Coconut Oil helps Alzheimer's patients!

Important message from Neville 'Gladdy' Hoo:                                             How worried should drug companies be about supplements eating into their monopoly profits? A lot, as this story will show. Please share it with anyone you know who is suffering from Alzheimer's or is worried about it.

Of course, just about everyone worries about Alzheimer's. It currently
afflicts 5.2 million people in the US and is the seventh leading cause of death. The cost of treating it is estimated at $148 billion. Mary Newport, MD, has been medical director of the neonatal intensive care unit at Spring Hill Regional Hospital in Florida since it opened in 2003.

About the same time the unit opened, her husband Steve, then 53, began
showing signs of progressive dementia, later diagnosed as Alzheimer's
Disease. Many days, often for several days in a row, he was in a fog; couldn't find a spoon or remember how to get water out of the refrigerator, she said.

They started him on Alzheimer's drugs--Aricept, Namenda, Exelon--but his
disease worsened steadily. (It should be noted that the latest research
shows that the various Alzheimer's drugs, like Aricept, have proven
disappointing, with little real benefit and often distressing side effects.) When Dr. Newport couldn't get her husband into a drug trial for a new Alzheimer's medication, she started researching the mechanism behind Alzheimer's. She discovered that with Alzheimer's disease, certain brain cells may have difficulty utilizing glucose (made from the carbohydrates we
eat), the brain's principal source of energy. Without fuel, these precious
neurons may begin to die. There is an alternative energy source for brain
cell fats known as ketones. If deprived of carbohydrates, the body produces ketones naturally.
But this is the hard way to do it; who wants to cut carbohydrates out of
the diet completely? Another way to produce ketones is by consuming oils that have medium-chain triglycerides. When MCT oil is digested, the liver
converts it into ketones. In the first few weeks of life, ketones provide about 25 percent of the energy newborn babies need to survive.

Dr. Newport learned that the ingredient in the drug trial which was showing
so much promise was simply MCT oil derived from coconut oil or palm kernel
oil, and that a dose of 20 grams (about 20 ml or 4 teaspoons) was used to
produce these results. When MCT oil is metabolized, the ketones which the body creates may, according to the latest research, not only protect against the incidence of Alzheimer's, but may actually reverse it. Moreover, this is also a potential treatment for Parkinson's disease,Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), drug-resistant epilepsy, brittle type I diabetes, and type II (insulin-resistant) diabetes.

So Mr. Newport, not being able to get into the drug trial, started taking
the coconut oil twice a day. At this point, he could barely remember how to
draw a clock. Two weeks after adding coconut oil to his diet, his drawing
improved.

After 37 days, Steve's drawing gained even more clarity. The oil seemed to lift the fog, and in the first sixty days, Dr. Newport saw remarkable changes in him: every morning he was alert and happy, talkative, making jokes. His gait was still a little weird, but his tremor was no longer very noticeable. He was able to concentrate on things that he wanted to do around the house and in the yard and stay on task, whereas before coconut oil he was easily distracted and rarely accomplished anything unless he was directly supervised.

Over the next year, the dementia continued to reverse itself: he is able to
run again, his reading comprehension has improved dramatically, and his short-term memory is improving; he often brings up events that happened
days to weeks earlier and relays telephone conversations with accurate
detail. A recent MRI shows that the brain atrophy has been completely
halted.

Let's take a moment to consider what actually happened here. Synthetic
(patentable) Alzheimer's drugs have failed. A drug company reluctantly
decides to put a non-patentable natural substance (medium-chain
triglycerides derived from coconut or palm) through an FDA trial. It works.
But, darn it, a smart doctor figures out that a natural food can be substituted for the super-expensive drug.

Not only that, the ketones from natural coconut oil last in the body longer than the drug version--eight hours instead of three hours. This is enough to make a drug company start worrying about its future. What if this natural health idea really catches on? Goodbye to monopoly profits!

Coconut oil can be found in many health food stores and even some grocery
stores. One large US chain sells a non-hydrogenated (no trans-fat) brand of
coconut oil in a one-liter size (nearly 32 ounces) for about US$7.

It can be purchased in quantities as small as a pint and up to five gallons online. It is important to use coconut oil that is non-hydrogenated and contains no trans-fat. We would also strongly encourage the use of virgin oil (chemicals used to extract non-virgin oil are potentially dangerous, and better still, virgin organic, still quite reasonably priced.)

For more information, see Dr. Newport's website. Sadly, you will not find any information on ketones, or the use of coconut oil or MCT oil, on the Alzheimer's Association website.

Coconut oil is not the only natural product that has the potential to turn Alzheimer's around. We will cover some other ones, and drug industry efforts to steal some of them, in a future issue.

http://www.coconutketones.com/biography.html‪
  
NB - Coconut oil is widely available in Jamaica's shops and supermarkets.

‬

Jamaica will miss USAID's Dr Karen Hilliard

Dr Karen Hilliard - our loss is Mongolia's gain

Dr Karen Hilliard could have chosen to direct the USAID Mission in Jamaica over the past four years from her comfortable office. However, her passion for Jamaica’s development sent her into remote areas of the country, actively supporting projects in health, agriculture, education and governance. Never one for cliché-laden speeches, she gave engaged commentary and advice on a myriad of subjects.

At a farewell event for her, then PM Bruce Golding remarked on her deep concern for our needs, as she sometimes appeared to be “Jamaica’s ambassador to the USAID”. Dr Hilliard combined diplomacy with refreshing pragmatism. Our loss will be Mongolia’s gain and we wish her a fulfilling tour of duty there, and many future visits to this land – we will never forget those extra miles she travelled with so many of us. If only we could love ourselves as much as our international friends love us. Thank you, Dr Hilliard!

Crawford, Grace and Staff get Gleaner thumbs up

We honour you! Gleaner Honour awardees Vivian Crawford (left), executive director of the Institute of Jamaica, who received the award for arts and culture, and James Moss-Solomon (right), chairman of the Grace and Staff Community Development Foundation which received for voluntary service, pose with (at back from left) Frances Madden, general manager, Grace and Staff; Douglas Orane,GraceKennedy Chairman; Christopher Barnes, Gleaner Co Managing Director, Elon Beckford of the Selection C'tee, and GK Guidance Counsellor Curtis Sweeney.

Vivian Crawford and members of the Grace and Staff Community Development Foundation joined The Gleaner at the newspaper's North Street, Kingston, office yesterday to accept their 2011 Honour awards for outstanding service to Jamaica.

Crawford was honoured in the category of arts and culture for his role in the preservation and promotion of Jamaica's indigenous cultural expressions.

Grace and Staff earned the award for voluntary service, for its support of community development and the care of the less fortunate.

Crawford, during a luncheon at North Street, was all smiles in accepting his award.

"This is generosity at its highest. Christmas in October," he beamed.

"I must express my everlasting gratitude and thanks to The Gleaner Company for this never-to-be forgotten award. May you grow and grow from strength to strength. I know that your continuity to nation building will be of immense benefit to Jamaica."

Crawford, who has been the executive director of the Institute of Jamaica for the past 11 years, is a leading expert on Jamaican culture.

Accepting on behalf of Grace and Staff, chairman James Moss-Solomon thanked the directors of The Gleaner and the selection committee for considering his foundation worthy of such an honour.

"We are extremely grateful on behalf of the many thousands of staff members of GraceKennedy who for the last 32 years have contributed voluntarily from their salaries to make this foundation a success," noted Moss-Solomon.

Transforming the inner city

Through staff donations matched by the company and support from external organisations, Grace and Staff has transformed the lives of more than 2,000 students from inner-city communities who needed an opportunity to realise their dreams. Additionally, the foundation is involved in a number of social and economic transformation projects in inner-city communities bordering the company's offices.

Since 1979, The Gleaner Honour Awards has been recognising the initiative, accomplishment and courage of individuals or organisations that have contributed significantly to improving quality of life in Jamaica, whether in arts and culture, public service, sports, education, science and technology, health and wellness, entertainment, voluntary service or business. The Man of the Year is also selected during a gala luncheon.

Karin Cooper, The Gleaner's business development and marketing manager, said this year 151 nominations were received and, on October 6, the selection committee awarded a nominee from each category, except education.

"Today we honour stalwarts in these two areas of endeavour through our 2011 awards. These recipients have joined a long list of distinguished persons and organisations whose achievements have been recognised through this programme," stated Cooper.

JAMAICA'S NEW CABINET

Prime Minister Andrew Holness (centre front row) with members of his Cabinet (in front from left) Robert Montague, Olivia Grange, Dr Ken Baugh, Shahine Robinson, Audley Shaw, and Pearnel Charles. In second row (from left): Dr Horace Chang, Clive Mullings, Ed Bartlett, Arthur Williams, Delroy Chuck, Mike Henry, Rudyard Spencer, Dr Christopher Tufton, Daryl Vaz, and Dwight Nelson.

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/The-PM-s-deck_10017398#ixzz1buBvMn1m

Memorable Quote from PM Holness' Inaugural Address

"I want you to understand that the sum total of our potential exceeds our problems; that our collective capabilities are greater than our challenges but it is only through participation that these capabilities and this potential can be seized, harnessed and realized for the good of Jamaica. I know we can do it. I know we can practice a better politics. I know that a better politics which allows broad participation and honest conversation with the electorate will lead to better more sustainable policies to manage our economy and create jobs and opportunities. This is how we create a better Jamaican. Better politics, better policies, better people.

"I know the days ahead will not all be easy. I have found comfort in some words accredited to Mother Teresa. It reflects how I have always lived my life, sums up how I intend to conduct myself in this office.

'Paradoxical Commandments
People are sometimes unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, no doubt you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.'

"I pledge to give my best, and with faithful prayers and hard work we will succeed. May God bless you and may God bless Jamaica."

Tony Deyal 'contemplays' Trini PM's shoe option

Jamaica Gleaner Online | 22 October 2011

Tony Deyal, Contributor

The previous Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) prime minister (PM), Patrick Manning, had a faith healer who was his closest confidante. The present PM, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has turned into a feet heeler. In the middle of an International Food Festival held two weeks ago at the poolside of the Trinidad Hilton, the prime minister called on women to start wearing "flats instead of heels".

Maybe they served sole food at the festival and she had too much of it, but whatever the reason, the PM provided a non-sequitur that seemed to be her idea of food for thought. According to a media report, the PM, while "showing off her own bejewelled slippers", boasted, "The people around me are saying I'm going to set a new fashion trend. So, ladies, check my feet! I'm going flat because it's healthier and I'm getting a lot of jokes about it because I would normally wear heels, but God is great, my toes are open and my shoes are flat ... . So it's a new fashion trend. Let's try it throughout Trinidad and Tobago. Ladies, I'm sure you'll feel far more comfortable splashing around in flats instead of heels, so be more comfortable and enjoy it!"

While some of my Trini friends came up with old jokes about open-toed women, I prefer to wonder whether the PM's advice would fall flat or would women say to heel with her? First, let's look at the age-old symbiosis of women and shoes. Most men have at most three pairs of shoes - one black, one brown and one sneaker. We don't understand, and I have always wondered, "What's this with women and shoes?"

Footwear sales up

According to Cosmo, "While sales of most things have plummeted thanks to the recession, footwear sales have gone up compared to the same period last year." Cosmo continues, "Buying a pair of shoes has always had near-supernatural effects - like instantly updating an outfit from last year or just making you feel hotter than hell - but that doesn't fully explain how footwear is beating the odds in sales. Trust science to have the answer: Turns out, we've always been wired for shoe lust, even when the going gets tough."

Cosmo quotes Martin Lindstrom, a branding expert for Fortune 100 companies and author of 'Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy'. His view is that when you try on or buy any kind of apparel, your mood is boosted. He explains, "The neurotransmitter dopamine is released, providing a feel-good high, similar to taking a drug. The dopamine increases until you swipe your debit card." Usually, the high then flatlines, and guilt starts creeping in ... except, that is, when the item you're purchasing is a pair of shoes. Lindstrom believes that shoppers rationalise shoes as a practical buy - something they can wear multiple times a week - so they hold on to that pleasurable feeling longer. The research also shows that with high heels you get an extra lift.

However, it's not just dopamine at work. Lindstrom says that the mood-altering traits of shoes also come from another brain reaction. Buying new footwear stimulates an area of the brain's prefrontal cortex termed the collecting spot. According to the Daily Mail, "The average woman owns 20 pairs of shoes and more than half of them - worth around £400 in total - are never worn, sitting in the wardrobe waiting for the right occasion, which never comes." Suzanne Ferriss, PhD, editor of 'Footnotes: On Shoes', maintains, "Shoes are a collector's item, whether women realise they perceive them that way or not. Just think of how they're often stored artfully on shoe trees and shelves. They're like sculptures." As a result, collecting each type provides a mini-adrenaline rush similar to the satisfaction a stamp collector gets when he acquires a rare find. In that sense, Imelda Marcos, former first lady of the Philippines, might have been excessive but far from unusual. Instead of a case of the 'blahs', when depressed she got Blahniks.

So where do high heels fit in and why are they getting even higher? It is not just all pumps and circumstance. The research shows that it would take a much higher power than the T&T PM to get women to give up their heels for flats. It seems that it is biology, and not advertising at work. Cosmo quote Helen Fisher, PhD, an anthropology professor at Rutgers University, "Like most animals, we're wired to associate height with power. High heels can literally raise your status because you're taller when you wear them."

'Measure of class'

Dr Fisher says the heels carry historical significance as well, adding to their appeal. In previous centuries, only the wealthy wore high heels - everyone else had practical footwear to do manual labour. "Shoes were a measure of class," says Fisher, "and we still have a bit of that mindset ingrained in us."

The real deal of the high-heel appeal comes down, like everything else, to sex. Dr Fisher says that when a woman wears stilettos, she assumes a primal mating pose called 'lordosis'. "Her butt lifts and her back arches," Fisher insists. The sex angle is also reinforced by Dr Daniel Amen, author of The Brain in Love. He says that our minds are structured in a way that may associate feet with sex. "The area of the brain that communicates with the genitals is right next to the area that deals with the feet," says Dr Amen. "These regions share neural crosstalk, which may be why shoes can be erotic." It is possible, with advancing age, the crosstalk becomes muted, but Marian Keyes, author of The Brightest Star In The Sky, is certainly one person who hears it loud and clear. She flatly refuses to wear anything but high heels. "I never wear flats," she stoutly maintains. "My shoes are so high that sometimes when I step out of them, people look around in confusion and ask, "Where'd she go?" and I have to say, "I'm down here."

Psychiatrists now talk about 'Shoe Obsession Disorder' (SOD). That means that if anyone, be it PM, prince or pauper, goes to someone with that condition and tells her to wear flats, her natural response would not be "Shoe!" but "SOD off"

Tony Deyal was last seen writing a footnote to his shoe column. He says that Christian Louboutin's shoes make him see red, he loves the sound of Jimmy Choo's shoes, and he could whisper "Ferragamo, Ferragamo" all night long.

Remembering Ralf Bender's Genius

I broke my jade bangle - a treasured gift from my Mother-in-Law. I took the pieces to that brilliant jeweller Ralf Bender - and look what he made!

 

Out of brokenness comes beauty - if we just keep the faith!

 

 

 

Madame Rose Leon Centenary

This Thursday, October 20, 2011 is the Centenary of the birth of an extraordinary Jamaican woman, Madame Rose Agatha Leon, the first woman Minister of Government and the only politician to have held a post in the Cabinet of both JLP and PNP governments.
 
Rose Agatha Leon was born in Kingston, Jamaica on 20th October 1911, the daughter of Dr. R.J. Huie and Mrs Huie.

  She was educated at Central Branch School, Wolmer's High School for Girls, and the Abyssinian School of Cosmetic Chemistry.

Before entering the political arena, Madame Rose and her husband, Arthur Alexander Leon established a manufacturing company, Leon's Beauty Products in 1939, and later the decades old Leon's School of Beauty.

She joined the Jamaica Labour Party in 1944 and was elected Chairman of the Party in 1948.

  Madame Rose was an ardent party activist and fundraiser, even seconding her own staff members to support the JLP's office and purchasing furniture from her own pocket.

  The late Lady Bustamante said of her, "No one in either the JLP or the PNP has been able to match the length or quality of her service for 12 years [as chairman of the party]."

After winning the Western St Andrew seat for the JLP in the 1949 general elections, Madame began eight distinctive years of service as a Member of Parliament.

  After the Ministerial system was established in the Jamaican Constitution in 1953, she was appointed Minister of Health and Housing.

In 1960, Madame Rose left the JLP, but was unsuccessful in running as an independent candidate.

  In 1967, she was invited to join the PNP by Rt Hon. Norman Manley, winning a seat in the Local Government election in 1969.

  She served as Chairman of the KSAC Roads and Works Committee from 1969 to 1972, and as Deputy Mayor of the KSAC in 1971.

In 1972, Madame Rose regained the West Rural St Andrew seat for the PNP and was appointed Minister of Local Government.

  She lost the seat in 1976 to Dr Mavis Gilmour and was appointed Special Advisor to the Minister of Social Security until her retirement from active politics in 1980.

This allowed the manufacturing dynamo to expand her businesses and dedicate herself to the cause of local manufacturing and women's causes.

  She was a founding member of the Jamaica Manufacturers Association, serving as its President in 1967.

  She became one of their longest serving Board members and was made a Life Member in 1993.

She was also a founding member of the enduring Jamaica Federation of Women, along with Lady Huggins and Mrs Mary Morris Knibb.

Madame Rose was a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother and mentored hundreds of young students who became successful business owners in Jamaica's burgeoning beauty industry.

  Her daughter, Mrs Gloria Millwood succeeded her as head of the manufacturing and training businesses and her grand-daughter Dr Gisele Leon-Ritch is a well-known authority on nutrition and wellness. 

Among Madame Rose Leon's many awards are the National Honour of the Order of Distinction – Commander Class, the Woman of Distinction Award from the Bureau of Women's Affairs in 1985 at the end of the UN Decade for Women, and Special Awardee as one of the country's longest serving Justices of the Peace.

Madame Rose was also honoured by:

-        New York Mayor John V Lindsay with the Keys to the City of New York in 1971-        Rt Hon Lord Mais, Lord Mayor of London with the City of London Medal in 1973-        The Bustamante Institute for her outstanding contribution to Caribbean and the field of politics, as the first woman Minister of Government in Jamaica-        The St Andrew Business and Professional Women's Club in1989, in recognition of Distinguished Public Service and Leadership-        The KSAC in 1999 –75th Anniversary Award posthumously – for Long and Dedicated Service. 

Madame Rose Leon lived her motto: "Hard work as a way to achievement: envy no one."

The Jamaica Women's Political Caucus launched the Rose Leon Memorial Lecture Series in 2002.

  At the Inaugural Lecture, Hon Dudley Thompson described her as "a people's politician".

  "Always uppermost in her mind and actions were the underclass, the underprivileged in our society," said Ambassador Thompson.

  "She had sincere and genuine compassion for them and they in turn replied with an effusion of popular love."

In reflecting on her accomplishments, the Ambassador said, "She sent a clear signal that the women of Jamaica were ready and that the woman's place is not only at home, but in the forefront of national development."

He recalled her service as Minister of Housing and Health during the regional epidemic of poliomyelitis: "Madame Rose …threw herself into the task and rallied the entire Health Department behind her.

  She visited every trouble spot and eventually saved this country from this dreadful affliction.

  This and much more of her work is not as well known as it should be."

Madame Rose lost her life tragically in a robbery at her St Andrew home in 1999. Her work continues to inspire Jamaican women in politics and business, who in recalling her phenomenal achievements are convinced, in the words of Mohandas Gandhi: "If the qualities of gentleness, compassion, tolerance and peace are the standards by which we judge mankind, then surely it is a libel to describe women as being the weaker sex."

To mark The Centenary of the Birth of Madame Rose Leon, there will be a Wreath-Laying ceremony at her grave at the Dovecot Memorial Park this Thursday, October 20 at 2.30 pm.

  Wreaths will be laid by The Leon Family, Lay Magistrates Assn of Jamaica, Leon's School of Beauty and the Rose Leon Trust for the Jamaica Women's Political Caucus. 

Sources:

Tribute to Madame Rose Leon by UWI Lecturer Hermione McKenzie – March 4, 2002

Rose Leon Inaugural Memorial Lecture by Ambassador Hon Dudley Thompson – 2002

Prepared on behalf of the Members of the Rose Leon Memorial Trust for the Jamaica Women's Political Caucus:

Mrs. Evelyn Smart, Chair
Mrs. Gloria Alvaranga
Mrs. Joan Browne

Mrs. Merline Daley, O.D.

Dr. Lisa Lawrence

Dr. Gisele Leon-Ritch

Mrs. Jean Lowrie-Chin

Mrs. Hermione McKenzie

Mrs. Gloria Millwood

Dr. Louise Spencer-Strachan

Miss Marie Thompson
____________________________

Contact:

  Jean Lowrie-Chin/Angela Foote – PROComm – 926-6740

Date :              18 October 2011 

STGC Remembers Mr. Carl Anthony Chang

 Message from Lloyd Tenn

It is with regret that we announce the sudden passing of our own Carl Anthony Chang this morning. He was 67 years old. 

He apparently was not feeling well last night, complaining of feeling nauseous. This morning, he was at home,in the company of his workers, when he collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead.

Carl, as most of us know was the driving force in the upgrading of the infrastructure at St. George's College. He oversaw the reconstruction of the O'Hare Building which sustained serious damage after hurricane Ivan. He was the main driving force behind the construction of the Archbishop Burke Building. He undertook many small and medium sized projects at the school, much of which was financed out of his personal funds.

He once shared with me that he had made a promise to himself and the Lord, that he would give five fully committed years to St. George's College, the time he spent as at the school, to improve the general condition of his beloved alma mater.  I dare say that he would probably have spent more time if the Lord had allowed him.

He was also instrumental in getting the late Carlos Lopez officially recognized when he was seriously ill.

We have to pray for his wife, Paula and his four children at this most difficult time.

And so we will miss this generous man; a husband, a father, a businessman and most of all, a man of tremendous charity.

May His Soul And the Souls of the Faithful Departed Rest In Peace.

Regards,

Lloyd

 

From Tony Wong:

 

His passing has left his Alma Mater in tears as I have witnessed today, for it will be without the benevolence of Carl, who waded in to  solve the water problems and installed proper systems to reduce the electricity bills, searched, found and corrected other problems like painting where need painting and repaired the horrendous plumbing installations.

 

He had installed the first set of solar panels to light the school grounds.  And this does not include the improvements to the O'Hare building done in record time last year. The list of his generosity in these matters is endless.

 

Today I saw the builders of the LB Bldg. ever so sad and without instruction built three flag poles on the new building and hung black flags on them out of respect for someone they truly loved and I became more moved by their repeated vows to complete the building no matter what- "for Mr. Chang say him going finish it"

 

Like these workers we, the past students should ensure that this  happens. It is the least  that can be done to honor a stalwart old boy and to respect the dedication of a unique Georgian and a memorable gentleman.

He will be sadly missed.

May his soul rest in Peace

 

Tony Wong

Food for the Poor's Eloo Project - waterless toilets!

From Susan James, Food for the Poor

These photos are of the Eloo toilets that we installed at the
Eccleston Primary School.

Please note that the building will be painted.

This first set is a pilot to see how well these environmentally friendly
toilets function - they do not require running water.

Additional info - HOW ELOO WORKS

http://www.swsloo.com/how-eloo-works

The ELOO®, although not a composting toilet, provides the right environment
to treat and stabilize human waste by the natural processes of dehydration
and evaporation. The waste is reduced into an inoffensive and harmless, dry,
ashlike material, which is then disposed of according to local county,
state, and Federal regulations.

The ELOO® operates by separating the liquid and solid waste. This waste is
subjected to ambient heat and directed airflow to achieve the necessary
dehydration and evaporation to convert this waste, with ancillary bacterial
and biological activity, into the dried, ashlike material which is
approximately 5-10% of its original mass (solid waste). The liquid waste
totally evaporates.

The liquid waste drains into the trap area below the solid waste drying
plate (see drawing). By separating the solid and liquid waste, anaerobic
conditions (cause of odor) do not occur. Constant, directed air flow
through the intake pipes, around and over the drying tray, then up through
the evacuation vent pipe facilitates both the dehydration and evaporation of
the waste. The turbine on top of the vent pipe aids in the air flow and
dehydration processes.

Installation of the The ELOO® should be with the back of the unit placed to
collect the most sunlight and heat - the solar window in your hemisphere.
The heat build-up (radiant heat) is absorbed through the UV-protected black
polyethylene plastic of the maintenance cover and vent pipe. The increased
internal temperature causes convective airflow which adds to the airflow
through the intake pipes.

Depending on the climatic conditions where the The ELOO® is installed,
additional solar fans may be added to the unit to increase air flow. Local
state regulations may require a high-water alarm be placed in the ELOO®.
SWSLooT provides a choice of solar or battery alarms, either audio or visual
or both, to meet state and/or county requirements. Testing of the The ELOO®
indicates that the evaporation and dehydration processes continue working
until the interior temperature of the unit reaches a low of 1 degree
farenheit, which means that the Eloo will continue to operate in most
climatic conditions in a very large range of temperatures.

OCEAN SPRAY WATA COOLS FR HOLUNG'S TEAM

CHILLING AT REHEARSAL: Acts of the Apostles Director, Greg Thames (left) and Production Designer, P.J. Stewart cool off behind the scenes with Ocean Spray Cran WATA during the play's dress rehearsal at the National Arena. Ocean Spray WATA was one of the major sponsors of  Father Holung's production.

 

Klao Bell-Lewis on Father HoLung's Productions

Father Holung's series of religious plays and musicals are the most unique and significant theatre productions in Jamaica and provide an unparalleled space for amateur and professional artistes.  It is probably the only production that is guaranteed to have a sold out audience every time AND succeed at the National Arena!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some of the actors are known secular performers and although the subject matter is biblical, the interpretation and expression of the actors who bring the characters to life cannot be labelled Christian or secular.

Where else can accommodate the magnificent set and props. I eagerly look forward to the moment when the grand entrance is made of whatever large prop is used. This year, the audience was treated to three!!! Exciting stuff.  Not to mention this is the closest we have to a Jamaican opera from which musical CD spin offs with 100% original lyrics and score are made available for posterity. Such a rich cultural feature!!!!

 

Klao Bell-Lewis PMP
Communications and Project Management Consultant
876-257-1951
klaobelllewis@gmail.com
Skype: klao.bell.lewis
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=69573135&trk=tab_pro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Klao Bell-Lewis PMP
Communications and Project Management Consultant
876-257-1951
klaobelllewis@gmail.com
Skype: klao.bell.lewis
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=69573135&trk=tab_pro

Help needed for Jamaicans with Alzheimer's disease

Professor Denise Eldemire Shearer - called for an end to the discrimination against those living with Alzheimer's disease

BY NADINE WILSON Observer staff reporter wilsonn@jamaicaobserver.com
Monday, October 10, 2011
WITH an estimated 40,000 Jamaicans living with Alzheimer's disease, local experts are hoping that increased focus will be placed on providing more resources for the caregivers of those living with the disease.
According to the president of the Alzheimer's Disease Outreach Programme and the Alliance on Ageing, Dr Albert Chen, while the number of persons living with the disease is increasing, limited focus on diagnosis and treatment has resulted in many Alzheimer's patients living in isolation.
"These people live all over Jamaica, we visit them in the hills of St Catherine and in the valleys all over," said Dr Chen, who is also a consultant clinical gerontologist.
"Many of them we don't see, we don't hear from them, but they are on beds all over, suffering, no help at all, missing in action. We don't even see them in our health centres because it is hard to get there; and delivering care to persons with dementia in a busy health centre, a health clinic or outpatient department is not going to cut it," he said.
After much lobbying and advocacy, Alzheimer's Disease International, of which Jamaica is a part, was finally able to get the World Health Organisation to list Alzheimer's as a non-communicable disease (NCD) on September 9 of this year. This means that the disease will be given the same level of priority as other NCDs such as cancer, diabetes and lung disease.
President of Alzheimer's Jamaica (AJ), attorney-at-law Dundeen Ferguson, is hoping that the recent ruling will push governments to help to raise awareness and implement policies that would allow Alzheimer's patients to get easier access to medication.
"Every call that I get on the phone it is about medication and how families cannot afford it," said Ferguson, who founded AJ during her struggle to get help for her parents when they were living with Alzheimer's. The group provides counselling and referrals for those affected by the disease.
Ferguson expressed concern that some Alzheimer's patients are being stigmatised because of ignorance of the disease, and implored family members to be more understanding, despite the challenges in caring for someone with Alzheimer's.
"You will learn that this disease is something that they are living with, and they themselves are conscious of it and we need to recognise that in the early stages, some of them are very much aware that changes are happening and they just don't understand what it is," she said.
Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behaviour. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks, with sufferers often having to rely heavily on caregivers.
Just over a week ago, the Alliance on Ageing hosted a Worlds Alzheimer's Day 2011 public lecture which saw scores of people packing the Guardian Life Auditorium on Trafalgar Road in New Kingston to learn more about the disease.
The lecture was delivered by Professor Denise Eldemire-Shearer, who took issue with the fact that many people continue to view Alzheimer's as a natural part of aging.
Professor Eldemire-Shearer said that measures such as controlling the blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol, as well as stimulating the brain by doing puzzles and watching television, could go a long way in slowing down the progression of the disease. She too called for an end to the discrimination against those living with Alzheimer's.
"We cannot hide our demented family members, our demented patients, we need to take them out," she said before adding, "Yes, they are going to walk up and down the place, they are going to make some noise, but so what, it needs to be accepted."
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Wonderful evening with Erinn Cosby

Erinn, Jean and Trish

Spent a wonderful evening at Devon House recently with the witty, elegant Erinn Cosby, who combines the fine qualities of her parents Bill and Camille Cosby. We were proud that she considers Jamaica 'my second home' - she absolutely loves the country!
Erinn was introduced to us by writer/editor Barbara Ellington and we were kindly hosted by Digicel's Trish Thompson. She was in Jamaica for a friendly assignment - she is a fine professional photographer and handles all of her famous Dad's publicity images. She is currently pursuing her Master's in Education, following in his footsteps.
Of her parents, she says, "They are just great, and enjoying this time of their lives, which they so richly deserve." We couldn't agree more!

Charges against Vybz Kartel

Vybz Kartel

Buju Banton

Ninja Man

Ninja Man and Buju Banton languish in jail and now Vybz Kartel is facing serious charges including murder. Why are our stars falling so hard? We need a new cadre of professional managers to not only benefit from the stardom of our artistes, but also be their mentors. Instilling strong values should become priority #1 so that our stars can have lasting enjoyment of what they have worked so hard to build. Then they can become wholesome role models for the young people who are so dazzled by them.
Even now, with proper guidance they could be reformed and use their celebrity to keep their fans on the right track.

Bruce Golding’s graceful exit

PM Golding addressing the United Nations High-Level Plenary on Millenium Development Goals last September

Jamaica Observer column | Monday 3 October 2011 (Amended)
by Jean Lowrie-Chin

Last Sunday Bruce Golding decided to step down from the most powerful position in the land, with no significant nudge and no serious illness; he stuck with his decision despite the urging of the JLP executive.

It is said that power meant little to him, because his priority was to resolve issues towards the country’s social and economic well-being. At the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with members of Jamaica’s public service in July, he thanked individuals from both sides of the political fence who had come together to assist in bringing that crucial matter to resolution, taking no personal credit.

Soon after came the divestment of the Government-owned sugar interests to the Chinese-owned Complant, and word from the EAC that guidelines governing campaign financing would shortly be finalised. Members of the security forces intimated that never before had they felt so unrestricted in their crime-fighting efforts. Members of the diplomatic corps remarked on this knowledgeable and articulate prime minister.

A young reporter commented after the resignation, “I hope they have someone who can represent Jamaica, the way Mr Golding did when he went abroad. Those folks at the UN were very impressed with his address. He made little Jamaica very proud that day.”

He was referring to Mr Golding’s address to the United Nations High-Level Plenary on Millenium Development Goals (MGDs) held last September. In his comprehensive yet succinct presentation, Bruce Golding showed his firm grasp of global, hemispheric and regional issues.

“Real achievement in the reduction or elimination of poverty is to be measured not by the number of people kept out of poverty by fiscal cash transfers but by the number that escape poverty without the need for such programmes,” said the prime minister. “The Millennium goals must, therefore, be seen as a development imperative, not merely as statistical targets.”

Bruce Golding harked back to the global sea-change that was 9/11: “This is not the only setback we have suffered since the adoption of the MDGs. The increasing impact of climate change and the costs associated with measures we have had to adopt to counter international terrorism have constrained our progress toward attainment of these goals.”

The prime minister did not shy away from the incidents in Western Kingston that had wracked Jamaica only four months before: “I raise an issue that escaped specific attention in defining the Millennium goals. Crime and violence are proving increasingly to be an obstacle to the attainment of these goals. It is not just a law-enforcement issue... Its links with the large international network of organized crime makes it a matter of global, not just domestic, concern.”

In its latest issue, The Economist says of Bruce Golding, “Sometimes almost despite himself, he has been Jamaica’s most successful leader in decades… His government restructured the country’s debt and reached an agreement with the IMF, shoring up the economy amid the global financial turmoil. Jamaica is the only English-speaking Caribbean island where tourist numbers have kept on growing.” Referring to the Dudus Coke extradition drama, they commented, “When the government finally moved against Mr Coke in May 2010, arresting and extraditing him, the confrontation left 73 dead. But it has been followed by a fall of more than 40% in the murder rate.”

When family, friends and well-wishers gathered at that little church in Old Harbour last Wednesday to say farewell to the mother of Orrette Bruce Golding, we discerned the mettle from which this career politician was formed. Mrs Enid Golding was a well-qualified teacher, a historian who co-wrote a high-school history book with her brother Rupert Bent Sr, regarded as the first of its kind in Jamaica. She was a woman of great faith and in his amusing and stirring tribute, the PM said, “We were not sent to church – we were taken.”

Bruce Golding’s daughter, Sherene Golding Campbell reflected on her grandmother’s kindness and wisdom: “She told us to be busy, and to be busy with a purpose,” she said. The tributes of the beautiful great grandchildren, niece Blossom Ormsby and the PM’s accomplished brothers, revealed a family founded by two stalwart Jamaicans and held together by a passion for righteousness in all aspects of their lives. Mrs Golding and her late husband, JLP MP and Speaker of the House Tacius Golding had been married for 52 years, and made family their first responsibility.

We harked back to TV commercials for the JLP election campaign of 2002 when Bruce Golding’s wife Lorna and daughter Sherene told us about his support and affirmation of family. “See this kitchen cabinet?” gestured Sherene. “Pops installed it for me.”

Believe it or not, Bruce Golding is reserved almost to the point of shyness, which has been misinterpreted by some as aloofness. But those who know him, know that this is a deeply caring human being. I remember meeting the mother of 2008 Digicel Rising Stars winner Cameal Davis of Denham Town who said Mr Golding had enthusiastically supported his constituent’s efforts, donating phone credit so she could vote multiple times!

And so, as I said to Lorna Golding last Sunday evening, Jamaica hasn’t truly understood this man who loves her so passionately, that indeed he has dedicated his life to her development. Staff members at Gordon House say there is no politician that has used their library so avidly, ever since he entered that place at the age of 24, still the youngest Jamaican ever to have been elected to a parliamentary seat.

As the aspirants to Jamaica House make their feelings known, I cast my mind back to that balmy November evening when my friends Bruce Golding and Beverley Anderson Manley sat with us to celebrate our company’s 30th anniversary. Beverley glanced at Bruce’s shoes and humorously observed their size. Yes indeed, those are big shoes to fill. Golding’s successor will do well to lean on this statesman (hardly yet an elder) for wisdom and guidance.

A talented senior!

Milliner Sylvia Fagan (left) adjusts one of her lovely hats for celebrated poet Dr Velma Pollard while Irene Walter shows off her new purchase. Occasion is the celebration of the International Day of Older Persons organised by the National Council for Senior Citizens at the St Andrew Parish Church.
Please support her at 33 Tarrant Drive, Kingston 10
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