TMAG Volume 2 Issue 18

Dhaka Tribune

Thursday, September 4, 2014 Volume 2, Issue 17

HOT TOPIC

A letter short of Danger

Status of the week A weekly production of

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 Rafid Ahnaf Kyoko Bhuiyan Sreeja B

1 out of 5 people suffer from loneliness. So, if you look around and you don’t see the other 4 people, they’re out having fun without you – Haren Rishi Thadhani

Hashtag trendings

Editor’s note Dear Readers,

Meme of the week

As the saying goes, “If you lose your temper, you’ve lost the argument.” Life will give you plenty of reasons to tick you off, but its best to play it cool. Turn to hot topic (pg6&7) to find out what drives you up the wall.

Also on page 11 ( Playroom) we have compiled for you a list of the winners of MTV music video awards. On page 9(YouWriteIt) follow our comic strip to find out what’s happening next in our short graphic story. Let us know how we did! Rate, comment and like our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/ dhakatribunetmag to stay in the loop. Keep it cool!

#myseptemberwish #MySeptemberWish : I wish I get all the happiness I deserve

More inside Picks Of the week 2 Room of the week Armin Musa 3 Doodle of the week Bembem Wangkhem 10 Spotlight Musical Axes 10 The goodsheet Big Jet Plane

12 Quiz Angry much

Your world 5 Car Dodge Viper TA 9 Non-fiction Looking back at myself 9 Fiction Brutal nature 9 Book Notice me!

TMAG says 2 Funk up your room Make it your happy place 2 FYI Blessing in disguise 10 Playlist Rage against the playlist 11 MTV Music Awards

Real Life 3 Event Tweet 6 Hot topic A letter short of danger

Fashion 4 Beauty check Channelling the anger into the body 4 Look of the week Maisha Samiha

Cheers, From the TMAG desk

Horoscopes 5 Your forecast

Graphics Mohammed Mahbub Alam Tahsin Momin Colour Specialist Shekhar Mondal Kazi Syras Al Mahmood Production Masum Billah Advertising Shahidan Khurshed Circulation Wahid Murad Email: tmag.dt@dhakatribune.com Website: www.dhakatribune.com

5 Car talk Dodge Viper TA

8 Written in the stars

Xefer Rahman

About the cover The secret is, I am always angry Model Wazih Abbas Murshed Photo Sazzad Hossain

3 TMAG’s Easel Bembem Wangkhem

4 Look of the week

The golden girl

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Your Life Kheya Mezba

Antique furniture is the best way to go. These spooky cool collection instantly renders the room artsy and the plain wall complements the wood brilliantly

Make it your happy place

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TMAG’s Room of the week!

Funk up your room

Whether you’re living abroad, or with your parents, the only place you can truly call yours is your room. It is therefore very important to make it “yours” as much as you can. This basically means that you decorate the room to make it your sanctuary; your place of happiness.

TMAG is here to show you some interesting ways you can make your room your comfort zone

Name

Armin Musa Area

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Gulshan 2

Boys, you can fill up every inch of your room with posters of the sexiest cars and the prettiest girls that you are in love with. Not only that, posters of your favourite music artists, athletes are also some you can easily use. Use bed sheets of your favourite football team and put a bunch of pillows to make your bed the most comfortable part of your room.

Girls, you can put up posters of David Beckham or anyone else you think will make you happy when you walk into your room. On one of the walls you can have a collage of pictures of your favourite moments with the most important people in your life. Put stuffed toys and lots of fluffy pillows so when you fall into bed, it feels like your falling on clouds.

For both boys and girls, it is very important to have at least two tables in your room, one could be your dressing

table where you keep your make-up, perfumes, gels, colognes and other necessary items. The other one can be your study table where you keep your books and stuff. Make sure it has a locked-drawer where you can stash stuff you may not want your parents to see or know of. Mirrors are a must have in your room so make sure you have that. You can even stick pictures on it to make it funky, but leave enough space to make sure you can see your face.

If you’re into books and video games, have a little shelf set up in one corner of your room to keep them. Also ,if you can manage, have a small TV set up to spend your lazy days.

Remember, when you move, your room, wherever you are is the only home you will have. Make sure that you surround yourself with things that you love. This way you can never really feel lonely. Kyoko Bhuiyan

FYI

Blessing in Disguise The world is on the verge of destruction due to global warming and no one bats an eye. We don’t have internet access for one day and we lose our mind. The world of internet; some say is a blessing others argue it’s a curse. Nevertheless we have to accept the fact that internet shapes our modern world. Everything in this world has a negative side to it, so does our beloved internet One such dark side of the internet (Pink Floyd much!) is trolls. According to the dictionary, a troll is when someone posts controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum or chat room with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.

Sounds familiar? Well Internet trolls have slowly but surely set their foot in Bangladeshi culture.

One is sure to rendezvous with a self-proclaimed philosopher giving a lecture about patriotism or nationhood, under any post of the recent Shahbag movement. They are also likely to find someone showing off his/her knowledge about all the religions in this world and prove that his/her ideologies have the key to attain world peace, during the recent Gaza conflict outburst over social media. These are people

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commonly known as trolls. They literally look for places to comment or share their sophisticated and oh-so-great intellect, just to brew up a “virtual war.”

There is no point arguing with such social network users as their prime motive is to provoke others, just to prove their superiority. No matter how logical or fact filled one’s rebuttal is, trollers will continue imposing their rage inducing comments in order to exhibit their existence. This usually ends up in a very bitter way.

Many suggest it’s better to avoid such encounters in the first place. The internet offers plenty of resources for everyone. It is a fun place to interact with each other and share ideas.

Because of the unpleasant presence of trollers amid us, the internet loses

its reputation and importance. Hence it is wise to use social networking sites and the internet ,as a whole, with caution.

Rafid Ahnaf

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Schoologistics School Survival

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Event Tweet

Curious for the furious A step in a muddy puddle just outside school. Cellphone confiscated.

Assembly for 30 minutes. D in a mock test. The average person, after such a magnificent scenario, would just lose it! Now that’s the average person, but what of someone who actually does have anger issues? To avoid new seasons of Dexter, most schools worldwide have counsellors to provide guidance and support; privately. TMAG takes a look around to spot ones nearby The most efficient of counselling so far has been from International School Dhaka, whose offering of counselling programmes promotes and supports academic excellence, social and emotional development, and career planning; the whole lot. They even work with class groups to develop social behaviour and help develop it, so the students can build relationships and make healthier lifestyle choices. This is all built into the education system, mind you. Running second, comes Scholastica, whose Student Affairs Unit seeks to help students understand and deal with social, behavioural and personal issues, but only when they arise. Similarly, Aga Khan School is reputed for their excellent career counselling, but in case of social issues and emotional management, the practice has not been developed successfully in Bangladesh, unlike their Kampala branches. With other schools, the existence of this specific department

TMAG’s easel

is not mentioned clearly.

The problem arises when children with social issues are termed as “special,” when they simply need guidance.

Communication and socialisation is of utmost requirement in the modern world, and needs to be taught.

But schools only seem to take action when these issues arise.

Question is, why learn to dodge a bullet when you can not get shot in the first place?

Rad Sharar

Bembem Wangkhem

“When conquered by anger, a person loses himself and the only weapon left is the weapon of destruction”

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

National Olympiad in Software Innovation To promote the use of computer technology in constructing solutions that solve real life problems, the first National Olympiad in Software Innovation (NOSI) has launched an event on August 30 at the EMK center.

NOSI also aims to emphasise on constructing a platform for the youth to prove their capabilities and improve their efficiency in this particular area.

NOSI is an upcoming annual software development competition for middle/high school students and college freshmen (aged between 12-21 years). In this competition, participants have to solve a real-life problem solely through building a computer software. Moreover, they will be assessed on their individual performances which include many aspects of the solution – idea, usability, UI design, functionality, interactivity, etc.

The chief guest at the event was Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Greg Wilcock. He spoke about how innovation can be used to change Bangladesh and shared some insightful stories with the audience. He mentioned the importance of innovation for everyone and focused on the importance of initiative taken by young people.

Moreover, the event was also graced by experts from the IT industry and start-up community including CEO of Fortuna Group, Fayaz Taher; CEO of BDJobs, Fahim Mashroor; Executive Director of Olympic Industries, Samad Miraly, Omicronlab Developer Rifat Nabi; CEO of International School Dhaka, Craig Salmon and many more.

The application process has started and will go on until October 1. Students may register online at www.nosibd.org. By October 10, selected candidates will be sent messages with their admission card so they can attend the competition. The competition will take place at International School Dhaka between October 17 and 18.

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FASHION FACE-OFF

Look of the week

Health

The Golden girl

Channelling the anger into the body Is your back sore from crouching over the laptop while sending fumes of anger over emails or chats? Or do you suddenly feel the need to smash your phone on the ground after a heated argument with your beau? Sometimes your parents’ stern voice commanding, “control your anger” isn’t enough to really make that anger go away, right? Keep reading to see how TMAG helps you channel that anger into vigorous bursts of joy

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“As days approach winter, we get get into the frenzy of the wedding season. Maisha’s look brings to you a gorgeous way of dressing for the season. The hair is done in a side swirl making the trendy bangs look classy and sophisticated; absolutely fit for the event. Very subtle on jewellery, this look is glamourised with the sequenced blouse and sleek orange lips.

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Model Maisha Samiha Photo Courtesy

Emotional kickboxing According to Roger Gould, a UCLA psychiatrist, guys and girls who are always watching their waistlines do really well in keeping their bodies in check. But when they are taken over by anger, the refrigerator becomes their best friend. Why do we do this?

Movies and advertorials always show peeps eating junk food to overcome their break-ups, bad grades or perhaps loneliness. A better way to calm those angry nerves is by trying this workout that will immediately make you feel better. This may sound a little off, but the next time you hang up on an argument, or slam the door on someone, stand up instantly and do a set of 12 front kicks, and six side kicks with each leg. Remember, don’t just go through the motions, you’ve got to kick that anger out of your system. Kick hard and fast like it’s your last kick ever. Add a few jabs and punches if you really want to get the whole body in sync and kick that anger to the curb.

Rage control goodies Sometimes, you just need to let your blood cool down and refrain from creating a scene that would make you look like a fool. In a fix like this, it isn’t easy to just sit back, smile and let it melt away, or is it? We would be blessed if that worked but usually with so much adrenaline pumping;

we need to dump that anger somewhere, or on something else.

Especially something that sounds like doughnuts? Anything to let that anger go. Mad Men’s January Jones isn’t into strenuous workouts either, so if cardio isn’t your thing you can divert that bigstock to

tasty comfort foods that also revive your mood. Freshly squeezed orange juice or a handful of walnuts will instantly lift your mood and keep that stress level down. If your appetite needs more than a handful of nuts, then take out those cheddar slices, cut out thin cucumber slices and lay them between two whole-wheat bread to make a nice sandwich. Sprinkle some hot paprika on it and let the fire in you burn out!

Natasha Rahman

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Street Car Talk

HOROSCOPE Aries (Mar 21-Apr 19)

You may enjoy starting new projects but seeing them through to completion may get tough.

It is high time to put an end to all those unfinished stories.

Taurus (Apr 20-May 20)

If you’ve been wanting to put up a show this is the time to do it. With the moon in your fifth house of fame and creativity, you’re nothing less than a star.

Gemini (May 21-Jun 20)

Venomous demeanour

The urge to stay in might be strong. No need to be alarmed though. Put on your headphones and get your work done. You’ll be partying again in no time.

Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22)

In the late 1980s, Chrysler got involved with Lamborghini; this sorted affair lasted for six years. And when they parted, they left behind a love child, the Dodge Viper It is considered as one of the few, true American supercars. Just the name, instills a sense of fear. The Viper to date is the most sought after American supercar; it’s all power, absolutely no drama and it does not give a damn about what the world thinks about it.

And this is its latest incarnation, the Dodge Viper TA. TA stands for “Track Attack,” and now that you know what it means, you can put on your guessing hat and start guessing. It starts its life as a base Viper and gets a host of adjustments made with a single focus: faster lap times. These include several modifications made to the suspension, body and even the braking system.

However, the orange stitching on the cloth interior doesn’t make you go any faster. It just makes you feel that way.

So, that no one doubts which Viper you are driving, it is only available in three colours and a handful; 159, will ever be made. Out of which 93 will be painted in TA orange, 33 in bright white and 33 in venom black.

The Viper isn’t very practical. Frankly, it is just plain dangerous. But if you were wondering what it would feel like to strap yourself to the back of an engine, then this is it.

What sets the Viper apart is the fact that it will do exactly what you tell it to do. But that isn’t necessarily a good thing, because turn it too quickly, and it feels like the car is determined to kill you. Or get too profound on the 8.4 litre V10 around a corner, in just about any gear, and the rear end will break free, putting up a stern fight against your control of the beast.

Now in its fifth generation, most areas of the Viper other than the engine, remains untouched. This is partly because it really doesn’t need any more power as the main driving force behind the Viper’s 8.4 litre power house is 610 horses, and these aren’t your regular ponies. These are mean stallions that don’t like people sitting on their backs. But there is something cool about controlling that chaos. It’s about getting on these horses and mastering them, even though they don’t like it.

By mastering them, we mean surviving them.

This track-focused model is obedient compared to its predecessors, but it demands deference. In other words, you can define it as an automotive equivalent of a circus tiger; one move in the wrong direction and you are going

With the moon in your productive third house, don’t be too surprised if you get twice the amount of work done within half the time. Get ‘em done and use the spare time for a social outing.

Leo (Jul 23-Aug 22)

You are likely to score some major points in business and your professional life. A little hard work and dedication will get you a long way.

Virgo (Aug 23- Sep 22)

You’re like an idea machine right now. Remember not to get bogged with the details though. That’s the only thing that can slow you down.

Libra (Sep 23-Oct 22)

If there’s nothing too demanding that calls for your attention right away, this is the time to kick back, relax and unwind with an interesting show or good music. Everything else can wait.

Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21)

It’s best not to plan out too many outings this week. You’ll be much more comfortable curling up in bed and hibernating.

Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21)

You’re pumped up and ready for anything. Make use of your leadership qualities. They’ll benefit you in the future.

Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19)

Creativity tank needs refueling? Take a time out. All work and no play can turn you into a very unhappy person.

Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18)

Your focus is most likely on a certain someone rather than work at the moment. Don’t just commit to anything that doesn’t come with a no questions asked return policy.

Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20)

Remember to play it cool when dealing with potential partnerships. Before you commit, make sure that both parties are crystal clear on what you’re agreeing on.

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A letter short of Danger I have seen many storms in my life. Most storms have caught me by surprise, so I had to learn very quickly to look further and understand that I am not capable of controlling the weather, to exercise the art of patience and to respect the fury of nature - Paolo Coelho Our day, even under the clearest of skies, is hit by numerous storms of many kinds. A splash of mud, and a dash during a traffic jam could set us up like a time bomb ticking to explode in frustration from the smallest of matters. So TMAG got back to the lab to figure out what really makes us angry? We surveyed 100 students of both English medium and Bangla medium schools to ask them what ticks them off.

Out of a 100%, this is how much each of the following “piss-off” factors makes teens angry Raisa Rahim and Rad Sharar Bin Kamal

Mock exams 86% There’s nothing more annoying than an exam that doesn’t matter but one we must do well in. The mock results are “apparently” a reflection of the potential grades, which is the purest form of morale downers before the real deal. Moreover, the first-class prep facilities you get before the mocks is something which is non-existent before the real exams, and that is a major pain in the donkey!

Traffic 84.6% Here’s a fact. Our country loses approximately Tk6,287 every second due to traffic congestion.

That’s right, every second. So that’s Tk22m an hour.

On an average, the daily teen spends over two hours on the road commuting between tuitions and school. That’s a whole month wasted in traffic in one year.

Memorising multiplication tables 82.6% Slow internet 82% Fun fact: Computer users are four times more annoyed by slow internet speeds than catching viruses and malware.

Waking up on winter mornings to go to school 77.3% If dragging yourself out of bed wasn’t hard enough, remember that lightning chill that shocks your bum when you sit on the ice-cold toilet seat” Aaaah!

Late lines in school 65.3% Street noise 60.3% If you’re not aware of them, there are international noise limits on every area to keep you aware and safe from dangerously high levels of noise. 45 areas in Dhaka were surveyed by the DOE, and 22 of them were classified as red zones exceeding the permissible noise limits.

Exposure to high levels of noise can lead to permanent deafness, and also causes stress, cardiovascular problems, and migraines.

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HOT TOPIC

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31.6% Poor toilet facilities on emergencies Nothing can change your definition of basic human needs when nature suddenly calls in the most awkward of times. What then? The public loos are more germ-infested than your “business”, and there’s little that’s more uncomfortable than going in a dirty, wet, disgusting place you don’t know; without tissue papers. The “bodnas” don’t help either.

59.3% Muddy streets on rainy days Splash! And there goes your perfectly ironed school dress. Oh man!

54.3% Group projects You just know that there’s always the one person who gets stuck with all the work while the others slack off.

57.6% Blackheads and Pimples The teen years are all about the hormonal flux, and that means your skin pays. Offset the ish by drinking loads of water and avoiding oily, fried food

13% Ex-es Exes are never good news, its like holding onto a broken string that you should have let go a long time ago. Remember, a broken mirror is all that it will ever be. It’s time you get that dirt off your shoulder.

Do you mind Sir? “When I’m chewing, I’d have to have equal amount of food on both sides of my mouth, one side can’t have more than the other,” said one reader when asked about her pet peeve. Read on to acquaint yourself with some of the many celebrity pet peeves that you may have encountered with your friends, strangers or yourself.

that he could be using his time better.

“You ain’t got no baby wipes?”

Will.i.am, the “Boom Boom Pow” artist rants about not having baby wipes beside the dry toilet paper every time he enters the washroom.

Text me maybe?

Chandra Wilson from our very favourite TV series, Grey’s Anatomy, despises people who call but don’t leave a message in case she fails to receive the call. It drives her nuts. This is very true because you might have had a long day and you’re not in the mood to sit down and answer all the missed calls your phone is drowned in unless it’s an important one. And how would you know the call was important? If they left a message, that’s right!

Half-baked ideas Unprepared ideas or proposals delay the task and hence consume valuable time of the people involved. If you have experienced working in a group or leading a team, this must’ve ticked you off many times like it did for the US president Barack Obama, who feels

The chewer Everybody has that one friend who chews gum so loud that even your pancreas can hear them. “I hate chewing gum,” ranted the media tycoon Oprah Winfrey. “It makes me sick just to think about it. When people chew loudly or smack it and pull it out of their mouth, that’s the worst.”

Fashion disaster Kanye West voiced his pet peeve on Twitter and said, “I hate button up shirts with hoods. I hate hoods with sport coats. I hate sport coats with button up shirts, jeans and dress shoes.” Join Kanye’s club if you despise fashion disasters.

The Xerox A new book by Fred Vogelstein reveals Apple CEO, Steve Job’s dislike towards Google. He hated the fact that Google was simply ripping off of what Apple was doing. Referring or taking help from someone else’s idea is humble but plagiarizing makes you nothing more than, well, a thief!

It’s a Bug’s Life Cleanliness is vital. But there are people who’ll touch the door knob with a tissue paper or perhaps wash their hands before shaking hands with someone and then wash them again after. R&B artist Usher refuses to be called a germophobe. But every time he goes to a restaurant and finds the silverware isn’t new, he would ask for a glass of boiling hot water and cleanse his knife and fork in it.

Love the way you lie Contradicting her own song lyric, Rihanna tells people that her biggest pet peeve is dishonesty. “It’s very genuine, I mean, why lie when you can simply avoid doing whatever leads to dishonesty?”

Sir you’ve got something on your hair “Resurrection” actor, Omar Epps reveals annoyance; “My pet peeve is when someone next to you has something in their hair, and you want to pick it out, but they’re strangers and you don’t want to touch them.”

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written in the Stars

Voice of the extraordinary Xefer Rahman is young and super talented with an ingenious knack for music. Starting her journey on YouTube, she has now become a youth icon beside the many young artists in Bangladesh. Saudia Afrin has a conversation with her about her vivacious journey

Photos COurtesy

How did you get started in the world of music?

I started by covering the song “Thank You” by Dido randomly on my phone when I was 17 and showed it to some of my closest friends. Their reactions were priceless. They were literally shocked just by the fact that it was my voice.

After that I was extremely motivated and enthusiastic about continuing what I loved.

What sort of difficulties did you face during that time?

Can’t complain about my family/friends since they were always supportive and that makes me feel very lucky. When my work was first publicised through YouTube, back in 2011, there was a lot of criticism alongside appreciation. This was all because I covered English songs despite being a Bangladeshi, and also had a Western get up. However, I never let any of that affect my music. I believe criticism is a part of being a public figure.

You weren’t trained professionally, so how did you recognise your mistakes and strong points?

That’s a very good question. I was my own critic and was able to judge my work based on gut feeling. Also, there were family, friends, and professionals

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who shared their opinions about my work, which helped me then and continues to help even today.

What factors led you to pursue music?

After discovering this side of me, I felt fulfilled. It made me happy in a way I never experienced before. The feeling was an addictive one and that in itself pushed me to pursue music further. One inspiring event was when Fuad Al-Muqtadir reached out to me and appreciated my cover of the song “Radioactive.” This made me take my career even more seriously.

Tell us about your favourite musicians and music genres There is no specific genre that I like. I like whatever sounds good to me. My interest ranges from pop to hip-hop and even rock. As far as my favourite artists go, I am inspired by Evanescence, Amy Winehouse, Muse, Creed, Florence and the machine, Pink, Lana Del Rey, Bruno Mars, Damien Rice, Bob Marley and many many more.

How long do you practice singing on an average day?

I don’t really practice as much as I should, but I’m beginning to focus on it and make it a part of my routine.

Tell us about your current projects Currently I am working on my debut album being produced by Nagib Hawk under the Jadughor flagship. You’ll hear more details as the project continues.

Recently, I’ve also been collaborating on a project called Acoustica Live with Ayub Bachchu. There are some other on-going projects as well.

You started uploading music since 2011, from then till now how do you describe yourself as a singer?

When I started I didn’t have much focus, I just loved singing. As my career progressed, I received more direction and support from many people. Now it has become a responsibility for Me. More importantly, I want to bring a unique flavour to our music industry.

What are your most successful events so far?

There are a few. A noteworthy one is when I performed at Digital World 2014’s opening ceremony of Acoustica Live.

How many songs have you uploaded on YouTube so far? Which ones got the most likes and views?

I have 13 songs on YouTube. Currently, the “Radioactive” cover is my most popular video.

Tell us about your fans My fans have been extremely supportive

and they inspire me to work harder. I feel lucky to have such appreciation and support.

If not a musician, what else would you like to be in the future?

Actually I don’t see myself doing anything else other than music.

Childhood dream?

Before discovering my passion for music I was fascinated by the idea of being a fashion designer.

Have you released any songs officially?

So far, I’ve been featured in two songs from Nagib Hawk’s album “Onkota Bhul.” The first song was “Chera” which was my first collaboration on a Bangla song. The second track was “Don’t Back Down” which co-featured Towfique (Rajotto).

How did social media impact your popularity?

Social media plays a huge part in connecting people and in my case, connecting my music to my audience.

My roots began in YouTube, and through shares and likes on places like Facebook, my music spread faster. For example, Moja Loss, one of the most popular Facebook pages in Bangladesh, shared my “Say Something” cover from YouTube which brought me a lot of exposure. n

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YOU WRITE IT

book

Notice me!

What kind of person do you grow up to be if you’re growing up in a mobile home, experience the divorce of your parents at the age of 14, often having to live with grandparents in a cattle ranch, father remarried and the couple murdered by his new wife’s ex-boyfriend? You get an author who’s capable of writing a masterpiece such as “Fight Club.”

Chuck Palahniuk is no stranger when it comes to extreme violence and does not shy away from including any disturbing content in his writing. Fight Club was Chuck’s first published book but not the first one he had written.

Before he had Fight Club published,

Chuck had written a book called “Invisible Monster.” The book was originally rejected by publishers for being too upsetting. However, after the success of Fight Club as a novel and the film, the publishers changed their minds about Invisible Monster and the novel finally saw the light of day.

The story revolves around an unnamed fashion model who had everything. However, after suffering from a sudden freeway accident, she was left disfigured and incapable of speech. From having a great career, a boyfriend to a loyal best friend; she had become so hideous that no one would acknowledge her existence. From being

the centre of attention, she had become an invisible monster. However, after her accident, she met Brandy Alexander, a person one operation away from being a complete woman. Brandy goes on to teach her, if she is to reinvent herself, she must erase her past and make up something better.

Chuck’s writing is one of a kind. It is mesmerising and captivating for all the right reasons. He has the gift of making his readers look at something very ordinary and viewing it in a completely different light. If you have a strong stomach and a tolerance for crude language, Invisible Monster is definitely a must read. Shah Nahian

Fiction

Brutal nature The sky veiled with a haze of gold, with clouds emerging, taking different shapes so as to narrate long-ago tales. Her eyes stared at the krishnochura tree that anchored its life near her small demolished aluminium house. The tender red flowers seemed like red rubies on the sudden reflection of the gold that wreathed the blue sky. Memories danced in her eyes like burning flames, tears rolled down, as her heart ached for his presence.

Her wound from losing her love was young and the pain was raw.

She fought against all her instincts that denied his presence.

So many vain replays of the past

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revolved in her mind. If only things were different! If she did not let him go sailing that stormy night, he would have been alive. But no one was certain that the storm would distort everything, no announcements were made in her village. Her heart told her somehow that there was something wrong, even a black cat crossed his way that day but she couldn’t stop him. If he caught no fish, he would make no money, and hence they would have to stay famished.

She still remembers him finishing

his last meal with delight as she sat beside him. The clouds in the sky got darker and darker paling even the slightest ray of sunshine. The wind was vicious and angry. They hugged each other goodbye and she watched him till he vanished in the mist.

There was something that made this moment an agony within her.

Each drop of rain, each thrash of the wind on her aluminium home made her curl up in terror with a holy book held to her chest. A night that seemed like a few hours to people

living in their secure homes, seemed like a thousand nights to her. At one point she remembered nothing.

Doctors and rescuers found her near her dismantled home unconscious and her head bleeding.

She was rescued from the brutality of nature and now she was trapped with nothing. The nature wasn’t guilty either. The trees were still green, the sky was still blue, only she did not have food to eat, a roof on top, clothes to wear or a purpose to live.

Sreeja B

Comic Strip

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10 tmag The goodsheet Big jet plane Angus and Julia Stone

C chord

stereo

Instrument

Musical Axes

She said, hello mister Am Em Pleased to meet ya C I want to hold her, Am Em I want to kiss her, C She smell the daisy, Am Em She smell the daisy, Cc She drive me crazy, Am Em She drive me crazy Chorus:

C Am Em Gonna take her for a ride on a big jet plane C Am Em Yeah, hey C Be my lover Am Em My lady river C But can i take ya, Am Em Take ya higher

TOP Rage against the playlist

10

1. Killing in the name of Andy Lim Trio 2. Amar Klanti Aurthohin 3. Scream Michael and Janet Jackson 4. Taarchera Chirkutt 5. Short bursts of anger Zem Segas 6. The Self Destroyer Misha Ali 7. Awari Ek Villain 8. Mind your manners Pearl Jam 9. Empty Walls Serj Tankian 10. Why this Kolaveri Di Dhanush

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Technicality and speed are beyond impressive in the eyes of a young guitarist. Playing long hours of metal and hard rock can only make one want to want more. However, a lot can change as a person’s musical sense matures. “Feel” can often trump over technicality and speed over time. Before grabbing the meanest and the most exotic looking guitar; it is vital to take some important factors into consideration The guitar is a companion that in due time becomes a part of the guitarist.

The ideal guitar, like every other musical instrument and gear, is an expensive investment to make. Moreover, the guitar itself should be able to keep up with the changes, phases and mood swings the musician goes through during his/her musical journey.

The two most important factors that come into play when searching for the perfect guitar are its tone and the level of comfort. There are almost infinite variables that define the tone of the guitar; which includes the body of the guitar, gauge of the strings, pickups, and even the pick in your hand.

However, the type of pickup and the body usually has the most important contributions.

There are mainly two types of pickups: the single coil and the humbucker. Single coils are ideal for playing clean and acoustic tones while the humbuckers are better suited for distortions and overdrives. On the other hand, humbuckers can also play decent clean tones, making it the more versatile choice.

The density of the wood used to build the guitar also plays a vital role when defining the tone. Softer and less dense woods will produce more volume, less attack and sustain. Whereas, heavier and denser woods are likely to produce more sustain and a sharper attack with

less volume. rules to are that bodied guitars specialised acoustic tones body guitars to handle and sustain. times, some guitars such Stratocaster cleaner tones than distorted vital to do as much as axes that that exotic might appear

Simple remember hollow are often for clean/ while solid are often built distortion However, at solid body as the Fender deal with much better tones. It is your research possible about catch your eye.

Guitars look

incredibly sexy at first, but it’s also important to remember the weight since the weight distribution is just as important as the guitar’s tone. For instance, Rock ‘n Roll was never meant to be played sitting down. Unless you were a horse in your past life, practice sessions might get incredibly difficult having to stand up every single time.

The guitar needs to be comfortable to navigate and allow hours of practice or performance while standing up or sitting down. Exotic shaped guitars like the Flying V’s/Randy Rhoads usually have a messed up weight distribution. With just the strap on, the head stock will point towards the ground which is also quite challenging and uncomfortable to play while sitting down. The heavy guitars, for example Les Paul, also get incredibly uncomfortable and potentially tire out the guitarist after hours of play, standing up. But in the end, it all comes down to what you like the most. It’s possible to get used to any shape or weight with enough dedication.

At the end of the day everything comes down to the type of music you want to play. The search for the perfect instrument can be everlasting but a comfortable guitar with a versatile tone will make a companion unlike any other.

Shah Nahian

Photos bigstock

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film 101

Winners Of MTV Music Video Awards

Best Collaboration Beyonce feat Jay Z “Drunk In Love”

The award ceremony may be over but if you’ve missed it, don’t sweat it! TMAG’s here with a quick recap of all the winners of 2014 Video Of The Year Miley Cyrus “Wrecking Ball” Best Choreography Sia “Chandelier” Best Direction Dj Snake & Lil Jon “Turn Down For What” Mtv Clubland Award Zedd feat Hayley Williams “Stay The Night”

Best Male Video Ed Sheeran “Sing”

Best Rock Video Lorde “Royals”

Artist To Watch Fifth Harmony “Miss Movin On” Best Video With A Social Message Beyonce “Pretty Hurts” Best Art Direction Arcade Fire “Reflektor” Best Female Video Katy Perry feat Juicy J “Dark Horse”

Best Lyric Video 5 Seconds Of Summer “Don’t Stop”

Best Editing Eminem “Rap God” Best Visual Effects Ok Go “The Writing’s On The Wall”

Best Pop Video Ariana Grande feat Iggy Azalea “Problem”

Best Hip-Hop Video Drake feat Majid Jordan “Hold On (we’re Going Home)”

Best Cinematography Beyonce “Pretty Hurts”

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Take TMAG’s PERSONALITY QUIZ Now!

TEENARAMA

Angry much?

Do you let your anger take over?

Question 1

Question 5

Someone walks past you on the street and accidently bumps into you. What do you do?

Your girlfriend/boyfriend sits you down for the “It’s not you, it’s me” talk. What’s it gonna be?

A. Snap and do something harsh.

B. Say something like “Hey, watch where you’re going!”

C. Don’t even notice the bump and keep walking.

A. Get drunk and stand on his/her lawn till the cops make you leave.

B. Start crying and blame yourself for the break-up.

C. Go home and think about what went wrong.

Question 2 You’re at a party and some guy steps on your spankin’ new shoes A. Oh, sorry about that, I wasn’t looking.

B. Oh it’s on now, you dun messed up my new kicks.

C. Why is everyone messing with me today?

Question 3 All right, same party. The guy/girl across the room keeps eye flirting with your girlfriend/boyfriend and finally comes over to talk to him/her.

A. Mutter, curse, and spit in the guy’s drink B. THAT’S MY WOMAN/MAN! YOU’RE GOING DOWN! C. Try as nice as you can to get a word in but it’s too loud for anyone to hear you.

Question 4 One day, you get fired from your job.

How you gonna deal with it?

Question 6 You get pulled over by the cops, what for?

A. The bloody trail from your trunk.

B. Speeding, expired tags, busted tail light. You know the small stuff.

C. I would never get pulled over, not in a million years.

You’re going to the gas station. What for?

A. Gas, what else?

B. Why would I go to the gas station, I ride a bike.

C. The money in the register.

Question 8 Finally, do you think you’re an angry person?

A. I’m gonna knock you out!

B. Man, shut up!

C. No, I’m cool

Mostly A’s Not only do you have a bad temper but you’ve got bad luck.

Mostly B’s You are one angry psycho, see you when you get out of jail!

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Relationships are not always passionate and happy. Every couple, at one point in their love story have fights and moments of anger. They’re either able to overcome these problems or they end up going separate ways. While some fights are usually unnecessary bickering, others just end everything. Whichever the scenario, it’s always important to communicate, after or during the fight, instead of just yelling and making rash decisions leading to heartbreaks

Dealing with jealousy

Question 7

A. Quietly curse and say “I didn’t even need this job!”

B. Curse your boss, steal some stuff, and walk out leaving a trail of destruction behind you.

C. “Why? I was so good, I did everything and more, but I guess i deserve it.”

Mostly C’s You’re a cool cat.

s y a s ays e H es Sh

He says My best friend is a girl and my girlfriend is very jealous of our friendship and thinks we are attached to each other. To be fair, I didn’t mention my best friend during any of our conversations.

We’ve been fighting about this for a while and she would walk away after she was done screaming. So, I sat her down and told her that

I’ve known my best friend since we were three and that it’s completely platonic. Also, I involve her a lot more in my life, tell her things that my best friend and I talk about, even take her along when I meet my best friend, so she knows there is nothing to worry about.

She says My boyfriend and I have been dating for a while now and recently I found out that he’s been going through the messages on my phone. This really annoyed me as I think respecting one’s privacy is important in a relationship. We had a huge fight about it; I attacked him about not trusting me and not bothering to listen to my side of the story. After I calmed down, he told me that he has serious trust issues, since his last girlfriend cheated

on him. He was able to catch her when he looked through the photos on her phone and a message popped up indicating at her secret affair. I understand his point, and to make it easier for us, we now share most things. Unless it’s something about someone we can’t really share without their permission, we don’t. It’s a lot better now as he is much more trusting and we don’t fight anymore.

Compiled by Kyoko Bhuiyan

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