TMAG Volume 2 Issue 14

Dhaka Tribune

Thursday, August 7, 2014 Volume 2, Issue 14

HOT TOPIC

So Happy Together

Status of the week A weekly production of

Smartphone pauses your smartness by hanging itself up - Imtiaz Salim Tawkir

DhakaTribune Editor Zafar Sobhan Executive Editor Shahriar Karim Managing Editor Jahangir Hyder Magazine Editor Sabrina Fatma Ahmad Asst Magazine Editor Natasha Rahman TMAG Team Tahsin Momin Fuad M Hossain Saudia Afrin Baizid Haque Joarder Rad Sharar Raisa Rahim Contributors Imad Khan Alveera Mamoon Anika Jannat Pragya Rahman Zaki Adnan ASM Foysal

Hashtag trendings

Meme of the week

#SupportGaza I am Marzia Anwar from Bangladesh and I #SupportGaza

More inside PICKS OF THE WEEK 2 Room of the week Armin Musa 3 Doodle of the week Misha 10 Spotlight Zaki Adnan 10 The goodsheet All of me-John Legend YOUR WORLD 5 Car Cat gone rogue 9 Non-fiction Waiting 9 Book The silk worm 9 Fiction Lonestar 11 Game Watch dogs Real Life 3 Event Tweets 6 Hot topic So happy together

FASHION 4 Beauty check Metropolis 4 Wardrobe check Disaster averted TMAG SAYS 2 FYI Paving a path of peace and harmony 10 Playlist Buddy tunes 11 Gadget Hunt Google Goggles HOROSCOPES 5 Your forecast

Editor’s note Dear Readers, While some of us are still recovering from the Eid holidays and friendship day, we are glad to be back! This week on hot topic (pg6&7) find out how you can be a better friend to yourself so you can make all your friendships tick. On Written in the Stars (pg8), we have for you the team behind the burger cart, Munchies Republic. On (pg2) FYI, we also have for you an overview on the Gaza debacle which shall give you a fresh perspective on the situation. On a happier note, check out Mode Silver’s album on Spotlight (pg10). Please check out our Facebook page and check out the behind the scenes posts and pictures! Let us know how we are doing and do send us your feedback on what you would like to see next in TMAG. Cheers, From the TMAG desk

Graphics Mohammed Mahbub Alam Tahsin Momin Production Masum Billah Advertising Shahidan Khurshed Circulation Wahid Murad Email: tmag.dt@dhakatribune.com Website: www.dhakatribune.com

5 Car talk Cat gone rogue

8 Written in the stars I got the munchies

About the cover Fun with some furry friends Model Shah Nahian and the mittens Photo Syed Latif Hossain Art Direction Natasha and Baizid

3 TMAG’s Easel Misha

4 Look of the week

Fab in florals

TM AG Th u rsDAY, AUG UST 7, 20 1 4

2

tmag

Your Life

TMAG’s Room of the week!

This wall is adorably adorned with cute memories, including photos. The table itself has quite a few attractive objects on it, such as the interesting pencil holders, the candle and the creative photo frames. Overall, a lovely spot to sit quietly to concentrate on work.

Name

Armin Musa Area

Gulshan 2 Kheya Mezba

DIY

FYI

Paving a path of peace and harmony It is easy to succumb to the whims and fancies of statements made by people through emotions provoked by events unfolding in Gaza. Who do you trust? Which media is credible? What is the appropriate course of action? What can I do to make a difference?

Clearly there is injustice that is going on and people are being affected through these injustices. However, who do you blame? Who is being impacted? A whole series of questions and opinions have the ability to blur reality, confusing us on what to say, what to believe and what course of actions to take.

The important thing is to understand whether any action that we choose to take has the ability to encourage or incite further violence, instead of encouraging peace and harmony. Fred Polak, in his treatment of Image of the Future (1973) wrote: “The rise and fall of images of the future precedes or accompanies the rise and fall of cultures.

As long as society’s image is positive and flourishing, the flower of culture is in full bloom. Once the image begins to decay and lose its vitality, however, the culture does not long survive.”

This point illustrates that one cannot

TM AG th u rsDAY, AUG UST 7, 2014

hope to create a positive society through the perpetuation of negative image; in other words, sustainable peace and harmony cannot be achieved through violence and discrimination. In our reactions, we must understand that there are innocent people on both sides of conflict – there are innocents in both Gaza and Israel, but at the same time, there are those that are not innocent in both Gaza and Israel. By making whole groups based on race/religion/system accountable, we fall into the fallacious act of blaming innocents who should not be blamed. By blaming those who should not be blamed, we tend to create further tension and instability.

In order to pave a peaceful path forwards, let us aim in creating communities that are harmonious, irrespective of whichever group/ religion/race/nationality/system they belong to. Shakil Ahmed

Recycling at its best Did you know the things that you throw away, like egg cartons or beverage bottles can be used to enhance your room’s beauty? Here’s TMAG taking a look at some easy and simple ideas

Eggs from super markets always come in cartons. Why don’t we try to make something really cool with them? The only things that we require are egg cartons, scissors and LEDs (can be found in any hardware shops in Nilkhet and Uttara). The first step is to cut away the excess cardboard surrounding the cup strips. Then separate the cups from the carton and carefully trim the edges of each cup to make them look like flower petals. Insert one LED into each cup from the bottom. If you don’t know how to work with LEDs then there are plenty of tutorials on YouTube to help you. Now hang your egg-carton flowers anywhere you wish.

Plastic bottles are something the world is concerned about. But it’s time to step up and show others the usefulness of such bottles. You can easily use them as room decor or perhaps like a room divider. In order to use them as a room divider, cut the bases off your plastic

bottles using a knife and paint them as you like. With the help of a YouTube tutorial, try to attach four to five LEDs in parallel. Carefully add resistors to each LED. After you are done with one set, make several sets by repeating the same process. Wire them all to a wall adapter to test if they work or not. Now make a hole at the centre of the bases and insert LEDs into them. You can secure them into place by using small amount of hot glue. There, your room divider is ready!

Let’s forget about LEDs and try something different. We’re pretty sure almost everyone has that old boring lampshade desperately seeking some attention. You can make them look young and attractive again by using your creativity. Try to draw different patterns using a pencil on your lampshade. Then poke holes along the lines your drew.

After you are done turn on your lamp and you can see the difference!

Anika Jannat

tmag

Schoologistics

3

EVENT Tweets

TMAG’s easel

Craft competition August 7 Venue Viqarunnisa Noon School & College

Dhaka University Intervarsity Debating Championship

misha

August 7, 2pm Venue University Of Dhaka

This seriously cool Pink Floyd doodle represents a man having his mind literally blown by a blast of colours

Soccer Mania Season 3 August 8 Venue Army Museum Field

Shishir Memorial Football Tournament August 8 Venue St Gregory’s High School, 82, Municipal Office Street Luxmi bazar If you are a classroom doodler, email your doodle to tmag.dt@dhakatribune.com and see it in our weekly!

School Survival

August 8, 5:30am Venue Alliance Française De Dhaka - la galerie

Underground “Street” Football Championship Season-2

Mind your language!

August 8, 7am Venue National Handball Stadium, Shajahanpur

Scholastica Interbatch Football Tournament

For starters, there was an uproar over social media when football enthusiasts termed it as “rape” referring to when Germany beat Brazil in the semis of the recently ended World Cup. Why would anyone incorporate such a vile word unnecessarily? Does a defeat in football really match up to the sufferings of a rape victim?

“I totally raped that exam, it was that good!”, said a high school student.

Only to be followed by the laugh of a winner. The rape culture is horrifying as it is but when one uses it out of context, you have to wonder how someone would feel about it, especially if that someone is a victim to molestation. The popularity of the use of such words in trivial matters is a worrying aspect and if it is not dealt with utmost care, its hard to say what the world might become.

Using words like, “faggot” may make you feel cool (although there is no logic in that) but you know its not right when there has been various reports of teens committing suicide because their peers found their

Jol Chobi

August 8, 8am Venue Gulshan Youth Club

Workshop On Fundamentals of Drawing August 9, 10am Venue AIUB Continuing Education Center, AIUB, Campus 6

International Day of the Worlds Indigenous Peoples actions “feminine” which resulted in bullying. Honestly, its their lives and they can do whatever they like with it. If you have a genuine problem with their conduct, talk to them but confronting them by saying something provocative is definitely not the way; let alone bullying them.

Whether we like it or not, slang words have become an integral part of our lives. But when we refer to people, it just takes it to a whole new level of inappropriate behavior.

Teenagers may not have the

maturity to apprehend the gravity of the words in use but with proper knowledge and education about the words may help us divert the trend to something that is less vulgar. TMAG thinks this can be put to an end or at least slowed down by remembering the “literal” meaning of the word and the external implications associated with it EVERYTIME you use it. Maybe then, someone won’t have to update their Facebook statuses, reflecting their worries about such words in use.

August 11, 3pm Venue Bangladesh National Museum

International Youth Day August 12, 9:30am Venue Youth Development Foundation

Dhaka University Indoor Games Tournament August 13, 10:31am Venue TSC, Dhaka University

Baizid Haque Joarder

TM AG Th u rsDAY, AUG UST 7, 20 1 4

4 tmag

FASHION FACE-OFF Wardrobe Check

Look of the week

Fab in florals A pretty floral printed kameez sewed with beautiful patterened laces.

Paired with a matching ring and glammed up with a pair of oval shades, this look is ready to rock the season

Disaster Averted While some of us may shudder at the thought, a few have had the misfortune of undergoing last-minute disasters. TMAG helps you manage such calamities

Model Ani Alam Photo Courtesy

Beauty Check

Metropolis Guy bonding sessions and hangouts tend to be quite different from women. Fixing things, playing sports and video games are all great hangouts in our books. In most cases, we know exactly what we want.

However, when it comes to fixing up our appearance, that’s another story altogether

bigstock

Guys tend to get stuck with awkward hair dos, clothes that don’t look right and in general, not look their best.

However, on the flip side, women hardly ever get these wrong. It seems as if most men are missing something.

When looking closer at what women do; they share their fashion sense and help each other out with these problems. Yet, it’s not the best possible idea to let a girl dress you up unless you want your shoes matching your new “cute little man-purse.”

TM AG th u rsDAY, AUG UST 7, 2014

So, are all men doomed to look awkward till the end of time? Not if you’re willing to be a little more open minded.

A second opinion can sometimes make all the difference in the world, and in this case, a second opinion from a guy. This does not mean you should spend hours together at the beauty salon (unless that’s what you really want), but rather just share honest opinions on what looks good and what doesn’t.

This way you can greatly enhance your style and your appearance when choosing a new hair style, picking out colognes, clothes and anything you might need. Take a friend with you when you’re shopping, start working out at the same gym and in general, stop bottling up questions and start taking in opinions. You’ll be surprised how much of a difference it can actually make. Shah Nahian

bigstock

Mix ‘n match In situations where you can’t find anything to wear, it’s best to mix and match different items of clothing. Pair your favourite shirt with different trousers, or wear an interesting jacket/vest over your dress to give it a different, more chic look.

Layer your clothes so you can don two or more items simultaneously, hence repeating subtly. For girls, even synching the top or dress with a prominent belt below the chest can also give it a different appearance.

Prepare to repair For outfits with stains, have your stain removal kit ready at all times! Just dab (don’t rub!) the spot with some baby talc and blot with white cloth. Another fashion emergency usually encountered at the last minute is a hole in your clothes. Use double-sided tape for rips or tears. Oftentimes, glue comes in handy. As long as it doesn’t catch the eye, you’re good; most people won’t notice the rip as much as you anyway. For a bad zipper, rub some soap onto its teeth in order to smooth the area. There are always safety pins, if you are in a pinch.

Plan Bs This is particularly useful if you are packing for a vacation or an overseas trip. Never pack one piece of anything – even if it is just your razor or a pair of socks. Backups are always a wise thing to plan.

All’s well that ends well If it is beyond your control and you are stuck with nothing but a disastrous outfit, try your best to pull it off.

Resort to flashy accessories and gorgeous-looking shoes, so, as to shift people’s attention from your horrid attire to your accessories.

This way, your look won’t be all bad and there’ll be much less to criticise.

Spend time picking out nice jewelry, watches, and bags. Don’t forget to carry a whole load of confidence with yourself too!

Alveera Mamoon

tmag 5

Street Car Talk

HOROSCOPE

Cat gone rogue

Aries (Mar 21-Apr 19)

You may now be contemplating how to complete something you started but time could be running out.

Taurus (Apr 20-May 20)

You may now be dealing with something that is ridiculously complicated, a little foolish and very surprising on many levels.

Gemini (May 21-Jun 20)

A dream you have been coddling seems to be taking a very long time to mature and ripen.

Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22)

Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone you have helped to get something you may need.

What is this thing? Seems like a Range Rover Sport on steroids!

Well, technically it is. This is the Bowler Nemesis. On the outside it may look like a Range Rover Sport but underneath it is a completely different chapter. There is much more to The Bowler Nemesis than its humble Range Rover DNA. British off-roading specialist, Bowler was founded 32 years ago by Drew Bowler. A blacksmith by trade, Drew decided to mate a Land Rover body with a Range Rover chassis. The upshot was a stunningly capable offroad device that not only had the high suspension travel characteristics of the Defender but also had the technologically advanced underpinnings of its Range Rover brother.

Initially it was designed for personal use, but it wasn’t long before requests were flying in for similar race-prepped cars to compete in the off-road motorsports around the UK. The Bowler soon became a huge success. And as the demand increased, Bowler developed its very own conversion to be sold in kit form, branded as Tomcat. Custom-

ers with a standard 1994 Range Rover could then purchase the kit which would include everything needed to transform it into a competition-spec racer.

Well, the Nemesis is built in much the same fashion as its Wildcat predecessor, but this time, they’ve used the Range Rover Sport items as the base.

Roughly 40 percent of it is scavenged from the Land Rover parts bin. Lights, grille, handles, mirrors and windscreen are retained, as is the majority of the drive-train too, although they are beefed up with Bowler’s own mix of upgraded parts. Painted in Bowler’s typical lurid paint-scheme and trademark graphics, the carbon-fibre body shell is light and strong and sits over a new tubular space-frame chassis.

Using the Range Rover Sport’s supercharged 4.2-litre V8 as a base, Bowler managed to convert the fuel system from the standard petrol to E85 bio-ethanol, which is a mixture of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent petrol.

The outcome is increased power; from 385HP to a staggering 510HP. This mammoth power figure is harmonised with an equally insane torque figure of 414lb ft. The end product? Enough grunt to send the Nemesis flying ridiculously fast, over practically any terrain or incline.

Currently, the Nemesis is designed as a racing off-roader, meant to compete in the desert rallies of Africa and to take on the best of Dakar Rally. At £120,000, it’s actually quite a bargain for the performance and durability that you get for your money, especially when you consider the fact that its rivals can cost upwards of £0.5M. But the most exciting part about the Nemesis is that Bowler plans to make a road-going version of it - a car that will take the super-off-roader market into the stratosphere. Prices are yet to be released, but if it is as good as its racing cousin then get ready to be taken by a storm!

Tahsin Momin

Leo (Jul 23-Aug 22)

luck.

You are just entering a wonderful period of good

Virgo (Aug 23- Sep 22)

An old source of stress and worry might be affecting some new venture in your life.

Libra (Sep 23- Oct 22)

You may be dealing with problems regarding the past.

Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21)

You may have gotten way off track when it comes to the pursuit of an important life goal.

Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21)

If you really want to learn something you can’t have a preconceived notion of what you are going to learn.

Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan19)

A long time ago you mastered a certain skill or talent. Now is the time to hone it.

Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18)

You may be living with a misconception you have of someone you are very close to you.

Pisces (Feb 19-Mar20)

You need to critically analyse certain truths this week in order to realise who your well wishers are.

TM AG Th u rsDAY, AUG UST 7, 20 1 4

6

tmag

So Happy Together “

“

Friends are the family you choose for yourself

- Jess C Scott

And that is why they are such an important part of your life. The right kind of friends can change your life. Now, a lot of this is pretty obvious, but what we often forget is our own role in the recipe for a great friendship. And that’s really where this week’s story begins

You deserve your love Love begins with you. It is only when you learn to love yourself that you’re able to reciprocate the same energy toward others, and consequentially, so are they.

Loving yourself does not mean taking “selfies” or turning yourself into a “narcissist.” It simply suggests that you transform yourself into a person who everyone would love, respect and admire. And one of the many ways to do that is by taking good care of yourself and not waiting for others to do that for you. First, make sure you’re not being lousy about your food habits. Eat

healthy, nutritious foods that keep you fit and smiling all day. However, don’t feel obliged to treat your taste buds once in a while.

Being a confident person is yet another essentiality; however, it shouldn’t turn into arrogance.

Confidence comes with skills and believing that you are different, which you can do, perhaps, by learning a new language or an instrument. Likewise you can read an inspirational book, join a dance class, or get involved in community service to learn new things.

The more you enrich yourself the better

If it is meant to last, it will Friendships are about give and take, which is something many don’t pay heed to. Its about sticking together, putting aside your egos, and adapting to changes in different lives yet retaining the bond. Priorities matter, very true. But friends are a part of that priority as well. If that understanding is not present, it was never meant to last Taylor Swift and Katy Perry were best friends over their career, until 2012. Needless to day, love gets in the way of even the strongest friendships, and when Katy began dating Taylor’s ex BF, John Mayer, things were never the same again.

Kim Kardashian was once simply known as a member of Paris Hilton’s

TM AG th u rsDAY, AUG UST 7, 2014

entourage. But when one operates on such a level of versatility involving fame and hunger, it tends to come between friends from a result in jealousy and greed. When Kim landed a mega reality TV show deal, jealously got in the way of their friendship with Paris.

David Letterman and Jay Leno had been besties since 1975. After a friendship that long, it takes a major force of nature to drift friendships apart. On that regard, competition is one of the biggest bullies in the playground. Their friendship was killed due to rivalry when Jay was named host of the Late Night Show in 1992.

Rad Sharar Bin Kamal

company you are for yourself and others.

The ability of being a good company also comes from having a strong personality. Try to become iconic; work on your personality, nature, dress code and appearance in order to build a distinct identity in the crowd. Failing to maintain your image can cost you big time in life.

Hence, one must learn to have control over oneself, in which case you need to be patient, polite, and humble and develop an attitude of gratitude.

Did you know that all our insecurities come from within and not from others?

Try to be one hundred percent positive with yourself and stop saying things like “I’m not good enough,” I wish I was tall” and so on. Replace these with positive thoughts about yourself and dwell on it. One must learn to enjoy one’s sole company. This practice will not only help you become self-dependent but also avert feelings of self-consciousness when you are eating out, going shopping or even going on a vacation alone.

Never look down on yourself and remember: you deserve your love.

Raisa Rahim

HOT TOPIC

7

Celeb besties Cristiano Ronaldo and Albert Fantrau

The first thing Cristiano Ronaldo did after his team, Real Madrid, won the Champion League’s Final in 2014 was run toward this man and hug him affectionately. It left all the people in the stadium to question: “Why did he not participate in the team celebration directly and single this man out from the crowd to hug him?” After being interviewed by journalists, Ronaldo said that he dedicates everything he has today to this man, an old friend of his called Albert Fantrau. The story behind this happened a long time ago when Ronaldo and his friend were vying for a spot in a football academy; whoever scores the most goals gets the spot, and the goal which gave Ronaldo his place was all due to his friend, Fantrau, who could have scored the goal himself but passed it to Ronaldo

because he believed that Ronaldo is a better player. This ultimately left Albert Fantrau unemployed, as his career as a football player ended. Therefore, when asked how he has such a big, lavish home complete with a car and a family he said “Because of Ronaldo!” This feat of sacrifice is indeed a great example of friendship, loyalty and appreciation!

George Clooney and Brad Pitt

George Clooney and Brad Pitt have hit it off at first over a decade ago when they first starred for Ocean’s Eleven. Even now, they’re still really good friends, although they don’t meet up as often, but when they do, they’re practically like best friends!

Best friends aren’t all about quantity but quality, and these two are a good example of “bromance.”

Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox

We’ve all seen the BFF pair, Rachel and Monica, in the famous comedy television show, “Friends.” But you’d be surprised to know that the actresses starring these characters are actually in fact best friends in real life and have been ever since the series ended back in 2004!

Zach Braff and Donald Faison

Another example is Donald Faison And Zach Braff from the TV series which ended back in 2010. The bromance depicted in the series is actually real! imad Khan & Baizid Haque Joarder

TM AG Th u rsDAY, AUG UST 7, 20 1 4

8 tmag

written in the Stars

I got the munchies Juicy burgers, scrumptious sandwiches, creamy cupcakes; you name it, Munchies Republic has it all. A little cart in the corner of Dhanmondi 15/A, this stand is surely one to make your tummies bulge with pride. Rad Sharar and Baizid Haque Joarder talks to owners/cousins, Ashik Bin Mohib, Azfar Rahman, and Nabila Zaman to find out how this cart came to be, and what makes it so special

Munchies Republic is technically a family business because the owners are cousins.

Ashik is a member of ACCA, who finished his studies in London and is currently working at an accounting firm, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.

Nabila finished her undergrads from East West University in Economics and come August, she’ll be leaving for Sweden for a couple of years to pursue her masters.

Azfar Rahman is currently studying for his undergrads in Media and Communications at the University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh (ULAB).

When did you come up with the idea?

Azfar: The idea for Munchies Republic originally started back in 2011. Back then, we didn’t know for sure if it would see the light of the day. It was just an idea that, maybe, we could start our very own food cart, like the ones you’d see abroad. Around that time there actually weren’t any carts of this sort in Dhaka, so it was pretty much just wishful thinking for us, until now.

How did you guys start?

Ashik: The idea was there. I came back to Bangladesh last December after finishing my studies, and saw that the burger cart trend had already started and some of my good friends were already involved with their own businesses. I was just happy to be a customer at theirs but then one day, Nabila called me and said that she was planning on starting up a food cart business and whether I’d be interested in it. And of course, I was!

All the random ideas that Azfar and I had generated for so long, finally had the motivation to go ahead and make it happen.

The design, the name, what’s the story?

Nabila: Well, the basic fundamentals for starting up any business is figuring out

TM AG th u rsDAY, AUG UST 7, 2014

what it’s about, what it needs, who it’s targeting, and how to put it all together.

So, first on the agenda was figuring out the menu. The next thing was the cart, what it’d look like and what it’d be called.

Azfar: Originally we called it something else but we soon found out that a recently opened cart had a similar name, so we scratched that. We kept on looking for names and then it hit us. One of the most important reasons behind naming our cart “Munchies Republic” was realising that when it comes to food, we’re all literally on the same boat, so considering the masses and their common love for food, when you say Munchies Republic, it just make sense.

Nabila: Regarding the look of the cart, we had a strict criteria; we wanted to make sure that our food cart would look like the ones abroad - a food trailer cart.

That was what Ashik and Azfar always wanted to begin with, and given that all the local carts look like the typical fuchka/chotpoti carts, ours would actually stand out. As a result, we went on to find someone who would be able to build this cart from ground up, and within a couple of days, the construction of the cart was under way.

Azfar: The design and the look of the cart was a vital part of Munchies

Republic from the start. The whole cart with two cooks standing inside, frying patties on a girdle in front, the smokey aroma filling the vents. It literally causes bystanders to come up and check the cart out, regardless they eat or not.

And of course, everyday when it’s being towed from my garage to our cart’s location at Dhanmondi 15/A, it never fails to make heads turn.

Ashik: After we decided how the cart would look, the logo was the next. So Azfar and I pulled an all-nighter to create the logo’s artwork, the menus and the base body designs.

What makes Munchies Republic stand out?

Ashik: We have our own patty and our own recipes for the better or worse. We have the ability to create because we have our chef and our ideas as foodies.

Therefore, we focused more on the issues that needed rectification. The not-soawesome reviews helped us tremendously and we believe they are absolutely vital if we want to champion in quality. We are aware that our cart is still in its infancy but we are constantly thinking about innovations, on how we can provide better quality and keep customers satisfied; in other words a full tummy without the feeling of being ripped off. n

tmag 9

book

YOU WRITE IT

Yet Another Strike

“The Silkworm” is the second Cormoran Strike novel after “The Cuckoo’s Calling” written by JK Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Ranked fourth, The Silkworm debuted on the USA TODAY’s BestSelling Books list in June.

Business for private investigator and one and a half legged Afghan war veteran, Cormoran Strike had improved following the success of the Lula Landry case. Strike eventually finds himself saddled by a string of boring but profitable cases that entail proving the infidelity of his clients spouses. So, he is intrigued when approached by Leonora Quine, the eccentric wife of infamous author, Owen Quine. Leonora

believes that her husband is missing and asks Strike to find him. Owen Quine, a flaky author of floundering fame and talent is often missing for days at a time, which caused the police to reject his wife’s plea and made her seek Strike.

Strike finds that the straightforward missing person’s case has become increasingly complicated. It is revealed that Quine’s latest and unpublished manuscript, “Bombyx Mori” meaning “The Silkworm” was leaked accidentally into the publishing world. The manuscript had very disturbing content including thinly veiled caricatures of influential people that Quine knew.

Not only was it unfeasible to publish,

it also enraged some of the most powerful figures in the literary world.

Strike’s investigation eventually leads him to Quine’s body, killed in the exact fashion of the final scene of his missing manuscript.

Who is this mysterious killer and why was Quine murdered? You will definitely have to read and find out.

However, it goes without saying that Rowling as Galbraith has given us a gripping sequel to The Cuckoo’s Calling as she expands the world in which Cormoran Strike solves his most bizarre, disturbing and elaborate case yet. The novel is a real page turner.

Isfar Imtiaz Baset

comic

The Long Awaited Promise During the golden years of Nickelodeon, every teenager with a TV and cable must’ve watched what was deemed the best show on Nickelodeon, known as “Avatar the Last Airbender.”

The animated series had a good run and ended in 2008, but a lot of those who watched and enjoyed the series must’ve had a gazillion questions such as “What happened to Zuko’s mother after all?” The story of Aang hasn’t quite finished and that is why five years later, in 2013, The Promise has been released to everyone’s joy.

The Promise is a graphic novel trilogy with a storyline closely connected to the animated series, taking place one year after the events in the series, depicting the troubles that follow it. It might be disappointing to know that the series won’t have an animated sequel, but the story that is told in the graphic novels might help you rejoice. Much of the traits that made the young teenagers fall in love with the show are still there in the graphic novel with the only element missing being sound; the music; the

voices; the ambient noises (like one would expect in every book). But much of the story shown in the animated series have been told in earlier graphic novels and therefore, in that regard, “The Promise” is actually an ideal read for people of all ages even if it’s considered without prejudice.

No doubt, “The Promise” is a graphic novel that might just be in your “to-read” list, leaving you with intent anticipation, if you’re a fan of the animated series.

I’ve even tried being in a relationship and I’ve tried to be compassionate but women can be so complicated. Most of the time they think I want company when I just want to be left alone, or I just want to take a nap and not want to snuggle. I mean I too am a man and need and am entitled to some space in the bed! Most of my relationships never last longer than six months and I prefer it that way. I have friends and am very fond of them, but that doesn’t mean I have to spend every waking moment of my life with them. I like my life the way

it is and I’d much rather spend most of my life with myself because no one understands me or my tastes more than I do. If I could marry myself I would.

There is nothing wrong with going on a holiday on your own; in fact it is very relaxing and very cost-effective. I have been called a narcissist and a sociopath in the past but I just don’t understand what is so wrong with wanting to spend time with yourself and understanding your inner self.

the chemistry of their friendship, their chitchat, and spending whole days with each other. All that magic from their relationship seemed like a dream to her now.

Outside, the sky suffered from torrential rain similar to the state of Prottasha’s eyes and heart. Out of nowhere, a vague hazy human figure emerged in front of her. The person, a female, asked her: “Did you know him?”

Of course she did. He would come to meet her every night. He would spend

the entire night without saying a single word. Yes it is he, the person who left Prottasha based on a misunderstanding.

Yes it is he, to whom she devoted her love, passion and her entire being.

For her, every day and night was like this. Prottasha would still be waiting for that one day when all his anger and misinterpretations would fall apart in the face of her love and their friendship.

Because she knew nothing in this world is greater than love and friendship.

Imad Khan

fiction

Lonestar I enjoy the company of others just like everyone else, but sometimes people can become suffocating. I realised this when I was in school. I mean I don’t mean to sound anti-social, but I like it when it’s quiet and I can do things on my own. Most of the time when I’m in a conversation with other people, I’m either colossally bored or I really can’t be bothered to listen to them. It’s true, I like to go the movies by myself, I’d much rather go out to lunch or dinner on my own or go to a museum alone. I like my own company, is that too much of a sin?

PRAGYA RAHMAN

non fiction

Waiting

bigstock

The sky was crystal clear as Prottasha sat in the darker corner of her balcony.

These days it had become the most loved place to her; why? She didn’t know either. It had been 55 days that she spent without him. Although Prottasha thought it was all good, she suddenly felt devastated.

Suddenly, plenty of clouds began obscuring the sky while she flipped through all the pages from her memory.

Everything between them became visible as if she was watching a movie,

Saudia Afrin

TM AG Th u rsDAY, AUG UST 7, 20 1 4

10 tmag John Legend - All of me

Pattern Picking

Verse : Em C G D e||-------------------------------------------------------|| B||--0----0---0---1----1---1---0----0----0---3----3---3---|| G||*-0----0---0---0----0---0---0----0----0---2----2---2--*|| D||*-2----2---2---2----2---2---0----0----0---0--0---0----*|| X 4 A||---------------3--3---3--------------------------------|| E||--0--0---0------------------3--3----3------------------||

stereo

spotlight

The Urban Radical

Bridge : Am Em D e|------------------0------------------------------------| B|-1------1-----0h1-------3---1---0---0--0---3----3---3--| G|---2------2-----------2---------0---0--0---2----2---2--| D|-----2------2-------------------2---2--2---0--0---0----| A|-0------0-----------0-----0----------------------------| E|--------------------------------0--0--0----------------| Am Em D e|------------------0------------------------2--| B|-1------1-----0h1-------3---1---0---0--0---3--| G|---2------2-----------2---------0---0--0---2--| D|-----2------2-------------------2---2--2---0--| A|-0------0-----------0-----0-------------------| E|--------------------------------0--0--0-------| Chorus : G e||----------------------|------------------------| B||--3-------3-------3---|-3-------3-------3------| G||*---0-------0-------0-|---0-------0-------0----| D||*---------------------|------------------------| A||----------------------|------------------------| E||--3---3---3---3---3---|-3---3---3---3---3------| Em e|--------------------------------------| B|----------------0----------------0----| G|-0---------0--------0-------0---------| D|---2---4----------------4-------------| A|--------------------------------------| E|-0---0---0----0---0---0---0----0------| Am e|---------------------------------------| B|-------0---1-----------0---1-----------| G|-2-------------2---------------2-------| D|---2---------------2-------------------| A|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---------| E|---------------------------------------| D e|-----------------------------------------|| B|-3-----3-----3------3--------------------|| G|---2-----2-----2---2--------------------*|| D|-0---0-----0------0---------------------*|| X 2 A|-----------------------------------------|| E|-----------------------------------------||

Buddy 10 tunes TOP

1. Yeh dosti OST Sholay 2. Purano shei diner kotha Arnob 3. Count on me Bruno Mars 4. Dosti Junoon 5. Coffee house er shei adda Manna Dey 6. True Friend Miley Cyrus 7. Yaariyan OST Cocktail 8. Gift of a Friend Demi Lovato 9. I’ll be there for you The Rembrandts 10. Crew love Drake

TM AG th u rsDAY, AUG UST 7, 2014

First, you feel your head nodding to an extremely catchy beat or an instrumental piece, then a sense of amazement envelops you the moment his spit-clear rhymes hit your ears.

Next, you feel yourself connect with an incredibly heart-felt delivery of what could be argued to be the best set of lyrics; that ought to be your first impression when you hear his songs. Opposed to the clarity of his performances and a smooth Westernised accent, you’ll wonder to yourself, “Is he from Bangladesh? No ways!” Yes, he is, most definitely, one of the most prominent hip-hop artists in our mother land. With great pride, let us introduce you to Tauqir Ahmed, whose alias is synonymous to the symbol of modern-day rap music in Bangladesh: Mode Silver. A talented rapper and a lyricist who began his artistic journey at the age of 15, has earned his place in the play-list of every hip-hop enthusiast in the country. Among many of his talents, song-writing clinches the first place, followed by his rapping skills, beat selection and incorporation of exceptionally tasteful samples.

In one of his most popular songs, “Devil’s Playground,” he sampled Charlie Chaplin’s iconic speech from The Great Dictator, which added significant depth to the anti-capitalistic essence of the song. Thematic diversity of his songs underlines his passion for knowledge, especially in the fields of art, literature and philosophy. Tauqir/ Mode Silver’s work ranges from sociopathic story-telling to entities from Greek mythology, from terrifically touchy heart-break narratives to the genre-typical yet classy self-boasting pieces; he’s done it all and promises more. He always leaves the listeners wanting even more. Not only are his

ideas fresh from the oven, they are interestingly educational and profoundly inspirational.

His list of inspiration comprises of renowned independent hip-hop artists like Immortal Technique, Slug (Atmosphere), Lupe Fiasco, Sage Francis, Snoop Lion (previously Dogg) and many others including a surprising entry of T-Pain. Mode Silver is a mustlisten for all the fanatics of hip-hop, even if not, we can bet his artistry will turn you into a hip-hop lover. His artistry truly defines “rhythm” and “poetry.” A mention-worthy story from the chronicles of Mode Silver is the overwhelming international response from a remix competition organised by Dhaka Electronic Scene. “White Flag,” one of his most-celebrated songs was remixed by independent producers from the UK, USA, Poland, Australia and even from the most remote places of the world. If that doesn’t convince you about how good he is, a 16-song playlist with a combined total of nearly 6,000 plays in soundcloud alone awaits your arrival. Enter the following links to acquaint yourself with this remarkably gifted independent rap artist. We guarantee that you will thoroughly cherish his magic. Mode Silver, remember the name. www.facebook.com/ modesilvermusic; www.soundcloud. com/modesilver Zaki Adnan

tmag 11

playroom

WE RECOMMEND App of the week

Size 2.7 MB Price Free Platform Android

Movie

Snap and Search A picture is worth a thousand words they say, but what does it mean? For too long, this sentence has been used and overused, occasionally in the right context, but mostly in the wrong. It has just been a saying people use to get away from explaining things, until now!

The developers at Google Inc have concocted an amazing app that turns that saying into reality.

Google Goggles (catchy name) is a mobile app that searches by image. You take a picture with your smartphone and it tells you what it is that you have taken the picture of. You might be thinking: “I know what I am taking a picture of, that’s why I am taking it.” But, what if you didn’t? Imagine a menu in a different language which you need translated, or a famous landmark you

don’t know the name of; take a picture and let Google do what it does best, look it up on the Internet. Any text, icon, painting, popular images or even a barcode, you snap a picture and Google searches its enormous database to provide you with any useful information it has on that.

Google Goggles is still in its infancy, ie there are some limitations to its capabilities. The app is only as good as your phone’s camera and it’s not too good with animate and 3D objects like animals, cars, furniture - well you get the idea. The real clampdown, however, comes from the image database itself: it’s not quite extensive. It’s building up though, into something phenomenal and immensely useful. ASM FOYSAL

gameplay. It contains a classic revenge plot which has become repetitive at this point with most of the characters lacking interesting or compelling traits. The open world aspect of the game is very large and easily accessible even early on in the game but there aren’t many areas of the map which you can really connect with.

Still each pedestrian has their own story to tell which can be accessed by using the profiler on Aiden’s smartphone. You will have to play the game to find what these stories are.

Nevertheless, Watch Dogs is a game that is liked by most gamers but it isn’t one of those that occupy a special place in a gamer’s heart. It’s not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination and it has nothing going for it that makes it better than “Grand Theft Auto V.” It is, however, entertaining and fulfills what video games are designed to accomplish.

Cameron Howe (Mackenzie Davis).

Many have the misconception that this show might be something identical to “Mad Men.” However, the excellent acting and impressive script of the show proves that it is unique and different.

The pilot wasn’t really a clear indication towards what the series might be about and that increases the curiosity to find out what’s yet to come.

Halt and Catch Fire was nominated for the “Critics Choice Television Award” for being one of the most exciting new series this year. Christopher Cantwell and Christopher C Rogers are the people

responsible for the brilliant script.

Even in the tiresome world of engineering, the series managed to find drama. The show is superbly directed

by Juan Jose Campanella. It could be the next big success after “Breaking Bad” and “Mad Men.” After 30 reviews, the show got a score of 69/100 on Metacritic. So far, the only little flaw with the series is that it tends to rush through the technical details a litte too fast. If you love Lee Pace and technology based shows then this is definitely for you and you dont need to be a tech expert to enjoy it. Isfar Imtiaz Baset

game

Alarmed There was a lot of hype during the release of the game “Watch Dogs” on May 24, 2014. It was expected to be the next big action franchise due to the spectacular demo shown at E3 2012. Sadly, just as some expected, it was nothing but hype. The game was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is an openworld single player game featuring a grey hat hacker, Aiden Pierce and his adventures in a fictionalised Chicago, Illinois.

Though the concept seems intriguing, the missions of the game feel very one dimensional and does very little to draw gamers into its world. The story simply doesn’t meet the ever evolving standards of

Isfar Imtiaz Baset

tv

INTEL Inside!

The first episode of “Halt and Catch Fire” was released on June 1 and certainly, it was a triumphant pilot.

The show takes place in the 1980’s when IBM used to wrongly reign over the PC wars. Three rebel computer specialists, who work in a mediocre computer company in Texas, attempt to reverse-engineer an IBM PC and steal the technology. With that information, their plan was to make a new and improved machine. For this operation, former IBM sales executive Joe MacMillan (Lee Pace) hires Cardiff electric engineer Gordon Clark (Scoot McNairy) and programming genius

Afterlife Before writing anything else, let’s just say, “Heaven is for real” is not a movie for the action or romance lovers. Starring the Academy Award nominee and Emmy award winning actor Greg Kinnear, this movie is a true story based on the bestselling book from authors Lynn Vincent and Todd Burpo. Rated a 5.5 on IMDb, this is a movie directed

by Randall Wallace.

Todd and Sonia Burpo are a real-life couple, who have a son called Colton. Colton played by young Connor Corum, claims that he visited heaven during a near-death experience. The movie is about this young man, as he speaks of his experiences; about things before he was born. Moreover, these were things that he couldn’t possibly have known. As a result both Todd and Sonia are forced to examine the meanings from this event.

Despite being a Christian movie, this movie is so touching that a person from any religion could be moved by it. Little Connor Corum’s role as Colton Burpo is praiseworthy; anyone watching Connor would say, “That’s cuteness overload!”

However, the movie has some drawbacks. First of all, the film sort of contradicts the actual story of Lynn and Todd.

Secondly, as many people say, there is no real climax in this movie. That makes it a faithbased, arid movie with no real story or twist.

Nevertheless, the concluding speech by Kinnear is something that gives life to the 99 minutelong movie. In fact, Greg Kinnear and Kelly Reilly’s stunning performances as parents are wonderful. The movie has absolutely no obscenities and is something you can watch with your family on weekends.

Anika Jannat

TM AG Th u rsDAY, AUG UST 7, 20 1 4

12 tmag

Take TMAG’s PERSONALITY QUIZ Now!

TEENARAMA

What Kind of Drink Are You?

With the summer heat and humidity, what better way to spend a few minutes on a quiz to find out what drink you are?

Question 1 You could be one of these three but that depends entirely on your answers: A Water – you don’t care about anything else. You want it basic and you want it to quench your thirst. That is all.

B Cold milk and Rooh Afza, served with ice – delicious, healthy, and majestically pleasing to the eye. What’s better than the classic Rooh Afza?

C Mango juice – with the mango season still going strong, mangoes are aplenty.

It won’t be hard to find some fresh mangoes to be put into the blender to make some juice

Listology

Friends you can’t do without You have the fair weather friends or the forever friends, but in between lays a plethora of friends that need to be contacted for different occasions and emergencies. TMAG brings you the four friends without whom your life would be missing the elements that make you YOU! Natasha Rahman

Question 2 At a dawaat, you’re most likely to be…

A Stuffing your face with as much food as possible, so that the others don’t finish all the aloos in the biryani.

B Engaging in conversation with anyone and everyone. You’re out here to have fun and actually be sociable.

C Sitting down quietly, just passing the day. You showed up to be polite, and now you can’t wait for them to serve the food so that you can be on your way ASAP.

The Vault Pour in the nasty little secrets, bury your hidden skeletons or tweet to him/her the most random gossip about someone he/she doesn’t even know - the vault will sit still, soak in all the stories and lock itself up. Even the smartest code breaker wouldn’t be able to access any of your stories from this one.

Question 3 On a hot summer’s day, you are most likely to…

A Go outside to enjoy the weather, perhaps take a few clicks with a camera and such.

B Be happy. It’s a bright sunny day. And for some reason, the sun makes you happy. You don’t even know. You don’t even care.

C Sit on your lazy behind in your little cave, refusing to go out. The day must be passed without any interaction with the world.

The Hippie You may have the habit of eating noodles with your fingers, or changing partners left, right and centre - the hippies don’t mind. Hippies will let you do whatever rocks your boat, even if your boat goes topsy-turvy. They never judge you for anything you have done and in their eyes, you are still awesome!

Question 4 If a friend posts something objectionable on Facebook, how are you most likely to react?

A You’ll try to find the humour in it and transform the objectionable status to something colourful, nice, and cheery.

B It’s posted by a friend. Obviously you have to defend him/her.

C Eh. Keep scrolling.

Question 5 You open your wallet and you see that you have Tk100. What would you do with it?

A Buy a Zaa n’ Zee ice cream, one packet of Kokomo, and maybe some CP chicken.

Now that’s budget planning!

B WOOT WOOT! Spend it! Spend it all!

C You save it. For a time when you’ll actually need it.

If your answers are mostly A’s, then you’re a Rooh Afza!

If they’re B’s, then you’re a mango juice.

And lastly, if it’s mostly C’s, you’re a glass of water!

TM AG th u rsDAY, AUG UST 7, 2014

The Have-It-All You are running late for an event, which requires a brown pair of dinner shoes, he/she has got it. Or you are heading for a formal dinner, and you need a pencil skirt bad, they will willingly lend it to you. They usually forget what they lend to you, so make sure to give it back as soon as you are done.

They may be too nice to point it out so make a mental note to return what you take.

The shopaholic Maybe, you need to shop for your mom’s saree, or the right kind of shoes with your gown. If you are in a dilemma this is your go-to friend. They know exactly which narrow street to bustle into to get the perfect material or shoes, at half the price in comparison to what you would have paid in a highend market. They are experts at bargaining and will work as your personal shopper, so, that you look your best!