Lockstep to Lockdown

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LOCKSTEP TO LOCKDOWN

SIMONE J. SMITH/TORONTO CARIBBEAN LOCK STEP - “A world of tighter topdown government control and more authoritarian Leadership, with limited innovation and growing citizen pushback.”

I will be honest; I have been sitting on this article since June 2020. When this information was first presented to me, I felt a shiver run down my back that I could only describe as fear. Over the last few months, I have taken the time to read this report, and I have been

observing how governments from around the world have handled this pandemic.

Part of me wanted what I am about to present to you to just be a CONSPIRACY THEORY, but to my dismay, this has become an educational fact.

“The Rockefeller Foundation’s use of scenario planning to explore technology and international development has been both inspired and ambitious.

Scenario planning is a powerful tool precisely because the future is unpredictable and shaped by many interacting variables. Scenarios enable us to think creatively and rigorously about the different ways these forces may interact, while forcing us to challenge our own assumptions about what we believe or hope the future will be.” ~ Peter Schwartz Cofounder and Chairman Global Business Network Continued On Page 8

PAGE 2

FEATURE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 20, 2021

TIA “Mz Konnoisseur” HAMILTON CEO OF STATE VS. US MAGAZINE

“Four walls may hold your body, but it does not have to keep your mind.”

Her energy was intense, and right away you could tell this woman meant business.

This was not my first time speaking with Tia Hamilton. We had featured her on our sister station MyTCNTV Network a few years back, and I was instantly captivated by her confident and vibrant energy the moment I first spoke with her.

Her energy matches the physical manifestation of an African Queen. There is just something about her in-your-face looks, bleach-blond hair, curvaceous body, contagious smile, and throaty laughter. It is the type of energy that draws attention without her having to ask for it. It is hard to imagine that the woman I was speaking to had once been charged with kidnapping and attempted murder. It was even harder to visualize that she had run an interstate drug ring.

It is the relationship that she had with the streets, and that she has with her past that inspires her to advocate for people caught up in the system. In no way does she try to hide from her past.

If anything, it is her history with gang life and incarceration that has helped her become the business mogul she currently is.

Writing under the moniker “Mz.Konnoisseur,” Tia Hamilton is the founder of State v. Us, which was nominated in 2018 & 2019 for the Titan Arts Award for Magazine of the Year, and won the 2019 Publisher of the Year (Middle River, MD).

“This magazine is exactly what we need right now!

It tells the stories that the evening news doesn’t tell from the voices of the people that lived through it. Giving us a peek on the inside of the walls and those on the inside a peek out.

State Vs Us is what we have been missing!”

Tasha (State V. US Subscriber)

The magazine provides a unique visual outlet highlighting: high profile cases, wrongful convictions, and corruption that is running rampant in the United States of America. It also showcases success stories of individuals who have

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made it out of prison, and completely changed their lives around. The stories provide real life examples of how to handle encounters with the law, it offers: financial, real estate, and legal advice, as well as highlighting the best in entertainment.

Tia has worked hard to secure distribution in both correctional facilities. She takes pride in her product, and she does this for the incarcerated audience. Each edition of State V. Us has a glossy, full-colour cover, and it is printed on thick, coated pages. Each volume features the successes of formerly incarcerated individuals, backstories behind popular cases, and opinion pieces on subjects important to the black community. You will find articles about mental health illnesses, images of beautiful, bodacious, and tantalizing black women (a deviation from the conventional beauty standards), and community stories that are meant to motivate and inspire.

State V. Us has definitely been a labour of love for Tia, and during my talk with her, I was able to learn more about what motivates her, what pisses her off, and why she does what she does fearlessly.

“I was born ready,” Tia began. “Energized ready to go. I was always active, involved and doing things. I was always able to lead my team. I was always a leader. I grew up in a life of crime, and so it came natural to me. I had family members doing it so getting into the lifestyle was not hard.

I became the woman of the block. I was a drug dealer, and I was successful at it. It got so good that at one point, I was running a county. I was moving units, thank God, I didn’t get caught doing that.

God always wheeled me back in, and I knew that God truly had my back after my kidnapping, and attempted murder charges. I said Lord, help me through this and I will do right.”

Tia decided to walk away from the street life after an attempted murder charge against her was dropped in 2007. Her story is one of self-defence, but because he was hospitalized, she caught the charge. Before the case went to trial, Tia tells me that she prayed to God, and asked him to help her.

“I promised God, ‘if you get me out of here, I won’t sell no more drugs. I will act right and get my life together. Fourteen years later, I am doing exactly what I promised God I was going to do. The promise that I made to him I kept.’”

“To me, it was the same grind, different product.”

It was time for Tia to show people

different ways of becoming successful. “I speak 100%. I challenge people to check me. Don’t run your month if you don’t know what you are talking about. With the respect I had in the streets, I didn’t have a problem making this change in my life. People respected my decision. They respected my hustle.”

On December 15th, 2019, just before the entire world changed, Tia opened Urban Reads Bookstore located at 3008 Greenmount Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland. She opened it because other bookstores wouldn’t put her magazine in their stores. So, Tia and her parents combined their funds to found Urban Reads. It features a collection of works by formerly and currently incarcerated people.

“I created a space for black authors to sell our books in the black community. When I first wanted to open the store, my application was denied because the mall owners said I was too political. That didn’t stop me. I found a space, and now we sell CBD products, Sea Moss and children’s books.”

I was curious about how COVID-19 had affected the magazine and the business.

“COVID-19 has not been hard for me,” Tia remarks. “COVID-19 can’t fight. Nothing is going to pull up and stop me; nothing that can’t look me in the eye. I can’t stop now. There are people who are counting on me. Blacks in America are overrepresented in the prison system, and this system has broken down the strongest men.

Some of the stories I hear hurt my heart. There are women in some prisons who can’t even get sanitary napkins during their time of the month. I even heard of a story where an elderly woman was sick and they left her on the ground in her cell for four hours. You can’t tell me that it is okay to do this to people.

We, as a people, have a lot of things we have to work on. We have to educate ourselves on what our rights and freedoms are, and we have to take it to the streets. We have to fight for the rights of those who are unable to do so. I won’t stop doing this. Never!”

Written by Simone J. Smith Toronto Caribbean News

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NEWS

PAGE 3

The Nuremberg Code; what is it, and how can it protect those who do not want to be vaccinated? different laws; however, there is a universal law. It is called the Nuremberg Code, and in this article, I am going to break it down to you.

SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Vaccinations are being executed across Canada and the United States of America.

In September 2020, Canada had committed more than $1billion to buy doses of COVID-19 vaccines after they had secured a deal with Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline.

The Canadian government has rolled out their “Canada’s COVID-19 Immunization Plan: Saving Lives and Livelihoods,” which can be found at the Canada.ca website. According to the website, this plan is critical in Canada’s COVID-19 response.

They state that widespread immunization presents the best option to protect people from COVID-19 and over time, to lift the restrictions placed on society to keep people safe and healthy. They are clear that until extensive immunization is achieved, public health measures will continue to be essential to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in Canada and save lives.

The government writers are skilled. They say so much with very little words. “Until extensive immunization is achieved, public health measures will continue to be essential,” is exactly why understanding the Nuremberg Code is important for those who do not want to take the vaccine. There could come a time in our future where we are forced to take the vaccine, or we lose the ability to: go into stores, banks, or even travel.

Of course, we don’t know how this is going to look as different countries have

“Doctor’s Trial” (USA v. Karl Brandt et al.)

It was December 9th, 1946, and the American military tribunal had opened criminal proceedings against twenty three Germany physicians and administrators for their participation in war crimes and crimes against humanity.

On April 17th, 1947, a Dr. Alexander submitted a memorandum to the United States Counsel for War Crimes. In the memo was six outlined points that defined legitimate research on human beings. On August 19th, 1947 a verdict was delivered.

It was during this time that they confronted the question of medical experimentation on human beings. Dr. Alexander’s points were reiterated and revised to have ten points. These ten points became known as the Nuremberg Code.

What gave rise to the Code were the medical experiments on unwilling subjects that were occurring in Concentration Camps. The Code outlawed all kinds of forced medical procedures and therapies, not just experimental ones. This means that YOU must be fully informed and give free consent, be conscious and able to decide things for themselves that affect their medical future.

The Nuremberg Code has been around since the 1940’s, but recently there have been reinterpretations of the Code.

One reinterpretation is that it is for medical experiments only. Let’s be clear; what the Code does is outlaw all forced procedures and therapies, including vaccines.

No one has the right to violate the Code and force any kind of involuntary or undisclosed vaccination on you by any means. This also means that they are not al-

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lowed to deprive you of any other right or privilege, including the right to travel and use public facilities.

Let’s take a look at the ten points that are discussed in the Nuremberg Code: Code 1 The absolutely necessary condition for conducting an experiment on a person is the voluntary consent of the latter.

Code 2 The experiment should bring positive results to the society, unattainable by other methods or research methods; it should not be random, essentially non-binding in nature.

Code 3 The experiment should be based on data obtained in laboratory studies on animals, knowledge of the history of the development of this disease or other studied problems. Its holding should be organized in such a way that the expected results justify the fact of its holding.

Code 4 When conducting an experiment, it is necessary to avoid all unnecessary physical and mental suffering and damage.

Code 5 None of the experiments should be carried out if there is reason to assume the possibility of death or a disabling injury to the subject; an exception, perhaps, may be cases when research physicians act as subjects in carrying out their experiments.

Code 6 The degree of risk associated with the experiment should never exceed the humanitarian importance of the problem that the experiment is aimed at.

Code 7 Appropriate training should precede the experiment, and its implementation should be provided with the equipment necessary to protect the subject from the slightest possibility of injury, disability or death.

Code 8 Only persons with scientific qualifications should carry out the experiment. At all stages of the experiment, those who conduct it or are engaged in it require maximum attention and professionalism.

Code 9 During the experiment, the subject should be able to stop him if, in his opinion, his physical or mental state makes it impossible to continue the experiment.

Code 10 During the experiment, the researcher responsible for carrying out the experiment should be prepared to terminate it at any stage if professional considerations, conscientiousness and caution in the judgments required of it, give reason to believe that the continuation of the experiment may lead to injury, disability or death test subject.

As usual, I am going to tell you to do your due diligence and research what I have presented. It is all a matter of choice. If you want to take the vaccine, great! Just ensure that you have done your research on how it could affect YOUR body. If you are not interested in taking this vaccine, at least you have a starting point when it comes to arming yourself with knowledge.

Always do what you see best for yourself and your family.

NEWS

Wednesday, January 20, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 5

Joint letter lists three actions that need to be taken by Premier Doug Ford concerning education ACTION # 2 The government must provide funding and direction in brick and mortar schools to:

PAUL JUNOR

•

Hire more educators for smaller class sizes so that students and educators can adhere to the two meters of physical distancing mandated everywhere else in Ontario Provide appropriate levels of medical grade PPE for all educators and masks for all students Ensure that all classes have functioning windows that open and close, as well as modern ventilation systems with HEPA filters Hire more cleaning staff for the regular cleaning and sanitizing of classrooms and shared spaces and more in- school nurses to assist with screenings and managing potential outbreaks Institute an on-going program of asymptomatic testing in schools until COVID-19 has been eradicated Establish mobile vaccination sites for teachers and education workers for voluntary vaccination

paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

•

As schools remain closed across the province, and in-person learning is suspended, educators’ and stakeholders sent a joint letter to Premier Doug Ford on Thursday, January 7th, 2021.

The letter was sent by the Elementary Teachers Federation (ETT) and can be seen at ETT.ca. The letter was signed and endorsed by the Presidents of five teachers unions: Leslie Wolfe of OSSTF Toronto, John Weatherup of CUPE 4400, Rob Fulford of EFTO Toronto Occasional Teachers, Jennifer Brown of Elementary Teachers of Toronto and Linda Bartram of Occasional Teachers’ Bargaining Unit-D12.

The letter was meant as a show of solidarity to address issues that remained unresolved as schools were set to reopen on Monday, January 25th, 2020. The letter was undoubtedly meant as a response to the letter that Education Minister, Stephen Leece wrote to the parents of Ontario.

On Saturday, January 2nd, 2021, this letter was intended to assure parents and caregivers that the Ministry of Education was doing their best. It focused on what had been done to provide support devices, Internet services, financial support and initiatives to keep childcare and schools safe.

The joint letter counteracts the point that all teachers received online training in remote learning. The fact is many teachers were not able to access the professional development training. The letter states that many educators and students are still lacking digital resources and support to teach student effectively. It mentioned the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) had not provided adequate training to teachers.

•

•

• •

Education Minister, Stephen Leece announced on Thursday, January 7th, 2020 that there would be province-wide asymptomatic testing in schools, and more funding for PPE, and hiring extra caretakers.

ACTION # 3 Your government must provide funding and direction in virtual schools to: •

Provide schools with the up-to-date technology so that educators can properly implement remote, and synchronous learning in virtual schools when brick and mortar schools are closed due to COVID-19 outbreaks Give educators the digital resources and supports necessary to provide the education our students deserve Fund supports for students, including access to devices and the Internet Make certain educators have sufficient release time to be trained for any new initiative Stop adding on to educator’s workload, especially work that is typically done by other unions

• • •

There are three actions that are expected from the letter:

•

ACTION # 1 The government must listen to public health and education experts and take every action to prevent COVID-19 transmission. Don’t downplay the risk in the schools, as they have in the past.

The letter is particularly concerned about the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on black, Indigenous and people of colour, at-risk communities and the potential effects of unsafe school reopening policies on them.

The hope is that the government addresses the Internet inequities in virtual schools, which has exacerbated the digital divide. Many students in Toronto schools still do not have devices and consistent Internet service.

There is much hope that the joint letter will prompt the PC-led government to invest more money to ensure that the health and safety of all Ontario students are paramount at all times.

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Wednesday, January 20, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

What’s up with WhatsApp? New privacy policy steers users away!

JANIECE CAMPBELL janiece@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

A social media network used among many in the black, Caribbean and African community to avoid long-distance fees and calling cards, that instantly connects us to family back home, completely free of charge. Currently sustaining over 2 billion active users, WhatsApp has become the world’s most popular messaging application.

Originally founded by two former employees of Yahoo, it was acquired

by Facebook in 2014 for a whopping total of $19 billion. Since then, the terms surrounding the app’s privacy policies have been questionable to say the least, especially when Facebook already has a bad reputation for privacy breaches and security vulnerabilities.

On January 6th, WhatsApp broadcasted a message to all of its users informing them of its new privacy policy, which would share data from the messaging app to Facebook. This data includes your battery level information, IP address, browser information, mobile network, phone number and internet service provider.

The worst part of it all? You cannot opt out of this change. WhatsApp made sure to make note: if you do not accept this new policy by February 8th, you will lose access to your account and be unable to use the app. They are literally forcing you to comply and forbidding you from their services if you refuse to!

Much uproar and confusion about this notice forced WhatsApp to clarify the update to its users. The company stated that the update “does not affect the privacy of your messages with friends or family in any way,” adding that the policy changes were necessary to allow users to message businesses on WhatsApp. The notice “provides further transparency about how we collect and use data,” they said.

But many people aren’t buying it.

In fact, mobile app analytics firm Sensor Tower noted within the same week What-

sApp revealed these changes, people immediately flocked to other telecommunications apps. Signal, a competing messaging app, saw 17.8 million downloads on Apple and Google during the week of January 5th to January 12th, an enormous increase from 285,000 the previous week. Telegram, another popular messaging app worldwide, also achieved ample success, surpassing 500 million active users and gaining more than 25 million new users within three days.

And WhatsApp’s statistics? Well, the downloads shrank from 11.3 million to 9.7 million in one week, a 14% decrease according to the Financial Times.

“Use Signal,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk vaguely tweeted the following day after the policy change announcement.

“That’s @signalapp, for those who don’t speak Elon,” the infamous whistleblower and privacy advocate Edward Snowden quote-tweeted the two-word endorsement shortly after. When asked why the former National Security Agency employee recommended it, Snowden had a powerfully simple response: “I use it every day and I’m not dead yet.”

A quick look on Signal’s website will show you a series of testimonials from technologically advanced professionals promoting the security and stability of the app. “I trust Signal because it’s well built, but more importantly, because of how it’s built: open source, peer reviewed, and funded entirely by grants and donations. A refreshing model for how critical services should be built,” said Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter.

Could this be the end of WhatsApp? Well, who knows! Because of technology constantly being innovated, it’s known that these apps don’t last forever.

Need I remind you of all the once-great but now expired social networks such as MySpace, MSN and BBM. These were just a few of the apps that we couldn’t get enough of until eventually they just phased out. And someday, it might just happen to all of our favourite apps today.

Regardless of your decision to accept or reject the new terms, WhatsApp is still by far the number one messaging medium and there’s no signs of a mass exodus just yet. But if you are leaning towards, there’s no shame in it! There are plenty of apps out there that can satisfy your texting needs and ease your mind off of unknowingly being monitored.

NEWS

PAGE 7

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NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Our lives were determined in 2010, and many of us have no idea! tute of Virology in Wuhan China)

SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Continued From Page 1 -- At the end of this article, I will provide two things, a snapshot of the original posting of the 2010 document, as well as a PDF copy. If you are interested (and I hope you are) about checking the legitimacy of this article, I would suggest you take the time to download, and then read through the document for yourself.

As a media organization, we have been attacked both vocally, and cyber because of the content that we have produced over the past year. We have had African-Caribbean’s forcefully ask us to take the Caribbean out of our title because they don’t think that we should be representing Caribbean’s living in the diaspora. To them I say this; read over this article thoroughly.

Read it as many times as you can. Follow this up by doing your own research with the links that we provide. Upon doing so, you will see why we have had to do what we are doing.

Personally, I do this work for my people. As a first generation Jamaican woman, it is my duty to stand for those who cannot stand for themselves; speak for those who have been silenced, and educate those who are in the dark about things that ultimately will affect them in the future.

Are you ready readers? Let’s go through this document together. While you are doing so, I would like you to reflect over the last few months and begin to piece together what you have personally experienced. I would like to introduce to you the Lock Step Scenario, 2010.

“Hypothesize a simulated global outbreak, required steps, various phases, overall timeline and expected outcomes.”

Rockefeller - LOCKSTEP, 2010 One thing that you have to keep in mind is that the document is looking at a future scenario. It was published in 2010, and it paints a picture, that like a puzzle is slowly starting to fit together. This document speaks of a future pandemic that kills 8 million people in just seven months. There are three phases that we are going to review, and I am going to provide links that correlate to each phase.

Phase One (Lock Step Scenario) Create a very contagious but super low mortality rate virus to fit the needed plan.

•

•

•

A SARS/HIV hybrid research strain was created at Fort Detrick class 4 lab from 2008-2013 as part of a research project to find out why coronavirus’s spread like wildfire in bats but have an extremely hard time infecting humans Create a weaponized version of the virus with a much higher mortality rate as a “BACKUP plan” ready to be released in phase 3 BUT ONLY IF NEEDED (SARS/HIV/ MERS weaponized tribrid strain created at Fort Detrick class 4 lab in 2015) Transport the research strain to a different class 4 lab (National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg Canada) and have it stolen and smuggled out by China (Shi Zhengli) on purpose and taken to China’s only class 4 lab (Wuhan Insti-

Researchers and journalists have gone back and forth about whether it was created in a lab or if it was natural. What you have to pay attention to is the fact that the scenario mentions Wuhan, China, and low and behold, that is where the coronavirus originated.

“The consensus among experts researching the virus places the beginning of its spread at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, China.”

USA Today Article - Fact check: Coronavirus originated in China, not elsewhere, researchers and studies say •

•

•

•

For added plausible deniability and to help cement the wanted BACKUP public script as something to fall back on IF needed (primary script being its natural, backup script being that China created it and released it by accident) Fund all the talking and agencies that would be involved with pandemic response prior to the planned release of the research strain to control the wanted script throughout the operation Create and fund the vaccination development and roll-out plan so its capable of being rolled out on a global scale (Gates - Decade of Vaccines: Global Vaccine Action Plan, 2010-2020) (https://www.who.int/immunization/ global_vaccine_action_plan/DoV_ GVAP_2012_2020/en/) Create and fund the vaccination verification/ certification protocols (Digital ID) to enforce/confirm the vaccination program after the mandatory roll-out is enacted (Gates - ID2020) (https:// id2020.org/)

All right, here we go. An article written on September 20th, 2019 titled “ID2020 and partners launch program to provide digital ID with vaccines,” talks about the launch of a new digital identity program at its annual summit in New York in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh, and vaccine alliance Gavi.

Digital identity is a computerized record of who a person is, stored in a registry, and is used to keep track of who has received vaccination. ( h t t p s : // w w w. b i o m e t r i c u p d a t e . com/201909/id2020-and-partners-launchprogram-to-provide-digital-id-with-vaccines) Before we move forward to the nitty-gritty of this scenario, I want to review what you have just read. Does it resonate with you? Are you starting to identify familiar themes?

Phase One (Lock Step Scenario) • Simulate the Lock Step hypothesis just prior to the planned research strain release using a real-world exercise as a final wargame to determine expected response/timelines/outcomes (Gates - Event 201, Oct 2019) I actually had a chance to review Event 201, and to actually see how much it matches up to this step in the Lock Step Scenario is frightening. Take a quick read through this article before you move on.

“What is Event 201, and why should we as a community know about it?” Toronto Caribbean Article •

Release the research strain at the Wuhan Institute of Virology itself and then blame its released on a natural scapegoat

•

Downplay the human-to-human transmission for as long as possible to allow the research strain to spread on a global scale before any country can lockdown

On February 27th, 2020, Bloomberg put out an article, “Why the WHO Won’t Call the Coronavirus a Pandemic”, and in this article, Ethiopian Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated, “This is not the time to focus on what word we use. That will not prevent a single infection today or save a single life today.” At that time, WHO identified a pandemic by various phases and didn’t believe that COVID-19 has hit all the markers to be called a pandemic. The article also states that in early February, the organization was working with Google to make sure people searching for information about the coronavirus saw WHO information at the top of their search results.

Let’s keep going.

• Keep the public quarantined for as long as possible to destroy the regions economy, create civil unrest, breakdown the supply chain, and cause the start of mass food shortages, as well as cause people’s immune system to weaken due to lack of interaction with other people/bacteria • Downplay and attack any potential “treatments” and continue to echo that only a “cure” is viable to fight this virus (aka a vaccine) • Continue to drag out the quarantine over and over and over again (in 2 week intervals) causing more and more people to eventually stand up and protest/defy them • Eventually end the phase 1 quarantine once they get enough public pushback (June 2020), and publicly state that they still think its “too early” to end the isolation but are going to do it anyways • Once the public go “back to normal” wait a few weeks and then continue to over-hype the research strain mortality rate (Aug-Sept 2020), and combine it with the increase in deaths due to people dying from standard illnesses at a higher rate than normal. This is to hype the upcoming phase 2 lockdown Phase Two (Lock Step Hypothesis) • Eventually enact phase two quarantines (Oct-Nov 2020) on a even more extreme level and blame the protesters (mostly people who don’t trust their government already) for the cause of the “larger” 2nd wave (we told you so, it was too early, this is all your fault cause you needed a haircut, your freedoms have consequences) • Enforce the phase two quarantines at a much more extreme level, increasing the penalty for defiance (replace fines with jail time), deem ALL travel as non-essential, increase checkpoints (including military assistance), increase tracking/tracing of the population (mandatory apps), take over control of food/gas (large scale shortages) so that people can only get access to essential products/services if they are FIRST given permission • Keep the phase 2 lockdown in place for a much longer period of time then the phase 1 lockdown, continuing to destroy the global economy, further degrade the supply chain, and further amplify the food shortages, and alike So, I want to stop you here. This is where we are in the Lockstep Scenario. I want to examine what is happening around you right now. I also want you to remember that this was written in 2010. One question that should come to mind is, how is this

so exact? Another question that might be milling in your mind is, what’s next?

•

•

Quell any public outrage using extreme actions/force and make anyone who defies them appear as public enemy #1 to those who are willing to submit (Welcome to the life of Toronto Caribbean Newspaper) After a rather long phase 2 lockdown (6+ months), roll-out the vaccination program + vaccine certification and make it mandatory for everyone (giving priority access to those that submitted from the start), and have those that are for it attack those that are against it saying they are a threat and the cause of all the problems. “We can’t go back to normal until EVERYONE takes the vaccine. People defying them are hurting our way of life and therefore are the enemy.”

Anyone who has entered a store without a mask or has spoken out against vaccines has experienced some type of discrimination.

•

If the majority of people go along with the agenda then let those people enter the new system (new normal) while limiting the minority that defy the agenda’s ability to work/travel/live

Phase Three (Lock Step Hypothesis) It is time to look at how our futures are going to look.

•

•

If the majority of people go against the agenda then release the weaponized SARS/HIV/MERS tribrid strain as phase 3, a virus with a 30%+ mortality rate as a final scare to push the minority to quickly become the majority and give a final “we told you so” to those that didn’t listen Enact the new economy model (Microsoft patent 060606 - Cryptocurrency System Using Body Activity Data), which is based on human behavior and willingness to submit (tweaked version of Black Mirror’s “Fifteen Million Merits”) using food/water/shelter and other essentials as a weapon of enforcement of the new economic system. Basically, do what we want and get rewarded (gain credits/score and gain more access to things you need to survive) or go against what we want and get penalized (lose credits/score and lose access to things you need to survive).

Social credit scores have become a reality.

As we speak, China has initiated a credit score system. A low social credit score will: exclude you from well-paid jobs, make it impossible for you to get a house or a car loan or even book a hotel room.

The government can slow down your Internet connection, ban your children from attending private schools and even post your profile on a public blacklist for all to see.

Yes readers; this is what is to come.

We know this now because so far, everything has fallen in line. The Scenarios for the Future of Technology and International Development can no longer be found on the Rockefeller Foundation website, it was removed.

I hope this has been informative, and I hope that you take the time to research what could most possibly be your future.

TO VIEW THE PDF AND SNAPSHOTS www.TorontoCaribbean.com/LockStep

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NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Are we ever, “Going back to Normal?”

Inquiring minds want to know SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

“Trust us. The worst is yet ahead of us. Let’s prevent this tragedy. It’s a virus that many people still don’t understand.”

General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Director, WHO) If you turn on the television and hear your local politician tell you that normal is right around the corner, they are either fooling themselves, or you, or perhaps both.

Life as we know it is long gone, and it is not coming back. It is important that you come to terms with this, not only so you can take action, but to preserve your mental health. Some of us have come to terms with the fact that our world has permanently changed. Whether it is for the good, or for the bad is a personal ideology. For some: wearing a mask everywhere not shaking hands, Zoom calling holidays, less physical interaction and work from home might seem ideal. To others, it is the beginning of a nightmare.

To think, this is only the beginning.

Science Alert put out an article on January

8th, 2021 reviewing what had been discovered about the new COVID-19 mutations.

Most recently, there was an emergence discovered in Britain and South Africa of two new variants of Sars-CoV-2. Scientists have been tracking multiple mutations of SarsCoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. What they noted was that the majority of mutations did not materially alter the virus’s transmissibility.

However, there is one mutation – variant B117, which seems to have emerged in southeastern England in September. According to Imperial College London (Report 42) the variant has been detected in countries around the world including the United States, France, and India.

Another variant, 501.V2, was detected in South Africa in October, and has since spread to several nations, including Britain and France. Science Alert (January 8th, 2021) reported that both have multiple mutations to the virus, especially on the part of the virus that latches on to human cells and helps it spread. This variation is what makes the mutated versions potentially more infectious than other strains. There are also reports that say there is currently no evidence to suggest that the mutated viruses are any stronger than normal.

What does this all mean? For us in Canada, this could mean more of what we are currently experiencing (lockdowns, closed business, social isolation). Even though the government has rolled out a vaccine initiative, there has been resonating worry that the vaccine won’t work for the new muta-

tions. During my research, I noticed that our global leaders were unable to provide verified scientific data that proved the vaccine would work on the new variants: WASHINGTON — QUESTION: “Will the current COVID-19 vaccines protect against variant strains of the virus?”

ANSWER: Our experts believe so.

(CBS19, “VERIFY: Are current COVID-19 vaccines effective against variant strains?”)

“This preliminary new study is giving us early evidence that a COVID-19 vaccine might be effective against two new coronavirus variants first identified in South Africa and the U.K., despite a concerning mutation. The study still needs to be peer reviewed.”

(Dr. Nachman, Head of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital) “While we plan to run tests to confirm the activity of the vaccine against any strain, the broad range of potential neutralizing antibodies made possible by the Moderna COVID 19 Vaccine provide confidence that our vaccine will also be effective at inducing neutralizing antibodies against them.”

(Moderna, December 2020) The European Centre for Disease and Control (ECDC) reported that in countries currently unaffected by the new mutations, “Efforts to

delay the spread should mirror those made during the earlier stage of the pandemic.”

These efforts include tests and quarantining of new arrivals, contact tracing, and limited travel.

We so badly want to believe that somehow, someway, life is going to go back to how it was. There is a psychological concept called the normalcy bias. It explains why most people underestimate threats, and are plagued by inaction during a crisis. This theory also goes by the names: normality bias, incredulity response, analysis paralysis, and most interesting of all, the ostrich effect.

An article in PsycholoGenie “An Insight into the Concept of Normalcy Bias in Psychology,” estimated that 70% of people are affected by normalcy bias. Of the remaining 30%, 15% of the people freak out, while the remaining 15% show presence of mind.

The 70% can help in pacifying those people who freak out in crisis situations, but also may hinder those who want to take action.

One by one, our rights and freedoms are being taken away from us, and normalcy bias is preventing us from acting to protect ourselves, and our families. Wearing masks has not helped. We are not sure if the vaccine is going to help. How do we overcome normalcy bias so that we can take action?

If you are reading this article, you are already on the right path. Stay informed.

Also, you can’t take lightly what is happening in our world. More people are feeling that there is something unusual about the pandemic, and my advice; find out more.

Have schools been a driving force in COVID-19 in Ontario and worldwide?

PAUL JUNOR

paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

As the number of cases of COVID-19 continues to increase, the government has seen it fit to increase asymptomatic testing in schools across Ontario. Ontario’s Minister of Education, Stephen Leece made the announcement on Friday, January 8th, at a press conference at Queen’s Park. CP24 reported on Friday, January 8th, 2021 that there would be an expansion of asymptomatic testing beyond the pilot programs that were announced late November 2020. At

this time, there was voluntary asymptomatic testing for school staff in hotspots: such as Toronto, York Region, Peel Region and Ottawa.

The Ontario government also announced on Friday, January 8th, 2021 that elementary schools would be closed for an additional two weeks until January 25th, 2021. Schools were expected to reopen on January 11th, 2021 but will be delayed due to the high rate of community transmission of COVID-19, and the positivity rate of 5% among elementary students in Southern Ontario. These school-aged children will continue their online learning/virtual schooling. Secondary students will return to schools on Monday, January 28th, 2021.

Education Minister Stephen Leece stated, “We see wisdom in expanding it and our province will. We will do so for the day schools reopen.” He acknowledged that surveillance testing would be available

province-wide. He further states, “All schools and all public health units will be eligible and have the capacity and the testing list required to do that type of surveillance testing, meaning we are going well beyond the four highest risks regions where it exists today.”

Minister Leece stated that $380 million would be spent on funding for HVAC and ventilation systems improvements as well as on: personal protective equipment’s and employing additional janitorial staff.

The four teachers unions have been calling on the government for months to do asymptomatic testing in schools. A joint letter was sent to Premier Ford on Thursday, January 7th, 2021 that called on the government to, “Institute an on-going program of asymptomatic testing in schools until COVID-19 has been eradicated.”

In an interview with Minister Leece, Cynthia Mulligan of City News asked him,

“Why wasn’t it done all along, knowing that a lot of kids were asymptomatic? Why wasn’t it done in September at the start of the school year?” The minister responded that Ontario was the first and only province to introduce asymptomatic testing. She pressed him on why he waited just before the holiday to start asymptomatic testing. Cynthia notes that about 20% of schools have known cases and the positivity rate is currently 6.1%.

Cynthia asked Ryan Imgrund, a COVID-19 biostatician, “Do you think schools are a driving force in the spread of COVID-19?” He responded, “I absolutely think the schools have been a driving force in COVID-19 in Ontario and worldwide. We have seen that when you move schools to online you drastically reduce cases.” He believes that schools should not be open until the province is down to 1,000 new cases a day and a 3% positivity rate.

NEWS

Wednesday, January 20, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 11

No really! What is the science behind how you get the flu? will not. Yes, this influenza virus is real.

We can’t doubt or argue science. The flu is a real thing. What is not real is the fact that each year, there are not daily news reports about how many people have caught it, or how many people are dying.

They don’t make a spectacle about it, or applaud people who get the flu shot. This of course leads some members of the global population to wonder, what is so different about this flu that has caused such fear?

I thought I would take this time to revisit the science behind the flu, what causes it, how it affects your body, and the ways that you can avoid getting it.

The flu is a respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. When the flu enters the body, it moves into the respiratory tract and binds itself to the surface of the cells. The virus releases its genetic information (RNA) into the cells; it replicates and takes over the function of those cells.

Eventually, these cells go on to infect other cells, and you are left with all those annoying symptoms that make you feel miserable.

The flu does weaken the immune system and leaves it vulnerable to more serious infections, especially if you are a high-risk individual (elderly over 65, children under the age of 2 anyone who has a chronic medical condition, pregnant women, health care workers, nursing home residents).

The flu is highly contagious and is spread primarily by coughing and sneez-

SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Every winter, for as long as I have been alive, like clockwork, the flu virus rears its ugly head. Up until COVID-19, thoughts of the flu were usually met with, “I hope I don’t get sick,� or, “Better get my flu shot.�

We saw the flu as a normal part of life, and to be honest; it has been. According to CDC it infects millions of us, about 5% to 20% of the U.S. population alone each year. Health Canada estimates that 10% to 25% of Canadians get the flu each year. It is what it is. At some point, we may end up with: the sniffles, uncontrollable sneezing fits, achy muscles and joints, and that miserable feeling. We then crawl into bed, drink some chicken noodle soup and sleep it off.

The CDC estimates that in the United States, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized with the flu or with flurelated complications each year. Around the world, the flu kills between a quarter of a million to half a million people a year (World Health Organization).

Why are you telling us this Simone? Well, what I want to do is put into perspective what mainstream media

ing. This is not rocket science. You can also spread the virus if you touch something after you have sneezed or coughed, which is why you should be washing your hands during flu season often.

Let’s talk about the asymptomatic period of the flu. You are not just contagious when you have symptoms. You can pass along the virus one day before you start sniffling and sneezing and can pass it on up to seven days after your symptoms first appear. Studies have shown that children can be contagious even beyond the seven days.

This all seems very basic so far right. Great! Let’s continue.

Experts have some suggestions to avoid catching the flu, which include: • Practice good hygiene during flu season • Wash your hands throughout the day with warm water and soap • Avoid anyone who is coughing or sneezing If you do get sick, you can avoid infecting others if you: • Stay home until you’re feeling better • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue whenever you cough or sneeze. • Build your immune system by eating fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, getting proper sleep (7 - 9 hours each night), and reducing your stress • Increase your intake of vitamin C and

• •

D, and Zinc Increase intake of flavonoids (found in blueberries, red wine, and black tea) Eating more fiber, which regulates digestion, and prevents constipation (A 2018 study with mice suggested that dietary fiber may actually boost the immune system).

Now, I want to bear witness to something.

I got very sick in January of 2020 with the flu. I truly think that it was COVID-19, but other than being extremely uncomfortable for a few weeks, I did pull through it, even with underlying medical conditions (high-blood pressure).

Since then, I have been working actively in the community. I have not worn a mask. I did not get the flu shot. I have not socially distanced. I wash my hands. I take vitamins (vitamin C, vitamin D). I exercise regularly. I sleep well, and I take care of my mental health. It is now January 2021, and I have not been sick once. Now, I might just have a great immune system, or maybe, just maybe I am developing immunity to COVID-19.

In any case, there are natural ways to avoid getting the flu. Not only that, the flu is not going anywhere, so it is time that we shut off the television, get some sleep, go for a walk, and stop worrying so much. Humanity has endured more than COVID-19, and we are going to be just fine. Don’t let fear cause you to become irrational.

The Capitol Attack. Terrorists are not defined by race picture, let us go back to November 3rd, 2020. On this day, Democratic candidate Joe Biden defeated the incumbent Republican President Donald Trump, winning the 2020 United States presidential election.

During and post ballot, Donald Trump and the Republican party attempted to overturn the election several times, alleging widespread voter fraud.

The Trump campaign focused mainly on five swing states; Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Arizona. These were the states that had flipped to Biden after having been won by Trump in 2016.

The Trump campaign took several actions to overturn the results. This included the filing of approximately 60 lawsuits, attempting to nullify election certifications, and void vote casts for Biden in each of the five states. All but one lawsuit was either declined or withdrawn.

However, the prevalent voter fraud rumors led to a large percentage of citizens refusing Biden’s presidential win.

Matters escalated further when President Donald Trump announced, “Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild!� on December 18th.

Subsequently, on January 6th, a large crowd gathered outside the Capitol.

TVISHA MISTRY

tvisha@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

“No one can tell me that if it had been a group of Black Lives Matter protestors yesterday that they wouldn’t have been treated very differently than the mob that stormed the Capitol. We all know that’s true - and it’s unacceptable.�

US President-Elect, Joe Biden (Twitter) These are some unprecedented times. For the first time in history, a United States President incited a coup. On January 6th, 2021, the Capitol building was breached by armed rioters, who stormed the building; raiding, looting, and trashing everything in their way.

Gaining control of the Capitol, the rioters claimed to be “Trump supporters� expressing their restraint to the Biden administration. To understand the entire RY 10TH

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Unable to control the crowd, the officers present, opened the Capitol doors, allowing the mob entrance.

The contrasting protocol and response during the recent Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement by law enforcements’ resulted in a racial controversy. During the BLM protest, the enforcements were dressed in riot gear, with instructions to deploy weapons including tear gas, if necessary. However, the officers present during the recent riot had an absent response to the violent intruders and no drastic measures were taken to stop them.

The rioters were supposedly protected by the constitution, but how are acts of domestic terrorism justified by the constitution of any country. Domestic Terrorism by definition of the FBI is “the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population ... in furtherance of political or social objectives.� Does staging a coup not count as an act of terrorism. If so, why weren’t the terrorists treated as such, even after they were seen or arrested?

“I spoke with Jake Angeli, the QAnon guy who got inside the Senate chamber. He said police eventually gave up trying to stop him and other Trump sup-

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porters, and let them in. After a while, he said police politely asked him to leave and let him go without arrest�. Tweeted Adrian Morrow, a Washington reporter on January 6th.

Additionally, the contrasting statements by President Donald Trump on the two incidents have made people question whether Trump has inspired long-suppressed racists to blatantly express their Anti-Semitic views.

“Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts.� Trump Tweeted as a response to Black Lives Matter on May 29th, 2020.

Responding to the coupe staged at the Capitol in a statement Trump said, “We love you. You’re very special. Go home�.

Justice is in order. Even if there is a disregard for the hate speech and symbols at the arena; the United States cannot just overlook acts of terrorism based on color. All those who were involved along with individuals who encouraged such terrorism should be prosecuted for their crimes. For no one is above the law; regardless of their gender, color, or race.

PAGE 12

NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Black Country Music Legend Charley Pride dies at 86 MICHAEL THOMAS michael@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

The country music fraternity lost a true legend when the first black super star of that genre died at 86 a few weeks ago. Charley Pride was an incomparable force to recon with in the country music business from the first time he hit the stage in Nashville.

Pride’s first passion was baseball and he gave it a good try, but fate was against him in that field and eventually he got drafted and went into the U.S. army.

That never stopped him from pursuing his second love - country music.

Pride was a perfectionist and he took that passion into country music de-

livering the songs as only “Charley Pride” could, with feelings and a load of passion every time he performed.

The country legend was born Charl Frank Pride to poor sharecroppers on March 18th, 1934, in Sledge, Mississippi. Pride came from a family consisting of eleven children, but due to a mistake on his birth certificate, his legal name became Charley Frank Pride.

He taught himself to play the guitar as a teenager. On a trip to Nashville, Pride met Jack Johnson, who promised the musician a management contract. One year later, he returned to that city to record his first demo called “The Snakes Crawl at Night” and “Atlantic Coastal Line.”

As soon as Chet Atkins, who was the head of RCA records, heard the demo, he immediately signed Pride to the label and released Pride’s first single “Snakes Crawl at Night” in January 1966. Pride’s third single, “Just Between You and Me,” was the song responsible for launching Pride to stardom, reaching No. 9 on the U.S. country charts.

Because a black country singer

was unheard of at the time, Pride’s early recording was released without his picture on the record, but that never stopped country’s die-hard fans from enjoying this soulful baritone.

“Just Between You and Me” gave him his first Grammy in 1967. Two years later, Pride had his first No.1 hit with “All I Have to Offer” (1969).

Pride quickly became a household name in the country music industry winning almost every accolade there is. Over the next three decades, Pride recorded 36 No.1 hits and watched four of his albums go platinum. He has been listed as country’s music royalty, among the Top 20 bestselling country artists of all time, and is second in record sales only to the great Elvis Presley.

On May 1st, 1993, Pride was invited to become a member of the prestigious Grand Ole Opry becoming only the second African American inductee of the stage show. The next year, he published his autobiography, Pride: The Charley Pride Story.

Besides having the Pioneer Award

by the Academy of Country Music bestowed on him, in July 1999, Pride received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He would go on to receive country music’s highest honor on October 4th, 2003: induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Just a few days before he died, Pride appeared in person to accept his final award “The Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.” The CMA Country Music Association CEO Sarah Trahern called Pride “The epitome of a trailblazer.” Charley Pride is only the sixth person so far to receive this award.

“Few other artists have grown country music’s rich heritage and led to the advancement of country music around the world like Charley. His distinctive voice has created a timeless legacy that continues to echo through the country community today. We could not be more excited to honour Charley with one of CMA’s highest accolades.” Trahern said.

The millions he touched with his music will miss Charley Pride.

How do you open a restaurant during the pandemic? Ask Chef Noel Cunningham SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

“OMG! You scared me!” I had just arrived at 300 College Street for my tasting with world renowned Chef Noel Cunningham.

He was being his usual comedic self, and had startled the hell out of me.

When he opened the door, I was instantly taken back to the 80’s. The kitchen was at the end of a very long, narrow walkway. On either side of the walkway was memorabilia from the 80’s and early 90’s. There was a Pac Man arcade game, Street Fighter 3, Strike, Marvel vs Capcom, an infamous poster of Michael Jordan holding Spike Lee by his hat. It was the perfect backdrop for what was to come.

Chef Noel gave me a small tour of Freeplay, sharing with me what it had looked like before COVID-19. I could feel the energy in the place and I could understand why he had chosen to open up here.

He made sure that I was comfortable, and he joined his fellow Chefs in the kitchen.

As I sat there, I could smell deli-

cious aromas drifting from the kitchen. The manager who was there very graciously offered to make me his version of Rum Punch. I eagerly accepted, and sat there already pleased with the experience.

There is only one word I have to describe Mr Noel Cunningham, and that is FEARLESS! He went ahead and did something that a lot of people in his life tried to talk him out of, and that is open a restaurant.

As we all know, this pandemic has had a devastating impact on the restaurant industry. Never before have we seen so many restaurants forced to close their doors. Many restaurants don’t have the financial means to endure such a prolonged downturn. Small franchisees, and independent operators have had to depend on financial assistance from franchisors and from the government. Independents are having an even harder time staying afloat because they don’t have access to the loans and rent deferrals.

Most people knowing this would not think about opening a restaurant, but Noel Cunningham is not most people. On January 5th, 2020, Noel announced the opening of “Cuisine by Noel” located at 300 College Street, downtown Toronto inside Freeplay Arcade.

What is amazing is that this young man utilized his innovative mind, and excellent social networking skills to collabo-

rate with a couple other courageous chefs to do what many thought was impossible.

It has only been about two weeks, and already the restaurant has been featured in the Jamaica Gleaner, Taste Toronto and the Toronto Star.

“I am happy to be able to have this space where people can get a chance to savour my style of cooking and cuisine.

People would often message me via social media to ask where my restaurant is or if I have a restaurant, so now I can answer their messages with a yes and an address.”

Chef Cunningham

Opening a restaurant was the next evolutionary step in his journey. Chef Noel is notorious for blending his talent for creating contemporary Caribbean fusioninspired cuisine with his simply sensational dishes using only the freshest ingredients.

When Noel joined me back at the table, he came back with a beautifully arranged plate, which he took the time to explain to me. What he placed in front of me was a visual sensation that I cannot quite describe. Many of us have had chicken and waffles, but not many of us have had Coconut Fried Chicken on a Festival Waffle.

Oh My God! Noel was talking to me, but to be honest, all of my senses were wrapped up with what occurring inside my mouth. It was a perfect combination of sweet, and spicy, the waffles dipped in a honey sauce, and the crispiness of the fried

chicken. It was really all too much for me. I grabbed hold of my senses, and focused in on what Noel was saying.

“Customers can expect an array of Caribbean-Fusion meal options: from Chef Noel’s smokey jerk chicken, my infamous oxtail poutine, my popular peppered shrimp and pasta, and smaller plates like oxtail arancini, ackee and saltfish spring rolls. Each day, I will offer my clients something a little different. You know, keep it fresh.

I will also be opening on Sundays for “Sunday Dinna” which is a pick up only group and family special. I want to be able to offer as much selection as possible.”

I don’t want to make anyone jealous, but I was also able to sample his oxtail, curry goat, jerk chicken, and rice and peas plate. Yum! I have already decided though, my meal of choice is the Coconut Fried Chicken on a Festival Waffle. I am heading back next week for another one, bet that!

Due to the pandemic, in-house dining is restricted but customers can pick up, takeout or get delivery with UberEats.

They are open from 12 noon to 6 pm Tuesdays to Saturdays, and feel free to find out what is cooking with Noel by following him at Cuisine by Noel on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Proud of you Noel; you have the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper’s continued support.

Wednesday, January 20, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

NEWS

PAGE 13

What is the hype behind the Ketogenic Diet, and is it effective?

W. GIFFORDJONES MD DIANA GIFFORD-JONES TC HEALTH REPORTER

What is a ketogenic diet? How does it differ and is it more effective than other diets? Apart from the hype surrounding this diet, what are the medical concerns about it?

Recent marketing of the ketogenic diet suggests it’s a new one. But a report from the University of California says it’s been used for years to treat medical problems such as epilepsy in children.

But what is it about the ketogenic diet that causes weight loss? A major factor is that it’s low in carbohydrates and high in fats.

Blood sugar (glucose) is normally the body’s main source of energy. But when blood sugar is diminished by eating less carbohydrates, the body is unable to maintain needed levels. To compensate, the body must start burning fat for energy. It also obtains more energy by converting some amino acids from protein in foods. And if this does not suffice, it gets energy from muscles.

The breakdown of fat, and to a lesser extent, protein, creates a condition called “ketosis” which is also used for energy. Hopefully none of us will ever be in a situation where we’re starving. But if that happens, we develop ketosis. It also occurs in uncontrolled diabetes.

Ketosis starts within a few days after carbohydrates are decreased to between 20 and 50 grams a day. This is not much carbohydrate, as two one-ounce slices of bread contain 28 grams of carbs!

How does a ketogenic diet compare with a normal diet? The average North American gets 50-55% of energy

from carbohydrates, 30-35% from fats, and 15-20% from protein. The ketogenic diet obtains 5-10% from carbohydrates, 70-75% from fats, and 20% from protein.

A ketogenic diet contains: full-fat dairy, eggs, fish, poultry, meat, nuts, nonstarchy vegetables and butter. You are allowed to eat as many of these foods until you are full. It eliminates starchy vegetables, most fruits, grains, and sweets.

The British Journal of Nutrition analyzed thirteen diet studies and reported that most, but not all, found that patients on a ketogenic diet lost more weight than those on other diets. They also ended up with lower blood pressure and blood triglycerides. And it helped those with type 2 diabetes. The negative of this diet is that it also increases bad cholesterol because of its high content of saturated fat.

Another negative is that the low carbohydrate content makes it hard for people to stick to it. Also, by eliminating most fruits, many vegetables, whole

grains, and fiber, constipation is more likely to be a problem. Moreover, it removes ingredients essential for good health. No one should start a ketogenic diet without the help of your trusted family doctor.

It’s unfortunate that most diets wouldn’t be needed if people would follow a sound lifestyle. The first error is not having a bathroom scale that you step on every day. Scales tell it the way it is. Focus on losing any gained weight the same day the scale reports an increase.

This means saying no to high calorie desserts, eating smaller portions on smaller plates, and declining any offered second portions. Healthy weight loss also means an increase in daily exercise. Loss of excess weight and commonsense healthy living significantly reduces the risks associated with the epidemics of obesity, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes. A sustained commitment can add years of longevity.

If the President of the United States can be censored, what does that say for the general population?

AMANDA WILLIAMS amanda@carib101.com

TC JR. REPORTER

The government to control and to mould public opinion has long used censorship.

During WWII (1940-1945) Hitler implemented censorship by burning books, magazines and other literature to control information. In 2021 censorship has taken a new turn by way of “burning” online platforms.

A company that has recently been “burned” is Parler; a neutral platform created for free speech by John Matze, Jr. and Jared Thomson. Apple & Google removed Parler from their app stores after accusing the company of being responsible for the storming of Capitol Hill in Washington DC earlier this month. Amazon added fuel to the fire by pulling out as their web hosting service, potentially destroying the company for good.

A few months prior, PornHub was accused of profiting off videos that included victims of human trafficking, child rape and violent crimes but barely received any heat compared to Parler.

Pornhub continued business as normal through investigations despite a petition that collected 2.1 million signatures demanding that it get shut down.

President Donald Trump was accused of inciting violence on January 6th, 2021, and as a result was permanently banned from Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. It is however unclear how Twitter decides what is considered to be violent or not. In 2017 Kathy Griffith posted a photo of herself depicting the beheading of President Donald Trump. Whether the photo was considered to be a joke or not, many considered this act to be extremely violent, yet Kathy Griffith was able to keep her account and faced consequences outside of Twitter.

Censorship has been considered to be subtler in Canada, however many beg to differ. Protests against lockdown measures have been happening all over the world including Toronto, receiving minimal coverage from mainstream media. Hundreds and at times thousands of

people have flooded the streets of Toronto every Saturday since March 2020 and have been seen making stops at: Doug Ford, John Tory’s residence as well as CTV News. How can citizens create awareness or get support with the challenges they face, if they are not provided a neutral and accessible platform to express them?

Thousands of doctors, scientists and other professionals have been bullied, ridiculed, censored, asked to resign or in some cases fired for questioning or speaking truth around COVID-19. Censoring credible professionals does a huge disservice to the public as it eliminates the ability to ask real questions, have healthy dialogue, and make informed decisions in regards to their future including health, safety, finances, politics and life in general.

Sarah Choujounian of Toronto, ON found herself in hot water when she was fired for posting her beliefs about the lockdown measures online. Sarah has been a nurse since 2004, has spent most of her career working in long-term care, and spoke at the Global Frontline Nurses summit in Washington DC, which can be viewed at www.highwre.com. Mainstream media failed to cover this event

and instead highlighted the fact that she is being investigated for “non-essential” travel, when dozens of government and health officials have been found guilty of doing the same.

Although censorship has some pros, it all depends on the intentions behind them. Throughout history censorship has proven to be extremely dangerous as it: reduces the overall intelligence of the people, it allows a false narrative to become a truth, and results in repression and encourages compliance.

Without transparency, including healthy exchanges of opposing opinions, it is difficult for the population to trust that the government has their best interests at heart. At this point it’s hard to believe that there isn’t a direct attack on our liberties including: freedom of speech, medical health, and real news as censorship is implemented and/or supported by big corp, big tech and big pharma.

If the President of the United States can be censored, what does that say for the general population? If Canadians don’t have a voice whether individually or collectively, can Canada still be considered “The truth north strong and free?”

PAGE 14

NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Should society tolerate intolerance?

SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

“An open society needs to be intolerant of intolerance” Karl Popper (Philosopher) As a journalist, it is my responsibility to be receptive to the community, and to provide for them information that is meant to: educate and empower. What I have witnessed lately is a direct breech of our constitutional and civil rights as humans to speak our minds, and to live life the way that we see fit.

This goes beyond COVID-19.

Intolerance (not putting up with something) has been witnessed in history before. Nazi Germany was intolerant of the Jewish community; Caucasians living in the Americas were intolerant of Africans. This intolerance was a brewing pot for violence and discrimination.

Now, intolerance is witnessed daily; whether it is silencing individuals who are speaking out against societal issues like lockdowns, or shaming people who do not want to tolerate mask wearing, it seems like history continues

to repeat itself.

The quote, “An open society needs to be intolerant of intolerance,” has been invoked to give a free pass to shutting down, censoring, and deplatforming ideas. It is being utilized as a loophole within the broad liberal principle of free speech: ideas can be expressed, only if they are in line with the given narrative.

Popper believed that utterances of intolerant philosophies should not be suppressed but should be countered with rational discourse. This thought is key. I have watched mainstream media skew their reporting; showing the public only what they want them to see.

This most recently happened in Toronto; there were anti-lockdown protests at Nathan Phillips Square, and I had the opportunity to see videos from people who were actually there, and then of course, I saw what the media reported.

Clearly, the police were not even trying to hear what the protestors were trying to say. The protestors might have appeared to be intolerant, which is why the government felt the need to suppress them by force, even though the protestors were prepared to meet them on a rational level. Why is this you ask? It could be that the government does not want their followers (majority of the population), to listen to rational arguments. It now seems that any movement preaching intolerance

places itself outside the law.

Here is where there is a paradox; the tolerant (majority of the population) are drawing the line to restrain the intolerant (those who oppose what is happening with COVID-19), because they may feel that the tolerant will be swept away by what they feel is “Fake News,” or “Misinformation.”

Karl Popper felt that we should tolerate the intolerant up to a point, but keep ideas in check with open discussions, rational debates, and public opinions. Yet, this is the issue. There are no open discussions or rational debates when it comes to the communistic type restrictions that we are now facing here in Canada. New laws are created every day, and the people don’t seem to have any say at all. The question here is how do we foster a community that is inclusive of everyone and their perspectives?

Clearly, there are some issues with the tone of many conversations that we now see unfolding around the world. Points of view are horribly prejudiced, which is driving a wedge into rational public discourse. If an idea is so atrocious (not wearing a mask), that we believe it is dangerous to the welfare of society, we witness several things: • •

People pretend it is not happening People respond articulately and reasonably (counter-protesting,

•

publications, blogs, refutations, calling out half-truths and lies, asking questions) People use humour or parodies to poke holes in the ideologies presented.

It is truly unfortunate that many of the unscientific arguments offered on social media take the form of “Prove it,” or I’ll take your lack of a proof as evidence that my thoughts are right.” The thing is; the very strength of a theory is the degree of criticism it can be subjected to. Theories are a giant pile of evidence that says you might not be totally wrong.

Theories are meant to be questioned, tested, and observed whether or not they align with reality. If your predictions do not align with reality, then your theory is wrong. If they do, you now have a larger body of evidence supporting your theory.

With this in mind, I want to end with a couple questions: Do you think all speech should be free, or should limits be placed on some speech?

Should social media companies allow all speech? Should society tolerate intolerance?

I am looking forward to hearing thoughts from all perspectives on this discussion.

NEWS

Wednesday, January 20, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 15

Six steps to ensure you are on course for your New Year success • •

JONELL PANTLITZ

However, the reality is less than 8% of individuals actually stick to and complete these goals they set for themselves.

There are a variety of reasons why only 8% of individuals actually complete these tasks set for them. One of the main reasons is lack of productivity, not only when it comes to New Year’s Resolutions but with everything we do in our daily life.

jonell@carib101.com

TC JR. REPORTER

With 2021 now in full swing a lot of us have adapted to this new beginning and started setting goals. With every New Year there is a tradition all around the world to set New Year’s Resolutions. For those unfamiliar with the term New Year’s Resolutions, it is when people write down things, they intend to change or improve their life for the beginning of a new year. Some of the most common ones include: • • •

Start a business Learn something new

The basic guide to kick-start your productivity this year 1. Start with precise small goals: Many of us treat our tasks as if they are sprints, when it is indeed a marathon. If you have a big project that needs to be done, rather than planning to finish it in one sitting, break it up into parts.

For example, I first research everything I think I need before I start an article on the day it is assigned. I then

Exercise to get in shape/lose weight Save money Eat healthy

plan a day to write out a rough draft, and closer to the deadline I then proofread, or I give myself a small break between parts of my tasks.

2. Make a to-do list: One of the best ways to remain on task is to make a list of everything you need to have done. It is best to do it the night before or the morning of. This is a way to keep yourself on task and crossing tasks off your list is the best feeling. It is also important to give yourself small rewards after completing any tasks.

3. Wrestle the bigger to-do first: No one wants to do this, however when you are finished your most challenging tasks, the others seem like nothing.

4. Tell someone what you have planned, so they can hold you accountable. This can be as public as you like; you can just tell a close friend or family member, or you can post about it on social media. Personally, when I tell anyone I am going to do something it forces me to actually complete it so when they

ask how it went, I have feedback; instead of saying I didn’t do it.

5. Avoid addictive irrelevant activities: Many of us, especially me, have a tendency to start playing a particular game, or open a particular app or pick up that book and we stay there for hours, and then question where the time went. It is in your best interest to avoid these things at all cost during your tasks. We all need mental breaks, so maybe if you must, reward yourself a ten-minute break of whatever your time-wasting activity is.

6. Make it a habit. Maybe creating a to-do list isn’t your cup of tea and that is fine.

The goal is to find whatever works for you no matter what or how weird it is, and include it into your daily routine.

You got this! Make your life full of accomplishments and if you have any other tips feel free to mention it in the comment section of our website.

Top five ways to be selflessly, selfish; Discussion with an inquisitive mom If you met God today in the flesh would you offer God GMO McDonalds, or the most clean decadent meal you could create? Respect yourself enough to give yourself only the best no matter who says you’re selfish. You cannot abuse your mind and body and expect it to perform at its greatest. If you are a parent how can you care for your family if you are not well?

Health is not wearing a mask and being injected with a magic potion. Health is a balancing of your mind, body and soul and for some reason our government officials don’t seem to be taking that into account in their measures.

Many find it difficult to stay healthy with the bombardment of things we go through on the day to day, which is understandable. That is why we have to change our mindset to understand that we are all worth the cleanest food on the earth. We deserve to spend time doing things we love, and we are made to share experiences with each other and build relationships. If you don’t treat yourself well why would others treat you well? You must lead by example, treat yourself well and see how others start treating you better soon after.

So let’s get into the nitty gritty.

Let’s be a little selfish. How about I tell you how selfish I am so that you can get the gist of what I’m saying, and hopefully find your inner selfless, selfishness.

I’m so selfish that I eat 90% organic food because I know I deserve the cleanest healthiest food this earth has to offer. I’m so selfish, I quit my job because I know I’m worth more than spending my days somewhere doing something that makes me unhappy. I’m so selfish, I travelled during the Plandemic to see a loved one which made me so happy and filled with joy.

Now you can be mad at me and that’s fine. “Haters gonna hate,� is all I can

NIKITA YOUNG

nikita@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

It’s a brand new year and the holidays have wound down. It’s time to get back into the swing of things: back to work, back to school, back to lockdown madness.

The past year has really shaken the world up and I think we are all feeling a little on edge. It’s easy to get caught up in the daily Rona stats and regulations that are being spewed out and regurgitated by mainstream media and government officials. This could be causing a lot of unnecessary stress, and you could be wearing your immunity thin by keeping your body in defence mode all of the time, especially if you are wearing a mask daily.

I’m no doctor, just a very inquisitive mom and entrepreneur who has taken a special interest in God, the natural world and truth. We don’t realize it, but our bodies are working really hard for us every day and we often push self-care to the side as if we are just machines that are unbreakable. Many people don’t give a second thought to what’s in the food they are eating or how their lifestyles are affecting their health.

Last year we were told to “Protect others.“ This year I’m saying “Protect yourself.� Now, I’m not saying go out there and be a donkeys butthole (if you know what I mean), I’m just saying treat yourself like you are created in the image of the energy that has created you.

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1. Turn off the TV and radio. Try to avoid all media for at least thirty days. Make playlists of your favourite songs for when you are in your car, or put on a motivational talk from your favourite online mentor. Watch movies, documentaries, DIY projects, read, take a trip and hang out with friends and family. Watch or do only things you enjoy and that can stimulate your mind.

2. Eat clean food and drink chemical free water. Our food and water are laced with many chemicals that are claimed to be safe but many studies and physical effects have shown us otherwise. Organic food is not just the cool new fad, it is you giving yourself and God the respect you deserve, because not only are you supporting your own health, but also you are supporting the health of the earth. Your health should come first and it starts with clean food.

3. Write down what you are thankful for and what your goals are every day.

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HD PhotosMortgage marks QualityCash Back and HighLoans return with a two-hour premiere to JanuaThis year Kwanzaa since Virtual Tourspayment Down of on April 8th, broadcasting on CTV. MASTERCHEF CANADA has landed Anniversary Agent Real Estate two nominations for the 2019 Canada Screen Awards including “Best -7809 realty.co 647-867| dave.search Reality/Competition Series.� It is no more Buyers hrealty.ca to Attract dave@searc Suite 100 since opening its surprise Centre Plbecause HD PhotosMortgage Offers*

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Many of you out there are great people that work hard every day providing for your family, but you have no clue how to take care of yourself. This is the real pandemic that the world needs to heal from.

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ety. This exercise also allows you to see what’s true and real in your life and helps you to focus your energy on those great things in your life that bring you happiness.

4. Be prepared and take responsibility for yourself. Creating your own security support system can be very empowering. Find information and make informed decisions with your heart and not what the TV tells you to do.

Observe and critically think based on your own observations and instincts.

Create security by knowing where your food and necessities come from (and I’m not talking about Walmart) so that in an emergency situation (like if all stores get locked down) you will still have access to what you need.

5. Do what you love, find your passion and work at it no matter what age you are. We all have a special gift in this world and we should all be celebrating that even if we have to celebrate alone for a time. You have to think of what you want your life to be about and live that way so that it actually happens.

It can be hard at first to give yourself so much attention but I can promise the reward of raising your standards is a blessing like no other. Understanding yourself and treating yourself to only the best can be a real life changer. Living consciously connects you to this earth and universal energy with an ease and piece of mind that no one can create but you.

Making changes in your life starts with the decision to let go of fears and explore your truth. Sometimes we just need a little support on our journey to keep the happiness momentum going.

NEWS

PAGE 16

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Anyone can make a difference; Shivam Teelucksingh wins the Angostura Championships to repair even more devices.

In an interview he said that the decision to help students in his community be able to attend virtual school, came after he lost the majority of his business due to COVID-19.

“Due to COVID-19, I was forced to close my business unfortunately. What eventually took place was that people in my community wanted device repairs. I started to offer it at a minimal fee at first, but then one day I had a parent that could not really afford it. I started to see how people were losing their jobs, and, as I was always prone to doing charity work. I decided to offer free repairs at that time.�

Teelucksingh, who is seeking to own his own business Teelucksingh’s Consultancy Services said he made a Facebook post talking about his free repair services. It quickly snowballed into many people contacting him to have their children’s devices repaired.

“It became demanding as people were coming by my house every day just to get the help. It started off as software repairs, and I saw that people were in need, so I started to donate my money and my time.

Eventually, it grew to a point where I would go around different areas in Trinidad and fix

LA SHAWNA GRIFFITH lashawna@carib101.com

BARBADOS TC REPORTER

BARBADOS -- Shivam Teelucksingh is a twenty-seven-year-old freelance computer repair technician who resides in Trinidad and Tobago, and who strongly believes one person can make a difference in the world.

Teelucksingh is the recipient of the Angostura Championship because of his innovative idea to conduct free device repairs throughout Trinidad and Tobago. To date he has repaired a total of 420 devices and has saved parents in Trinidad $121,0000 Trinidad dollars.

So determined was the 2020 Angostura Champion, to ensure children in Trinidad who are underprivileged have the means to attend online classes, he sold his vehicle and invested the money he earned to purchase additional resources to be able

two devices a family. We keep track of everything with invoices, so we know how much it would have cost.�

The Angostura Champion Finalist 2020 said that in doing the repairs in, and around Trinidad, it allowed students to be able to attend online classes. Some of these children otherwise would have fallen through the cracks in the educational system.

“While I was doing this, there were online classes going on. So, a lot of these students finally got to go back to school and do their homework and get an education at the end of the day, despite having COVID issues,� he said.

Teelucksingh said that he believes God had a bigger plan for his life as he was able to assist hundreds of students without any major help from sponsors or the Government.

“I believe that God had a bigger plan for my life because I did this without thinking. I wouldn’t get anything in return at the end of the day, and I will continue to do it. We still have a lot of kids to help out.

Out of the 57 companies that I send sponsorship letters to, only one company helped us with free transportation and I thank them for that.�

Reflecting on the award he said his project was highlighted in local newspapers as well as trending on social media. This is how the organizers of the Angostura Championships realized the stellar work he was doing in the community. Thus, he became one of five finalists that would receive a cash injection into their business.

Despite this, Teelucksingh said that the real award came from the children who would contact him and thank him for being able to attend school.

“I see and hear these kids who call, or message saying they could go to online classes. Parents are appreciative because their kids can sign into the google classroom,� he said.

The Angostura Champion 2020 would like people in Canada to know that they can also sponsor a tablet for a child in their communities. It only takes one person to make a difference.

“I would like to reach out to people in Canada and allow them to see that anyone can make a difference at the end of the day. I urge whoever reads this to donate a tablet to a family in the Caribbean. Every bit helps.�

Black community leaders reveal feasibility study for an institute to address systemic racism “For far too long, there has been a dearth of research and evidence to support the development and evolution of African-Canadians,� said Noah Boakye-Yiadom, Co-chair of CIPAD’s Ushauri. “CIPAD not only resolves that issue but it will also provide culturallyspecific solutions tailored to serve our communities across the country.�

“We are pleased that we’ll be able to bring this initiative forward thanks to the leadership of the Caribbean African Canadian Social Services in Toronto, the Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute in Halifax, as well as many other organizations across the country,� said Charles Sheppard, Co-chair at CIPAD’s Ushauri, “We all have an important role to play by urging others to get on board to ensure CIPAD serves our communities for generations to come.�

MICHAEL THOMAS michael@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Very soon Canada will have an institute dedicated to the research, understanding and progress of African-Canadians. The proposed structure for the first ever Canadian Institute for People of African Descent (CIPAD) was shared with hundreds of community leaders and members of organizations across the country virtually.

CIPAD, when formally launched, will be a proactive, community-led endeavor inspired in part, by the UN declaration of the Decade for People of African Descent.

The Canadian Institute for People of African Descent will produce effective and culturally appropriate policies that will help to eradicate the racism faced by black Canadians.

CIPAD governed by its elder’s council known as the Ushauri, will use a team of knowledgeable professionals to develop an institute that provides strategies for improving the social determinants of health factors for African-Canadians.

In 2019, the Canadian Government selected Caribbean African Canadian Social Services (CAFCAN) as the organizational lead for CIPAD’s feasibility study.

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The overall economic impact of anti-black racism from wage discrimination and occupation segregation is at a loss of over $1.5 billion per year for blacks in Canada.

The CIPAD is recognized as a Canadian milestone, and has the support of parliamentarians including the Canadian Black Caucus. Organizers look forward to collaborating with universities via such established Chairs as the Dr. Jean Augustine, Chair at

2018

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Some of the findings of the study include: • African-Canadians make up 3% of Canada’s population and 18% of Canadians living in poverty • When it comes to unemployment, 8.8% of women of African descent have university degrees and are unemployed, compared to 5.7% of white women who are unemployed and have high school diplomas

York University’s Faculty of Education.

The Government of Canada’s Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative funded this feasibility study for the initiative.

“Consistently across the country we heard that African Canadians continue to form organizations and engage in liberation struggles in response to inequities and systemic racism,� said Rudi Quammie Williams, CIPAD’s Project Manager. “CIPAD will bring national unity and leadership to our collective efforts. The time for CIPAD is now!�

The Canadian Institute for People of African Descent (CIPAD’s) mission is to proactively raise awareness, and to address unfairness in black communities across Canada.

I spoke with Rudi Quammie Williams, CIPAD’s Project Manager about the organization’s concerns and what has been done to remedy this ugly situation.

Williams was asked how the injustices that have been put on African Canadians makes him feel? To which he answered, “It is something that makes me feel disappointed as someone who has been in this country for over half a century now. The Canada that we have today is not the one that me and my young friends envisioned while we were growing up in the 70s.�

“I believe,� he said, “that the possibilities of prosperity and a good life for the people of African descent was traded in for a continued version of white supremacy and anti-black discrimination.�

Williams told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper that the reason behind the lack of research and data gathering on this crucial matter is caused by a lack of funding to begin with. “Research,� he said, “is driven

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by dollars and there has not been any dedicated effort, with dedicated dollars, for any significant time in order to accomplish this research on what the experience of AfricanCanadian people are.�

Speaking of African-Canadian experiences, Williams was asked how does a high-school diploma measure up against a university degree which is held by 8.8% of women of African descent yet they have no jobs as opposed to the 5.7% of white women with just the high-school certificate?

“It measures up because,� he said, “even though we like to believe that we are way past slavery and some of the situations in which African-Canadians have found themselves, there is some residue from that and one of the residues is economic disparity.�

“The economic empowerment that Europeans experienced because of slavery still exist today, because the people who were benefactors has handed the benefits down from generation to generation. We still continue today with a particular brand of economic disparity that is race based.�

Williams told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper, “Though many people would like to brush these issues aside we have to take stock of it because it is still affecting us in a very serious way.�

“As African people, we would do well if we hope for a future that is different for our children. We need to have evidence and solutions, so this institute will be the first in Canadian history that is dedicated to both evidence, research and coming up with solutions.�

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NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Does citizens’ compliance, or strategic planning determine lower COVID-19 cases?

LA SHAWNA GRIFFITH lashawna@carib101.com

BARBADOS TC REPORTER

BARBADOS -- COVID 19! 2020 is a year that will be ingrained in the minds of people forever.

When we first learned of the coronavirus, we were told that it occurred in Wuhan China, in December 2019. Since that initial identification the virus has spread to over 218 countries and territories across the world and killing over 1.9 million persons to date.

When we look at COVID-19 we have to wonder what the Caribbean is doing differently compared to the Western States like Canada, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom whose cases continue to climb rapidly every day.

Why is it that these small developing states have such low cases with high recovery rates, compared to the larger countries that have some of the

best-trained doctors and nurses in the world?

If we look at the data, St. Vincent and the Grenadines as of January 12th, 2021 had no reported deaths from COVID-19 as compared to the United Kingdom who had 83,203 deaths for the same period.

One could argue that St. Vincent and The Grenadines have been proactive in their fight against COVID-19 according to travelbans.org. They have ensured that all persons entering the island will be retested for COVID-19 upon arrival and again after four to five days.

In addition, they also have to quarantine for five days in a Tourism Authority approved transition and/or quarantine hotel at the visitor’s expense.

On the flip side, in the United Kingdom, the country is currently on lockdown as their cases continue to skyrocket. According to www.gov.uk, they state that as of the January 15th, 2021 all persons who are intending to travel to the UK (including national returning home) must provide evidence of a negative PCR test three days before departure. Failure to comply will result in your airline refusing you boarding, or you may be fined on arrival.

Despite, these strict sanctions

many English visitors have been finding loopholes in this law and have been travelling to the Caribbean causing a recent surge in the number of cases with some countries deciding to place a travel ban on UK tourists to protect their citizens.

Caribbean natives may argue that the reason the Caribbean has not had an upsurge of cases is that the citizens are compliant with Government officials, and usually follow the recommendations given by their leaders.

On the flip side, in the United States of America, where liberalism runs rampant, many citizens have decided not to listen to the advice of the government with some of them taking to the streets to protest against the wearing of a mask, and continuing to live their lives as though a pandemic was not in the midst. Needless to say, the numbers in the USA continue to climb with over 22.9 million persons currently infected by the virus with 381,000 deaths thus far.

Can we say the reason the Caribbean continues to have lower cases of COVID-19 is that the citizens are compliant with the Government?

Or is it strategic planning? In Barbados, unlike St. Vincent and the Grenadines, there have been seven COVID-19 deaths, and for the year 2021, there has

been an upsurge in cases with the country reaching 1,000 confirmed cases as of January 13th, 2021.

The reason why there has been a surge in cases is one, which many Barbadians have various views on. Some persons blame the Government of Barbados, some blame locals for getting too comfortable and not adhering to the protocols, while others blame tourists for breaching quarantine with little to no remorse.

Regardless of where the blame is cast, the citizens of the country have been generally compliant and only had issues with tourists and locals who breached the strict protocols.

Despite these breaches, the country has had fewer cases than Canada who have 681,000 cases and 17,371 cases as of January 12th, 2021. While Canada has been proactive in their fight against COVID-19 and assisting many Caribbean countries like Barbados with having PPE, the island is still grappling with the effects.

Therefore, the question I want readers to ponder is this, are low cases determined by citizens’ compliance or strategic planning?

Dr. Rouguiatou Balde appointed as Canada’s representative for the African Renaissance and Diaspora Network JONELL PANTLITZ jonell@carib101.com

TC JR. REPORTER

The African Renaissance and Diaspora Network (ARDN) is currently spearheading the “Pathway to Solutions” initiative, with the necessary goals to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

This special project for the United Nations is to popularize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations, in collaboration

with different United Nations entities and offices, governments, civil society, academia and the private sector, and the world of sport and culture.

ARDN is an internationally operating NGO headquartered in New York, with the status of a United States 501(c) (3) public charity. Their mission is to accelerate the attainment of the African renaissance by advocating for and supporting United Nations programs and priorities. They plan to do this by mobilizing the passion of government, educators, artists, intellectuals, the private sector, civil society and youth, using the power of art, sport and culture as vectors for creating a better world. ARDN serves as the Secretariat for the Global Alliance of Mayors and Leaders from Africa and of African Descent.

Within the framework of the Pathway to Solutions initiative, ARDN

has launched its “Red Card Campaign.”

In the game of football, a red card signifies a serious infraction of the rules.

In this context, the Red Card Campaign seeks to “Give a red card to all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls.”

Dr. Rouguiatou Balde and Ms. Koura Doumbia have been appointed as ARDN Country Representative for the Republic of Guinea and the Republic of Mali, respectively. Dr. Balde additionally serves as ARDN Special Adviser for Canada. In these roles, they will further in the development, implementation and promotion of ARDN programs under the direction of Dr. Djibril Diallo, President and CEO of ARDN.

Dr. Balde has over fifteen years of blended experience in clinical and public health program development with a focus on SRHR, MNCH, HIV/AIDS, health

systems strengthening, community development, and gender equality. She offers extensive experience in project management, capacity building, strategic planning, policy formulation which she acquired in various geographical areas including the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan countries.

Ms. Koura Doumbia possesses expertise in human resource management and is currently at the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, Bamako, Mali, and a consultant to the Head of Human Resources for the Sahel Area. In this role, she has employed her expertise to set up the Human Resources department and provide management oversight and leadership including developing an HR strategy for the country program in support of the organization, regional and global goals and objectives.

FEATURE

PAGE 20

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 20, 2021

the the poetic poetic word word Kintsugi Garden

BY GLORIA O’KOYE

worth it!

Like the soil on the ground Continues its need to be nourished, Our bodies, minds and souls need to be replenished.

Nothing in all it’s goodness can be grown overnight, And if it did An aftertaste can follow right after, Having you slightly secondguessing.

After constant use of our energy in all that we do, We need rest before we continue.

Hard work produces plenty of fruits, Well rested will provide quality in all that we do.

Like ecosystems that are vital Our vegetables and fruits, Our stories from our past all plays a part, Even if there are ones we want to forget Or haven’t discover its benefits quite yet, Even in our brokenness We are beautiful, Like certain bugs we may not like, But does the job in protecting the plants we adore.

Just like our gardens we need water, dirt and light, We live and learn as we continue to grow.

Walking along the Kintsugi garden Speak tales of it own, Presents lessons beyond our mental walls And its education is well taught.

A place where shadow work needs To be done, Like how the gardener removes Branches, leaves that take up energy, May not be pleasant But it’s a necessity!

Where pollination is like teachings That intermingles in order For the plant to reproduce, Knowledge is the key and shouldn’t be taken for granted, When one is willing to share resourceful news

How a plant needs all its parts to survive, No fragment of our life is useless because everything plays its part...

Even though some are harder to swallow, It is still worth More than a dime!

Like treatments that are specific to what is needed for the plant, Is like how we specifically treat areas we face in our lives, What works for one part or an individual, May not yield the same intentions as ours!

Patience is a virtue That is nearly impossible to be taught, But life will continue to test you, It’ll continue to make you learn On the spot!

But like the sweet harvest after the time is right, The fruits of your labour will remind you How much it was

Continue to nurture our inner Kintsugi gardens, It is sacred and can never be replaced!

How we care for Mother Nature Is how our Bodies, Mind and soul, Needs undivided attention For as long as we roam Amongst this realm and space!

TEKA NEUFVILLE ATELIER Making tough decisions in an unsure world SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Classic Bitch –BSG- Milk Chocolate Nails; Bougie Bitch – Ice Me Nails; yes!

I loved it. I loved what I was seeing. It is time to get women all over the world focused on not only looking good, but feeling good, and I had found just the business to do that.

It has been a tough year ladies.

Our need to dress up and put on makeup has diminished because for most of us, well, we have nowhere to go. Beauty industry watchers and cosmetic companies have noted that consumers are gravitating toward a more low-maintenance and natural look.

There just hasn’t been any need to apply makeup the way we were before, plus, if you are a makeup wearer, you know how awkward it is to wear any kind of makeup under a facemask.

Makeup sales have plummeted this year as staying in and working from home has become the new normal. Globally, L’Oréal said the beauty market had fallen 13-14% in the first half of 2020, with luxury beauty, professional beauty, makeup and fragrance sales falling around 25% (J.P. Morgan Research).

There is new research that suggests there are advantages to dressing up for the workday, even if it is at the kitchen table, or in your home office. Dressing up and putting yourself together can actually change the way that you think. It can help you focus, boost your mental health and elevate your overall morale (Journal Social Psychology & Personality Science).

Apparently, Zoom video meetings have triggered the demand for plastic surgeries in many parts of the world. Cosmetic doctors and plastic surgeons around the world call it a “Zoom Boom.”

I had the opportunity to speak to a leader in the Toronto beauty market Teka Neufville. During our talk, she took me on a journey through her entrepreneurial experiences. She explained the highs and lows, how COVID-19 has affected the Toronto beauty market, and what she has had to do in order to keep her business on top.

“I have been in the industry since I was sixteen years old,” Teka began. “The name of the first nail studio I worked at was

TipWaxToe. I passed it on the way home from school one day, and something about that place drew me. I had always been interested in the fashion and beauty world, so I dropped my books back at school and told myself I was never going back.

They had a training centre at Yorkdale Mall, so I asked my aunt if I could have some money to take the course. She said yes, and that is how I entered the beauty industry.”

What Teka discovered very early in her life was that she was a better entrepreneur then she was an employee.

“Yes, working on commission is hard. If you don’t work, you don’t get paid.

You have to have a hustler’s spirit. The only thing is that there are still limits to your freedom when you work for others. I always wanted to be independent, but I also knew I would have to work for that independence.”

Teka’s entrepreneurial experience evolved when she began to work in the entertainment industry.

“I was heavily involved in the entertainment industry. I have worked all over the city: Paparazzi, This is London, Berlin, Government, For Your Eyes Only to name a few. Working as a bartender taught me how to speak up, and it definitely gave me my edge. In the entertainment industry, the customer is not always right. I learned how to control my bar. It was my territory.

It was very entrepreneurial. It was a hustle.

I would work in the evening, and during the day work at the spa. Eventually, this lifestyle became taxing on my mind, body, and soul. I would work all night, and then have to get up in the morning and see clients all day. I had to make a decision: entertainment or beauty industry. I choose beauty.”

Teka opened up her first studio on Scholar Street in 2016.

“I put everything I had into it.

Around January 3rd, 2020, I began to lose love for the space, so I closed it down, and began to work out of my girlfriend’s studio.

I was just starting to settle in, then COVID hit.

I really didn’t mind at first. The first two weeks were great. Then it turned into one month, two months, three months, four months, and then five months.

Before this happened, I was fully booked. Once restrictions began to lift, I thought, everything was going to be okay.

First two weeks were fully booked, and then it began to trickle back. Maintenance was not needed, as much because there was nowhere to go. Some women just couldn’t be bothered.

What happened? I thought to my-

self. What am I going to do?”

Teka had to once again make a tough choice. She had to choose whether to close her business down for good (which she realized was not an option) or find another sustainable way to keep her business afloat.

“I decided to move my business home. I had to make it so legitimate. It had to be done well. I redesigned my whole apartment and made my bedroom into my studio. This has allowed me to simplify my space. There is added security having my business at home. I know now that I will never need to rent a retail space.”

Although Teka had made positive, and healthy changes for her business, she shares that there were times when things were difficult.

“There were some dark days. I thought to myself. Holy Shit!

I couldn’t get out of bed; I had to slap myself out of it. I would get up, put my jewellery on, and put my make-up on.

I challenged myself that whatever the day threw at me, I would be ready. This helped, and it made me feel so much better. I began to share my stories with my clients, and it seemed to motivate them as well.

Teka Neufville Atelier had to shift, so now I am online selling my products. I have finished my e-commerce site, and now I am focusing on ensuring that I have enough stock for the demand.

I am thankful for the support of my clients, and I am blessed to have a great landlord, and amazing family and group of friends. My circle is very important to me, and if I had any advice for entrepreneurs in the beauty industry, it would be to build a circle of trust.”

Teka definitely has a brand that she should be proud of. Her products include: Shop Bitch Slapped Nails By Teka Neufville Hand painted, and designed Custom Press On Nails, DIY Nail Supplies, and Accessories. The nails come in all shapes: stiletto, coffin, square, oval and almond.

Premium Collection Teka Neufville Luxury Lashes Handmade Cruelty Free Premium Synthetic, and 100% Mink Strip Lashes. Made with black cotton band for comfort, and flexible application. Lashes can be used up to 25x with proper care.

You can visit Teka at www.tekaneufville.com

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Funeral services are provided by Canadian Memorial Services which is affiliated with Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries.

PAGE 22

FEATURE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 20, 2021

EDDIE B

The comedic styles of a former science teacher “I had a fellow teacher tell me once, “You are a genius! You merged your job with your passion!” I told her that I would love to take credit for it, but I’m not that smart. I’ve been tired of teaching since the day I started. If it was me who came up with this idea, why didn’t I come up with it thirteen years ago?!”

Eddie B.

Often, you’d imagine teachers entering their professions particularly for wanting to make a difference in the lives of their students. They spend decades working tirelessly, grading papers, creating interactive lesson plans and providing a fun learning experience for children. But what if I told you there was one fifth-grade teacher who bravely stood up and said, “HELL NO!” to all of this? That teacher was none other than former-educator-turned-comedian, Eddie B.

The Houston-native started his comedic journey alike many others; being the class clown.

“I used to get in trouble for it, but I was the life of the party. I’d be the one acting up on the school bus during field trips. I played sports and I was always the one cracking jokes. I was still good at sports, but I just had a sense of humour. I couldn’t stop it.”

When he became of age and it was time to look for a job, he weighed his options carefully. Unsure of what career path to follow, he chose one that appealed to his goals of financial stability: teaching.

“I didn’t choose teaching; it was just better than where I was at. I was working at a car wash doing sales, and if you’ve ever had a sales job, you’d know it’s up and down. But teaching? It was a career and it’s a respectable job. Not one time was I thinking about molding my students into better people… I ain’t care about that! I was thinking about having a salary. I wanted to do everything else; I wanted to do physical therapy and I wanted to do comedy. I never thought about teaching until I started teaching.”

Though venturing into education wasn’t his first choice, it was a profession that he stuck to for thirteen years. But outside of having a stable job, his true fulfillment was lacking.

Comedy was Eddie’s passion; he posted one-minute videos on Instagram, and he performed at comedy clubs and open mic nights regularly, but it wasn’t bringing in enough money or exposure.

Frustrated and unsure of where to turn, it was one prayer that changed his life forever.

“I was completely out of ideas man. One day, I just asked God. I said bless me with some ideas, I said it just like that. I didn’t think nothing of it.

One morning, I walk into my classroom to prepare for the day, and a thought hit me. You’ve been teaching and doing all these videos… why don’t you make a video exactly about this. You’ve been tired of this.”

“This” was teaching. “So, I started making a video right there. I didn’t put a lesson together or nothing

for the kids. I started making a video before they got in my classroom. When it was time for them to come in, I let them in and locked the door so nobody else could come in the class, because I would get in trouble if I was on my phone. I gave the kids what the teachers call “busy work”. That means, leave me alone, this is something to keep y’all quiet and out of my face! Then, I started editing the video during the class.”

He posted the video, entitled something along the lines of “What Public School Teachers Really Say About This Time of Year.” He was accustomed to including a couple of teacher related jokes into his stand-up routines and didn’t think much of the video. At first, he got his usual 5,000 to 6,000 views.

What really surprised him was when the views ballooned to 10,000!

“When it got there, I was like “Ah man, I’m in the money now!”

10,000 was a lot to me, I thought I done blew up! I went to sleep and woke up, then started to get ready for work. I checked the numbers again, it was in the 100,000s this time. I thought something was wrong, maybe the internet was glitching or something. But what it really was, it was the teachers. It was bouncing from teacher to teacher like a big domino effect. Everybody was sharing it. By the end of the week, I was at a million views. I was like if y’all like that, I have about thirteen years’ worth of this!

I been mad!”

From that point on, Eddie began to consistently post hilarious teacher-exclusive rants, averaging about three to four Instagram videos out per week. There was a slight problem, however. With fame often comes haters, and Eddie B. was facing head-on backlash from colleagues within his workplace.

“I had mixed reviews. While I’m talking about crazy stuff that happens at the school, I’m also talking about some of the people who do this stuff. So now there’s a divide. I would shoot the videos in class; they would notice and tell the principal. They would point out how I had my work cardigan or vest on with the school logo. So, in the videos, I would start to tape it up or put my hand over it. I wasn’t gonna stop for anyone.”

As he rose to celebrity status, he decided to take a life-altering step: to officially quit teaching and begin life as a professional comedian. Not looking back, he successfully accomplished not one, but two sold-out nationwide tours.

From 60 second videos to headlining his own shows, Eddie quickly received gratification from educators all around the world, thanking him for helping them get by and being their unheard voice.

Today, we still face a global pandemic, but this classic man refuses to let that halt his hustle. Using the restrictions to his advantage, he continued to achieve monumental success through continuously putting out videos and even having a line of limited edition face masks in collaboration with Rafi Nova. Through and through, he never neglected his roots in education

on the way.

“My heart goes out to anybody that this pandemic has affected in a negative way. In my situation, it didn’t cost me anything to put out these videos. I was able to slow down and create different ways to reach out to the teachers. I do miss the hugs, the love and taking pictures. I miss saying something to a big ole’ crowd and hearing this monstrous laughter, feet stomping and that arena rumbling response. But, I’ve also fallen in love with doing these Google Meets and Zoom sessions because I’m able to see these teachers close-up.”

He continues.

“When I’m able to get back on tour, I’m right back on it. But for now, this way is cool too.

I’m reaching a lot of people this way, and I’m able to appeal to a lot of districts and superintendents. I appreciate all the admin who book me to speak, but I appreciate the teachers most because they’re the ones who put me in demand. And because of that, I will always represent educators.”

Currently, Eddie is in Los Angeles waiting to shoot the pilot for a show executively produced by Laurence Fishburne’s Cinema Gypsy Productions in partnership with ABC Studios. The sitcom is centered around an outspoken middle-school football coach who is forced to teach eighth grade science due to budget cuts. Due to the pandemic, the production has been delayed, but Eddie confirms that it is still underway!

Want to keep up with Eddie B.? You can follow him on Instagram @eddiebcomedy and catch his podcast “The Teachers Lounge” on your favourite streaming services every Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. EST.

Photo Credit: Robert Shaw

Written by Janiece Campbell Toronto Caribbean News

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Monday-Friday 9 am to 9 pm Saturday 9 am to 9 pm Sunday 9 am to 7 pm

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PAGE 26

FOOD

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Jamaican

JOHNNYCAKES (FRIED DUMPLING) A Comfort Classic get them perfect, but I have a few tips to make your next batch the best you’ve ever fried.

NOEL CUNNINGHAM Tips for the best-fried dumplings noel@carib101.com

CULINARY EXPERT

Like sunshine in the morning, these fluffy, fried dumplings are the perfect start to your day. They’re usually served with ackee and saltfish or even braised liver. These are similar to Jamaican festivals, with the exception of the cornmeal. Fried dumplings are usually crisp on the outside and have a bread-like texture on the inside, made from a mixture of flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, water and some recipes will use butter but it is optional. They are also called “Johnnycakes.” The dough is divided into small pieces and then formed into small balls, which are then fried in some vegetable oil. Let’s just say that these are small golden balls of pure goodness.

In other Caribbean countries, such as Trinidad, Saint Lucia and Guyana, it is referred to as Bakes. In fact, every country in the Caribbean has its own way of making this fried dough.

The same ingredients are used but the shape or the texture changes, but it remains the same, some flour dough fried.

Jamaican fried dumplings are a popular comfort food that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Every household prepares these especially on Saturday or Sunday morning for breakfast. These can also be found at roadside restaurants and even the famous hotels on the island. Overall, it is a favourite of every Jamaican.

These crispy and perfectly soft Jamaican fried dumplings are the perfect comfort food for every Jamaican. At first, it can be a challenge to

Make sure to whisk or sift together all the dried ingredients to incorporate air which will make your dumplings light and fluffy Make sure to use cold liquid Don’t over knead your dough Rest your dough for 20 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator Fry using medium-high temperature Use enough oil so dumplings can float Here is your chance to make yours.

It’s a fast and simple side that anyone can make, and the best thing is it is very inexpensive to make. Your family will love this alternative to the American Johnnycake.

Ingredients • Canola oil for frying • 1 cup flour • 1 tsp. sugar • 1 tablespoon baking powder • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt • 1 tbsp. unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled • 1/3 cup milk or water Preparation 1. Pour oil into a medium frying pan with depth and heat over medium-high heat until oil is hot.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; add butter and using your fingers, rub into flour mixture until pea-size crumbles form.

3. Add cold milk or water and stir until a stiff, sticky dough forms.

Leave to rest for minimum 20 minutes or overnight then divide the dough into 6-8 2-oz. pieces and roughly shape into balls.

4. Working in batches, fry until puffed and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.

Enjoy!

FOOD

Wednesday, January 20, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 27

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I’ve not been able to gain weight and it may be due to my thyroid. Since Saturday, I’ve been energized. I have an appetite. I used to get weird aluminum tastes in my mouth, which has stopped. I overall just feel so much better” Anonymous World Moss Customer

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Last year, when Canadian’s were seeking natural ways to boost their immune systems, Team World Moss established a strong client base with their unique products and the sales were outstanding. Nerissa advised everyone to educate themselves on the history and benefits of sea moss. Sea moss might seem like a tasteless jelly but research shows amazing benefits. Even a spoonful of sea moss in your daily smoothie can bring numerous gains.

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in the black community, Nerissa was not very familiar with it.

She then learned about the concept of sea moss and its unending benefits from Dr. Sebi, a well-known herbalist and self-proclaimed healer. She put faith on his, “You can heal yourself naturally,” concept and added sea moss to her daily lifestyle. The education from Dr. Sebi and the adoption of sea moss brought an incredible change in her personal immunity and sanity. Nerissa and her husband Gordon decided to share their knowledge and established World Moss specializing in making high quality sea moss infused drinks, accessible to North Americans.

Mike Lawler, the organizer of Underpass Park Farmers Market Organizer gave them the golden opportunity to showcase the sea moss products at the market in March 2019. They developed a strong client base that year and started to sell online. In late 2019 they built a team in Jamaica and affiliated with a commercial kitchen in North York.

Nerissa and Gordon also would like to thank Kara Isert, from Sparkplug Coffee for pointing them in the direction of commercial kitchens. Janice Bartley

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Her affinity for sales, marketing CULINARY REPORTER and digital media prompted her to pursue a Masters in Business Administration from Schulich School of Business, Toron“Love these products! I have been look- to. Nerissa’s specialization in social media ing all over for quality moss & great re- and digital media marketing helped her sults. Thanks to World Moss my search to work with Bell and Rogers as a digital has ceased. Lifetime customer. Custom- marketer. Nerissa’s great work in her field er service A++.” – Sean Duh (Client of granted her the opportunity to start her own digital consulting firm. Since startWorld Moss) ing her firm, Nerissa has attracted some Nerissa and Gordon Karacic, the found- impressive clientele in multiple industries ers of World Moss provide: sea moss gel, including food and beverages.

At the same time, she was trysun-dried sea moss and sea moss infused ing various types of supplements, herbal drinks. Nerissa and Gordon are the first Toronto-based all sea moss company and remedies for a healthy lifestyle. Unforturapidly expanding across Canada and the nately, rather than enjoying any benefits from these products, she got severe alUnited States.

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HEALTH

Wednesday, January 20, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 29

What you should know about a silent heart attack W. GIFFORDJONES MD DIANA GIFFORD-JONES COMMON SENSE HEALTH

Lao Tzu, the Chinese philosopher wrote, “Silence is a source of great strength.”

Possibly sound advice in some situations, but for people who’ve had a silent heart attack, silence is far from a virtue.

In fact, according to a report from the University of California, up to one half of heart attacks are totally silent! So, how dangerous are these myocardial infarctions, and what is the treatment?

The first indication of an attack may be when an electrocardiogram (ECG) is done for another medical reason and shows a damaged heart. But it may

remain undiscovered until an autopsy reveals scarring in the heart’s muscle.

Why does the silent heart attack fail to cause symptoms? Some people have a higher threshold of pain than others. Or a higher blood level of endorphins helps kill pain. Or a smaller coronary artery is involved, causing less damage. Also, diabetes can cause degeneration of nerves.

In 2014, the Rotterdam Study, involving longitudinal research on a cohort of citizens, showed the silent attack is associated with a greater chance of dying from any cause, or from cardiovascular disease, for men and women over a period of twenty years, compared to no heart attack.

In another study, ECG evidence of a silent heart attack was associated with a triple risk of death from coronary heart disease and a 34% risk of dying from any cause over nine years, compared to someone without a heart attack.

12 healthy habits that can help prevent lung disease There are many environmental factors that can impact your respiratory health and make it harder for you to breathe. However, there are things you can do to protect your lungs. Here are 12 healthy habits you should adopt.

1. Eat a nutritious diet that’s rich in fruits and vegetables 2. Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day 3. Wash your hands often to prevent infections 4. Receive the recommended vaccines for your age group 5. Quit smoking and vaping (or avoid star-

ting in the first place) 6. Avoid smoky places and second-hand smoke 7. Try not to use aerosol products such as hairspray 8. Wear a mask if you work in a dusty environment or handle toxic products 9. Use eco-friendly paint that doesn’t contain VOCs 10. Test your home for radon 11. Remove asbestos from your home if necessary 12. Make sure your home’s ventilation system is clean and in good working order If you’re concerned about your lungs, talk to your doctor about getting a computed tomography (CT) scan. This test can help detect infections, lung cancer, blood clots and other lung problems.

DID YOU KNOW? According to the Canadian Lung Association, one in five people has lung disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the leading cause of hospitalization in Canada.

It also noted that there was a greater risk among women than men for both types of heart attack. No explanation was given for this difference.

Years ago, Dr Tirone David, one of the world’s great cardiac surgeons, stressed that by-pass surgery is more difficult in women because their coronary arteries are smaller.

An Icelandic study, published in JAMA Cardiology, showed what happened to cardiology patients over a thirteen-year period. During the first few years, those who had a known heart attack were more likely to die of any cause than those with a silent attack. But after ten years, silent heart attack patients were just as likely to have died as those who had a known attack.

This means that the silent heart attack can be as dangerous as painful ones. And since they’re so common, it’s prudent to try to prevent them.

What is the best treatment? A silent coronary occurs for the same rea-

sons as one that causes pain. So, being obese, a smoker, diabetic, having high blood cholesterol, hypertension, and a sedentary lifestyle are all risk factors.

Your doctor will suggest a change in lifestyle to eliminate them. A good start is a high fiber diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains and unsaturated fats as found in fish and nuts.

Your doctor may suggest a 33 milligram Aspirin to decrease the risk of blood clot and should explain complications that may occur with this medication. You’ll know from reading past articles that omega-3 fatty acids decrease the risk of clotting, lower triglycerides, increase good cholesterol and decrease inflammation.

So, to Lao Tzu, silence may have its virtues, but it can also hide a serious medical problem. A good case scenario is that you get a diagnosis long before an autopsy. The best case is prevention, prevention, prevention.

Orthokeratology: an overnight treatment for myopia If you’re nearsighted, orthokeratology can be an effective alternative to wearing glas­ ses or contacts. This non-surgical treatment involves wearing rigid, custom-fit lenses overnight to temporarily reshape your cornea. Here’s a look at how orthokeratology can improve your vision.

WHAT TO EXPECT Orthokeratology lenses are made of a sturdy, gas-permeable material that flattens the centre of the cornea while still allowing oxygen to reach your eye. For best results, these lenses should be worn for at least six consecutive hours every night.

You may experience some minor discomfort during the first week as your eyes get used to the rigid lenses. When you remove the lenses in the morning, your cornea will stay flat and change the way light enters your eye. This vision correction usually lasts about 24 to 48 hours.

HOW IT CAN HELP Though it can’t permanently correct your vision, orthokeratology slows the progression of myopia in 50 to 90 per cent of cases.

Among other things, this preventive action can help you: • Avoid further eye health problems • Reduce your risk of retinal detachment • Prevent the appearance of eye floaters To find out if orthokeratology is right for you, speak with your optometrist.

Stop the Spread COVID-19 can be deadly.

Stay home.

Stay strong.

Save lives.

Visit ontario.ca/coronavirus Paid for by the Government of Ontario

Wednesday, January 20, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

Teen volunteering: how to get them involved According to a review published in 2014 by the Institute for Volunteering Research, teen volunteers demonstrate higher levels of well-being, personal development and social con­nectedness than their non-volunteer peers.

It’s most motivating for young people when they can select volunteer opportunities that align with their passions, interests and ambitions. There are a large number of potential places where teens can volunteer, including:

This evidence suggests that getting your own teen involved in volunteering will provide them not only a chance to fill out their resumes, but also the opportunity to become happier, more well-rounded individuals.

• Seniors’ residences • Animal shelters • Libraries • Food banks • Community centres

WHY TEENS SHOULD VOLUNTEER Volunteering can promote various aptitudes in teens such as leadership and communication skills, which will serve them well in their educational pursuits and on the job market. However, there are also psychological benefits that volunteer work affords them. Research reported on in the 2014 review indicates that teens that do volunteer work have higher self-esteem and resilience than those that don’t.

HOW TO ENCOURAGE TEENS TO VOLUNTEER One of the best ways to get teens to volunteer is to lead by example. This can mean volunteering yourself when you get the chance, or doing volunteer activities as a family, which has the added advantage of promoting bonding and mutual respect between the family members involved.

WHERE TEENS SHOULD VOLUNTEER

It’s worth pointing out that not all volunteering opportunities require a longterm, ongoing commitment. Charity fundraisers like run-for-the-cause events and community occasions like the town’s Easter parade often require volunteers for only one or two days.

Volunteer experience invariably strengthens a young person’s resume; however, the real value of volunteering is emphatically the positive impact it has on others as well as on the volunteer.

COMMUNITY

PAGE 31

Volunteering opportunities for seniors Studies have shown that volunteering has a positive effect on seniors’ well-being and can even help stave off neurological problems associated with old age, including depression and dementia. If you’re a retiree looking to volunteer your time and skills, here are some ways you can give back to your community: 1. Offer pro bono services. One way to volunteer during your retirement is to use your professional skills to help peo­ple in need for free. For instance, if you used to be an accountant, you can volunteer to help low-income families or recent immigrants prepare their tax returns. If you used to be a lawyer, you can offer free legal assistance to groups in need.

2.

Support causes you’re passionate about. Take advantage of your retirement years to get involved with activist movements that inspire you. Whether it’s campaigning for political candidates or writing letters advocating legislative changes, you’re sure to find plenty of ways to further the causes you’re passionate about.

3. Mentor children. One of the best ways to contribute to your community is to volunteer to tutor or mentor kids — especially those who may not receive the academic and emotional support they need at home — through local schools and educational programs. Working with children can be a great way to bridge the

generation gap while making a substantial difference in a young person’s life.

4. Work with immigrant communities. Volunteer to help recent immigrants acclimatize to life in Canada. You can do things like help with job applications, child care and English language learning, or simply offer support and companionship as families adjust to their new country.

To learn more about volunteering opportunities for seniors, visit the Volunteer Ca­nada website at volunteer.ca/index. php?MenuItemID=342.

LIFE

Wednesday, January 20, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 33

The power of focus

The ability to concentrate singlemindedly on your most important task, to do it well and to finish it completely, is the key to great success, achievement, respect, status, and happiness in life. The key to success is action, but most importantly, a focused action. The current outcomes of your life have much to do with what you’ve been focusing on. Anthony Robbins has rightly said, “Your life is controlled by what you focus on.” Where focus goes, energy flows.

This new year shouldn’t be a year you dissipate time, energy, emotions or resources on things that are inconsequential.

Time is the currency of life, but you and I don’t have it in abundant supply. Focus your life on things that really count. Focus on things that give you a sense of meaning, purpose and significance. Don’t major on minor and don’t minor on major. William Matthews has rightly said, “The first law of success is concentration, to bend all the energies to one point, and to go directly to that point, looking neither to the right nor the left.”

You need three key qualities to

DANIEL COLE

daniel@carib101.com

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

The key to reaching high levels of performance and productivity in life, especially in 2021, given the ongoing pandemic and global unrest is to stay focused. There is so much out there competing for your attention. At an interval of ten minutes, if not less, your phone is getting a notification.

Be it an email, a post from your friend on Instagram, who said what on Facebook, the family WhatsApp group chat, who is playing who at EPL this weekend, who posted what on Twitter, to name a few. The reality is attention is our new currency. Your responsibility is to exchange it wisely.

develop the habits of focus and concentration, which are all learnable. They are decision, discipline, and determination. First, make a decision on what you want to focus on. Pick a goal and decide to see it through until completion. Secondly, discipline yourself to stay on track. Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment. And finally, stay determined to see the cause through. There is no nobility in starting and not finishing. Let people hold you accountable, do something every day that moves you a step closer in the achievement of that goal.

One of the very worst uses of time is to do something very well that need not be done at all. Focus is a product of clarity; clarity about what you want, and clarity about the steps required to get it. The great Norman Vincent Peale once said, “When every physical and mental resource is focused, one’s power to solve a problem multiplies tremendously.” To make 2021 a significant and productive year, what are the skills you need to develop? Focus your time and resources to those areas.

Remember the 80/20 Pareto principle that says 20% of your activities will account for 80% of your results. What are your 20% activities that will give you 80% results? Once you identified them, focus on them. Goethe said, “The things that matter most must never be at the mercy of the things that matter least.” Focus on your strength, not your weakness. Focus on your key result areas.

Focus, patience and consistency are key factors to success in any life endeavour. There’s an old saying that “By the yard it’s hard, but inch by inch anything’s a cinch.” A person with comparatively moderate powers will accomplish much if they apply themselves wholly and indefatigably to one thing at a time. Confucius wrote, “A journey of a thousand leagues begins with a single step.” You can accomplish the biggest task in your life by focusing and disciplining yourself to take it just one step at a time. Your job is to go as far as you can see.

You will then see far enough to go further.

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PAGE 34

LIFE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 20, 2021

I just know it felt good to stop feeling for a minute; reliving my past trauma SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

2021; a year of responsibility and commitment

BY MAKAYLA B. 12 YEARS OLD TC JUNIOR CONTRIBUTOR “In order to win and succeed in life, responsibility is so important. This is part of being an adult and learning to be responsible for everything.”

Tonya R. Owens At the age of twelve, I have many responsibilities and things that in order to be finished, require commitment.

Both of those are very important, and without it many things would be a mess, and tons of people would lose their jobs.

Responsibility is something that reminds us to take care of what we have to do and gives us the ability to take ownership of what you have done. In almost all of the super hero movies it has mentioned something about responsibility, and showed us that we have the ability to do something that could potentially help someone or help to keep people safe.

Things like drawing, painting, sculpting, writing, and even something like reading all require commitment. Without it, anything we do would only end up being half done, and that is a problem. If no one ever took responsibility, this world would be quite horrid and many problems would arise. Without commitment almost everyone would lose their jobs, because they wouldn’t do their jobs, and practically every kid in school wouldn’t have their homework done.

One of my goals for this year is to help out more around the house, and that I’ll have to become more responsible and try to put more effort into everything I do. I’m doing this to make things easier for my parents. With a new year comes new responsibilities, and goals that need to be achieved.

“With great power comes great responsibility” Spiderman

EMPOWERING OUR YOUNG MINDS OF TOMORROW TORONTO CARIBBEAN NEWS INC.

HUMAN SPECIALIST

As I watched everyone chit chatting and getting ready for bed, I just stood there unsure what to do. Finally, I saw Andrea round the corner and go over to the mattress area. She began to speak to one of the girls who seemed to be in charge of passing out the mattresses. She pointed over at me, and the girl looked over. They continued to talk, and finally Andrea walked over to me.

“Alright love,” she began. “They are going to hand out all of the mattresses and see what is left when they are done.”

She must have seen my face, because she began to reassure me right away. “Don’t worry! It is your first night. It is like this for everyone. You are going to be fine. Don’t worry!” When I think back to how blessed I was to have met her, it brings tears to my eyes.

She squeezed my shoulder and walked back over to where the mattresses

were being handed out. I saw her speaking to the same girl again, and the girl gestured to the back of the room that had all the mattresses. Andrea disappeared into the dark room and re-emerged with a thin mattress, no thicker than one of the mats that we used to use in gym class. Remember the ones that you could Velcro back onto the walls? Yeah. Those.

Andrea walked back over to me with the makeshift mattress in hand. “I got you a bed love,” she said. “I don’t have a pillow for you though. I am sorry.”

“It’s okay,” I replied. “I have a pillow.” I was referring to my neck pillow, which had served as a pillow when I was in jail a few days earlier.

“Find a place quickly because it is going to be lights out soon,” Andrea warned. “I will come find you in the morning for breakfast. Get some rest okay. Have a good night,” and with that she turned around and disappeared in the back.

I slowly looked around trying to find a free spot. I began to watch how the other women were positioning themselves. There didn’t seem to be any free spots. I figured I would wait until everyone had put their mattresses down, and then I would pick a spot.

After about five minutes, it seemed like everyone had settled down.

All of a sudden the lights went out. Here I was standing up with a mattress in hand

trying to feel myself around in the dark. Instead of moving, I decided to put the mattress down right where it was. I figured at least if Andrea were trying to find me in the morning, I would be where she left me.

I slowly lay down on my back. I couldn’t lay on my left or right side tonight.

My hips had started to hurt from the previous three to four nights sleeping on newspapers. The mattress was thin, but at that moment, it felt like a Sleep Country mattress.

The girls were still chattering amongst themselves, but things had begun to wind down. As I lay there, I heard music coming from somewhere. It sounded like a club, or a party. Some of the girls started singing to the music that was drifting through the walls. I felt a pang of regret and jealousy. I was locked away here, while people were enjoying themselves only a couple kilometres away.

Tears filled my eyes. I was so mad at myself. How the hell did I get myself into this mess? How could I have allowed myself to get involved in such foolishness, and for what?

I closed my eyes and sobbed softly to myself. I actually felt safe enough to cry.

Here. In the dark, with no one watching me.

I don’t even remember when I fell asleep; I just know it felt good to stop feeling for a minute.

Remember, life is a marathon, not a sprint; processing the lessons of yesteryear GARCIA AKUA

garcia@carib101.com

COSMIC CORNER

Happy New Year Star Family! We are officially in 2021. We have survived 2020, now we embark on a new journey. 2020 was by far a year for the books. We have grown so much since then. What have you learned?

How have you grown? 2020 gave most of us 2020 vision in hindsight. Have you taken the time to process what we have just experienced?

New year, new goals and we just continue to go,go, go, but have you really slowed down to feel your feelings? Have you processed the multitude of emotions before moving into new goals? We have to make some adjustments, we cannot continue operating in the same means as if we all weren’t in the most stressful year of most of our lives.

Trauma changes us. Isolation changes us. Fear cripples us. We need to be mindful of how the energies and experiences of last year have impacted us. It is ok to stop and smell the roses, life isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.

You know the vibes. Let’s look to the sky to see what 2021 has in store for

us. It’s time to level up once again. On December 21st, 2020, we had a cosmic event called the Grand Conjunction. The Grand Conjunction occurs every 200 years, it’s when Saturn and Jupiter meet up in the same sign, signaling a shift in energy. Saturn and Jupiter met up in Aquarius and will be spending most of the year there.

Aquarius energy is very intellectual, it’s original, unique and very humanitarian like in nature. Aquarius can come across as detached as it seeks the big picture solutions. We have transitioned into solutionbased energies. Aquarius is an air sign. The air element represents thoughts, communication and ideas. Aquarius is an innovative sign, so much of this year will be about new mindsets, new ideas around the way we live as a collective and highlight how our thoughts impact our lives as individuals and as a society.

We will also have the ruler of Aquarius, Uranus, in Taurus this year. Uranus is the planet of great awakening, freedom and sudden change. Taurus is the first earth sign of the zodiac, representing our material possessions and values. Uranus in Taurus brings changes to the way we acquire, save and maintain material possessions. We will see more digital currencies come to the mainstream as Uranus is also digital energy. There can be sudden changes for the good or bad, so be mindful of your spending habits, as they can be impacted.

This is the year we apply the lessons we have learned last year. When Ura-

nus is at play, things can be very unpredictable. Sudden change can come at any time to wake up the collective. Jupiter in Aquarius calls us to expand, and Saturn in Aquarius calls us to put in the necessary boundaries and restrictions for our longterm goals. Both require a new mindset to achieve success.

The virus is still the main event and for most of the year we will have to deal with issues surrounding it. There’s so much in the media that leaves us uncertain as to what will happen next. Vaccines, lockdowns, travel restrictions etc have taken up much of our attention. Yes, the virus is serious but you can’t consume your thoughts all the time with it. We still have a life to live.

What do you want out of life this year? What does healing look like to you?

What does freedom feel like to you? How can your unique gifts uplift yourself, your family, tribe and collective? Focus on those things. We can easily be consumed by fear, or we can create a new mindset for ourselves and create a life we love, regardless of what is happening outside of us.

Our thoughts shape our reality.

We have moved into the time of Aquarius which is all about new, innovative ways of thinking so we create a new innovative way of living, thriving and healing.

Remember, life is a marathon, not a sprint. Process the lessons of yesteryear and step forward in your truth, your reality depends on it. Happy 2021 family, sending you all an abundance of love, light and power!

LIFE

Wednesday, January 20, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 35

Has technology made it easier for students to cheat? Looks like it!

PAUL JUNOR

paul@carib101.com

YOUTH EDUCATION

The extension of online learning/virtual schooling for students across Ontario has forced many students to resort to cheating.

CP24 reported on Sunday, December 27th, 2020 that, “Cheating is a ‘ free-for all’ at virtual high schools.” The report refers to concerns by educators who are alarmed at the level of cheating. Students are now downloading apps that provide them ready-made answers.

The story recounts the experiences of Olivia Metela, who teaches high school in Thronhill. She recalls the solutions that students provided to a question on her Math test. She states, “it was a very convoluted way of doing things. Their solution was about twenty steps. The process in class would have been around five or six.”

The report mentioned that there is a particular Math app called Photomath,

which students are using. The Photomath app describes it as the # 1 app for math learning that can: read and solve problems ranging from arithmetic to calculus instantly by using a camera on your mobile device.

In response to the question, “Is Photomath cheating too?” The website states that about 75% of students have used it to verify their solutions.

It states, “students should be encouraged to use Photomath to check their answers to practice problems, compare their solutions, and identify any missteps in their calculations.” It originated in 2014, and there have been about 150 million downloads across the globe, with over a million of them by teachers.

The Photomath app website states: Scan. Solve. Learn. Once s photo is taken of the Math problem the app provides a detailed solution. Jennifer Lui, a spokeswoman for Photomath reported, “the guide focuses on three core principles: reinforcing concepts learned in the classroom, providing a way to check homework assignments and accelerating individual learning,”

There is another math learning tool called Mathway that students frequently use. According to its website: www.mathway.com, it is an ‘Algebra Problem Solver’ that offers, “free math solver that answers your algebra homework questions with

step-by-step explanations.” All one has to do is take a picture of a math problem and the app immediately recognizes it and provides instantaneous solutions.

Math Whizz It is a Math tutor to help 5-13 learn math online

Educationalappstore.com lists the following apps as the best ones that students can use:

Math Learning Centre It has free apps for kids from pre-K to Grade 7

Komodo Math It focuses on students mastering arithmetic and mental math/math for ages 5 - 11

Play: Adding It is a math game for age 5 to 8 to learn math facts

Rocket Math It helps kids age 6 to 14 learn math facts

Cheryl Costigan, a high school Math teacher, also reported that she observed that many of her students are, “cheating a lot more than they ever have in the past. It’s just a free-forall. Everybody’s cheating all the time.” She recalled when students wrote the first test, she heard the camera clicking but afterwards they would turn off the camera sound to prevent her from hearing.

DoodleMaths It is a math program to support kids at home IXL Math It is an interactive program for kids age 3 to 18 Photomath It solves math problems by using a camera Prodigy It is good for kids age 6 to 14 to do practice Splash Math It adapts to kids level for age 4 to 14

Costigan understands the enormous pressure that students are under especially during the pandemic, and from parental expectations. She observes, “their parents are putting stress that they want them to get into university. So, they kind of feel like they have got to get that mark, and they really don’t care about the cheating anymore. It’s just become second nature.”

Ankhesenamun; The Great Royal Wife who was married not once, but twice DAVE RANKIN dave@carib101.com

AFRICAN HISTORY

Inter-family marriages were common for many lineages through the history of Kemet.

I personally have outlined numerous full or half siblings joined in union that were performed to preserve royal bloodlines. To the ancient Kemetian, this was a way of life ordained by the gods. So, they did their best to ensure the base of power was centralized within the family. This week’s focus tells a story of a young princess who was married not once, but twice to family members following a long-standing tradition, which probably did more harm than good.

Born during a time of Kemet’s religious revolution, Ankhesenpaten was the third of six daughters born to Akhenaten and Nefertiti. She along with her two older

sisters Meriaten, Meketaten were labelled as senior princesses who participated in various functions of government and religious activities alongside their parents. While there isn’t a complete picture of what her life was like as a child, one could only assume that it was filled with the drama that surrounded her father.

As we outlined in previous entries, Akhenaten was a man who marched to his own beat, discarding certain traditions along the way. Especially when it came to his devotion to the god Aten and his relationship with clergy and neighbouring states under the empire. It is here where I advise you, the reader, to peruse through some of my older articles on the details of Akhenaten’s reign.

However, there is one event that I will point out that is directly connected to our muse.

Ankhesenpaten was swept up in a power struggle around the age of thirteen when she was married to her father in the latter years of his reign. Although this was done in hopes of producing a male heir to the throne, the move failed miserably when she bore him a baby girl who was named, Ankhesenpaaton-tasherit or “Ankhesenpaaton the Younger”.

Not long after the passing of her

father, the senior princess was married to her second family member, her half-brother Tutankhamun. Much of this marriage was spent restoring the confidence of the people through re-establishing ties with the clergy and diplomatic relationships with nation states under the empire. The largest move the young royal couple made was reverting back to the worship of Amun. This was cemented when both changed their names.

Tutankhaten changed his name to the familiar Tutankhamun. While Ankhesenpaten, changed her name to Ankhesenamun, which now meant “She Lives for Amun.”

As much the young couple attempted to live out their duties, they were still plagued with untimely events. First, Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun had twin daughters that died very young. I had read an article online stating that one of the daughters had Spengel’s deformity. To be honest this was the only article I had read on the subject. So I can’t confirm this fact to be true. Next was the passing of her husband “King Tut.” He was around eighteen years old when he left his young wife with no heir of his own.

Realizing this, Ankhesenamun wrote a letter to the Hittite king Suppilu-

liumas in what is now called the “Hittite Letters,” to send one of his sons to marry her.

The following is an excerpt survived from a clay tablet from the Hittite archives. “My husband has recently died, and I have no son.

But thy sons, they say, are many. If thou wilt send me a son of thine, he shall become my husband.” Eventually the king agreed and sent his son Zennanza. He too died on the journey to meet his new bride. There are reports that Kemetian forces murdered Zennanza when he reached the borders. Ankhesenamun was then promised to be married to her vizer, Aye.

In a bizarre twist of events, Ankhesenamun then disappears from the records of history. Nobody knows what happened to her. There is no record of her death. Her tomb has yet to be discovered. Egyptologists predict that she lived to about twenty one years before she disappeared. Again, with no evidence, it is very hard to know if this is certain.

We are very hopeful that one day the discovery of her tomb will provide us with the answers surrounding this “Great Royal Wife.” Till then, we could only speculate on how Ankhesenamun passed.

PAGE 36

LIFE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 20, 2021

What does it mean to brace?

Stories from a black father RALPH BRYANT

ralph@carib101.com

BLACK MINDS MATTER I am Caribbean in name only, which is why I call myself a “JaFakin” (aka a fake Jamaican). This is a not-so-subtle nod to my father’s side of the family, who I know through faded Polaroids and passed down recipes. Aside from my love of stew chicken, ganja, and dancehall, I have almost zero connection to my Jamaican heritage. In fact, there are other cultures who come back with a crate full of rum, and a head full of colourful braids who feel more at home in my homeland than I do.

Recently, I began dating an Indo-Caribbean woman from Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana. On one of our first dates, she took me to a cookout in Niagara Falls. “You know how to dance, right?” she asked, as we pulled into the parking lot.

“Hell, yeah,” I clapped back. As a child of hip-hop and R&B, who was doing the cabbage patch and the running man before she was alive, I was offended.

She spent the night disappointed.

I spent the night embarrassed. I couldn’t brace.

For the uninitiated, when a man is incapable of keeping up with the wine demands of his female partner, he can redeem himself by simply standing behind her and being her wall, her rock, so she can wine her heart out. He can be her brace.

This is not only true with dancing. For years, our beautiful strong black queens have been the bedrock of our community, stepping into the breach when too many of our men were incapable or uninterested in holding down our family units. Yet, black women have now expanded their “black girl magic” to the rest of culture, at least in North America.

Literally, our sistas pulled the United States back from the brink, restoring the possibility for civility to return to our politics. Leaders such as: Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tomet. The leaders of Black Lives Matter, Stacey Abrams of New Georgia, former First Lady Michelle Obama and the current Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris are adding embers set by freedom fighters.

This, of course, is in addition to the five current heads of state in the Caribbean: Paula Mae-Weeks (Trinidad and Tobago), Sandra

Mason (Barbados), Lucile Gorge-Wort (Curacao), Cecila La-Grande (Granada), and Susan Dougan, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

These women, amongst so many others, are no longer asking for a seat at the table; they are doing what uninvited house guests often do; they set up their own table, take a seat, demand for justice, equality and representation. Some men, despite their own success, see this as a problem.

They hold on to outdated notions of the role of women, and equally outdated notions of what it means to be a man and what we want from our life partners.

Outside of my role at Toronto Caribbean Newspaper, I also host a podcast called Black Fathers Matter. The show is a conversation that speaks honestly to men in the same way that men gather at the barbershop, counteracting those negative stereotypes and frankly reimagining a world where we live as the Kings we are meant to be.

Recently, Corine La Font, a Trinidad-based PR and Communication Consultant, and host of the podcast, Between The Lines, interviewed me. While talking about this black fatherhood, she demanded “Where are our strong black men ready to stand beside these beautiful black women who are doing all these amazing things?”

Ms. La Font is asking for our black men to brace. To be as strong for them as they are being for the rest of the world.

Black men have long lived under the cliché that we are absent and distant.

That we are unable to “handle” the strength of black women, so much so that we step outside our race to date women from other races. We have seen too many Tyler Perry movies that leave us with the “deadbeat dad” cliché - and men have been all too willing to live down to that stereotype.

There is also a massive change - a new generation of black and brown men ready to show the rest of us how to brace.

Brothers like: Jay-Z, John Legend, and Dwayne Wade, for example, are three men that have not only embraced bracing for their powerful and accomplished women (Beyonce, Chrissy Teigen, and Gabrielle Union). These kings are being sensitive, vulnerable, while showing us that, like our women, they can both receive support, as well as be a support to the culture. Together, they amplify each other, creating an impenetrable bond that will see both of their efforts. This is what I mean by bracing.

As for my dancing “brace,” let’s just say it’s my work in progress. But if I brace for her in every other way, she may never even notice I can’t dance.

Wednesday, January 20, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

Support for our community: Roots Community Services TARA MYSHRALL tara@carib101.com

COMPELLED TO CHANGE January usually brings a fresh start and an opportunity for new goals and aspirations.

We all welcome a new beginning after 2020 and all the lessons and struggles that came with it. I usually start my new year with a list of objectives for the year ahead and this year is no different. My list usually entails not just how I can create more abundance in life but also how I can contribute to my family, community and world.

Many people ask me how I find time to contribute to others and I ask how can I not make time? We all have the same number of hours in the day, the important thing is what we choose to do with our time. This theme ran through my interview with the Roots Community Services program (rootscs). I was honored to meet with Angela J Carter, the Executive Director and Andrea Randall, Vice President.

Angela and Andrea are up to amazing things in our community. We had an open conversation about how difficult 2020 was to our Caribbean and black community. The Roots Community Services offers a wide variety of services to the public from ages 6 to 95. They have a variety of offerings to ensure that the community has a voice and support for Mental, Spiritual and Physical health. To learn more about their programs, visit www.rootscs.org.

COVID-19 enhanced the feelings of isolation and was difficult for the community’s overall mental and spiritual health but there was also a tidle wave of systemic racism that washed over the community, starting with the killing of George Floyd and the five deaths from police that happened in 2020 locally. “It was a Tsunami that hit us. The Anti-Black Racism Movement

and COVID hit our community and the two converged and slammed our community and the mental health suffered.” Angela Stated. Mental health was a factor in many of the police and community altercations and there is a push for greater communication between the public and the police.

Angela is not just talking about this; she is doing it. She is calling for grief counsellors and funding for any family that has lost a loved one due to police brutality to help these families cope. She is advocating for Police Officers to be accompanied by trained psychologists when attending a mental health call and for increased training for officers in effectively managing mental health calls. There is a desire to rechannel funds for police and not defund.

Opening communication with the community, municipality and police will help ensure we all rebuild the trust that officers are there to serve and protect the black and Caribbean community. Angela currently co-chairs the Anti-Black Racism & Systemic Discrimination collective in the Region of Peel and represents RootsCS on a number of committees in Peel, Halton Region and Toronto that are seeking equity and equality for all groups, especially Black communities.

As we discussed breaking down the systemic racism that exists what really resonated for me was when Angela said “breaking down systemic racism for blacks will break down racism for all, the pursuit of equity and equality for any minority increases it for all.”

As we move into 2021, we have to decide how we are going to show up in the world, how we are going to contribute and how we will use our voice for change. Angela and Andrea are doing great work at the RootsCS and they have the same number of hours in the day as all of us. Once we decide and we show up for others we are gifted with more energy to continue to do the work that needs to be done.So, ask yourself, “what is one small thing I can do today to give back and create a more equitable and just community?” And then go do it.

A guide to public transit etiquette Taking the bus, train or subway to commute requires you to share a small space with other people. Here are a few rules you should follow to ensure a smooth ride for everyone.

• • •

• • • •

Have your fare or ticket in hand, or step to the side until you do to avoid holding up the line.

Always let passengers exit the vehicle before you attempt to board, and then do so in an orderly fashion.

Remain clear of the doorway once inside so riders can easily exit the vehicle. This will prevent delays caused by a blocked door.

Remove your backpack when standing in a crowded vehicle, and don’t place items in the middle of an aisle.

If you’re sitting, keep your bag on your lap instead of on the seat next to you.

Keep your feet off the seats.

Offer your seat to pregnant women, seniors, people with disabilities and others who may need it more than you.

•

Avoid having loud conversations, and use headphones to listen to music.

Finally, remember to always thank the driver as you disembark.

LIFE

PAGE 37

PAGE 38

HOME

Soundproofing your basement ceiling Soundproofing your basement ceiling may be a good idea if you use the space as a playroom, man cave, home theatre or rental suite. Here’s what you should know.

MATERIALS YOU CAN USE Your contractor can soundproof your ba­ se­ment in the following ways: • Soundproofing panels can be instal­ led. There are many types available of­ fering various levels of sound dampe­ ning. They come in a range of looks, are often customizable and are frequently made of recycled materials.

• Acoustic tiles can also be used to soundproof your basement. These re­ quire a drop ceiling and a willingness to accept the associated utilitarian esthe­ tic. They may be most suitable for a home office.

• Insulation. Increasing the amount of insulation in your ceiling can help re­ duce the amount of noise that carries bet­ ween floors. Fibreglass insulation muf ­fl es sounds better than other types.

• Drywall, particularly acoustic drywall, can be installed overtop a finished cei­ ling. Isolation clips can be fastened to ceiling joists and used to hold channels.

The resulting structure can then be used to support the extra layer of drywall.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT Soundproofing your basement is unli­ kely to boost the resale value of your home. However, if you rent out the space, it should be easy to recoup the costs. Nevertheless, the best reason to soundproof your basement ceiling is to make your home a more comfortable space to live.

5 must-have smart home features Smart home devices are becoming increa­ singly popular, and homebuyers are star­ ting to expect them as standard features.

Here are the key ones to consider adop­ ting.

1. Locks. Openers for garages and locks for doors that can be operated from your smartphone are a convenient feature. They allow you to lock and unlock your home from virtually anywhere.

2. Thermostats. Delivering both comfort and savings on energy costs, smart ther­ mostats are a smart investment.

3. Lighting. Controlling your lights is a must for anyone serious about home automa­ tion. Fortunately, there are a variety of op­ tions available, from hue-changing smart bulbs to smart switches and dim­ mers.

4. Detectors. Smart smoke and carbon monoxide detectors simultaneously sound an alarm and send an alert to your smartphone (and anyone else you authorize) if danger is detected. Some models also incorporate emergency ligh­ ting.

5. Home security. Keep an eye on your home from anywhere. Smart security sys­ tems are highly customizable and avai­ lable as do-it-yourself configu­ra­tions or compre­hen­sive setups that include pro­­ fes­sio­nal installation and monitoring.

Expect these and ot­her smart home devi­ ces to become must-have features in ho­ mes. You can purchase them from the electronics, appliance and garage door retailers in your area.

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Should you invest in a sump pump?

A sump pump is a device that can be instal­ led in a basement, either beneath or above the floor. It’s designed to pump out water collected in a sump basin and discharge it to the outdoors. Consequently, your home is kept safe from the damage that can oc­ cur as a result of flooding.

If your basement is at risk of flooding, you should consider buying a sump pump, es­ pecially if you live somewhere with a high water table. If possible, select a submer­ sible rather than a pedestal pump, as they’re less noisy when covered with a lid. You should also opt for a model with an iron core since it’s more durable than the plastic alternative. Plus, you should think about getting a pump with an alarm that alerts you if the water in the basin reaches a dangerous level.

especially if you have a finished basement.

This way, if your primary pump fails or be­ comes overtaxed, the secondary pump will automatically take over.

A battery backup pump can also be instal­ led. In the event of a power outage, this type of pump will continue to work for up to two days.

To install a sump pump in your home, speak with a qualified plumber in your area.

In addition, you may want to install a secondary sump pump next to the first one,

How to make your home wheelchair accessible Renovating a home to accommodate the needs of someone in a wheelchair can be challenging. Undoubtedly, you’ll re­ quire the help of professional contractors.

Here’s a brief look at the modifications you’ll need to make.

• Bathroom. You’ll need sufficient clea­ rance space and a sink and toilet ad­ justed to the appropriate heights. A stand-alone shower or walk-in bathtub will also be required. In both cases, grab bars are a must.

• Doorways. Modifying your doorways by installing offset hinges or removing the door and trim may be sufficient.

However, widening the doorways might be necessary. Handles may need to be replaced with ones that are easier to use.

wears well and provides good traction.

Laminate, vinyl, ceramic and low-pile or commercial carpeting are all good choices.

• Lighting. Glare is often an issue for people who use a wheelchair, but this can frequently be resolved by altering the position or angle of lights. Another conside­ration is the location of light switches, which should be placed at a height of 92 centimetres.

Keep in mind that other modifications may be nee­ded. Depending on the confi­ guration of your home, you may require a chairlift, elevator, ramps and even structu­ ral changes to the house’s layout. For help remodelling your home, contact a local specialist in home adaptation projects.

• Kitchen. A truly wheel­ chair friendly kitchen will in­ clude modifications to the countertops, sinks, cabinets, appliances and possibly the overall layout.

• Flooring. The ideal floor in a wheelchair accessible home is one that’s slip-re­ sistant, easy to maintain, GOOD TO KNOW Most wheelchairs have a seat width of about half a metre. However, comfortable passage typically requires a full metre of clearance. In addition, a turning radius of 1.5 metres is required in order for a person using a wheelchair to comfortably navigate a space.

FUN

Wednesday, January 20, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 39

WEEK OF JANUARY 17 TO JANUARY 23, 2021

ARIES

The luckiest signs this week: GEMINI, CANCER AND LEO

You’ll display exceptional dynamism and interpersonal skills.

Among other things, you’ll organize an event that ends up being a major success. All of your initiatives will have a significant impact on your future.

TAURUS

You’ll experience a lot of action, with some spectacular twists and turns, and time will feel like it’s in short supply. A big dream of yours will become increasingly attain-able, even if the path to achieving it remains unclear.

PUZZLE NO. 727 ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 727

HOW TO PLAY : Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.

GEMINI

A bit of fatigue is likely to set in after a few stressful days. You’ll find yourself in a creative frame of mind, and you’ll complete a re-markable masterpiece.

CANCER

Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started. Remember: You must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column, or 3x3 box.

Time won’t be easy to manage, and you’ll find that you can no lon-ger put off certain tasks. At work, you’ll be responsible for mana-ging crises and important files that will help advance your career.

LEO

PUZZLE NO. 17

You’ll need to be forceful if you want to get that promotion.

Give it your all, and you’ll be rewarded for your efforts; success is wai-ting. A getaway with friends will be planned at the last minute.

VIRGO

38. Printers’ concerns 39. Piece of marble 40. Motion agreement 42. Palmer’s peg 44. Straighten 47. Fellow 48. Lawyer’s charge 51. Muscle twitch 52. Messy dwelling 54. Linger 56. Iron source 57. Vast timespan 58. Delete 59. Cushion 60. Boston ____ Party 61. Marry again

ACROSS 1. Lawful 6. Volcanic discharge 9. No ____, ands, or buts 12. Cherish 13. Flowered necklace 14. Small spot

15. Carved pole 16. Type of dance 17. Flock mother 18. Subways’ cousins 19. Con’s opposite 21. Sunday song 23. Bambi’s mother 24. Soak

25. Actor Donahue 28. Go down the slopes 30. Ripened 34. Expect 35. No-win contest 36. Barely cooked 37. Legendary creature

DOWN 1. Past curfew 2. Revered person 3. Portable beds 4. Outrage 5. Beat 6. Female singer 7. Baltic or Bering 8. African mammal 9. Concept 10. Chicken 11. Bloom

support 20. Took a break 22. Thin 23. Coloring 24. Midday nap 25. Old pronoun 26. Fish eggs 27. Choose 29. Relations 31. “A ____ in Calico” 32. Time division 33. Society girl

41. Start 43. One who finishes 44. On the peak of 45. Italian money, once 46. Made cold 47. Talking bird 48. Imperfection 49. Additional 50. Stared at 53. Tip of Italy 55. Have being

ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 17

A change in your family’s circum-stances will make you consider moving somewhere more conve-nient. You’ll have an important decision to make that’ll require a long period of reflection before you jump into action.

LIBRA

The idea of going back to school or signing up for a course will cross your mind. At work or elsewhere, there’s a good chance you’ll have to negotiate with strangers and converse in another language.

SCORPIO

At work, you’ll have a number of detailed tasks that will take a ri-diculously long time to complete. In terms of your health, you’ll get your hands on the right medica-tion or treatment to deal with a chronic problem.

SAGITTARIUS

You’ll end up in the spotlight, in spite of yourself. This anecdote will be a joke at the office for years to come. Needless to say, your pride might get bruised in the process.

CAPRICORN

You’ll take care of your family and things around the house, but you’ll also need to make time to pam-per yourself and have fun. You might also prepare meals ahead of time for all of your loved ones.

AQUARIUS

You’ll be doing a lot of running around. Your family and friends will need you to lend a hand as well as an ear.

Fortunately, they’ll be sure to express their immense gratitude for your support.

PISCES

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS USE AMERICAN SPELLING

Affection will be a major theme this week. If you’re single, you’ll meet a rare gem who’s looking for a serious commitment. If you’re in a relationship, you’ll make long-term plans that will strengthen your bond.

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PAGE 42

REAL ESTATE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Real estate in Jamaica is on fire JAY BRIJPAUL brijpaul@carib101.com

REAL ESTATE PRO

Despite the pandemic, real estate in Jamaica is booming. Foreign buyers are paying premium for high-end properties and the real estate landscape is rapidly changing.

Jamaica is quickly becoming a tourist resort and a safe haven for social distancing.

According to the managing director, Walter Zephirin, of Seventh Heaven Properties, vacation homes are priced from US $800,000 to US $10 Million.

Curtis Martin, the managing director of JN Bank mentioned that “Jamaica represents some of the Caribbean’s most prime real estate.” He continued to add that “coupled with an intoxicating culture and penchant for capturing and capsulating great memories, the island makes investment in property an easy decision for many who want to.”

With low interest rates, first time buyers are qualifying for bigger mortgages

and this acts as a catalyst for real estate transactions. Petal James, chief of branches at JN Bank, at the general meeting of the Realtors Association of Jamaica (RAJ) recently said that “investments in the sector have been resilient and reliable for many owners as properties continue to hold their value and have even increased in worth, despite the climate. And, while some levelling off has been predicted, prices are not expected to decline.”

Pearnel Charles Jr, the Minister of Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Chang affirmed that “the Government is focused on advancing a housing policy that should ensure that every Jamaican has access to safe, legal and affordable housing solutions, and that means developing housing that will be sustainable. It also means that we want persons to have the opportunity, access and support to buy homes and to afford their homes.” The CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Jamaica, Edwin Wint mentioned that “every crisis creates opportunities and there are good opportunities in the market for people to buy real estate now, despite the pandemic.”

Jerome Jarrett, client partner manager at JMMB Bank, said that “there has never been a better time in the recent history of real estate (in Jamaica) that so

many factors are in favor of the buyer.” He further implores that “recently, the government announced a reduction in NHT (National Housing Trust) rates, making it one of the lowest rates it has ever been; … we also saw a lowering of stamp duty and transfer tax rates (last year); coupled with more affordable terms of financing, due to the highly competitive space right now.”

With the pandemic, short term rentals such as Air B&B suffocating. the rental market is depressed while real estate prices are still climbing. With more young professionals working from home, there is demand for home offices. Many are moving out of the big cities such as Kingston for smaller towns where they can enjoy bigger properties at an affordable price. It is expected that once the pandemic is over, there will be a surge in tourism, resulting in escalating rents.

Realtors Association of Jamaica (RAJ) president, Donovan Reid reiterated that “house and land prices are going up and are expected to continue doing so for some time. Reid explains that the rising price of real estate for purchase during the 2021 will come from demand still outstripping supply, as well as from the devaluation of the local dollar against its US counterpart.” According to Mr. Reid, “for-

eign exchange will play a big role in real estate prices, because quite a few elements within the construction sector comes from overseas. We have also taken note of rising prices for development land, which can be used to construct apartments, condos and town houses.”

As a realtor working within the Caribbean community, I must say that the Jamaica diaspora’s most burning desire is to return home for retirement “They want to feel the rain.” Azanell Properties took a giant leap forward by launching the Jamaica Diaspora Magazine. Doreen Buchannan, chairman of Azanell Properties cited that the idea behind the magazine is to unite Jamaicans around the world. The intent is to bring valuable real estate investment opportunities to the diaspora and at the same time show off beautiful Jamaica.

Their on-line version will allow the diaspora to display their goods and services, thereby establishing an association where they can embellish each other.

This is a great time to invest in Jamaica’s real estate. While prices are high in the urban areas, it is still reasonable in the rural districts. With escalating home prices in the GTA and low interest rates, many are refinancing their home and using some of the equity to buy a property in Jamaica.

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PAGE 44

FINANCE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Five tips for financial success in 2021 CLEVE DeSOUZA cleve@carib101.com

WEALTH MANAGEMENT

The old adage that if you watch your pennies, the dollars will take care of themselves is not only true, it also gives you a blueprint for a powerful cash management system.

Keeping an eye on every dollar is critical to cash management success.

Use a budgeting tool to design how your money is allocated every month. If you don’t focus on the flow of your money, then you will keep suffering from the cash-sucking monsters that destroy your financial health.

Here are five tips for controlling cash flow and creating a healthy financial life.

Reserve your savings before paying bills So you got your paycheck, paid all your bills, and bought all that you desired.

Clearly, you are living a good life. But step back a moment and a different picture emerges. At the end of the month, all you have to show for your work is consumer goods, then not only are you missing out on the good life, you’re experiencing fiscal

tragedy.

Unfortunately, this scenario is the reality for many of us. Fortunately, it’s easy to avoid.

The root cause is you failed to pay yourself first. The fix is to create a separate account and move your well-deserved compensation there before you pay any other bills. This discipline allows you to accumulate your hard-earned money and stops others from stealing it. Start with saving a percentage of your gross income that is comfortable. Set that money aside every month before you do anything else.

Over time, gradually increase the percentage that goes to savings first. Most importantly, automate that deposit.

Automate everything possible Enough is enough! When you set your budget, get with your financial institution and automate your routine minimum payments. This guarantees you pay your bills on time. The cost varies, but nearly every time you’re late on a payment, you pay an unnecessary fee. Late payments also damage your credit score, meaning you end up paying higher interest rates for years.

Again, the solution isn’t difficult.

If you have bills that fluctuate, take the average and make that the automated amount. You can tap up as needed. Another tactic is to put money for automated bills in a separate account.

Whatever you do, do not ever pay a penny in monthly banking fees. Find a bank that offers accounts without fees.

Decide to stop accruing interest Household debt in Canada is brushing $2 trillion and continues to climb. This way of life will be our demise. Unless you decide here and now to stop allowing banks and institutions to put their hands in your pockets and perpetually take your cash, you will continue to move further away from building real wealth.

Remember, nothing is free So you think health care and corporate benefits are free? Wrong. Don’t take these plans for granted. You must know the provisions. What does your plan cover? When does it expire? Without that knowledge, you risk coverage running out just when you need it.

Schedule an appointment today with your company’s HR department to review your benefits. Make sure you’re taking full advantage of everything offered. Ask about flexible spending accounts. If they’re offered; they can reduce your tax burden. Before you end the appointment, ask your HR representative for a simple explanation of health care benefits and make sure you’re using every one.

Know-it-all’s never prosper The moment you believe you know it all is the moment you stop learning and growing to achieve peak financial health.

It’s okay. You don’t know it all. You are not supposed to. This is why you are reading this article right now.

Do you like the word guarantee?

ANDREW STEWART andrew@carib101.com

FAMILY ADVISOR

The word guarantee is a powerful word.

It’s meaning is not lost on us and can draw our attention immediately. Its definition is to provide a formal assurance or promise, especially that certain conditions shall be fulfilled relating to a product, service, or transaction. I’m sure we’ve all been ushered a guarantee of some sort in our lives or maybe we’ve bestowed one or two guarantees of our own.

One of the greatest guarantees in sports history happened when the Indian Pacers evened the 1998 Playoff series at 3-3 with a three-point win over the Chicago Bulls. Mike shrugged it off and said “I don’t care what happens today, don’t care what happened in the other series. We will win Game 7.” His Bulls did win Game 7 and eventually derailed the Utah Jazz in the finals in six games.

Sports is one thing, but what if we could have a financial guarantee?

That’s exactly what we get from life and property-casualty insurance companies.

Home insurance Do you know how much it would cost to rebuild your home after severe damage?

An important number to check in your home insurance policy is the replacement cost. This is the amount of insurance provided to rebuild your home from

the ground up if it were devastated by fire, weather events, or other perils. Replacement cost covers the cost to rebuild and does not include land. Guaranteed replacement cost means your home is covered for the full cost to replace your dwelling without depreciation, even if it exceeds the replacement cost limit in your policy.

Auto insurance When you buy a new car, no one wants to think about it getting stolen or having a total loss car accident. But you should think about it during the first year, the average depreciation for new cars is around 30% to 40%, according to the Canadian Black Book. OPCF 43 (Ontario Policy Change Form 43) is a coverage enhancement that can be added to your car insurance policy. It removes your insurance company’s right to deduct depreciation from the value of your vehicle for a loss or theft claim. With this endorsement, your insurer will pay the lowest of the actual purchase price, manufacturer’s suggested retail price at the time of purchase, the cost of replacing your car with a new car of the same make or model.

Life insurance Life insurance is the Cadillac, Tesla, BMW, Mercedes, and Audi of guarantees. Within this one product we have guaranteed cash value, guaranteed issue, guaranteed coverage, guaranteed premium, and most importantly guaranteed peace of mind.

Guaranteed cash value life insurance policies are cash accounts that gradually build over time as part of a permanent life insurance policy. As you pay premiums, a guaranteed life policy’s cash account

grows with interest, tax-deferred, as a sort of enforced savings account. Guaranteed cash value policies can help you pay for emergencies or temporary needs.

Guaranteed issue life insurance, or guaranteed acceptance life insurance, is a typical life insurance policy that does not require you to answer health questions, undergo a medical exam, or allow an insurance company to review your medical and prescription records. Here’s the catch.

Guaranteed issue life insurance always has a waiting period. If you die during the waiting period, your beneficiaries will not receive the policy’s death benefit. With most policies, the waiting period is two years. With some, it’s three.

Guaranteed coverage and premium are self-explanatory. But it is another instance that shows how much risk the insurance companies are taking on by making this promise.

Segregated funds Segregated funds are investment products sold by life insurance companies.

Segregated funds provide a guarantee to protect part of the money you invest normally 75% to 100%. Even if the underlying fund loses money, you are guaranteed to get back some or all of your principal investment. But you have to hold your investment for a certain length of time (usually ten years) to benefit from the guarantee. You will pay an additional fee for this insurance guarantee.

So next time you make a purchase or an investment, ask yourself what guarantees am I getting?

October 29, 2020 – February 21, 2021 Virtual Programming Highlights • October 29, 7 pm:

Exhibition Opening Reception • November 26, 7 pm: Art & Book Club • November 28, 2 pm: Artist Talk – The Photographers • January 28, 2021: Artist Talk – Painting and Textiles Owen V. Gordon (Jamaican/Canadian, 1946-), Extreme Social Distances, 2020, oil on paper, 55.8 x 76 cm, Courtesy of the artist, Nicholas Metivier Gallery and BAND

Visit pama.peelregion.ca to learn more

PAGE 46

SPORTS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Pre-Fight: McGregor v. Poirier 2 Fighter analysis and predictions for the UFC 257 main event MARCEL MARIAK marcel@carib101.com

TC JUNIOR REPORTER

The stage is set for what is sure to be one of the top fights of 2021. On January 23rd, Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier will face off in the octagon for the second time. Their last fight took place in front of thousands of cheering fans at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. This time, the battle will take place behind closed doors at “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi. Despite the event being restricted to UFC personnel only, thousands of fans and fight fanatics will be tuning in on their TVs to see if the second fight will be just as spectacular as the first.

The First Battle - September 27th, 2014 In their first showdown, it was clear that there wasn’t any love lost between the two fighters. Both competitors had been trash-talking and throwing around insults for months before the fight. As usual most of the smack-talk came from the uber-confident McGregor, with the

Irishman calling Poirier everything from “hillbilly” to giving him a new nickname: “Pea-Head Poirier.” Poirier, a more kindly spoken gentleman, had little to say in response to Conor’s remarks other than commenting that, “I have never disliked anyone that I have ever fought as much as I dislike him.”

While trash talk is a fun part of the sport, fight fans know that when the octagon doors close, it’s time to get serious. There were some critics in the MMA community that doubted Conor’s ability to back up his trash-talk in the cage. Walking into the cage, both fighters looked focused, fearless, and ready to go. Unfortunately for Dustin, his high hopes for the fight were destined to come crashing down. McGregor’s powerful strikes found their way through Dustin’s guard and began connecting hard. Less than two minutes into the first round, McGregor ended the fight after connecting with a brutal left straight that sent Dustin to the canvas. This was the first knockout of what would become a streak of impressive finishes for McGregor that eventually lead him to become the first two-division UFC champion.

Now, with the UFC looking to start 2021 off with a bang, McGregor and Poirier will step back into the cage for a notorious revenge fight. Let’s look at how these two warriors match up:

Conor McGregor’s Advantages • Unorthodox fighting style from a southpaw stance makes McGregor a tricky opponent to deal with • Killer boxing skills and left arm that can end a fight in the blink of an eye • All-around skillful striking that incorporates punches, kicks, and clinch-work • Great movement and flexibility make him a difficult opponent to takedown or hit • Intermediate grappling ability - has a brown belt in BJJ • Already won a fight against Poirier McGregor’s Keys to Success 1. Go aggressive from the first bell and look to finish the fight early 2. Keep moving, don’t get pinned to the cage 3. Use range and agility to his advantage 4. Looking for precise shots rather than a streetfight 5. Avoid going to the ground Dustin Poirier’s Advantages • More pro MMA experience and wins • Poirier is a powerful striker who isn’t afraid to get into a brawl • Has great endurance that he can use to exhaust McGregor and take him into deep waters (McGregor tends to run out of gas early in fights due

•

to his explosive style) Advanced grappler - a black belt in BJJ

Poirier’s Keys to Success • Start a prolonged brawl and try to get the fight to the late rounds or even to a decision • Exhaust McGregor with standup wrestling and clinch-fighting against the cage • Use cage-cutting to restrict Conor’s movement • Stay away from McGregor’s dangerous left hand • Use takedowns and grappling to tire McGregor out and break his striking momentum • DO NOT get pushed back to the cage at all costs. McGregor is notorious for finishing fights with his opponents to the cage (Cerrone, Mendes, Siver, and Brandao) Fight Prediction McGregor wins by knockout in the first round! He has an amazing track record of finishing fights in the first round and he’s done it to Poirier before. McGregor’s power and speed in the first minutes of a fight are unmatched in the UFC and Poirier won’t be able to withstand the assault.