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Friday, June 12, 2020

Weekend

art books entertainment film music events history puzzles animals MEAL KIT SERVICE Page 7

Show must go on

Bahamian artists use virtual concerts to connect with fans

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Friday, June 12, 2020

photography

A Rose-Coloured Lens

The gabled cottages of the Bahamas

EAUTY is all around us in the Bahamas, on land and in the sea. But many of us are too busy with everyday life to pause and really see and enjoy the astonishing sights that surround us. Veteran photographer ROLAND ROSE captures both the ordinary and extraordinary and puts it in frame for us so we can see our environment in a new light.

â€˘ Beautiful small and colourful gabled cottages have dominated the Family Islands for hundreds of years. Many of these have detailed gingerbread embellishments.

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Friday, June 12, 2020

Inside Weekend 2 Photography Cottages in The Bahamas

4-5 Interview Dr Shamika Strachan

7 Food Sponsor a family option for meals

8 Music Virtual concert in lockdown

9 Crafts From finance to straw work

10 Gardening What to do with pests

11 Community Business expert on the ‘new normal’

12 Film

MY PERFECT BAHAMIAN QUARANTINE SHEBA ROLLE BUSINESS OWNER Q: What items are in your quarantine shopping cart? “Masks for protection for my family. Items such as hand sanitisers, water, groceries like canned goods, fruits and vegetables, snacks for my kids, meds and cleaning supplies.”

Q: What shows or movies will you be bingewatching? “I am watching a lot of Netflix movies, which I love. I am also on You Tube watching a lot of Tasha Cobbs’ videos and finding ways to better my business. Google has become an everyday thing for me as I help my kids with a lot of research for class assignments.”

Q: If you could choose to be quarantined with a celebrity, who would it

be?

“Tasha Cobbs, because she is a young gospel singer and a great inspiration to many, including me. Her songs speak to the heart and she brings my spirit back to life when I am feeling down.”

Q: What do you miss most having to practice social distancing?

“Taking my kids out to the movies and restaurants and the beach just to have some me time with them. Enjoying surprise dates with my husband. Normal family time, spending time with my extended family and friends the way we normally do. Going to church.”

Q: If you had to be stuck somewhere other than your house, where would it be? “I feel that home is the best place

to be during quarantine, because I am with family and they mean so much to me. Just spending quality time with my loving husband and our girls, because I am always at work and do not have the time that I have now to just enjoy my family and life.”

Spike Lee’s latest reviewed

13 Events Bridal Show aims for Fall date

14-15 Art Keeping hope alive

16 Books Stories to learn about racism

17 Books Author and daughter team up

18 Entertainment What’s new this week

19 Entertainment What The Bahamas is watching on Netflix

20-21 Literary Lives Diana Gabaldon

22-23 History Roman gardens

24-25 Forgotten Facts Ghost stories

26 Puzzles 27 Animals A potcake’s passing

THIS WEEKEND IN HISTORY June 12

• In 1942, Anne Frank, a Germanborn Jewish girl living in Amsterdam, received a diary for her 13th birthday, less than a month before she and her family went into hiding from the Nazis. • In 1964, South African black nationalist Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life in prison along with seven other people, including Walter Sisulu, for committing sabotage against the apartheid regime (all were eventually released, Mandela in 1990). • In 1987, President Ronald Reagan, during a visit to the divided German city of Berlin, exhorted Soviet leader Mikhail S Gorbachev to “tear down this wall.” Today’s birthdays: Rapper Grandmaster Dee (Whodini) is

58. Actress Frances O’Connor is 53. Actor Michael Muhney is 45. Singer Robyn is 41. Actor Dave Franco is 35.

June 13

• In 1842, Queen Victoria became the first British monarch to ride on a train, travelling from Slough Railway Station to Paddington in 25 minutes. • In 1977, James Earl Ray, the convicted assassin of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr, was recaptured following his escape three days earlier from a Tennessee prison. • In 1983, the US space probe Pioneer 10, launched in 1972, became the first spacecraft to leave the solar system as it crossed the orbit of Neptune. Today’s birthdays: Magician Siegfried (Siegfried & Roy) is 81. Actor Malcolm McDowell is 77. Actor Stellan Skarsgard (“Avengers”) is 69. Comedian Tim Allen is 67. Actress Ally Sheedy (“The Breakfast Club) is 58. Actor Chris Evans is 39. Singer Raz B is 35. Actress Kat Dennings is 34. Actresses Ashley

and Mary-Kate Olsen are 34.

June 14

• In 1811, Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” was born in Litchfield, Connecticut. • In 1940, German troops entered Paris during World War II; the same day, the Nazis began transporting prisoners to the Auschwitz concentration camp in German-occupied Poland. • In 1954, President Dwight D Eisenhower signed a measure adding the phrase “under God” to the American Pledge of Allegiance. Today’s birthdays:US President Donald Trump is 74. Singer Boy George is 59. International Tennis Hall of Famer Steffi Graf is 51. Screenwriter Diablo Cody (“Juno”) is 42. Actor-singer Kevin McHale (“Glee”) is 32. Actress Lucy Hale (“Pretty Little Liars”) is 31. - The Associated Press

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Friday, June 12, 2020

interview

Dr Shamika Strachan Most people probably don’t think of dentists as storytellers, but this mother-oftwo works with both dental scaler and pen. She tells Cara Hunt how she used her time during quarantine to bond with her family in a unique way, by coming together to create an illustrated children’s book about the dangers of sweet treats.

HE traumatic delivery of her second child led dentist Dr Shamika Strachan to discover a passion and a talent she never knew she had. Documenting the experience of giving birth on social media, and receiving positive feedback from readers, made her realise that she wanted to write a children’s book. And of course because she is a dentist by profession, the topic was an easy choice. In the new illustrated book “Sugar Monster”, Dr Strachan encourages kids to make good choices when it comes to their oral health.

The book, the first for the dentist, was inspired by the lessons she taught her own son when it came to taking care of his teeth. “ ‘Sugar Monster’ is about a little boy, Junior, who loves sugary foods. His mother tries to get him to eat healthy and take care of his teeth and then one day she takes him to the dentist where it is discovered that he has a cavity which has to be filled. By the end of the book readers learn about the importance of making decisions and the consequences you may have to face if you make poor choices, she explained. Dr Strachan said Junior is based on her son, Travis Jr, and his outgoing personality and the

enthusiasm he displays when practicing good oral hygiene. “When Travy – as he is affectionately called my me - was just a toddler, while brushing his teeth I would tell him I was going after the sugar monster, which (resulted) in much cooperation. “Travis is quite expressive and adopted the phrase “I have an idea” to suggest that he’s thought up something brilliant,” she said. The phrase is also used by Junior in the book. “Sugar Monster” is truly a family affair - her kids inspired her, her husband provided the illustrations - and fulfills a dream the author didn’t know she even had.

Friday, June 12, 2020 Dr Strachan chose to pursue a career in dentistry after working a Summer job in Dr Charlene Reid’s dental office while in college. “I have always been good with my hands and I knew that I wanted a career in the health care profession. I majored in Bio/Chem during my undergrad studies,” she said. “I really enjoyed meeting the patients and I remember one patient who lived on one of the Family Islands who came to the office. Dentistry is neglected on the Family Islands and patients sometimes have to wait to travel to receive care, and that particularly inspired me to enter this field,” said Dr Strachan, who hails from Grand Bahama. During the rest of her undergraduate studies she shadowed dentists and then received her degree in dentistry from the University of the West Indies in Trinidad. Although she does not specialise in paediatric dentistry, Dr Strachan does see her share of children. But treating children requires patience, she said. “As the mother of two young kids, I do have that patience to deal with them; you just have to use your natural instincts.” Dr Strachan found her calling in THE COVER art for Sugar Monster dentistry and never imagined that she would one day pen a book, but fate had a surprise in store for her. “I never knew I wanted to be a writer,” she admitted to Tribune Weekend. However, it was in documenting the birth of her second son, Tyree, two years ago that she discovered that she had a way with words. “I had a very traumatic childbirth and I wrote down what had happened to share with people. It was writing down my thoughts that helped me to heal from that experience. I shared it on social media and people saw it and said, ‘Oh, you write well. Your story drew me in.’ “I really felt the Lord telling me to use the pain of that experience to find purpose and find my voice and write,” she said. Once Dr Strachan decided she wanted to write a children’s book based on her role as a dentist and mother, everything fell into place. “The book is about 20 pages and most of the pages are filled with illustrations. Most of the stuff in the book is based on what I have taught my five-year-old about oral hygiene, so it only took me about two to three days to write and finish it,” she said. And just as her children provided the inspiration, her husband helped the book become a reality by lending his drawing skills to the project. Dr Strachan’s husband, Travis Sr, is a policeman who has a passion for sketching. When his wife approached him and asked if he would do the drawings for “Sugar Monster”, he readily agreed, and it became his first illustrative project. SHAMIKA with her family.

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“Our family believes in God and His desire for strong family units. What we gained working on this project together is invaluable.” “ ‘Sugar Monster’ is a book that will always be cherished because (it resulted in) the enrichment in relationships between all those who made it possible, especially my dear husband and sons,” Dr Strachan said. “We hope that this book brings your family as much fun and excitement as it did ours as you navigate through the pages. Our family believes in God and His desire for strong family units. What we gained working on this project together is invaluable.” She added: “It is our hope that we have inspired you to work on a project with your family. This can only strengthen relationships and lead to a brighter future.” The book has received excellent reviews from other dentists. Dr Daria Dorsett-McKayle of the Dental Health Centre called it a “wonderful introduction” to the adverse effects of sweet snacks on kids’ little pearly whites. “To my knowledge it is the first of its kind here in our local market, and for that I am thrilled. It’s fun, simplistic and educational delivery appeals to children of all ages. I am hopeful that every child will be highly motivated to prevent and fight cavities, aka sugar monsters, after this read,” she said. Dr Teemar Carey, a paediatric dentistry practitioner in New York, said the book can be used to increase oral health literacy and teach healthy eating and oral healthcare habits to school-age children. “It also can serve as a tool to set the scene for positive pre-visit imagery through the narrative of Junior’s amazing dental visit with Dr Pearls. I highly recommend this book for dental providers who work with children in their practice and especially to those involved in schoolbased oral health programmes,” she said. The book is available on Dr Strachan’s website, thatsweettooth.com.

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Friday, June 12, 2020

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Friday, June 12, 2020

food VEGAN kits include ingredients to make, for example, black bean burgers.

“Many businesses have reduced activity, laid off staff, or are closed. Breadwinners are currently distressed and struggling to find ways to provide for their families. We decided

“ Breadwinners are currently distressed and struggling to find ways to provide for their families.”

New meal kit service offers ‘sponsor a family’ option

MEAL kits

By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net

N THE HEELS of Hurricane Dorian and in the face of COVID-19, many Bahamian families are struggling to put food on the table. Recognising this fact, a local catering company has decided to provide specialised meal kits aimed to feed a family of up to five for a week, and offer a

sponsorship option for those who are in a position to help the less fortunate. This concept, similar to meal kit services like Hello Fresh and Home Chef in the US, is being offered in the Bahamas by the Showman e-Bistro, Catering and Concierge Company, whose aim it is to provide a new and efficient alternative to the usual local food delivery services.

SHOWMAN e-Bistro Chef Gary Wong

to produce a very cost effective alternative for families in need. Hence, the Showman Ultimate Dinner Kits. Food is not a luxury, it is a basic human necessity,” said Ray Morrison, director of public relations for the company. Launched on May 5, these dinner kits are professionally packaged meal boxes that have been carefully sourced and selected, he said. They include five proteins, seven starches, herbs and spices, produce, and more; designed to give a family five to seven meals per week at a cost of $120. While Mr Morrison admitted they are a for-profit organisation, “and it is our desire to be profitable for our stakeholders”, they are also very aware of their obligation to give back to the community. “Current statistics suggest that there are 100,000 Bahamian families who are struggling to put food on the table every day. Our efforts via the philanthropic arm of our company have been very robust from the start. We have partnered with Hands for Hunger to feed families in need and we have the machinery in place to support these initiatives over the long term.” Mr Morrison said the team is also urging corporate Bahamas, as well as members of the general public who are able, to participate in this initiative by going to the company’s website and choosing the ‘sponsor a family’ option for any dollar amount they choose. “Persons or organisations may also wish to select our ‘sponsor a family’ option, which is also available online…By doing so, together, everyone wins,” he said. Additionally, he said, tutorials and digital menus for the meal kits are also provided as optional tools for patrons at no additional cost. The Showman e-Bistro currently operates daily from 9am to 3pm through its website, showmanebistro.com and the Kanoo app. They also deliver to the Family Islands. The response by the Bahamian public to this new service, said Mr Morrison, has been very favourable so far.

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Friday, June 12, 2020

music

Saturday’s virtual concert to bring new and old talent together By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Reporter | jgibson@tribunemedia.net

Bodine Victoria

CJ Priest

Jayme C

Judah Tha

Patrice

Rik Carey

Sammi Starr

Shine

Sketch Carey

LTHOUGH lockdown restrictions have eased and the country has reopened for the most part, it still could be a long time before we see the return of large events like concerts. With large gatherings likely not to be allowed any time soon, those wishing to host a music concert must resort to providing a virtual experience. And that is exactly what the local beer brand Kalik is doing with its new concert which will be streamed live on Facebook this Saturday. The Platinum Moments Live Watch Party will feature top Bahamian performers, including Grammy Award winner Rik Carey, Bodine Victoria, Patrice Murrell, Shine, Judah Tha Lion, Jayme C and Grammy nominated artist Sketch Carey. There will also be appearances from Sammi Starr and CJ Priest. The concert begins 8pm and is expected to run for an hour.

According to Mia Marshall, spirits brand manager at Commonwealth Brewery, Kalik always celebrates the culture of the Bahamas in entertaining ways, and they wanted to spread some good cheer with good music during this time. “Kalik decided to do this concert not only as a source of entertainment to Bahamians at home during COVID-19, but also to highlight and support our local Bahamian talent that has continued to develop at home,” she said. “We wanted to have a mix of seasoned and well-established artists as well as shining a spotlight on new and upcoming artists to show the range of talent here at home.” The virtual concert, she said, will offer performances that are just as dynamic as if they were being performed in front of live audiences. And there will be something for all different tastes in music to enjoy.

“There is truly something for everyone. From rake n’ scrape to R&B, to soca and fusion. The artists are excited to put on a show. We were able to reunite Sketch, Sammi Starr and CJ Priest to perform their hit single ‘Pick Me’, which was a huge hit a few years back,” she told Tribune Weekend. A virtual concert has its positives as well as its drawbacks. And although nothing beats a live inperson concert, Ms Marshall said letting yourself be immersed in the experience is key. “I would say to plan for it like it were a real live event. Grab a few Kalik Light Platinum beers to set the mood, set aside the time to watch, and prepare for a party.” Kalik has several other upcoming events planned and will soon announce them on their Facebook and Instagram pages.

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Friday, June 12, 2020

crafts

An old tradition gets designer treatment By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features Reporter | acadet@tribunemedia.net

HILE the traditional art of straw work may being dying, there are a few in the Bahamas today who are upholding its legacy, and finding new and creative ways to bring an age-old craft into the 21st century. Among those artisans is Lisa Chisholm, who has made her hobby of dabbling in straw work into a lucrative business selling handbags, purses and clutches. Ms Chisholm, who has background in finances, was always curious about

the creative process behind straw work. That curiosity led her to take straw craft courses at the Bahamas Agricultural Industrial Corporation (BAIC) in 2008. Enjoying them so much, she continued practicing making straw bags even after the classes had finished. “As time went by my creative juices started to flow and I created bags of varying shapes and sizes. When I wore them with my outfits I received a lot of compliments. My family and friends later requested me to make similar items for them. My career has been in financial services for over 25

years, however, my passion has been in the creative art of making bags in my spare time,” said Ms Chisholm. What was once only an enjoyable pastime is now a successful small company called Lisa Nicole. “After I began receiving so many requests from friends and family for me to make bags for them, I thought to myself, maybe this can become a business venture. My sister Gia really encouraged and motivated me to go into business. She gifted me with an industrial machine,” she said. “The business has grown tremendously over the years. Initially, my business was advertised by word of mouth. However, with the introduction of social media, my wares are now more widely seen, both locally and internationally via my Facebook page, ‘Lisa Nicole’, sold in the Cole’s of Nassau store, and purchased by numerous elite clients.” Lisa Nicole is currently a homebased business in Coral Harbour that products made from straw, grown primarily in the Bahamas. And while many may be struggling during these uncertain times, Ms Chisholm said she loves the financial independence and security that being an entrepreneur gives her. She has the pleasure, she said, of being the master of her own fate.

LISA Chisholm When it comes to designing her bags, Ms Chisholm looks to the latest trends from high-end brands and then reinterprets them and adds her touch of island flare. The straw she uses comes in various colours and different materials are used for the embellishments and other details. The customers, she said, also have the option of having their bag customised to their personal specifications. “As a creative business owner, I have moved with the times. During this time of social distancing, Lisa Nicole has also ventured into providing our customers with stylish, sophisticated, casual or elegant, essential facial masks required by the government,” Ms Chisholm told Tribune Weekend. “There were many requests for our products from persons in quarantine, primarily for the masks. However, during the weeks leading up to Mother’s Day business soared for our main product line. Persons wanted to show their love for their mothers and wives...My overall goal for the Lisa Nicole brand is to become a household name in the Bahamas and to be recognised and sold internationally as a quality, designer label.”

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Friday, June 12, 2020

gardening

It’s pest management, not pest eradication

LEARN something new every day in the garden. Whether it’s seeing an unfamiliar bug, watching the way that an unfamiliar plant grows, or checking results of a new method or product; there is always something to learn. There are a lot of folks out there gardening, many of whom are self-confessed beginners. That is a very positive result of our time in pandemic isolation. I’ve been seeing lots of posts where people are upset at a brown spot on a vegetable leaf, aphids or ants on their pepper or tomato plant, and “white stuff” on the branch or stem. Then the flurry of suggestions come in as to what remedial steps to take, and the sharing of information is a wonderful trait amongst gardeners and farmers. There is a world of information out there regarding plants, gardening and home remedies on how to deal with garden pests. There is also a lot of misinformation out there, especially on social media and personal blogs (flat earth, anyone?!) I jest, of course, as a point to say that some of the ideas that can be taken for facts are seemingly endless. Fact checking seems to be a skill that is in greater demand each day that goes by. When it comes to garden insects and plant pests, pest management are the two key words, not pest eradication. There is a programme of pest management that is used, following a set of guidelines to help control pest damage in a responsible manner. Integrated Pest Management, or IPM for short. The United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides defines IPM as: “The careful consideration of all available pest control techniques and subsequent integration of appropriate measures that discourage the development of pest populations and keep pesticides and other interventions to levels that are economically justified and reduce or minimise risks to human health and the environment. IPM emphasises the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption to agro-ecosystems and encourages natural pest control mechanisms.” To quote another source, Crop Life: “IPM is an ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on longterm prevention of pests or their damage through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices, and use of resistant varieties. Pesticides are used only after monitoring indicates they are needed according to established guidelines, and treatments are made with the goal of removing only the target organism. Pest control materials are selected and applied in a manner that minimizes risks to human health, beneficial and non-target organisms, and the environment.” Do you look out for lady bugs, wasps, lacewing before deciding to spray or not? If you do, you’re

When we spray without considering beneficial insects (hopefully everyone considers the bees at the least), often we are spraying unnecessarily. There must be a certain level of tolerance. Some aphids are OK. Thousands of them grouping on one plant, not so much. Some mealybug is normal, but when the entire plant curls up and is covered in them, not so much. From my experience, the more I spray, the more I need to spray. You read that right. Conversely, the less I spray, the less I need to spray. Example: I planted a container patio garden when the pandemic broke loose and we couldn’t leave home, that was 11 weeks ago. I have not had one single pest issue. I have not sprayed, not even once. I’m growing squash, corn, beans, lettuce, hot pepper, chard, et cetera, and I have not sprayed once because I have not had one single pest issue. LADYBUG WHITEFLY What?! Truth. Why? I patrolling larvae on practice IPM and I promote parsley. cocoplum beneficial insects, I ensure practicing IPM. I that I have used an appropriplant milkweed ate planting media, I don’t overfertilize but at the and I allow shepsame time I don’t allow plants to become deficient, herd’s needle to I ensure that I provide proper spacing to allow grow in controlled airflow, I use companion planting and I allow the places to encourhealthy surrounding environment to help keep my age pests to be veggies pest free without the use of chemicals or present on those even preventative sprays. plants, as they’re Spraying is best used lightly as a preventahighly attracted tive in highly susceptible plants, but it should not to them. I scout my desirable and be the first option. Plant culture (spacing, placehighly susceptible ment, companion planting, sunlight, watering and crops regularly nutrients), promoting beneficial insects, scouting to look for signs and acceptable tolerance levels are my first steps of pest activity. in pest management. Please consider IPM in your At the first sign garden space and save the sprays for only when of activity, I take they’re needed! All your garden allies (there are note, and scout many) will thank you by helping to keep damaging more often. Usupests under control. A healthy garden is a garden ally within a few days of the initial signs of a pest, that is alive. there will also be signs of beneficial insects moving into the area. Ladybug eggs, lacewing eggs, wasps, mealybug destroyers (that’s actually a name), these will all be hunting for food, and unless there is food for them, they will not hang around. If they don’t hang around, then they will be of no use in controlling an outbreak.

Happy gardening! •Adam Boorman is the nursery manager at the Fox Hill Nursery. For questions and comments, e-mail foxhillnursery@gmail.com.

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Friday, June 12, 2020

community

Finance expert aims to help local businesses face the ‘new normal’ By CARA HUNT | Tribune Features Reporter | cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

OR Sebastian Curry, a career in finance just made sense. After all, both his parents had worked in the industry and he also had a love for subjects like as accounting. Combine that with a passion for information technology and he had the perfect marriage – leading him to launch a career in the field of e-commerce. “Numbers just come together and make sense to me,” he told Tribune Weekend. And now as the CEO of Sebastian Alliance Group AG Alliance, he is looking forward to helping his clients achieve ease of business in a post COVID-19 world. “COVID has definitely enhanced the need for electronic transactions,” he said. “This will definitely affect the way we do traditional banking and business. There will be a great demand for businesses to have online payment options if they expect to survive.” Sebastian said this pandemic has opened the eyes of many companies and stores about the need to update and modernise the way they

do business in the Bahamas, and how important it is to implement and continue these practices after the country reopens. “This is especially true in the Family Islands where there is often no permanent banking presence and residents are forced to either bank in Nassau or Grand Bahama, or utilise gaming houses for financial transactions,” he noted. Because his mother is from the US and his father from the Bahamas, Sebastian divided his time between the two countries when growing up, but eventually earned his MBA from Florida International University, studying both finance and his second love, computer information systems. He then launched a career that has spanned more than a decade where he uses his experience in both fields to make it easier for his clients to do business. Some of his major clients have included the Bank of America and the Bank of the Bahamas, and he has also done consultancy work for other large companies and organisations all around the world. After years of helping other companies achieve their operational

“COVID has definitely enhanced the need for electronic transactions... There will be a great demand for businesses to have online payment options if they expect to survive.” goals, and dabbling in his own businesses, Sebastian was eager to start his own venture. The Sebastian Alliance Group is designed as a one-stop-shop for professional financial services under one roof. The company offers 24-hour support, 24-hour backup, web hosting, accounting and IT

services, web store solutions, ecommerce and web builder services. One of its main services is Sun Cash, which specialises in financial payments and transfers using online platforms as well as a number of physical payment sites around the country. It is licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of the Bahamas and the Securities Commission. Sebastian is also a member of the National Automated Clearing House Association in the United States which allows him to facilitate transactions around the world. “We have all heard stories about companies that had issues with their online security and it is important that customers can feel secure using your systems,” he added. “There are three ways that can be achieved; one, you have to fully educate the public; two, you have to provide exceptional service, and three, you have to ensure that you have the latest and most advanced security software on your system.” “I really wanted to leave a legacy in the field that I love,” he says of his desire to start his company and be an e-commerce entrepreneur.

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Friday, June 12, 2020

film

Review: Spike Lee’s Vietnam pic is the right movie for right now da 5 bloods | 154 minutes

OOD news: there’s no expensive “de-aging” process used in “Da 5 Bloods,” Spike Lee’s absorbing, brash, exhausting, urgent, sometimes brilliant and sometimes unapologetically messy new film about four black Vietnam vets who return to the battlefield site for reasons ... well, we’ll get to the reasons. Lee says there just wasn’t enough money in his Netflix budget for such a costly special effect, a la “The Irishman,” even though it would have helped with the flashbacks. But honestly, with Spike Lee, do you really need special effects? Isn’t Lee’s own propulsive energy, inexhaustible creativity and blazing sense of purpose an effect in itself? To that, let’s add a sense of exquisite timing. Yes, Lee has always had good timing. But it’s never been more evident or important than with the release of this film amid the current national reckoning over racial justice and police brutality. “Time has come today,” goes the Chamber Brothers song that accompanies Lee’s trailer. And: “Can’t put it off another day.” Indeed. You’ll find yourself awed by Lee’s prescience only moments into the film, with a searing montage of archival footage setting the Vietnam War, and most importantly the experience of black soldiers in that war, into political and social context. Activist Bobby Seale, in one 1968 clip, recalls how blacks served in the Civil War and then World War II, with freedom still elusive, “and now here we go with the damn Vietnam War and we still ain’t getting nothing but racist police brutality, et cetera.” Lee, still on a roll after his overdue Oscar win for the terrific “BlacKkKlansman,” made a crucial change to the original story by Danny Bilson and Paul DeMeo. He and co-writer Kevin Willmott changed the band of aging Vietnam vets from white to black. Lee wanted to make that sorely missing Vietnam film in which black soldiers weren’t just a side story, but THE story. The original idea had the vets returning for a cache of buried gold.

(David Lee/Netflix via AP) Here, they’re looking for gold, yes, but also the body of their revered squad leader, “Stormin’ Norman,” the fifth Blood and their hero, played with movie-star charisma and classic warmovie grit by Chadwick Boseman. Film buffs will find references to John Huston’s “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” and Frances Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now,” among others. In fact, it’s at a bar called “Apocalypse Now” — a real one — in present-day Ho Chi Minh City that the four Vets have a boozy evening before setting off into the jungle. Over drinks, the 60-somethings discuss what it was like to return from an unpopular war and be derided as “baby killers,” along with having to face the racial discrimination their white counterparts didn’t. The angriest of the bunch is Paul (a dynamic Delroy Lindo), who’s become a Donald Trump supporter and wears

a MAGA hat. He also has a flawed relationship with son David (a terrific Jonathan Majors) who shows up at the last minute to join the expedition. There’s also the jovial Melvin (Isiah Whitlock Jr.); Otis (Clarke Peters), who has a crucial reunion with a former lover; and Eddie (Broadway star Norm Lewis), the genial owner of a car dealership empire who is clearly hiding something behind that Broadway-wattage smile. With help from a shady figure in international exports (a suitably slimy Jean Reno), the men head off in a riverboat to Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” (a clear “Apocalypse” reference). They soon come across the buried gold, but there’s more to be discovered — and a whole heck of a lot to go wrong. In its latter parts, the movie sags a bit, or at least veers into more impressionistic, less disciplined

territory. The men are not alone in this saga. There’s a group of landmine locators, a band of Vietnamese officers, a tour guide, and that former lover, all of whose intentions remain to be determined. Then there’s the crazy heat, the poisonous snakes, the murderous unexploded mines. It’s a lot to absorb. But absorbing it is. The film toggles between currentday scenes and wartime flashbacks without even different makeup on the actors. This has the fascinating result of letting us experience the flashbacks precisely as the characters themselves are experiencing them — and hey, it works. By the end, you’ll be spent, dazed, perhaps even confused — but stunned, too, at the audacity of it all and the feeling that it is, so unequivocally, the right movie at the right time.

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Friday, June 12, 2020

events

Bahamas Bridal Show eyes Fall date By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Reporter | jgibson@tribunemedia.net

ITH the still looming uncertainty as to whether it will be possible to host large events any time soon, Buttons Bridal and Formal Wear has once again pushed back its date for the 32nd annual Bahamas Bridal Show. Although the country has reopened, there are still social distancing restrictions and curfews in place, and organisers did not see June 28 as a realistic date to stage the highly anticipated event. They are now eyeing Fall, but have not set a specific date. “While our country continues to gradually reopen with restrictions being relaxed on social gatherings, we are still a long way from large gatherings such as weddings and other social events. COVID-19 has truly impacted businesses and our lifestyles,” said the organisers. “In agreement with Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, our projected new date for this year’s Bahamas Bridal Show

was Sunday, June 28, which is obviously not ideal at this time.” Organisers said their desire is to host the event at a time when guests no longer feel uncomfortable being at large gatherings. “We don’t want to host the show where attendants, vendors, models and staff would be required to wear masks and with the fear of contracting the deadly coronavirus. Plus, everyone involved must be comfortable with social gathering,” they said. More than 50 businesses are expected to assemble in the Grand Hyatt ballroom, decorated wall to wall lead by Beyond the Décor, Personal Touch Weddings and Couture Designs, when the show finally takes place. All vendor agreements made for the event will be honoured. “All vendors’ agreements for the 2020 show will be honoured whenever the next show takes place, which we hope will be by this Fall. We want to assure show ticket

Disney announces plans for Florida parks to reopen FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (AP) — SeaWorld and Walt Disney World will reopen in Orlando, Florida, in June and July after months of inactivity because of the coronavirus pandemic, under plans approved Wednesday by a city task force. The proposals will now be sent to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for final approval. The plan called for SeaWorld to open to the public yesterday. Disney plans a tiered reopening, with Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom

opening on July 11, followed by Epcot and Hollywood Studios on July 15. Last week, Universal Orlando reopened partially with virtual queues for rides. “We are developing a series of ‘know before you go’ communication vehicles and our objective is to reinforce our health and safety messages to guests before they arrive on our property so they are aware and prepared for the new environment,” said Jim McPhee, Disney’s

holders that their non-refundable tickets will also be honoured on the new show date,” said organisers.

senior vice president of operations. He also said the parks would open with limited capacity, but he didn’t specify the number of guests who would be allowed in initially. In a statement, the company said attendance will be managed through a new system that requires advance reservations for park entry. When Disney Springs, a complex of restaurants and shops near Disney World, reopened, the company formed “social distancing squads,” which McPhee said have been popular with guests. He said they are “a dedicated team of highly energetic and informative cast members who are committed to engaging and inspiring our guests to follow the appropriate guidelines.”

An update about the upcoming show is expected to be released next month.

Parks said they will require guests and employees to wear face coverings and social distancing will be enforced throughout their properties. Guests and employees also will undergo temperature checks before entering the parks. Disney employees will be required to conduct temperature checks before heading to work, McPhee said. They’ll also undergo temperature checks at the park, he added. Fever is one of the virus symptoms. Fireworks shows, character meetand-greets and parades will be suspended to meet social distancing requirements, McPhee said. Earlier this month, Shanghai Disneyland became the first of Disney’s theme park resorts to reopen, with severe limits on the number of visitors allowed in, mandatory masks and temperature checks. FREIDA FRISARO Associated Press

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Friday, June 12, 2020

books

Books to help you talk to your kids about racism

By CARA HUNT | Tribune Features Reporter | cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

HE past few weeks have bought the struggle of racial equality to the forefront and caused many parents to have to sit-down with their children to explain some difficult topics to them. But as always, where parents may not find the words themselves, they can turn to literature to help teach their children about the uncomfortable topic of racism. There are a wealth of books that have been written on this subject and here are a few of them: •The Logan Family Series by Mildred D Taylor This six-book series is an excellent read that eloquently shows exactly what life was life growing up black in the 1930s for young Cassie Logan and her family. Because the Logan family are land owners, they are spared many of the challenges their black sharecropper neighbours must endure. Still, Cassie and her siblings must learn the harsh realities of the times they are in. Mildred Taylor doesn’t shy away from difficult topics such as lynchings and the unfairness of the legal system for blacks, the disparity of education for blacks and whites, and the constant struggle black people had to ensure that they were given a chance to gain economic stability. The stories are based on Ms Taylor’s own family history and are a careful and sensitive introduction to tweens about this difficult subject. The books in the series include “The Land”, “The Song of the Trees”, “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry”, “Let the Circle Be Unbroken”, and “The Road to Memphis.” Suggested for readers 10 and up. • We’re Different, We’re the Same by Bobbi Kates The residents of Sesame Street learn that everyone is the same underneath whatever skin they are in. This is a great book to slowly introduce the topic of racial inequality to the youngest members of the family. The positive message and colourful pages will make this a family favourite. Suggested for readers four and up.

• Something Happened In Our Town: A Child’s Story about Racial Injustice by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins and Ann Hazzard When a black man is shot by police, two families, one white and one black, discuss the incident. The book seeks to explain the principals behind the Black Lives Matter movement. It also comes with a note to parents and caregivers that provides a guideline for discussing racism and social injustice as a family. Suggested for readers four and up. • The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks by Cynthia Levinson In this book, young readers learn about Audrey Faye Hendricks, a black girl who marched for racial equality in Birmingham. Alabama in 1963. In response, the city jailed hundreds of children protesters. A great read to show children that they are never too young to make a difference. Suggested for readers six and up. • The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Starr Carter is a 16-year-old black girl who lives in a poor neighbourhood but attends a suburban prep school. Her worlds collide when she witnesses her best friend Khalil get shot to death by police. He is unarmed. Khalil’s death gains national attention and forces Starr to make some difficult decisions that could endanger her life. The book has been banned in several US school districts for profanity and drug depiction, but its plot is very timely given current events. Suggested for readers 12 and up. •To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee This English literature staple tackles the legal injustices faced by a falsely accused black man in the segregated south, seen through the eyes of a six-year-old white girl. The story is an oldie, written in 1960, but has managed to educate several generations on a difficult topic. Suggested for readers 12 and up.

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books

Best-selling author and daughter team up for self-help book TANYA R. T AYL

By Fay Knowles also been rebranding. I’ve been using this time to create the website for Nilla Lashes and Glosses. I’ve also been growing my social media accounts by doing some heavy marketing. My future plan for my businesses is to be well known in the Bahamas and abroad,” she said. Mercedes, whose interests normally include “working out, travelling and going on dates with myself”, said the time spent in lockdown has been really a productive period for her. “I haven’t had any major problems being stuck at home because I keep myself busy and I’m naturally a homebody. I do miss seeing my friends and it’s going to be one of the first things I do when this is all over. I miss going to the gym, eating at restaurants and going to the movies. I hope to come out of this with more knowledge than I had before, a peace of mind, and my business being on the right track towards a successful future,” she said. Asked if she has always had a leaning towards writing and literature, Mercedes said: “Yes. I wrote a few stories when I was younger, but this is my first published book.” Her mother explained how the idea came up to write a book together. “I suggested to Mercedes that it would be a good idea to write something that would benefit women specifically. It was great working together. We went over a range of topics we could discuss in the book and decided which ones each of us would take on. The entire process went very smoothly,” said Ms Taylor. Mercedes said she will be graduating from UB in around two years. “After I graduate I plan to work for a little while, then work on my business full time.” Mercedes Taylor can be contacted on WhatsApp at (242) 458-9513, on Facebook at Mercedes Rose or Mercedes Rose Cosmetics, and Instagram at mercedesrose_cosmetic_boutique and mercedes.rose_. The book “I Didn’t Know I Was Beautiful” is available for purchase on Amazon.

MERCED

TA YL OR

HE secret is out! The elusive Tara Tomlinson, co-author of “I Didn’t Know I Was Beautiful”, along with award-winning Bahamian author Tanya R Taylor, turns out to be none other than the writer’s daughter, Mercedes Taylor, who uses the pen name Tara Tomlinson. Leading up to the book’s release, fans of Ms Taylor’s fans wondered who the mysterious Tara Tomlinson was. But now the author, who loves to surprise her readers, has revealed all. The full title of book they co-wrote is “I Didn’t Know I Was Beautiful: The Real & Raw Facts that Every Woman on the Planet Should Know”,and it seeks to end myths detrimental to women. The book poses the question: “If you were asked to describe yourself, what would you say? Define beauty.” “It is that very definition that has confused young girls and women throughout the ages. So much so that it has led to depression, isolation, eating disorders, anger, and self-image obsessions that have prevented people from living their best life and drove others to the verge of suicide. The problem continues today,” said the authors. Mercedes Taylor is a 19-year-old University of the Bahamas law student and the owner of three online businesses. She started the first two, Mercedes Rose - a clothing boutique - and Mercedes Rose Cosmetics in January 2019 when she was just 18 years old. Since then she has established her third business, Nilla Lashes and Glosses, and has been invited to give a speech to a university class regarding entrepreneurship. She plans to obtain her law degree and to establish more businesses in the future. At Mercedes Rose, the teenager said she mainly sells clothes and accessories. “And I sell hair and make-up products in my cosmetic boutique.” With “Nilla Lashes and Glosses”, established last October, Mercedes sells homemade lip and lash products. “I’ve been expanding my businesses by getting international followers and I’ve

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Friday, June 12, 2020

entertainment

UNGODLY Hour by Chloe X Halle

DA 5 Bloods

New this week: Spike Lee flick, ‘Artemis Fowl,’ and Norah Jones By The Associated Press

ere’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week.

MOVIES

• “Da 5 Bloods”: It’s always the right time for a Spike Lee joint and thankfully Netflix has his latest ready to debut today. Four veterans travel back to Vietnam to try to find the remains of their squad leader in this film that traverses decades and genres. Full of complex ideas, “Da 5 Bloods” is guaranteed to enlighten and provoke. Case in point? He’s made one of the veterans (Delroy Lindo) a Donald Trump supporter. • “Artemis Fowl”: Originally intended for theatres, Disney Plus is releasing Kenneth Branagh’s big budget adaptation of Eoin Colfer’s “Artemis Fowl” today. In the film, a young Irish genius (Ferdia Shaw) discovers a magical world in a quest to save

his father (Colin Farrell) from a pack of fairies. Judi Dench and Josh Gad also star. — AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr

MUSIC

• Chloe x Halle: The sophomore album from Chloe x Halle was originally supposed to be released last week, but the duo decided to push it back out to honour Black Out Tuesday and the music industry’s plan to turn off the music and take time to reflect and implement change in response to the death of George Floyd and the killings of other black people. “Ungodly Hour” will be released today and features a more grown-up side of Chloe, 21, and Halle, 20 (who will be playing Ariel in the upcoming live action version of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”). The girls co-wrote, co-produced and engineered the album, which features the viral R&B hit, “Do It.” • Norah Jones: Over the last two years Norah Jones has held monthly recording sessions with various musicians to create epic singles instead of

a full album. The result of those gatherings, along with unreleased songs from her 2019 project, make up “ Pull Me Up Off the Floor ” — a new 11-track album coming out Friday. Jones produced nine of the songs alone and wrote seven of the tracks by herself. Collaborators include Jeff Tweedy, Emily Fiskio and Sarah Oda. — AP Music Editor Mesfin Fekadu

TELEVISION

• Gabrielle Union, engaged in a battle with NBC over her firing from “America’s Got Talent,” is firmly in control on “L.A.’s Finest,” the drama she produces and stars in with Jessica Alba. The series returns for season two on Spectrum. To set the scene: detective Syd (Union) is searching for a friend’s killer, her partner McKenna (Alba) is dealing with marital woes, and then a crime wave hits. • Medical practitioners can be heroic with or without a pandemic to battle, as made clear in the docuseries “Lenox Hill,” shot before the COVID-19 crisis. Cameras follow two brain surgeons, an ER physician and an obstetrician at New York’s Lenox Hill Hospital as they pour their energies and dedication into their patients’ care while also tending to their own lives — a challenge that includes pregnancy for two of the doctors. The eight-episode series is now out on Netflix. • If mystery is your cup of tea, “Grantchester” is here to oblige, returning 9pm EDT Sunday to PBS’ “Masterpiece.” Set in an English village in the 1950s, the series boasts an unlikely pair of crimebusters in the Rev. Will (Tom Brittney), and police detective Geordie (Robson Green). Also back are closeted man of the cloth Leonard (Al Weaver) and Tessa-Peake Jones as an indispensable if stern housekeeper. — AP Television Writer Lynn Elber

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entertainment THE LAST Days of American Crime

The final season of the controversial teen drama that started with the mystery surrounding high school student Hannah Baker’s suicide and her cassette tapes. Season four wraps up a multitude of character arcs and reveals what becomes of the characters as they prepare to move on to the next stage of their lives.

Djimon Hounsou.

Top 10 . Dynasty (series; 10 5 episodes) Netflix movies and shows . Fuller House (series; . The Last Days of Amerin the 6 five seasons) 3 ican Crime (film; 2h 29m) Bahamas With Bahamians practicing social distancing, working from home, and the kiddies stuck in the house, it’s time to turn to Netflix for some entertainment. Here are the top 10 movies and shows Bahamians are watching this week:

1. 365 dni (film; 1h 45m)

Massimo is a member of the Sicilian Mafia family and Laura is a sales director. She does not expect that on a trip to Sicily trying to save her relationship, Massimo will kidnap her and give her 365 days to fall in love with him. An erotic film for fans for the “Fifty Shades” series.

13 Reasons Why (series; 2.four seasons)

In the not-too-distant future, as a final response to terrorism and crime, the US government plans to broadcast a signal making it impossible for anyone to knowingly commit unlawful acts. A bank robber joins a plot to commit one final, historic heist. Based on the graphic novel by the same name.

. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (film; 2h 6m)

Guy Ritchie’s high-octane take on the Arthurian myth. Robbed of his birthright, Arthur comes up the hard way in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword from the stone, he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy whether he likes it or not. Starring Charlie Hunnam, Jude Law and

This reboot of the popular 1980’s show follows two of America’s wealthiest families as they feud for control over their fortune and their children.

The final season of the reboot of the beloved 80s’ show Full House reunites the Tanner family – including Uncles Jesse and Joey. In the newly released secondpart of season five, Stephanie raises her newborn with the help of DJ, Kimmy and Jimmy as the crew heads towards a triple wedding.

Merry Men 2 – Another 7.Mission (film; 1h 54m) Things have changed for the charming foursome, the Merry Men. They’ve hung the boots on robbing the rich to give to the poor and focus squarely on running their businesses. But to save a kidnapped a loved one, they must return to their vigilante roots when they are blackmailed to pull off a treacherous heist.

Grown Ups (film; 1h 8.42m) After their high school basketball coach passes away, five good friends and former teammates reunite for a Fourth of July holiday weekend. Starring Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Kevin James, David Spade and Salma Hayek.

9. Hancock (film; 1h 32m)

Hancock is a superhero whose ill-considered behaviour regularly causes damage in the millions. He changes when the person he saves helps him improve his public image. Starring Will Smith and Charlize Theron.

Billions (series; five 10.seasons) Hedge fund manager Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis) reaches a major milestone in the season premiere. Meanwhile, US Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) struggles to get his bearings, and he and his wife Wendy navigate a new normal. Tensions are high at Axe Cap now that Taylor Mason is back, and Axe faces off against new rival Mike Prince (Corey Stoll).

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Friday, June 12, 2020

Literary lives - Diana Gabaldon

AUTHOR Diana Gabaldon got to a make a cameo in the episode “The Gathering”, in the Starz series based on her Outlander book series.

Fantastic Fiction Sir Christopher Ondaatje writes about the American author of the phenomenally successful Outlander series of novels that feature historical fiction, romance, mystery and adventure.

of California in San Diego in 1975; and a PhD in behavioral ecology from Northern Arizona University in 1978. While working for the Centre for Environmental Studies at Arizona State University she helped found Science Software Quarterly – also at the same time writing software reviews and technical articles for software magazines. She remained a professor at Arizona State University for 12 years with expertise in scientific computation before settling down to write full-time. It is an extraordinary story.

“If you want to know anything about me, read my books – it’s all there.” - Diana Gabaldon

“I was writing ‘Outlander’ for practice and didn’t want anyone to know I was doing it. So I couldn’t very well announce to my husband that I was quitting my job and abandoning him with three small children to visit Scotland to do research for a novel that I hadn’t told him I was writing.”

Diana Gabaldon was born on January 11, 1952 in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is the daughter of Jacqueline Sykes and Tony Gabaldon (1931-1998), an Arizona state senator from Flagstaff for 16 years. Her father was of Mexican ancestry, and her mother of English descent. Growing up in Flagstaff, Gabaldon earned a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology from Northern Arizona University in 1973; a Master of Science in marine biology from the University

In 1988, Gabaldon decided that she would try to write a novel just for “practice”, and thought wisely that an historical novel would be the easiest to research and to write. However, she had no experience or background in history, and certainly no special knowledge of a historical time period. And then, quite accidentally, while watching one of the

Doctor Who science fiction TV series, she became fascinated by a young 17-year-old Scot named Jamie McCrimmon who became her inspiration for Jamie Fraser, her novel’s main character, and the setting, mid-18th century Scotland. Her main female character became an Englishwoman, Claire Randall. She posted a short excerpt of her novel on the Compuserve Literary Forum, which was seen by the author John E Stith, who introduced her to her agent Perry Knowlton. The novel, set in Scotland, France (and in later parts, the West Indies, England and North America), was sold as the first part of a trilogy to an English publisher and published as Cross Stitch in the United Kingdom and Australia. However, her US publisher changed the first book’s title to Outlander. When the second book was published, Gabaldon resigned her faculty position at Arizona State University to write full-time. The Outlander series, as of 2014, comprises eight published novels and focuses on a 20th century nurse, Claire Randall, who time travels back to the 18th century and finds adventure and romance with the young Scot James “Jamie” McKenzie Fraser. A mix of several genres, the Outlander series

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Friday, June 12, 2020

SAM Heughan and Caitriona Balfe as the iconic couple Jamie and Claire.

has elements of historical fiction, romance, adventure and fantasy. With 25 million copies sold, Outlander is one of the best-selling book series of all time. The television adaptation of the Outlander premiered on Starz in the United States on August 9, 2014, and co-stars Sam Heughan as the hunky Scotsman and Caitriona Balfe as the former combat nurse who travels back in time to find romance and conflict in 18th. Century Scotland.

THE ORIGINAL cover of “Outlander” from 1991.

SCOTLAND’S DOUNE CASTLE, built in the late 14th century, has doubled as Castle Leoch in Outlander and as Winterfell in Game of Thrones.

The Outlander series in order: Outlander (1991); Cross Stitch (UK, Australia) Dragonfly in Amber (1992) Voyager (1993)

“I have lived with war and lost much. I know what’s worth the fight and what is not. Honour and courage are matters of the bone, and what a man will kill for, he will die for, too.” - Diana Gabaldon, The Fiery Cross

Drums of Autumn (1996) The Fiery Cross (2001) A Breath of Snow and Ashes (2005)

Diana Gabaldon is working on a ninth Outlander novel: Go Tell the Bees I Am Gone, which should be published before the end of this year.

“I don’t plot the books ahead of time, I don’t plan them. I don’t begin at the beginning and end at the end. I don’t work well with an outline and I don’t work in a straight line.” - Diana Gabaldon

Lord John Grey – a secondary character in her Outlander series.

“I work late at night. I’m awake and nobody bothers me. It’s quiet and things come and talk to me in the silence.

Diana Gabaldon lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with her husband Doug Watkins and their three grown children. She has also written several short stories and novellas – including a sequence of 10 novels about

Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. Heacknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia; and from transcripts of personal interviews given by Diana Gabaldon.

NEXT WEEK:The New Zealand mountaineer who became one of the first climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

An Echo in the Bone (2009) Written in My Own Heart’s Blood (2014) Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone (2020/21)

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Friday, June 12, 2020

history

Walking, talking and showing off – a history of Roman gardens By Annalisa Marzano | Professor of Ancient History, University of Reading

N ANCIENT Rome, you could tell a lot about a person from the look of their garden. Ancient gardens were spaces used for many activities, such as dining, intellectual practice, and religious rituals. They also offered the opportunity to flaunt horticultural skills as well as travels. As such, gardens were taken rather seriously by Romans. Walking had an important role here, as there is no better way to show off your garden than to take people on walks through it. The role of horticulture in the construction of elite identity in ancient Rome is one of the topics I am investigating, while the excavation of an ancient Pompeian garden I co-direct is revealing tangible information on settings for horticultural displays. For wealthy Romans, gardens were a place to exercise the mind, for instance by strolling while conversing about philosophy or literature. The orator and philosopher Cicero famously wrote that if you have a garden and a library you have everything you need. The type of plants chosen could reveal much about how cultured the owner was. From the writings of Roman authors, we can see that plane trees (which nowadays commonly line streets and walkways in parks) were a good choice. They offered shade in summer and were a way to show that one was versed in Greek philosophy: Aristotle and Plato’s famed philosophical schools were held in garden’s shaded by plane trees, as Plato referred to in his Phaedrus. Fruit of the empire Rome empire-building military expeditions abroad also resulted in new plants, or new cultivars (a plant variety produced by selective breeding) of known plants being introduced into Italy. Roman generals or provincial governors often came back to Italy with specimens that they planted in their gardens. For example, Lucius Vitellius the Elder, the father of Emperor Vitellius, planted several figs varieties in

THE ROMAN peristyle garden recreated by oil tycoon J Paul Getty at the Getty Villa in 1974 in Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles. The villa itself is based on the villa of the Papyri in the ancient town of Herculaneum which was destroyed when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79.

RECONSTRUCTION of the garden of the House of the Vettii in Pompeii

his rural villa estate near Rome that he had encountered while governor of Syria. In this way, gardens could also become a sort of microcosm of Rome’s empire, with plants from different territories. Horticultural display of grafted fruit trees and other plants reproduced by layering might have characterised the large garden of the House of Queen Caroline – named in the 19th century after the queen of Naples and sister of Napoleon Bonaparte, Caroline, who visited during its initial excavation. I am currently excavating the site in Pompeii in collaboration with colleagues from Cornell University. Here wide walkways seem to have separated the regularly spaced plantings, an indication that it was not a commercial orchard but a garden in which horticultural productivity was an important part of

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THE RUINS ofHadrian’s Villa and gardens in at Tivoli, Italy. It was built for the Roman emperor as a retreat between 117 and 138 AD.

EXCAVATING the House of Queen Caroline in Pompeii.

the pleasure the garden was meant to offer. Committed to exercise Walking in their gardens was a serious exercise for many wealthy Romans. Medical works such as the de Medicina by the encyclopedist Aulus Cornelius Celsus, written in the first century AD, give specific indications about the daily exercise physicians recommended: one Roman mile, or 1,000 paces. Some gardens even came with exercise advice inscribed in them detailing how many laps a person needed to cover. One such inscription from Rome once stood in an ancient orchard. It advised that to cover one mile one needed to go along the path back and forth five times. In Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli, Italy, a similar inscription was found in the Poikilé, the large foursided portico enclosing a garden with a central pool. The north side of the Poikilé was a double portico, with circular spaces at both ends to allow one to do laps: this was where the emperor could walk

MUSEUM model of the Fishbourne Roman Palace with the gardens enclosed by buildings. Archaeologists have been able to recreate the layout and analyse the plants used in the garden.

sheltered from the elements. Thus, Hadrian could either take exercise in the open air, in the central garden, or under the roof of the double portico. All this may suggest that the stereotype associating ancient Romans with excessive drinking and eating is undeserved. But, for wealthy individuals, moving about in a chariot or being carried around in a litter (a “vehicle” without wheels) by slaves in hippodrome-gardens (they were shaped like an elongated U and imitated the shape of the chariot-racing stadium) also counted as “exercising”. Indeed, there are two words in Latin texts for the daily walk: ambulatio, “walking about”, and gestatio, “being carried about”. Such walking was the pastime of those who owned impressive townhouses or luxurious villas in the country or by the sea. But shrewd politicians such as the Emperor Augustus, who ruled from 27 BC to 14 AD, included gardens among the public building projects they financed. They understood that improving living standards by providing ordinary people with a green oasis to escape Rome’s crowded streets and cramped accommodation was a great way to gain popularity. Augustus opened to the public the groves and walks which surrounded the magnificent Mausoleum he had built, and before him, Caesar had willed to the people of Rome his large pleasure park (Horti). Following the Roman dichotomy between amoenitas (delightfulness) and utilitas (usefulness), scholars traditionally class gardens as either utilitarian or pleasure gardens, but this binary choice does not fully capture the essence of Roman garden culture. Roman gardens were complex physical and ideological spaces. They represented wealth and contributed to wealth and they showed off horticultural skills through aesthetics as well as their ability to produce food. • This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com.

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history

Ghosts and their stories Forgotten facts | By Paul C Aranha

N RESPONSE to my May 29th article, “The dead and the undead”, a friend phoned to ask whether I really did stand dead still whenever I saw a hearse drive by. The answer is yes, and my friends and I knew that it was the right thing to do – for fear of ghosts. The conversation led to a discussion about Bahamian ghost stories and I promised to write an article on the subject. “Real and Authentic Ghost Stories” is a fascinating book by Alphonso L R Smith, who was born in Mangrove Cay, Andros, in 1937. Its title speaks for itself and reading it made me think of a “real and authentic” story told to me by Lennox Elgin Wentworth Forsyth, my grandmother’s brother and a descendant of a line of Loyalist Scots. His great great grandparents were Alexander Forsyth (17411826) who married Flora McQueen. Flora’s brother was the publisher of Nassau’s second newspaper, The Royal Gazette and Bahama Advertiser, for years Nassau’s only newspaper. The father of Neil and Flora was Alexander McQueen, after whom the Cat Island settlement McQueen’s is named. Cat Island is considered the obeah centre of the Bahamas. Generation after generation, in the Bahamian environment, they were all familiar with the popular feeling and beliefs about death. Elgin Forsyth had his fair share of exposure. When talking about Elgin Forsyth it is easy to get confused, because Elgin Forsyth is not one, but two individuals – father and son, and each was, in turn, Commissioner at Mangrove Cay. The father was Lennox Elgin Forsyth (1850-1927). His son was Lennox Elgin Wentworth Forsyth (1877-1972) and they lie in adjoining graves in All Saints’ Churchyard, Mangrove Cay. LEW Forsyth was also a builder

Rev Denrick Rolle and Kendal Butler

of boats and often referred to as the best boatbuilder in the Bahamas. Because Kendal Butler was writing a thesis on boats and their builders, he invited me to visit Andros to see the Forsyth graves. I haven’t forgotten the ghosts, but Elgin would have grown up in a society that was very conscious of obeah, “sperrets” and ghosts, and suited for the event he experienced one night when a young woman came to the commissioner’s residence, just before nightfall, pleading for help. She had walked several miles to ask him to come to her home because her mother was on her deathbed. The Commissioner was used to life on an island that did not have a doctor or nurse and did not hesitate to accompany the young woman along the darkening roads. Just as they did, throughout the Out Islands, the populace ‘went to bed with the chickens’ – as soon as night fell, the practice was to go indoors and go to sleep. It was not surprising that he saw only 2 men, still talking on the side of the road. He hailed them and hurried on his way. The distance walked was not important, because walking was the normal, indeed, the only way of going anywhere. When they arrived at the house the front door was locked from the inside. The young woman was too well brought up to ask the Commissioner to use the back door, so she asked him to wait while she let herself in to open front door for him. Elgin said he would happily have used the back door, but he understood her dilemma, so he waited. He waited and waited, but the door never opened, so he shouted the name of the sick mother and heard a feeble voice

Friday, June 12, 2020

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answer him. She told him the back door was open and asked him to come in that way. Inside the house, by the light from the kerosene lamp he had brought with him, he saw the patient lying in bed, obviously desperately in need of help. She was so happy to see the Commissioner and perked up immediately, finally thanking him and asking how he knew she needed help. Elgin said, “You daughter came to the residence to fetch me.’’ This seemed to startle the mother, who seemed unable to talk for a while. Finally she said, ‘’My daughter? My daughter died three years ago.” Elgin described the young woman, right down to the dress she had worn. The mother asked him to fetch the dress hanging in her closet and recognised it as the one worn by the young woman. He took it to the bed and was told, “That’s the dress my daughter was wearing when she died.” The next morning, Elgin tracked down the two men whom he had hailed the previous evening and they confirmed that they had seen him. He asked them, “Who was with me?’’ Their answer: “Nobody!’’ • For questions and comments, e-mail islandairman@gmail.com

26 | The Tribune | Weekend

26 Incline to expect new daily starts (4) 27 Doctor joins easy-moving lad when there’s no rain (3,6)

20 Provide weapon –4 mine is 26 2 Order; Reduce; O Z X C W G O an unpleasant place (6)6 Fervour; 5 Inarticulate; M O O B S M W 7 Link; 8 Self-catering; Friday, 23 Supply lines in Maidenhead I R B E June A T I 12 Reassess; is an alternative (5) 14 Neutral; D E R M T A E 16 Accept; 18 Obese; 19 Scar.

En t i Hn E G l

● The Target uses words in the main body of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary (1999 edition)

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here? in making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each must contain the centre letter and there must be at least one nine-letter word. no plurals or verb forms ending in “s”. TODAY’S TARGET Good 11; very good 15; excellent 22 (or more). Solution tomorrow

call 0907 181 2585 for today’s target solution *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

BATTLESHIPS FIND where the fleet of ships shown is hidden in the grid. The numbers to the right of and below the grid indicate how many of the squares in that row are filled in with ships or parts of ships. The ships do not touch each other, even diagonally. Some squares have been filled in to start you off. Solution tomorrow 2

9 10

1 0

L L I T

Y W D A

G W K C

E E J K

A T S I

B R P N

R Z G U F N N G

Q27E D X P O O S R D T I N A Y Y

E C H B N G K H

C E O N T I E S

12, 2020

THE ALPHABEATER

TARGET

B Z R Y

G H N R R K I G

1 x Battleship

3 x Destroyer

2 x cruiser

4 x submarine

E W U Z Y B R Z

B U Z S R E F O D G K A TARG ET R DTIME:

34 minute targEt alphapuzzlE thE cAn you crack the Alphabeater?thE Each grid Extra letter clues number represents a letter square. uNbridlEd blue blued bluer – or black across: Shortage, Along, black s 0907 181 2560 blur build builder Sin, Goon, Escort, 22,for 28, As blunder in Alphapuzzle, everybundle letter ofInterject, the alphabet (DeductCandle, three minutes Phrase, Border, Pea, bundledBut burden burl each extra clue letteracross: heard) is used. youburied have burin to complete the grid too! Maze, Squeamish, Evict, Reckless. burled burn burned drub druid Heart, W usedude theduel given and black belowComplex, Outworn, full solutionEve, Qu duneletters indue indued inure squares down: Sting, theinured grid lieu to start. thelurid gridnubile is ‘rotationally Basil, Tarn, Florist, Grease, lure lured down: B 0907 181 2558 Demure, nude nudie rebuild rube ruble Skim, W symmetrical’ – in other words, it looks theAtrophy, Park, *CallsBoast, cost 80p per minute plus (clue) . rudd ruddle rude rued ruin ruined Avarice, Agonise, Ethos Jade, Tr your telephone company’s same if you turn the page upside down. rule ruled rune udder UNBRIDLED network access charge. Solution tomorrow under underbid unriddle A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

30 31

34 35

■■

■

● Alternatively, for six Extra Letter clues to your mobile, text DXBEAT to 84901. Texts cost £1 plus your usual operator rate

KEIJO 1 4

Place the tiles into the grid so that four different numbers and four different shapes appear in each row and column.

Solution tomorrow

The Tribune | Weekend | 27

Friday, June 12, 2020

animals

PET OF THE WEEK

The passing of a potcake Animal Matters | KIM ARANHA

HIS article is difficult to write because it is about the passing of a very special potcake. All dogs are special, and all dogs have their own lovable personalities, but some dogs just have that extra dollop of “specialness” that you can’t quite put a finger on, but you know it when you see it. So it was with one rather normal golden dog with quizzical potcake ears that never quite pointed in the right direct at the same time. His big face had a constant smile and he became the apple of his family’s eye. Seven years ago, Kim Hatzinger and her family from New York came to Atlantis for a vacation. They met a scrawny potcake near Dunkin’ Donuts. They bought him a couple of donuts and some water. He was there the next day and they gave him some more. They asked people around who he belonged to. Those of you who live here have heard this kind of story before. Kim and her family had to leave. Now, at the same time they were leaving, this scrawny potcake walked over P I bridge and got picked up by a rescuer. She took him home and called him Jake. He settled himself on her bed. It was clear he had been owned before. He eventually came to the shelter. When he got there the staff recognised him said his name was Beige. He had a habit of attaching himself to tourists, not really wanting to be owned; that’s what they thought. “He is all about town, from the fish fry to the bridge!” So they put him in an enclosure to give him a check-up and did his yearly shots and gave some good meals thinking he would want to go back to the life that he had carved out for himself. They worried adoption may not be for him. Shortly after Kim got back to New York I received an e-mail with a photo of the dog they had befriended on Paradise Island. They were asking the Bahamas Humane Society to try and find that sweet boy and send him to New York for them. I showed the photo to Percy Grant, and he said, “That’s Beige.” He told me his story, but the amazing part was that he then said: “He is in the shelter right now.” My goodness, talk about a stroke of luck! After a few days of phone calls and organisation, Beige, aka Jake, was shampooed, his nails clipped, and all dressed up in a new collar he flew up to New York where Kim and her family met him. He had spent eight days at the shelter. It was a beautiful love story. Beige/Jake gave up his old names and took on the name of the city he used roam: Nassau. He was so smart he

(Photo/Patricia Vazquez) Rebecca with BHS staff member Morgan Curry

learned his new name in very few days. He had a canine brother who was a golden lab. He had a family. Nassau was in seventh heaven. We realised that each time he met a tourist he was really looking for a family: enter the Hatzinger family! When I was doing a road trip around New York state five years ago, I planned my route to go and visit Nassau, and I am so glad I did; what a happy boy and lovely family! Like all true potcakes, he loved meat, always wanting a taste of their dinner and, sound familiar, he loved sleeping upside down on his back. Having been a street dog he didn’t play with toys a lot but loved his toy rat. He would sleep with it sometimes. But the biggest, most fabulous thing was he was always so happy, wagging his tail. He loved his new life and had seven wonderful years of long walks and tons of cuddles and treats. His mom told me on Wednesday that he loved to cuddle (his favourite thing to do) and go on walks. He smiled a lot. She said to me, “I never saw a dog smile like he did. He was genuine and loving. When he looked at us his eyes just showed love.” Yes, of course he did. They were his knights in shinning armour, the people he handpicked on Paradise Island. He planted that indelible seed in their hearts. The stars all lined up to serve his purpose. He was lucky or was it luck? Sometimes I allow myself to believe that these special potcakes have a supernatural control over their destiny and Nassau just might have been plotting this all along. Last week he started to have seizures, and they found he had a brain tumour. None of the medication worked, and sadly on Wednesday, Nassau earned his angel wings and tonight he will be playing on rainbow bridge and is the newest star above us. Farewell Nassau. You were just the best! Forgive the tears.

Radiant Rebecca

By The Bahamas Humane Society

ovely Rebecca is two years old. She arrived at the Bahamas Humane Society with three pups. One has been adopted, two are in a foster home, and Rebecca is now footloose and fancy free hoping that you will be the person to adopt her. She’s used to being outside but is smart and sociable, and gets along well with the other dogs in the BHS paddocks. Do you need Rebecca in your life? If so, give the BHS a call at 323-5138 or 325-6742 to find out more about her and arrange a time to come in. Rebecca will be sure to put your social distancing skills to the test (but it’s OK to snuggle dogs, so don’t worry).

• Our Thrift Shop is now open; Wednesday/Thursday/ Friday/Saturday. Please be sure to wear your mask. And we apologise in advance if you end up in a line - our store space is limited. We are also accepting donations. Thanks in advance for your support!

28 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, June 12, 2020