Toronto Carnival Gala 073113

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VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 12 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 31ST 2013

CARIBBEAN NEWS, EVENTS, HEALTH, LIFESTYLE & MORE

TORONTO CARNIVAL GALA

Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Gala Dazzles the Liberty Grand

EMILY SINGH/TORONTO CARIBBEAN

TORONTO -- It certainly was “An Evening to Discover” as guests walked the red carpet Friday evening into the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex. The evening commenced at 5:30 with a VIP red carpet welcome followed by cocktails by the courtyard.

Guests enjoyed cocktails flavoured with none other than El Dorado, the official rum of The Scotia Bank Caribbean Carnival. Wide selections of hors d’ouevres were passed around as guests mingled and enjoyed the scenery of the courtyard. For the second

consecutive year, The Caribbean Children’s Foundation partnered with the Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Gala to graciously accept the proceeds from the evening.

The Caribbean Children’s Foundation is a registered charity established in 2000, which took aim in helping just one child in the Caribbean who was critically ill and needed urgent life saving treatment. Over the last 12 years they have been able to help over 54 children receive treatment at Sick Kids Hospital.

To support this worthy cause, “Swag Bags” filled with Caribbean favourites were on sale for a small donation of $20. A silent auction was also held during the cocktail hour to benefit The Caribbean Children’s Foundation.

At 7 pm guests were escorted into the ballroom for dinner and the awards ceremony. The first course was Candied Pecans, Sundried Cranberries & Mango Julienne with Boston Bib, Lola Rosa Lettuce, and Extra Virgin & Balsamic Vinaigrette.

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TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Gala inside the Liberty Grand Emily Singh TC Reporter Continued From Page 1 -- Next was the Entrée of Grilled New York Striploin with Spiced El Dorado Rum Veal Jus & Jerk Marinade Salmon with Pineapple Pico de Gallo, Yellow & Sweet Potato Mashed Potato, Sautéed Bok Choy with Garlic & Ginger and Roasted Squash & Honey Glazed Carrots. Finally dessert was a Sweetened Coconut & Almond Tarte topped with Mango Ice Cream, El Dorado Rum and Caramel and Glazed Cherries. To end the dinner guests were served a shot of fine El Dorado 15 Year Old Special Reserve Demerara Rum, which was voted five times as the “Best Rum in the World.”

None other than CEO of the Fes-

tival Committee, Denise Herrera- Jackson, delivered the opening welcome. During dinner were a number of performances such as a steel pan solo by Tommy Crichlow and a special “e-Pan” performance by Salmon Cupid. To get us ready for the road on Saturday for the parade, CP24’s Nathan Downer introduced the mas bands in a parade of the bands where the beautiful band costumes were showcased.

The party began and people broke lose to get down and dance with DJ Slim in the Artifacts Room at 10pm. Their official partner, Scotiabank as well as major media partners CTV, CP24, FLOW 93.5, The Toronto Star and Toronto.com made this elaborate evening possible. Not forgetting government partnerships with the city of Toronto, OLG, tourism Toronto and the Ontario Government as well many contributing partners. The glitz, glamour and excitement doesn’t stop just yet, come out Saturday for a day of celebration during the annual parade and get ready to jump up!

DropTec 4th annual car show was a success Cindy Ramkumar TC Reporter

Leanne, AKA Miss Carnival Kicks, is a half Trinidadian and half Canadian model from Markham, ON. - A former Carib101 Calendar girl, Leanne currently works as a sales rep in Toronto.

Her portfolio spans from print, runway, photoshoots and Caribana Mas Band Launches. Leanne loves travelling, shopping, cooking and spending time with family and friends.

Costume By: Bryant Sinanan’s Krazytrain Carnival

MISSISSAUGA -- On July 21st DropTec Custom Ride held their 4th Annual Car Show n’ Shine event. The main feature of the event was raising monies to purchase brand new DVDs for kids in isolation at Sick Kids Hospital.

As a car community, DropTec has donated DVDs to Sick Kids annually, over the past three (3) years by hosting past shows.

After speaking to the owner Neal of DropTec, located in Mississauga, I sense the pride he had when he spoke about the event and its successes. “The event turnout was huge, bigger than anticipated” he said.

He had in total 31 sponsors to the event.

Safety was a main priority, and from be-

ginning until the end, all attendees were safe and the event was incident free.

Attendees were entertained by two DJ’s, there was a designated safe area for kids, with all the fun kid things like bouncy castle, snow cone and pop-corn which was free. There were various tassa performances in search of the best tassa dancer, and several contests which kept the crowd busy all day. After the show there was a burnout competition and the show ended with a Light Show.

To gauge the success of the show DropTec Neal looked at the comfort of the attendees, the crowd being entertained, the kids being taken care off by a group of student volunteers and the safety of its patrons.

According to DropTec, these DVDs will be presented to Sick Kids hospital in August. My final question to him “ what’s in store for 2014?”to which he responded “ we will have to wait and see, bigger and better than 2013 for sure”. He wanted to thank all those who attended and supported the cause to enhance the Sick Kids DVD library.

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Irie Festival; a must-attend festival for summer Cindy Ramkumar TC Reporter TORONTO -- Celebrating its 11th anniversary in 2013, this free multi-day, music and arts festival takes over three Ontario cities during the summer months of July and August. The Irie Music Festival presented by TD Bank takes the spotlight in Mississauga, Oshawa and Toronto.

The Irie Festival, most definitely is a fun family-friendly event. With 100,000 plus attendees, this festival promises to be the must-attend event for the summer.

The home of the festival is Celebration Square in Mississauga, where July 13th and 14th came alive with reggae, salsa and soca plus guest performances by Bunji Garlin and Etana. Special guest performance in Mississauga were Kardinal Offishall and Faye Ann Lyons.

From Mississauga, the festival continued on to Oshawa on July 20th and 21st where Wayne Wonder and Kewrin Dubois blew the crowd away with their dynamic and lively performances. Bunji, Etana, Wayne and Kerwin had the crowd moving to their every beat, people were dancing and couldn’t contain their excitement to be in the presence of these artistes.

As August 2nd – 5th quickly approaches, the spotlight turns to Toronto where artists in music, dance, spoken word, and visual arts get ready to captivate residents and visitors of Toronto.

Nathan Phillips Square will become alive with the infusion of different races, cultures, and ethnicities, however all having one common goal which is their love for arts and culture. The festival also has an additional focus of an awards event, a greening initiative and a historic aspect. The headliners for the TD Irie Music Festival include Half Pint, Richie Stephens, and Shi Wisdom.

For more information on this event the website iriemusicfestival.com provides all the details about the festival as well as readers can call (905) 799-1630 or email info@iriemusicfestival.com

Nada Lola Raga Sagara - Music for healing and meditation Emily Singh TC Reporter TORONTO -- Close your eyes and let the musical talents of His Holiness Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji take your mind, body and soul on a spiritual journey to enlightenment, bliss and serenity. Known as the Father of Healing and Meditation Music, Sri Swamiji took the stage in front of a full house at the George Weston Recital Hall in Toronto on Saturday July 27th for his concert entitled “Nada Lola Raga Sagara”. Hailing from Mysore, India, World renowned for his ability to use music to channel meditational

practice and healing methods, Sri Swamiji has performed at the Royal Albert Hall in the UK as well as the prestigious Lincoln Centre in New York City.

In his motherland of Mysore, India, Sri Swamiji opened up the Nada Yoga Ragasagara Research Centre. This center utilizes the art of music to empower healing and rejuvenation as well as the therapeutic powers of music catered to the individual needs of patients.

With complete silence and the lights dimmed down, Sri Swamiji was able to channel his energy along with the sounds of the table, dholak, violin and keyboard to amaze the audience.

This was Sri Swamijis 25th year of his music tour; with his first ever concert in 1988. For the past 25 years Sri Swamiji had graced the world with his musical talents and helped millions to appreciate the beauty of music for healing and meditation.

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

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Come meet the Chutney superstars at the Chutney Music Festival Emily Singh TC Reporter OAKVILLE -- Are you hotter than a chula?

Then come out on Sunday August 4th to the Italian Gardens at 12245 Derry Road East in Milton to party! Come out to the Chutney

Music Festival to listen to the vibes of Kerwin Dubois, KI, Blaxx, Rick Ramoutar, Drupatee, Artie, Nishard, Big Rich, and 2013 Chutney Soca Monarch King Raymond Ramnarine and many more. Along with these Chutney superstars will be four talented bands, Dil-E-Nadan, 3Veni, Melobugz and Exodus. Tickets are $20 in advance and $75 VIP all inclusive.

This is a family event so bring the kids! Children under 5 are free and children 5 and up are only $10 at the door. Call 647308-0981 for more information. Come and enjoy a day out with the family and whine down at the Chutney Music Festival.

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The Caribbeanʼs road warrior plays Mas in Toronto TORONTO -Hundreds of thousands of Torontonians have jumped up to the music of Destra while taking part in the annual Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival over the past decade.

This year, for the first time ever, Destra will actually be taking part in the parade and playing mas with her legion of Canadian and American fans!

Destra Garcia, the Trinidadian performer who has written and recorded Road Songs that revelers play Mas to at Carnival parades around the world, has been named the Monarch of the Scotaibank Caribbean Carnival. She will help officiate at this year King and Queen competition and the Grand Parade!

Destra is noted for her high-energy performances, harmonious vocal skill, her song writing ability and her unique fashion style. She sings about carnival life and the joy of playing Mas. Songs like It’s Carnival, I Dare You and Fly have become anthems for revelers and will be heard over-and-over on the Toronto parade route this August 3rd.

She is also known for contemporary

life-style lyrics. “Tonight I’m in de mood, (ah want to wine and behave rude) “ is the refrain from “I Dare You” is oft repeated and covered

by Soca singers all over the world.

Destra Garcia will appear at the Thursday August 1st evening King and Queen costume Competition at Lamport Stadium (King / Dufferin). She will assist in the crowning of the King and Queen of the Parade. On Saturday, August 3rd she will appear at the judging stand of the Grand Parade in Exhibition Place and then will perform for revelers inside the Park at the Band Shell at 2pm. Performance also by JW and Blaze, KI, Orlando Octave and many more.

And finally on Sunday August 4th Destra is headlining the Caribana Fire Fete at the Sound Academy at Polson Pier (formerly The Docks). Over 3,000 people are expected to attend the Sunday night (10pm) party with Destra and her band. Also appearing on the bill will be Alison Hinds and her band and KI & 3veni.

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TORONTO CARIBBEAN

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Square of the revolution pulses with unbridled energy – as call of the drums kicks off Emancipation 2013 GUYANA -- The Square of the Revolution on Friday afternoon came alive with symbolic African drumming, dancing and a rich medley of folk songs, when Guyanese from various geographical Regions came together in celebratory style, for the launch of Emancipation 2013, at the site of the 1763 Monument on Vlissengen Road, Georgetown.

The programme, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, had the participation of the African Development Association (ACDA) and several other Community Development and Cultural Groups from as far as East Berbice; Linden, Region Ten; the East Coast and East Bank Demerara in Region Four and Region Three – West Demerara Essequibo Islands.

The programme came off to a ceremonial start around 17:090 hrs, with ACDA’s Bishop Andrew Irvine, Spiritual Leader of Ifa House of Samtaria first praying and giving respect to God Almighty, for blessing their ancestors with the resilience, the energy and strength required, as they fought assiduously with ‘blood sweat and tears’ so that we can be free today.”

Bishop Irvine called on the gathering to join giving praise and thanks to the Creator for life, health and strength, then proceeded to conduct the Libation Ceremony. As he poured on water, he prayed that “…the energy and coolness altwould return unto the people, bringing peace, prosper-

ity and continued resilience needed to fight against our pains, and every form of oppression in our lives and our and our world.”

Also crucial to the Libation Ceremony was the acknowledgement of the African ancestors who have passed on. All this was conducted against a backdrop of rich symbolic drumming, led by Orlando Primo’s Fingertip Drummers, as all assembled joined in lusty and almost nostalgic singing of the popular Negro Spiritual Hymn, oft sung by the slaves – Kumbaya Meh Lord.

As part of the ceremony, the officiating elders and drummers also paid tribute to Kofi, by marching and chanting prayers around the towering Monument constructed by the late Phillip Moore, AA, in his honour.

Kofi (known as Cuffy) played a lead role in organizing the 1763 Berbice Slave Rebellion and at this time, Guyanese across the country are coming together to celebrate two historic occasions: The 250 Anniversary of the 1763 Berbice Slave Rebellion and the 175th anniversary of Emancipation of the African slaves. At the close of the Libation Ceremony, Bishop Irvine concluded with the affirmation “Free at Last; Free at Last; Thank God we are free at last.”

That done, it paved the way for the showcasing of a spirited and energetic display of African song, dance and drumming, as colourfully dressed juvenille dancers did their thing. Cultural pieces included poems,

singing and dancing by performers from the National School of Dance; Cultural Groups from Golden Grove Young Achievers, West Coast Berbice; Belladrum; the Linden Cultural Group; Mocha; the Sea View Cultural Organization of Hopetown, West Berbice; the Den Amstel Cultural Group involved in the maintenance of African Traditional Cultural Practice.

Meanwhile, the people of New Amsterdam Berbice, will today open up their 2013 Emancipation Commemoration with a grand Street Parade from Mark’s Bridge to Esplanade Park, beginning at 14:00. Thousands, drawn from all parts of Guyana are expected to join in jollification as Berbicians come together on this most memorable occasion - the 250th Anniversary of the 1763

Berbice Slave Rebellion. Organized by the US-basedCouncil of Friends of New Amsterdam (COFONA), the packed two week programme of activities promises to be gala and sensational.

Want to get a real taste of African celebrations as practiced by the freed peoples? Then head to New Amsterdam, Berbice today for a taste of original dance song and drumming, and a taste of the best in African cuisine: Foo-foo; conkie; metagee; pepperpot; cornbread; cassava pone; mauby; genup drink; cashew drink. Experience good ole Queh-queh dancing; trace the rhythm and stomping of the feet; the shivering of the waist; hear Comfu drums and much more. (Guyana Chronicle)

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Ellington allows some cops to wear masks JAMAICA -- Police Commissioner Owen Ellington has given special permission for cops involved in certain sensitive operations to wear masks and camouflage gear.

Speaking in this week’s force orders, Ellington said that while it was not the standard operating procedure of the Constabulary Force to conduct law enforcement duties in camouflage attire, cops will be allowed to do so under prescribed circumstances to protect themselves from any backlash from organised criminal networks.

“Within the context of the significant threat posed by organised transnational crime, there is a need to protect the identities of some law enforcement operatives engaged in sensitive deployments. The usage of ‘masks’ may become necessary for covert duties by members of the force, particularly in matters that threaten national security or where exposure of their identities will place the members in imminent peril. It is well established that the usage of ‘masks’ by law enforcers have provided safety and security for the operatives, their clients and members of the public,” he said.

Ellington may, in his discretion, permit members of the JCF to wear ‘masks’ under certain conditions, but under Jamaican law the commissioner is barred from abusing his discretion and is obliged to ensure that due process and the rights of the citizens are respected and upheld at all times.

“It is the rule and standard operating procedure of the Force that members

perform their duties either in uniforms or plain clothes with their identification badges in both circumstances. The use of masks is a deviation from this norm, which must be controlled and properly managed by all supervisors. At all times, consideration should be given to the Use of Force Policy of the JCF and the general rules regarding the conduct of members of the Force,” he said.

He ordered that masks and camouflage can only be donned by cops under the following circumstances: * Commanding officers must make a request for the use of masks or other disguising features must be made be to the Deputy Commissioner in charge of Operations; * The approval from the Deputy Commissioner in charge of Operations should be in writing; * All cops must comply with the instructions from the Deputy Commissioner; * Commanding officers must keep a written record of the names and regulation numbers of the cops authorised to wear masks or other disguising feature and make this available to the Deputy Commissioner if required; and * The Commanding Officer under whose command the mask or other disguising feature was used must submit a written report to the Deputy Commissioner of Police when the operation has ended. (Jamaica Observer)

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PM calls for continued unity among socialists JAMAICA -- Jamaica’s Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has called on members of Socialist International to continue to unite for the growth and development of the nations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Simpson Miller, who was addressing the Socialist International Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Jamaica Grande Resort on Friday, said that socialists “must strengthen the role of Latin America and the Caribbean in the new political and global framework.”

The committee met for two days from Friday to yesterday.

The prime minister said the group meets at a time of great economic and political convulsion worldwide. She however stated that the mission of the socialist democracy remains.

“The urgent mission of socialists today remains the positive transformation of the lives of the people we serve,” she said.

Simpson Miller said: “Equality of opportunity as a socialist ideal can never be abandoned or discredited,” adding that the face of socialism has to remain kind and gentle.

The president of the People’s National Party said that her Government has been boldly undertaking a course “of fiscal prudence and responsibility, economic reconstruction and consolidation as we seek to stem economic design, achieve economic growth and to lift our people out of poverty”.

She called on members of the Socialist International for Latin America and the Caribbean to unite, and to work together

for the growth and development of the different nations.

In the meantime, Secretary-General of Socialist International Luis Ayala, from Chile, who highlighted the work that social democrats have been doing worldwide, leading some 54 governments, said that there is more need for social democracy now with several issues facing different countries.

Among those who met for the meeting on Friday were General Secretary of the PNP and Minister of National Security Peter Bunting and Arnaldo Brown, minister of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Representatives from several countries including Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Chile, Curacao, and Venezuela who attended the meeting, discussed strategies and regional policies to strengthen the role of Latin America and the Caribbean in the new political and global economic framework. (Jamaica Observer)

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Indian High Commissioner: Carnival my number one memory TRINIDAD -- T&T politicians need not be so confrontational in the discharging of their duties, whether in government or the opposition. This is the observation of outgoing Indian High Commissioner to Trinidad & Tobago, His Excellency Malay Mishra, who ends his tour of duty at the end of this month. Saying he will always cherish the memories of Carnival and Divali, the career diplomat, who spent four-and-a-half years on this assignment, disclosed that no longer would convicted criminals be allowed to contest seats in the Indian Parliament.

Q: Mr High Commissioner, you will soon be riding out of Port-of-Spain at the end of your tour of duty. What would you say was the most troubling aspect of your assignment?

A: (At his Victoria Avenue, Port-of-Spain, High Commission, office) Troubling aspect? Well, for a diplomat, there is no real trouble, and if there is trouble it can always be smoothened out. But overall my stay here has been very good, intense... and it has been a very new experience for me in terms of my posting.

Why was this a new experience? This was your seventh posting.

(Crossing his legs, a posture he adopted for almost the entire interview) It wasn’t new, but for me it was a good study, a study of a society in transition; your society is young, it’s a plural society, you have amazing diversities within a very short time and over a small land, and the way people have absorbed this diversity in their normal day-to-day life...

Do you find, Mr Mishra, that T&T and India have some similarities which at times can be uncanny?

Yes. Very much so. In fact India is a land of diversity also, but our diversity has been formed over a millennium, our civilisation has been built over thousands and thousands of years of coexistence; mingling of different cultures, different races mixing with each other. But T&T, you got all that over a span of just 200 years.

Although it has somewhat simmered down in the very recent past there was this debate as to whether there should be an Indian Arrival Day holiday in this country. What’s your take on that?

It is important for the people to know the future and the present. Every community has to give respect to their origins, their ancestors, because they have brought so much to their society, and they should be thankful for that.

During your stewardship, Mr High Commissioner, our Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, paid a state visit to India. Did this trip result in any tangible benefits to T&T? The results of that visit are flowing, and it is not something you can touch with your finger and say “This was it” and “That was that.” No. The visit, to me, was a paradigm shift in our relations.

You diplomats are not supposed to put your mouths in the domestic affairs of the host country. But some of this Gov-

ernment’s detractors are saying that we have not really benefited anything tangible out of that trip?

Tangibly there have been some investments that have followed; there have been some Indian experts in the field of coconut who came to T&T, who did a very good job in dealing with diseases affecting your crop here. There was another coconut delegation from India, who is working with coconut growers in south Trinidad.

Surely, Mr High Commissioner, the coconut industry is not the only sector that India can…?

We have focused a lot on agriculture, and we are now offering the services of rice experts who have already been identified.

We are also working on an MoU for solar energy, which is now at an advanced stage; similarly, we are looking at SMEs (small and medium enterprises). There is an MoU on the table which is now ready to be signed, and another important area of co-operation is in traditional Indian medicines.

There has been a debate, Mr Mishra, in several countries about the effectiveness of generic Indian products.

India is one of the very important exporters of generic products…pharmaceuticals; we are very strong in that and a good part of your CDAP generic medicines are being sourced in India. There are some vested groups who are propagating this kind of myth so that people are all the time glued to branded-name medicines which cost five times more than generic versions. India is one of the countries which possesses nuclear power... (quickly adding) for useful purposes.

We are a very small country, but do you see T&T benefitting at all in this respect?

(Sharply) No. I don’t think there is any talk of nuclear energy so far with us.

From your position do you think it is at all feasible?

I have not really gone into this aspect at all in terms of renewable energy. I think they are looking at solar and water in so far as talks with T&T are concerned and basically, you have such a strong energy sector yourself, and you are looking at diversifying your energy sector, which is very obvious. But even your Government has not looked at nuclear energy so far, and I think they are still with solar and water.

Coming from the world’s largest democracy, what sort of advice can you impart to our brand of politicians keeping in mind what I told you about diplomats shying away from the domestic situations of host governments?

When I look at T&T in terms of its size and its population it is 1,000th part of India, which means if you look at the canvas of India and put T&T, when we can manage our country with such a big population (1.3 billion) and here in T&T with just over one million people, politically there could be a cohesiveness in government.

Politicians of all hues and co-

lours for a small society like this could sit together and work out many things for the benefit of your beautiful country. I see so many bills coming up in Parliament which are discussed for days and nights, which are not really worth that, in my view. They could be settled in joint parliamentary committees, which can eventually provide for a smooth handling of some of these measures.

Have you been able to discern, during your stint here, whether our politicians are too confrontational in the practice of their craft?

(Scratching his right eyebrow) You see, in a small society it is geared towards that, because you have no bigger issues to confront one another on. So If I were to answer your question without...I don’t want anybody to say “Oh, the Indian High Commissioner (laughing) was answering Mr Raphael and he makes a controversial statement.” I don’t want to say anything like that…to put myself in hot water.

But it obviously means that because you are not blind sitting here, and I am a diplomat who always mingles with the people, that is the way I look at society. If we don’t study the society, then we don’t do our jobs properly. You just don’t sit at your desk writing papers for my government. You have to observe things and people around you, and obviously the answer to your question is yes.

Why? But, why yes? Why should it be like that (perplexed expression). Why can’t it be more complementary and co-operative?

Your Excellency, I am sure one of the most unpleasant moments you had here was that incident at the Piarco International Airport where you had that matter with an immigration officer, where you called for the matter to be investigated. How far has that reached?

Well, I am told that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did have an enquiry and thereafter I did not ask what happened, but after that there has been no untoward incident as far as I am concerned. They must have taken some measures, I am sure.

Some of your most enjoyable moments?

Carnival, number one. Divali, second. It’s an amazing celebration you do for Divali.

These will go as part of my psyche, and when I remember T&T these two will hit me directly…and many other things.

Finally, Mr High Commissioner, this is something that has always aroused my curiosity…how come your Parliament is partly populated by convicted criminals, including killers?

(A heavy sigh with a contemplative pause) It is a difficult question. However, recently our Supreme Court has disallowed politicians who have records of conviction of any kind of crime. They cannot stand for election. There has been an awakening in our society at large that certainly we cannot allow ourselves to be governed in some way or to be represented in some way in our Parliament by people who have such records. This takes effect from our next general election, which is carded for 2015. (Trinidad Guardian)

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TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Rita Marley honoured by Ghana govt JAMAICA -- Rita Marley, widow of pop icon Bob Marley, will be made an honorary citizen of Ghana on August 1, that country’s celebration of Emancipation Day. A statement from the Marley Foundation says Marley will also receive a Ghanaian passport from the government.

His Excellency, Dr Erieka Bennett, Head of Mission for the African Union’s Diaspora Africa Forum, says the recognition is worthy.

“We are thrilled to see the Ghana government recognising the tremendous contribution Nana Rita has made to Ghana socially as well as economically. This is a historical day for

those of us from the Diaspora.”

Ambassador Kwesi Quartey, Ghana’s deputy minister of foreign affairs and regional integration, agreed: “Indeed Mrs Rita Marley continues to leverage her unique name recognition to showcase Ghana and talk up Ghana’s panAfricanist role and tourism potential at every opportunity,” he said.

The Marley family have lived in Ghana for almost 20 years. Rita Marley has been involved in numerous charity projects, as well as operating a recording studio and helping to organise the Africa Unite concerts. (Jamaica Observer)

COP dissidents storm luncheon TRINIDAD -- Three executive members of the Congress of the People (COP) stormed a “private meeting” held by the political leader at a Chaguanas restaurant, yesterday. Members Kirt Sinnette, Rudy Hanamji and Kishore Ramadhar, who have moved a motion to quit the People’s Partnership Government and for the removal of political leader Prakash Ramadhar, were among three members who had not been invited to the meeting.

Kishore Ramadhar is Prakash Ramadhar’s brother. Sinnette, field operations secretary, and Hanamji, COP’s Diego Martin West constituency chairman, did not disrupt the fourhour meeting, but did not stay to have lunch with fellow members at the Kampo Restaurant. Movers of the motions released a press release yesterday, saying the meeting as an attempt to pressure delegates into voting against the motions.

“The movers view this ‘invitation to lunch’ with the political leader as nothing more than a thinly disguised attempt to buy votes and exert undue pressure on members of the national council to go against the motions Resurrection Motion and the Notice to Quit.” The movers also stated, “The omission of three executive members is nothing short of an expulsion of the movers who are duly elected officers of the COP. “The exclusion of only one constituency, that of the constituency of one of the movers (Diego Martin West), is tantamount to excommunicating that constituency from the rest of the party.” They also demanded an account of how the function was funded, since the party claimed its bank account was drained in order to help the UNC’s candidate in today’s Chaguanas West byelection.

In an interview after the meeting, Ramadhar admitted that the three members were not invited and said due to limited resources he

could not have invited everyone. He said the meeting dealt with a lot of political issues but did not discuss the expulsion of anyone from the party. Asked about Sinnette’s and Hanamji’s presence, he said, “they were silent. Uninvited they came of course and with the courtesies of the COP we would not have raised any issue of they coming into the meeting and they sat.”

Asked if they were the only executive members uninvited, he said: “No, as I said there are hundreds and hundreds of workers throughout the COP, throughout this country. “I could not invite every member of the COP but certainly we wanted to have open dialogue not to be overshadowed by some of the issues that they have created, which have nothing but a distracting value to the work of the COP.” COP chairman Carolyn SeepersadBachan refuted claims that the function was a national council meeting. “It was not a national council meeting and neither did we speak to any issue of expulsion,” she said. “I want to say it was not the intention of this meeting to speak to any of these issues. Even if it does come up I want to say that was not the intention of this meeting. Again let me just say that I too was an invitee. It was the political leader’s invitation.”

However, Hanamji said he and Sinnette attended the meeting on the instructions of the people they represent, who were “up in arms” that they (Hanamji and Sinnette) were not invited. Saying that they felt slighted, Hanamji said, “We saw it as an obvious petty reaction to the motions.” Hanamji said while no one said anything directly to them, a lot of “political innuendoes” were thrown about during the meeting. As Sinnette left the restaurant he refused to comment on the meeting, saying “it was a private meeting.” (Trinidad Guardian)

TOP hierarchy miss final rally TRINIDAD -- Tobago Organisation of the People leader Ashworth Jack, the two TOP MPs and COP deputy leader Lincoln Douglas were all absent from last Saturday’s UNC rally at Pierre Road, Chaguanas. COP’s leadership and senators were present and COP’s MP Anil Roberts was also seen in the crowd. NJAC was also represented. COP’s MP Winston Dookeran is overseas according to UNC’s Suruj Rambachan. He also said TOP was represented by senator Christlyn Moore.

TOP’s Jack had told T&T Guardian last week that he was uncertain about attending the UNC rally, since he might have been out of T&T. Jack didn’t reply to any calls, yesterday.

Vernella Alleyne-Toppin from TOP said she was deeply involved with preparations for Tobago’s annual Heritage Festival all of this week and

was unable to attend. TOP MP Dr Delmon Baker didn’t answer calls.

COP’s Douglas, while speaking at COP meetings in support of the party and the People’s Partnership said last Thursday he was supporting MP Rodger Samuel’s current period of fasting and prayer. Samuel, who was also absent from the UNC rally, recently hinted at leaving his job at the Office of the PM. He said he would not make any decision until after his fast and prayers ended today.

UNC Pointe-a-Pierre MP Errol McLeod, who defended the Partnership and delivered warnings about Warner, also earned a few quizzical looks during the rally, since he wore a blue shirt—much like his union days garb— rather than yellow or white. He was unavailable for comment yesterday. ” (Trinidad Guardian)

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TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Limited access to Cazabon room after art stolen from National Museum TRINIDAD -- Two Michel Jean Cazabon paintings worth $250,000 each were stolen from the National Museum’s collection in August 2012, the T&T Guardian has learned. The paintings, whose identities were withheld by the museum, were recovered just weeks after the theft when an art dealer, whose identity was also undisclosed, tried to sell them back to the museum curators. There are still doubts amongst art experts as to whether the watercolours now hanging on the museum wall are in fact the originals.

The theft has raised concerns about security in the gallery that holds some of the country’s finest artworks, in particular the Cazabon collection, which sits in a separate air-conditioned room on the top floor of the museum. The theft has been known to the art community in Portof-Spain for some months. Artists and local gallery owners have discussed the matter in private and at an event hosted by the Art Society of T&T on July 18, LeRoy Clarke became the first artist to speak about it publicly.

Clarke said, “Do you know what is happening to your museum right now?

Do you know the rumour around that so many pieces of art are missing? People steal and then the next day a print comes back as if it were the original, and we do not have the facilities to check or authenticate anything.” The theft occurred whilst former museum curator Nimah Muwakil was on maternity leave. Tej Ramlogan, cultural arts officer at the Ministry of Arts,

was technically in charge of the museum at the time, deputising for Muwakil.

Ramlogan confirmed to the Guardian that the stolen paintings were from the collection of works by Cazabon, Trinidad’s best-known 19th-century artist. A museum attendant noticed the missing painting on a Saturday afternoon last August and reported it to Ramlogan, who closed the Cazabon room for some months and asked the curatorial team at the gallery to produce a report.

That report never materialised, however, and the incident was not reported to the police until January, when Muwakil returned from maternity leave and produced a full report on the incident for the permanent secretary of the Ministry of National Diversity and Social Integration, Jacinta Bailey-Sobers. Muwakil then reported the theft to Belmont Police Station.

‘Art dealer not reported to police for questioning’ It is unclear why the art dealer was not reported to the police for questioning when he visited the museum with the painting in his possession, amongst several works of art he was trying to sell on behalf of a client. In May, Muwakil resigned to take up a position at the Central Bank museum. The Guardian asked her for a copy of the incident report, but following professional protocol, Muwakil said it was the ministry’s responsibility to disclose the report.

Speaking to the Guardian last Tuesday, Bailey-Sobers said the ministry

had only become aware of the incident when the Guardian told her what had happened and she was “not prepared to accept that a theft has happened.” In a seemingly contradictory statement she also said the matter was being investigated by the police and a media statement would be released in the next two days.

When pressed for details of the alleged robbery she said she could not disclose details while the matter was being investigated. She said, however, no arrests had been made. Asked about the length of time it had taken to investigate, she said the police had spoken to the ministry on July 6 to say “administrative problems had delayed their investigations.”

Deputy Police Commissioner Mervyn Richardson told the Guardian, “I’m not aware that they stole anything from the National Museum, but now that you’re telling me this I will look into it.”

It is not the first time artworks have gone missing from the museum. In the mid-90s a collection of ancient West African art disappeared and subsequent investigations revealed that the pieces had not been properly documented when they were acquired. It is unclear whether the curatorial procedure has improved since.

‘Paintings worth around $250,000 each’ Geoffrey MacLean, owner of the Medulla Gallery, estimated the paintings were worth around $250,000 each. He said,

“Part of the problem at the National Museum is the inventories. Important collections should have a detailed inventory— titles, dates, sizes and photographs. There is very little control over what goes on in the museum generally.

“I do not blame the curators, they are not assisted in terms of resources. It’s a mess and typical of the whole attitude to conservation in this country.” MacLean, LeRoy Clarke and Diana Mahabir-Wyatt, a director of the Art Society, all said they hoped publicising the incident would help raise the important issue of preserving and protecting the nation’s public collection.

The gallery has been understaffed for some time. At one stage in her tenure, Muwakil single-handedly ran the museum. She had been deputy under curator Vel Lewis and was promoted when Lewis was made deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of the Arts and Multiculturalism. She acted not just as curator for the gallery but for the whole museum, including the natural history collection, whilst also acting as administrative director.

Responsibility for the National Museum has been passed between three different ministries in the past five years.

Senior figures in the art community told the Guardian they feel the Ministry of National Diversity and Social Integration will now be persuaded to fully staff the museum with assistants and trainees and provide sufficient funds to run the museum correctly. (Trinidad Guardian)

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Pakistan sweep Twenty20 series KINGSTOWN -- An inspired opening burst by Sohail Tanvir and consistent pressure in the field secured an 11-run win for Pakistan that gave them a 2-0 sweep of their Twenty/20 International series at the Arnos Vale Playing Field Sunday.

Chasing 136 for victory the West Indies clawed to 124 for nine in 20 overs after having been languishing at 94 for seven at one stage.

Dwayne Bravo topscored with 35. Sunil Narine, sent in at number six to provide a left hand right hand combination to counter Pakistan’s attack, added 28.

Kieron Pollard had the only other innings of substance spanking 23, including 20 runs in four balls in the 17th over bowled by Zulfiqar Babar.

The orthodox left hand bowler had the final laugh though, Pollard lofting a catch to Sohail Tanvir and Dwayne Bravo followed immediately afterwards caught by Mohammad Azam as he attempted to clear the infield.

Tanvir started the rut when he had Johnson Charles caught behind without scoring and Mohammad Hafeez accounted for Chris Gayle who lobbed a catch to Shahid Afridi at mid off for one.

Marlon Samuels got one that bounced sharply on him when on one and again Umar Akmal came up with a catch behind the stumps.

Lendl Simmons, who has had a good run of scores in the preceding One Day International series was bowled by Shahid Afridi for three, that left the West Indies at 17-4.

Narine and Bravo had the best partnership of the innings putting on 47 the sixth wicket.

The West Indies lower order however had no answer for Zulfiqar

Barbar and Saeed Ajmal who hastened the end.

West Indies would have fancied their chances of levelling the series having restricted Pakistan to 135 for seven in their allotment.

Wicket-keeper batsman Umar Akmal, played another useful cameo for Pakistan with an unbeaten 46 from 36 deliveries including three fours and one six.

It came in the middle of the innings as Pakistan struggled to put partnerships together.

Samuel Badree did the early damage removing Mohammad Hafeez who top edged to Lendl Simmons at short third man for ten and Haris Sohail who fell for just a single to a fine solo effort by Badree running back to complete a catch at mid off.

Ahmed Shehzad was the other main scorer, the opening batsman contributing 44 off 46 deliveries and hitting four fours and two sixes.

He was induced by Kieron Pollard to swing to deep mid-wicket where Lendl Simmons held the catch.

Sunil Narine tightened the screws on Pakistan, picking up wickets in quick succession, sending back Shahid Afridi caught at long leg by Marlon Samuels for six, Mohammad Azam stumped by Johnson Charles for one and Sohail Tanvir who paddled a simple catch to Dwayne Bravo at backward square without scoring.

Narine was economical with figures of three for 26 from four overs and Badree had two for 16 off four.

(CMC)

Scorecard Pakistan innings Ahmed Shehzad c Simmons b Pollard

44 Mohammad Hafeez c Simmons b Badree 10 Umar Amin c&b Sammy 7 Haris Sohail c&b Badree 1 Umar Akmal not out 46 Shahid Afridi c Samuels b Narine 6 Mohammad Azam stmp Charles b Narine 1 Sohail Tanvir c Bravo b Narine 0 Zulfiqar Babar not out 11 Extras: b2, lb4 w3 9 Total: (7 wickets, 20 overs) 135 Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-39, 3-42, 4-78, 5-96, 6-109, 7-109.

Bowling: Darren Sammy 4-0-201, Samuel Badree 4-0-16-2, Sunil Narine 4-0-26-3 (1w), Tino Best 2-016-0 (1w), Dwayne Bravo 4-0-35-0, Kieron Pollard 2-0-16-1 (1w).

West Indies innings Johnson Charles c Akmal b Tanvir 0 Chris Gayle c Afridi b Hafeez 1 Marlon Samuels c Akmal b Tanvir 1 Lendl Simmons b Afridi 3 Dwayne Bravo c Azam b Babar 35 Sunil Narine c Amin b Ajmal 28 Kieron Pollard c Tanvir b Babar 23 Darren Sammy c Afridi b Ajmal 1 Christopher Barnwell run out 10 Tino Best not out 17 Samuel Badree not out 1 Extras: 1b 1, w2, nb1 4 Total: ( 9 wickets, 20 overs) 124 Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-2, 3-4, 4-17, 5-64, 6-94, 7-94, 8-105, 9-105.

Bowling: Mohammad Hafeez 4-0-91 (2w), Sohail Tanvir 4-0-20-2 (1nb), Zulfiqar Babar 4-0-37-2, Shahid Afridi 3-0-29-1, Saeed Ajmal 4-0-21-2, Asad Ali 1-0-7-0.

Toss: Pakistan - who decided to bat: Result: Pakistan won by 11 runs and take the series 2-0.

Player of the match- Umar Akmal Player of the series- Zulfiqar Babar (Trinidad Guardian)

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Caribbean Pot: Homemade coconut mango ice cream A homemade Caribbean delight!

Chris De La Rosa

ters.. sometimes visiting cousins) all gathered around my dad as he cranked his way to the perfectly frozen ice cream. He had this down to a science, even knowing how many turns on the handle will produced the perfectly p y frozen and creamy y ice cream.

Ingredients 3 large mangoes (about 2 1/2 cups pulp) 1 can condensed milk (sweetened) 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup coconut milk 1 teaspoon vanilla I pureed about 2 cups of the mango, then chopped the remaining 1/2 cup to give the ice cream some texture. You can also add some shredded coconut flakes to the mixture for an even more coconut presence.

The mangoes must be fully ripe for ultimate sweetness and to allow for a smooth puree.

Wash, peel, dice and puree the mangoes. Do remember to leave back about 1/2 cup in chunky bits to give the ice cream some texture and delightful fruity surprises while enjoying this wonderful frozen treat.

You can use a blender or potato masher to get the right consistency.

maintain a consistent temperature.

If you’re using an ice cream maker as I did the key is to listen to the hum of the motor, as it thickens-up you’ll hear a difference (almost struggling) in the motor.

However, only you will know how your machine works, so do as you would normally when making ice cream.

If you don’t have an ice cream maker you can place the liquid in the freezer (in a bowl) and give it a good mix every hour or two until it’s frozen. This will help it achieve a churned texture and not one large frozen block. Speaking about blocks.. as a kid our mom would place any extra ice cream base in ice trays and freeze as cubes.

We called those frozen treats….wait… ice blocks!

This is excellent as it is and will have the texture similar to soft-serve. I like my homemade ice cream a bit more firm, so i usually place the ice cream in plastic freezer containers and put them in the freezer for about 1 hour to really stiffen up!

Not only does it firm up, but it’s a good way to save some for later!

Caribbean Cooking One of our favorite desserts in the Caribbean is homemade ice cream and as a boy growing up on the islands, there was nothing better than the stuff our dad would make in his hand-crank ice cream pail (maker).

After a delightful Sunday lunch in the heat of the Caribbean sun, we (brother and sis-

Inn a lar llarge arge ge blow, pour in the everything exceptt th the bl i th thi mango puree and give it a good whisk or use a hand blender. Then add the pureed and chunky mango pulp and again mix in well. Then place it in the fridge to chill for about 1-2 hrs. It will help the ice cream maker.

Basically all you have to do now is pour the liquid into your ice cream maker and proceed as you would normally do when making ice cream. In my case I have one of those electric makers which is lined with ice and topped with salt (old school) to

“This one can go on the restaurant’s menu” Caron mentioned after she had her first serving of this amazing coconut mango ice cream. Whenever a dish really stands out she always add it to our growing list of menu items for the day we open our restaurant.

Homemade ice cream continues to be a traditional desert enjoyed throughout the Caribbean, and I strongly encourage you to get your family involved. Not only is it a recipe you’ll easily get your children involved in making, but you’ll be able to control what goes in it and not feed them the processed stuff from the grocery store.

As we used mango, you can use just about any fruit in season.

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Wednesday, July 31, 2013 21

Benefits of yoga for stroke rehabilitation Geeta Maraj Yoga While yoga has become a general term used to describe a form of exercise geared to those with greater flexibility, there is much more to this magnificent art. Studies continue to show that yoga is beneficial in aiding stroke survivors improve their balance, flexibility, as well as, restore muscle strength and tone.

When a person suffers from a stroke, the brain is deprived of a steady supply of oxygen-rich blood which is vital to its efficient functioning. A stroke occurs as a result of a blockage or a break in one of the vessels which supplies blood to the brain.

This creates damage to the fragile brain tissue, and depending on where this occurs, various limitations to the body is the resulting factor.

The consequences of a stroke can be paralysis on one side of the body, speech impediment, and difficulty with memory, coordination and association of ideas. More so, stroke victims often suffer from balance issues which result in a greater risk of fall-

ing and bone injuries.

Routinely, after a stroke, there is a rehabilitation program in which the sufferer is enrolled, so as to improve balance, coordination and muscular tone. Adding a yoga routine to help with rehabilitation can greatly enhance recovery rate. Yoga not only tones and stretches specific muscles that are affected but also helps with emotional and psychological recovery. The latter is mainly through a variety of breathing and relaxation routines.

Always seek your doctor’s consent before starting a yoga routine as some yoga stretches should be avoided based on the victim’s health status. Equally, seek a yoga therapist who is qualified to render such therapy. Most often, such a routine requires a personal yoga therapist as there are not many yoga classes geared solely to victims of stroke.

Also of importance is finding ways to prevent a second stroke from ever occurring. Depending on the type of stroke from which one has suffered, the preventative measures differ. However the basics for preventing a stroke in the first place, or have a recurrence of a stroke includes: not smoking, control of your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, a healthy diet, and having a balance between work and leisure time.

There are a number of exercises in yoga which help to tone the facial muscles after a stroke. These exercises can be rou-

tinely performed whether you have had a stroke or not, for they help to strengthen the facial muscles. As we get older, it is equally important to strengthen the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the tongue. The extrinsic muscles help the tongue move up and down, from side to side and in and out.

These muscles keep the tongue in place by being latched to the jaw bone. The intrinsic muscles are within the tongue and aid in the tongue’s ability to alter its shape. This feature is important for clear speech and correct swallowing or deglutition. By strengthening the muscles of the tongue, choking on solids and liquids when eating can be prevented. Choking allows small particles to be pushed into the lungs, gradually increasing pneumonia risks.

Here are a few exercises which can be performed to strengthen facial and tongue muscles: Trace the shape of each of your tooth with the tip of your tongue. When tracing the shape of each tooth, be sure to trace over the entire front of your tooth, the surface of each tooth and the back of your tooth. Start from the upper left back molar and move slowly around to the upper right back molar.

Then trace with tongue, the bottom teeth beginning with the right back molar and move along to the left back molar. This will be difficult to do at first as your tongue will

ache but persevere and the ache will be less as you strengthen the tongue muscles. Try to do this exercise at least 2 to 3 times a day.

A second exercise is to push the cheek away with your tongue. This exercise is done by reaching around the circumference of the mouth with your tongue and push away the cheek from the gum line.

Again, begin from the back, upper left side of your teeth and move your tongue across to the right upper teeth, pushing the cheek from the gum line with as much strength as possible. Then proceed in the same manner from the bottom right lower jaw and move over to the bottom left lower jaw. Remember it is the strength in the push of your tongue between your cheek and gum line that tones the tongue muscles.

Relax the facial muscles by blowing a huge air bubble onto the right cheek, and then push the air bubble to the left side, pushing out the left check. Then switch the air bubble back and forth between the two cheeks as often as is comfortable.

Remember to always breathe as you do these exercises and do not hold your breath. It is the oxygen which helps to work and strengthen the muscles. If you hold your breath while doing these exercises, you are robbing your muscles of the energy rich oxygen which it requires, leading to cramps in the muscles. Best of all, these exercises also help to keep the face glowing and shapely.

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

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As the government continues to shut down family farms, your ability to make good food choices diminishes Though much of it flies under the mainstream radar, there is a coordinated effort afoot to completely stamp out all private, small-scale food production in the United States, which means your ability to access the clean, high-quality foods of your choice is rapidly diminishing. In his new book Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Food Rights, investigative journalist David E. Gumpert covers this pertinent issue in depth, highlighting the ongoing string of government raids and other oppressive tactics regulators are taking to eliminate your freedom of food choice.

In a chapter entitled Is There Such a Thing as Private Food?, Gumpert paints a grim picture of what America’s harsh regulatory climate has and is doing to family farmers. What used to be a free and open system of private food production and distribution has devolved into a type of corporate food monopoly controlled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and various other nanny state food

agencies that have assumed authority over what people can eat.

Many of the cases outlined in this particular chapter have previously been covered here at NaturalNews -- the shutdown of Amish raw milk farmer Daniel Allgyer’s Pennsylvania farm; the armed SWAT raid of the Manna Storehouse in Ohio; and the forced closure of the private Underground Market in San Francisco are just a few prominent examples. But each of these independent events represents just a small piece of a much bigger agenda to eliminate the fundamental right to choose one’s own food.

“In the public system’s expansion, farming has become increasingly removed from the output process of the nation’s food,” writes Gumpert in his book about the growing disconnect between people and the foods they eat. “More and more of the nation’s farms have become essentially subcontractors to huge corporations that dictate the feed, breed, housing, and life span for chickens, pigs, and cattle.”

Big Ag corporations using power of state to drive private food production into extinction This, of course, has been the goal of Big Ag all along -- to buy up or put out of business all American farms that refuse to meld their production outputs into the larger public food system. Those that try to operate outside the system with private food buying clubs, non-inspected goods distribution systems, and other decentralized models eventually become the target of the state, which increasingly exercises the heavy hand of tyranny to force compliance.

For Daniel Allgyer, this meant facing armed FDA agents who showed up at his private farm one morning to conduct an illegal inspection, which eventually resulted in the shutting down of his farm. For the Stowers family of Manna Storehouse,

it meant being terrorized by a SWAT team that held the family hostage while stealing their private files and other documents.

And for Quail Hollow Farm in Nevada, it meant being ordered to throw away hundreds of pounds of farm-fresh food.

Even bake sales, lemonade stands, and other neighborhood-based food events have come under increased regulatory scrutiny in recent years, which in 2011 prompted the formation of an inaugural “Lemonade Freedom Day” protest to assert the right of Americans to freely choose their own food without having to first get permission from Big Brother.

“In the recent past, bureaucrats and law enforcers have shut down lemonade stands for not having permits or licenses,” wrote the event’s organizers on their website, echoing the sentiment of many others who have been targeted using similar tactics (NaturalNews)

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Healthy Hormones: Testosterone Dr. Lydia ND

Health Tips This week I prescribed a prostate supplement to a woman. She was shocked! “Dr. Lydia, this is basic anatomy! Women do not have prostates.” Which is completely true, but sometimes women do have too much testosterone. The same type of testosterone that causes benign hypertrophy (a fancy way of saying non-cancerous growth) of the male prostate gland can cause health problems for women as well. I treat many different types of hormonal concerns, but in the last few months I’ve seen numerous patients, both male and female, who have testosterone levels that are either too high or too low.

Testosterone is an androgenic

hormone present in men and women. Androgenic means that it creates male sex characteristics in the body. For example testosterone causes males to have a deeper voice, increased body hair and loss of hair from the scalp, which is known as male pattern baldness. Testosterone helps us feel energetic and builds muscle and bone. Hormones are like a symphony orchestra, every instrument has to be balanced to create beautiful music. Too much or too little testosterone, or any hormone, can wreak havoc on your body.

If you are a male who is feeling more fatigued, less muscular or is having issues with your sexual performance, get your testosterone checked. This simple blood test is best performed between 7am and 10am.

Timing is important to get an accurate reading.

Low testosterone can be corrected with either natural means or pharmaceuticals. Bioidentical hormones, gels and creams are emerging as a more popular way to boost testosterone, than the injections previously used. Between 2001 and 2011 testosterone prescriptions tripled for men

over 40, as hormone replacement therapy gained popularity as the fountain of youth.

Correcting hormone deficiencies will improve your health, but should be supervised by your naturopathic or family doctor.

Why would a woman need a prostate supplement? Well, there is a certain type of testosterone that can be problematic. Dihydrotestosterone causes enlargement of the prostate and male pattern baldness. When women have high levels of this form of testosterone they notice hair growth on their chest, face and a trail of hair from their navel to pubic region. Jaw line acne is another telltale sign that this testosterone has gone out of whack. Male pattern baldness, thinning hair at the crown and a receding hairline, can also happen to females if hormonal imbalances go unchecked for long enough.

The bottom line is that hormones are an important determinant of your overall health. Getting your levels checked with your naturopathic doctor can help you get to the bottom of some all too common and pesky health concerns. A word of caution; do not treat suspected hormonal problems without medical supervision.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain Dr. Matthew Weekes BSC DDS MTh DMin

Dental

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) functions like a hinge between the upper stationary jaw and the movable lower jaw. If you place your finger about midway and slightly

forward to your ears and open and close your jaw, you can feel this joint.

There is a cartilage disc that is situated in the joint and moves forward and backward as the lower jaw opens and closes.

If this disc moves out of its normal path it exerts pressure or stretching of the nerves in this area, causing pain. Also the muscles associated with opening, closing and chewing may go into spasm further intensifying the pain.

Some of the common causes of TMJ pain are abnormal growth of jaws, abnormal position of teeth (malocclusion), injury to the neck, jaw and face; clenching and

grinding of teeth.

Symptoms may include clicking or popping of the jaw when opening and closing, headaches, neck aches or stiff neck muscles, lack of sound sleep. tired jaws and sore teeth when waking up, pain in either ear.

Depending on the complexity of the problem different health specialists may be involved, but the first line of defense should be an evaluation by a dentist, who may either treat or refer. Treatment may include the wearing of a simple appliance, braces, physiotherapy or surgery as a last resort.

To know and not to do Monique Bartlett Fitness When losing weight, most people know what to do. The problem is they don’t follow through. The fact is, to know and not to do is not to know. I’m not sure who coined that phrase but it’s a fact! Everyone knows they need to eat right and exercise in order

to lose weight yet, they still put too much food on the plate. There’s too much salt, fat and sugar in the food they buy. There is a lack of fresh fruits and vegetables and way too much processed food.

When it comes to exercising, it’s either non existent or it’s not done often enough. There is a lack of intensity or the fear of pushing the body too far. There’s the lack of knowledge about what to do to get the type of body that is desired and the lack of motivation because there is fear of failure before even beginning. So what is the right course of action or the first step on the road to reaching your ideal weight?

Get a coach or a trainer who can

guide you in the beginning stages. Someone who not only challenges you physically, but mentally as well and you will be accountable to them whether the results are good or bad. You should already know that there will be triumphs but there may also be setbacks and you need to be prepared for that. You can’t give up just because you gained weight one week instead of losing it. Realize that this is a journey that is meant to be had with curves and bumps along the way. Once you realize that and embrace it, you will give yourself permission to enjoy and learn from every lesson that you experience on your weight loss journey.

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Rent-to-own, mortgage, life lnsurance & bankruptcy

Stephen Mohammed Finance Real Estate - Rent to own is a great opportunity for buyers. Some buyers otherwise wouldn’t qualify for a mortgage because their credit score is too low, or they may be do not have enough money saved for a down payment to acquire their own home. Simply put, rent-to-own is renting with the option to buy. Rent-to-own has advantages and disadvantages. Before entering into an agreement, sellers have to decide on the purchase price and rent they’ll charge for the house.

The amounts are subject to negotiation but sellers and buyers must understand that once the agreement is signed, the purchase price of the house is locked in until the end of their rental term, which is usually between one and three years. If house prices fluctuate, the agreed purchase price is still in force. Renters have to pay an initial down payment and a rental premium. The initial down payment is a set amount that the renter pays the seller. If, at the end of the lease period, the renter decides to purchase the house, the initial down payment becomes part of the final down payment. If the renter doesn’t buy the house, the initial down payment becomes income for the seller.

Mortgage - Mortgage Life Insurance is insurance designed to protect a repayment of a mortgage. If the mortgagor were to die while the mortgage life insurance was in force, the policy would pay out sufficient to pay the

outstanding balance of mortgage. Mortgage life insurance is intended to protect the borrower’s (mortgagor’s) ability to repay the mortgage for the lifetime of the mortgage.

This is different to Mortgage Insurance, which is meant to protect the lender against the risk of default on the part of the borrower. At the time the insurance commences, the value of the insurance coverage must equal the balance outstanding on the mortgage at closing and the policy’s termination date must be the same as the date determined for the final payment on the mortgage.

Mortgage Life Insurance is a financial product which declines in coverage as the borrower pays more premiums to the insurer.

Hence, mortgage Life Insurance is extremely profitable for lenders (financial institutions). Mortgage Life Insurance is not required by law. It is up to the borrower whether they will opt to protect his or her property investment by an insurance product or not.

Finance - A lot of people are under the impression that financial institutions would not give them more credit than they could actually manage. There is little doubt that a large percentage of Canadians simply refuse to declare bankruptcy, not because it doesn’t make financial sense, but because they are afraid of being labeled for the rest of their lives.

Bankruptcy is usually a last resort for individuals with high debt. Bankruptcy is a tool for individuals to utilize in the event they cannot repay the debts it owes to creditors. Bankruptcy is filed when an individual cannot pay their debts as they become due and if they have at least $1,000 in debt. Depending on your situation, bankruptcy may be the only option. However, there are alternatives to bankruptcy such as a consumer proposal.

Somali-Canadian Wins the 2013 Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism M ulticultturalism EDMONTON -- Bashir Ahmed of Edmonton, Alberta is the recipient of the 2013 Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism, announced Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. ““For more than 20 years, Mr. Ahmed has worked tirelessly in both Ottawa and Edmonton to advocate the importance of multiculturalism and help integrate Somali newcomers, particularly youth, in Canada,”” said Minister Kenney. ““I am happy to announce him as the recipient of this year’s Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism.””

The award is bestowed annually on an individual or a group who demonstrates dedication to advancing diversity, multiculturalism and the integration of newcomers into Canadian society. Individuals are nominated in one of two categories: Outstanding Achievement or Lifetime Achievement. Mr. Ahmed was recognized in the Outstanding Achievement category.

A Somali immigrant himself, Mr. Ahmed arrived in Toronto in 1989. In 1992, he began working as a volunteer with Carleton Community and Health Services in Ottawa where he would soon become a member of the Board of Directors. Mr. Ahmed later founded the Association of Somali Teachers and initiated the Multicultural Liaison Program in Ottawa. He is the co-founder and Execu-

tive Director of the Somali Canadian Education and Rural Development Organization in Edmonton, which aims to enhance the immigration experience of the Somali community and break down cultural barriers. As a result of his outstanding community leadership and advocacy on behalf of multicultural issues in Alberta, Mr. Ahmed received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Award in 2012.

Mr. Ahmed, the fifth recipient of the Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism, was selected from 58 nominations that Citizenship and Immigration Canada received from across Canada. As the recipient, he receives a certificate of honour signed by the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. In addition, a grant of $20,000 will be directed to an eligible, registered, not-for-profit Canadian organization or association of his choice. Mr. Ahmed has chosen the Somali Canadian Education and Rural Development Organization.

The Award was named for Senator Yuzyk who was a member of the Senate of Canada from February 1963 to July 1986 and played a key role in the development of Canadian multiculturalism policy. He has been called the architect of multiculturalism for his early role in achieving policy recognition for the “third force” of Canadian society; that is, those who were of neither British nor French descent. (CIC)

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Ministry of Consumer Services refuses to look into 407ETR issues Tammy Flores 407ETR Matters Does Government work for people anymore?

Can the public effect change? OR Is Government only there for large corporations?

The “Office of the Integrity Commissioner” oversees Ontario’s “Lobbyist Registration Act”, the “Members’ Integrity Act” (formerly called “Conflict of Interest Act”) and the “Public Service of Ontario Act”. This office also reviews Cabinet Ministers and Opposition Leaders expenses.

The integrity Commissioner is supposed to assist MPP’s to keep the public interest in the forefront, to promote public confidence in the integrity of each MPP/public service and maintain the respect society holds for the Legislative Assembly, its members and public services. With scandals as of late like EHealth, Ornge & the power plants the public is getting tired of the same rhetoric and is losing confidence in government.

We see that by the fact that only 50% of the population votes.

It seems that the public interest is only a financial transaction these days and the fact that our MPP’s and our public ser-

vices like the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Consumer Services are allowing a company like 407ETR to continue to treat people unfairly only adds injury to insult.

Since the Ministry of Transportation refuses to respond to any more of my emails, I decided to turn to the Ministry of Consumer Services. After all, what 407ETR is doing to the public should fall under their jurisdiction, but all I got was double talk.

They refused to look into the 407ETR issues.

To quote their June 12th, 2013 letter to me “The Consumer Protection Act, 2002 is a broad piece of marketplace legislation... where there is an industry-specific regulator in place which administers legislation governing the same issue as provisions found in a more general statute, the industry-specific legislation is applied. It would be inappropriate for the Ministry of Consumer Services to mediate or investigate a matter where the business is regulated by a designated regulator...”

Didn’t the Ministry of Consumer Services, in April 2013, take steps to ensure that consumers were provided with clear information and fewer surprises when they enter into cell phone and wireless services contracts? Isn’t the CRTC the industry-specific regulator in place that administers legislation that covers the same issues? Am I wrong to conclude then that it was inappropriate for the Ministry of Consumer Services to mediate/investigate the complaints they received

about the cell phone market? Like I said, all I am getting is double talk.

What is the difference between the cell phone market and the new toll market that was created here in the Province of Ontario? I will tell you what I see. The public doesn’t have a Kevin Sack for tolling matters. Kevin Sack is 407ETR’s paid lobbyist that is able to walk into any government service such as the Ministry of Government Services, Ministry of Infrastructure, Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Transportation, the Office of the Premier and Cabinet Office, Metrolinx, Ontario Infrastructure and Lands Corporation (Infrastructure Ontario) and any MPP’s office and have an audience. Kevin Sack can discuss policy programs, projects, back office and customer service decisions, transit, transportation infrastructure, etc. Who does the public have to balance those discussions out? ABSOLUTELY NOBODY! Is this in the public interest to have only one sided discussions? No it is not.

The Ministry of Consumer Services says that we have legislation in place to handle our issues; however, neither the Ministry of Transportation nor the Ministry of Consumer Services will recognize that we were denied access to independent arbitration.

More double talk. How is this in the public interest?

Please sign and share the petition http://tinyurl.com/ 407petition

Special measures for Canadian citizens and temporary and permanent residents affected by the tragedy in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec OTTAWA -- To help those directly affected by the tragic explosion and fire in LacMégantic, the Government of Canada will automatically extend or restore the status of temporary residents, including those in Canada to work, study or visit, and provide free replacements of destroyed documents, such as immigration and citizenship status papers, permanent residency cards and Canadian passports, announced Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander today. ““What occurred in Lac-Mégantic was a terrible tragedy and our Government is committed to assisting the community to recover,”” said Alexander. ““These special measures will alleviate the anxiety of individuals who are concerned about their immigration status, and enable Canadians and permanent residents to replace lost or damaged documents at no cost. The measures ensure that residents of Lac-Mégantic have

one less thing to worry about, and complement other recent government offers of assistance.””

Temporary residents in Lac-Mégantic will have their status automatically extended or restored until October 5, 2013, and will receive free replacements of their destroyed immigration papers. If they need to extend their status beyond that period of time, temporary residents must submit a regular application for extension, including supporting documentation, to CIC. Regular application fees will apply. Permanent residents will also receive free replacements of destroyed immigration documents, such as permanent resident cards. A government-issued identity document with a Lac-Mégantic residential address, postal code G6B, will be required for proof of residency. All requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Applications for replacement immigration documents must be received between July 6,

2013 and October 5, 2013 inclusive.

Canadian passport holders affected by the disaster must re-apply for their free replacement either in person at one of the 34 passport offices, by mail, or at one of the following Service Canada Centres: Thetford Mines, Sherbrooke and Asbestos. Similarly, a government-issued identity document with a Lac-Mégantic residential address, postal code G6B, will be required for proof of residency. The replacement passport will be valid for the same length of time as the original, and the application for the replacement passport must be received between July 26, 2013 and October 5, 2013.

In addition, two dedicated phone lines have been set up to assist affected temporary and permanent residents with their queries. They may call 1-888-2422100 number and press “7” to speak with an agent. For passport-related questions, the number is 1-800-567-6868. (CIC)

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Sam Boodram - Lalna Coosie Vashtie Doorga Entertainment Sam Boodram “Lalna Coosie” sings the praises of the birth of Lord Krishna, a Hindu God, but the Gods were probably singing praises the day the gifted spirit of Sam Boodram graced the earth when he was born. He would make his mark as one of the Cultural icons of Trinidad and Tobago that was honored as one of the Living Legends of Chutney, part of a special presentation at Chutney Soca Monarch. He says his happiest moments are when he sings in temple with his harmonium, and feels as though he is talking to the Gods. He says you have to have “Bhakti”, or devotion when you sing so you can feel the power or ”Shakti”of the music. He continues in Hindi” Ek bhajan

Bena Ram ke naam Brita hai”, meaning a song without the name of the Lord is no use at all. The Kumoto Lion, a name coined by Pat Mathura, has a high respect for women and especially mothers. He speaks highly of his brilliant wife, The Honorable Mr. Basdeo Pandey’s sister, who has never left his side, working with him and so he never leaves home without his wife. He says this is the reason he is so grounded and successful, with the love of one woman by his side all these years and still going strong.

In the days of Sugar and dhal, holding his nani’s dress to walk to the river, his grandparents only spoke Hindi and came to Trinidad as Orange Estate Bound coolies, but kept their traditions and culture alive by passing it on to their children. As children flying kites in the boundary road cemetery with Sham and Moen Mohammed, they would meet up again years later to coin one of the most famous words that expresses an important part of the Chutney movement in the Caribbean. The Mohammeds met with the Kumoto Lion buying groceries and asked what do we call tamarind salt and pepper?

Sam replied Chutney, and they decided that the style of music they would sing would be called Chutney and so it began. Just as the kites flew high as a child, the name Sam Boodram, a true living legend, will soar high in to the heavens and will be remembered as one of the greatest legends of Trinidad and Tobago.

Dancehall Artiste: I-Octane Before he became known to the world as I-Octane, young Byiome Muir was just another youth growing up in Sandy Bay, Clarendon with big dreams.

Now he is known for his uniquely powerful voice and spit-fire lyrics but before that he gained himself the reputation of being a noisy little boy who was constantly belting out a tune, much to the annoyance of his mother and siblings. Young Byiome took this passion for music and singing to school and could always be found beating a rhythm on the desk and entertaining his classmates.

Before long, the casual performances gained Byiome respect and no schoolyard clash, concert, or function was complete without an appearance from the budding singjay.

Despite his blossoming reputation as a talented singer, Muir still didn’t consider performing professionally as a viable career choice. Understanding the financial hardships that his family had to endure, he took on the role of ‘man of the house’ and focused on helping his mother raise his brothers and sister. However, his education was not to be neglected. His mother encouraged him to work hard at school and Byiome discovered that he had an affinity for the sciences and architecture. He actually considered becoming an architect but he couldn’t seem to escape the call of the music.

It wasn’t until he completed high school that Byiome really considered getting serious about his talent. By this time, a few people began to encourage him to take the plunge into the music industry. He began performing under the name ‘Richie Rich’ and aided by his hardcore dancehall lyrics, it wasn’t long before he was introduced to famed producer Donovan Germaine of Penthouse Records. Spending time at Penthouse and rubbing shoulders with more established artists such as Buju Banton and Tony Rebel gave Richie the opportunity to hone his talent and really decide where he wanted to go with his new career choice. While working with Penthouse, he decided to change his name to something that better represented

him. He realized that high octane gas was known for it’s high energy and performance and knew immediately that this epitomized the type of performer he wanted to be. He personalized it by substituting the ‘high’ for ‘I’, and so the name I-Octane was birthed.

Three years after linking with Penthouse, I-Octane caught the interest of Arrows Recording Company. Junior Arrows approached him and ended up signing him to the label. This decision brought with it a lot of changes and I-Octane slowly began to make a name for himself. He transitioned from dancehall music to a more cultural vibe and his first hit single ‘Stab Vampire’ cemented his position as a notable reggae artist.

It seems that the success of ‘Stab vampire’ served as a catalyst to propel I-Octane forward. After that song went to number one and received the award for Video of the Year at the ‘Excellence in Music Awards (EME), I-Octane put out hit after hit, winning over skeptics and gaining many new fans. Song’s such as Different page, Hurt mi, and ‘Mama you alone’ reverberated with people all over and as his reputation soared his fan base increased and the demands grew beyond the Jamaican soil. In no time I-Octane was performing to his international fan base on his first European tour. Inevitably, he soon began to link with notable producers who were all clamoring to work with the young artist and his repertoire of hit songs broadened rapidly.

I-Octane is now an independent artist, having ended a 4-year partnership with Arrows Recordings. His catalogue continues to grow likewise his accolades and he has received numerous awards and nominations in recognition of his work. With only a 5-year stint in the industry he is already being compared to some of the legends in reggae, hence it’s only appropriate that many industry professionals and corporate Jamaica are looking to him as the leader of the new generation of music.

VP Records and Scikron will re-

lease of I-Octane’s debut album, ‘Crying To The Nation,’ available January 31, 2012. As one of the most-talked about artists emerging from Jamaica, I-Octane’s first full-length LP will reinvigorate the feeling of roots and dancehall at its purest. He has already proven himself as a lyricist with rapid-fire delivery and unveils his uncanny ability to sing romantic ballads and socially aware tunes on this traditional reggae album.

‘Crying To The Nation’ puts I-Octane in a class of his own as one of the next generation’s leaders of the conscious dancehall movement. Following in a similar vein of his predecessors Sizzla, Capleton and Buju Banton, his lyrics express sentiments of faith, romance, social justice and compassion for the ghetto youth. His brand new single “L.O.V.E Y.O.U,” “Missing You” (remix featuring Agent Sasco) and “Once More” reflect his emotional sensibility, while songs like “Vanity Will Come,” “All We Need Is Love” (featuring Tarrus Riley) and the title track are filled with positive messages and political leanings, something that the current state of dancehall often lacks.

Most of the album’s tracks have never been heard with the exception of pulsating dancehall anthems “No Love Inna Them” and “Puff It” as well as “Lose A Friend,” his most requested song to date. The latter tune hit number #1 on Jamaica’s charts - remaining at the top for approximately 16 weeks - and experienced new life again when Jamaican officials declared a state of emergency after Kingston’s gruesome gangrelated attacks. ‘Crying To The Nation’ will solidify his position as a multi-faceted reggae artist and prove his reach beyond dancehall.

Even with his success to date, it is clear that I-Octane has just scratched the surface of all he is meant to achieve. His music has captured the attention and hearts of people of every color, creed and class and this artist has undoubtedly unleashed a fire that will eternally blaze. HOTTA FIRE BURNING!!!! (ReggaeVille)

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The beauty of blogs Julie Rambali Business Development You’ve probably heard of a weblog or now known as a blog and either know exactly what it is or have no clue about it. There are now millions of blogs on the internet and writers creating them on a daily basis. One amazing quality about a blog is its simplicity. They are easy to manage, affordable, and sometimes free.

Try typing in any keyword into your favorite search engine and you’ll notice that a large number of blogs will be listed.

This is the very reason why many businesses

have turned to blogs as a marketing tool in order to increase traffic to their website. A business can reach thousands and even millions of people through a blog.

If you’re not familiar with blogs, think of a normal website with a homepage and lots of links and sub links organized to form a website. Now a blog is much simpler.

A blog is a single page of entries and there can be archives of older entries. Entries can be articles, product/service descriptions, news, tips & tricks, jokes, industry updates, and anything basically related to your industry. Blog entries are organized in reversechronological order, from most recent to past entries.

When starting to write a blog entry, let your customers know what your business is all about and the types of products/services you offer. On future blog entries, breakdown your products/services one at a time

in detail so you can stretch your information out into more blog entries. This shows your customers that you are an expert in your field and that you take pride in staying active and up-to-date.

Make sure to promote your sales and events directly on your blog to keep your customers informed of special news and invite them to interact and network with your other customers. Provide your customers with solutions to common problems and a way for them to get reliable help fast.

Blogs are made public for the whole world to see especially search engines because they are your link to the rest of the world. The best way to keep your website active with search engines is to write blogs and provide backlinks to and from authoritative websites and high ranking blogs related to your industry.

These tips for writing your own

blogs show your customers that you are passionate about your industry and that’s what makes blogging such an efficient marketing tool. Most importantly, search engines reward blogs that regularly publish high-quality and relevant content because the goal is to provide searchers with links to websites that can actually answer their questions or provide solutions to their problems.

Best of luck writing and remember to educate your audience to help create a connection with them. This shows that you care about helping them and next thing you know, you’ll become an expert blogger in no time. Happy blogging!

Next time, I’ll write more about video blogging, how to video blog, and what to video blog about to drive targeted visitors to your website.

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Your Horoscope - July 31st 2013 Aries Horoscope (March 21-April 20): Ready to get a move on? Your stars are fully triggered through the first of August. Hitting things full-force and head-on, the transiting Aries moon and Mars thrust you onto a faster forward on Friday and Saturday. Mars continues to keep things on high brew through next Wednesday and Thursday. This is the moment. Do it. Be it. Make it happen.

Taurus Horoscope (April 21-May 21): The next week or so will get you thinking and moving along new lines, perhaps suddenly so. The weekend lights a spark, then a fire. There’s more to discover, more to know and grow.

From Saturday onward, it’s cut-to-thechase time. You’ll find yourself on a much faster, more productive course. Monday’s grand sextile sets exceptionally auspicious conditions for action-taking.

Gemini Horoscope (May 23-June 20): Aim for simplicity on Thursday and Friday. It’s okay to slack off or take the easy way out, but make sure to stay on top of priorities and important details. Wastefulness or too much alcohol can take their toll. An impulse strikes, a circumstance plays out, and uncertainty is replaced from Saturday onward. You’ll surpass a block, a hurdle, or your own resistance.

Cancer Horoscope (June 21-July 20): The end of the week and the start of next week can spark a great creative idea or two. Friday through Sunday, a sharp turn sets you onto a fresh track, perhaps abruptly so. Monday and Tuesday are solidifying, confirming, and/or lucrative. There’s still more to iron out, get past, try, or test. Things will quickly unfold over the next week.

Leo Horoscope (July 21Aug. 22): Stay alert, available, and ready to spring into action when the opportunity or need ignites. Friday night through Sunday can thrust you into something new or unexpected. Trust your instincts; you should find they kick into high gear at just the right moment. Regarding professional, legal, or financial matters, Monday’s grand sextile alignment offers a lucrative time to lock things in.

Virgo Horoscope (Aug. 23Sept. 22): Uncertainty and self-doubt are quickly replaced, thanks to this weekend’s set-it-straight stars.

You are about to move to a new or next level where it’ll do you the most good, and quickly so. Potentials are greatly enhanced, and things are especially ripe for the taking. Monday’s fortuitous grand-sextile alignment places you at an opportunity peak. Use it and gain a major advantage.

Libra Horoscope (Sept. 23Oct. 22): There’s still plenty more to get through, but by Friday you’ll find yourself on a much faster upswing.

Monday/Tuesday, put creativity, common sense, and intuitive smarts to good use and you’ll gain more than you would at other times. Use the start of the week to get on with financial undertakings and lifestyle upgrades. The grand sextile also optimizes relationship accord and intimate bonding.

Scorpio Horoscope (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): As of Friday night, you’ll pick up a lot more steam. Starting Saturday, watch for one thing to lead you directly and immediately into the next thing—and so it goes for the next week or so. Monday/Tuesday is especially productive for financial wheeling and dealing or initiating a big step or move.

It’s also time to let someone know how you feel.

Sagittarius Horoscope (Nov. 22-Dec. 20): They don’t call you hot stuff for nothing. Come the weekend, you’ll find yourself on a full swing and at the top of your game. Once passion, inspiration, or instinct kicks into gear, there’s no stopping you. Monday/ Tuesday is exceptionally lucrative for work projects and working it out. Stay focused on the results you want.

Capricorn Horoscope (Dec. 21-Jan. 20): The weekend is an ideal time to blow off steam in whatever way suits you best. On the other hand, if a relationship, personal, or family conflict becomes too obvious to ignore, address it immediately. It can be quickly righted. Monday is an ideal time to nail it down, buy it, or make the commitment.

Aquarius Horoscope (Jan. 21-Feb. 18): Enjoy the outdoor entertainment and/or make your time your own as best you can this weekend.

Freedom is revitalizing—don’t expect to sit still, though. Watch for an impulsive edge or the unexpected to rev things up and keep them going strong. Monday favours matters to do with real estate, family, home, and financial upgrades.

Pisces Horoscope (Feb. 18-March 20): Something new or long desired is shaping up. Over the next week or so, you’ll gain more clarity and confirmation. Saturday and Wednesday catapult you over a significant threshold. A future prospect reveals itself. Monday and Tuesday solidify it further. This jump-start leads you onto a lucrative, personally rewarding, and transformed pathway.

CANADA: 1-800-565-2632

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Leadership is available!

We are all on a journey toward greatness!

Jim Pagiamtzis Business Development Leaders are made, not born. We are all on a journey toward greatness, and it’s the choices we make that define us.

In 2003 I made the choice to seek out ways to improve in business, life, and success. Years later I realized that I had evolved into a

great leader, inspiring and empowering many professionals and entrepreneurs to achieve their goals.

In 2008 I had the opportunity to meet and learn from Brian Klemmer at a Champion’s Workshop in Toronto. It was a memorable day, learning from such an accomplished leader who had trained thousands to reach their success. He shared his insights through powerful lessons, and engaging experiential learning exercises on how the game of life is played.

We all wear different lenses as we go through life. As we venture through our journey, we come to realize that we go through many trans-

formations, which change our life lenses. We make the choice to evolve and improve by reading or listening to great books, attending seminars, and choosing who we associate with.

We have the power to make choices. We attract mentors who share their wisdom, pushing us to become better leaders, and to affect others in the same way.

for, to help you become a successful leader. Take this information with courage, dignity, and responsibility, and learn the way of leadership. In due time, it will be your turn to teach future leaders; the responsibility of empowering and encouraging them to succeed in their endeavors.

Apply these principles, and you will find yourself in the leadership role, and being the example to others, in your journey of success.

Leadership comes with great Brian Klemmer has written many books, where his legacy continues. The Compassionate Samurai responsibility is a powerful read with great insights In life you will meet people who will into the many facets of leadership. give you the answers you are looking