The Earth has lost a Role Model but Heaven has gained an Angel

My grandfather, Joseph Blyden, was a good man. He was a hard worker and had a giving spirit. He had a strong will and loved to share positive values. I think his life is a great example for me to follow. He was well-respected and dedicated to his family. A very mild-mannered man with handsome features describes my granfather's outer features. What truly entreated you was his kind heart and peaceful spirit.

He is someone that I only have positive memories of. The memories may not be many but for what I can remember, it has always been a great experience being in his presence. He died on Sunday, October 16 after a long illness. May he rest in peace.

Linette
(One of the few times I sign my name)

Food Prices, Crisis and Keeping My Home Stable

FAO choose a correct theme for World Food Day 2011. The theme is "Food Prices - From Crisis to Stability." However, unless a country is producing enough food to ensure its food security, the prices will be primarily subject to external factors. We, the consumers, are hardest hit when climate change, oil wars, invasions, economic downturns and the like increase the cost of food.

We also have to make better choices and by this I mean healthier choices. The first cry becomes healthier means more expensive. One of the Health Care Advocates who visited our PTA meeting reminded us that eating well today saves on medical bills in the future.

I look at fast food and compared it to the healthier choices. If I can get three apples or oranges for $1.00 then that's only $0.33 for each apple. A bag of cheetos is more than $0.50. One store has ripe bananas for $0.79 per pound. One banana does not weigh one pound and it may only weigh a quarter of a pound. My only problem with bananas is that my children will squash them in the bags but I can always cut them up.

I love shrimp but shrimp is not a necessity. Salmon can be considered a need because it is an excellent source of protein. However, you have to shop within your budget to try to get ahead. Things like ketchup, sugar etc, the staples, can be sought through comparison shopping for the best deal.

I learned that if I want my nice fresh produce to be used and not wasted, I need to turn it into fast food. I do not mean by frying! I take the grapes off the stems, wash them and store in a zipper bag. I cut up my lettuce and store the same way. I try my best to season my fish and meats immediately and store in the same matter.

I think more people need to try the green thumb method. Plant some herbs, tea bush, peppers or tomatoes to save and to also eat healthy.

We have to find ways to keep healthy while still saving and enjoying life!

 I have registered for Blog Action Day 2011. Join me in the global discussion about Food. http://bit.ly/BAD11

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FAO Celebrates World Food Day on October 16

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) observes World Food Day annually on October 16 to encourage attention to agriculture and to world hunger.

The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) celebrates World Food Day annually on October 16. As October 16 marks the anniversary of FAO, this day remains significant in the promotion of food and agriculture in the growing world. In November 1979, FAO at its Twentieth General Conference established World Food Day and this day has been celebrated ever since. With over 180 member countries in FAO, this commemoration has spread globally from the United Kingdom to the United States of America to the Caribbean among other countries.

World Food Day Celebrates Agriculture

World Food Day is celebrated not only to promote literal food but to promote agriculture, food security and to raise the awareness of hunger and poverty in the world. According to FAO, the most significant objective is to "encourage attention to agricultural food production and to stimulate national, bilateral, multilateral and non-governmental efforts to this end." This means that agriculture must be a central focus on all levels of leadership both in the private and public sectors locally and globally. According to FAO, two other key objectives for observing World Food Day are to "heighten public awareness of the problem of hunger in the world" and to "strengthen international and national solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty and draw attention to achievements in food and agricultural development."

According to FAO, there are almost one billion people in the world who suffer from chronic hunger. FAO states that "people who are chronically hungry are undernourished (and) don't eat enough to get the energy they need to lead active lives." While some people may feel that the prevalence of hunger may be low in their country, it is important to understand that the hunger FAO refers to is not only the lack of food but the lack of enough nutritional food in the diet to get a person through their normal day.

World Food Day is Observed Worldwide

Other significant objectives of World Food Day are to "encourage economic and technical cooperation among developing countries" and to "promote the transfer of technologies to the developing world." With FAO having its presence globally and with Governments worldwide having to reduce spending, feeding the world's population is a global problem. There are countries that rely heavily on the importation of their food and while they may thrive financially, their inability to feed themselves is a major concern. What happens when climate change or economic slumps affect the food supply? As these factors affect the number of persons who are chronically hungry globally, commemorating World Food Day brings attention and action to taking a more unified approach to reducing global hunger.

World Food Day in USA, USVI & BVI

While the USA has been observing World Food Day from the onset of the commemoration, World Food Day is becoming more significant in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and United States Virgin Islands (USVI) where hunger is not seen on a large scale.

• USA's World Food Day: World Food Day USA encourages Americans to host activities to promote agriculture by organizing agricultural events and farmers' markets, making linkages with the schools or making donations to the needy.
• USVI Makes World Food Day Fun: In the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), the [University of the Virgin Islands (UVI)](http://www.uvi.edu) hosts World Food Day activities. In 2009, UVI sponsored the "World Food Day Youth Super Chef Competition" for junior high and senior high school students and a "Breadfruit Bonanza Cooking Competition" for the public.
• BVI Celebrates World Food Day: In the British Virgin Islands, 2009 marked the first official commemoration of this day with activities by the Department of Agriculture. The department gave donations of produce to the elderly, assisted at a local soup kitchen and held an open house for the public to learn more about agriculture.

Every participating country celebrates World Food Day at different levels. World Food Day is a significant day because it addresses the production and availability of food. According to the FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf, the number of hungry people in the world should be considered a "tragic achievement in these modern days". As World Food Day happens annually, it is hoped that on that day, people everywhere will unite towards the common goal of increasing and improving agricultural production while simultaneously reducing the number of persons who are hungry globally.

Times are hard

People, times are hard. It means that you may have to be mean or you may have to just mean well. We should cast our bread on the water but when you leave home in the morning to buy bread and bush water (tea), how can you really move forward? Can't you make breakfast for yourself at least 3 days out of the week. This is even stronger if you have a family.

I would like to see more young people invest in land as opposed to cars today. Even if your family has land, you should either seek to get a house lot at your own expense or purchase a lot or a home. This is the advice I willingly give any young person today.

The experts say that we should have 3 months living expenses saved but we can't save if we want to live like the rich and famous. It's time to think wisely and live smartly.

POEM: My God is competent

My God is competent
omnipotent
and he is the superintendent
He defies all boundaries
he is fair and never contrary
even when I act crazy
fail to act promptly
and move like I'm lazy
he is still always there for me
and he is there for all of us
but first we have to put in him
our trust
and forfeit our lusts
as he rubs off our rust
we can start afresh and anew
to show the example
of how we grew
in faith and patience
and with a renewed
consciene and confidence
YES My God is competent
all he asks you to do is repent

Copyright LINETTE RABSATT 2011

October -Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October hosts World Food Day, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Reading is Fun Week, Fire Safety Week and a few other things in the BVI. The media is business around this time because in addition to these observances, election is on November 7, 2011. The media is busy and making lots of money too. There are so many choices of topics to write about but some I will skirt around the issue and others I will hit on the head.

Domestic Violence is a serious offence because it affects the family. Crimes under domestic violence include rape, assault, bribery, kidnapping, murder, extortion, neglect etc. We have had several cases appearing in the headlines recently that show us that domestic violence is on the rise in our country. Charges of buggery, sexual assault, assault, attempted murder are cases that are waiting for the assizes.

We as a people no longer have that community spirit. We have become careless, covetous, rude and unruly. The family structure is no longer honored and children are allowed to rear themselves. A child rearing himself is like an unruly animal that rears up when a stranger comes near. We have many social issues that are the underlying problems to the issues we face in society - including crime, teenage pregnancy, financial woes etc.

To curb some of the negativity in our society, the approach has to be a territorywide action. Homes, schools, government, employers all will have to collaborate to teach the right values. Parents, lovers, employers all will have to learn, teach, grow and unite for the betterment of the community.

To end domestic violence, we all have to pledge to work together for the solution.

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Short Story - Melony Melody Visits the Yorkton Islands

These are exciting times. Melony Melody is here! She is going to endorse one of the candidates in this year's election. I am very excited because I've always wanted to see her perform. She comes from our neighboring Caribbean island, Caliente. She has some great songs and is quite a performer. I focus on her as an artist, so I don't think about the proposed candidate, Juan Pang.

Anyway, I already have my hair done, and my clothes are ready. I arrive on time even though everything in the Yorkton Islands starts late. I am looking forward to getting Melony Melody's autograph. I snuck backstage and found her. She was polite and seemed quite glad to talk to an islander. After all, she came from the bigger island of Caliente, so she had one set impression of politicians. We continued to chat, and she asked me about Juan. I could not say much. However, I think she may have spoken to some other islanders before she spoke to me.

I left her to get ready for the show. I sat in the audience and waited for the show to start. I should be describing the event as a political rally, but I was there to hear Melony Melody. After the formalities and official openings, Melony came on stage. She said that she was dedicating her song to the new candidate. She sang her classics "Peace & Unity" and "Deceitful Minds." Then all of a sudden, this artist turned on Juan. She said that these would be politicians are all fake, and then she said something about money missing.

"This song is for Juan Pang:
you can't keep my honey
cause you make the bees sting me
you can't have my money
no more will we allow thievery
cause we tired of them defrauding the Caribbean countries
further messing up the history
defiling we pickney
and trying to take we dignity"

I say 'well sah' this is the thing now, "lol".

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