TMAG, Volume 2, Issue 29

Dhaka Tribune

Thursday, November 27, 2014 Volume 2, Issue 29

Lice ain’t nice Bad posture Eww! Just. Eww!

All the deos in the world won’t save you if you don’t shower That is not bhuri-nice

Too many late nights facebooking do not make eyes pretty

Definitely not good news Poor hygine may result in death of innocent passer by

The “iss” Factor

Status of the week A weekly production of

Editor’s note

“If life gives you lemon, make a lemonade, or not, who cares?”

DhakaTribune Editor Zafar Sobhan Executive Editor Shahriar Karim Managing Editor Jahangir Hyder Magazine Editor Sabrina Fatma Ahmad Asst Magazine Editor Natasha Rahman TMAG Team Saudia Afrin Tahsin Momin Baizid Haque Joarder Fuad M Hossain Rad Sharar Raisa Rahim Shah Nahian Contributors Kyoko Bhuiyan Nasif Chowdhury Nusrat Naushin ASM Foysal Shah Naveed Choudhury

Hashtag

Meme of the week

Dear Readers,

#digitalhealth

Just as soon as we hear the word hygiene, we end up squirming at the mere thought of it. But do we really want to be eating, sleeping and inhaling germs?

Once upon a time, using a fitness tracker to monitor the number of steps you take (or hours you sleep) was not an undertaking to approach lightly. Because the point of wearing these gadgets is to get credit for your every physical exertion, but these days, you can easily keep a check on your health by collaborating several apps on your devices

This week’s Hot Topic (Pg 6&7) brings you a plethora of social bonding tactics that can keep your internal organs smiling. Do you ever miss your best friends while you are ill in bed?

On Car Talk (Pg 5), we show you how to keep those hot wheels spotless. Keep a tab on our comic strip on You Write It (Pg 9). Stay clean, stay squeaky and send us those fresh set of doodles, room corners and flash fictions.

More inside Picks Of the week 2 Room of the week Afsha Sattar 3 Doodle of the week Latiful Jawad 10 Spotlight Razor sharp axe 10 The goodsheet Feeling a moment

12 Tid bits Lottery of life

Your world 5 Car Keep em’ germs at bay 9 Fiction Wimp 9 Comic Strip Nasif Chowdhury 9 Non Fiction If only

TMAG says 2 Your room Cleanliness is key 2 FYI Not another toothpaste ad 10 Playlist The fit list 11 Game Cowboys and aliens

Real Life 3 Event Tweets 6 Hot topic Inner light

Horoscopes 5 Your forecast

Fashion 4 Beauty check Say you quit 4 Look of the week Maisha Maksud

Cheers!

From the TMAG desk

Graphics Mohammed Mahbub Alam Tahsin Momin Colour Specialist Shekhar Mondal Production Masum Billah Advertising Shahidan Khurshed

5 Car talk Keep ’em germs at bay

Circulation Masud Kabir Pavel

8 Written in the Stars

To serve and to protect

Email: tmag.dt@dhakatribune.com Website: www.dhakatribune.com

About the cover There is nothing that a shower can’t fix!

Illustration Rio Shuvo

3 TMAG’s Easel Latiful Jawad

4 Look of the week

Maisha Maksud

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Your Life

FYI

Not another toothpaste ad Maintaining oral health Remember the days when people wouldn’t just brush their teeth while fasting? But that’s not a distant reality though is it? Encountering people with foul breath unfortunately is a part of everyday life. Well, it might only appear as a nuisance on the surface, however, bad breath is one of the more evident signs that he or she isn’t maintaining proper oral hygiene.

When it comes to oral health, bad breath is not the most serious thing that can happen to a person. Poor oral health can lead to mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancer, among many other oral disorders. Also there are disorders that limit an individual’s capacity in biting, chewing, smiling, speaking, and psychosocial wellbeing.

Its been researched A report published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) states globally, 60–90% of school children and nearly

courtesy

Name

TMAG’s Room of the week!

Afsha Sattar Area

Gulshan

100% of adults have dental cavities, severe gum disease, which may result in tooth loss, is found in 15–20% of middle-aged (35-44 years) adults and about 30% of people aged 65-74 have no natural teeth. In other words, failing to maintain healthy oral habits will lead to developing cavities in your mouth if you aren’t suffering from it already, and your teeth will start falling off as soon as you break out from your teenage years and into adulthood. However, all can be avoided by sticking to a couple of simple healthy habits that won’t take up any more than a couple of minutes every day.

Brushing habits Brushing at least twice a day is the minimum requirement for getting rid of the plaque and the remnants of food and drink from your teeth and gums. Flossing once a day is an essential practice to avoid gum

warmth

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Replacing that toothbrush It’s also important to change your toothbrush regularly. A great rule of thumb can be changing it every three to four months, but the best rule would be to change it as soon as it starts showing signs of wear. And if you’re struggling to maintain a fresh breath, one of the most effective methods is to just clean your tongue. Shah Nahian

Funk up your room

Cleanliness is the key A room is supposed to be clean not only in terms of being organised but also in terms of odour management.

However, the everyday activities such as eating on our beds, trashing the corners, and pet odours can make the room smell really bad, which isn’t congenial at all. Here’s a comprehensive guide for you by TMAG to stay clean Dens of odour The couch, rug and curtains; sniffing the entire room and finding the key locations is the first priority. Once you find out where the odour is coming from, it’s time to clean that spot.

This beautiful painting hanging on the wall reveals both the taste and personality of the people who live in the house. Their love for art and contemplation is evident through this photo

disease and preventing tooth decay.

It is also important to go to a dentist for occasional checkups. Plaque accumulation inside the mouth results in formation of toxins that irritate the gums and cause the gum tissue to break down. If you don’t do a good job of removing plaque from your teeth by brushing and flossing, it can spread below the gums and damage the bone that supports your teeth. With time, the plaque also hardens into a substance called tartar.

Germ master The “trash bin” can be considered a natural mine for odours. Here, it’s paramount to clean the trash bin at least once a week or so, because germs from rotten food or other discarded stuff can cause sickness. As an added safety measure, make sure you spread a bit of ammonia or bleach to the bottom of the trash bin after you’re done cleaning.

Pet love Since a pet can’t take showers regularly, get pet wipes for them. Also, don’t forget to wash their blankets on

a regular basis.

In spite of cleaning your carpet after your pet or a toddler pees/spills a drink, you ought to clean it with a vacuum cleaner at least twice a month.

In case of a spillage, clean it right away. Opt for any kind of an enzymatic cleaner or ammonia. Either that or you can use a wet sponge to remove the stains. Use baking soda if there is any remaining odour. Don’t forget to mop the floors, wipe the counters and clean the bathroom regularly since it falls in the must-clean list.

Air freshening Though it would definitely be a good idea to keep the air clean and fresh using an air freshener, always try to leave the windows open at least for a small but certain amount of time. This will leave the house smelling decent and fresh. Saudia Afrin

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Schoologistics

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School Survival

Bigstock

‘Germ’inator Germs are everywhere waiting to invade your body. Hence, one must be cautious about their health and hygiene even when walking into schools. Here are a few awareness tips from TMAG

Smells like markers Studying can become fun with highlighters. However, as fascinating as it may seem to sniff that innocent looking writing tool, it is also very harmful. Some may not realise it, but it only takes an instant for these chemicals to create a feeling of euphoria similar to being intoxicated and wreak havoc in your body. An addiction can consequently cause permanent damage to your brain and organs.

bacteria. Remember, bacteria can grow in distilled water too.

Chew food not wood Often being unmindful, we stick pencils or pens in our mouth during lectures.

Pointy ends can cut the insides of your mouth. Choking on parts of the pencil or the eraser is a possibility besides the countless germs you can allow into your through your mouth. If swallowed, a pencil can damage the gastrointestinal tract and a surgical abstraction might be necessary.

Be eye-smart Does it feel like you have an eyelash or a speck of sand in your eye that you can’t get rid of? Don’t worry about it, it’s a common problem. Most people call it “pinkeye” but “conjunctivitis” is its proper name. It causes redness, itching, inflammation and swelling, and a gooey liquid in the inner corners of your eyes. Teens are usually most susceptible to being affected if they are in close contact with someone else who has it. Thus you should not attend schools when you have such conditions because you may run the risk of passing the germs on to others.

Practising good hygiene can be a solution, perhaps! Nusrat Naushin

“MUM” bottle “Mum” bottles stand as the modern day flasks, unlike the proper ones we used to carry back in kindergarten. Taking unwashed water bottles everyday to school provides a breeding ground for

The lice nightmare Head lice are not a sign of dirty hair or poor hygiene. Close contact with someone is all it takes to pass them on. These devils usually come from family or close friends. Head lice can be bothersome and it can affect your health, so do get yourself all the products necessary to get rid of them.

Event Tweet

TMAG’s easel

Champions of Earth

Latiful Jawad

Champions of Earth is a competition organised by North South University’s (NSU) Earth Club. It provides Bangladeshi youth with a platform to showcase their environmental concerns by discovering sustainable solutions to the existing problems.

Registrations are taking place on campus and online. For those who are unable to register in person, you can find the registration forms on the Facebook event page. Students from universities and colleges outside Dhaka are invited to participate. The registrations will continue till November 27, 2pm.

The entire competition will be driven by a single cause and the participants will proceed through the rounds coming up with their remedy to the problems identified.

Champions of Earth also aims at branding the concept of environmental conservation with a competitive edge. The winning ideas will then be passed on to different NGOs and environmental organisations for furthering the cause.

Nostalgic “In entertainment, we believe”

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

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FASHION FACE-OFF

Wardrobe Check

Keeping it clean You’ll often find that one person with an ugly blob of food stain on their shirt, or that person walking past you, leaving an indecent malodour that makes you want to throw up right away; don’t be that person

Stain buster Winter is knocking on our doors. And it’s understandable how lazy and reluctant we may become to even take a shower or wash our clothes every day. And you don’t really have to since we barely sweat in winter except for special cases.

However, if you do get a stain of any sort on your clothes, try to make an effort to wash it off before you wear them again.

To be honest, people will judge you and

pull away from you. If not everyday, at least wash them after you have worn them twice. Always remember to hang your used clothes on a coat hanger so they don’t get wrinkled. That will save you from ironing your clothes twice.

Get our nasties out Wearing the same undergarments for days is not only disgusting but also unhygienic. Besides, imagine you have

an accident and you are taken to a doctor, you don’t really want to give your lifesaver a bad stench, now do you? Plus it’s embarrassing.

Germ buster Most clothes like jeans, socks, and even towels give out bad odour if not washed regularly, especially during winter. Getting your clothes out of the closet, once in a while, and exposing them to sunlight kills

any possibility of bacteria build-ups.

Sleep tight, and breathe loose Even during winter, wearing too much clothes to bed is highly risky and may make you feel claustrophobic. It’s wise to wear breathable fabrics when you’re going to sleep. If it’s too cold, take as many blankets as you wish, instead.

Raisa Rahim

Beauty Check

Look of the week

Say you quit They say old habits die hard. Well I’ll say, nasty habits die harder

Make a statement

The best way to work with a plain dress is by throwing in a statement jewellery and a bright lipstick like that in our ‘look of the week photo.’ The gorgeous golden-brown hair complements the look even more and makes it look sultry

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Nail biting When we are nervous or stressed out and sometimes, bored, we may find ourselves devouring our nails thinking it will help cope with the situation.

Well it won’t. Your hands are possibly one of the dirtiest parts of your body since they pick up several germs throughout the day, and then putting these nasty nails in your mouth can make you sick for days. Get a manicure and see how amazing they look. Stop biting them!

Model Maisha Maksud Photo Courtesy

Picking on your skin We all know that our skin is prone to pimples and stressing about it won’t help, since it’ll only create a compulsive need to keep touching them. Sometimes you’ll just get pimples and you’ll have to accept it.

Make sure you drink lots of water and

keep your face clean. When and if you do get them, try not touch or pop them, because it will only lead to scars and inflammation. You might even end up looking like Scar from Lion King, if not an uglier version of him.

Sleeping habits People! Sleep is essential. A bunch of problems may actually arise from bad sleeping habits. For example, lack of sleep will give you more pimples followed by agony. We should all at least get about six hours of sleep to be able to function at our best. You don’t want to end up fatigued and out of energy when you need to stay awake.

So, change your sleeping pattern and try to get at least six to nine hours of sleep everyday. Don’t overdo it though as that’s not a good thing either.

Kyoko Bhuiyan

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Street

HOROSCOPE

Car Talk

Keep’ em germs at bay!

If you think you have enough to worry about by just keeping your house clean and germ-free, then you might want to think again When it comes to germs in our homes, we are all about killing them and trying our best to keep our families safe. Putting in relentless efforts to clean; we are very meticulous in scrubbing the house down on a daily basis or every alternative day.

But when it comes to our cars, do we do the same to the car upholstery?

If truth be told, most of us tend to overlook the car interiors.

The fact is, we don’t realise how infested the insides of our cars can be. Much to our astonishment, the numbers are quite high! In fact there is just as much bacteria in your car as there is in your home. Sadly, we don’t clean our cars as frequently as our homes; underestimating the harmful effects of those germs and bacteria, lurking in there.

Sources of contamination in your car: • Coffee or drink spills during our daily commute from home and work

• Quick lunches that we take in the car; spilling ketchup or other food particles that fall in between our seats and car upholstery.

• Our feet drags in germs and bacteria from going to work, restaurants, bathrooms and other public places every day.

• Children that get into the cars, rub their dirty hands/feet all over the car seats, touch dashboards and car door handles.

• Our pets that we cart around to the vets or other places.

• Rain water entering through open windows often ends up damaging the floor board and mildew starts to form on it.

Ways to keep your car clean and bacteria free: (Remember your car is an extension of your home so treat it the same) • Try to avoid eating in the car.

• Wipe down your dashboard, cup holders and steering wheels, once

a week or more if needed with sanitising products.

• Vacuum the upholstery and floors once a week or right away, when spills happen.

• Empty your car of any trash that builds up; don’t let it sit in your car for weeks or months.

• Rid the insides of the windows of hand prints and smudges from little hands, with glass cleaner.

It is weirdly surprising how dirty the inside of your car can get. We at TMAG recommend that every six months to a year, have a professional carpet cleaner clean the upholstery and the floor boards of your car. It will not only help you get rid of all the food and drink contaminating your car, it will also sanitise and deodorise your car as well. Your car should not be overlooked or neglected for a long period of time. Keep it clean and make your drives healthier than before!

Tahsin Momin

Aries (Mar 21-Apr 19)

You’re in high spirits, so much that it could be interpreted as being aggressive. In the midst of all your amazing ideas and inspirations, try to let others get a word in.

Taurus (Apr 20-May 20)

Something you’ve been working awfully hard on could get postponed or killed altogether. Be positive about it; at least you get to start something new and different.

Gemini (May 21-Jun 20)

Leave the group behind and concentrate on one-on-one interactions. Whether you’re with family or in the friendly or romantic realms, individual relationships are more important than crowds.

Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22)

Don’t let other people stand on you. Barge ahead and when you’re making these kinds of breakthroughs, nobody cares whether you’re being polite. Act now and apologise sweetly later.

Leo (Jul 23-Aug 22)

Elephants never forget, and right now, neither do you.

Holding a grudge isn’t the healthiest thing, so get your thoughts together and express them clearly. Or you could just let it go.

Virgo (Aug 23- Sep 22)

Someone might try to drag you into their drama. Be supportive and offer what help you can, but stay out of it.

Libra (Sep 23-Oct 22)

Circumstances are shifting rapidly, and it’s bound to be a bit bewildering. Tempting as it may be, don’t sideline yourself entirely. Keep moving even if you’re not entirely sure where you’re going.

Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21)

Trade in passivity for passion, inactivity for action. If you’re having trouble getting started, do something completely spontaneous.

Remember, fear of looking foolish is for scared-cats.

Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21)

That new thing or person you’ve been regarding with a tiny bit of suspicion might just turn out to be a real boon. Approach it with an open mind and you may even end up having a good time.

Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19)

Your adventurous spirit is attracting attention from exactly the right quarters. Invite them for your next mini-expedition. It will be both odd and fun, even if it’s just an errand.

Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18)

The world’s screaming, “hurry up!” You, however, want to take the scenic route. Reassure anyone who’s stressing out that you know how to pace yourself.

Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20)

The universe is pouring you a big extra cup of coffee. Drink it down and feel a charge that’s just like caffeine, without the afternoon slump.

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Inner Light Good health is about more than just a fit body and a decent grooming routine. It also resides within a sound mind and an attitude of wellness.

Here’s how to aim for that complete package

Smile like you mean it Natasha Rahman

Nothing brightens up your face more than that awesome smile. Whether you are a laughing hyena or a shy lovebird, those laugh lines on your face are a blessing for your health A broken nail, a tiff with your friend and a fallen grade can be a bummer. But don’t let that get you down; even Katy Perry believes you are a firework, and you’ve got to show them all you are worth.

According to psychologist Ann Demarais, PhD, New York University, “The mere act of putting your mouth in the shape of a smile changes the blood flow to the brain and actually makes you feel happier.”

And the better you feel, the better you look. The trick to get your smile to work is to do it right. A true smile is one where you are engaging all those beautiful laugh lines on your face. The more you smile, the more oxygen shoots up to your brain and releases a chemical

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that always keeps Bugs Bunny so giddy- endorphins. If you are turning into the Hulk about something, fake laugh it out. Stand in front of the mirror and laugh, this works as the ultimate stress buster and even keeps the blood pressure in check.

Stronger friendships, kickass health Medications and regular checkups do assure that our organs are functioning smoothly, but what about mental satisfaction? Do we have a measure for that? If you have a list of friends on your contact list that are just a phone call away, then you have been living the good, healthy life.

According to Sheldon Cohen, PhD, and a psychology professor at Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh ; “Friends help you face adverse events. They provide emotional support, and information that helps you deal with the stressors.” There may be broader effects as well. Friends encourage you to take better care of yourself. You know that friend who is always on your back to stop picking at your chapped lips, or forces you to wash your hands after sports class? That friend right there is your SpongeBob. Always in good spirits, can be a bit of a pain in the behind, friends can get on your nerves, but remember, if you fall, they will pull you right back up.

According to Tasha R. Howe, a PhD holder, and an associate professor of psychology at Humboldt State University. “People with social support have fewer cardiovascular problems and immune problems, and lower levels of cortisol -- a stress hormone.”

Have you ever been bedridden, feeling like the world is over and nobody loves you? Yeah, that’s when your sickness gets worse and you start to feel as sad as a dog without a home.

This is the time when you need your loved ones around you. Imagine having your cousins or your best friends over, cheering you up and giving you the low down on what’s been up with that teacher you guys mutually dislike.

As irrelevant as it may sound, those meaningless conversations with your buddies will whisk away your illness.

According to Sheryl Ness, a nurse educator for the Cancer Education Program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, “Cancer patients who have very strong social friendships tend to live longer than those patients who do not have many friends.”

From the very start, people always needed each other for their survival and to evolve. So,the bottomline is, the stronger your network of friends, the better you live.

HOT TOPIC

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Teen health smarts survey Burning brain blobs Rad Sharar Bin Kamal

How health-savvy is the average teen?

TMAG surveyed about 70 teen-aged students from both English and Bangla medium schools to find out

Harvey Specter forgot where he kept the keys to his Mustang.

Shahrukh Khan fumbled his lines in a love scene. Kim Kardashian couldn’t remember her waist size in a clothing store. No they didn’t!

How are they always so perfect and mentally sharp in everything they do, even when being that busy?

Keeping healthy and fit doesn’t always mean hitting the gym, but extends to keeping your mind sharp and processing perfectly. Now, others may tell you to do “neurological exercises” like solving puzzles and crosswords to help the brain, but we already know you have homework and a new food joint to try out. So here, the other, better ways to keep that fire blazing in your brain 24/7.

Textbooking Facebook If you would like to get out of your wall sometime, there’s a whole new world out there on your homepage. Learn to use it to your advantage. From fake toenails to week-a-versaries, people post their lives on social media; try to remember them. This will pose as a double edged sword for you, for not only will you be able to easily strike up a conversation with those people when you meet them (“I loved your latest pout face!”), but your verbal and social intelligence will improve significantly.

Work at home Gotcha! We meant homework. Doing your daily duties will help you beyond your imagination, and will definitely

Losing the snooze The average teenager needs more than eight hours of sleep every day. Good sleeping habits lead to improved cognitive and logic skills, mood boosts, and can also bolster longevity, and is one of nature’s best skincare routines.

Only 17.3 percent of our respondents reported getting sufficient zz’s. A staggering percentage of over 82 percent are sleep deprived.

lower that cumulative pressure before the exams. Spreading out the brainload will deliver a consistent challenge and will help you keep your head intact when all tests break loose.

Go on Sherlock Mode A bit of effort must be given to keep the brain alive. Don’t just look; observe.

Don’t just read; understand. When you see a cool car on the street, Google it and find out what model it is and how much horsepower it spits out! Keeping your mind alert when you can is one of the most effective ways to help build your brain, for it actively fuels your spatial, logical and body intelligence to grow by observing others.

Not a drop to drink The average teenager with no stressful activity needs to drink two litres of water every day. If s/he leads a physically active life, this scale extends over 3.5 litres.

Needless to say, drinking lots of water is good for the skin and kidneys, and just about everything else related to health.

52.93 percent of the interviewed teens are getting less than the recommended daily intake of water.

Choco-late?

As much as we hate to repeat, eating habits matter. Just like the doctor ordered, have fish, fruits, vegetables, avocado, seeds…sorry we couldn’t understand the rest of his handwriting.

Instead, have nuts and chocolates!

Make fruit shakes to your heart’s content and have a good breakfast every morning. But one thing must be stressed; have plenty of water throughout the day.

So gross The average laptop keyboard and cellphone screen has more germs than a toilet seat. Showering everyday proves that germs cannot extend their vacation on your whole body and palm islands.

Unfortunately, 41.4 percent of our survey takers seem to skip that daily wash. Eww.

Screaming for greens The average teenager needs two to three cups of vegetables every day, and that doesn’t include potatoes. A mere 13.46 percent of our teens actually do have that habit. The massive 86.54 percent are either not aware of the benefits of a veggie rich diet, or simply do not want to have it because their friends don’t. bigstock

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written in the Stars

To serve and to protect On basis of their projects “First Lady – Ensuring a safe society for women” and “Digital Maduli: Keep Kids safe near water”, Nawshin Mehzabin Chowdhury and Ashrarul Haq Sifat, won the battle of Telenor Youth Summit 2014. Saudia Afrin brings you a little chit-chat with the two

Nawshin Mehzabin Chowdhury

The idea

The idea

“First Lady – Ensuring a safe society for women” is a helpline project that aims to ensure women’s safety via information collection and the aid of local authorities (law enforcement and government agencies, NGOs etc).

How did you first come up with the idea?

I was working on a campaign called Safe cities for women by Action Aid Bangladesh. At the time, most of the solutions being planned rarely had anything to do with technology. So I thought of creating backup ideas that would be quick and use technology to help women rather than involving policy making or law enforcement- a solution that would be easy.

Have you faced any obstacles so far?

Finding good technological and financial assistance seems to be the biggest issues so far. Since I plan on launching the idea, I’m sure there will be more troubles ahead. But no matter what lies forward, the initial win will make everything worth it.

How supportive was your family and friends?

My initial nervousness stopped me from telling my family about it. But once I had reached the finale, with the final prize in view, I finally summoned the courage to tell them.

After letting them know, they seemed to be more excited than I was. My friends on the other hand stayed by my side the entire time, supporting me emotionally and helping me with the work itself.

What kind of experience did you gather from the competition?

What I learnt from the entire

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Ashrarul Haq Sifat

“Digital Maduli” is a low cost wearable device with SIM integration that focuses on preventing drowning for children, mainly infants by using a Geographical Information System.

experience was far greater than any prize. It helped me grow both on a professional level as well as a personal level. Fighting for the prize against 500 other people gave a whole new meaning to the word competition. It was intense!

But the amazing people I’ve encountered along the way and competing on such a level changed me for the better.

How do you plan to start up this project?

I am seeking financial and technical assistance from a few people and organisations. Creating awareness campaigns would be the next step to making this into a reality.

What is your biggest achievement so far?

It is difficult to label any achievement as the biggest achievement. Every success certainly has an impact on a person for the better. But for now I see my biggest achievement sometime into the future.

What future plans do you have for yourself?

Apart from finishing my undergrad, I plan on shaping up the “First Lady” idea and continue to work with Action Aid, UNDP and UNYAP. It would be great to get involved in the development sector and bringing upon worthy changes to the society, especially for women.

What inspired you to pursue this idea?

The original inspiration was the scale of the problem itself and the potential of using technology to create a solution. It would really mean something if the idea saves at least one life after implementation.

Did your education contribute towards your victory?

Yes, of course it did. The idea is based on cutting edge technology -wearable electronics and Geograhphic Information System (GIS) networks.

BUET helped me familiarise myself and stay up to daate regardingboth advancement in electronics and telecommunications. That was probably, if not the biggest contributing factor when generating the idea.

What kind of obstacles are you facing in starting up this project?

The primary issues are the miniaturisation and battery life of the device I proposed. However, with help of the advancement in battery technology and industrial productions, I think it’s only a matter of time till these problems can be overcome. The next big challenge should be building up awareness in people on how big of a problem child drowning can be.

What kind of experience did you gather from the competition?

This competition made me realise the importance of social entrepreneurship. Seeing brilliant ideas from all the universities, getting

a chance to talk about them and get evaluation from the entrepreneurs themselves, was a vast learning experience. Bangladesh is full of talented people but we have yet to educate the masses about our growing issues. The youth of our nation needs to be more aware of them if we are to implement solutions in the future.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve ever had to face?

If I answer non-academically, on my second tour to Bandarban with friends - a six day backpacking trek- I had to climb mountains for the last three days with a cramp in my leg. It was difficult but I succeeded in the end.

How do you plan to start up this project?

The plan is to start with pilot projects in places where child monitoring is already in place. Once we succeed in doing that, it can be gradually expanded. However, building the GIS database and making a wearable device with a low budget is a must.

I am consulting industry experts regarding this issue.

What kind of work particularly holds your interests?

Academically, I like embedded systems and power electronics while cutting edge technology and research always catches my attention.

I particularly enjoy teamwork and always dream of helping the poor and needy of our country. n

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YOU WRITE IT

non-fiction

fiction weak kicks and punches before going down. He always fought back because he was never afraid. But maybe that was the problem. Maybe if he’d been more docile like the rest of the wimps, he wouldn’t have been ganged up by three bullies this afternoon.

“Had enough?” said one of the bigger kids. Tears rolling down the side of his cheeks, Jerry knew he had enough.

He felt something warm drip down from the top of his head and down on the floor. The white tiles were stained red.

Summoning the last ounces of courage left in him, he looked up at his assailants with angry bloodshot eyes, he uttered the words that would bind them together forever.

“You are all pathetic!” he whispered. But a whisper was all that it took to start up the beating once more. Down on the floor, kicks landed from every direction before one of the kids grabbed Jerry’s head and started bashing it against the wall.

A few seconds into the second round of beating and Jerry stopped being Jerry.

His body went limp and he fell flat on the floor. Eyes still open, he laid there motionless. For everything Jerry could’ve grown up to be, his story ended here, inside this boy’s bathroom turned fighting arena. But from here onwards, Jerry still continued to live on. Not as a ghost or anything supernatural, but as a haunting memory for his bullies, for everything they had done.

If Only Adnan stood motionless in front of the elevator, examining his own reflection on the door. Signs of workload and a stressful life was evident on his face. “I look better,” he thought to himself when he tried to divert his mind while entering the elevator. The door refused to close.

Realising the elevator suffered from a technical glitch, he unwillingly chose to face his arch enemy: the stairs. First few flights were a breeze, but as he reached midway he could feel his legs gaining mass with each step. His muscles were giving up and he could not lift them anymore. He felt that his heart could explode any moment. So he paused.

Lungs burning, vision blurred, he

felt like he was passing out. “Okay!

Just take a deep breath.” Inhaling air he felt like he was lifting a truck.

He was utterly worn out. Finally, upon reaching his apartment, it seemed like a big achievement for him. His head was heavy and so was his breathing. He realised it was high time he started working out.

An eternity of no exercise has left his muscles frozen and his bones rusty. Adnan decided to start living healthy from that moment onwards.

Monitoring calorie intake and a bit of exercise is all it takes. “I can do it!” Adnan said to himself with the hint of an ambitious smile on his face. Rafid Ahnaf

The Wimp A punch straight to the stomach and Jerry went down straight to the floor. It’s not news any more when a little wimp gets beaten to a pulp by a kid twice his size. It was almost as if Jerry walked around with a “kick me” sign on his back that attracted bullies of all shapes and sizes. He wasn’t the kind of kid who’d go around looking for trouble, but somehow trouble always seemed to find him.

Though weak physically, Jerry had the heart of a lion. Not even once did he come out victorious, but that didn’t stop him from landing a few

Shah Nahian

Comic strip

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10 tmag Goodsheet

stereo

spotlight

Feeling a moment Feeder INTRO:

A E B x2

A E B Feeling the moment slip away A E B Losing direction, you’re losing faith C#m A You’re wishing for someone E B Feeling it all begin to slide C#m A B Am I just like you?

C#m A B All the things you do can’t help myself Chorus 1 A E B How do you feel when there’s no sun?

A E B And how will you be when rain cloud come?

C#m A And pull you down again E B How will you feel when there’s no one?

C#m A B Am I just like you?

TOP

10

The Fit-List

1. Wake me up Avicci

Razor Sharp Axe Setting up a guitar to reach maximum potential No other guitar feels as good as your own. However, in most cases, your guitar isn’t delivering the best it can deliver. However, with a few adjustments, not only will your guitar feel more comfortable and suited for your hands, but it’ll sound better too.

The issue, in most cases, lie with the instrument being poorly set up.

it’ll make the guitar sound muddy and weak with no dynamic range. If the pickups are set too close to the string, it can detune the strings slightly and generate harsh overtones. This is an easy adjustment that you could make through trial and error. The rule to remember is, the higher the pickup, the louder it gets.

Action The action, distance of the strings from the fret board, is possibly the easiest adjustment to spot. Some guitarists prefer a high action, while most prefer it to stay as low as possible. You can easily set up the action to your preferences from the bridge. Just make sure the bridge stays higher on the side of the sixth and gradually slopes down to the first. Otherwise there’ll be noticeable change in the tone of the guitar.

Intonation Often you will encounter guitars, which have been tuned properly but sounds distuned when played. This happens because the intonation of the guitar is not set right. To check a guitar’s intonation, confirm if the notes on the 12th fret stays in tune while the guitar is in tune. With no risk of doing any permanent damage to the guitar, learning to fix the intonation can be done by taking tips from online tutorials and through trial and error.

Height of the pickup A perfect pickup height is vital to get the optimal tone out of your instrument. If the pickup is set too low,

Truss rod Over time, the tensions from the strings cause the neck of the guitar

to bend. Look down on the length of the guitar and if you notice the neck is slightly bent, the truss rod needs to be adjusted. The truss rod is a beam that runs along the neck and balances out the tension of the strings to keep the neck close to straight. Messing around with the truss rod can result in permanent damage unless you know exactly what you’re doing so it’s best left for the professionals.

Polish and rehydrate The guitar looks good and feels more comfortable when it is maintained properly. String polish will help your strings last much longer and rehydrating the fret board regularly will greatly increase the comfort levels of your guitar. The guitar polish itself will help maintain the finish. String polish, lemon oil to keep the fret board rehydrated, and guitar polish are readily available in most music stores.

Though most products are slightly on the pricy side, they tend to last for a very long time. Shah Nahian

2. Zinda OST Bhaag Milkha Bhaag 3. All I do is win DJ Khaled 4. Ziddi Dil OST Mary Kom 5. On top of the world Imagine Dragons 6. It’s time for football Bangla Mentalz 7. Make em shake it Wahoo 8. Can’t hold us Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, Ray Dalton 9. Shake it out Florence and the Machine 10. Char Chokka Hoi ICC World Twenty20 Theme Photos Bigstock

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tmag 11

PLAYROOM

WE RECOMMEND App

Size- Varies with device Price- Free Platform- Android

Game

When the Borderlands series first started there were blisters in our retina. It was a WESTERN in SPACE. With ALIENS. And loot. What gamer doesn’t love loot? A sequel and a dozen or so expansion packs later, we really need to ask - do we need more of this? If you have no better idea, kill

Wake up Fresh Sick of waking up every morning more tired than you were when you hit the hay? If you are waking up groggy and beat even after considerable hours of sleep, perhaps you are snoozing on the wrong part of your sleeping cycle. To help you in your endeavours to wake up well rested and fresh, the developers of SleepBot have concocted something of a wonder app.

Meet SleepBot, the sleep cycle alarm clock that helps you wake up on the right side of the bed, everyday. Set the timer like you would on a regular alarm app, but with SleepBot you get to punch in when you are going to sleep, that way the app makes sure to sound the alarm at the end of one of your sleeping cycles; essentially when your sleep is at

its lightest. Not only does it wake you up gracefully, it can track your movements, record sounds and provide a graphical analyses on how well you are sleeping.

It also provides a log of your sleep habits, as well as offer a “sleep help” option, which is full of helpful tips on how to fall asleep easily. Perhaps one of its most intuitive features is that it gives you a reminder for going to bed each night, just so you get the optimal amount of sleep before you are set to wake up.

SleepBot has turned sleeping into a work of science. Gone are the days of waking up tired, groggy and dazed.

Wake up crisp, clear and feeling wholesome with SleepBot. ASM FOYSAL

Cowboys and aliens the series and move on.

That being said, this isn’t necessarily a bad game, just more of the same - the same classes recycled, the same mechanics, slightly different versions of the same enemies. The game takes place on one of the moons of Pandora called Elpis, so they’ve decreased the gravity, which apparently is a feature now. The classes have also been changed up a bit. The engineer’s turret is actually a drone now and Nisha is a Berserker class, except now with ranged weapons

instead of melee ones. Athena is a fun new addition, with a “Captain America” throwable shield. Oh, and it’s worth mentioning that Cl4p-TP aka Claptrap is now a playable character. There weren’t any noticeable technical flaws with the game, but you do notice the age of the game if you play it nowadays. Character dialogue gets boring pretty fast. Some of the usual humour is there, but it is most a hit-or-miss. The music is rather enjoyable though!

If you really have not had enough of Pandora with Borderlands, Borderlands 2, and the tonne of expansion packs that 2k Games has managed to churn out, then buy this one, by all means.

However, if you want something new, something genuinely new and different from the old formula, look elsewhere.

little by little over one and a half hours.

This puts a big question on why the series had to begin with such a rush to show all the fun aspects when they had tens of other episodes to spare. It was difficult to follow and realise the new, extended storyline; the acting from Matt Ryan (John Constantine) was too easy to see through as trying to be overly

swagger-like rather than the natural cool and sleek attitude.

Maybe not the best of starts, but the whole series does promise something more from the looks of it. However, we ask you to be patient and wait for the full season for a mouthful; for you may be disappointed with the beginning bits and pieces. Rad Sharar

Shah Naveed Choudhury

TV

Constantine Series The latest hotshot series Constantine sure looks hot from the fiery cover, but wasn’t really the best of shots in our opinion. The story adapts from the blockbuster 2005 movie

by Francis Lawrence; being about a demon hunter named John Constantine whose job is to transport demons back to hell. His soul eternally condemned due to a suicide in his youthful years, Constantine reluctantly joins one of his best friend’s gifted daughter to search and deport evil entities who disrupt the balance in the mortal world.

The movie was a better introduction, for it went on a slow and steady pace portraying the story

movie

A FrenchIndian affair When the Kadam family restaurant in Mumbai is burnt down, they move to France and open a tacky Indian restaurant right across the street from Madame Mallory’s Le Saule Pleurer, an elegant French restaurant that has won a prestigious Michelin star. She works relentlessly to achieve the second star while the competition from her neighbours compel her to embark on a life-altering series of events.

This is a movie that miraculously manages to give out its plot even before the opening scene. All you have to do is take a careful look at the poster and read the opening credits. This comedy/drama assembles all the right ingredients to cook a very traditional dish that has been around for so long that one starts to wonder why we are still eating it and why the veteran chefs are not coming up with a more modern rendition of the recipe.

Producers Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey made a successful attempt to win over the Indians with this creative collaboration, their first since 1985. In their quest for telling a “good old fashioned” story, they employed director Lasse Hallstrom who incidentally happened to have told this particular story himself once before back in 2000 (Cholcolat).

The characters in the movie live in a constructed reality where the French speak English not only with their foreign competition, but also among themselves. It was curious to watch the manifold tension between “seasoned” actors Helen Mirren (Madame Mallory) and Om Puri (Papa Kadam) unravel as the movie progressed. The scenic beauty, while abundant, was still inadequate for today’s audience who are accustomed to seeing more in a regular 30sec travel commercial. A R Rahman’s scores accentuated the love scenes, if you may call it that, as though to make up for the scantiness of heat between protagonist Hassan and his love interest Marguerite.

The movie waltzes around issues like immigration, racism, cultural crossover, ambition, family values and east-meets-west romance and yet misses to address any of that in an attempt to avoid conflict and criticism. In any case, it is impossible to make a movie of this particular theme without offending quite a few people. However, for a wide range of audience, who are not concerned with the truthful depiction of these issues and would hit the theatres just for a good 122 minutes of unstimulating lightweight entertainment, it is the perfect first-date/family movie. Sadia Khalid Photos bigstock

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12 tmag

tid bits

The Lottery of Life A glimpse into the unlucky lives of the poorest

A few months ago, I graduated from high school. I studied hard, listened to my parents, well most of the time, and spent fun hours with my friends.

I never considered my life as being “out of the ordinary” until last week.

Three weeks ago, I joined Shiree (Economic Empowerment of the Poorest) as an intern. Shiree is an organisation that works to help elevate the extremely underprivileged families out of the vicious circle of poverty. One such family I met consisted of twin sisters of my age, Parvin and Poppy.

The 18-year-old twins live in a village in Bagerhat. For three years they have been earning their own living. They have an elder brother who is married and lives in Khulna but seldom visits the family – once in the last six years, Parvin informed me.

Parvin and Poppy’s parents had big dreams for them. While other young girls of her age were being married off, their father insisted on getting them educated. He wanted them to become independent individuals. He was a labourer with little income. All four of them would often forgo meals but never would let the two skip a class. Through extreme poverty and all its ugliness, they were still left with a small window of hope.

A few weeks before filling in their admission forms for 9th grade, their father got sick. A little more than a year later, right before their SSC exams, he passed away from a stroke. The girls became distraught.

What was to become of them without their father? How were they going to sit through the toughest exams

of their lives without support from their biggest well wisher? The future seemed bleak. They were not in the right mind to sit for the exams.

Society deemed them to be lost causes. However, the teachers knew their potentials. The two were considered as bright young women with a promising future. It was this belief in them, and their father’s voice at the back of their minds, that finally gave them the strength to sit for their SSC exams.

As most of their savings were spent on their father’s treatment and the main breadwinner being gone, the now family of three had almost nothing to draw upon during times of difficulty. Poppy and Parvin started tutoring students and were expected to earn around Tk200 a month from each of their eight students; this could hardly be considered a stable income source. Their mother would forgo meals so that her children could be fed. They were unsure of whether they would be able to sit for their intermediate exams (IA).

To add to their mounting stress, rain water would leak into their tiny house and leave them with a very uncomfortable situation to deal with.

This is the life Parvin recalled when she suddenly broke down in tears.

Luckily, Shiree came into their lives during this tough time. Shiree offers necessary assets to the underprivileged ones. Their mother was given a sewing machine.

They would take orders from their neighbours and were able to generate an income from this. Soon after, Poppy was given a cosmetics kit by Shiree and taught how to apply make-up. Their cash inflow soon

increased. They were able to get electricity at home and afford three meals a day, for each of them.

This was only a calm before the storm. Soon after, their mother was diagnosed with heart disease. She became too sick and Parvin took over her sewing job. Their hardship and struggles began once more.

Let’s bring into perspective that these two young girls who were taught to dream their entire lives, were now leading a life they never imagined of. While their friends would go out together for ice cream, Poppy and Parvin would bite their tongues and decline the invitation, saying they only had enough money to buy eggs for the household.

Instead of worrying about their upcoming IA exams, these girls were forced to think about their livelihoods.

Their mother’s health started deteriorating even further. She became completely bedridden and her medicinal expenses are now Tk1,500 a week. Skipping meals and overworking allowed them to afford few of the medicines, but their mother refuses to take them. Why should she, when her daughters are starving to keep her alive?

The girls have just finished their IA exams. Even with all their struggles their mother remained adamant about carrying her husband’s dream forward. However today, they are in search of menial jobs around Dhaka; anything to help them earn more. They are unable to afford university and their current income barely covers two weeks of their monthly expenses.

Though I am the exact age as

Poppy and Parvin, I can’t imagine our lives contrasting any further.

I’ve lived my entire life under the protective care of my parents. I will be going off to the US soon for university. I’ve already started working and gained insightful knowledge into a career I wish to pursue further. After having spoken to Parvin, I’ve realised that despite all my nagging and complaining, I live a blessed life, and that my future is secure because of no reason other than the family I was fortunate enough to be born in. My birth was like a lucky lottery draw, placing me within the top something percent of the nation, and not the bottom 17.6 percent that live in extreme poverty.

Poppy and Parvin are two of the eight million extremely poor youths in our country. Their fate has nothing to do with their intelligence or ability, their compassion or values, their virtues or sins, but simply the harsh realities of being born into a poor family in a country that does not provide for its unfortunate ones.

As a nation, we will be judged by how we treat the underprivileged. It’s about time we take the steps needed to ensure that no child is left with such a fate. Let’s take out the lottery system and allow people who work hard to prosper and grow!

Farisa Zayan Rahman

Farisa just graduated from Sir John Wilson School and completed an internship at Shiree/ Economic Empowerment of the Poorest.

Bigstock

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