TMAG Vol 1 Issue 5

Dhaka Tribune

Tuesday, May 14, 2013 Volume 1, Issue 5

Funk Up Your Room kill the clutter Wardrobe Check guys, suit down Written in the Stars talk. share. unburden.

Hot topic

posers alliance

tmag

CHECK IT OUT

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Editor’s Note Dear Readers,

A weekly production of

DhakaTribune Acting Editor Zafar Sobhan Magazine Editor Sabrina Fatma Ahmad TMAG Team Sabiha Mahmud Sumi Tashhid Abdullah Rubab Nayeem Khan Munira Fidai Afshan Sattar Natasha Rahman Azfar Rahman Saudia Afrin Contributors Fahad Zaman Imtiaz Salim Fardeen Ameen Tahsin Momin Tabeen Siddiki Naveed Choudhury

Social networking is a wonderful thing.

It connects old friends, brings people together for a cause, raises awareness, helps businesses, yadda yadda.

Unfortunately, it also provides a platform for the most annoying people on the planet. This week, we take a break from all the seriousness around us to poke some fun at some of these “characters.” Check them out on our Hot Topic.

We’ve also got a bright new room for you to check out (Page 2) and the battle of sexes over matters of the heart (Page 12).

It’s nice to get your artwork and music news. Keep ‘em coming! And if you’ve got a cool room or a cute friend with a banging sense of style, don’t forget to tell us all about it!

Send your photos, artwork, love letters and hate-mail to tmag@ dhakatribune.com l

8 Written in the Stars Yeshim Iqbal brings you Bangladesh’s first emotional helpline

6 Beauty Check Treat your hair with our recipes

Love, From the TMAG desk

Graphics Mohammed Mahbub Alam Asmaul Haque Mamun Istella Imam Production Masum Billah

4 Hot Topic

Advertising Shahidan Khurshed

Our favourite fakers on Facebook

7 Look of the Week Nerd Chic

Circulation Wahid Murad Email: tmag@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com

About the cover “All the world’s a stage, and men and women are merely players.”

William Shakespeare Models: Misha and Riffy Jiffy Photo: Homayra Adiba

Status of the week

Hartals have become more like hotel bookings.

“Thank you for your cancellation sir, we look forward to your dates.”

“Congratulations Party X, Sunday just opened up for you, Bye bye..”

Enjoy your violence”

Quote of the week “When nothing goes right, go to sleep.”

Lingo of the week Delazify (Dee-lay-zee-fie) The act of getting off the couch to get stuff done.

Warning: May result in getting a life!

More inside Gossip 3 Event Tweets 12 Teen Confessions picks Of the week 2 Room of the Week Misha 3 Doodle of the Week Rezwanul Haque 6 Chic of the Week Madhurima Chakraborty 10 Guitar Tabs of the Week Cryptic Fate’s Protibad 11 App of the Week Flipboard Your world 9 Fiction Pride 9 Comic Book Swamp thing 9 Book Skullduggery Pleasant 10 Music Hybrid Coalition 10 Movie Upside Down 10 TV Big Bang Theory 11 Car 2010 Toyota Vitz 11 Gadget hunt Transcend MP300 11 Web Critic PartyCloud.FM

Horoscope 12 Your Forecast Fashion 6 Wardrobe check Guys, Suit Down!

TMAG’s says 2 Funk up Your Room Kill the Clutter 2 FYI Bullying: A Battle of Wills 3 School Survival Ways to Combat those Stressors 10 Playlist Ultimate Hipster Playlist 12 Choose/Lose Your Other Half Real Life 8 Youth Icon Talk. Share. Unburden 9 Non-fiction Tanki Fail 12 He Says, She Says: Commenting on Commong Teenage Relationship Issues

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Your Life

FYI

Funk up your room

Bullying: A Battle of Wills bigstock

Kill the clutter

Bullying issues have been the cause of depression and have had consequences as bad as suicide. It is not so much the problem itself that gets to you, but the effect it has on you.

Here’s why the bullies bully and what the victim should do about it.

I can bully you, so I will.

1 Bully: Victim: No. You cannot.

Nothing the bully says should hamper your self esteem. You don’t have friends, she says? Go, make some!

A loner is easier to attack than one who moves in a pack. You are fat, he taunts? So what? If you have to win friends with a zero figure, chances are, you’re better off without them.

Remember, a bully is intending to hurt you. The braver your face, the harsher their words will get. Once the bully starts getting unreasonably harsh, celebrate a small victory.

You have succeeded in getting your point through: You are not easily breakable.

I am richer; I have the 2 Bully: right to demean you.

Victim: I hardly care what car you drive.

Most bullies are naturally arrogant and over-confident. This attitude can come from being exposed to

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excessive luxury at home or excessive attention from parents. You may not be Bill Gates’ son, but you have a much better disposition than the bully and in a much better position to win friends. Don’t be afraid to say it.

I like making the 3 Bully: cry baby cry.

Victim: I’m stronger than you think.

Never give in. The best satisfaction a bully gets is when they see your tears. They know they have hit it on the bull’s eye and have found your

weak spot. If you cannot fight back verbally, ignore them and leave. Nobody and nothing has the power to hurt you if you don’t let them.

Bull y: There is no stopping

4 me.

Victim: I can and will speak out.

School authorities such as counselors and teachers are there to help you out. Instead of suffering alone, reach out. They are in the best position to show the bully the consequences of such socially unacceptable behaviour. Munira fidai

homayra adiba

TMAG’s Room of the week!

Shoe boxes, and open wicker baskets are amazing storage options, and not just for shoes. Stick a few open wicker boxes inside your closet, and you’ve created additional drawers for your small clothes. Or take a medium-sized open wicker box and fit a couple of smaller ones inside it, and voila, you have a system for organising your make-up and hair accessories. A shoe-box can find a new purpose as a container for your art supplies.

Get some curved bathroom hooks for your bathroom doors, and you won’t have to clutter your floors with discarded clothing. Hooks on the side of your dressing table can be a great place to hang ID cards, and you can also stick a hat there to create visual interest. Tiny hooks inside your closet drawer with a tight string between them, can be a great place for your scarves and ties.

Name

Wild wires

Area

If you want to avoid a nasty snarl of wires from your computer paraphernalia, roll up the excess wire and secure with a cable tie, so that they don’t get tangled. For wires going from the power source to your television or computer, secure them to the wall with a cable holder, and minimise accidents from tripping.

dhanmondi

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Little boxes, little boxes

Peg it

misha

We are totally digging the colours and sense of freshness all over the walls.

The artwork creates visual interest and really adds life to the room.

Does it sometimes feel like your messes are organic, and no matter how many times you clean your room, the moment you turn your back, your clothes sneak out of your closet and your bookshelf spews its contents all over your bed? You’re not alone. Here are a few tips towards finding some method to deal with the madness.

Invest in a bulletin board

Send in a picture of your room to tmag@dhakatribune.com and you may be crowned TMAG’s room of the week!

If all those appointment diaries and phone alarms don’t really help you organise your schedule, or your thoughts, a bulletin board is a lifesaver. It will also contain your sticky notes in one place. Maintain one long enough, and it will even begin to resemble abstract art. sabrina f fatma

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Schoologistics

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School Survival

Ways to Combat Those stressors

TMAG’s Doodle of the week!

This doodle was drawn by Rezwanul Haque during his lab class.

Munira fidai Peer Conflicts

Friends can be fun, but pushy too! It can get sticky when friends push you towards things you may not be comfortable with.

Advice

Learn to say NO. Holding your own can help you develop a strong personality.

You can gain friends and admiration of your classmates. Remember, having fun and doing new things is fine, but compromising your ethical boundaries isn’t.

Rules

From school, to tuition classes, right down to your dining table…it seems you can never let your guard down!

Advice

While you may get more tolerant of them as you grow up, you’ll never be rid of rules. Though many seem downright pointless, they are for your own good. No one is surviving only to cramp your style, so take it with a pinch of salt!

Relationships bigstock

While “grown ups” may wave this age off as one of rebellion and overreaction, ask a teen how important it is, to be taken seriously! We recognise this need and have identified several common stressors that plague teens and some simple advice to overcome them.

School

Struggling with homework, staying on top of curricular and extracurricular activities and working towards teachers’ and parents’ expectations can leave you worn out like nothing else!

Advice

Treat your school like a place to hang out, only slightly more educational. The friends you make here are invaluable, and while competing is good, learning is better. Remember, you can learn from your mistakes and you are expected to make them!

Parents are bodyguards, teachers are jailors and crushes? You might as well be invisible to them!

Advice

Know that your relationship with your family may get bumpy! Love the bumps too, for they are invaluable to your personal growth. As for those frequent crushes that never seem to materialise into much, enjoy them. There’s nothing like the first taste of puppy love!

If you are a classroom doodler, email your doodle to tmag@dhakatribune.com and see it in our weekly!

Finances

Showing off is part of teenage! You have to have the coolest pair of sneakers or the newest shade of lipstick, not to mention the endless mobile phone credit.

However, pocket money may be meager and far from enough!

Advice

Prioritise your needs above your wants!

Remember also, to keep some money aside for your friends when they may push you into treating them, which may be more frequently than you want!

EVENT TweetS Summer Fashion Festival

Thursday, May 16,10am to 8pm Drik Gallery, House 58, Road 15A (New) Dhanmondi, Dhaka For further details contact: 01719488388

SWAT Glory Cup

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Thursday, May 16, at 8am Swat Football Field, Banani, Dhaka 7-a-side (10 man squad) No. of teams: 12- 24 Entry fee: Tk2,500 Winning prize: Tk7,000, a trophy and medals (depending on the number of teams) Runners up prize: Tk5,000, a trophy and medals (depending on the number of teams) For futher details contact: Mohsin Rafi 01674892353/01982945156

Bangladesh Street Freestyle Event 3

Saturday, May 18, at 8am Abahoni Field, Dhanmondi Activities include: freestyle rap with beat boxing; photo sessions; video recording; street dancing; bicycle stunts.

For further information contact: Vamp 01682270656 Gran Sinista 01686139842

Red ball brings you FIFA 13 Championship 3 on Xbox 360

Thursday, May 23, at 2am Officers’ Club, Baily Road Entry fee: Tk600 Winning prize: Tk20,000 Runners up prize: Tk10,000 Rules: WCG Rules & game time 5-min

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tmag

Your Life

*POserS* alliance

The laws of the jungle are cruel and harsh, where only the fittest can survive.

Predator species would have overrun the planet had it not been for the ingenuity of their prey. Blending in with their environs, hiding in plain sight, they have learned to evade the hungry gaze of the creatures that call them lunch. Moving from the literal jungle into the concrete, we find humans that, like their animal brethren, have learned the sacred art of “Pretending.” What they lack in terms of street cred, actual skills or talents, they fake it. Allow Munira fidai, Sabrina F Ahmad and Azfar Rahman to present the Posers Alliance

me Code Na

Code Name

k i m e r p h s e d #

#football cl u b chick (FCC)

Strengths

l They looove Bangalee music. La-

Strengths l Awesome wardrobe, awesome makeup, hands down! You have to admit, FCC’s know how to dress cool!

lon and Nazrul are the same, right?

l Enthusiasm. It takes energy to put all

that effort into looking the part.

Weaknesses l Don’t ask them the difference between March 26 (Independence Day) and December 16 (Victory Day).

Weaknesses

SABIHA MAHMUD SUMI HOMAYRA ADIBA

Player Profile: The #deshpremik has a distinct wardrobe. Kurtas, gamchas, red and green bandannas, colour-coded sari/panjabi for all the national holidays, anything that screams “Bangladesh.”

And “screaming” is what you’ll see them do. All over Facebook, “checking in” at all the Bangladesh matches, political rallies and gatherings (the safe ones, natch), flashing a V-sign, making sure they get their photo-op to be include a with all the status messages that proclaim just how patriotic they all are. Oh, and make-up is too mainstream; the #deshpremik prefers face paint.

Player Profile: Football club jerseys and shorts are wardrobe staples. Her favourite topic to discuss? Why, football of course.

But don’t be fooled into thinking you’ll get any insight on game stats and strategy. No, she’s interested in Ronaldo’s pretty face, Drogba’s abs, and David Beckham’s ... everything? Also, don’t ask her the difference between a football and basketball.

Models Desh Premik - Raheel G. Bardai; Football Club Chick (FCC) & Phillings - Nazia Ashraf; Quantum Do-Gooders - Misha M.I.B.A.A (Made in Bangladesh, assembled abroad - Syed Siyam & Anna Hofsaess

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l An inabil-

ity to actually play a sport.

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Schoologistics

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Code N ame

Code Name

#quantum do-gooders

#phillingz

Strengths l They manage to look great in pictures when they serve humanity. Somehow, the sun and heat, dirt and grime, never seems to bother them! l They tell great stories.

What? They have had great adventures, dude!

HOMAYRA ADIBA HOMAYRA ADIBA

PLAYER PROFILE: One word to describe them, DEEP. They understand death and sorrow like no one else can and even seem to find a perverse, aesthetic pleasure in it. Understandably, the “pangs” they have felt in the past have “moulded them into the shell of a person they’ve become.” Our heartfelt sympathies. Wardrobe includes mostly black, with the tell-tale streaks of mascara running down their cheeks. Yes, even the guys.

not get ? You may You know .

Strengths . d th n a e ta d rs , e d und derstan lThey just se they un Nothing beats u a c e b o d it but they our heroes! ed wrist esn’t scare wound, or a bandag and l Pain do t s n cu laceratio ff a fresh of age-old showing o are just s y re e tu Th ic s. p king rking site o tw e or even ta n l a p on soci putting it u ! re co rd so ha rly. s so regula ses them blow ed ls in a a e st d Weaknes r e a lif te ! Their sad how n a m , m e l It’s just th ell, death. o one gets It’s like, n le of sorrow and ... w ta a faces tell

PLAYER PROFILE: If you thought Dr Manhattan’s ability to be at different places at the same time was a bit of a stretch, wait till you meet these guys. They go trekking, dance in flash-mobs, participate in rallies, go extreme biking, all at the same time.

The proof is all over Facebook. And Twitter. And Instagram. You’d probably find it on our billboards, if they found the time for it, but, there’s that other “important cause” that needs to be exploi ... err undertaken.

Weaknesses l Can’t survive without exposure to cameras.

Code Nam e

PLAYER PROFILE: “Yo dawgz, I gotta bounce ‘cause I got some homies hanging at my crib.

They are like visiting Bangladesh and stuff!”

They hang out in the “cool” places in the city with all the right people. Friday night plans? Not happening. For them, each night is Friday night.

# m . i . b .a.a (Made in bangladesh, assem bled

abroad)

Strengths l The ability to spot a foreigner within a ten mile radius.

Weaknesses

l Deshi people. Eww!

HOMAYRA ADIBA

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6 tmag

FASHION FACE-OFF

Beauty Check

Wardrobe Check

Guys, Suit Down!

Hey Beautiful,

Great Hair!

Munira fidai

Hair is your very own, natural accessory gifted by God. However, a lot needs to be done in order to keep it beautiful. No, that does not include expensive trips to the parlour every few weeks. We have ways for you to keep your hair great looking, sleek and manageable while also keeping your wallets full.

Its summer time and not really one that calls for a lot of heavy dressing. In this weather, Tmag says, the lighter, the better!

However, dressing light without dressing right is heavy on the eyes. So read up on the dos and don’ts of what belongs in your wardrobe this summer and what does not Bigstock

Mayo is mostly eggs which are made of proteins. Since your hair is also made of protein, this treatment works like magic. Make sure to use organic mayo and work it gently into your scalp (for dry hair) and at the tips (for oily hair).

Cover with a shower cap for an hour then rinse off and shampoo.

Deep yoghurt treatment Use plain yoghurt and spread it all over your hair. Let it harden for about half an hour then rinse off. Take time to shampoo and condition well.

Deep aloe and honey treatment Use aloe vera gel and honey in equal parts with a conditioner. Aloe Vera is an excellent conditioning agent and honey adds shine. Leave it on for 5 minutes and rinse. Follow it with a shampoo. Be

Colours

2

Shorts, not cutoffs

3

Shades are in

4

Be toe-pretty

5

Casual-formal

T-shirts in light colourful fabrics look fresh and cool. White is always in. You can’t go wrong with plain white tees, but gamble on finding a colour that suits your skin tone. Stick to the solids but if you tend to sweat, try a pattern that will disguise sweat marks or wear inners to avoid unsightly sweat marks altogether.

Bigstock

Deep mayo treatment

1

sure to use an aloe vera gel that does not contain alcohol. Also, honey may lighten your hair colour, so people with dark-coloured-hair should take note of this.

Cut-offs are simply not attractive. Also, bike shorts are meant to be worn on long distance biking trips only. Anywhere else, they look obscene. Get a decent pair of shorts and leave something to the imagination, please. You can get good bargains at ‘Doja or New Market.

In general All this was what you could do at home for great hair. However, without keeping in mind certain other common practices, the above treatments may not work their best. The very first of these practices is to eat right. You are what you eat and your hair is part of what you are. Include proteins in your diet which increases hair growth and rebuilds damage. Second, contrary to popular belief, there is no proof that brushing your hair a 100 times a day increases blood circulation. Give your hair a rest.

Lastly, tie your hair when you go to bed.

It reduces frizz.

Stylish shades do more than just look nice atop your nose, they protect your eyes and skin. Get some nice ones from roadside vendors. You not only get a good bargain but also a good variety. Choose rims that are made of steel instead of plastic, as plastic can start flaking away and cause a rash.

Bigstock

Go sock-less for once. White socks on sandals are a major fashion no-no! Give your toes a breather but if you are going to wear sandals, take time to keep your toes and feet clean. A home pedicure is simply good-grooming and does a favour to all those eyes that are watching your feet.

Chic of the Week madhurima chakraborty Age: 20 yrs Email your street style photo in to tmag@dhakatribune.com and be crowned TMAG’s chic of the week!

Make sure when you are in the mood to go casual. You wear shirts that are meant to be un-tucked.

Floppy shirt tails don’t look nice. Also, going semi formal, almost to the point of casual, can look nice when you can nail the fit perfectly. So for those guys’ get-togethers, look leaner. It’s not just hip, it’s also effortlessly dressy.

Munira fidai

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FASHION FACE-OFF Look of the Week

Nerd chic Once upon a time, glasses were passé and “nerd” was a word you didn’t want to be called. Flash forward past the ridonculous success of super nerds like Gates, Jobs and Zuckerberg, and nerd chic is actually fashion-forward.

Glam up a pair of librarian specs with some girly make up, and then dress down with a basic tee, and you’ll be grinding a lot of gears ... in a good way

Aries: You’ll be meeting a lot of people this week, but you can’t play the best friend card with every one of them, except for those with whom you share similar beliefs. Expect to see a moody side to yourself; but this newfound ego doesn’t mean you can go and growl at the harmless people. Be nice.

Gemini: Instead of cringing at the sound of criticisms, you’re lending an ear to your critics in order to learn something new. Being an emotional wreck isn’t always a bad thing, it beats becoming a rhino and you certainly don’t want that to happen any time soon.

Taurus: You want to be your own boss; so it’s quite obvious that you don’t want people to stick their nose up your business. If you want to increase interactions with people, then you can start by owning up to previous mistakes and give them the benefit of saying “Water under the bridge.”

Cancer: You might want to put a tax on your mouth before talking to people.

If you are still wondering why, talk it out with a friend before increasing your interactions.

Any other doubts you have over the week can be solved the same way.

HOROSCOPE Leo: If you have been bottling up secrets or unresolved feelings, now’s the time to get it out of your system. Certain things people say to you might come off as insensitive. You’ll be a good listener to those in need, and will also be in the position to impart wisdom.

Sagittarius: Your head and heart will be on the same page this week. But if you keep carrying a baggage from the past it won’t do you any good.

Leave history where it belongs and move on. If you are bothered by double standards be upfront about it.

Virgo: Your efforts will be praised, regardless of the fact that you lost. Lose that scowl on your forehead and relax a little. Some people might try to put you down, but you’ll do everything to get rid of them.

Capricorn: Get your facts right before going through with a particular decision.

Try to read peoples gestures; one of your friends might see you as a potential romantic interest.

Prevent yourself from being rude to them or sending them mixed signals.

Libra: Laidback attitude creates an avenue for trouble.

Attend to chores and focus on relationships you have been avoiding like the plague. If you think apologies are due then get to it and write it off your to-do list.

Model: Tanzila Maha Photographer: Homayra Adiba

Scorpio: Plans are meant to go awry, but that doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel. Hearts are flying around you; you could try and find out if there’s something good in store for you in the relationship department.

Aquarius: Instead of drowning your sorrows in food, try to follow a wellbalanced diet. Get out of your coop and start interacting with people. You could outdo those fancy-shmancy crowds with your ideas. Use it before they go stale.

Pisces: If you don’t set your priorities straight, your coming first won’t really matter to anyone. If things are going smooth for you, don’t take risks that won’t bode well for you in the long run.

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written in the Stars

Talk. Share.

Unburden. bigstock

In a society gagged and bound by taboos, so many young people feel like there is no one to hear their silent cries for help.

Thanks to Yeshim Iqbal, this will no longer be true. On April 28 this year, she launched Kaan Pete Roi, the first emotional helpline in Bangladesh.

Saudia Afrin gives you the scoop.

Adolescence is, for some reason, treated with suspicion and condescension in this country. “Terrible Teens.” “Juvenile delinquents.” “Wasted Youth.” These are some of the common phrases used to describe young people who are just struggling to come to terms with their changing bodies, expanding social cycles, and the rising pressure of studies and other responsibilities. Many of their concerns, particularly those involving reproductive health and hygiene, are simply not discussed because we are a “conservative” people. Other problems, such as teen depression, are dismissed as trivial. Is it any wonder that young people feel like they have no one to talk to or guide them?

According to a 2011 World Health Organisation report, 1 million people commit suicide every year. Kaan Pete Roi might just be our way of minimising those figures locally. With a dedicated and enthusiastic volunteer team, Yeshim

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bigstock

About Kaan Pete Roi

“Kaan Pete Roi has shown that it is possible to make a difference, to start something from scratch, to go ahead even when we are uncertain or when there are challenges in the way. I hope that people trust that they can turn to Kaan Pete Roi when they are in need” Yeshim Iqbal Iqbal aims to provide emotional support to alleviate feelings of depression, isolation, distress, and suicidal feelings among our community members.

Yeshim Iqbal, a psychology graduate from Cornell University, had, for several years volunteered for Boston Samaritans on the phones. Her work experience with Samaritans make Yeshim realise the need for such service in Bangladesh, where suicide is a concern, but there are no easily accessible mental health services. With that incentive mind, she moved back to Bangladesh in September 2012, and began to work on Kaan Pete Roi. In spite of Bangladesh having a conservative culture, people are comfortable

about calling and sharing, and so far the responses regarding this initiative have been positive.

The objective of Kaan Pete Roi is to provide compassionate and open-minded listening rather than problem-solving or analysis. Anyone who needs emotional support can call. The entirely anonymous and confidential aspect of Kaan Pete Roi, makes it much easier for people to share their personal stories with them. As most of the people come to know about this through different social media like Facebook, a large percentage of callers are from this demographic.

Kaan Pete Roi has opened a new doorway and are waiting with open ears and willing shoulders to listen to you.

The heart and soul of Kaan Pete Roi are its volunteers.

This great work would not be possible without the compassion and dedication of these individuals. The volunteers of Kaan Pete Roi are mostly students, covering a large range of ages and fields of study.

The helpline does not have any specific requirements of age or educational background, but looks for individuals who are dedicated, dependable and empathic listeners. They are trained in suicidal risk assessment and crisis management.

Currently Kaan Pete Roi has 30 volunteers and is in the process of training more over the next six months.

The training protocol is set down by Befrienders Worldwide, which is an internationally established model for suicide prevention. The basis of this model is confidential, compassionate, and openminded listening.

Apart from Yeshim, there are two primary staff members Rozy Hossain, and Hammad Ali but several more individuals are supporting them in this great initiative.

Kaan Pete Roi is supported

by Alchemy, a public health initiative of the company Team Engine.

With the eventual goal of a 24-hour service and of expanding into other major cities, Kaan Pete Roi is now providing their support to community people three days in a week from Sunday to Tuesday, 3pm to 9pm.

Check them out at http:// www.shuni.org or FB pagewww.facebook.com/kaan. pete.roi

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Fiction

NON-Fiction

Holland’s Disaster Mention Alan Moore to any comic lover and they’ll start gushing about all their favourite stories, they’ll mention Watchmen, Batman and V for Vendetta but some tend to forget the story that paved his way to the top and revolutionised the industry at the same time.

Swamp Thing (as you can guess by the name) is far from your traditional comic but it makes up for it with it’s gripping tale and striking artwork.

Moore’s re-imagination of the character led to an unlikely comic book hero being born.

It begins by revisiting the origin of Swamp Thing, a clumsy, massive organism, who had previously been a scientist named Alec Holland. Moore uses the creatures awkward structure

and horrifying back story to analyse modern day social and environmental hazards.

With frightening efficiency Moore makes one question about various aspects of human nature and our rigid social norms and he’s helped on his way by horror-artist Stephen Bissette whose compelling artwork contains images you won’t be forgetting easily.

Swamp Thing re-defined the industry in the sense that it stopped being about good guys and bad guys, suddenly comics were a medium through which you could talk about social change and ideas that were considered taboo- this book is an absolute essential for new fans of the genre, just brace yourself for the eventual nightmares.

me. There were two rickshaw pullers whining about cheap customers, there were two young office workers talking about the country’s economic state, and lastly, an annoying bunch of guys in their early twentys’ talking very loudly and explicitly about certain types of girls from their university. After a couple of minutes, the pathetic bunch of wannabe Lotharios stopped their gossip. I was trying to figure out why and right then I saw these two extremely pretty girls, standing a few feet away from the tea stall, and realised that they were the reason. All of a sudden, one of the guys from the pack, started walking up to the

girls. As he neared them, he took his phone out and started talking to some non-existent person on the other end, trying so very pathetically to impress the girls. He went like, “Dude, do you know how long it’s been that I’ve been waiting for you to get here with the car? I told you to get the Mercedes from the garage and pick me up an hour ago! If you don’t get here ... ” He stopped abruptly because right then his phone rang for real. Priceless. I laughed so hard that I spilled half the cup of hot tea on my lap and on the ground. Yeah, the steaming hot tea did scald a little, but it was worth it! azfar rahman

His girlfriend’s voice echoed in his head. She had offered to pull some strings. But his pride had said no. He thought that his girlfriend might have had a crisis of faith, so he needed to restore. The stakes were high and the odds of him getting the job were just as difficult.

So he walked in the office and did his best. It went brilliantly! Everything went according to plan. The boss/ father laughed at all the right moments, stared awestruck at the other ones and applauded at the others. The man felt that they might have been exaggerated performances of appreciation. But he

also remembered that his output was just as big.

He walked out of the office, proud and sure of having secured a job.

The moment the man had left, the father’s plastered smile drooped to reveal his true visage.

He dialed his daughter.

“Honey,” he said “it took a lot out of me to not stop him every now and then and he seemed way out there but I guess he’ll do.”

“Thank you dad,” she said “I knew I could count on you.”

She put down the phone. Smiling, she thought, “Pride, eh?” Tabeen Siddiki

PRIDE The man walked slowly and confidently towards the door. Nothing in the world could stop him today. He was going to marry his girlfriend one day and he needed to ensure a safe future for them. So, to kill two birds with one stone, he approached her father in his office hours. He’d ensure job security and also make sure that the father liked him. So he stepped closer towards the door that said Md. Nazrul Ahmed CEO. He would be charming. He would be confident. He would be funny.

How could you not like a charming, confident and funny guy?

Your New Magical Journey

Fardeen Ameen

Epic Tanki Fail!

The other day, after I got out from the office, ready to head home, I decided to stop by the tong across the street and have a little “me time” over a cup of hot tea. As I got out of the building, I crossed the street, and headed for the tea stall and ordered a cup from the stall vendor. The thing that I love the most about spending these random 5-minute-stops at these tea stalls is that you get to see all sorts of different people and, even unwillingly, hear the most random conversations ever. So, while I waited for my tea, I started looking around and checking out all the different people around

book

comic

YOU WRITE IT

If you’re like me, there has been a void in your heart where the feeling of reading a new Harry Potter or Artemis Fowl book used to be. But despite numerous pretenders to the throne, no book struck me as having that unique blend of characters you grow to love alongside a cleverly crafted magical universe, until I came across Skullduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy.

The story revolves around preteen Stephanie Gordon who by chance gets flung into a world of magic and mystique, she accompanies a skeleton detective by the name of Skulduggery Pleasant who happens to have a knack for martial arts and dry sarcasm.

The two embark on a fast-paced-tale riddled with adventures as they seek to stop dark forces from taking over the world.

Landy resists the temptation to go overboard and it leads to a well-paced, intriguing and incredibly fun story with a strong cast of characters.

Indeed, much like JK Rowling, characterisation seems to be Landy’s biggest strengths as he weaves a slew of interesting characters who all seem to have a purpose and proper direction.

Skulduggery stands out with his sense of humour whilst Stephanie and side-character, Tanith, are strong female characters similar to Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series.

The series is still ongoing which gives readers a chance to immerse themselves in the universe Landy has created, it’s a ride which delivers thrills and joys whilst the story simultaneously gets darker page by page and book by book – this just maybe the magical journey we’ve all been missing. Fardeen Ameen

TM AG TU E SDAY, M AY 1 4, 20 1 3

10 tmag Guitar Tabs Artist: Cryptic Fate Song: Protibad Album: shreshtho

BUZZIN’

This week’s best music

Bombarded with mass-produced melodies, I had started to find music a drag. Then I noticed that Rubayet Chowdhury’s newly formed project called Hybrid Coalition had released their debut single titled Pieces of a Sacred Dream through Soundcloud. com. Anticipation and curiosity made me click to play the track and then I became speechless for a while. The amazing guitar tone that sounded like a traditional instrument enhanced by technology. The background sound captured the full atmospheric tonalities that embody Bengalee culture.

Hybrid Coalition is a global collaborative music project ideated by one of Bangladesh’s leading rock guitarist/

Verse 1 C Em Am Em Chokher joto jol, Moner betha bhoy F G C Tumi dao aj kore ujar C Em Am Em Ami nebo, apon kore F G C Jeno eshob-i chhilo amar

Chorus 1 C Am7 G C Jotodin achhi ami khujbo tomai C Am G Dekhbo er shesh kothai C Am7 G C Jokhoni ami khub kachhakachhi C Am G Thikana dure shore jai Hae e e e e e e e e e

TV

TOP hipster

10 tunes 1. Days Are Forgotten Kasabian 2. Out of my League Fitz and the Tantrums 3. I Could Love You More The Miracals

5. Deathflix Transmission 6. Collapse Sparta 7. Don’t forget who you are Miles and Kane 8. Trains Wampire 9. Wanderhouse Sugar 10. So Serious Logic feat. Shadia Mansoor

TM AG TU ESDAY, M AY 1 4 , 2013

MOVIE

composer/producer, Rubayet Chowdhury, which involves some prominent local and international artists pooling their talents across the seas via remote recording process to convey the message of World Peace, Brotherhood and Unity. Basically, the project comprises world fusion, tobla rock, dhol rock musical concept. Hybrid Coalition is affiliated with United World Artist (UWA), a pioneering social business currently at a start-up stage jointly being developed with the Yunus Centre to resolve some critical music industry issues of Bangladesh and establish international standards in the recording system for the overall music industry of this country. Imtiaz Salim

Alternation Time The Big Bang Theory (TBBT) steppingon-to its sixth season, leaving it on a dramatic cliff-hanger. Chuck Lorre, the creator of the show gave the audience substantial reasons to crave for more.

But what was going-on with Chuck?

He ruins Two and a Half Men by replacing Charlie with Ashton Kutcher.

The same goes for TBBT, with its quality suddenly plummeting downwards.

To many, the reason was because he was trying to reach out for the wider audience. With the way the characters are dramatically changing, is it losing its fans? What happened to the egotisticmaniac Sheldon who we all loved?

Is he finally settling down, letting his friends see Amy as his girlfriend when previously relationships were baffling to him. Sheldon also became less

Verse 2 and chorus continues with the same chord progression

4. Spinning As We Turn Grass House

Tranquility

arrogant; his encounters with Penny and Hofstadter aren’t frequent enough.

Leonard Hofstadter hasn’t changed that much, except for where he was a total opposite of a ladies man, now women are just throwing themselves at him.

Raj is rarely seen nowadays. With such a funny and awkward character that has so much potential, it’s just going to waste. Howard used to be geeky and disgusting, chatting up random women and failing implicitly, but now, he’s all in love with Bernadette. Boring right?

Well that’s pretty much what’s been going-on with the season. Maybe in doing so the creators may come up with a defining end to the series altogether very soon.

TMAG rating Tashhid Abdullah

defying gravity In Upside Down, a fantasy romance

by Argentine writer-director, Juan Solanas, the two parallel worlds collided with each other and to the people on each world, the other world looks upside down. The story features a Romeo and Juliet separated not by a family feud, but by gravity. Adam (Jim Sturgess) and Eden (Kirsten Dunst) play lovers from different worlds.

Adam lives on the dark lower planet called down below. On the other hand, Eden lives in the opulent heaven. Strict laws prohibit the intermixing of people between the worlds, though that doesn’t prevent Adam from falling in love with Eden. He eventually figures out a way to visit each other. The image of them sharing treats while looking at each other upside down, with the beautiful oceans of clouds between

them, is something entirely new in terms of cinematic imagery. They get caught, Eden falls back to her planet, bumping her head incurring amnesia.

The love story works beautifully, because the metaphor works. There are some really good special effects too, such as rain that falls up, the same thing happens to Adam when he tries to use a urinal on Eden’s planet. But the rest of the movie ultimately gets weighed down by its own increasingly contradictory logic. If matter and inverse matter burst into flames, why doesn’t Adam get a terrible case of heartburn every time he eats or drinks something from Eden’s planet? Upside Down is alright, as long as one doesn’t dwell too much on the logic.

TMAG rating Tashhid Abdullah

tmag 11

TECHSTER

WE RECOMMEND Gadget hunt

app of the week

ALTERNATIVE TO IPOD SHUFFLE In the mp3 player battleground, Transcend has been known to provide value-for-money players that are good enough to do the job. Does the MP300 fall in the same category?

This is probably one of the smallest mp3 players that you can get in the market. On the right there is a fourway key with a play/pause button in the middle. The up and down keys are for the volume while the left and right keys are for navigation through tracks. The quality of music playback is one of the good points of this player and could have been even better but for the bundled earphones. With a better quality of earphones, the music is

loud and clear. Playback time is a good 15 hours. It plays MP3, FLAC, WAV and WMA-DRM10 formats which are the common ones. The downside is it has no display. Then again even without the display it is quiet easy to operate. Apart from the earphones and the display, the MP300 surely gives you a neat performance. At Tk2600 (4GB) and Tk3200 (8GB) you can’t ask for more than this. Probably if you spare some extra cash and buy a different pair of earphones, the experience can be very satisfying. It’s worth a buy and with one year of warranty you won’t have to worry too much for some time. tahsin momin

flipboard Price: Free Platform: iPad, iPhone, Android, Kindle Fire & NOOK From hundreds of apps that are flooding the web-market every week, a very few really stands out spontaneously. With Flipboard, be the editor for a change and publish what really matters.

Flipboard is a personalised magazine app that let’s you create, edit and share magazines, people, topics through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. tashhid abdullah

Game

strategy redefined Roughly three years ago, on a warm July day, nerd-history was made by blizzard entertainment with the launch of Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty. The longest running strategy game franchise, expanding over 12 years and more than a hundred countries, Starcraft 2 brings us yet another installment in the epic saga of the Koprulu Sector.

If you are a fan of the franchise, no introduction is needed to the trials and tribulations of the three races in the Starcraft Universe: The insect-like Zerg, the psionic Protoss and the resilient human-wannabe Terran. One of the best things about the original Starcraft was the ambiguity of the story, how moral boundaries blurred between the different factions and the dilemma about which side to take. Much of

web critic

that essence of moral dilemma has been lost over the years, as good and evil are more clearly pronounced the more “PC” (read: politically correct) version of the game designed to cater to this generation of gamers.

The story itself is actually quite cheesy: you have the romance between Sarah Kerrigan and Jim Raynor, the looming “epic fight” between Sarah and the hybrid, and of course Sarah’s revenge quest for Mengsk. The pacing of the story is spot on, with no dip in excitement.

The cinematic are amazing works of art, as are the worlds created in the Starcraft Universe.

For RTS fans, Starcraft is the best game in the market bar none, and you owe it to yourself to delve into the epic world of this game.

Naveed Choudhury

Mix Radio and DJ to get partycloud.fm For the past couple of years, laptop DJs have sprung out from all around the world and the existing players in the game are also shifting from regular DJ-ing decks to music mixing software to create their mixes. Now they go around performing with just a laptop and a smaller USB controller to operate the software. On the other end, everything we do on a computer has reached the clouds, from creating and editing documents to gaming; everything has its own cloud-based service. Partycloud.fm combines both of these features to give you a smooth and fast cloud DJ-ing experience.

With a library of over 20 million chart topping songs, the site lets you mix the songs, add effects to them and

record your mix. The interface looks like the Numark DJ2GO deck and is easy to navigate through. It has all the basic controls of a mixing deck, which enables the users to crossfade, cue, apply filters and set the tempo of the songs. It also has the beat-sync feature, which automatically matches the tempo of the songs that are being mixed. The site also lets users search for genre-specific songs, create folders and create a personalised sample bank to sample beats to remix, the remixed. Whether you want to compete against big names or play at your best friend’s cousin’s girlfriend’s birthday party, Partycloud.fm lets you get in the mix from anywhere, any time. Fahad Zaman

Car Talk 2010 Toyota Vitz

The 2010 Toyota Vitz has a good reliability rating, comes with a lot of safety features and doesn’t use a ton of gas, but a cramped rear seat and below-average safety scores keep it from being the top of the class. It comes with a 1.0-liter engine that isn’t very fast, but it does fine in city traffic. The Vitz standard features like power windows and door locks, keyless entry, a GPS navigation, USB and auxiliary jacks and rear view camera. In terms of safety features, the base model comes with anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and 6 air bags. Prices start from Tk1.42m and onwards.

While the Vitz doesn’t have the most luxurious interior space or the highest safety scores in the class, it’s still a worthy choice if you want an inexpensive small car with good fuel economy and reliability that can handle city life.

Pros Economical gas mileage, comfortable ride, attractive interior, and multifunction rear seat.

Cons Sluggish automatic transmission, awkward seating position, and poorly placed centre gauges. tahsin momin

TM AG TU E SDAY, M AY 1 4, 20 1 3

12 tmag

TEENARAMA

THE PROBLEM OF MAKING TIME FOR ONE ANOTHER FROM FAMILY OBLIGATIONS I have a huge family. That means I am doomed with my mom dragging me to the numerous ‘dawats’ where I need to smile and sit at a corner answering their hundred questions about my life. After all this, I have tutors to go to and study. The only time I can make for him is late at night on the phone, or the good few hours we spend together in school and at coaching centers. Plus, it’s not like I purposefully ignore him.

I simply can’t give him the time he asks for and the faster he gets that, the better.

he says

THE PROBLEM OF NOT HAVING A FAT WALLET

sHe says

We all have our family gatherings to go to, but I always prioritise her first. When I have a dawaat, and I know she wants to see me just because, I would ditch everything and run to her. It’s not that I don’t love my family, I do, but when it comes to her, my sense of reasoning seems to fail. I want to give her all my time and more, and I expect her to reciprocate the same way.

sHe says

In Dhaka, If a guy is armed with a fat wallet and a fancy car, he’s set.

He would have a line- up of girls at his beck and call. Though they’d slyly make it look like his bundle of 1000 taka notes means nothing to them, trust me that’s all they are eyeing for. It puts a pressure on us young guys to indulge these greedy women, especially when we don’t have a high paying job.

TMAG tells you to

Choose or Lose I have been in a relationship for 9 months. I’m 20. Everything was going pretty good but since the last 2 months, she is not treating me like before because her mom got to know about us from some social network chatlog. And she doesn’t want us to be in a relationship for now, as she wants me to be independent, get a good job and settle down first.

I totally agree with her. But as a consequence she doesn’t call me by love names anymore. I’m providing her space too. I’m upset with her behaviour. Though she tells me she loves me but doesn’t give me time that much and ends up treating me just like her other friends. Should I dump her or keep her?

Lose!

I’ve been dating him for two and a half months now and at the end of the first month we broke up because both of us got bored. The reason I didn’t want to be with him was that I felt neglected. Two weeks after that we got back together and things were different he was different. However after 2 weeks he started behaving the same way. I feel like he doesn’t like me he just doesn’t show it, he doesn’t show that he wants to be with me, I feel like he would prefer going out with his friends than with me. I feel neglected again, the problem is that I really like him and also I forgot to mention that he behaves very good when we are out then I can feel that he likes me but the other time I am always wondering what is happening with our relationship. I don’t know what to do. Should I talk to him, if so what should I tell him in order for him to think i’m obsessed? Or should I end this relationship right away?

I am a very giving person in my relationships. Anytime my dad hands me my monthly allowance, I buy myself nothing because I am spending it all on my boyfriend. I don’t urge him to shower me in diamonds ( although I wouldn’t mind if he did) but once in a while I’d like to be taken out to a posh restaurant and be given expensive gifts. My dad has been pampering me all my life, so I would imagine no less from my boyfriend.

he says

Blush Much?

1

I was playing badminton and I foolishly swung the racket towards myself with full force and got maimed in the groin. It happened in front of my crush.

2

I ripped my pajamas at the mosque when I kneeled down to pray.

3

I went to the washroom to fix my hair. While I was looking at the mirror, standing adjacent to me was an astonished person on the verge of zipping up his pants. I was in the boy’s washroom.

4

I was trying to impress this girl by crossing over a rope when all of a sudden a kid pulled the rope upwards. I blacked out from getting maimed in the groin.

5

Our math teacher came up to me and tucked my shirt into my pants in front of the whole class.

6

I was changing in my friend’s bedroom and an electrician at their house barged in on me.

Choose!

Let us be the judge of your situation. Email your story today to tmag@ dhakatribune.com

TM AG TU ESDAY, M AY 1 4 , 2013

Email your confession today to tmag@dhakatribune.com