Friday, July 19, 2019
books entertainment history film fashion gardening travel food
Weekend
NAT’S LEGACY Page 11
Bold and beautiful Pisces unveils swimsuit styles pages 14 & 15
02 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 19, 2019
travel
Travel writers and influencers rediscover Grand Bahama
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group of six Bahamian and international travel writers, social media influencers and photographers recently got the chance to experience the diversity of Grand Bahama as a travel destination firsthand. The Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board, supported by the Ministry of Tourism, hosted Theodore Elyett, award-winning Bahamian fashion designer; Bodine Johnson, singer-songwriter and social media influencer; Nikia Wells, travel/food writer and editor of the Pinksands242 blog; Jennifer Kaminski and Katy Vidauretta, Miami-based social media influencers, and photographer Deyson Rodriquez, to a multi-day trip that extended from McClean’s Town to West End, and a number of spots in between. David Mackey, of Mackey Media, and his film crew documented the action-packed trip. Carmel Churchill, president of Doncar Hospitality Management Services and marketing consultant for the Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board, said the trip was intended to showcase what Grand Bahama is truly like, inclusive of the vibrant and diverse people, delicious food, beautiful boutique properties and resorts, festivals and the island’s stunning natural beauty, which includes over 40 beaches. “Many think that Grand Bahama is just the city of Freeport, but the island is so much more. East End offers a truly family island experience, Lucaya and the wider Freeport area
have everything from fine dining to down-home fare, spas, comfort amenities, and events like the Fish Fry, Goombay and the upcoming Regatta Homecoming. And, West End offers a truly unique taste of Grand Bahama’s culture that includes fun, vibrant, and uniquely Bahamian night life,” he said. After short flights from New Providence and Miami respectively, the group got to take part in a range of activities which included
of the Goombay Summer Festival. When asked about their experiences while visiting Grand Bahama, the group shared that they had an unforgettable time, and even remarked that the trip changed their view of the island. “Grand Bahama is truly the Magic City,” said Bodine
zip-lining at Pirates Cove; swimming with and learning about stingrays via the West End Eco-Tour; shark viewing at the Pier One Restaurant; enjoying dolphin kisses at the UNEXSO Dolphin Experience; sampling a beer flight during the Sands Brewery tour; walking deep into the crystal clear waters of Gold Rock Beach; seeing the mangroves of the BNT national park, and experiencing the fun, music and food
Johnson. “What I enjoyed most is seeing people fishing leisurely on the rocks, trying pickled conch and panny cake. The variety of things – from stingray feeding and diving, to zip-lining and trekking through the bushes, and the variety of late-night hot spots – make the island one to explore, experience and love.” Theodore Elyett said he’d visited the island many times before, but never truly experienced everything that Grand Bahama had to offer. “I have travelled to Grand Bahama Island for many years and surprisingly my trips have basically kept me within the confines of the Freeport area. For the first time I had the opportunity to extensively experience both East and West End and I was blown away by their beauty, charm, and distinct experiences for tourists and locals, alike,” he said. “It was an eye-opening journey to travel through protected ecological areas and arrive on a seven-mile stretch of a white sandy beach, digesting the beauty of the beaches at Pelican Point and McClean’s Town, sipping on fresh coconut water and eating its jelly on a farm in Ol’ Freetown, trying and enjoying pickled conch in West End for the first time and sharing late afternoon laughs with Rosie and Lova at the Chicken Nest over fried panny cakes and coconut tart. Experiencing Grand Bahama Island in its entirety, three unique experiences in one destination, is a journey I won’t soon forget.”
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Friday, July 19, 2019
Inside Weekend
My perfect Bahamian weekend Randeika Foulkes Miss Bahamas Beauty Plus World 2019
Q: What is the one thing that you can’t live without?
“I wouldn’t say that I am addicted to using my phone, but I can’t live without it! I use my phone to do just about everything. I take notes, plan my days and browse YouTube. Without it I feel lost.”
Q: Saturday breakfast or Sunday lunch?
Interview 4 - 5
Atlanta-based scientist Stefan Moss has made it his mission to help kids fall in love with STEM subjects Entertainment 7 ‘Sofa Talk’ is back for a second season of telling the unvarnished truth Food 8 - 9 Iconic Café Martinique revamps menu, embraces new ‘plantforward’ philosophy Books 10 - 12 Tanya R Taylor debuts new cosy mystery series; a Bahamian mother preserves the legacy of her son who died in a 2010 plane crash, and Leo McBride goes back to his fantasy roots Fashion 13 - 15 Top international model scout comes to Nassau in search of new talent, plus Pisces Swim launches Junkanoo collection and new plus size line Film 17 Island House to screen new documentary about word’s first female filmmaker and pioneer storyteller Television 18 All the facts and figures concerning this year’s Emmy nominations Gardening 19 Jack Hardy loves both the big and small versions of an unusual desert plant Literary Lives 20 - 21 An unbelievable prison escape and unlikely adventure to Kenya’s highest mountain Puzzles 26 Animals 27 Kim Aranha explains ‘deadly vs dangerous’, plus Pet of the Week
Cover | Shawn Hanna
“I would choose Sunday lunch. Sunday is a day of rest for most people. I know and for me it consists of family time and sometimes church.”
Q: Weekend away, where would you go? “Nicholls Town, Andros. I haven’t been there since 2004 when my family buried my grandmother who passed away while battling cervical cancer. I would go to the graveyard where my grandmother is buried, which ironically is on the beach. Then, I’d reminisce about the good times we had, although I was young, and update her on all that I have accomplished.”
Q: Wine, rum, cocktail or Kalik?
“I don’t drink beer on the regular, so Kalik is definitely out. A good cocktail is never boring and can be prepared in such a way that even a non-drinker can appreciate the taste without realising that alcohol is present.”
Q: Beach or sofa?
“I definitely prefer the beach. I am no stranger to the beach, even though I can’t swim. Any time that I am feeling down and I want to hear from God, I go to the beach and listen to the waves and it calms my spirit.”
Things 2 Do this weekend Friday
• “Float Flicks” – Movies from the Pool Time: 7.30pm - 10pm Venue: Evolve Bahamas A fun, monthly, outdoor movie experience with the biggest screen, under the brightest stars. Bring a float or rent one to lounge in the pool, or bring a chair or blanket for poolside seating. Tickets are $10 per person and include popcorn only. Concessions will be available. This month’s movie is “Ralph Breaks the Internet”. • Fete in the Gardens Time: 8pm Venue: Botanical Gardens Queen of the Bacchanal, “It’s Carnival” and “Lucy” singer Destra returns to the Bahamas. Also performing will Turks and Caicos stars Keno & Kaz (”Somebody Gat Your Girlfriend on Layaway”). Call 427-8111 for more information. • Keeping It Cool – Art Exhibit by Harry Wallace Time: 6pm - 9pm Venue: The Salus Project, Blake Road View the latest work of Harry Wallace, a self-taught artist with a unique ability to create typical painted works. Personal
experiences, the beauty of the world that surrounds him, and enchanting stories tend to be his muse. Wallace’s modern approach is easily identified by his radical, yet calm use of rich colours and peculiar shapes and figures. Admission is free and light refreshments will be served.
Saturday
• And This is What I Will Do – 24-hour Drawing Performance Time: 9am - 9am on Sunday Venue: Popopstudios Gallery Artist Jodi Minnis will give a live 24-hour charcoal performance. During this time, she seeks to negotiate time, space, nature and the maternal. The performance will serve as an ode to her grandmothers, with whom she spent her childhood Summers tending to their yards and gardens. Ms Minnis will draw still lives and sculptures constructed from plants and objects from her maternal grandmother and mother’s garden from observation. Admission is free, however, patrons may give donations. Part proceeds will go towards Popopstudios. • Junkanoo Summer Festival Time: 1pm - until Venue: Arawak Cay
The festival will incorporate all aspects of Bahamian culture, including musical performances, food, heritage games, a kiddie corner, authentic Bahamian arts and crafts, and major rush-outs from A and B groups of Junkanoo. This weekend the focus will be on Long Island, Exuma and MICAL. • Drew Harmony x Judah Tha Lion Time: 7.30pm - 2am Venue: Smugglers, Pirates of Nassau Artist Cave International Presents Drew Harmony X Judah Tha Lion live! Doors open at 7.30pm, the event starts at 8.30pm. Tickets will be available at the door for $15. There will be an after party. Additonal music By DJ Beatz.
Sunday
• The Edmund Moxey Cultural Show Time: 7pm Venue: Bahamas Harvest Church, JFK location Enjoy poetry, drama, dance and live performances: Sammie Starr, Nehemiah Hield, Osano Neely, Puzzle, Alia Coley, Harvest Generation, and more. Also featuring songs by legendary Bahamian composers and a special tribute to Peanuts Taylor. Tickets are $20.
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Friday, July 19, 2019
section
Inspired by childhood memories of the effects of pollution, the Atlanta-based scientist has been pursuing his decades-long passion of keeping the environment clean and safe. He tells Cara Hunt how he hopes to make conservation and other fields of science come alive for the younger generation.
Stefan Moss
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t was as a child growing up in the city of Freeport that Stefan Moss first saw how development could negatively affect the environment and the people around him. It was an experience that helped lead to his life-long love of science and conservation. “I am originally from Freeport and I grew up in the neighbourhood where BORCO (the Bahamas Oil Refining Company) was located, and as a child we were affected by the fumes and unpleasant odours that filled the air. My memories are of a beautiful island facing that,” the environmental scientist and educator told Tribune Weekend. That experience awakened in him a love of the sciences, which continued to be fostered when his family moved to Nassau and he entered high school. “I attended St Augustine’s College and then Nassau Christian Academy. At NCA, I was the science club president and I was inspired by my science teacher, Mr Rowe, who fostered my love of science with science club,” he said. After graduating, he enrolled at the College of the Bahamas, where he majored in Biochemistry. Once again he had a great teacher: his
chemistry professor Judith Blair who mentored him. “She helped me to pursue a career in science,” he said. After completing his Bachelor degree at Lee University in Tennessee, Stefan came home and did work for the BEST Commission before returning to the United States to begin graduate school at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he received his Master degree in Environmental Science.
As part of his graduate work, Stefan did groundbreaking research in herpetology, the branch of zoology that focuses on amphibians and reptiles. His research focused on turtles in the Tennessee River Gorge. Initially, he aimed to discover what chemicals were contained in the river and any possible effect they could have on humans and the environment. In the process, he obtained useful information about herpetology. After four years
of dedicated effort and toil, his work was published. “Turtles were the best animals to work with for the study because they live so long you can get a good way to see long-term effects,” he explained. After completing his studies, he spent the next several years working with companies and organisations to ensure that their premises were environmentally safe. “I did consulting work for companies who were in need
of hazard remediation,” he said. Environmental hazard remediation is the cleaning, sanitising, treatment or implementation of other preventive actions to eliminate environmental hazards. Stefan explained that he would work with companies which may have been buying or building new properties and wanted to be sure they were safe, or similarly companies would hire his services before they placed their properties on the market. He also worked with a number of petroleum companies such as ExxonMobil and BP, assisting them in cleaning up their contamination sites. Stefan is a member of prominent environmental groups in the US such as the Diverse Environmental Leaders National Speakers Bureau and the Rocky Mountain Science and Sustainability Network. His past experiences have also involved consulting with the National Park Service and the Forest Service in the US, and working on United Nations’ projects in the Caribbean, including the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. After getting married and relocating to Georgia, Stefan tried his hand at teaching.
Friday, July 19, 2019
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“Somethings are easier to hear behind a melody; you change the world through music,” he said. Recently, Stefan has also embraced history, particularly Black history. “In my career, you don’t see many people who look like me and I wanted to be able to learn and teach about the historical contributions people who have looked like me have made. It’s not often you see black faces and so it is a way to mesh STEM and history,” he said. Just the other day, Stefan was able to give a talk on the subject to the Bahamas Historical Society. “I discussed the Saltwater Underground Railroad. Most people know about the Underground Railroad which transported slaves north to Canada. But there was a whole southern movement where slaves escaped south to the Bahamas and they were able to survive and make a living... think of the Red Bays settlement. They are heroes in the truest sense of the word,” he said. Currently, he teaches high school and college students in Atlanta and says he hopes to inspire a new generation of scientists the way his own teachers inspired him. “I am a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) coordinator,” he said. “I want my students to have a love of the subject, even the ones who may not want to enter a science-based career. To do that I try to relate science to things that they are interested in and let them see how science plays a role in it. So for example, if they are into video games we discuss the physics behind how they make the games. So I hope it can come alive for them. I absolutely love teaching and plan to do it for a while. It definitely is my passion.” Stefan said his love of the subject comes from his desire to know the “why” of things and how they happen. “Most people are curious as a kid, they want to know why things happen, and science answers that why.” When he is not in the classroom or the field, Stefan engages in another of his passions, music. He has written and produced songs his entire life and also plays the guitar. He says that music is a great way to spread a message that may be difficult to say with just words.
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Friday, July 19, 2019
entertainment
Host Sylvian Rahming
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he Facebook show “Sofa Talk” is back for a second season, and host Sylvian Rahming said it will once again serve as a safe space to discuss a myriad of topics while also delivering the unvarnished truth. The first episode of the new season premiered this week. It featured a mixed panel which dove into topic of how people of the opposite sex can get along. “With equality on the rise and men becoming frustrated and sometimes feeling left out, we wondered, ‘Can men and women get along?’,” she said. Since the show’s inception, Sylvian, a former Miss Gospel
Nothing but the truth on Sofa Talk's second season By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer Bahamas, has been asking tough questions in hopes of getting some real answers.
| jgibson@tribunemedia.net “ ‘Sofa Talk’ seeks to be a window of escape from the seriousness of everyday life as
we address topics others are afraid to discuss by bringing about the uncut truth in a manner that is inviting, entertaining, and uplifting; creating a safe place for people to be heard without judgement,” she told Tribune Weekend. ‘Sofa Talk’ season two will have 12 episodes in total – eight live shows, including the season finale, and four recorded shows. Sylvian said viewers can expect to see themselves in each discussion, and to be challenged. “They can expect the host to keep it real. They will experience an array of emotions because we will be talking about things we all go through
Jay-Z, Blue Ivy, Kendrick Lamar appear on new Beyonce album NEW YORK (AP) — Beyonce’s new album inspired by “The Lion King” features collaborations with husband Jay-Z and daughter Blue Ivy Carter. Beyonce announced Tuesday that “The Lion King: The Gift,” which will be released Friday, also includes songs with Kendrick Lamar, Childish Gambino, Pharrell, Tierra Whack and Jessie Reyez. In the new version of “The Lion King,” in theaters Friday, Beyonce voices the character of Nala and Gambino, aka Donald Glover, is
ces Nala. Beyonce Knowles-Carter voi y) sne (Photo/Kwaku Alston/Di
Simba. Beyonce curated and executive produced “The Lion King: The Gift,” which also features collaborations with Burna Boy, Wizkid, Tiwa Savage and 070 Shake. Jay-Z appears on the song “Mood 4 Eva.” Blue Ivy is featured on “Brown Skin Girl.” Beyonce’s song “Spirit,” released last week, is featured in the film and appears on both the official “Lion King” soundtrack as well as “The Lion King: The Gift.”
but no one is willing to talk about,” she said. Since its launch, the show has garnered a steady following that continues to grow. “The show has evolved so much from live audience to live shows. I believe this season the show’s voice will be established. This season we are giving our fans the opportunity to come out and enjoy the live shows every Wednesday night at the Via Café Restaurant and Bar. We will have a wild card segment where the audience will be able to participate in the show,” she said. Sylvian plans to diversify the show’s content as much as possible and hopes that in doing so it will appeal to people of different backgrounds. “My ultimate goal is to make ‘Sofa Talk’ a daily talk show that both tourists and Bahamians can enjoy. When you visit New York City you can enjoy Wendy Williams; when you visit Chicago you can go to Steve Harvey; when you go to California you can see Ellen, and when you come to the Bahamas you can enjoy ‘Sofa Talk’ with Sylvian.” “The goal is reach an international market and execute a quality show,” she said. For more information about ‘Sofa Talk’, check out the Facebook page “Life of Sylvian”.
08 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 19, 2019
food
Café Martinique takes new ‘plantforward’ approach to fine dining Partnerships with local farmers for fresh ingredients
By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features writer | acadet@tribunemedia.net
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here is a lot of history attached to the name Café Martinique. It’s where James Bond first meets his nemesis in 1965’s “Thunderball”; a place which Bahamians and visitors alike have for decades associated with gourmet cuisine and elegance. Much has changed over time – its location, its ownership – and while Café Martinique maintains its Old World charm, the fine dining restaurant is also not afraid to step into the 21st century. Today, the reincarnation of the famous Café Martinique, located in the Marina Village on Paradise Island, has become Atlantis’ first and only restaurant to feature a seasonal, plant-forward menu. The plant-forward movement means incorporating heirloom and indigenous varieties of produce, grains, and other plant-based foods into your meals and reducing your proteins. For Café Martinique’s Chef Alessio Pitzalis and his team this means promoting sustainability, and having a significant number of dishes include local Bahamian ingredients to create unique Mediterranean-inspired flavours. Sean O’Connell, general manager and vice president of Culinary Operations at Atlantis, said Café Martinique has a rich heritage here in the
Grilled snapper
Bahamas. He believes it has continued to be one of the go-to restaurants for fine dining on the island over the years, but also appeals to the come-as-youare crowd. “Keeping in trend with the world and the repositioning of Atlantis as being a little bit more sustainable in nature, we decided to come up with a concept to make Café Martinique a little more ‘cuisine to the sun’. So we are taking all of the coastal cities of the Mediterranean, its tried and true cooking techniques, and marrying that with Bahamian seafood. Then, we are also partnering with some local
Cetriolo meringue cocktail
Coconut Lassi cocktail
Vegetable tagine
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Friday, July 19, 2019
farmers – pineapples from Eleuthera, and we’ve got Natasha Adderley who is doing baby lettuce for us – and we are creating a niche for the local farmers to be able to grow things sustainable and fresh,” said Mr O’Connell. Local farmer Natasha Adderley is offering her services by preparing homegrown ingredients for the restaurant such as basil, turmeric and more “We change the menu about every 90 days to keep in tune with the seasons. It is constantly changing. We have a tasting menu that changes every two weeks, and we do different pairings with it. And we are also pairing with the Monetary Seafood Aquarium out of San Francisco that focuses on the trends of global seafood. So we know if something is approaching the danger list or is out of the fishing season, and we don’t use it. We are only using sanctioned seafood,” said Mr O’Connell. He said the old Café Martinique was all about big portions of meat and fish with sides. And although every dish was high quality and well-prepared, they knew it was time for a change. Therefore, the new Café Martinique is offering dishes with slightly smaller protein portions. “We make up for it with really great selections of vegetables and fruits, and all of these things that are sustainably growing around the planet. So you don’t leave hungry, and there is a lot more variety on appetisers. For the discerning vegetarian or somebody that is thinking about their health and wants to try a variety of flavours, this is going to appeal to you in a big way,” he said. “Being plant-forward means it just reduces your consumption of proteins, and you showcase more plants. We are showcasing plants that are in season and actually perpetuate through the help of farms and also the planet. What we do is make sure we are in tune with growing seasons and those different crops, so we find a market for them and we also get very creative with the flavours, textures and presentations.”
Basted king scallops
‘12 Leaves’ salad
“Being plant-forward means it just reduces your consumption of proteins, and you showcase more plants...What we do is make sure we are in tune with growing seasons and those different crops, so we find a market for them and we also get very creative with the flavours, textures and presentations.” PHOTOS COURTESY OF ATLANTIS
Pan roasted baby carrots
While a normal dish would include two or three vegetables on a plate, Mr O’Connell said the dishes at Café Martinique are going to have seven or eight different types of vegetables. The restaurant’s team, he added, is sourcing the ingredients with wellness in mind. “They are taking those great ingredients and are simply preparing them and showcasing what is great about them; such as fibres and textures,” he said. He believes it is a different way of eating and it is fun. At the moment, signature menu items include: herbed snapper carpaccio, foie gras torchon, vegetable tagine, sea bass cartoccio on the trolley, and pan-fried Dover sole. “The Café Martinique atmosphere hasn’t changed. It is still the beautiful restaurant that has that kind of island resort feel. You are overlooking the marina. Right now we are watching the sunset and all of that beautiful warm light is coming through the restaurant while we are listening to some simple music on the piano. It is not so loud that you can’t have a conversation, but it is also a very comfortable environment. It is spacious with nice tall ceilings,” he said. Café Martinique also boasts a wine vault with more than 300 fine labels that were meticulously selected by the restaurant’s in-house sommelier and include sought-after benchmark vineyards from Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Napa Valley, as well as up-andcoming bottles from around the world. Additionally, the restaurant houses an extensive champagne selection that includes renowned labels and ready-to-discover gems. Starting this October, Café Martinique will begin offering Sunday brunch. “People love brunch and they are going to love Café Martinique’s brunch. We are going to do a combination of a starter buffet and then a dessert buffet. and then you can order your main course from the kitchen with sides. You will really get the best of all of it,” said Mr O’Connell.
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Friday, July 19, 2019
books
A new cosy mystery with a four-legged heroine By FAY KNOWLES
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est-selling Bahamian author Tanya R Taylor is back with the first book in a new saga – the cosy mystery series “Lucille Pfiffer”. And book one, “Blind Sight”, will introduce a new type of heroine – a heroine of the furry, four-legged variety, inspired by the Taylor family’s new pet. Tanya said the day they brought their new puppy home, a now threemonth-old Shih Tzu/poodle mix, they immediately fell in love with her. Her daughter, Mercedes, chose the name “Nilla” (short for “Vanilla”) for the dog. “She immediately stole our hearts. I couldn’t help but have her star in my new mystery series with Lucille Pfiffer,” said the author. Tanya said when she started writing “Blind Sight” she really didn’t know anything about dogs. “I knew I just had to have a dog in the book!” She thought she would have to do a lot of research on “man’s best friend”, however, Nilla turned out to be an unexpected source of information. “Since adopting our puppy Nilla I have learned so much about dogs that I didn’t need to do any doggy research for the book after all. And Nilla has taught and inspired me so much,” she said. “Blind Sight”, Tanya’s 26th published book, will be released on July 28, but it can be pre-ordered now for a special price. It made the number one spot on Amazon’s Hot New Releases list in its category the very first day after it was made available to pre-order. “I’m amazed at the buzz this book has been getting from the first day the pre-order went up. Thanks to all of you who read my books and continue to be such great support and the inspiration for me to keep writing more and more stories,” said Tanya. “Blind Sight” introduces Lucille Pfiffer who can see everything, just
Author Tanya R Taylor
The new mystery novel will be released on July 28. not with her eyes. She lives with her beloved dog Nilla in a cosy neighbourhood in the town of Chadsworth, which has an interesting past. Though totally blind, Lucille plays an integral role in solving the town’s most puzzling mysteries, which without her help might remain unsolved. The first mystery she tackles is a murder, which Lucille must solve before the killer, or killers, find their way to her doorstop. All throughout
the adventure, little Nilla serves as Lucille’s devoted protector. The second Lucille Pfiffer book also already has a release date: September 5, and is available for pre-order. Meanwhile, fans of Tanya’s “Cornelius Saga Series” will be happy to hear that this popular series is also continuing. In Book 13, “Til Death Do Us Part”, Mira Cullen hopes to walk down the aisle with her faithful, handsome Bobby, but fate might have other
things in store for her. A release date will be announced soon. Compliments still flood in for “Cornelius”, the first book in the saga, which continues to be on the Summer reading list for the Catholic Board of Education (“The Lost Children of Atlantis” by Tanya has recently been added to this reading list as well). Amazon reviewer Kim wrote this about “Cornelius”: “One thing I truly appreciate about Ms Taylor’s writing is that she packs a lot into a few pages. Cornelius is less than 200 pages long, but the character and story development are excellent. Despite the fact that there are ghosts in the story, this isn’t a horror/paranormal/supernatural book. Despite the mystery aspect, it’s not a mystery either. To me, it has the same feel as Michael McDowell’s ‘Blackwater’ series, and I can’t pin that one down to a particular genre either, I just know that I like it.” Tanya writes in various genres, including paranormal romance, fantasy, thrillers, science-fiction, mystery and suspense. She is the author of several number best-sellers across the various Amazon stores. All of her books have made Amazon Kindle’s Top 100 Paid Best-sellers’ List in several categories. For more information about Tanya R. Taylor’s books go to her Amazon author page or her website, www. tanya-r-taylor.com.
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Friday, July 19, 2019
books
A legacy for ‘Nat’ – A mother preserves her son’s memory By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features writer | acadet@tribunemedia.net
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uthor and evangelist Dr Barbara Williams is publishing a new book in hopes of preserving the memory of her only son who lost his life in what is considered to be one of the worst air disasters in Bahamian history. Clarence Nathaniel Williams II was one of nine men who died when a Cessna aircraft, headed for San Salvador for a Discovery Day festival, crashed into Lake Killarney on October 5, 2010. An investigation into the flight revealed that the twin engine plane was 523 pounds over the maximum weight allowed before takeoff. He left behind a wife, Shenicia Nicole, and their then two-year-old daughter, Claneece Nathalia (Tali). Now, Dr Williams has written a book about her late son so her granddaughter can get to know her father. Clarence Nathaniel Williams II was 38 years old when he died and a wellknown audio engineer. To his loved ones, he was simply “Nat”, and this is also the title Dr Williams chose for her book. A passage in the book addressed to her granddaughter reads: “Claneece, your Daddy loved you totally. It was clear that at two you loved him, too. The joy that he brought outweighs the pain of his absence. As you grow and ask questions, as indeed you do, you will learn more through spoken tradition, pictures, video, and real life storytelling. All cannot be written. Let these excerpts suffice, as your father’s legacy is great. You are the first-born of our fourth generation. May our godly heritage continue from generation to generation. “Let your fingers dance through these pages and your heart rejoice. Praise His name in the dance, sing
Dr Barbara F Williams (left) presents a copy of her book, “Nat”, to the former Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling during a courtesy call at Government House on June 25, 2019. (BIS Photo/Letisha Henderson) praises unto Him. It is my prayer that others in like situations may be blessed and helped. Many messages can be garnered but to be true to the text and it’s purpose, suffice it to say that meaningfully committed attention should be given to the ‘fatherless’ child.” “The book is also a work of love that outlines my family history and legacy,” said Dr Williams. This is not her first book. Dr Williams has written and published two others: “Unsalaried Since 1968” and “My Baby Cried.” Speaking about the first book, which was written as a testament to the faithfulness of God, she said: “I’ve had
A childhood photo of Clarence Nathaniel (”Nat”) Williams II
no salary since 1968. Prior to that year, I worked for the Ministry of Education as a teacher. Due to a call from God being so heavily upon me, I transitioned from education to full-time Gospel ministry. I had no promise of any financial assistance from then to now. God has kept me, sustained me, from the time I stepped out into fulltime ministry with no salary, and I’m still with no salary, but God provides.” The second book, “My Baby Cried”, was inspired by her mission trips abroad. She remembers how she she used to go into her son’s room when he was just a little boy, before her early morning flights, and pray over him, trying to get out the house before he woke up. “Invariably, as I was getting into my car or starting up my car, I would see him at the door and I would hear him saying ‘Mommy’ or ‘Bye, Mommy’. That always did something to me. I would drive to the airport crying... During the services or while delivering the messages, I would have flashbacks of that child standing at the door in the morning, and tears would flow as I went along doing the Lord’s work. I could not wait to get back home after the missions. With me, indeed if there was a flight heading back home the night the missions trip would have ended, I would have taken it back home, but I had to wait until the next day to get back,” she said. Her third book, of course, is very different. It is her wish that it will convey a sense of hope to readers who, like the Williams family, have experienced unfathomable grief. “As much as it is written with my granddaughter in mind, I’m sure there are many families and children that can benefit from it. Since Nat died in the plane crash I’ve been hearing about aviation accidents. Just recently about seven people died in a helicopter crash. Also, at the end of last year there was an aviation incident with Byron Ferguson, who they have not found yet. Those of us who’ve had similar situations, I’m sure that we have all felt the same pain... I look forward to others being helped and blessed,” said Dr Williams. An official book launch for “Nat” will take place at the University of the Bahamas’ auditorium on Thursday, August 1, beginning at 5.30pm. After the launch, the book can be purchased at SunTime, Marathon Mall.
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books
Revisiting the fantastical
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uthor Leo McBride has gone back to his writing roots for his latest book. The Bahamas-based writer has just published an anthology of fantasy short stories, featuring himself and other writers, and it is a return to the theme of the first book he published in 2015 along with fellow authors from Inklings Press. “Fantasy fiction was where we started out with Inklings Press,” said Mr McBride, “so it was great to return to the genre for this latest book. In some ways, it lets us see how far we’ve come. In other ways, it was good to touch base with where we started out from.” The new book is “Tales of Magic & Destiny”, and it includes 12 short stories by different authors. “It’s a great time to be writing fantasy,” said Mr McBride, “because the audience for it has perhaps never been bigger. ‘Game of Thrones’ has just finished and seems to have been watched by half the world – and now nominated for a record number of Emmy awards – so there’s a real desire, I think, for people to read fantasy stories but with a modern sensibility,” he said. “I think this collection fits right in with that desire – there are certainly classic-style fantasy stories in there, but there are also stories in which characters strive to deal with issues of disability, of bereavement, and sexuality too. I think that really adds to the mix of stories for the reader.” He added: “There are writers from around the world. We have writers in there from Finland, the US, the UK, Mexico, Italy, Australia, Canada – and with that it’s great to see people bring different ideas from different cultures to their stories.” The book is the eighth published by Inklings Press, a small press formed by a group of writers including Mr
“The audience for (fantasy) has perhaps never been bigger. ‘Game of Thrones’ has just finished and seems to have been watched by half the world...so there’s a real desire, I think, for people to read fantasy stories but with a modern sensibility.” McBride, who is also the editor for the books. He has also published his own short story collection, “Quartet”. “We keep going from strength to strength,” he said. “Every book we
Author Leo McBride (Photo/Shawn Hanna)
publish, we always strive to outdo the last one – and many of the writers have grown too. When we started out it was a small group of us finding an outlet to publish our work, but now those of us who began the process are published novelists and alongside award winners and nominees for some of the biggest prizes in the field. “It certainly keeps me on my toes, because you’ve always got to raise the
The top 10 books on Apple Books The Associated Press
1. Under Currents by Nora Roberts 2. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 3. Backlash by Brad Thor 4. Summer of ‘69 by Elin Hilderbrand 5. Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes 6. Three Women by Lisa Taddeo 7. Filthy Rich by James Patterson, John Connolly & Tim Malloy 8. Justice on Trial by Carrie Severino & Mollie Hemingway 9. Knife by Jo Nesbø 10. Educated by Tara Westover
bar to keep up with writers of such quality.” “Tales of Magic & Destiny” is available on Amazon in both ebook and paperback form. For his next project Mr McBride hopes more Bahamians will become involved. “I have a couple of ideas ahead,” he said, “and I’d love to see more submissions for our next short story anthology from Bahamian writers. It’s not quite unveiled yet, but anyone wanting to find out more can keep an eye on our Twitter account, @ InklingsPress, or our website, www.inklingspress.com. Details coming soon!” People can find out more about Mr McBride’s work on his website, www. alteredinstinct.com, or his Twitter account, @AlteredInstinct.
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Friday, July 19, 2019
fashion
Top model scout visits Nassau in search of new talent By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net
Model scout and runway director Sandi Bass
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ell-known international casting director, model scout and philanthropist Sandi Bass will be her sharing expertise in fashion and entertainment with Bahamians during a special event tomorrow afternoon. Sandi’s visit to Nassau is being coordinated by the PTG Marketing and Modelling Agency, a local company that has a five-year relationship with the industry professional. In addition to sharing tips, Sandi will also be scouting for models for placements and shows in Asia, Europe, US and Canada. The event will be held tomorrow from 12pm to 4pm at PTG, located on Village Road. Every year PTG hosts an international agent visit to expose local models to experts who can give them advice and direction, and teach them smart strategies. “This will also allow local models an opportunity to be cast for international placement,” said Pia Rolle, president of PTG. “(Sandi) will share from many aspects of her experience as an international model, the modelling business and tools, runway, castings and more.” While living in Los Angeles, Sandi was discovered by French fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy and taken to Paris to serve as his muse. She became part of the historical “Girls of Color Cabine” that took Paris by storm on the heels of the famous Versailles show of 1973. Sandi spent the next 15 years as a top runway model, working
Bahamians models (Photos/Roderick Wells/One of a Kind Photography) for designers such as Valentino, Christian Dior, Emanuel Ungaro, Karl Lagerfeld, and Fendi, while living in Paris, Rome and Tokyo. During this time she also became part of a singing group, The Peter Jacques Band, which toured and opened for ABBA and the Bee Gees at the famous Colosseum in Rome. After turning in her runway pumps, Sandi returned to America and became
an on-camera personality and fashion coordinator on TV for “Fashions of the Moment”, and a guest judge on Tyra Bank’s “America’s Next Top Model”. She has also written numerous articles over the years on modelling and fashion, which have been published in magazines and newsletters. Sandi is now on the other side of the modelling industry. Having worked as director of runway with a top New
York agency, she travels the world as a leading international model scout. She is also the casting director in New York for important fashion and film events: the Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week; the United Colors of Fashion Academy, which empowers youth through fashion education, with proceeds going to help people living with HIV/AIDS in Africa, and Maritage International, a United Nations affiliate focusing on empowering women and addressing poverty by creating opportunities through the arts. PTG is confident that Sandi, with her wealth of experience, will offer provide tomorrow’s participants with some great advice and insight. “The event is open to any local models interested in breaking into international markets; male or female, 13 years and up. If you are already signed with a local agency, you should attend with your agent. If you are not signed, PTG agents will be present to represent you,” said Pia. “If you think you’ve outgrown the local market, or you always had a desire to take your talent to an international level. Similarly, if you’re interested in learning more about being a model and the modelling business, then come learn from a team of experts at PTG along with Sandi Bass.” PTG has trained over 900 young people in the Bahamas and throughout the Caribbean since 1999. For more information, contact ptgdirectors@ gmail.com.
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Friday, July 19, 2019
entertainment
Fans descend on San Diego for the 50th Comic-Con SAN DIEGO (AP) — Dust off your Captain Marvel cosplay, San Diego Comic-Con is here. The four-and-a-half day convention kicked off Wednesday with the show room floor opening to thousands vying for exclusive merchandise, from art to toys. Throughout the fours days, fans of TV, movies and comics will get their fill of all things geek culture, with special presentations by film studios and actor appearances. The event is now in its 50th year and bigger than ever. Comic-Con is expected to attract 135,000 people from all over the world to the San Diego Convention Centre this weekend.
Lucy Capuchino, left, and Miguel Capuchino, of San Diego, dressed as Lucy and Charlie Brown.
Mike Brown, of New York, dressed as “Harvey Quinn,” his own gender-bending spin on DC’s “Harley Quinn”.
Sherman Blakeley of Big Bear, California., dressed as the John Coffey character from the 1999 film “The Green Mile”.
Matthew Logston, of San Diego, dressed as Hawaiian Spider-Man.
Jay Acey of New York City, left, dressed as DC’s “Black Adam,” Faeren Adams of San Diego, centre, dressed as “Batgirl,” and Derek Shackleton of San Diego, dressed as DC’s “Wildcat”.
Matrice McConnell of Long Beach, California., dressed as Sailor Pluto from the Japanese manga series “Sailor Moon”.
Ana Niebla, of San Diego, models her own “Princess Pennywise” outfit inspired by Stephen King’s “It”. Photos by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
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Friday, July 19, 2019
film
World’s first female filmmaker gets spotlight in new documentary
A scene from “A Fool and His Money” (1912), believed to be the first movie with an all-black cast.
Jodie Foster-narrated film to screen at Island House A new documentary is about to shed light on an extraordinary pioneer who has been largely forgotten: the world’s first female filmmaker. The film, “Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché”, is being screened in Nassau at the Island House Cinema, Mahogany Hill, August 3-4. Alice, who lived most of her life in Paris, France, got into the movie business when it was in its infancy, in 1894, when she was 21 years old. Two years later, she was made head of
production at the Gaumont company (which was owned by famed engineer Gustave Eiffel, Joseph Vallot, Alfred Besnier, and Leon Gaumont), and started directing films. She and her husband, Herbert Blaché, eventually moved to the United States, and she founded her own company, Solax Studios, in 1910. They started in Flushing and moved to a bigger facility in Fort Lee, New Jersey. But by 1919, Alice’s career came to an abrupt end, and she and the
Alice Guy-Blaché (1873 – 1968) 1,000 films that bore her name were largely forgotten. Now, Pamela B Green’s new documentary serves as both a tribute and a detective story, tracing the circumstances by which this extraordinary artist faded from memory and the path toward her reclamation. Oscar winner Jodie Foster narrates the film. Alice Guy-Blaché is a fascinating subject for an in-depth documentary. In addition to probably being the only
female filmmaker in the world from 1896 to 1906, Alice was also one of the very first in the then budding industry to make a narrative fiction film – La Fée aux Choux (The Cabbage Fairy). It was described as a “chaste fiction of children born under the cabbages in a wonderfully framed chromo landscape”. In 1906, she made “The Life of Christ”, a big budget production for the time, which included 300 extras. She experimented with the Chronophone sync-sound system, colour-tinting, special effects, and interracial casting. In 1912, she made the film “A Fool and His Money”, which is probably the first movie to have an all-African-American cast. The film is now at the National Centre for Film and Video Preservation at the American Film Institute.
Austin Butler to star as Elvis in Baz Luhrmannhelmed biopic
Elvis Presley in a 1964 photo, left, and actor Austin Butler. (AP Photo)
NEW YORK (AP) — Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Presley biopic has found its King. After a competitive casting contest, 27-year-old actor Austin Butler has been cast as Presley. Ansel Elgort, Harry Styles and Miles Teller all reportedly tested for the role ultimately won by Butler, who last year appeared in the Denzel Washington Broadway revival of “The Iceman Cometh.” Luhrmann says in a statement that through “a journey of extensive screen
testing and music and performance workshops, I knew unequivocally that I had found someone who could embody the spirit of one of the world’s most iconic musical figures.” Production is to begin early next year on the Luhrmann-directed film. Tom Hanks co-stars as Presley’s manager Colonel Tom Parker. Butler also has a role in Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming “Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood.”
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Friday, July 19, 2019
television
Facts and figures for 71st Emmy Awards nominations LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Game of Thrones” slashed its way to a recordsetting 32 Emmy nominations on Tuesday for its eighth and final season, leading HBO back to dominance over Netflix. The bloodthirsty saga’s total eclipsed the all-time series record of 27 nods earned by “NYPD Blue” in 1994. Here are some more facts and figures about the nominations for the 71st Emmy Awards: EMMYS SO WHITE? (AGAIN) This year’s group of nominees saw a significant drop in diversity from 2018, when more than a third of the 101 nominees in acting categories were ethnic minorities. This year the figure was less than a quarter. Diversity was especially missing in comedy. Just two of the 26 acting nominees were people of colour — Anthony Anderson for “black-ish” and Don Cheadle for “Black Monday” — and three of the four categories had all-white nominees. Categories dominated by the overwhelmingly white “Game of Thrones” were also short on inclusion, including supporting actress in a drama, with zero nominees of colour. FILM STARS GET THEIR FIRST EMMY NOMS A number of high-profile film stars are among the first-time Emmy nominees this year. They include Amy Adams, a six-time Oscar nominee, for “Sharp Objects”; Hugh Grant, a five-time Golden Globe nominee, for “A Very English Scandal”; Oscar and Golden Globe winner Benicio Del Toro, for “Escape at Dannemora”; and Oscar and Globe nominee Rosamund Pike, for “State of the Union.” FROM RED CARPET STAR TO EMMY NOMINEE Billy Porter is already a Tony winner, for “Kinky Boots,” and of course a huge star of the red carpet with his groundbreaking, eye-catching fashions. Now, he’s also an Emmy nominee, for “Pose.”
Billy Porter (”Pose”) is the first openly gay black man to be nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. (JoJo Whilden/ FX)
Kit Harington was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for “Game of Thrones.” (HBO via AP)
Jharrel Jerome (”When They See Us”) was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. (Atsushi Nishijima/Netflix via AP)
KONDO CLEANS UP She’s already helped you unclutter your closet. Now Marie Kondo may have a shiny object to clutter up her own mantlepiece: She’s nominated for “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.” GoT IS STILL NOT THE GOAT Yes, “Game of Thrones” copped 32 Emmy nods, a record for a TV show in a single year. The HBO drama now holds a whopping 161 nominations in its history. Is that the most for any show? Nope! That would be “Saturday Night Live,” with 270 nominations overall. MOVE OVER NETFLIX : HBO IS BACK Thanks to “Game of Thrones,” HBO has reclaimed its own throne when it comes to Emmy nominations. The cable network scored 137
nominations, including that “Thrones” record. They include lead acting nods for Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington. Also getting multiple nods for the network were “Chernobyl” and “Barry.” Netflix had ended HBO’s 17-year reign last year, but came in second this year with 117. Among broadcast networks, NBC had 58 nods, CBS 43, ABC 26 and Fox scored 18. Among streamers, Amazon’s Prime Video came in second to Netflix with 47 nods. ANOTHER MILESTONE SHOT FOR JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS TV’s beloved comedy queen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, was nominated for her ninth Emmy, for “Veep.” If she wins, she’ll surpass Cloris Leachman, with whom she is now tied for eight, for most Emmys won by a female performer.
The late Mary Tyler Moore has seven, as does Allison Janney, snubbed this year for “Mom.” NOMINATED ONSCREEN AND OFF Let nobody say Phoebe WallerBridge is not multi-talented — or multi-nominated. The writer-actress was nominated this year for best leading actress in a comedy, for “Fleabag,” and for writing in a comedy, also for “Fleabag.” Last year, she was nominated for writing in a drama series, for “Killing Eve”. For the full list of nominees, visit www.emmys.com. Winners will be announced during the Emmys ceremony, to be held at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles on September 22.
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Friday, July 19, 2019
gardening
Beauty in both small and large things Jack Hardy shows appreciation for an unusual and sturdy desert plant
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deniums – commonly called desert roses – are fascinating flowering succulents that you either love or hate. They are considered ugly by many but with redeeming handsome flowers that make raising them a pleasure. It should be noted that the subtropical conditions in the Bahamas are close to perfect for Adeniums. We have no frosts to kill them off. We have high humidity tear round, and a combination of wet summers and dry winters that fit in perfectly with Adeniums in their natural habitat. Adeniums originated in sub-Sahara Africa, particularly East Africa. The island of Socotra, part of Yemen, has large versions with huge grey trunks (caudices) that reach to 15 feet in height. To be honest, the bigger Adeniums get the more impressive they become. A thick-stemmed Adenium, four to five feet tall, can sell for thousands of dollars. I call that impressive. The most common form is Adenium obesum, so called because of a thickened caudex that attaches the roots to the branches. All succulents have a form of water storage and it is this swollen caudex that
An adenium obesum tree, also known as the desert rose.
An adenium in bonsai form does the job for Adeniums. The flowers can be pink, white, red, yellow, or a multicoloured combination, and they look very like oleander blossoms, to which they are closely related. If you plant a sturdy Adenium in your garden and
leave it alone it will survive wonderfully well and flower through every summer. The tendency is for Adeniums to be grown in containers to accent their virtues. They are watered frequently, fertilized well, and encouraged to grow. These pampered specimens
usually die, collapsing in a wet mess, killed by kindness. The best way to grow a specimen Adenium is to treat it like a bonsai. Obtain a small rooted plant, at least five or six inches tall, and make its home in a bowl-like container about 14 inches in diameter and five inches deep. The bowl could be plastic but earthenware is better and ceramic is usually prettier. Cover the single drainage hole with a coffee filter, cover the bottom of the container with rocks, and add your growing medium to halfway. Adeniums need excellent drainage so the medium should be very like an orchid mix with wood chips, chopped expanded polystyrene, sand, charcoal, gravel, and a little potting soil with a small amount of compost added. Place your Adenium in the centre of the bowl and fan out the roots. Add the rest of your growing medium and press it down hard. The fat caudex should be clear of the potting medium. The initial watering should be done with ice cubes. These melt slowly and allow the medium to absorb what it needs instead of water rushing through. Adeniums grow during the warmer months of the year and do their flowering then. During the cooler months there is little to no growth so there is no need to feed at this stage. In spring and through sum add half-strength 20-20-20 liquid fertilizer once every month. Leave your Adeniums unfertilized through autumn and winter. Adeniums need full sun at all times of the year. The relationship to oleander extends to poisonous liquids in the interior. This is not usually a problem until it comes to raking cuttings. These are best sliced through at an angle, allowed to dry out for a day or two, then planted in well-drained potting mix with
lots of perlite. Water sparingly. Once the cutting is rooted it can be transferred to its own pot. Cuttings lack the big caudex of seed-sown Adeniums but as the plant matures the caudex will grow substantially larger. Use garden gloves while dealing with Adenium cuttings. Mature adeniums produce long, narrow fruits then seeds in spring. Once the fruit starts to dry you should cover it with a small paper bag clipped to a branch. When the seed pod breaks open you will see a mass of seeds with two to three inch long gossamer spikes that enable the wind to carry the seed into your neighbour’s yard. That is why you cover the pod with a paper bag. Without separating them from the gossamer, plant the seeds in potting mix and perlite at a depth of half an inch. The germination rate for Adenium seeds is usually very good. Once the juvenile plants have formed you will notice that the caudices are nice and bulbous. Transfer them to their own pots when four to five inches tall. I advised you to treat Adeniums more or less like bonsai but you can go the whole distance and use them as genuine bonsai subjects. For this, use small plants from seed and raise them in bonsai dishes. After you have become an Adenium expert you may wish to expand your range. Instead of relying solely of Adenium obesum, talk to the experts at your local nursery; they may be able to get you A. socotranum or A. arabicum specimens. Make sure to order small plants because, as I mentioned earlier, large plants are expensive. • For queries and comments e-mail jacktribune242@ gmail.com
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Friday, July 19, 2019
literary lives – felice benuzzi
A daring escape and
incredible adventure Sir Christopher Ondaatje recalls the 1943 classic mountaineering story “No Picnic on Mount Kenya” about the attempt of three escaped Italian prisoners of war to reach the summit of Africa’s second-highest mountain. In 1953 I was still in England – struggling to learn the rudiments of finance in the City – when one Saturday morning, browsing in Hatchards bookshop in London, I came across the Readers Union “concise” edition of “No Picnic on Mount Kenya”, edited by S H Burton (who had taught me English at Blundell’s School in Devon). The book was published by Longmans Green in their Heritage of Literature Series. The title of the book didn’t interest me, but the fact that it
Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. was edited by my old English teacher prompted me to buy a copy. The story, one of the later English editions, was originally published in 1947 in Italian. The incredible story held me spellbound and probably incited a craze and yearning for adventure that I wasn’t able to satisfy for another 35 years. I never forgot the story and well remember looking at Mount Kenya that cold February morning in 1988 from the border of Tanzania. My wife was with me and I tried to tell her about it. But words could not describe the brilliant vividness of Felice Benuzzi’s story. Three Italian prisoners of war, held in Kenya by the
British during World War II, decided to alleviate the doldrums and drudgery of their captivity by climbing Mount Kenya – the second highest mountain in Africa (after Mount Kilimanjaro). The mountain loomed over them – clearly visible from their POW Camp 354 near Nanyuki in Kenya. It was a crazy story – ridiculously daring – but true. Not only had they to break out of their strictly guarded camp, but with improvised mountaineering equipment and meagre rations, Benuzzi and two of his fellow prisoners had to tackle one of the toughest climbs – 5,199 metres or 17,058 feet – in hazardous January weather.
Felice Benuzzi did his early mountaineering in the Julian Alps and Dolomites.
“While it sounds like a plot concocted for a highspirited film comedy, it is in fact entirely true, and Felice Benuzzi’s first hand account of his wartime exploit is an amusing, gripping and singular narrative.” – James Mustich 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die Felice Benuzzi, from Trieste, recruited two fellow prisoners: Dr Giovanni (‘Ginàn’) Balletto from Genoa, and Vincenzo (‘Enzo’) Barsotti from Lido di Camaiore, and then began the arduous process of surreptitiously manufacturing the equipment they would need – not an easy task under the circumstances.
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Friday, July 19, 2019
“Yet the three manage to gather enough scrap metal and other materials to make crampons, ice axes, and other necessities at the same time as they squirrel away provisions.” – James Mustich, 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die Amazingly, after escaping their confinement and eluding capture, dodging leopards, lions, and other wild beasts, with courage and resourcefulness two of them reached a point on the north face of the Petit Gendarme at about 5,000 metres (16,000 feet) up the North West Ridge. Somehow they had mastered the taxing mountaineering conditions that Mount Kenya presents – both exhilarating and perilous. The third member of the party, Vincenzo Barsotti, fell ill before the climb but carried on and had to survive at the foot of the mountain in the cold African jungle, an equally perilous existence, while his two fellow escapists attempted their climb. After an eventful 18-day period on the mountain (January 24 – February 10) the two mountaineers then had to find their way down the mountain, and to the amazement of the British camp commandant, the three adventurers broke back into Camp 354, out of which they had so ingeniously escaped almost three weeks earlier. As a reward for their exploit the camp commandant sentenced the three intrepid Italians to 28 days in solitary confinement – which was commuted to seven days in acknowledgement of their “sporting effort”. The flyleaf of the 1952 English edition of “No Picnic on Mount Kenya” states: “One of the most unusual adventures of our war years had now been written by the man who led it, and who had the ability to tell his story with the accuracy and vividness that compels the readers to live through it with him ... The lower reaches of Kenya and jungle and forest are infested with big game. They were unarmed, and their encounters with the animals are some of the most exciting passages in the story. But Benuzzi writes with a simplicity and vigour that takes you with him every yard of the way ... Their way back was as hazardous as the ascent, and the tension never relaxes until they at last break back into the POW camp from which they had escaped and give themselves up to the British Commandant.” Felice Benuzzi, of Italian-Austrian parentage, wrote the account of his
Felice Benuzzi and two of his fellow prisoners of war escaped their camp to climb Mount Kenya.
A reproduction of Benuzzi’s watercolour painting of Mount Kenya as seen through the POW camp fence. adventure in both English and Italian while still in POW camps. The Italian version, with a more detailed text, was first published in 1947 as “Fug Sul Kenya – 17 giorni di libertà” (Escape on Kenya – 17 days of liberty). It also includes three black-and-white sketches and four maps by Benuzzi, including a map of the peaks area showing his route up the North West Ridge. The Italian version was translated into French and published in 1950 as “Kenya, ou la Fugue Africaine” (Kenya, or the African Escape), by ArtLand in Paris. The English 1952 version of the book “No Picnic on Mount Kenya” was published by William Kimber, London, with the subtitle: “The Story of Three POW’s Escape to Adventure”. It was
“No Picnic on Mount Kenya” by Felice Benuzzi is a mountaineering classic first published in 1947 in Italian and in 1952 in English. The 1994 film “The Ascent” is based on this true story.
followed by the Readers Union edition (1953), followed by the “concise” version – which I had first picked up in Hatchards in London, edited by my old English teacher. The second Italian edition put out by Tamari, Bologna, in 1966, had a reproduction of Benuzzi’s watercolour of Mount Kenya as seen through the POW camp fence. A third English edition was published by Patrick Stephens Ltd in 1989; and a fourth by Lyon Press in 1999. MacLehose Press then brought out a new edition in 2015 which contained 20 of Benuzzi’s own watercolours from the expedition in full colour, as well as two photos of the Nanyuki POW camp. In 1953, “No Picnic on Mount Kenya” was translated into German: “Gefangen vom Mount Kenia: Gefährliche Flucht in ein Bergsteigerabenteuer”. Felice Benuzzi was born in Vienna on November 16, 1910 and grew up in Trieste. Early in his life he climbed in the Julian Alps and Dolomites. He studied law at Rome University and represented Italy as an international swimmer in 1933-1935. He married in 1938 and had two daughters, one of whom, Daniela, married American diplomat Alan Ford. Benuzzi entered the Italian Colonial Service in 1938 and served in Italian-occupied Abyssinia, where he was captured by Allied Forces when the country was liberated in 1941. He was imprisoned in Kenya (Nanyuki and Gilgil). Repatriated in August 1946, he entered the Italian Diplomatic Service in 1948, serving in Paris, Brisbane, Karachi, Canberra, West Berlin, and (as Head of Delegation) at the United Nations, before his appointment in 1973 as ambassador in Montevideo. Benuzzi retired to Rome, serving as head of the Italian Delegation for the Antarctic. He died in Rome in July 1988. The col (the lowest point on a mountain ridge between two peaks) between Point Dutton and the Petit Gendarme on Mount Kenya has been named Benuzzi Col in his honour. NEXT WEEK: The unhappy life of “Moby Dick” author Herman Melville • Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of “The Last Colonial”. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia, “1,000 Books to Read Before You Die” by James Mustich, and from “No Picnic on Mount Kenya” by Felice Benuzzi.
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Friday, July 19, 2019
entrepreneurship
Style and signature
The Collectibles opens with ‘Secret Garden’ shopping experience By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features writer | acadet@tribunemedia.net
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s a professional stylist, LaVonne Alexis’ passion has always been about bringing quality fashion to the masses. Her brand, The Collectibles, also known as Shop The CC, has made quite a name for itself in the social media fashion market in recent years. The Collectibles, for LaVonne, is inspired by women, wanderlust, nature and culture. Launched in 2013 as an online shopping website, Shop The CC was initially designed to distribute her jewellery line, Cute Confections. Today, it has evolved into an actual storefront, The Collectibles on Palmdale Avenue, which sells everything from accessories to attire. LaVonne told Tribune Weekend she never imagined herself, a girl who grew up on Breadfruit Street, having this kind of opportunity and seeing her items shipped to customers in faraway places like France, Austria, and even Japan. “I have an abundance of gratitude that I was able to grow my brand, not only internationally, but locally. It has awarded me the opportunity to now have my own brick and mortar store,” she said. And while fashion and creative expression is vital to her, she said if you want to be successful in this industry, you have to keep in mind that the business aspect is equally as important. “We tend to forget the fashion industry is a billion-dollar industry. We must always make sure that the business side of things is taken care of. It’s fun to be creative, and creativity is indeed a talent, but it’s important to know that this is a business first, so you always have to make sure you stay abreast of everything within the industry – forecasts,
The grand opening of The Collectibles store attracted fashionistas from all over Nassau.
trends, colour stories, et cetera. It’s a lot of work when you’re doing it the right way,” she said. The Collectibles prides itself on providing customers with merchandise that is created and curated for their lifestyle. “We’ve grown from accessories to a full bloom ready-to-wear lifestyle brand. The Collectibles’ aim is to unite like-minded women in their aesthetic. We are dedicated to creating a wardrobe full of magic that sparkles with each wear; a visual feast of fantasy and effortless style,” she said. LaVonne and her team also offer styling services through the subsidiary company, The CC Style, where they work on editorial photo shoots, commercial marketing, personal style consultations and film/ video work. Speaking of the atmosphere she tired to create at the new store, LaVonne said she wants to offer a ‘Secret Garden’ experience for shoppers, complete with a signature flower wall, cactus plants and greenery. “I definitely wanted it to feel like you’re someplace else as soon as you walk in. The
Collectibles’ tagline is ‘Fashion Treasures for the Ultimate Fashion Collectors’, so it’s definitely an aesthetic where I wanted to be true to the brand and create something that was different from any of the other shopping experiences here in Nassau. The ladies love taking selfies all over the store. I already feel that the location is their little treasure; they instantly get happy being here,” said LaVonne. Getting to this point, however, she admits, has not been easy. “The process was stressful to say the least. When scouting a store location, most places I saw needed a lot of work, were way out of my budget, or both. After some time passed I said to myself, perhaps this means I should stay online instead of expanding; I threw in the towel. Then, one day, I was visiting the dentist when my agent called and said that he had found a great location that was within my budget but it would need work. Funny enough, when he showed me the location I had already imagined myself there some years back. I put a lot of work into the place to create an atmosphere that I wanted for my first location,” she said. After fixing up the space and decorating it according to her wishes, the day of the grand opening finally came, and it was a great success. “Bahamian ladies studying abroad even sent their mothers to the opening and the support was overwhelming. I’m also on a very busy street so a lot of women stopped in. The feedback was great. They loved everything about the store,” said LaVonne. She hopes The Collectibles can become a space where Bahamian designers and artisans can showcase and sell their treasures.
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Friday, July 19, 2019
history
Robert Hooke:
The ‘English da Vinci’ who was a 17th-century scientific superstar (THE CONVERSATION) - Considering his accomplishments, it’s a surprise that Robert Hooke isn’t more renowned. As a physician, I especially esteem him as the person who identified biology’s most essential unit, the cell. Like Leonardo da Vinci, Hooke excelled in an incredible array of fields. The remarkable range of his achievements throughout the 1600s encompassed pneumatics, microscopy, mechanics, astronomy and even civil engineering and architecture. Yet this “English Leonardo” – well-known in his time – slipped into relative obscurity for several centuries.
HIS LIFE AND TIMES
Hooke’s life is a rags-to-riches tale. Born in 1635, he was educated at home by his clergyman father. Orphaned at 13 with a meagre inheritance, Hooke’s artistic talents landed him scholarships to Westminster School and later Oxford University. There he formed relationships with a variety of important people, most notably Robert Boyle. Hooke became the laboratory assistant of this great chemist – the formulator of Boyle’s law, which describes the inverse relation between the pressure and volume of gases. Unlike his associates, Hooke was not a man of independent means, and he soon took a paying position as “curator of experiments” at the newly formed Royal Society, making him England’s first salaried scientific researcher. Hooke soon became a fellow of the Royal Society and was appointed to a professorship at Gresham College. Never marrying, he dwelt the rest of his life in rooms near the Royal Society’s meeting place. This placed him at the epicentre of one of the most important epochs in the history of science,
epitomised by the publication of Isaac Newton’s “Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy.”
EXPERIMENTS AND INNOVATIONS
For millennia before Hooke, people had regarded air, along with fire, water and earth, as one of the four elemental substances that filled the world, leaving no empty spaces. Working with Boyle, Hooke developed a vacuum pump that could empty space. In a vessel so evacuated, a candle couldn’t burn, and a clapping bell was silent, proving that air is necessary for combustion and conducting sound. Moreover, Hooke showed that air could be expanded and compressed. He also performed foundational experiments on the relationship between air and the process of respiration in living organisms. And he laid the groundwork for thermodynamics, by suggesting that particles in matter move faster as they heat up. Hooke’s most famous work is his beautifully illustrated “Micrographia,” published in 1665. The microscope had been invented 30 years before his birth. Hooke vaulted the technology forward, using an oil lamp as a light source and a water lens to focus its beams in order to enhance visualisation. He showed that the realm of the very small is as rich and complex and the one that meets the naked eye. Inspecting the structure of cork through his instrument, he named the units he saw cells, after the rooms of monks. Biologists now know that a human body contains approximately 40 trillion of them. From his microscope work, Hooke also developed a wave theory of light. Hooke pondered some of the biggest biological questions as well. He hypothesised that the presence of
No contemporary portrait of Robert Hooke has survived. This painting is based on descriptions during his lifetime. fossilised fish in mountainous areas meant they had once been under water. His study of fossils led him to conclude that the Earth has been inhabited by many extinct species. Hooke’s experiments with mechanical springs led to the formulation of Hooke’s Law, which states that the tension or compression of a spring is proportional to the force applied to it. Physicists now know that this law applies not only to springs but also to a variety of solid elastic bodies, such as manometers, which are used to measure pressure. These same investigations also enabled him to invent the spring-powered balance watch, which would become a favourite means of keeping time for centuries. Hooke foresaw that with a precise timepiece, oceangoing sailors could find their longitude. As an astronomer, Hooke suggested that the planet Jupiter rotates, described the centre of gravity of the Earth and Moon, illustrated lunar craters and speculated on their origin, discovered a double star and illustrated the Pleiades star cluster. At a more theoretical level, Hooke also described gravity as the force that pulls celestial bodies together, relating in a 1679 letter to Newton a version of the inverse-square law of gravitational force. When seven years later Newton published his great work “Mathematical Principles,” Hooke concluded incorrectly that Newton – who had already been at work on it at the time of their correspondence – had slighted him.
he refused to profit dishonestly in the aftermath of the disaster by taking bribes as people worked to rebuild. As surveyor of the city, he collaborated with the renowned architect Christopher Wren to create a monument to the fire. He also designed a number of great buildings, including Bethlem Hospital (known as Bedlam), the Royal Greenwich Observatory and the Royal College of Physicians. It was in large part through his architectural work that Hooke made his fortune, though he never veered from the frugal habits he developed early in life. Hooke even proposed recreating London’s streets on a grid pattern. Though unsuccessful, his idea was subsequently incorporated in cities such as Liverpool and Washington, DC. Surveying the range and depth of Hooke’s contributions, it’s difficult to believe that one person could have accomplished so much in 67 years. Unfortunately, his sometimes rancorous disputes with the likes of Newton over scientific priority contributed to his comparative neglect by science historians, and today we lack any contemporary likeness of him. His birthday is a good time to give him his due as one of the world’s all-time great instrument makers, experimentalists and polymaths. • 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: http:// theconversation.com.
The great fire of London in 1666 presented another opportunity for Hooke to shine. Unlike many contemporaries,
Richard Gunderman Indiana University
CONTRIBUTIONS TO HIS CITY
24| The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 19, 2019
history
‘Justice wasn’t served’: 50 years since Chappaquiddick BOSTON (AP) — The crash ended a young woman’s life, and with it, a man’s White House dreams. US Senator Edward (Ted) M Kennedy’s Oldsmobile sedan veered off a narrow bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, an extension of the resort island of Martha’s Vineyard off the Massachusetts coast, and plunged into a moonlit pond 50 years ago yesterday. His passenger, 28-year-old Mary Jo Kopechne, drowned. Kennedy, 37, survived, but his presidential ambitions did not. The Massachusetts Democrat waited 10 hours to report the accident to police, and the “whys?” dogged him for the rest of his days. Half a century later, what did and didn’t happen on Chappaquiddick Island on July 18, 1969, continues to fascinate and frustrate. “Every time there’s an anniversary, it’s like it happened yesterday,” Leslie Leland, who served as foreman of the grand jury that investigated, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from his home on the Vineyard. Now 79, Leland was a young pharmacist on the island when he was swept up in the aftermath. He recalls getting death threats and 24-hour police protection, and says he is still frustrated by the judge’s refusal to subpoena anyone who was at the party or share key investigative documents — stymieing the grand jury’s efforts to determine whether Kennedy had been drinking. “If we’d been allowed to do our job, there would have been an indictment and a request to have a jury trial,” he said. “Justice wasn’t served. There were so many discrepancies, but we weren’t allowed to do our jobs to get to the truth — whatever the truth may have been.” “I was young, and I believed in the system,” he continued. “I believed everyone played by the same rules. I learned they don’t.” Kennedy was driving after a party when his car flipped into the chilly waters, trapping Kopechne inside. She had been a campaign worker for
The nation, too, was shocked. But it was also distracted by the historic Apollo 11 moon landing, which eclipsed news coverage. Kennedy, who insisted he hadn’t been drinking, pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and received a suspended sentence of two months in jail. He was never indicted. For Kopechne’s family, bitterness has given way to a desire to honour her memory by telling her story and awarding scholarships in her name to
In this July 22, 1969 file photograph, US Senator Ted Kennedy arrives back home in Hyannis, Massachusetts, after attending the funeral of Mary Jo Kopechne in Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Frank C Curtin)
Crowds watch as US Ted Kennedy’s car is pulled from water at the Dyke Bridge in Edgartown, Massachusetts. (AP Photo) Kennedy’s brother, Robert, who was assassinated the previous year in Los Angeles during California’s Democratic presidential primary. Kennedy, who managed to free himself from the submerged vehicle, said he tried in vain to rescue Kopechne. He later described his failure to report the accident to police for 10 hours as “indefensible,” attributing the delay to exhaustion, shock and a concussion.
bright young students, said William Nelson, a cousin born three years after she died. Kopechne’s father died in 2003; her mother died in 2007. “We’ve shifted into trying to have Mary Jo’s life mean something,” said Nelson, of Slatington, Pennsylvania. “She was kind of glossed over as the girl in the car. It was all about Ted Kennedy. She would have gone on to do great things.”
Kopechne’s commitment to civil rights drew her to Robert Kennedy’s campaign. Relatives believe she would have pursued more activism and perhaps a political career of her own. “Mary Jo was ahead of her time for women in 1969, so I’m pretty sure she would have pioneered a new path for women in Washington,” Nelson said. “The true tragedy of that night in Chappaquiddick is she never got that chance.” And what of Kennedy’s own legacy? Were it not for Chappaquiddick, Kennedy may well have been the Democrat who denied Richard Nixon a second term in 1972. But he didn’t dare run then, and a later presidential campaign in 1980 fizzled. “The phenomenon of the personal becoming political began with Chappaquiddick,” said Patrick Maney, a Kennedy expert and professor of history at Boston College. “There was something different in American politics after Chappaquiddick than there was before.” Even so, Kennedy went on to serve another four decades in the Senate, where he was one of the nation’s longest serving and most influential legislators of the 20th century, securing his place in the pantheon of American politics. In “True Compass,” a memoir published shortly after his 2009 death, Kennedy called Chappaquiddick “a horrible tragedy that haunts me every day of my life.” Not surprisingly, nothing is planned to mark Thursday’s anniversary at the Edward M Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, erected in his memory in the shadow of the John F Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum in Boston. On its website, Chappaquiddick — which inspired a 2018 film of the same name — appears only in a few obscure interviews conducted as part of an oral history project. WILLIAM J KOLE Associated Press
The Tribune | Weekend | 25
Friday, July 19, 2019
history
Old Story Time Forgotten facts | Paul C Aranha
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nce upon a time was a merry old time, monkey chew’ tobacco and spit white lime. Bullfrog jump from shore to shore; hindquarter never touch’ the water . . . and the wind from him blew me here, to tell you this tale about Barrie, Donny, John and Paul, four Bahamian octogenarians who met in Sunday School, at St Matthew’s church, during World War II. As kids, they palled around together and if they had had a motto it would have been “all for one, and one for all”. Their friendship has endured the test of time. Like Alexandre Dumas’ musketeers, Athos, Porthos, Aramis and d’Artagnan, they enjoyed exciting days and, sometimes, life-threatening adventures, which they managed to survive. John, the Jesse Owens of the group, because he could out-run any and everybody, is gone, but not forgotten. He lived in the only building on Lovers Lane, where all the residents on the eastern side of that street were six feet underground, making Lovers Lane the perfect place for ghosts. There was no street-lighting but large stands of bamboo abounded. At night, ghostly couples could be seen, disappearing into, or emerging from, clumps of bamboo. The three-storey home of John’s parents had an attic with secret rooms, seldom visited by adults, and probably haunted. By lying flat on the floor, the friends could peer through a gap in the wooden planking, but it was too dark to see what treasures were sure to have been hidden there. There was no door and too dark for any windows. One day, when there were no grownups in the building, Paul borrowed a carpenter’s saw from his father’s toolbox to cut a hole big enough for skinny kids to squeeze through. John’s father’s flashlight revealed the secrets of that Aladdin’s cave, but there was no hidden treasure and no friendly ghosts. The once-secret room was full of nothing. Nearby were dormer windows, through which Hog Island and the waters of Nassau Harbour could be seen. Opening a window was easy, but climbing onto the roof took courage,
which seemed in short supply – until Billy came over from Buen Retiro to play. Billy had no fear and would run all over the roof, stopping just inches away from the edge. The world was at war and the Royal Air Force was on the island of New Providence. People of Nassau, including Paul’s parents, opened their homes to those “RAF boys” and many of them spent their free time in Paul’s house and very large garden. They were always happy to entertain whatever neighbourhood kids were around. That garden was a wonderland of plants and trees, with ropes hanging from the bigger trees – especially avocado, ackee and sapodilla. It was easy to imagine oneself to be Tarzan, swinging through the jungle. Nature was kind and the friends learned to “survive” on the fruit that surrounded them – ackees, cherries (the Bahamian kind), dillies, gineps, grapefruit, Jamaica apples, kumquats, lemons, limes, oranges, mulberries, scarlet plums, soursops, sugar apples, tangerines, monstera deliciosa (with beautiful holes that form naturally in the leaves, earning it the name Swiss Cheese Plant), et cetera; depending on the season. Donny lived on Mackey Street and his hero could have been Earle Weech. His bedroom was the place to stretch out and read his vast collection of comic books – Action Comics and every other “funny book” - which he kept in the top drawer of the dresser. The friends would lose themselves in a world of superheroes. They were on a first-name basis with Clark Kent, who kept popping into a phone booth to emerge again as Superman. Billy Batson was another friend. By saying the word ‘SHAZAM!’ – which meant the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles and the speed of Mercury – Billy would be transformed into Captain Marvel, ready to fight evil. Having won the fight, he’d repeat the word ‘SHAZAM!’, to change back into Billy Batson. Batman, and his sidekick Robin, who could be summoned by the flash
The four Musketeers – Donny, Barrie, Paul and John
of a light on the clouds above, were the defenders of Gotham City. Their real names were Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson (his ward) and they kept their Batmobile in a cave, beneath Wayne’s mansion. Barrie was d’Artagnan and Superman, rolled into one. He was more powerful than a locomotive and could reach tall buildings in one single leap. The consummate sportsman (basketball, rugby, tennis), he lived on a hill, in a neighbourhood where building, and racing, box carts were popular pastimes, long before anyone thought of sending a Jamaican bobsled team to the Winter Olympics. It took courage to ride one of these wooden crates, on their flimsy wheels, being propelled by gravity down the steep hill and Barrie will tell you what he can remember about the day he realised that his cart had no brakes. So, what do octogenarian musketeers talk about when they get together? About John, who died in 2016, a victim of the Emergency Room, about the freedom they enjoyed in their youth, about the expectations of their parents and their teachers, Donald Davis, R P Dyer and A Deans Peggs. They talk about the Coca Cola plant on Mackey Street (three pence a bottle); the Popsicle factory on Dowdeswell Street (free treats); Bob Dillet’s Coconut Palm Club (Willie on the piano and the best hamburgers) on
Wulff Road; Black’s Candy Kitchen on Marlborough Street, home of Rum Raisin ice cream; the day when Pepsi Cola brought a skywriting airplane to Nassau for the opening of their new plant on East Bay Street, opposite Symonette Shipyard; the night Paul’s idol, Joe Louis, fought an exhibition match in a special ring erected on the Collins’ lawn at Centreville; of learning to swim at Malcom Park, friends like Tommy Robinson, Freddie Higgs, Roozie Godet, Hubert Pinder, Jr, Red Top, Jerome Darville, Eric Minns and Bumpsy Pearce, Basil Butler and his horse named Bitterweed; of the bowling alley and skating rink that used to be on Shirley Street; of Josh Symonette and ‘Blind John’ Adderley. John loved to ride a bike, but, inevitably, crashed into the nearest wall. He became the messenger for The Tribune. Should there be a break in the conversation, there’s always things like stents, heart by-pass surgery, faulty heart valves, pacemakers, radiation and chemotherapy, and other things that come with being an octogenarian – always agreeing, however, that, whatever the illness, the alternative is definitely not better, but the favourite topics are how good life is – and friendship. • For questions and comments, e-mail islandairman@gmail.com
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The Tribune | Weekend | 27
Friday, July 19, 2019
animals
Deadly versus dangerous Animal matters | KIM ARANHA
Alligators in Florida have killed 22 people in total since 1948.
R
ecently the BBC published a list of the world’s most deadly animals. They approached it from the position that any death that could be traced back to said animal was attributed to that animal. It brings up the question that if a tree falls on you during a hurricane and you die, did the tree kill you or the storm? Semantics, I know, but interesting nevertheless. Some of you will remember the article I wrote about mosquitoes, that article was inspired by this BBC report I refer to. They list the mosquito as the world’s most deadly animal because it is the carrier of many highly contagious diseases: malaria, dengue, Zika and others. If those diseases did not exist, if there were no infected humans to bite and then transfer the disease to, then the mosquito would not be
the prolific killer it is being accused of being. The next on their list is the snake. This is a touchy topic in the Bahamas where the majority of people have a phobia derived from overzealous reading of the Bible and obsessive fixation with original sin…. Was it the snake’s fault, or the apple? We have no poisonous snakes here, so we are particularly blessed. In other areas of the world snakes are prolific: there are approximately 50,000 deaths yearly linked to venomous snakes. The most toxic snake is the Central Australian Inland (Western) Taipan, it can kill a human with one bite in less than 45 minutes; 80 percent of all bites end in death. However, they very rarely bite humans. So the saw-scaled viper, which is not in the top 10 most toxic, comes in first as the most deadly because they live in town areas of Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Middle East
and Africa. They bite fast and frequently. The quantity of the animals being recorded and where they live causes the results to be somewhat misleading. For instance, India has a terrible problem with overcrowding in poverty-stricken areas. Couple that with stray dogs being rampant, rabies at epidemic proportions, and you have scores of small children being bitten by rabid dogs, quite possibly whilst both child and dog scavenge for the same scraps of food. This puts dogs in the third position of most deadly. Another reason why this result occurs is because, once the child has been bitten by a rabid animal, they will most probably not get adequate treatment, if any. It is estimated that there are 4.5 million dog bites a year in the United States and only about 30 people die from them. Rabies is the killer, not the actual attack.
The tsetse fly comes in at fourth, much for the same reasons that the mosquito was number one, they carry sleeping sickness that kills about 10,000 people a year. The crocodile and the hippopotamus are the fifth and sixth most deadly. This is a honour that they have earned totally by their own merit. There are no deadly diseases that they are passing on, there is no excuse of prolific housing and inadequate medical care, these are big guys who are aggressive and opportunistic. It is thought that over 1,000 people are killed by crocodiles yearly, but as the attacks invariably take place in poorly connected communities in Africa they often do not get reported. Alligators in Florida have killed 22 people in total since 1948, probably many more small animal fatalities. If you visit Florida with your dog, stay vigilant near bodies of fresh water. The hippo comes in sixth (and final in the report), extremely big, up to 6,000 lbs in weight, they are quick to anger, and capable of aggressive attacks with extremely sharp teeth. You sure as heck would not want to find
pet of the week: Kittens galore! By The Bahamas Humane Society Rodney is but one of many kittens available for adoption at the Bahamas Humane Society. He’s about three months old and very playful. In fact, where kittens are concerned, it is often better to adopt two so they can keep each other company and keep themselves amused. Have you been looking for a ball of fluff or two to add to your family? Then come in to the BHS to meet Rodney and the rest of the crew. Adoption hours are 11am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm on Saturday, or you can call 323-5138 for more information. Rodney and Co look forward to meeting you!
• Did you know, the BHS is not a government organisation. It is Nassau’s oldest charity, turning 95 this year! The BHS is funded through donations, memberships, the Thrift Shop and various fundraisers. Are you a member yet? Why not join today? You’ll be helping many animals if you do!
(Photo/ Patricia Vazquez)
yourself squashed under one of them by accident. An interesting detail to note in this report is that the shark is nowhere to be seen. Our greatly maligned shark, accused of being a predator and ruthless killer, only totals 2,785 unprovoked attacks between years 1958 – 2016 (439 fatal). The majority of attacks occur on surfers because of mistaken identity, the shark thinks the human on the surfboard is a seal. Shark attacks in the Bahamas are mostly connected to spearfishing and the presence of a bleeding, dying, fish sending out the signal that sharks love to hear, and the shark, with notoriously bad eyesight, comes in to grab a dying fish and ends up with a mouthful of human that he most likely will spit out. Deadly versus dangerous? There is a world of difference in those two words. Statistics can prove just about anything you want them to, as we can see from our investment bankers at the end of a bad year, or the politician wishing to be re-elected after a mediocre term with poor results.
28 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 19, 2019
pageants
Teen queens prepare to become 'game changers'
E
ight contestants between the ages of 15 and 18 will compete for the Miss Teen Bahamas Scholar title this weekend. The young ladies will take to the stage at the Meliá Nassau Beach on Sunday, starting at 6pm, to participate in the country’s academically-focused teen pageant. The winner will receive a US-based school scholarship. The contestants this year are Angel Pride, Lathesia Clarke, Ashanti Carroll, Shabrea Vishe Davis, Jada Stubbs, Georgia Sweeting, Adria Albury, and Chelander Pierre. The theme for this year’s Miss Teen Bahamas Scholar is ‘Game Changer’. “‘ Game Changer’ was inspired by the innovative ideas of our young people. Persons would be shocked at how skilled they are in areas where they simply have no formal training,” said Anthony Smith, national director of the pageant. “Many of them are exposed to YouTube and other social media forums, which lends itself to lots of tutorial opportunities. Each year, we ask, ‘Where did you learn that?’ Their response is: ‘The internet.’ So I am fascinated with that kind of assertiveness and ingenuity. I have seen them learn how to apply makeup online, learn to make products and enlighten us on world issues that could affect their small community or the Bahamas as a whole, and they have ideas of making things better, sustainable and efficient. For us, ‘Game Changer’ represents this generation of young Bahamians.” Some of the ideas that have been incorporated into this year’s pageant include a 30-second prepared speech given in the contestant’s respective school uniform. They can now also wear their favourite sports clothes as opposed to specifically required attire. “We have the ever popular and inevitable evening gown segment. Apart from those segments, an exam has been added for this year’s contestants, which consists of a 100-word essay about a surprise topic that will
Adria Albury
Jada Stubbs
Angel Pride
Georgia Sweeting
Lathesia Clark
Ashanti Carroll
Chelander Pierre
Shabrea Vishe Davis be revealed on the day of the exam. Of course they were like, ‘Wow, Mr Smith. Are you kidding? We are on Summer break!’ But once we explained the benefit of it and the fact that it goes towards the main score, they were all in with excitement,” he said. Mr Smith said he and his team enjoy making Miss Teen Bahamas Scholar a pageant that lives up to its name. “Some of the best and brightest in our country apply. The programme consists of self-defence, communication sessions, modelling classes, basic make-up application and financial management, as well as interview techniques. Along with the training sessions, we have our motorcade lined up and a girls day out,” he said.