream rock hard.

Use the classic sponge and baking soda combo to get rid of scuffs on vinyl flooring.

To keep bacteria from taking up permanent residence in your kitchen sponges, rinse them with water at the end of each day, squeeze, then put in the microwave for three minutes. Let cool before touching. Do the same with your cutting boards, if they are microwaveable.

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September 20, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine19

Family Times

PARENTING

Negative parenting behaviours that keep children from becoming leaders JOKES The solution

A woman and her husband are sleeping when the neighbour’s dog starts barks and wakes them up.

The wife sighs, shakes her fist and says, “Wait until you see what I'm going to do to those neighbours!”

She runs out of the house and five minutes later she comes back with a smile on her face. The husband asks, “So, what did you do?”

The wife says, “Well, I took the dog from their yard and I put it in our yard to see how they like it having the neighbour’s dog barking all night.”

Restaurant One Liners

Customer: Waiter, this soup tastes funny.

Waiter: Funny? But then why aren’t you laughing?

Customer: Waiter, there’s a fly swimming in my soup.

Waiter: So what do you expect me to do, call a lifeguard?

Customer: Waiter, there’s a fly in my soup.

Waiter: That’s all right sir, he won’t drink much.

Customer: Waiter, there’s a dead beetle in my soup.

Waiter: Yes sir, they are not very good swimmers.

A blue tooth

Stupidy Bill went to the dentist.

“I want you to paint my teeth blue.”

“What!?” – exclaimed the dentist.

“Just do it!!”

So the dentist painted his teeth blue.

Stupidy Bill went back to his car and called a friend to talk about many things. While driving a policeman stopped him.

“Sir, you were talking on your mobile while you were driving. That’s an immediate fine.”

“Oh come on,” says Stupidy Bill, “don’t you see I have blue-tooth?”

Important laws Newton forgot to state

Okay, you know Newton's Laws. But there are some laws Newton forgot to state in his life time!

Here are the unpublished laws of Newton! Note: These things are just for fun. Don't take them seriously.

LAW OF QUEUE: If you change queues, the one you have left will start to move faster than the one you are in now.

LAW OF TELEPHONE: When you dial a wrong number, you never get an engaged tone.

LAW OF MECHANICAL REPAIR: After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch.

LAW OF THE WORKSHOP: Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

LAW OF THE ALIBI: If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the next morning you will have a flat tire.

BATH THEOREM: When the body is immersed in water, the telephone rings.

LAW OF ENCOUNTERS: The probability of meeting someone you know increases when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.

LAW OF THE RESULT: When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will!

LAW OF BIOMECHANICS: The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

THEATRE RULE: People with the seats at the furthest from the aisle arrive last.

LAW OF COFFEE: As soon as you sit down for a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

Part 1 Dr. Tim Elmore is a best-selling author of more than 25 books on children and founder and president of Growing Leaders, an organization dedicated to mentoring today’s young people to become the leaders of tomorrow.

He had this to share about the seven damaging parenting behaviours that keep children from becoming leaders – of their own lives and of the world’s enterprises: 1. We don’t let our children experience risk We live in a world that warns us of danger at every turn. The “safety first” preoccupation enforces our fear of losing our children, so we do everything we can to protect them. It’s our job after

all, but we have insulated them from healthy risk-taking behaviour and it’s had an adverse effect. Psychologists in Europe have discovered that if a child doesn’t play outside and is never allowed to experience a skinned knee, they frequently have phobias as adults. Kids need to fall a few times to learn it’s normal; teens likely need to break up with a boyfriend or girlfriend to appreciate the emotional maturity that lasting relationships require.

If parents remove risk from children’s lives, we will likely experience high arrogance and low self-esteem in our growing leaders.

2. We rescue too quickly Today’s generation of young people has not developed some of the life

skills kids did 30 years ago because adults swoop in and take care of problems for them. When we rescue too quickly and over-indulge our children with “assistance,” we remove the need for them to navigate hardships and solve problems on their own. It’s parenting for the short-term and it sorely misses the point of leadership—to equip our young people to do it without help. Sooner or later, kids get used to someone rescuing them: “If I fail or fall short, an adult will smooth things over and remove any consequences for my misconduct.” When in reality, this isn’t even remotely close to how the world works, and therefore it disables our kids from becoming competent adults.

(To be continued)

STORY TIME

The bug and the poor flea

M

andavisarpini was a white flea. She I feed on the king's blood only when he is deep lived in the folds of the exquisite into his sleep. I can permit you to feed on the white silk sheet that covered the bed king's blood only if you promise to wait till he of a king in a certain country. is asleep."

She fed on the king's blood without anyThe bug agreed, "I promise to wait till the body noticing, and was happy to spend her king is asleep, and only after you have fed days. yourself, will I feed myself on his blood."

One day, a bug managed to enter the beauSoon after they decided on such terms, the tifully decorated bedroom of the king. king came to his bedroom and lay down to When the flea saw him, she warned, sleep.

"O Bug, what are you The bug could not doing in the king's control himself, and bedroom. Leave at decided to take a tiny once before you get bite of the king, withcaught!" out waiting. As the The bug replied, king was yet to fall "Madam, even if I asleep, he jumped at were a good-for-noththe sharp bite of the ing bug that is no bug. way to treat a guest.

The king shoutOne should welcome ed at his servants, a guest with hum"Hey, there is ble words, sweet something in my behaviour and bed that has bitten offer refreshme. Look for it, as ments" I have already The bug conbeen bitten."

The wise indeed say: The false promistinued, "I have fed myself es of friends as well as strangers have On hearing this, the with all types of blood, bug quickly hid himself in no value. You end up paying for it. but never have I had the a corner of the bed, before pleasure of the blood of a king. It must be very the servants could start searching for him. sweet, for the king eats the choicest of food.

However, the servants scrutinized the enI would love to taste the king's blood, if you tire bed, sheet by sheet, and found the flea bepermit." tween the folds. They killed her at once, and The flea was taken aback, "O Bug, you the king went to sleep without any more worhave a nasty bite, like a sharp needle. Besides, ries.

Climb until your dreams come true Often your tasks will be many, And more than you think you can do.

Often the road will be rugged And the hills insurmountable, too.

But always remember, The hills ahead Are never as steep as they seem, And with Faith in your heart Start upward And climb 'til you reach your dream.

For nothing in life that is worthy Is ever too hard to achieve If you have the courage to try it, And you have the faith to believe.

For faith is a force that is greater Than knowledge or power or skill, And many defeats turn to triumph If you trust in God's wisdom and will.

For faith is a mover of mountains, There's nothing that God cannot do, So, start out today with faith in your heart, And climb 'til your dream comes true!

Helen Steiner Rice

Shop Talk

By Grammar G

W

ith the advent of online shopping and malls, few may know the words their grandparents and even parents used for the shops they would go to for specific items in the days of old.

A few are still in use today but not that much. Take the word haberdasher which is someone who sells men’s clothing (US) or sewing products (British).

The more familiar word still in use is haberdashery, which also has a double usage: in the USA it is considered to mean a men’s outfitter: retail dealer in men's furnishings such as shirts, ties, gloves, socks, and hats.

In Britain it is considered a dealer in small articles for sewing, such as buttons, zips, and ribbons; “small wares and notions” according to dictionary.com.

Then there is the draper (dealer

Reflections

in cloths and dry goods) and the milliner, one who sells hats and lace.

A more common term is huckster which we know as a pavement vendor no matter what is sold by that individual. Its earlier sense was someone who sells small wares, which evolved today to also mean an aggressive promoter of promotional ideas and wares.

Other terms apparently no longer used include pharmacopolist, a person who sells medicine; what we may call a pharmacist today.

Then, just to send you back further in time, there is a costermonger, one who sells fruits and vegetables and a tragematopolist, a seller of confections and sweets.

Try telling your mom you’re going to the seplasiary to get her birthday gift! (One who sells perfume: a perfumer). Or that you passed a kurveyor today on your way to school. (A travelling merchant who sells dry goods from a cart).

20 Times Sunday Magazine

September 20, 2015

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Times Sunday Puzzle

Two children, who were all tangled up in their reckoning of the days of the week, paused on their way to school to straighten matters out.

"When the day after tomorrow is yesterday," said Priscilla, "then 'today' will be as far from Sunday as that day was which was 'today' when the day before yesterday was tomorrow!"

On which day of the week did this puzzling prattle occur? see solution on page 23

see solution on page 23

see solution on page 23

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September 20, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine 21

Times Kids

GEOZONE

Creature Corner

Earth’s Continents

Coypu

A

continent is a landmass with specific characteristics. They are all characterized by two features: ancient, geologically stable regions and younger geologically active areas.

By convention there are seven continents: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia, and Antarctica.

Some geographers list only six continents, combining Europe and Asia into Eurasia.

In parts of the world, some learn that there are just five continents: Eurasia, Australia, Africa, Antarctica, and the Americas.

Islands located near a continent are generally considered, in a geographical sense, part of that continent. Greenland, for example, is politically part of Europe but belongs geographically to North America, as do the islands of the Caribbean and the western North Atlantic Ocean.

There are some islands and island groups, however, that are not considered part of any continent, geographically speaking. New Zealand, Hawaii, and French Polynesia are among them.

Oceania is the collective name for the lands of the Pacific Ocean, including Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Oceania itself is not a continent.

Colouring Fun

T

he coypu (Myocastor coypus) is a large semi-aquatic rodent, native to South America.

Coypus (also called nutria) are large, web-footed rodents that

are more agile in the water than on land. They are strong swimmers and can remain submerged for as long as five minutes.

Nocturnal (most active at night), it rests in its burrow or nest during the day along a riverbank or lakeshore, or dwell in the midst of wetlands.

Coypus are varied eaters, mostly of aquatic plants and roots. They also eat snails, mussels and other such small creatures.

The generic name is derived from two Greek words (mys, for mouse, and kastor, for beaver) that translate as mouse beaver.

Coypus once lived only in southern South America, but were imported to other countries to be bred for their fur. Some escaped into the wild and in countries such as Canada and the U.S. have since established large wild populations.

Cake Word Scramble How much of a baker are you? Do you like cakes?

Unscramble the words to find the names of some.

please see solution on page 23

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.

Btteurngba ___________________________ pndwilenai peps poude ________________ rtorca ________________________________ ccer eaim_____________________________ ibrngeagrde __________________________ ucocnot ______________________________ rshatsmCi ____________________________ oefecf ________________________________ ngdeiwd ______________________________ tfriaukce ______________________________ See answers on pg 23

22 Times Sunday Magazine

September 20, 2015

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September 20, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine 23

World Times

Chocolate: Should Bargain or brain scam? we take it as a pill?

The Philonoist

T

he scientific case for the health benefits of cocoa is so strong that some experts are calling for the development of a supplement — a chocolate pill, if you will.

There is “growing interest in developing cocoa extract, and potentially certain dietary chocolate preparations, as a natural source to maintain and promote brain health, and in particular to prevent age-related neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease,” writes neurology professor Giulio Maria Pasinetti in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

But brain health is just one of the areas in which cocoa has shown promise.

Research suggests that the phytochemicals in cocoa may help protect

against cancer. Other studies have linked cocoa intake to improved cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure and improved blood flow to t h e brain.

Other findings suggest that dark chocolate (with less added sugar) may help stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of obesity.

Scientists have also largely set aside worries about the fat in chocolate,

Cake Word Scramble Answer btteurngba

Battenburg pndwilenai peps poude pineapple upside down rtorca carrot ccer eaim ice cream ibrneaggerd gingerbread ucocnot coconut rshatsmci Christmas oefecf

coffee ngdeiwd wedding tfriaukce

fruitcake

Brain Teaser Answer The two children were so befogged over the calendar that they had started on their way to school on Sunday morning!

SUDOKU

KID SUDOKU

noting that only one of the three types of fat in chocolate may have a negative effect on cholesterol. The other two have either a positive or neutral effect.

Several important factors would have to be considered, however, to develop a truly effective cocoa supplement.

Perhaps the most important is how the cocoa is processed.

Some of the most popular processing techniques have been shown to strip chocolate of up to 90 per cent of its healthy phytochemicals, noted Dr. Pasinetti.

Q: Why do most prices end in .99?

This sales tactic has been around since the late 19th century – so you know it has to be an extremely effective sales tactic – and is widely used by retailers.

This is done for a number of reasons but the most predominant reason has to do with human psychology.

According to livescience, ending a price in .99 is based on the theory that, because we read from left to right, the first digit of the price resonates with us the most.

People (shoppers) instinctively round the price to the leading digit, so $10.99 will be viewed as $10. That's why shoppers are more likely to buy a product for $4.99 than an identical one for $5. The item that starts with a 4 just seems like a better deal than the one that starts with 5.

Additionally, the .99 alone serves to make an item appear to be on sale. Priceconscious consumers have become condi-

tioned to believe that they are getting a good deal when they buy something with a price ending in .99, even if the markdown is minimal.

The power of "9" isn't restricted to the cents column, as Eric Anderson professor of marketing at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, and Duncan Simester, professor of management science at M.I.T.'s Sloan School of Management, illustrated by asking a national clothing catalogue to increase the price of one of its dresses.

"You'd generally expect demand for an item to go down as the price goes up,” Anderson and Simester wrote.

"Yet in our study involving the women's clothing catalogue, we were able to increase demand by a third by raising the price of a dress from $34 to $39. By comparison, changing the price from $34 to $44 yielded no difference in demand.”

Egyptian billionaire makes offer to buy Greek islands for refugees

A

n Egyptian billionaire has approached the owners of two Greek Islands which could accommodate desperate refugees.

Egyptian TV tycoon, Naguib Sawiris, who is worth an estimated £3 billion has “identified two privately owned Greek islands that constitute a good opportunity for the project.”

Mr Sawiris has dubbed the idea ‘Aylan Island’ in memory of three year-old Alan Kurdi, whose body washed up on a Turkish beach after the boat he and his family were travelling in capsized in the Mediterranean.

Tycoon Naguib Sawiris

In a tweet Sawiris said, “Greece or Italy sell me an island, ill call its independence and host the migrants and provide jobs for

them building their new country” His nest tweet added, “Crazy idea ... Maybe but at least temporary un-

til they can return to their countries ??!!”

A statement from Mr Sawaris’ PR people said: “We have corresponded with the owners and expressed our interest to go into negotiations with them.”

If the sale goes through the islands would still be controlled by Greece and Mr Sawiris hopes the country will help transport refugees to the island.

The 61-year-old tycoon also claims that the UN’s refugee agency UNHCR offered to co-operate on the project, which requires a minimum $100m investment.

After parrot, now Music company law suit goat in 'custody' hits wrong note with judge of India police

CROSSWORD

P

ictures of a goat behind bars have gone viral, days after a parrot was summoned by Maharashtra police in India for "hurling obscenities" at a woman.

The goat was reportedly locked up after a complaint was registered by its owner for cattle theft at Pathri in Parbhani district.

The goat was stolen on Saturday, allegedly by three people, one of whom was nabbed by the police yesterday and put in the Pathri lock-up.

However, the police also locked up the goat along with the alleged thief Naseem Khan.

It was only after the photos went viral on WhatsApp and the social media, the goat was released from the lock-up but put under police watch.

A police official at Pathri said that the goat was in the lock-up for only 22 minutes and will be handed over to owner Hidayat Khan only after court's verdict.

The incident comes days after police had summoned the parrot in Chandrapur district for "abusing" a woman.

However a federal appeals court decided that Universal was going a step too far in moving against the family.

It drew a distinction between posting entire songs online and brief snippets.

The ruling will come as welcome relief to many families who publish intimate moments to pop song soundtracks online.

Upholding an earlier ruling, Judge Richard Tallman, said the law Baby dancing to Prince song on You Tube video (Photo You Tube) required copyright holders to consider fair use becourt in San Francisco has backed a family who posted fore sending draconian notices ora brief video of a small child dering people to take down online postings. dancing to a Prince track.

In July the singer Prince Universal, the music company, took exception to the 29-sec- pulled most of his music from onond video which was uploaded in line streaming services and the 2007, saying it was a breach of singer's legal team have been trying to take his work of YouTube. copyright.

A

24

Times Sunday Magazine

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September 20, 2015

Fun Times

Archie

Love and romance are looking good. Be open to social (March 21invitations where important April 19) connections can be made. An impromptu travel opportunity will prove to be inspiring.

ARIES

Keep up to date with inTAURUS dustry trends. You can cash (April 20in on a great deal if you are May 20) ready to act. Take advice offered by someone you respect regarding a business partnership.

GEMINI Community events will (May 21- provide a welcome break in June 20) your routine. Whether you volunteer your time or participate in activities, you will be able to relax and enjoy the day.

CANCER

You will be on an emotion(June 21- al roller coaster. Don’t make July 22) deals or sign contracts until your thinking is clear. Minor health issues need to be dealt with immediately.

Dilbert

LEO Your focus should be on (July 23- friends and family today. Ask Aug. 22) everyone for ideas and input.

An enjoyable trip or pastime that appeals to all ages will bring you closer together.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Someone you deal with has ulterior motives, so don’t be too open when it comes to valuable information. Listen and take note of what’s actually being offered.

LIBRA Don’t expect family mem(Sept. 23- bers to agree with your plans Oct. 23) if you are pushy. Consider staging an event or planning an outing that will bring your kin closer and help you convince others to pitch in.

Peanuts

SCORPIO Stick to personal projects (Oct. 24- and take care of your responNov. 22) sibilities. Working alone will have its advantages. Trust your knowledge, expertise and perception to lead you in the right direction.

Overindulgence will be SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23- your downfall. Use logic, not Dec. 21) your emotions, to make the big choices or you will end up in trouble. Demanding family members will try your patience.

Calvin and Hobbes

CAPRICORN Take a second look into an (Dec. 22- interesting prospect that you Jan. 19) have passed on before. The timing is right for you to turn an old idea into a workable endeavor.

You don’t have to do everyAQUARIUS thing on your own. Consider (Jan. 20contacting an old friend who Feb. 19) has helped you in the past.

You will discover interesting strategies by sharing your ideas and plans.

PISCES Steer clear of anyone mak(Feb. 20- ing promises of “guaranteed” March 20) prosperity. Hard work, careful planning and rational thinking will be the formula for getting where you want to be.