With the anticipation for Season 4 of the ABC drama 'Scandal', we were all looking at what creator Shonda Rhimes would bring to the table. When interviewed, Rhimes revealed that Olivia was going back to her roots. This 'going back to the roots' was added to by the soundtrack for the first nine episodes of this season. From the well know voice of the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin to Marvin Gaye to the King of Pop Michael Jackson, Shonda touched them all as they added flair to the dramatic life of Olivia Pope and Associates. So which were the best songs for the season so far? Take a listen to the playlist of Season 4 and take your pick!
1. There was no better way to say goodbye to Harrison than by having the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin singing it herself. Her rendition of the Simon and Garfunkel song "Bridge Over Troubled Waters' added to the sadness felt by the team and made us all want to cry as we said good bye to Harrison, our beloved fellow Gladiator.
2. What better way to ask what the hell is happening in Washington than by using Marvin Gaye's hit "What's Going On". With Papa Pope asking for Jake to come to dinner, the Huck & Quinn saga, the mournful Mellie sulking on the couch and David learning of Judge Spark's suicide, what better song could be chosen to ask what's going on in Washington. The words are not only appropriate but we are swooned by the soulful voice of Marvin himself.
3. This season Shonda and her writers seem to be on the path to empowering women. From the opening episode where Olivia helps Senator Vaughn's assistant, it seems that Olivia is out to make sure all women are equal and protected. So when Abby's abusive ex husband returns to run for a Senate seat, Olivia goes to his opponent and makes her over to win and what better song to do this makeover to than the song crooned by iconic diva Chaka Khan which is an anthem for women worldwide.
It's that time of the year and on Saturday 5th July , all eyes will be on Victoria Park for the 2014 edition of SVG's Soca Monarch. In the Power Soca category, Gamal 'Skinny Fabulous ' Doyle will seek to defend his crown against 14 artistes as he seeks to make it 4 in a row. Can Skinny do it again? Take a listen to the competition and hear our predictions.
1. Hance - Wild and Crazy
We love the songs that Hance bring but this song has not garnered the type of popularity to make it to the crown. We however expect nothing but a great performance.
2. Shaunelle - Soca Goddess
With a catchy beat and a good voice, Shaunelle brings her divinity to the stage with the Soca Goddess but will it be enough for the crown. We predict a top 5 place but not the crown this year!
3. Tamisha - Doh Mash It Up
Tamisha has made another great effort for 2014 and with the response from H20 Soca this year, we know she is gonna bring a great performance to the stage. This song we predict will be in the top 5 this year!
4. Fya Empress - Slap Way
Fya Empress will try again this year for the Power Soca crown which has eluded her. While the song is catchy and appeals to the 'Rum Posse' we need an extraordinary performance and half of the park drunk to see this song taking the crown. Our prediction is that this will be a top three hit but not the crown!
5. Fireman - Unruly
This year Fireman has come out with a vengeance to win the crown. We see flashes of the past Fireman who won the Power Soca crowns in past competitions and we know that the whole of North Leeward will be in Victoria Park. The question is , will he bring such stiff competition that he can give Skinny a run for the crown?
6. Problem Child - No Discipline
A crowd favourite every year, Problem Child always brings great songs to the Soca scene but his performance always kills the songs. We have seen flickers of change this year with his performance at Black Rave so we expect him to being one of hs best performances in recent memory to the stage in Victoria Park.
7. Syxx Krazii - It's Carnival
The winner of the 2014 New Song contest, Syxx brings a new vibe to the usual jump and wave. This is a great song with appeal but with it's popularity lacking, we don't know if it has enough power to make it into the top 5.
8. Jamesy P - Bang Dem
Another contender for the 2014 crown is veteran Jamesy P. While he is known for hits such as 'Nookie' and 2014 hit 'Wet", we don't see this track having the power to break into the top five. Let's hope it's an entertaining performance.
9. Keith Currency - Trouble
Another one of the popular tracks for 2014, Keith Currency is sure to have a great run in the Power Soca category with this hit. If he can pull off a crowd moving performance we see this song making a top five place and maybe even making the top three!
10. Fresh Kydd - Ride It
A great tune by a young up and coming artiste, we like the beat and the use of brass. We look forward to a good performance but don't see the crown going to this 'kydd'.
11. Shaney Hypez - You feel you bad
This song's popularity would be due to this artiste being a disc jockey on SVG's most popular radio station. With a catch tune and simple lyrics, we see this a crowd moving hit but not in line for the crown. (However we see this one giving Skinny a run for Road March.)
12. Royal - Youngest & Baddest
Another young artiste, this song has been popular at rural carnivals. We however don't see the power behind it to take the crown.
13. Madskull - Family
Another young artiste, this song has been making the rounds on the airwaves. With a catchy rhythm and simple lyrics, we see the crowd moving to this song. We however do not expect an electrifying performance and don't see this one in the top three but maybe a top five place.
14. Maddzart - Hole in the Road
Another veteran in the Soca business, Maddzart bring another 'road' tune but we don't really feel the power behind this one so we don't think the park will either.
Reigning Monarch - Skinny Fabulous
Following on the success of Behaving the Worst, his writing for artistes such as Machel Montano and collaborations with international artistes such as Major Lazer, Skinny is poised to have another fantastic run in the Power Soca Category. We predict a 65% chance of winning the crown with his stiffest competition coming from his bitter rival.
While it is said he will perform 'Red Button' (which is actually called Made for This), a few persons have been calling for the other big Power Soca hit 'Mental Home'. While we await Skinny's choice, we anticipate Victoria Park will go crazy over this performance.
My predictions for Power Soca Monarch 2014
The top five in no particular order: Skinny Fbulous, Fireman, Keith Currency, Problem Child and Shaunelle.
(We'll see if I can do good predictions.)
Victoria Park is the place to be on Saturday 5th July for the biggest show for Vincy Mas 2014. Can Skinny do it again? We'll just have to see!
Vincy Mas 2K14 is about to climax this weekend and one of the most anticipated shows will be the Soca Monarch competition. Again this year the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC) has combined both the Ragga (also known as Groovy Soca) and the Power Soca segments into one show. (I'm not a big fan of this!)
This year nine artistes will come up against reigning Ragga Soca Monarch Lornette 'Fya Empress' Nedd. Here's a look at the competitors and what they will bring (along with a few predictions),
1. Skarpyon - Raw Curry
The reigning Calypso Monarch bring a chutney flair to this year's Ragga Soca Monarch. On the heels of the success of 'Hammer & Conch' from 2013 and the bitter sting of being relegated to second place, we can expect a performance like no other by Skarpyon as he goes for the crown again this year!
2. Johnny Rebel - Thunder
No one can deny Johnny Rebel loves the Soca arena. His presentation this year is actually a great fusion of old school with new beats. This tune is actually quite catchy and takes you back to a time when you were young and innocent to Soca messages. While we know this tune will be a hit with an older crowd, We aren't too sure if the performance at Victoria Park will be able to move the crowd.
3. Fireman - Rum Meeting
This year Fireman presents his best chance for taking home the crown in the Soca arena for years. This song has not only a captivating beat but also resonates with the entire cross section of Soca listeners from young to old. While we await the presentation on stage Saturday night, we know the crowd will be moving from beginning to end. We shouldn't be surprised if Saturday night, the rum meeting takes home the crown.
4. Vincy Marshall - Faith
This song has been making its lyrics felt for this Carnival season. While still relatively unknown, Vincy Marshall is having waist lines moving for this Carnival season. We anticipate that this song will have an impact in Victoria Park on Saturday night but will that be enough to secure a top three spot? We are not too sure!
5. Demus - No Problem
Another of this year's anthem, we know this song will have Victoria Park moving. This is one of the songs with the best airplay for this season and its catch beat and lyrics have endeared Soca lovers of all ages. We hope Demus can however brig a great performance to help propel him up the ranks this year. One thing we can say however is that we have 'No Problem' with this song!
6. Wiz Skid - Fettologist
It is hard to deny that this song has been one of the most popular for Vincy Mas 2014. With the new catch phrase for this year's Carnival, 'Fettologist' resonates with any party animal who can identify with the lyrics. We know that patrons at Victoria Park will be dancing to this tune but will the performance be one to wow the judges? Let's hope it's not as disappointing and stiff as the music video.
7. Shaunelle - Champion
A veteran to the Carnival business, Shaunelle enters her 21st year with 2 good songs. While we know that she can perform, her music has not been beating the airwaves as much as we think it should and this may make the crowd not as involved as it would normally would. We expect nothing but a stellar performance from Shaunelle but will it be enough to take her to the top three? We'll just have to see!
8. Hance - Wasted
One of SVG's up and coming Soca artistes, we enjoyed his 2013 presentation. This year Hance brings another great track to the table with 'Wasted'. With a great beat and cool lyrics, this is actually one of the best Raga Soca tracks for 2014 in my opinion. Hance always brings a great performance to the stage but is his son popular enough to get the crowd moving? We're not too sure but still Saturday may just surprise a lot of people!
9. Piece ah This - Keith Currency
This year Keith Currency brings another catchy hit to the stage with 'Piece ah This.' This song has been garnering airplay and is another of the favourites for Vincy Mas 2014. With major improvements in his craft, we look forward to a great performance by Keith on the stage and maybe a break into the top three for this year's competition.
Fya Empress - Drink Ah Juice
This year, Fya Empress brings another crowd moving hit which we expect to rock Victoria Park. She will bring her 'A' game to the stage to defend the crown and it may be hard to beat her. This song has the beat, the lyrics and essence of Ragga Soca. We look forward to what the Empress brings to the stage on Saturday night.
So my prediction: My top three in no particular order are Fya Empress, Fireman and Keith Currency.
We'll see what happens on Saturday 5th July at Victoria Park but one thing we know is that the Ragga Soca segment this year is filled with hits that will have you on your feet from start to finish. It's the Battle of the the Groovy!
Vincy Mas 2014 kicks off in 5 days and suddenly I have had a flood of people asking me what to do since they are travelling in on LIAT.
I love LIAT a lot but that does not mean that I don't know the drama that comes with travelling with the airline in summer. So if you're coming home for Vincy Mas or the summer, here are my five tips to make that travelling a little easier:
1. Don't bring all of 'foreign' home with you. You're only allowed 50 lbs in your check in bag and 15 lbs in your carry on and during this peak time LIAT likes to enforce this. Make life easier by packing what you need. You can bring the best summer wardrobe for the 2 weeks you are here in 50 lbs.
If your family wants you to bring town and country, consider shipping a barrel because when you pay for overweight or excess bags expect a headache and hassle getting them from Barbados/Trinidad as they automatically become standby bags. Also pack at least two days worth of clothes in your hand luggage just in case the baggage demon selects you to not receive your bag. If you don't get your bag, fill out a Property Irregularity Form (PIR) at the desk and wait at least 12 hours before you call. Your bag will not be in on the next flight (note the agent says the next available flight) so give it some time. Meanwhile help the economy by buying a shirt and jeans in Kingstown. LOL!
2. Reconfirm your flight and leave a local contact number. One of the biggest problems is that persons do not reconfirm their flights or they do not leave a local contact number so that they can be informed of changes. Sometimes LIAT knows a flight will be 4 hours late but there is one before that you as a passenger can be accommodated on but they have no way of contacting you. Leave your mother's cell number or the land-line just in case because it may save you having to stay in the airport in Barbados or Trinidad for an extra day.
(Photo credit: I Witness News SVG Kenton Chance/Nigel Browne)
3. Delays are inevitable. Summer is a peak period and with breakdowns, extra sectors, weather delays and overbookings you will find that flights will be late. There are two simple ways to deal with this: have a good book or fully charged tablet and keep your vex money for food. While the airline has a policy of three hours before they have to feed you after a delay, the easiest thing is to keep that handy US$20 to buy Cheffete's in Barbados or some 'doubles' in Trinidad. Keep a book in your hand luggage or your tablet to keep you entertained and occupied but make sure you listen out for delay announcements and boarding announcements.(If travelling with kids you may have to keep extra money as new security regulations do not allow the carriage of liquids over 3 oz per container. Pack snack boxes for them and make sure you have games/toys to keep them occupied! You'll have to buy them juices to keeps them hydrated as travelling can dry you and them out.)
(Photo credit: I Witness News SVG Kenton Chance)
4. When returning to the new home, people have the idea that they need to pack everything to carry back. From fish to breadfruit to sugarcakes to whole turkeys, we know you miss the taste of home. However with the number of bags going out, there is a possibility yours will be left behind.
The easiest thing to do is pack your perishables in your hand luggage. You do not want the fish spoiling or missing out on savouring those tamarind balls. Non perishable items like the pepper sauce, Sunset Light Rum (it is illegal to travel with Sunset Strong Rum) and Black Wine cannot go in the hand luggage so put them in the check in bag and they will get to you unspoiled (even if it's a few days late.)
5. Be nice to the agent at the desk. The biggest mistake a lot of passengers make is that they think cursing the agent at the desk will make things happen for them. It is the exact opposite and while I know LIAT's customer service leaves a lot to be desired, you will be surprised that being nice will get you a whole lot farther than cursing the agent. A pleasant greeting, a smile and a friendly tone can make things happen faster and the agent more empathetic towards you. Also do not just run to the supervisor or manager to see if they can do it faster; they can't. They always come back to the little guy and his connections so be nice to the agent at the desk!
Remember check in time is two hours before the flight and that you should clear with Immigration and security at least 30 - 45 minutes before your scheduled departure. Have a great trip home to SVG and if you see me, buy me a rum (Sparrow/Mt. Gay or Capt. Bligh) as a 'Thank You' for the advice!
Taken from http://socahits.com/wp-content/uploads/skinny_fabulous_glitz.jpg
If 2013 was a great year for Gamal ‘ Skinny Fabulous’ Doyle,
2014 is going to be epic. After claiming the Soca Monarch and Road March crown
in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for 2013, Skinny has started out 2014 with a
bang. His writing and performing skills were put on show for ‘The Greatest
Party on Earth’ Trinidad Carnival 2014. After a stellar performance for the
International Soca Monarch and with the success
of his hit ‘Behaving The Worst’, Skinny released the music video on Monday 10th
March! The reaction could only be described in one word: CRAZY!
The video has garnered over 10 thousand views in less than
24 hours and has been liked and shared hundreds of times on social media sites
such as Twitter and Facebook. Not since the days of Touch has a music video
been anticipated like this and received such feedback in a short space of time.
The video was shot in Trinidad and St. Vincent with the
opening scene including the Lowmans Leeward Anglican School. The opening scenes
of the video include the La Gracia Dance Company and the Commissioner of Police
in SVG, Michael Charles. The video is riddled with Soca celebrities including power couple Bunji Garlin and Fay Ann Lyons,
2014 Power Soca Monarch Machel Montano, Destra Garcia, Iwer George, and 2011
Project Runway winner Anya Ayoung Chee! With production by Alex ' Kubyashi ' Barnwell, this song now combined with video is poised to take Vincy Soca on a rampage across carnivals for 2014.
Kern Rose (left) & Titan VCD (right) directed the video
Directed by Titan VCD and Kern Rose (who directed the Patrice Roberts/TallPree video for Mash It up), this video really
brings out ‘the worst behaviour.’ With dance moves that are hypnotic, scenes of
fences being ripped down and the proud representation of St. Vincent and the
Grenadines (the flag, Skinny’s scarf and the Hairoun beer), ‘Behaving The Worst’
has brought the music video back to Soca especially in SVG and will hopefully
revitalize the music scene in SVG. Let’s see what Vincy Mas 2014 will bring but
one thing we gotta say, Skinny Fabulous has done it again!
Over the last few years there have been many changes in our
environment and phrases such as ‘Global
Warming’ and ‘Climate Change’ have become a part of our everyday language. But
what does this mean for persons in small islands such as St. Vincent and the
Grenadines? What will be the impact if the 4 degrees Celsius warms the Earth? A
warmer world will not only impact us here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines but
also the whole world!
Taken from WorldAtlas.com
One of
the world’s foremost experts on climate research, Prof. Hans Joachim Schellnhuber
who is Director of Potsdam Institute for
Climate Impact Research, located in Potsdam,
Germany talks about the impact of CO2/Carbon Dioxide on today’s world. It is
interesting to note that with all the green vegetation in St. Vincent that we
don’t really think about CO2 emissions. However if we are to look at the impact
of CO2 on temperature, we will begin to look at how the dry season has become
so unpredictable and the havoc being wreaked by the continued spike in
temperature. We are now experiencing hotter days which are impacting how we
live our everyday lives.
The Marriaqua Valley (13th most fertile valley in the world)
But what
if the world’s countries don’t change, what will be the impact? Dr. Erick
Fernandes, Adviser, Climate Change and Natural Resource Management, Latin
America and Caribbean Agriculture and Rural Development Unit at World Bank
notes that while there may be some positive from the rise in temperature, it
will ultimately impact our agricultural production. As a country that is
dependent on agriculture and agricultural exports, we will be impacted severely
whether by droughts or lots of precipitation which will destroy our agricultural
stocks. We will no longer have any form of food security and will have to begin
looking at higher import bills or even food crises that can lead to malnourishment,
and spread of diseases.
Anopheles Mosquito which carries the disease. (Photo from CDC.gov)
We as
an island nation will also be looking at rising sea levels as this can have a
major impact on our country, both physically and economically. In the
Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change Report, the impact shown from the
unattended levels of emissions is staggering and shows a drastic rise in sea
levels impacting the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean islands and leaving millions of
persons displaced by coastal flooding. There will be loss of valuable coastal
property which will impact industries such as fishing and tourism. According to
Prof. Stefan Rahmstorf ,Professor of Physics of the Oceans, Potsdam University,
and Head, Earth System Analysis at Potsdam
Institute for Climate Impact Research, he states ” We can see that also some of the ecosystems that protect the coasts from storm surges will get
damaged by sea‐level rise. “ He notes in the longer run
coastal cities as well as island states may be at risk. The impact of coastal
flooding is not only important to us in SVG or the Caribbean but also coastal
cities such as New York in the US and Rotterdam in Europe. It is a problem that
will affect us all.
Flooding in the island of Oceania which are already feeling the effects of Climate Change
We will
also see an impact on the health of our population from the effects of this 4
degree change in temperature. Prof. Anthony McMichael, Professor Emeritus of
Population Health at Australian National University in Canberra, Australia
notes that there will be an impact on the health of our populations. In
addition to food shortages and dwindling resources, the health of our people
especially those who are in the poor and vulnerable areas will have a lot to
contend with such as rise in vectors such as mosquitoes and the diseases that
they carry like malaria will see an upsurge as conditions will be favourable
for breeding them. The impact on the ecosystem he notes will also impact us as
animals such as bats which help control disease will be impacted and will no
longer be there to help contain these diseases leading to a world that is very
unhealthy and diseased.
So what
is the solution you may ask? There is no quick fix for climate change and the effects.
We are living in a technological age where we have to develop the solution for
climate change by working together as nations on the Earth whether you are 150
square kilometres or millions of square kilometres. We have to see how we can
impact the discussion and bring about changes at the local, regional and
international level. And if you think Climate change is not important, just
think of your favourite beach and you no longer being able to visit it or you
can only get rationed food to eat or there is a major outbreak of Malaria. The
time is now to start action for a world of change and stop the 4 degrees.
It is with great honour that I stand here today representing my colleagues at this important milestone. Congratulations to you all on this great achievement having walked the hallowed halls of this campus of the premier tertiary education institution in the Caribbean, gleaning the knowledge and experiences that we will take forward in our lives. Today marks the end of another chapter in our lives and the beginning of another; in the word of Julius Caesar ‘Veni, Vidi, Vici.’: ‘We came, we saw, we conquered.’
We came to this place that many of us would call home for years and on entering this beautiful campus, we started a journey, an adventure that could only be described as the UWI Experience. From the plethora of information and myriad of experiences of Orientation Week, we knew that we had made a great choice by choosing the Mona Campus. Then we started classes and immediately we knew that this was no longer secondary school or CAPE. Our school days became filled with lectures, practicals, lab sessions and the occasional class debates which added to our learning experience. We were told on entry that we were here to ‘read for a degree’ and that is exactly what we did. The libraries became our second home and the libraries’ staff our family. Many days and nights would be spent there doing research, accessing documents and just finding a quiet environment to study. The quote of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow became known to many of us after our first year here. “Heights by great men reached and kept were not obtained by sudden flight but, while their companions slept, they were toiling upward in the night.” We would learn from our mistakes in first year and go on to make the rest of our academic journey a successful one.Yet while we pursued our academic goals, there was more that would mould us as Pelicans. Our skills and talents were shown whether in acting, singing or directing at the Philip Sherlock Centre, our sporting abilities displayed at the Mona Bowl, the event planning skills in transforming venue for pageants, shows and parties and our outreach projects focusing on helping our society. Our time spent within the various clubs and societies on campus would help develop our leadership and communication skills as well as make us team players. There were many debates between the nationals from the many islands of our region, informing us about each other’s culture with each trying to outdo the other. Still, the more we would highlight our differences, the more we would see and embrace the similarities of our Caribbean identity. All of this would help to mould what the UWI has outlined in its strategic plan: the ideal UWI graduate.
On such a momentous occasion, it would be remiss of me not to recognize those who helped and guided us on this journey. We were fortunate to have some of the best minds in the Caribbean and by extension the world, to pilot our academic pursuits, challenging us to think creatively and critically and pushing us to achieve excellence. We are thankful to our lecturers and tutors for their work in aiding us to achieve today’s accomplishment. Your invaluable efforts will go on with us in our work wherever we are. To our families and friends, we thank you for the love, support and tolerance especially in our trying times. We are grateful for your integral role in this journey to our academic success.
And so we have come to the end of another chapter of journey and will begin a new one today. We must now become the change we need in our countries, our region and our world. We must now pursue our dreams, no longer waiting for a job to be provided but providing our own jobs, creating innovative businesses and becoming the leaders of our region for today.
As we move on let us not forget the memories and friends made here. We now have a network that extends throughout the region and beyond. We are now ambassadors of the university and bear the proud title of Alumni of the University of the West Indies. As Pelicans I urge us to wear it proudly, display it and show why the UWI is the premier tertiary education institution in the Caribbean. We must also proudly give back to her; join the UWI Alumni Association and support the efforts to improve the university by giving of our time, talent and treasure.
In closing we have done what Caesar did; we came to this campus with a dream, we saw the excitement and the challenges of university life and we conquered it, with today as a testament of our achievements. I wish us all success in our future endeavours and may we proudly stand as representatives of the "Light Rising from the West." I thank you!
Shavar D.M. Maloney B.A. (Hons) Media & Communication UWI Class of 2013
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