Guyana Times Sunday Magazine

Sunday July 26, 2015

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JULY 26, 2015

Times Feature

Emancipation Day events to look out for T

he African Cultural & Development Association (ACDA) is celebrating its 22nd anniversary this year and is hosting its 21st Emancipation Day Festival at the National Park on August 1, 2015.

This is ACDA’s first Emancipation during the International Decade for People of African Descent, which began January 2015 and will end December 31, 2024.

ACDA’s theme for Emancipation 2015 is "Rekindling Our Past Glory through Youth Innovation”.

The sub-theme is “Building Strong Families through Entrepreneurship."

These themes are chosen firstly in recognition of the importance of youths knowing the history and legacy of their ancestors who have been on Earth for three million years, as manifested by the skeleton of Lucy (Dinkenesh), and secondly

honours an African country every Emancipation Festival by building an educational booth for that country. This year, the country to be honoured is Niger (The Republic of Niger).

One of the greatest entrepreneurial acts by freed Africans in world history was the Village Movement, started in 1839. Freed Africans combined their resources to buy villages so that they did not have to return to plantation life and cheap punitive labour.

Therefore, ACDA will honour the village of Wakenaam in Essequibo, which has a rich and interesting history.

The global African leaders being celebrated for Emancipation 2015 are Luzia, a young African woman whose skeleton was found in Brazil in 1975; King Tutankhamun, the “Boy King”; Marcus Garvey, who founded the United Negro Improvement Association just over 100 years ago in

cludes African Street Theatre, Main Street, (10am to 5pm daily)from July 27 to July 31; Emancipation Spiritual Tribute in collaboration with the House of Santeria (Bishop Irving) July 29 to 31 at the Square of the Revolution/Cuffy Monument; Ancestors Night on July 29; All Nations, July 30; Folk Night/Emancipation Eve on July 31, and Emancipation Day celebrations on August 1 at the National Park, gates open from 10am.

There will be international performers, such as Blakk Rasta (number one reggae artist in Ghana),and Djoniba (African group from the U.S.A.); African stilt walking; mask dancing; dazzling dance performances; and a Surinamese cultural presentation: “fire eating. The local line-up includes Natural Black, Lisa Punch, Charmaine Blackman-Alves, First Born, X-Factor, Shontell

Educational booths at the National Park (Photo by Suresh V Kandaswamy)

the need to build Guyanese families through economic strength via entrepreneurship.

Celebrating a proud legacy

ACDA annually celebrates an African country because most Guyanese of African descent cannot trace their ancestral roots to a particular African nation. Hence, ACDA chooses one country every year to educate persons about African countries and to remind them that Africa has 54 countries and is not a single country like China or India or the United States.

As is tradition, ACDA

1914; Imhotep, an Egyptian and black African known for being the world’s first multi-genius; Anesi and Osine Ikhianosime, teenage Nigerian brothers who built a mobile web browser alternative to Google Chrome; Winifred Selby, a young Ghanaian entrepreneur who co-started Ghana Bamboo Bikes Initiative when she was just 15, and Michael Akindele, a 30-year-old Nigerian phone entrepreneur who has been making great strides in the mobile device market.

Emancipation activities

Emancipation Festival 2015's list of activities in-

Gittens (Jnr Calypso Monarch), Divine Stars, Mystique, Flame of the Hearts, Young Bill Rogers and many others.

The educational booths at the National Park on August 1 will feature ‘World of Africa’, ‘AfricanVillage Movement’, African hairstyles, African history, African music, African names and African inventions.

The Children's Parade and Fun Centre activities will include the “Hello Africa” Children’s Parade, and prizes will be given out for Most Creative Costume/Float, Best

Get a chance to see fashion statements by pets and their owners at the National Park August 1 (Photo by Amanda Richards)

Dressed Group Competition and Best Costume Display Competition. The Children's Centre will have folk games, face painting, storytelling, colouring and bouncy castles.

Fashion competitions will hand out prizes for Best African Dressed Male, Best African Dressed Female, Best African Dressed Child and Best African Dressed Family.

In the music, dance and poetry segment, prizes will be awarded for the group dance competition, rap & reggae competition, Shanto singing competition, drumming competition, Young and Gifted Performer (Male), Young and Gifted Performer (Female), and poetry competition.

Prizes will also be given out to winners of the metemgee cooking competition and the cassava pone eating competition.

Sports activities will include five miles freedom race, 75 balls circle tennis competition for area mix teams, eight-over softball cricket competition for area teams (males and females), eight-over tape ball cricket competition for area teams

(males), five a-side and penalty shootout small goal football competition for area teams and under 13 years teams, five a-side small goal football match for females, domino competition for areas, 60 meters children’s race (boys and girls), 40 meters and 60 meters races for the blind, six-over cricket competition for the blind, five a-side small goal football matches for veterans, and ice-cream competition for the children and the blind.

The teams participating in the events are from Georgetown, East Bank, East Coast and West Coast Berbice.

According to ACDA, the “aim of these events is to see the youths in action demonstrating their skills in the spirit of the Emancipation season”.

For more information on Emancipation events, call ACDA on 225-8420 or 2258223.(Information provided

by ACDA) Look out next week Sunday for our special 2015 Emancipation Day Sunday Magazine featuring interesting facts and details on Emancipation events (Cover photo: Dance performances

would be seen at the upcoming Emancipation celebrations at the National Park (Photo by Amanda Richards))

Look out for interesting facts on Niger in Sunday Magazine's Emancipation special next week

Witness breathtaking performances (Photo by Amanda Richards)

guyanatimesgy.com

JULY 26, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine

3

Times Feature

T

he Guyana National GoKart Derby seeks to preserve and promote the fine tradition of non-motorised go-kart design, construction and competition in Guyana.

The newly-formed organization began in May 2015. The first derby, which will feature non-motorised, handmade go-karts, would be held Sunday, Aug 9, 2015 on the inner circuit at the National Park.

The Guyana National GoKart Derby was founded by the Wilson family of Georgetown - local company ARKW Trading, owned by Aubrey Wilson, and London-based Green Mango Media with managing director, producer/journalist Amanda Wilson and creative director Andrea Wilson. (ARKW Trading recently joined the importing and exporting trade between Guyana and the British Virgin Islands, with solid plans to expand in 2015.)

“We teamed up with the Protected Areas Commission to revive the go-kart tradition in Guyana. The inner circuit of the park is an ideal location for a secure racetrack with ramps, buffers and catch nets/ropes,” said Amanda Wilson in an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine.

Green Mango Media is based in London and has strong ties to the Caribbean.

The company is behind the 2010 beautifully shot and painstakingly researched documentary “Noel Lloyd: A Patriot Man”, which profiles the Virgin Islands political activist the late Noel Lloyd, and the soon to be released film “Cuffy: Face of a Rebellion”, the story about the 1763 Berbice Rebellion and Guyana’s only national hero Cuffy.

“The Guyana National GoKart Derby was founded in tribute to the memory of our father Aubrey Wilson Snr, who sadly passed away last year. He was a very

The go-karts distributed by the Guyana National GoKart Derby ARKW Trading Owner Aubrey Wilson presents a go-kart to Tiger Bay community leader Tresceline Rossan

creative and active man and a big fan of building gokarts with us when we were small. It was a wonderful way for us to get together as a family and to do something fun and educational.

We wanted to do celebrate his life in a meaningful way and we hope the derby will bring families and communities together,” Amanda pointed out.

Currently, according to Amanda, she and team are working hard to organise the first Guyana National GoKart Derby. They are running workshops to help people design and build their own go-karts, and are visiting communities to hand over go-karts that have been donated by sponsors from all over the world and ARKW Trading.

Wortmanville, Tiger Bay and Albouystown communities were the first communities to receive go-karts.

More presentations will be made in the coming weeks.

“We are so excited about this first derby because we have had an amazing response on social media and some great support from communities and media here in Guyana. We are pro-

moting the event as much as we can to try to get as many young people as we can involved in what will be a fun day for all the family. It's about bringing people together,” Amanda said cheerfully.

There are four categories in the derby: 6 to 10 years, 11 to 13 years, 15 to 16 years and the Open Adult Race. All go-karts will be inspected before the race. All racers must wear a helmet and be fully clothed.

Go-karts will start from an 8ft ramp and race to the finish line. The fastest racer will progress to the next round. Winners of categories 6 to 10 years, 11 to 13 years, and 15 to 16 years will race for the championship trophy and top prize – a trip to Kaieteur Falls.

“We have been working to line up some great prizes for the winners. The over fastest go-kart driver – the fastest child - will win a trip for two to Kaieteur Falls.

It will be an amazing experience to see the beautiful Kaieteur Falls. We also have a gift for the faster female driver, most creative go-kart and lots of backto-school packs and tro-

Youngsters in Albouystown testing the go-kart

phies and medals as well,” Amanda declared.

The Guyana National GoKart Derby has been working hard with the authorities and its generous sponsors to get everything ready in time for August 9.

It is a big team effort - a lot of work goes into an event of this kind and so Amanda and her team are grateful for all the help and good wishes they have received so far.

“We wanted to do something to make our father proud. We know he would have loved to see so many people showing an interest in the event and in building go-karts with their friends and families. We want to preserve the tradition of making non-motorised gokarts, of having fun designing and building them - and then racing them, while promoting healthy competition. We want to bring communities and families together, and we want to make the Guyana National GoKart Derby a successful and significant event in our nation's calendar. We know August 9 is going to be a great day out for everyone. We have been over-

whelmed with the response so far, and because of this huge interest, we hope to run regional heats, as well as workshops in schools next year before the big finals - so that the whole of Guyana can get involved,” Amanda disclosed.

Gates to the highly anticipated event at the National Park will open from 9am on August 9. Admission is free. For more information email nationalgokartderby@gmail.com or check out Guyana National GoKart Derby on Facebook.

Testing out a go-kart in Tiger Bay

Aubrey Wilson presents a go-kart to Albouystown community leader Heston Bostwick

4

Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

JULY 26, 2015

Times Feature

T

he Caribbean Voice, supported by Cara Hotel, Office Resources Inc. (a NYC-based business), Save Abee Foundation (a Florida-based NGO) will be hosting a timely national stakeholders conference addressing social issues such as suicide and various forms of violence.

The conference is described as a “national conversation” on suicide and related issues – domestic and other forms of violence; teenage pregnancy, rape and incest; alcoholism and drug abuse and family and relationship issues such as lack of empathetic communication, self-worth and selfacceptance with the hope that viable programs/plans can emerge to tackle these issues nationally and

that such programs/plans will foster collaboration between NGOs and private and public sector institutions and agencies.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Bibi Ahamad, Managing Director of The Caribbean Voice, said that

T

he Guyana Beautification Project is an initiative for youths to aid in the rebuilding of Guyana by simply starting with a countrywide clean-up and beautification campaign.

The project was started May 23, 2015,

by Clayon F. Halley, the Walter Rodney Youth Movement members and a few of Halley’s friends.

“While my friends and I were awaiting the election results, May 13, we started throwing suggestions around in relation to what we would want to see happen irrespective of which party took office and the consensus was a clean-up campaign. The idea for a clean-up campaign came about because we were fed up of the fact that we dwell in a very nasty country and no one seems to be bothered,” expressed Halley in an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine.

“Guyana has the highest suicide rate in the world and evidence point to connections between suicide, on the one hand, and abuse, sexual crimes, drugs and alcoholism on the other hand. This reality is coupled with fact that there is no concerted action plan to en-

able redress and that whatever activism is taking place is done in an ad hoc manner with no mapping, follow up or long term planning/ implementation”.

According to Ahamad, NGOs such as Caribbean American Domestic Violence Awareness and CPIC Monique’s Helping Hands are involved in some aspects of the event.

“Its importance cannot be over emphasized, especially if the expectations are achieved: to enable a national, collaborative, concerted, long-term effort to tackle suicide and related issues. Invited are NGOs, some cabinet members, selected media, diplomats and international agencies as well as other stakeholders such as the po-

lice,” Ahamad mentioned.

There is no registration fee as the entire cost is underwritten by The Caribbean Voice and the conference sponsors, but seating is very limited so pre-registration is mandatory and attendance will be on a first-come basis.

Ahamad noted that the information/evidence gathered will be “used to drive discussions at the conference, towards arriving at planning and implementation in a concerted, collaborative, coherent manner so as to maximize resource use and ensure that the approach is truly national in addressing suicide and related issues”.

For further details call 2232637 or 621-6111.

ties, which presents the opportunity to share waste disposal tips with community members; hosting of streetfairs and other activities aimed at dissemination of information and changing the mind-set of patrons in relation to how they dispose of garbage.

Also in this phase, the project members will be exploring a theory they call “Trash into Cash” - identifying trash that can generate income.

“We engage mainly through our activities; however what we have done to ensure that we maintain a solid relationship with youths and the public and allow members from volunteer groups and the public to be a part of our management team so they can sit at meetings and relay the info to their members/peers,” Halley pointed out.

The Guyana Beautification Project will be having its first Environmental Street Fair on August 8 at the Square of the

Getting there! Members clearing out weeds along the Camp Street road

unteering for various activities, finding out what is needed for a specific activity and making a donation or by simply supporting our fundraising ventures,” Halley noted.

The clean-up advocate urges people to desist from littering and to learn to keep their environs clean by simply starting

with their yards, parapet and drains. He also encourages the public to plant a flower or fruit tree wherever possible. Halley believes if we all follow what he advises then we will have “a cleaner, greener Guyana”.

For more information, visit Guyana Beautification Project on Facebook.

Before and after photos of the massive clean up work by the Guyana Beautification Project team

The project’s objectives are to mobilize young people to take on the responsibility of cleaning their environment and maintaining its cleanliness; to have a domino effect clean-up campaign across Guyana; to educate the public on proper waste disposal methods; and to facilitate public consultations,after which project members will submit to the government recommendations for solid waste management.

“Fact is we know that this project would be a challenging one and didn't expect success in the beginning, but surprisingly we have seen the domino effect of the clean-up campaign and a reduce in solid waste on the roadways and in public spaces, which suggests that we are on the road to our former glory as the ‘Garden City’,” Halley declared.

The project is designed in three phases: cleaning of public spaces (bus parks, avenues, main streets); cleaning of communi-

Revolution tarmac. Halley and his team have decided to expand the event to facilitate a Youth Expo, in keeping with World Youth Day celebrated August 12.

According to Halley, the expo will celebrate the achievements of youths by having them showcase their businesses, products, services and talents. He added that the “expo serves as a motivation for other youths who may be hesitant to follow their dreams”.

Youth NGO's will also have the opportunity to display their work and their upcoming project/activities.

“This project has a one-year life span, but who knows? Come May 2016 we might still have a load of trash on our hands. In the future, we have plans for in-school activities, street fairs in different regions, and a‘cleaner greener campaign’ - just to name a few. Members of the public can help by vol-

A member cleaning out the drains in Georgetown

guyanatimesgy.com

JULY 26, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine 5

Times Women

N

atasha Azeez’s resilience is indeed an inspiration to all. A multi-talented single parent who is known as folk character “Janie Gyal” and has no qualms about being a clown, Azeez talks to Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, about being a single parent, pursuing an art career and being involved in theatre arts while embracing her profession as a clown.

Sunday Magazine: What do you do?

Natasha Azeez: Some people call me “jack of all trades”, but I am a master of all. In addition to photography, video editing, filming, I am also a single mother of one daughter, an actress, make-up artist, face painter, henna artist, typist, can do all types of documentation, storyteller, puppeteer, clown, graphic artist, event

and that’s exactly what is happening with me.

Sunday Magazine: Are you formally trained or selftaught?

Natasha Azeez: When one is creative, it is so easy to just try new things and it flows. We learn from our mistakes and move on.

However, in art there is no wrong way, just different. In addition to that I did take designing classes when I attended the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama in 2013. I have a knack for being creative, new and different so this made it very easy for me.

I must also give kudos to Mr. Khan, also known as Ole’ Man Pappie. His personality, enthusiasm, generosity, guidance and support have helped me tremendously in achieving my goals thus far. I can always rely

acquired due to the young girl’s physical appearance, moral character and behaviour with men in the village.

I took on the character of Janie Natasha Azeez Gyal with Ole’ Man Pappie (Michael then that he saw something Khan) after he began his in me that I didn’t even research on Guyanese folkknow was there. So I began to attend parties with him lore in 2012. This has conand the flow was very natu- tinued over the last three ral. So a big thanks to Mr. years with us travelling naMichael Khan for seeing me tionally and internationally telling traditional Guyanese before I saw myself.

As funny as it may sound, folktales using marionette I take pleasure in putting on puppets.

Our mission is to edumy clown costume, picking cate the modern generation up my bag with the games of Guyanese traditional viland face paint and going to lage live and create environa birthday party where I get ments where the public can to be among the children interact and get a firsthand and bring joy to their little look on how our fore parents grew up.

Sunday Magazine: What inspires you?

Natasha Azeez: Everything and everyone.

Sometimes the environment you’re in can contribute significantly to one’s ideas. My daughter inspires me. Sometimes I find that I may go somewhere and see something that may give me an idea. I discuss it with Mr. Khan and he would best advise me as to what I can

Customised plaques she creates by hand

planner/coordinator and cofacilitator of children’s’ art workshops.

Sunday Magazine: What motivated you to pursue an art career?

Natasha Azeez: I always had a knack for photography, but after I started working with arts lecturer at the University of Guyana, Mr. Michael Khan, being around an artist like him made me realise my love for the arts. After taking up the folk character of Janie Gyal for ‘Saturdays with Brer Anansi and Friends’ at the national library in 2012 and participating in the InterGuianas Cultural Festival, I realised that I had a natural talent for the arts.

So with the guidance and support from Mr. Khan, I got involved in acting and began getting creative with my hands. Ideas were coming and I had the opportunity to create, investigate, explore and experiment. I took a chance and found out I was a natural at this. There is a saying, “Find what makes you happy and you will never work a day in your life”,

on Mr. Khan for guidance on an initiative if I’m unsure.

Sunday Magazine: Tell us a bit about working as a clown.

Natasha Azeez: I began working as a typist for Mr. Khan about six years ago, then one day, I had the opportunity to assist Mr. Khan at a birthday party and found that I had really enjoyed working with them. Even Mr. Khan said, “Natasha I like how you worked with the children.” I love cartoons; as old as I am I still sit and wait for cartoons on a Saturday morning. So it comes naturally at a party when a child strikes up a conversation with you about an animated film or their favourite cartoon.

I recall Mr. Khan planning a themed boys’ party and did not know anything about it. He said: “I think it’s Benton”. I asked who was “Benton” and realised he meant Ben 10 - the boy who can turn into alien monsters from his omnitrix watch. Mr. Khan looked at me and asked how I knew about that. I think right

souls. I must add that not only the children are entertained, but the adults too!

While Mr. Khan is celebrating his 30th year as a clown, I have only just begun. This is my fourth year and I know I have some big shoes to fill.

Sunday Magazine: Describe your Janie Gyal character.

Natasha Azeez: Janie Gyal is a Guyanese folk character like Ole’ Man Pappie, Sitira Gyal and others. Now Janie Gyal was considered the village beauty queen in some villages across Guyana and she was always in search for a man who would sweep her off her feet. Pregnant women would often times call Janie Gyal to help them around the house during the last trimester of their pregnancy.

However, when Janie Gyal was around, the wives would be very mindful of their husbands making contact with her. The name Janie Gyal was not given to a girl child at birth, but rather a nickname that was

add or subtract to make it better. As long as I get an idea I put my pencil to paper and sketch it out, that helps me greatly. Inspiration is all around, you just have to look.

Sunday Magazine: As a single parent, what’s your determination?

Natasha Azeez: I am determined to be different, unique and share my work

am determined to give my daughter a better life and make her proud of me.

As an artist I hope to inspire other young people especially young women to follow their dreams, go after what you want, don’t allow the negatives to keep you down but rise above it and shine as the star you are.

Listen to your heart. No one said your life will be

With UG art lecturer and fellow clown, Michael Khan

with the world. I hail from a single parent background where my mother worked all her life to support myself and two small brothers.

As a mother myself, I

easy, but you make it happen for you. Be you, be independent, and take joy and pride in everything you do.

(Cover photo: Natasha in her Janie Gyal costume)

6 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

JULY 26, 2015

Times Book World

The Shaping of Guyanese Literature

Sankofa

PartII

By Petamber Persaud

(Extract of an interview with Eric M. Phillips, based on his book, “Know Thyself A-Z”, March 2014, Georgetown, Guyana.

Phillips is a civil rights and cultural activist who has visited more than 40 African countries. In part one, we discussed the golden age of Africa and the misinformation peddled about that continent.)

PP ….But something happened and changed all

be saved. So during slavery, there was a period of misinformation that was funded by the private sector and the government so as to justify chattel slavery.

PP And because of this misinformation, Africa was called the Dark Continent.

Referring to your foreword again, you wrote, ‘[S]lavery stole Africa’s light and replaced it with darkness’.

And this book will throw some light on that subject.

So please open the true Africa to us…

Let’s start at the beginning, at ‘A’ - Aesop.

Philip Emeagwali (born Aug 23, 1954, Nigeria)

of that – it is called slavery…

EP Yes, there was a purposeful attempt to make Africans seem inhuman, that they had no real culture, that they needed to

EP Aesop was African.

People believed he was Greek European; he wrote 656 fables – we know of the dog and the bone, we know of the sour grapes, and many others but we’ve nev-

Measuring and Counting: Front and rear of Ishango bones in the Museum of Natural Sciences, Brussels

Marcus Garvey (Aug 17, 1887 - June 10, 1940, Jamaica)

George Carver (Circa early 1860s - Jan 5, 1943, USA)

er learnt or we were never taught to appreciate that those fables were written by an African, Aesop, out of which came Anancy, and Brer Rabbit etc. Those tales were moral education…

PP …with entertainment value…

EP…and we need to get back to that especially against immorality we are seeing today. And these stories were written so very long ago.

PP Yes, we need to pay more attention to those high ethical standards and it is possible as you stated in your ‘Foreword’ when you discussed ‘Sankofa’- the mythical bird that flies forward with its head looking back . But back to the book, the next letter…

EP The next letter is

‘B’, and people were surprised when I chose ‘Baboon’ for ‘B’ but I wanted to use that to lead into mathematics because the baboon bones were used 35,000 years BC by our ancestors to count; the Lebombo and the Ishango bones were counting instruments.

Of course, the first book was written in China about mathematics but India during the days of early Hinduism there were two periods when mathematics was developed. But the baboon bones started mathematics and people don’t know this…

PP…interesting…

EP The Ishango bones are in a museum in Belgium where you can actually see them. From the baboon bones and mathematics, I wanted to go into the pyramids because the mathematics of the pyramids is extraordinary. We talk about Pythagoras and Pi but Pythagoras were not in the picture when the pyra-

mids were built. The pyramids are full of Pi’s so it meant that the Ishango and the baboon bones were used, and ultimately today, most people don’t know, that the father of the internet was a Nigerian named Philip Emeagwali, even though the US created the internet for the military but it couldn’t work until this particular gentleman put together 65,000 thousandmicroprocessors which were processing over three billions equations, and that’s what made the internet work and that’s why we have the internet today.

PP Fascinating.

Fascinating like building the pyramids which was an engineering feat at that time…

EP …and even now they are trying to build a pyramid with all the technological advancement and they can’t.So that’s ‘B’. ‘C’ is George Carver and this was an incredible guy. He has three patents; he took the poor peanut and created 300 products, he took the potato and created seventy five different products and he was one of the architects of soil rotation in the United States during slavery and discrimination…his achievements were monumental and so was his fame …

PP ‘D’ for Rudolph Dunbar a Guyanese musical genius; we’ll discuss in detail later…

EP ‘E’ for emancipation, touching on the subject in the United States and Brazil.‘F’ the Fulani – the women considers themselves to be the prettiest African women …

PP …these in the photographs are lovely…

EP Then we come to the great Marcus Garvey…

Next is Hannibal the greatest military leader and strategist. ‘I’ as in Imhotep – the father of ancient medicine and philosopher and poet…2000 years before Hippocrates was born…

PP We’ll skip George James, another Guyanese, and return to those two Guyanese for a special session.

EP ‘K’ for Kemet – the first great civilization in Africa.‘Lucy’ was an incredible find. In 1974, the skeletal was found in Ethiopia of a female 3 feet 71/2 inches tall and weighing 64 pounds and when it was carbon dated, it was found this person lived 3.3 million years ago and therefore proving life came out of Africa… (To be continued) Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@ yahoo.com What’s happening:The Guyana Annual Magazine 2014-2015 issue in now available at Guyenterprise Ltd., Lance Gibbs and Irving Streets, Tel # 226-9874

guyanatimesgy.com

JULY 26, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine 7

Times Heritage

I

n September 1872 Bishop James Etheridge SJ, together with Fr. Aloysius Casati SJ, journeyed to Beterverwagting to inspect a plot of land proposed for a church and cemetery.

Five years later, on June 29, 1875 the church was blessed and dedicated to St. Peter. The corner stone is still in place.

The first confirmation ceremony, over which the Bishop officiated the same year, accepted 120 sup-

Interior of church

plicants to the Blessed Sacrament.

The parish and church has since changed hands over the years.

They were under the charge of Plaisance from 1877-1905, Buxton from 1919 to 1929, and then back to Plaisance from April 1929 - January 1930; back to Buxton from 1930 -1935, and returned to Plaisance from 1935 to the present.

Around 37 priests have served the parish over the past 130 odd years.

A school called St. Peter’s RC Primary was built next to the church and opened sometime before 1892. The church bell was a gift from parishioner Mr Francis Faria in 1904 and is still in use today.

Around 1920 the church was repaired, painted, and extended to include an apse, an aisle with Gothic arches between the nave and the aisle, and a new altar.

Subsequent modifications occurred in 1948 with the building of the Lady

The lighthouse and governor's pond from the seawall n.d.

Upper Camp Street, Georgetown, British Guiana n.d. (Postcard)

St Peter's RC church

altar and the altar of St Teresa. The church hosted a Scouts’ Jamboree in 1995.

According to the Guyana National Trust News Vol 7 Issue 2 December 2008, the parish community has celebrated the 50th, 75th, and centenary anniversaries of the church, and restoration works were to be complet-

ed for the observance of St Peter’s feast day of June 29, 2008.

Renovations were also carried out on the Catholic cemetery in BV in 2014.

On June 29, 2015, the church celebrated its 140th anniversary with a mass at which Bishop Francis Alleyne blessed the former

St. Peter's school building which held its second function since the return of the school to the church.

The building,according to the St Peter’s RC website on Facebook, would be a Parish Hall among which the Sunday School will be held.

8 Times Sunday Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

JULY 26, 2015

Times Travel & Tourism

Buffalo Pond

Aerial view of the pond taken by a drone (Photo by Andrea and Salvador)

B

uffalo Pond, near Karanambu Lodge on the Rupununi River, is accessed via a tiny stream. Hundreds of Victoria amazonica cover almost the entire surface of this small, shallow oxbow lake. The air at the pond is filled with a light, sweet, fragrance of the lilies.

The pond can also be quite busy with several species of heron (capped, striated, boatbilled, black-crowned night-) and egrets (snowy, great, cocoi).

Wood storks, black-collared and great black hawks lurk in the trees at the water's edge.

A few giant river otters can also be seen popping their heads up beside distant lily pads.

Buffalo Pond offers adventures and an idyllic opportunity for birding and fishing enthusiasts to experience nature at its best.

Creek leading to the pond (Photo by Andrea and Salvador)

Buffalo Pond is a seasonally flooded pond and nesting site for water birds and arapaima near Karamanbu Victoria amazonica at Buffalo Pond (Photo by Rick Wright) Herons at Buffalo Pond near Karanambo ranch (Photo by Rick Wright)

guyanatimesgy.com

JULY 26, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine 9

Times Healthy Living

Protein Bars: Are they really good for you?

A

re you unwrapping a convenient, nutrient-packed snack, or candy in disguise?

Protein bars (also known as nutrition or energy bars) appear to let you have your cake and eat it too: they pack belly-flattening ingredients, they help tide you over when you can't get to real food, and many taste like dessert.

"But a lot of so-called nutrition bars can harbour stealth ingredients like hydrogenated oils, saturated fat, and sugar or sugar alcohols, and some have more calories than a brick of chocolate," Samantha Heller, R.D., a clinical nutrition coordinator at Griffin Hospital in Derby, Connecticut, U.S.A. tells Women’s Health Magazine.

How can you tell if your bar is healthy or harmful? Choose one that has 100 to 200 calories and

D

gen and they also play a role in insulin secretion. Look for thirtyfive grams or less of total carbs, of which no more than 19 grams should be from sugar. Steer clear of tough-to-digest sugar alcohols that can lead to rather unpleasant tummy issues, says Heller.

Heart-healthy unsaturated fats

contains the following good-for-you ingredients.

At least six grams of protein

Emerging research indicates that whey, a dairy-derived protein, may have a slight advantage over other forms of protein when it comes to body sculpting. And ac-

epression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. According to Mayo Clinic, it is also called major depression, major depressive disorder or clinical depression. It affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems.

You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and depression may make you feel as if life isn't worth living.

Depression may require long-term treatment. But don't get discouraged. Most people with depression feel better with medication, psychological counselling, or both.

Talk to your doctor or therapist about improving your coping skills, and try the following Mayo Clinic tips: Simplify your life Cut back on obligations when possible, and set reasonable goals for yourself. Give yourself permission to do less when you feel down.

Write in a journal Journaling, as part of your treatment, may improve mood by allowing you to express pain, anger, fear or other emotions.

Read reputable self-help books and websites. Your doctor or therapist may be able to recommend books or websites to read.

Locate helpful organizations Several organizations offer education, support groups, counselling and other resources to help with depression. Employee assistance programs and religious organizations also may offer help for mental health

cording to a study that was published in the Journal of Nutrition earlier this year, whey can also help blast belly fat and reduce overall body weight.

Whole grains and dried fruit

Carbs provide you with quick energy and replenish lost glyco-

concerns.

Don't become isolated Try to participate in social activities, and get together with family or friends regularly.

Take care of yourself Eat a healthy diet, be physically active and get plenty of sleep.

Learn ways to relax and manage your stress Examples include meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga and tai chi.

Structure your time Plan your day. You may find it helps to make a list of daily tasks, use sticky notes as reminders or use a planner to stay organized.

Don't make important decisions when you're down Avoid decision-making when you're feeling depressed, since you may not be thinking clearly.

Causes of depression

It's not known exactly what causes depression. As with many mental disorders, Mayo Clinic notes, a variety of factors may be involved, such as: Biological differences. People with depression appear to have physical changes in their brains. The significance of these changes is still uncertain, but may eventually help pinpoint causes.

Brain chemistry. Neurotransmitters are naturally occurring brain chemicals that likely play a role in depression. When these chemicals are out of balance, it may be associated with depressive symptoms.

Dangerous weight loss supplements F

ighting to lose weight can range from following a sensible diet to making illguided efforts that can have serious health consequences.

Popping pills to lose weight is a popular idea among those who want to lose weight.

But it is also dangerous. Many can do more harm than good for your body.

Be aware of the five most dangerous weight loss supplements and their ingredients, and ensure you aren’t using them, neither is anyone you know...

Xiushentang This supplement is widely distributed and imported from Japan. Known as the Japan Rapid Weight Loss Diet Pills, this supplement is proven to contain phenolphthalein which is a carcinogen. It also has sibutramine which was banned in 2010 after it was proven to cause heart attack and stroke.

Fen Phen A very popular supplement in the 1990’s, Fen Phen got its name from Fenfluramie and Phentermine which are both appetite suppressants. It was banned by the FDA in 1997 after consumers complained of side effects

which include heart and pulmonary health problems.

Clenbuterol Another dangerous supplement many dieters take to lose weight is clenbuterol. This is a form of steroid that can increase body mass and trigger the body to lose weight.

It is absorbed by muscle tissues, making it harmful to the heart. It is readily available for treating horses with respiratory problems but it has never been tested on humans.

Dinitrophenol or DNP DNP can greatly increase your body’s metabolism and speed up weight loss but you have to pay the price for it: your life. Not only can it burn fats, it can also burn almost anything in its path. Some of its side effects include heavy sweating, appearance of skin lesions, bleeding and cataracts.

Meridia This supplement goes by its generic known as sibutramine, an appetite suppressant. Meridia causes heart rate and blood pressure to shoot up, as well as headaches, nausea, dizziness, depression, and even triggers one to be suicidal. In some cases, it can even cause death.

A little healthy fat is what helps boost bar flavour, and it helps keep you full too, says Heller. Hearthealthy unsaturated fats come from nuts, seeds, and peanut butter (eight grams or less). They satisfy your stomach without clogging your arteries the way many saturated fats, such as palm oil, do.

Fibre

Because your body can't digest fibre, it helps you feel full, and studies have linked a high-fibre

Hormones. Changes in the body's balance of hormones may be involved in causing or triggering depression. Hormone changes can result from thyroid problems, menopause or a number of other conditions.

Inherited traits. Depression is more common in people whose biological (blood) rel-

diet to a longer life span, reduced risk for breast cancer, and other health benefits. Look for up to five grams of any kind. Most bars don't identify the type of fibre they contain, but many have some combo of insoluble and soluble fibre, both of which take up space in your digestive tract to keep you full.

Vitamins and minerals, including calcium

Many bars are rich in antioxidants and contain important nutrients like potassium, iron, folate, and vitamins A, C, and D. Ensure your bar has calcium. This essential mineral is critical for bone health and muscle function, so it can enhance your workout and may help torch fat and prevent stress fractures. People have a tough time getting enough calcium from food alone, so it's a bonus to have it in your bar.

atives also have this condition. Researchers are trying to find genes that may be involved in causing depression.

Life events. Traumatic events such as the death or loss of a loved one, financial problems, high stress, or childhood trauma can trigger depression in some people.

10 Times Sunday Magazine Times Fashion

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or the upcoming Emancipation Day events, designer Sonia Noel offers something different from the usual.

Noel believes that “we all have our individual personal style, which should not prevent us from making a fashion statement”.

From fashionable hats and accessories to stylish dresses, Noel’s collection offers a wide range of designs for an iconic look.

For more information, contact the designer on 226-3099.

(Models Ariel Cappel, Christal Simmons and Tondicka Austin; stylist Nelsion Nurse; photographer Shiv Dindyal; location Eldorado Inn)

JULY 26, 2015

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Star Times Hollywood

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ames Wolk is an American actor. In 2008, Wolk landed his first television role in Hallmark Hall of Fame's “Front of the Class”.

He subsequently played the title character in the 2009 ABC pilot “Solving Charlie”. His most notable role was in Season 6 cast of “Mad Men” as the mysterious junior account man Bob Benson. Wolk is now seen in the hit drama-thriller television series “Zoo”, playing Jackson Oz.

12 Times Sunday Magazine

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Times Hollywood

Nicki Minaj accepts Taylor Swift’s apology

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icki Minaj and Taylor Swift have ended their Twitter

spat.

Swift apologised to Minaj for interpreting a tweet about music racism to be a

jibe directed at her.

The “Anaconda” singer, Minaj, has accepted the apology and asked everyone to "move on".

The singer misconstrued Minaj's tweet, which assert-

ed that white artists are favoured in music, to be solely a jibe at her. Swift responded on Twitter, eventually inviting Minaj to join her on stage.

Swift has since taken to

Twitter to apologise.

Nicki Minaj has blamed the music industry's willingness to favour white artists for her MTV VMAs snub and has argued with Taylor Swift about the issue on Twitter.

Of all the many reasons Minaj's “Anaconda” wasn't nominated for a VMA (and artists including Taylor Swift were), the singer says it all comes down to racism sharing what has been construed as a jibe towards Swifty.

But Swift, ever the pro at handling any sort of difficult situation, responded with grace and kindness: “@NICKIMINAJ I've done nothing but love & support you. It's unlike you to pit women against each other.

Maybe one of the men took your slot..”

Minaj then replied she wasn't referring to Swift at

all: “Huh? U must not be reading my tweets. Didn't say a word about u. I love u just as much. But u should speak on this. @taylorswift13”

Swift replied: “@ NICKIMINAJ If I win, please come up with me!!

You're invited to any stage I'm ever on.” (Glamour)

Angelina Jolie working on Netflix movie with son

A

ngelina Jolie is set to direct, produce and write a movie for Netflix, and her son Maddox is also involved. The actress is working on an adaptation of Cambodian author Loung Ung's “First They Killed

My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers” for the streaming service.

The memoir looks at war from a child's perspective.

"I was deeply affected

by Loung's book," Angelina said. "It deepened forever

my understanding of how children experience war and are affected by the emotional memory of it. And it helped me draw closer still to the people of Cambodia, my son's homeland."

Maddox was adopted from Cambodia by Brad and Angelina in 2002 and he is going to be involved in the project.

Angelina continued: "it is a dream come true to be able to adapt this book for the screen, and I'm honored to work alongside Loung and filmmaker Rithy Panh."

The news comes a month after it was revealed that Brad Pitt is releasing his next movie on Netflix.

(Glamour)

Hulk Hogan scrubbed from WWE Hall of Fame

H

ulk Hogan is speaking out about a just-released audio transcript that features him making racist slurs about his daughter Brooke's love life.

"Eight years ago I used offensive language during a conversation. It was unacceptable for me to have used that offensive language; there is no excuse for it; and I apologize for having done it," Hogan said in a statement exclusively to PEOPLE. The transcript featuring that conversation was published online by the National Enquirer.

"This is not who I am.

I believe very strongly that every person in the world is important and should not be treated differently based on race, gender, orientation, religious beliefs or otherwise," Hogan told PEOPLE. "I am disap-

pointed with myself that I used language that is offensive and inconsistent with my own beliefs."

Hogan was scrubbed from the WWE's website on Friday morning, with no videos or photos of the famed wrestler remaining.

He was also removed from the online Hall of Fame.

His lawyer David Houston confirmed to PEOPLE that he's officially resigned

from the organization.

"He decided to resign from WWE because he didn't want to put them or his family through this," Houston told PEOPLE. WWE, however, maintains that Hogan was fired: "WWE terminated its contract with Terry Bollea (a.k.a. Hulk Hogan). WWE is committed to embracing and celebrating individuals from all backgrounds as demonstrated by the diversity of our employees, performers and fans worldwide."

Hogan told PEOPLE he will use the situation to "improve as a person" and that he takes the matter as an "important learning experience."

A transcript of the audio shows the wrestler repeatedly using the n-word in reference to his daughter Brooke Hogan's dating life. (People)

J

onita Doda is an Indian actress. She has worked in a number of Punjabi as well as South Indian films. Doda received no formal training in acting. She owes her success in the industry to her determination and integrity. Her first film was “Chak Jawana”.

Subsequently, she starred in “Yaara O Dildara” and “Yamle Jatt Yamley”. Besides working in Punjabi films, she has also made her name through South Indian films like “Makkal Padai” and “Adhikaram”. Apart from acting, Doda is actively engaged in humanitarian work. She supports organizations that fight for the cause of AIDS awareness.

guyanatimesgy.com JULY 26, 2015

Star Times Bollywood

Times Sunday Magazine 13

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Times Bollywood

Salman thanks UP government for making ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ tax free

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anadian couple Frank Gregoire and Simran Malhotra have started a campaign to spread their "message of love" after their wedding video was a hit on social media.

What looked like a normal wedding ceremony soon turned special when Frank Gregoire surprised his bride Simran Malhotra with his rendition of popular Bollywood love song “Kyunki Tum Hi Ho” (“Only you are there”) on their wedding day.

Malhotra, who is of Indian origin, bursts into tears when Gregoire sang the love song after several days of "secret" rehearsals to perfect it.

A few days later, a video of Frank's performance went viral on several social media platforms with millions of shares and likes. (It currently has 4.3million views on YouTube) "I never thought in a million years that this [the video] would get this much attention,"

Mr Gregoire told the BBC. Malhotra said she was "still trying to believe this beautiful act of love was done for me".

"I know Frank loves singing but never would I have imagined that he would learn a Hindi song and sing it to me at our wedding. When I first heard him sing, I just felt like I was in 'shock'. There are no words to describe how I felt in that moment and truthfully it is probably one of those feelings I will never experience

again," she said.

She confessed to being surprised that so many people liked the video on social media, but added that "love is pure, it's organic. Love causes us to laugh, other times it causes us to cry".

In a more unusual consequence of the wedding, Gregoire has been getting multiple requests to sing for other people's weddings, something he says he has been "completely humbled" by.

"I'm sure Simran will have many requests now that she knows I am willing to learn Hindi songs," he said.

Malhotra is also looking forward to Gregoire possibly making a debut performance at a wedding in India.

"We have a lot of cousins in India. So hopefully we will be invited to a wedding soon," she said.

Apart from a possible alternate career as wedding singers, the couple have plans to use their newfound fame as social media stars to urge people to "show some love".

They have urged people to make a video or take a selfie with their loved ones and share their stories on social media.

"We challenge the world to make a headline news story of love and a positive message that takes precedence over all the hate, war, crime, and negativity showcased in the world," Gregoire said.

(BBC)

I

t's raining praise from Salman Khan's new flick “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” from all quarters, and the latest to join the list is Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav who has declared the film tax free in his state.

The film's director, Kabir Khan, met Yadav earlier this week and the Chief Minister decided to make the cross-border drama tax free.

"Bajrangi Bhaijaan is tax free in UP. We thank the Govt of Uttar Pradesh. @yadavakhilesh," Salman posted on Twitter.

“Bajrangi Bhaijaan” is about a six-year-old mute Pakistani girl, who loses her way on the Indo-Pak border and finds herself in India. Salman's character finds the girl and takes it upon himself to reunite her with her family in Pakistan.

(Hindustan Times)

Ajay Devgn: ‘I never had issues with SRK’

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ctor Ajay Devgn is awaiting the release of his upcoming film with Tabu. However, he says he’s happy that his wife, actress Kajol, is making her big screen comeback after five years.

“She decided that she wanted to quit, and she has decided to come back. I would say that she is coming back with the right project.

Shah Rukh Khan is also in the film. People like to see them together,” he says.

For a long time, there has been buzz that Devgn does not get along with SRK, even though Kajol and Khan are great friends. However, a few weeks ago, a photograph of Devgn and Khan at dinner — the two had caught up in Bulgaria as they were shooting there — surfaced online.

“I don’t know how that Bulagria dinner started

trending. It was a very normal dinner. It is the media that claims we have issues; we have never had issues. [When we met] we were laughing over various things,” he says.

His last release, “Action Jackson” (2014), however, didn’t do very well. Ajay says that he was “prepared for it”. He adds that even his daughter, Nysa (12), wasn’t happy to see him in that film.

“Many people, including my daughter, told me that I should stick to doing what people want me to do, and not jump around and dance because that is not how people see me. She said that I should not do these stupid things,” says the 46-year-old.

He added: “Prabhudheva (director) tried his best to make me dance, but I don’t think people want to see me doing that.” (Hindustan Times)

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Times Sunday Magazine

15

Times Trends

Trending Now

Star of the week

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he biggest trend in footwear right now is sandals. Men are coming around to the idea of sandals over loafers with a casual “summer” suit, or sporting sandals instead of slip-on sneakers. Sandals should not be mistaken for flip-flops. We don't want

to hear men slapping their soles from a block away any time soon. Below are a few looks on how to create a fashionable ensemble with a pair of sandals. The looks were featured at the New York Fashion Week: Men's 2015.

R

aynauth Jeffrey is pedalling his way to become a cycling star.

The 21-year-old was encouraged to take up cycling as a career by a neighbour who still supports him to this day. Starting off with a mountain bike, he rode from his home at Annandale, East Coast Demerara, to Mahaica at the age of 14, and would do so very often.

After grooving into the cycling habit, his neighbour gave him a racing bike (10-speed) and encouraged him to participate in a race at the National Park. He placed third and was motivated to work harder in order to succeed. His persistent training led to him falling ill and being bedridden for three months. After recuperating, he recommenced training but could not reach his goals. After some time, he was finally ready for the road. He started to participate in races, but this time, against the champions. The first three-stage race he participated in was a breakthrough. He took the lead as the group travelled from Berbice to Georgetown. Members of Team Coco saw his potential and offered him a spot. A former Carton Wheeler and Continental Cycle Club cyclist, Jeffrey, accepted the offer and has since been creating heat waves on the road with his team members. The young cyclist has gotten the exposure and experience by riding locally and abroad. He has participated in various races abroad: Colombia, Antigua, Anguilla, Suriname, Dominica, Mexico, Scotland and Curacao. In 2013, Jeffrey was the champion of the Digicel Breast Cancer Awareness race meet. There are many challenges this young cyclist faces, but with determination he endeavours to become an international champion.

The cyclist said “it [cycling] is a hard sport, but when you put your mind to it, you can live your dream”. Recently, he copped second place in local races, despite breaking his collar bone in May 2015. Now, Jeffrey’s eyes are set on the 2016 Olympics in Brazil as a potential cyclist to represent Guyana. He is confident that he will make it once the necessary support is garnered.

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Times Art

art work being described as “detailed”, Bristol uses colours and forms in a “nonrepresentational way” rarely depicting objects in the “natural world”.

“I love to take a simple composition and make it look extraordinary. I'm still exploring when it comes to my style of work, but for now I can say I love abstract and surrealism more,” the artist noted.

Always an avid art lover, from a very tender age, Bristol draws inspiration from “the little things in life”: whether she begins with a sketch when bored or a great idea while involved in an art project.

“In school, I was always involved in art activities,” she recalled. Placed in art class, Bristol had no art teacher at her secondary school; however, persever-

Artist Paloma Bristol

Visual Arts Competition and Exhibition, Bristol received accolades for her piece, "Men on the other Side".

The artist aims to pursue a degree in Fine Arts at the Edna Manley's College of Visual and Performing

Arts in Jamaica. She also aspires to be a curator at the National Art Gallery at Castellani House, or curate her own art gallery where she can “support young budding artists and exhibit their work for all to see”.

"The Last" (2014), a drawing depicting Bristol's late mother.

The artist uses dark colours to represent pain and sorrow

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rtist Paloma Bristol captures everyday life through her intricate paintings and sculptures.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday

Magazine, Bristol said that even in still life and portraits, she tends to add a bit more warm colours with much emphasis on light and its changing qualities.

With 80 per cent of her Still life painting (2011)

ance and determination allowed her to complete her first large scale painting at 15 years old, and later fully enter the art field in 2009.

“At age 15, I did my first large scale painting about masquerade on the seawalls between Sheriff Street and Conversation Tree along Rupert Craig Highway, which was done for Carifesta X,” Bristol remembered.

After receiving formal training at E. R. Burrowes School of Art, where she studied fine arts for three years with a major in painting and minor in sculpture, Bristol graduated with a diploma in Art Education.

She has since conducted and participated in numerous art exhibitions and fashion shows.

Bristol mainly works with canvas and oil; however, she creates sculptures (using clay and paper) and designs (whether it is Mashramani costumes or designer gear).

“As long as the work is art related I can handle it, be it interior decorating, face painting, landscaping and all other art related projects,” she outlined.

The third place winner of the drawing category for the 2012 Guyana

"Men on the other Side" (2012), won 3rd place in the drawing category, Guyana Visual Art Competition and Exhibition 2012

"The Forehead" (2010)

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Times Sunday Magazine 17

Times Tech

iPhone 7 release date rumours…

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And iPhone 7 and 6s rumours don’t just stop on more internal storage, we may see Apple take a note from its

atest rumours of the iPhone 7 tell us we can expect some significant changes to Apple’s smartphone line.

The next iPhone may be the first to shun the paltry 16GB model. iOS continues to grow bigger in size while users continue to download more apps and take more photos.

Starting at 32GB could be in the upcoming iPhone’s future, says MIC gadget.

The iPhone 7 release date remains unannounced, but iDigitalTimes states that September continues to be when we can expect confirmation. It also noted that for all who are expecting an iPhone 7 device in 2015, it’s important to consider that the iPhone 6s is much more likely for 2015.

Tech news

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Study:15 per cent of smartphone apps can scam you

early 15 per cent of all apps may stealthily load barrages of invisible ads that artificially inflate viewer numbers and eat up as much as two gigabytes of connection data per day on images and videos that are never actually seen, according to a study released Thursday by ad fraud detection firm Forensiq.

Such apps can launch battery and bandwidth-intensive operations hidden in the background of the device that linger even after the app is exited.

The apps request access to settings like preventing the device from sleeping, modifying and deleting memory and tracking your location, which are often unnecessary for the app's purported function.

Just over 13 per cent of ads served up across apps on Android, Apple and Windows mobile devices were concealed from sight in this manner, the firm concluded from an analysis of more than 16 billion views on 12 million devices.

"We wanted to show the public how blatant and obvious and hurtful all this fraud is — not just to advertisers who pay for ads that no one sees but also people us-

Tech news

J

ing these apps on these tiny devices that are bandwidth-limited and power-limited," Forensiq's chief scientist, Mike Andrews, told Mashable.

The infected apps exist despite the best efforts of each app store's stringent vetting processes. Andrews said that's because they are able to slip in like Trojan horses, disguising their intentions until they make it through the door.

"We don't know exactly everyone who is involved, but certainly many folks are benefiting here," said firm CEO and founder David Sendroff.

Researchers say users can take relatively simple steps to protect them from running up their phone bills and draining their batteries. One is scanning app review sections for accounts of excessive data or power usage that may indicate fraud is at play.

Another is switching off access to cell data for apps that don't absolutely need it.

The firm also said the problem tends to only comes from apps by smaller, lesserknown publishers rather than highly rated, popular ones.(Source: Mashable)

Sony Mobile launches into the drone business

apanese technology conglomerate Sony Mobile has launched a drone company called Aerosense in a joint venture with robotics company ZMP. ZMP would be providing autonomous driving and robotics technologies, while Sony provides the image capture, sensing, Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing technologies.

The company says that Aerosense will leverage its camera, sensing, telecommunications network, and robotics technologies alongside ZMP's automated driving and robotics technologies. The joint venture will be formed in August, though the first services will be launched only next year.

The move by the Japanese consumer electronics giant is just one of its initiatives in the Internet of Things segment, in which it is looking to actively expand.

In a press statement, Sony Mobile described the joint venture, "Sony Mobile is pro-ac-

tively engaging in new business creation initiatives, with a particular focus on the Internet of Things (IoT) sector. This joint venture represents a part of this push into IoT, as Sony strives to provide its customers with additional value by developing and managing total package cloud solutions."

The announcement comes as the company refocuses on its core strengths.

Earlier this year, Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai announced that the company will largely focus on PlayStation gaming division, Sony Pictures, Sony Music, and its devices business.(NDTV)

Tech BYTE

F

iPad line-up and go with the name iPhone Air, according to Christian Today.

This may suggest a thin-

With newest video features Facebook now trying to be YouTube

acebook isn't even tryingto pretend they're not taking the best bits of other social media platforms and adding them to theirs. After adding photo editing tools similar to Snapchat and then the ability to continue scrolling through your feed while watching vid-

eos like Tumblr, in another bid to become a force in the video-sharing world, Facebook is taking a page from YouTube, says Noelle Devoe of seventeen.

Tech BYTE

D

ner device, but few can say for sure what Apple has planned for their iPhone 2015 upgrade.

In a post on the official Facebook blog, new video features were announced that are already major staples of YouTube.

Facebook added tools familiar to any YouTube user, like the ability to add custom thumbnails for videos, using your own image or a suggested thumbnail, and to label videos based on interest categories, like entertainment, news, sports, etc.

Facebook introduced a new video library for users similar to YouTube's "My Channel" page, so you can keep track of all your videos and their stats.

Even though a lot of these new tools feel super YouTube-y, they also added some new tricks that are definitely unique to FB: the ability to distribute videos to users of a certain demographic, and to post a video straight to your videos page without sharing it on your feed.

So at least they're adding their own twist to video sharing, too.

Roads from recycled plastic

utch firm VolkerWessels has unveiled plans for roads crafted from recycled plastic, claiming the approach would significantly cut construction and maintenance time, as well as extend their expected lifespan.

It claims the road could better withstand extreme temperatures, as low as -40° C (-40° F) and as high as 80° C (176° F). It would also be more resistant to corrosion and last three times as long as asphalt, while minimizing the need for maintenance.

Because sections of the road could be prefabricated and installed on sand in a single piece, the company claims construction time for roads would be cut from months down to weeks. The material would also be lighter and allow better control over factors like road stiffness and water drainage, while a hollow space within could be used for all sorts of things.

Some of ideas offered up by VolkerWessels include running cables and pipes and housing traffic loop sensors.

VolkerWessels' PlasticRoad is only a concept at this stage, but the company is looking for partners to help develop a prototype to test things like how it performs in the wet. The Guardian reports that the Dutch city of Rotterdam is already entertaining the idea of carrying out a trial.

18 Times Sunday Magazine

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JULY 26, 2015

Times Home & Cooking

Recipe of the Week

Ingredients

S

ectional sofas began gracing homes during the British Victorian period.

It at first was usually made up of two or more sofas that could be pushed together to make a longer couch. Corner pieces were uncommon then.

In the 1950s the sectional sofa, through design, became a large continuous line of seating that did not require (and in some

instances had no room left for) other living room seating.

This led to the perception of the sectional as “a huge L-shaped couch that takes up most of the living room”.

However, proponents say it is instead “one of the most practical pieces of upholstered furniture for large and small living rooms alike.”

1⁄4 cup oil 1 cup chopped onion 1 tbsp minced garlic 2 tsp minced fresh ginger 2 tbsp coriander 1⁄4 tsp cumin 1⁄4 tsp cinnamon 1⁄8 tsp cayenne

1⁄8 tsp turmeric 1 cup drained canned tomato 2 1⁄2 cups unsweetened coconut milk 1⁄2 cup water 1 tsp salt 1 1⁄2 lbs large shrimp, peeled and cleaned 3⁄4 cup fresh cilantro Lime wedge (for serving)

The first thing to consider is your room layout and size. Do you have room for a full size sectional with chaise lounge and sofa bed? Or does the size of your living space demand a smaller setup?

Method Heat oil in large skillet on med-hi heat. Add onions and stir cook for 3 minutes.

Add garlic and ginger, cook 2 minutes. Add next 5 spices, cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes, cook 1 minute.

Add coconut milk, water, and salt, and bring to a simmer.

Simmer until thickened 5-10 minutes.

Add shrimp, simmer, stirring for 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro.

Serve with lime wedges.

(Serves 4)

GREATEST KITCHEN TIPS

Most sectional collections provide two or more pieces that can be configured in different ways

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tore crispy and chewy cookies in separate containers. If you combine them, the moisture from the chewy cookies will make the crispy ones lose their crunch.

Prevent extra cooked pasta from hardening by stashing it in a sealed plastic bag and refrigerating. When you're ready to serve, throw the pasta in boiling water for a few seconds to heat and restore moisture.

For burnt rice, place a piece of white bread on top of the rice for 5-10 minutes to draw out the burned flavour.

When making a soup, sauce, or casserole that ends up too fatty or greasy, drop in an ice cube. The ice will attract the fat, which you can then scoop out.

I One of the updates to the sectional is the chaise lounge. These provide an extra long seat to help you stretch out and relax. These are usually one armed pieces to fit on the end of a sectional sofa

HOME HELP

f a screw has lost its points where the screwdriver is placed, place a rubber band in between the stripped screw and your screw driver to give it enough grip to remove.

Cut a slit in one side of the empty toilet roll to make a cuff for your wrapping paper to keep it from unrolling into a wrinkled mess.

To restore a dried out marker, fill a small shallow dish with rubbing alcohol and let the tip of your marker bathe in it for a bit. Put the cap back on for about an hour and it should be ready to use. If your marker is completely spent, this may not work.

Don’t forget to store your markers with the cap side down so that the ink saturates the tip.

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Times Sunday Magazine19

Family Times

PARENTING

Helping teens in crisis

G

L

JOKES

ouis was returning home from a business trip, bags in hand, and slowly making his way to his vehicle in the crowded airport garage.

Suddenly a large dark car screeched to a stop in front of Louis, and the driver pointed menacingly at him.

"Get in," the driver ordered. "I'll take you to your car."

Startled, Louis took a step backward. "Ah ... no thanks," he answered. "I can get there myself."

"No!" the man barked back as he threw open his passenger side door. "Get In!" Louis' eyes now darted around the garage, hoping to find a security guard.

Just then, the driver's face softened. "Please," he said, "I've been driving up and down for two hours. I can't find a space to park and I want yours."

A

fter sawing at his steak with no effect, a restaurant patron called the waiter over and complained about the tough piece of meat.

The waiter looked at the customer's plate and announced, "I am very sorry, but I can't take it back because you have already bent it."

Excerpts from college course evaluation forms

1."The textbook is almost useless. I use it to kill roaches in my room."

2."He teaches like Speedy Gonzalez on a caffeine high."

3."The class is worthwhile because I need it for the degree."

4.I never bought the text. My $60 was better spent on the Led Zeppelin CDs that I used while doing the problem sets."

5."The course was very thorough. What wasn't covered in class was covered on the final exam."

6."Textbook is confusing; someone with a knowledge of English should proofread it."

Funny but true GCSE answers

Geography Q: Name the four seasons.

A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.

Q: How is dew formed?

A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.

Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?

A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon.

All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight.

Biology Q: What is the Fibula?

A: A small lie.

Q: What does "varicose" mean?

A: Nearby.

Q: What is a seizure?

A: A Roman emperor.

Q: What is a terminal illness?

A: When you are sick at the airport Chemistry and Physics Q: Briefly explain what hard water is.

A: Ice Q: What is a vibration?

A: There are good vibrations and there are bad vibrations.

Good vibrations were discovered in the 1960s.

Q: Explain why phosphorus trichloride (PC3) is polar.

A: God made it that way.

Q: What is the chemical formula of water?

A: h,i,j,k,l,m,n,o (h to o) Technology Q: What is a turbine?

A: What an Arab or Seikh wears on their head Q: Joanna works in an office. Her computer is a standalone system. What is a stand-alone computer system?

A: It doesn’t come with a chair.

rowing up, for many teens, can become a time of crises.

Becoming independent and making their own decisions will inevitably result in a few wrong moves on a teen’s behalf. We often learn best from our mistakes.

If you are too controlling, critical or judgemental about her ideas, your child will experiment in secret and will be less likely to talk to you when things start to go wrong.

You may only become involved when a big crisis occurs, when your child is upset by events, worried about the consequences of her actions, and anxious about your reaction to all this.

When you have reached this stage it is most important that you stay calm.

Remember, a crisis will probably have triggered the flight-flight response in both of you, so you are both more likely to shout and argue with each other

or try to ‘avoid’ talking about what has happened. You are the adult here, so you need to stay in charge of your feelings.

It is your job as a parent to help your child, who despite any assertions otherwise, is still a child and needs your support and guidance.When you are very emotional it can be hard to think clearly, so get help with the situation. Despite all your fears, find someone you trust to help you both problem-solve. If necessary go to a relevant professional for advice.

It can be difficult to admit a serious mistake, especially if it involves law-breaking or other shameful admissions. You may think you are ‘protecting’ your child by avoiding the full consequences of what has happened.

But this may result in more complications and also may not resolve the crisis fully.

STORY TIME

The Jackal and the Drum

O

ne day, a jackal called Gomaya was very hungry, and was wandering about in search of food.

After some time, he wandered out of the jungle he lived in, and reached a deserted battlefield.

In this deserted battlefield, a battle was fought recently.

The fighting armies had left behind a drum, w h i c h was lying near a tree.

As strong winds blew, the branches of the tree got rubbed against the drum. This made a strange noise.

When the jackal heard this sound, he got very frightened and thought of running away, "If I cannot flee from

here before I am seen by the person making all this noise, I will be in trouble".

As he was about to run away, he had a second thought. "It is unwise to run away from something without knowing. Instead, I must be careful in finding out the source of this noise".

He took the courage to creep forward cautiously.

When he saw the drum, he rea l ized that it was only the wind that was causing all the noise.

He continued his search for food, and near the drum he found sufficient food and water.

Moral: Only the brave succeed in life

Reflections Young and Old When all the world is young lad, And all the trees are green; And every goose a swan, lad, And every lass a queen; Then hey for boot and horse, lad, And round the world away; Young blood must have its course, lad, And every dog his day.

When all the world is old, lad, And all the trees are brown; When all the sport is stale, lad, And all the wheels run down; Creep home, and take your place there, The spent and maimed among: God grant you find one face there, You loved when all was young.

Charles Kingsley

By Grammar G

Within Words

S

ome words have other words hidden within – if you know where (and how) to look.

An alternade is a word in which the odd-numbered letters and the even-numbered letters, used in the same order, also spell words. These are described as “alternate letters”, hence the title alternade.

Alternades, by the way, are part of a group of word puzzle names with the suffix “…ades”,such as charades, transades and linkades, to name a few. These word puzzles generally require you break up a word or phrase into two or more shorter parts.

For example, after following a few other rules, in charades the word “scarcity” would make “scar” and “city”. In a transade, “solution” can become: “soul” and “into”; while in a linkade, “libraries” can make “Libra” and “Aries”…

But returning to look at alternades, we can say that alternades are not that hard to find in the English language: chains = can, his lounge = lug, one friend = fin, red parrot = pro, art As words get longer, alternades become rare but not impossible to find: collude = clue, old diaries = dais, ire schooled = shoe, cold fleetness = fetes, lens Alternades can also include phrases, for example the

word alternation can become the alternade phrase a train.

There are also reverse alternades such as thickest being reversed to make skit and tech, and the phrase tea leaf becomes feat, ale.

Three-word alternades are also possible as each of the smaller words uses each third letter of the long word: lacerated = let, are and cad similarly = sir, ill and may safe water = set, awe and far

20 Times Sunday Magazine

JULY 26, 2015

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Times Sunday Puzzle

You’re standing in a hallway with three light switches on the wall, each of which turns on a different lamp inside a closed room. You can’t see inside the room, and you can’t open the door except to enter the room. You can enter the room only once, and when you do, all the lamps must be turned off. How can you tell which switch turns on which lamp. see solution on page 23

see solution on page 23

see solution on page 23

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JULY 26, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine 21

Times Kids

GEOZONE

Creature Corner

T

A layer of dirt

he top layer of the planet is called the lithosphere. Soil is the loose stuff on the surface of the lithosphere; what we often call dirt. Soil is the result of the physical and chemical breakdown of rocks.

Just as our atmosphere and our tectonic plates change, so too does soil,

though very slowly, often millions of years.

With erosion, the first thing to change is the soil. Some areas are built up and some areas are destroyed.

Five of the most important factors involved in soil formation are topography (shape of the landscape), climatic effects,

geologic factors, chronological and biological factors.

It’s a very complex system that supports all of the life on land. To survive, land plants need soil, which has the nutrients and minerals needed to support life.

T

he Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus) is the only surviving species of bear native to South America.

With males, who are significantly larger than females, weighing 220 to 340 lbs (100 to 154 kg) and averaging over 5 feet (1.5 m) in height, it is considered among the smallest members of the family Ursidae, which comprises eight species of bears.

Spectacled bears live in the dense Andean jungles of South America, preferring lush, isolated cloud forests on the slopes of the Andes, climbing as high as 14,000 feet (4,300 m) and descending only to search for food.

They are generally nocturnal and are primarily vegetarian, harvesting fruit, berries, cacti, and honey. They will occasionally supplement their diet with meat: taking small rodents, birds, insects, and even small cows, making them the largest carnivores in South America.

They are currently listed as vulnerable to extinction, with some estimates suggesting fewer than 3,000 in the wild today. Spectacled bears suffer primarily from destruction and fragmentation of their habitat, poaching, and being killed as agricultural pests by farmers.

Maze Daze

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.

22 Times Sunday Magazine

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JULY 26, 2015

By Laurie Triefeldt

PART FOUR OF FOUR — COLLECT ALL FOUR AND MAKE A GIANT POSTER Cut and attach to Part Three

North America

Mythical beasts, heroic humans and nurturing spirits are popular characters in Native American mythology.

Spirits and guides To the Native Americans, all living things have a spirit.

Animal spirits and other elements of nature possess power and knowledge.

The bear represents the West and introspection. The coyote can take many forms: creator, messenger, hero, trickster or fool. He also has the ability to transform. The crow or raven is another trickster, while the eagle is a medicine bird who plays many roles. According to legend, the owl woman of the Plains tribes is keeper of a bridge on the way to the afterlife. The thunderbird is a nature deity. Sometimes it is a symbol of war, with eyes of fire, a glance of lightning and wings that make thunder.

The Maya

Myths from the Americas & Oceania Nature spirits play a vital role in the myths of many native peoples.

Australia’s Aborigines have had the longest continuous human culture on Earth, dating back about 65,000 years.

Alinga is the sun goddess.

Apunga is the goddess of small plants.

Bunbulama is the goddess of rain.

Dilga is the goddess of justice.

Maui is a powerful god to the Maoris and Hawaiians.

Nokomis is the grandmother and Earth goddess of the Algonquin.

She feeds all living things: plants, animals and people.

Eingana is the birth mother, maker of all water, land, animals and (especially) kangaroos.

Gidja is the god of the moon.

Yurlungur is a giant snake called the “Great Father.” It is said that the well water he lives in shines like a rainbow, and his voice is thunder.

The rainbow serpent is known throughout most of Australia, but his name differs from tribe to tribe.

Julunggul is the goddess of initiations.

Wandjina is the god who made the Earth, sea and all things.

He created humankind.

Seed power Jiva or guruwari is a type of resident power deposited into the earth. The Aborigines call this the “Dreaming” of a place, a sacred state. In extraordinary states of consciousness, it is thought that one can be aware of the inner dreams of the Earth.

Chac, the Mayan god of rain and lightning, was one of the earliest and most worshipped gods in Mesoamerica.

Oceania

Oceania is the name for the islands of the Pacific Ocean: Australasia, Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia.

To the Oceanic peoples, darkness, the sea and forever have always existed.

In Australian Aborginal legend, the Whowie is the most terrible creature in existence.

The Aztecs

The Aztecs occupied Mexico from the 14th to 16th centuries. The name is derived from their homeland, Aztlan.

In Australia, boomerangs are thought to have been created by ancestral deity Bobbi-Bobbi in order to catch flying foxes for food.

He created it from his rib.

Aztec gods Quetzalcoatl is the feathered snake, and the major deity of the Aztecs. He is the creator sky-god and a wise ruler who organized the cosmos.

Quetzalcoatl

Polynesian myths are often linked to nature, particularly the oceans.

Rangi (the sky) and Papa (the Earth), being separated by Old Spider

The Inca

The Incan empire extended along the Pacific coast and Andes mountains. Hanan Pacha is their heavenly paradise, accessible to the souls of the just, who must cross a bridge woven from hairs.

Aborigines

Cast of characters

Kachina, in Hopi tribal legend, are masked figures or dolls that represent spirits of nature or of the dead.

Mayan villages first appeared in Central America between 2000 and 1500 B.C. During the Classic Period (A.D. 300 to 900), architecture and culture blossomed, and the Mayans began to record important events by carving them in stone.

Xochiquetzal is goddess of the Earth, flowers, plants, games, dance and love. She is also associated with the moon.

The coyote is an important symbol to many Native American tribes.

He is the ultimate trickster — benevolent at times, but symbolic of lessons to be learned.

Inti was the sun god and ancestor of the Incas.

Menehune, in Hawaiian legend, are mischievous little people who haunt forests or mountains. They come out at night to play tricks.

Anaye, in Navajo tribal legend, were unnatural monsters named Cold, Hunger, Poverty and Old Age. They lived to remind people to prize the good things in life.

In addition to a pantheon of great gods, the religion of these islands has many minor gods and local deities.

Two points of view In all of Oceania, the myth of creation has one of two points of view: In one myth, a supreme deity creates everything. There is also the story of the mythical old spider that created the heavens and the Earth. In either version, heaven, Earth and sea are created in the beginning, with Papa (Earth) and Rangi (sky) inside a cramped clamshell. Space is continually created by either a deity or by Papa and Rangi. Light is let in, the clam is widened and creation proceeds.

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JULY 26, 2015

Times Sunday Magazine 23

World Times

Aussie town goes after illegal dumpers

The Philonoist Q: What is “The Wood-Wide Web”?

U

T

nderneath your feet as you walk through a forest or even your garden, connecting tree to tree, plant to plant, lies a remarkable living network of fungi that scientists refer to as “The WoodWide Web”.

Mycologist (someone who studies fungi) and author Paul Stamets, in a TED talk in 2008, referred to these fungal networks as "Earth's natural internet."

This network allows forest flora to send and receive information over distances from plant to plant, connecting a large and varied population of individuals together. Science

it for darker purposes, such as sabotage, or "chemical warfare," and other types of "cyber-crime."

Albert Bernard Frank, a 19th century German biologist called these relationships where the fungi lives off of the plant's roots as "mycorrhiza."

In most cases these symbiotic relationships are beneficial to both plant and fungi.

Fungi receive carbohydrates and nutrients from the plants. In return the fungi helps the plant take in water, and gives nutrients such nitrogen and phosphorus through their mycelia.

is only now beginning to understand this local network.

The fungi such as mushrooms and toadstools that we see aboveground are just the visible fruit. Below lies a web of fine threads called mycelium. These threads run from root to root, and plant to plant, linking the roots of a multitude of different plants.

Sometimes plants several meters distant are linked, creating a living mesh that can conduct information and nutrients to other members of the web.

Scientists say it gives them the ability to help each other out, but it can also use

A 2010 research showed that when plants are attacked by harmful fungi they use the mycelia network to send chemical signals designed to warn nearby plants of the danger.

On the other hand, in the natural world important resources such as water, nutrients, space and light sometimes have to be competed for. To gain an advantage, some plants can release chemicals via the fungal network to deter or harm competitors.

The fungal network is an example of how separate organisms are connected and may share a dependence on one another.

(Photo: The Newcastle Herald)

he Ryhope in Newcastle, Australia illegal dumping squad investigators are seeking their public’s assistance to help identify the origin of two separate truckloads of building waste dumped at a place called Wakefield Road last week.

Hunter-Central Coast illegal dumping squad spokeswoman Alice Howe said investigators were hop-

ing to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the incidents.

“Illegal dumping of this type is a serious public health hazard and also imposes a significant financial cost to ratepayers for the clean-up,” Dr Howe said.

On-the-spot fines for illegal dumping start at AUS$2,000, (approx.

US$1,500) while court action can result in fines

of up to AUS $250,000 (US$185,000) for individuals and $1 million (more than US$ 735,000) for companies.

The Hunter/Central Coast Regional Illegal Dumping (RID) Squad has been active in the region for more than a year and is a partnership between that region’s Environment Protection Authority and its 10 local councils.

Nigeria banks under probe over escrow accounts interest

T

he Nigerian Presidency is probing three banks for short-changing the Federal Government in the management of the N50 billion (close to US$ 255,000,000) escrow accounts interest yield for seven Nigerian Electric Power Generation Companies (EPGC).

The row over the escrow accounts was referred to President Muhammadu Buhari following the loss of over N10 billion (around US$ 50,000,000) interest yielded in the last two years.

The said N50 billion was sourced from the proceeds of the privatisation of Egbin Power Plc. But, contrary to the guidelines of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the banks have not been paying “the required interest on the escrow accounts”.

The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading

Plc (NBET) in 2013 entered into an agreement with three banks to manage the N50 billion.

It was gathered that instead of paying 10 per cent interest on the N50billion as applicable to other funds being managed

by NBET, the banks had been remitting only 0.02 per cent interest per annum.

It has been learnt that NBET’s efforts to persuade the banks to adopt CBN’s guidelines on the escrow accounts have failed in the past month.

The circumstances have forced NBET to call for a meeting with the lead escrow bank.

“The meeting will serve as an avenue to review the management of the Escrow and consider strategies to maximise returns on the funds more efficiently,” part of an NBET letter to the banks read.

Brain Teaser Answer Turn on the right switch and leave it on for two minutes. After two minutes, turn on the middle switch and leave it on for one minute. When that minute is up, turn off both switches and enter the room. One light bulb will be hot (first switch) and one will be warm (second switch). The cold bulb will correspond to the switch you didn’t turn on.

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

KID SUDOKU

Argentina minimum wage to increase 28.5 per cent

A

rgentina’s Wage Council agreed Tuesday to increase its minimum wage by 28.5 percent, from 4,716 pesos (US$515) to US$ 610 (5,588 pesos - 18.5 percent) in August and then to 6,060 pesos (US$661) in January 2016 (10 percent).

The increase is in line with what unions were expecting and most sectors agreed to in their separate wage negotiations.

With the hike, the South American nation’s minimum wage will be significantly higher than other countries in the region.

In August, the minimum wage will remain equivalent to US$614 at the official rate and US$370 using the “blue” dollar exchange rate.

At the official rate, that is higher than Uruguay (US$369), Chile (US$378) and Brazil (US$250).

President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner announced the new figure Tuesday night after the conclusion of the annual Wage Council, which gathers government officials, union leaders and business sector representatives.

Union leaders such as Antonio Caló (CGT) and Hugo Yasky (CTA) and business leaders such as UIA vice-president Daniel Funes de Rioja took part in the meeting alongside Economy Minister Axel Kicillof and Labour Minister Carlos Tomada.

“This has no precedent in the world. We have been meeting over the last 12 years to set the minimum wage and the intervention of the government was never necessary as unions and business chambers always reached a deal,” the president said. “I like attending these meetings because it shows how important the minimum wage is for us.”

CFK pointed out that her government has kept the economy growing thanks to higher domestic consumption and despite a global economic crisis that began in 2008.

At the same time, she said Argentina is one of the countries in which prices have dropped the most and backed the government’s trade policies, questioned by the World Trade Organization for breaking global trade rules.

About 113,000 workers are paid the minimum wage every month, according to INDEC statistics bureau. There are about 16 million active workers in Argentina, including self-employees and salaried workers, and about one million people unemployed (7.1 percent), according to INDEC figures.

The average wage for the private sector was set in May — the last month reported — at 12,465 pesos (US$1,361), while it reached 13,845 pesos (US$1,512) in the public sector.

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Times Sunday Magazine

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JULY 26, 2015

Fun Times

Archie

ARIES

Don’t hide your talents.

(March 21- Your unique way of expressJULY 26) ing your ideas will turn heads. You will be surprised at the reaction you get if you say what’s on your mind.

Be generous with your TAURUS time.

The little things often (April 20end up having the biggest imMay 20) pact. Love will develop, and offering a romantic gesture to someone special will pay off.

Overindulgence will lead GEMINI (May 21- to problems with the people June 20) who love you most. You won’t be taken seriously if you keep changing your mind or your plans.

Love is highlighted, so turn on your Cancer charm.

(JULY 26This is the right time to take July 22) on something or someone new. Professional advancement can be yours if you go after what you want.

CANCER

Your ambitious desires LEO (July 23- will be troubling to someone Aug. 22) close to you. You have what it takes to go the distance, so believe in yourself and prove your skeptics wrong.

Dilbert

Travel and social encounVIRGO ters will provide long-lasting (Aug. 23benefits. Someone you live Sept. 22) with will make your life difficult. Personal matters should be left alone until you are in a better position to win.

LIBRA You have valuable ideas, (Sept. 23- so tell them to someone who Oct. 23) can help you get your projects off the ground. Stop spinning your wheels. There is money to be made.

Peanuts

Although your personal isSCORPIO sues may be muddying the wa(Oct. 24Nov. 22) ters, you will be able to outperform the competition today.

Professional advancement is in the offing. Romance will help calm troubled waters.

Your desire to try someSAGITTARIUS thing unusual will backfire (Nov. 23if you are too hasty. Think Dec. 21) through the pros and cons before you try something that is likely to be costly and dangerous.

Calvin and Hobbes

You risk being taken adCAPRICORN vantage of by someone who (Dec. 22wants to cash in on your ideas Jan. 19) and knowledge. Keep your plans to yourself and focus on your own endeavors.

AQUARIUS Regret, anger and distress (Jan. 20- are all a waste of time. Find Feb. 19) something interesting to do that will raise your stature and help bring in some extra cash.

PISCES You may want to help oth(Feb. 20- ers, but it cannot be at the March 20) expense of your own needs.

Gauge your time carefully and leave some room to pamper and please yourself.