Dhaka Tribune Tuesday, June 24, 2014 Volume 2, Issue 9

What’s on your plate?

TMAG TU ESDAY, J U n E 24, 2014

What’s on your plate?

Model azraf ZamanPhoto syed latif hossainArt direction saudia & Baizid

About the cover

A weekly production ofDhakaTribune

EditorZafar Sobhan

Executive EditorShahriar Karim

Managing EditorJahangir Hyder

Magazine EditorSabrina Fatma Ahmad

Asst Magazine EditorNatasha Rahman

TMAG TeamSabiha Mahmud SumiSaudia AfrinBaizid Haque JoarderFuad M HossainRad ShararRaisa Rahim

ContributorsKhatidja HusseinKyoko BhuiyanASM FoysalA AlamMuhammed Mustafa MonowarImani Khaled

GraphicsTahsin MominMohammed Mahbub Alam

ProductionMasum Billah

AdvertisingShahidan Khurshed

CirculationWahid MuradEmail: tmag.dt@dhakatribune.com Website: www.dhakatribune.com

More inside

PIcKS oF the WeeK2 room of the week Sharazad Hassan3 Doodle of the week Faizah Aziz10 spotlight Alex Boye10 the goodsheet Rob Thomas -

Smooth

Your WorLD5 Car Local Motors Rally Fighter9 non-fiction Ten seconds of victory9 Book O is the New B9 Fiction The Unstated Competition11 Game Kitchen Scramble11 Movie Lone Survivor

reAL LIFe3 event tweets6 hot topic What’s that on your plate

FAShIoN4 Beauty check How to Remove Black-

heads for Dummies4 Wardrobe check Funk thy bag

tMAG SAYS2 Funk up your room Happy meal2 FyI No one touches my tiffin10 playlist Poison Playlist11 series Killing Cannibals 11 app of the week Make your data

count

horoScoPeS5 your forecast

GoSSIP12 Blush much12 Choose or loose12 Dear diary12 he says_she says

Dear readers,

the bell rings and you are dashing off to the cafeteria to finally calm your growling bellies craving for some yummy goodness. though its perfectly understandable that the greasy spaghetti, the oily shingaras and the cheese laden pizzas are totally worth the slurp, but the flip side needs some attention too. For you this week, on hot topic(pg6&7) we have for you a breakdown of what exactly your schools are feeding you, what your parents think and how you can better your tiffin snacks! on school survival(pg3) we have healthy lunch items you can pack to school. We also have on Fashion Face-off(pg4) in Wardrobe Check how you can funk up your school bag! We hope you enjoy this issue and do send us your feedback and keep tabs on our facebook page for upcoming teasers and issues.

With love,The TMAG Desk

eDItor’S noteSometimes it is best not to talk unless you can improve on the silence.

Status of the week

Only the mediocre are always at their best.

Quote of the week

Heart on

Meaning feeling all happy and giddyUsage Girl, that new dress you were wearing was a real heart on for me.

Lingo of the week

2 Room of the week sharazad hassan

4 Look of the week Casual coloured summer

6 Written in the stars nesar nadim talukdar

5 Car talk local Motors rally Fighter

TMAG TU ESDAY, J U n E 24, 2014

Your Life2 tmag

A little decor goes a long way to portray the love of music and art. A fuschia pink artwork against the white walls

creates an interest!

NAMeShArAzAD

hASSAN

AreANIKetoN,

GuLShAN 1

Trick the treacherousIf you have been crouching under the shadow of the bully for too long, then it’s time to kick them to the curb. the bully is used to grabbing your food by now so, next time they make a dash for your tiffin, leave it empty. the hog may come rushing to you fuming, fret not and simply walk out of there. If that’s not pos-sible, make sure you are near a teacher.

Fool the tongue If they still have the nerve to grab your tiffin, fool them with leftover chocolates or biscuit wrappers. this should pass the message on. Burn their tongues pour a lot of hot sauce over your food and watch the hogger take a huge bite into that. Be near a group of your fighter friends just in case the hog decides to get even with you.

My tiffin, your right?What do you do if your close friend makes it a point to eat your tiffin every single day? now, this is going to be a sticky situation. If you have been curs-ing him/her under your muted breath instead of voicing your anger, then you only have yourself to blame. Bring only enough tiffin for yourself the next day and start eating without offering any. If they reach for it, softly tap their hand or gently tell them that it’s okay to share once in a while, but to gobble down every morsel in your tiny tiffin box is not cool. It may be awkward for a few days, but if this is your bestie, they’ll get it.

Natasha RahmaN

FYI

The jock, the bully and the jerk are lurking in a corner of the classroom to grab onto the delish breakfast that your mom prepared for you this morning. Instead of sobbing to your teacher, learn how you can shoo these silly bullies off with TMAG’s remedy of tactics!

No oNe toucheS MY tIFFIN

TMAG’s Room of

the week!

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DIY

Wake up early, attend classes one after another or chitchat with pals - which one do you like most about school? Can you remember that very moment when your stomach is growling to eat something and thinking the peon might forget to ring the bell? However the pain goes away when a beautifully prepared tiffin waits in front of you. This week TMAG presents you an easy DIY idea to make your own tiffin-box

hAPPY MeAL

Things you need• Card stock• scissors and a ruler• Glue or double-sided tape • print paper

Instructions• select a shape for the box and

print out the associated template onto a card stock

• Maintain the black border lines and cut out the template.

• to give the box it’s perfect shape, make folds along the lines shown in the template.

• now it’s time to put the box together. here you need to focus on pasting each side with their corresponding edges with glue or double-sided tape. after you are done with that, remember to leave one side open, so you can fill it up with your favourite food.

• Decorating the box depends entirely on you. the box can be decorated in many ways or you could just opt to paint on it what-ever your imagination desires.

saudia afRiN

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TMAG TU ESDAY, J U n E 24, 2014

SchooLogiSticS 3tmag

School Survival

the cLASSIc PAcKeD SNAcK“No time to wait for tiffin, I have to run, I’m late!”

These days, calling the world fast-paced is an understatement. While everything around us is advancing at warp speeds, there are a few timeless classics that will, and should always remain steady. The beauty of the tiffin box lies in its childlike and uncomplicated charm, it’s one thing that we’ll never grow out of. Keeping that in mind, here are a few ideas that will help keep that lunch box meal quick and healthy

EVENT TWEETs

the Shubh SArAN PreSeNtAtIoN

Brunch for the breakfast skippersDine with the best of both meals. the mini breakfast burger might be the healthiest burger you’ve ever had. this beauty fashions a toasted bun, a gorgeous cream cheese spread and “insert mouthwatering filling here.” Cream cheese has this excellent ability to make food taste better, so get creative with the fillings! perhaps some scrambled eggs with a slice of tomato? or maybe refine it a bit and lay down a thin slice of smoked salmon. the choices are endless when it comes to cream cheese, and it’ll definitely be both delicious, and filling.

For the fruitytake advantage of the Bangladeshi summer and fill your box with a mix of the season’s heroes. Mangoes, lychees, jam, and numerous other delectable favourites are crowing the fruit stalls. there’s nothing better to help you beat the heat while still enjoying a quick and easy afternoon snack.

On the goIf you’re one who prefers to eat through out the day instead of one full meal, consider some of the lighter, crunchier options. how about a mix of nuts and cereals? roasted almonds make an excellent combination with our beloved

Choco’s. or, if you want to steer clear of the packaged goods, how about an assortment of vegetable sticks - celery, carrots and the likes? toss in a small packet of peri-peri sauce or some tangy mustard to add to the flavour. you can get small sachets of these at restaurants around Dhaka. afshaN sattaR

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

FAIzAh AzIz

“FAIzAh AzIz DooDLeD thIS WhILe WAtchING JASMINe AND IMAGINING her AS A KID”

TMAG’s easel

noted Indian guitarist and composer shubh saran presented his popular musical production titled “the shubh saran presentation” on Monday, June 16 at Independent university, Bangladesh (IuB) in Bashundhara.

the shubh saran presentation is a contemporary jazz, funk, neo soul and fusion project led by shubh saran. Featuring some of Indian’s prominent musicians, the band performed original pieces as well as unique arrangements of well known tunes, all of which were much enjoyed by the crowd and proved to be a refreshing change to an orthodox weekday.

a graduate of the Berkley College of Music and a recipient of the Berkley achievement scholarship, saran has honed his skills as a versatile guitarist blending jazz, neo-soul, blues and Indian music. the other members of the group are rohit Gupta on the piano, pranoy praveen on drums and Jayant Manchanda on bass.

the members of the IuB founding trust, vice chancellor, distinguished guests, members of the faculty, management staff and a good number of students enjoyed the performance. an interactive session was held after the show for all the students.

TMAG TU ESDAY, J U n E 24, 2014

fAShioN fAce-off4 tmag

Beauty Check

Wardrobe Check

ColoursIf the bag in question is dull and dark coloured, fabric paint and fabric markers are an amazing option for you. polka dots usually look excellent and colourful ones is a cherry on the top. Fabric colours and markers are available at almost all stationeries and hobby stores around you.

Writingyou can write your favourite quotes or the lyrics of a song that defines you. either that or names of your favourite music bands to show off your musical taste. Caution avoid writing your name to

steer free of the pranksters around you. But writing your emergency contact number might come in handy.

BadgesCreative badges of clubs or organisations you like, or are a part of, can make you stand out in a crowd.

Key chainsattaching colourful key chains to your bag’s zipper can add a little panache to your bag.

Stickers and patchesWhere sewing patches on the bag is an option, stickers are a popular

Most teenagers feel the need to stand out in terms of not only their clothing but everything; like the accessories and even the bags they carry to school. And most parents might not opt for bags that look good but are expensive. So here at TMAG, we sat down with a few great imaginative heads giving their ideas on how to pimp out a boring bag

FuNK thY bAG

one too. truck stickers are a fun way to show off your personality. other stickers may include the logo of your favourite sporting club, favourite quote and so on.

Note Creative themes can make a massive difference where everything you use to pimp your bag tells one whole story. hence, try setting up a theme when redecorating. Baizid haque JoaRdeR

Look of the week

It’S SuMMer tIMe AND AND beING coMFY IS the WAY to Go. thIS coLor coorDINAteD eNSeMbLe oF A StrIPeD t-ShIrt

AND JeANS IS A PerFect exAMPLe oF WhAt You couLD WeAr to A cASuAL hANGout WIth FrIeNDS

cASuAL coLoureD SuMMer

Model Romaisa Rahman

Make-up Noyon

Photographer Chisty Al Maruf

StudioWedding Story

Oatmeal and yogurt For this, mix about two to three tablespoons of yogurt with one to two tablespoons of oatmeal. It is recommended to add olive oil and squeeze in a few drops of lemon juice. stroke the paste smoothly onto the areas of your skin which have been attacked by blackheads and leave it on for a while. rinse it off after a while and the results should leave you satisfied. Green tea scrub Being full of nutrients, green tea is not only beneficial to your mind and body but also, it helps a great deal to revive your skin. all you need to do is open up a pack of green tea mix, add a bit of water and your paste is ready for application. apply the paste to your face and wait for a while before rinsing.

Honey and cinnamon these two ingredients play a crucial role in making your pores germ-free from deep inside. Creating the paste is also very simple. you just have to mix one spoon of honey with half a spoon of cinnamon. Massage the mixture on to dry skin and wash it off after.

Turmeric and mint juice It’s about time you paid a visit to your kitchen and get a hold of some turmeric and mint. prepare a hot cup of mint tea and wait for it to cool off. take two tablespoons of the tea and add a tablespoon of turmeric powder. apply the mixture to your face and leave it to dry. leave it on for about 15 minutes before washing it off. you should be left with skin that feels fresh.

isfaR imtiaz Baset

If you’re a victim of blackheads, you’d know how frustrating it is to deal with them. So, to put an end to your misery, TMAG presents you with four simple yet successful natural treatments to clean your skin and stop the annoying dark spots

reMovING bLAcKheADS For DuMMIeS

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TMAG TU ESDAY, J U n E 24, 2014

It’s big, it’s brash, and it’s powerful. It’s truly everything that you would want in your ultimate off-roading vehicle. And most importantly it’s everything you imagined it would be, and more

Street 5tmag

ArIeS (MAr 21-APr 19) you’re stressing yourself a bit too much by letting yourself feel

responsible for someone else, it is not your job to take care of anyone else but you.

TAuruS (APr 20-MAy 20) you shall find yourself in a

position of power quite soon. the only thing is that you shouldn’t doubt or question yourself too much.

GeMINI (MAy 21-JuN 20) someone may be trying to control your actions. try to

ignore it, and do what you think is best.

CANCer (JuN 21-Jul 22) seems like someone has power over you, but if you remain wary,

you’ll be less vulnerable.

leO (Jul 23-AuG 22)there may be a difference of opinion about something

with someone. It’s best to just come to an agreement, and not head towards conflict.

VIrGO (AuG 23- SeP 22) analyse the situation that you’re in and give yourself some

time to think about what really matters. eventually you’ll make the right decision.

lIBrA (SeP 23- OCT 22)there is something about yourself that you don’t like, and

are not happy with. however, whatever it may be, you can change it.

SCOrPIO (OCT 23-NOV 21) there is no shame in being hopeful about something that

other people seem to think is hopeless.

SAGITTArIuS (NOV 22-DeC 21) Keep dreaming big, and your dreams will come true.

CAPrICOrN (DeC 22-JAN19) there is a subtle but progressive shift of power taking place in an

important relationship that you have.

AquArIuS (JAN 20-FeB 18) If you can keep your sense of humour this week, when

everyone around you is losing theirs, you will be king or queen.

PISCeS (FeB 19-MAr20) look within yourself calmly, and from a place of balance, your

heart will tell you what to do.

HOROSCOPE

this is the local Motors rally Fighter. It’s not a dune buggy or a trophy truck, it’s an off-road beast that can handle any kind of terrain, but amazingly you can drive it to work. If you want a vehicle that you can legally drive on road and then literally drive across the border and enter it into the Desert storm rally in India, you probably will need one of these. the craziest part about it is that local Motors did not even design it. It was designed on the internet in a competition and was voted the winning design.

yup! you read it right, the internet. What does all these social network-

ing and auto tweaking get you? For $60,000, you get a Corvette engine but

MX5 door handles; you get a ford truck rear end but honda civic tail lights; you get a Chevrolet transmission but an F-150 steering wheel.

It all sounds like a recipe for disaster, but then, you drive it. the 430hp engine has enough torque to start a sand storm. the suspension has enough air travel that it can collect frequent flyer points; 18 inches in the front and a staggering 20 inches at the rear.

this is ridiculous, pure ridiculous to be precise!

yes, it’s got big hi-top shoes and yes, it’s got long springy legs and yet, in some way, it all feels incredibly nimble. you might think it would feel like some big wobbly boat of a truck, but in reality

it doesn’t. It’s only about six inches longer than a toyota Camry, and even though it’s a bit wide, making room for its sporting pretensions, it fits perfectly in a lane on the highway.

It might be ridiculous but it works. somehow all those random parts and design have come together to make a formidable machine.

however, if you don’t want to be an attention magnet, the rally Fighter is not for you. If ludicrously deserved at-tention is the methadone to the speed-starved 12-year old addict inside all of us, in that case the rally Fighter is a big heaping bucket full of it.

tahsiN momiN

the FrANKeNSteIN

Car Talk

TMAG TU ESDAY, J U n E 24, 2014

6 tmag

Food for thoughtClasses, homework, sports, drama...there’s enough happening on an average schoolday to really work up an appetite. No wonder that tiffin time brings with it a sweet sense of release. This week, TMAG investigates tiffin, the fuel of the students

By Baizid Haque Joarder, NatasHa raHmaN, saudia afriN, KyoKo BHuiyaN, aNiKa JaNNat, isfar imtiaz aNd rad sHarar BiN Kamal

During a focus-group discussion carried out among groups of school children from various schools, it was found that many of them do not usually carry lunch from their homes. the numbers of these students was higher for english-medium schools. In lieu of home-made lunch, they usually receive an allowance for lunch, either for the school cafeterias or from the food joints outside. some of the schools offer coupons and vouchers at

the start of the term to make this process a more efficient one for parents.

While the food from your homes may sound lame and boring (because you’re so used to eating this anyway) there is no guarantee for the hygiene and the health quotient of the food that is available outside. at least you are certain about the quality of the food that you are getting from your kitchen.

While the parents are handing out

lunch allowance to save time on tiffin preparation, the students who receive lunch money see it as a status symbol. the amount of money they receive as their lunch allowance may vary hugely depending on the family’s financial situation. needless to say, the kids with the bigger allowance feel more superior to those with less, and these in turn, feel superior to children bringing home-made lunch.

While cafeteria food or store-bought items might be the “cooler” option, lunch-baggers may well be having the last laugh. In addition to being healthier (check out our nutritional value section), home-made lunches have a better hygiene guarantee than food from outside.

nonetheless, variety is a spice of life, and there’s nothing wrong with making outside food the occasional treat.

Gharwali vs Baharwali

Complaints from students

Comments of parents

“the condition of the kitchen is poor. since the students are having food from here, it is expected be clean.” Junayed Ahmed, Class 9, Ideal School and college

“Despite the price, the school canteen is not providing quality food. Moreover,

most of the food is brought in from third-party vendors.”

Mollick Muhibullah Afsari, Class 10, Ideal School and college

“nowadays, most kids like frozen and packed food. on top of that, food

adulteration has reached its highest point. It makes me think of what we are

actually feeding our kids” Dilruba Akhter, housewife.

“our hands are bound. either we feed our kids poisoned food, or stop eating and die.” Ashikur Rahman, banker

TMAG TU ESDAY, J U n E 24, 2014

hot toPic 7

regular eaters 35%Weekly eaters 39%avoiders 26%

Food for thoughtIt’s lunch time! so have you ever wondered about the nutritional facts of what you’re eating? you’d probably prefer pizzas, and burgers and all sorts of appealing oily stuff but you should really think about the effects they have on you. so let’s start with pizzas. pizzas contain 266 calories per 100 grams. they contain 24% sodium whereas you only need 5% each day. to make a healthy pizza, use chicken instead of beef which has less saturated fat and uses less cheese.

then comes burgers. Who doesn’t love to grab a hamburger and munch on it? these junk food juggernauts contain

295 calories per 100 gram. they are rich in saturated fat. to help all you burger lovers there are five easy steps to make a healthier yet tasty burger.

Step 1 top your burger with sliced tomato.Step 2 add fresh avocado to your burger.Step 3 Choose a whole wheat bun.Step 4 Go for a single patty.Step 5 try a veggie burger.

next we have one of the tastiest poisons, fried chicken. It is rich in fat and

is very oily which is bad for your health. In Bangladesh, there are “FC” outlets everywhere! Whenever we step out of our home, we can immediately spot a fried-chicken joint! In order to minimise the cost, many of the cooks at these restaurants often reuse the frying oil. so instead of heading to one of these whenever you crave fried chicken. Make them at home.

Fruits can also be used as tiffin. Fruits are healthy and useful to our body. In our country, however, there is the threat of formalin and pesticide. so keep the fruits in a solution of dilute vinegar. this can

reduce the amount of formalin by almost 90%.

In order to be fit and healthy it is very important to have a balanced diet. We often think eating something healthy during tiffin won’t make a difference but as a matter of fact it does! there’s no alternate to eating home-made food where we can use ingredients in the correct proportions. Cafeteria might provide yummy, attractive food but there’s no guarantee that they were prepared in a hygienic environment.

What's on your plate?

Charts

How regularly do you eat outside of school?

What do you eat outside of school?What Tiffin do you bring to school?

How much allowance do you bring to school every day?

Fried chicken and fast food items 36% noodles and pasta 22%sandwiches and bread related items 16% Vegetables and fruits 8%eggs and breakfast items 8%Biriyani/tehari 6%Chocolates, biscuits and packaged items 4%

street fuchkas and jhalmuri 31%prefer nothing from outside 26%street burgers and hot dogs 24%Biriyani/tehari 12%street lollies 7%

tk100 - tk200 80%tk50 - tk100 9%tk200 - tk500 7%tk500 - tk1000 4%

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TMAG TU ESDAY, J U n E 24, 2014

writteN iN the StArS8 tmag

Growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional. 33-year-old Nesar Nadim Talukdar chooses to stay young at heart, and spread his love of pop culture wherever he goes. Organiser and part-organiser of the “Dhaka Pop Culture Expo” and “Dhaka Comicon” respectively, Nesar strives to make the Bangladeshi community involved even further with their favourite superheroes. Baizid Haque Joarder and Rad Sharar brings you his story, while gaping at his action figure collection

As an organiser, what is your aim for pop culture in Bangladesh? To what stage do you wish to take it in the future? our people have always been into pop culture. For instance, my father was just fourteen when he watched James Bond in a Dhaka movie theatre. like many others, I grew up in Bangladesh watching movies, cartoons, tV shows, reading novels, and playing video games. When I moved back to Dhaka in January 2011, I badly missed the comic cons, comic book and action figure stores in the uK.

My aim is that I want people in Bangladesh to enjoy pop culture. I want it to enrich their lives. nowadays, everyone works, studies, and has a family. at times, they need a break from reality. pop culture gives us this break. Whether it's reading a stephen King novel, a Batman comic, watching Game of thrones or playing a video game, it takes you to a different place; to another reality.

Conventions such as “DhaKa pop eXpo” are a chance for pop culture fans to gather and celebrate the things they love. In the future, we would love to have renowned international guests attend, like comic book writers, artists, actors, and renowned cosplayers. It would be a dream come true to meet some of my favourite pop culture icons like todd McFarlane right here in Bangladesh.

How do you plan on spreading the hype and promoting this trend in Bangladesh? Well, the hype pretty much spreads itself. “the amazing spider-Man 2” hit theatres in Dhaka at the same time as in the us. a few weeks later “X-Men: Days of Future past” arrived. 10 - 15 years ago, this was unheard of in Bangladesh. Bangladeshi fans get into pop culture because they love characters like spider-Man and Wolverine; they find it exciting and look forward to it.

My job is to give these fans an outlet for their passion through an event to look forward to once a year and an online community to connect each other with via various social media platforms

I am also friends with other comic book and pop culture enthusiasts like Jamil bhai (Jamil's Comics & Collectibles), saadi rahman (Dhaka Comicon), samiul Kabir (BDCollectors), and shiplu rahman Khan (srK showtime, shop hollywood), and several admins from MaZeCity

(Bangladesh's first anime community). each of them have huge fan bases, and we all help each other. plus, with the hype generated from conventions like “Dhaka Comicon” and “unmad - JCC Comic Con,” my job gets much easier.

What difficulties did you face when organising events here, in contrast to the uK? the timing of exams. In the us or uK, conventions happen in June or July. In Bangladesh, students have exams throughout the year. the political situation is another concern too.

Did you find it easier or harder to adapt to Bangladeshi pop culture trends (of the public) in comparison to the uK? Why? actually, I found it easier. Bangladeshis are very passionate and very creative. you just have to give them a purpose, something to look forward to, and to work towards.

What advice would you give to other enthusiasts in the country who wish to spread the pop culture love as much as you? Whatever you do, do it out of love. Don't do it to be rich or famous. For example, at “DhaKa pop eXpo 2014” there will be a cosplay competition where fans will come dressed as their favourite characters for a chance to win cash prizes. since I'm the organiser, I'm not in the competition, but I'm still going to dress up as Batman at my own event. If you love something, you are more likely to succeed in it. and even if you don't, at least you had a good time! n

Favourite comic book superheroBatman.

least favourite superheroGreen lantern

Hobbiesreading novels, watching movies, playing video games, playing guitar and martial arts.

Most prized possessionMy custom made Michael Keaton 6 inch Batman figure.

Favourite comic bookFrank Miller’s the Dark Knight returns

YouNG At heArt

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TMAG TU ESDAY, J U n E 24, 2014

sir’s voice droned on in the background, the clock ticked faster with a deafening tick-tock and samin stiffened with every passing second. Break time.

“Mum?” he asked her that morning, “Is it okay if I don’t take my tiffin?” he could absolutely predict her next words by her flabbergasted countenance. It wasn’t like the sky would fall if he didn’t feast during brunch, he thought. he had to ask because the incessant “tiffin-seizing” at school was getting tedious. With

the breakfast his mum stuffed him with every morning, he was hardly hungry by eleven and barely objected to the idea of giving his food away. What bothered him the most was the first ten minutes of fame of the idiotic megalomaniacs, rayan and tanvir, casting their gargantuan shadow of gloom over his and sara’s seats, bellowing gibberish with a garnish of their raucous laugh before demanding his food. they terrified him when he started school here, which they tremendously enjoyed, but now he resorted to an impassive expression and rolled his eyes on the inside. and that time of the day was here again.

the bell pealed and with it broke out the roar of a thousand incarcerated kids, ready to bask in the joy of freedom before they were all locked away again with a sleepy mathematics teacher or a cranky Bangla pedagogue. Meanwhile in grade five, samin was waiting for the idiots to finish

their lecture on the ramifications of tiffin refusal. oh the shame, oh the embarrassment! he finished his internal eye rolling ritual but this time took his tiffin box, thrust it in tanvir’s hands and walked out of the class counting backwards from sixty.

the warm sun bathed his petite frame as he strolled down the corridor grinning ear to ear - an angel of mischief. he could not count to fifty before he heard the growl of the angry giant back in the classroom. “Where is the food, you dwarf?” imaNi Khaled

You write it 9tmagYou write it 9tmagTv

FICTION

NO

N F

ICT

ION teN SecoNDS oF vIctorY

the uNStAteD coMPetItIoN

CO

mIC

sT

rIp

the opening credits to “orange is the new Black” is a montage of women’s faces - white, black, hispanic, elderly, juvenile, big, skinny, scary and ordinary. this dark-comedy is based on piper Kernan’s memoir. taylor schilling plays the role of piper Chapman, the protagonist, who is sent to prison in Connecticut for her solitary and predated involvement in drug smuggling. the story begins with her already in prison and is there after having an affair with the woman who was her partner in drug-smuggling. But unlike many of the prison tales throughout pop culture history, this show is not about a particular white, frail damsel who enters the prison a weakling, and

comes out stronger and bolder than everyone else.

It deals with the issue of power as exercised by the prison officials and guards over the inmates and by the inmates over each other. It illustrates the intricacies of social interactions and exemplifies the restrictions created by one’s past mistakes. Despite all its comedy, this is a drama-series that shows the damage that women do to each other, that men do to women and that the state does to its people. the underlying message that is repeatedly made apparentis that every individual is a prisoner of his or her limitations, endlessly seeking liberation. a alam

“What have you brought today?” asked reggie.

“salad,” I replied looking down.I heard the entire group laughing

at me. though it was not like I was the only victim of this harsh behaviour, I still felt as lonely as ever when I was singled out. this was not the case always. of course our parents would not give us chicken wings, French fries and beef burgers for tiffin every day. as a matter of fact, everyone had a “salad day” at least once in a week.

I knew reggie had brought salad on another occasion,and I asked him the same question he had asked me. his attitude while replying was no different than mine. surely, nothing could have saved him from becoming the laughing stock either.

till grade five, this unstated competition was actually serious. But later on, it gradually started to lose its severity; rather it became more of a ritual. although our batch had 60 students, reggie had been my sole competitor in what we called “the tiffin Competition.” We never lost an opportunity to bring each other down. of course we were very good friends - he was my first friend at school; nevertheless, our friendship could not stop this competition.

now, we’re in grade nine. a lot has changed since then; we are not very close anymore. however, we do meet up at the cafeteria every day to find out what each of us brought for lunch. I suppose this is the invisible bond that has kept us united for this long. KhatidJa husseiN

o IS the NeW b

bigstock

TMAG TU ESDAY, J U n E 24, 2014

spOTlIghT

Stereo10 tmag

PoISoN PLAYLISt

1. Toxic Britney Spears

2. Nokol Chini Bangla

3. Jogi Punjabi MC

4. you make me sick Pink

5. So sick Ne Yo

6. rehab Rihanna

7. Poison Alice Cooper

8. Maar Daala OST Devdas

9. Toxicity System of a Down

10. Tikto Shotto Popeye

The gOOdsheeT

TOp

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Alex Boye refers to himself as the “Token Black Guy in

Utah.” This British artist with Nigerian roots is best known

for his glorious voice and friendly nature. From classical

to pop music, his voice can sing any genre. Interestingly, you are certain

to find a twist of Africa in many of his songs

rob Thomas - SmoothTuning: Standard

Chords: am F e7 Dm7 Dm7/C Bm7b5 e/G# G7 F#7sus4e|-0------1------0------1-----1------x------x------3----2----|B|-1------1------0------1-----1------3------5------3----2----|G|-2------2------1------2-----2------2------4------4----4----|D|-2------3------0------0-----x------3------2------3----2----|a|-0------3------2------x-----3------2------x------5----4----|e|-x------1------0------x-----x------x------4------3----2----|

Intro:|aM F e7| (repeat 4 times)

Chorus: am F e7and if you said this life ain’t good enough, am F e7I would give my world to lift you up am F e7 Dm7 Dm7/C Bm7b5I could change my life to better suit your moodG7 F#7sus4 e7Because you’re so smooth am F e7Well, and it’s just like the ocean under the moon am F e7Well, it’s the same as the emotion that I get from you am F e7you got the kind of lovin’ that can be so smooth, yeahDm7 n.C. e7Gimme your heart, make it realn.C.or else forget about it

alex Boye was at the england Bristol Missionary when he first sang a gospel-style solo. on being encouraged by his mission president, he decided to pursue music. he later formed a hit boy band in the uK called “awesome.” the band later signed a record deal with universal records and released their hit album which topped the european pop charts.

Born and raised in london, the charismatic musician has sold his records in over 15 countries and performed alongside great artists like Bryan adams, Jay-Z, George Michael, Missy elliot, dancing with the stars winner Derek huff, the smashing

pumpkins and more.some of his great artistries are

namely the “Mormon tabernacle Choir” which achieved an unbelievable amount of ovation from the massive crowd at the red rocks ampitheatre in Denver, Colorado. With his spiritual song “I want Jesus to walk with me,” and inspirational song “I am Gold,” alex Boye has won the hearts of many. some of his youtube hits include a cover of “paradise” by Coldplay, his “africanized” tribal version of “let it Go” from the popular movie Frozen, and a cover of the lumineer’s, “ho hey.”

the singer/songwriter has also

played a walk-in-role in the most talked about sitcom “how I met your Mother” and had had his music featured in various movies like Charly, Baptist at the Barbecue, the Dance and many more. he has also appeared on popular tV shows such as “ellen” and “the tonight show.”

superstar alex Boye’s latest album, “africanized” is a mixture of both his original

and “africanised” covers of pop music. With a synonymous image and several billboard hits, the artist doesn’t seize to entertain the world with his spell bounding voice.

Raisa Rahim

toKeNbLAcK GuY

IN utAh

tuNeS AND toNeS

TMAG TU ESDAY, J U n E 24, 2014

PLAYroom 11tmag

We recoMMeND

YuMMY, DeLIcIouS AND FreShKitchen scramble is a time-management Facebook game for all ages. the game starts with a young lady, pepper Mills, and her dream of serving good and healthy food among city-dwellers. on the other hand, pepper’s friend Candace, starts up a food business that provides a debris of processed fast-food. this makes the young lady sad since it’s impossible for her to compete with Candace on her own. enter Chef Crisp; she decides to help pepper open a food truck and stop Candace’s unfair practices.

pepper’s mobile kitchen begins with serving deep-fried delights and grilled goodness for fresh fare. as her performance and business grows, she goes through different towns like Waffleton, pittsburger and Molassessippi. as the game progresses to a new city, she faces a scourge of hungry men and women. the game subsequently becomes more complex as pepper steps up and starts unlocking more ingredients, recipes, and appliances. as a result, customers too start demanding complex dishes that require more time to prepare.

Going further up in levels, the multi-tasking within the game becomes complex and frenzied, eventually leading some players to quit. other than that, this is a useful game that teaches you about different places, cuisine and ethnicity.

Besides the fun aspect of this game, it has the power to help you with things such as becoming an entrepreneur and doing something good for the world. It will be a great journey if you do decide to play.

saudia afRiN

gameapp OF The week

mOvIe

maNga revIew

KILLING cANNIbALS In an alternate universe, humanity has been pushed to the edge of extinction by man-eating giants known as the titans. as a result, mankind must fight for its survival from the impending threats of these colossal cannibals.

hajime Isayama’s “attack on titan” had caused quite a stir among manga-lovers since its debut in 2009. It’s the story of eren yeager, who lost his mother in an attack by the titans. seeking vengeance against the villainous humanoids, eren, along with his adopted sister Mikasa ackerman and their friend armin arlert, they embark on an adventure of a lifetime.

“attack on titan” has received mixed reactions from its audience especially because of its noticeable display of gore and nude human-like titans. the character sketching is also quite detailed; ignoring the fact that Isayama introduces side characters only to turn them into titan food, the storyline is bound to make the readers emotional.

one shortcoming of the manga series is that the plot is too linear; it

hardly has twists and therefore is quite predictable. the titans are depicted as cannibalistic zombies who only attack humans. however, they are also shown as entities independent of food. such logical inconsistencies might confuse the readers and undermine the emotional appeal of the manga. nevertheless, “attack on titan” is a pretty good read; tMaG suggests you check it out. muhammad mustafa moNowaR

MAKe Your DAtA couNtSize : 2.2 MBPlatform : iOS/AndroidPrice : Free

smartphones make our lives a lot easier; taking notes, making to-do-lists, even staying connected with our friends is just a few screen taps away. hence, connectivity is a very important aspect for a smartphone, heck, most people usually buy a smart phone to check their emails on the go or stay connected in general. Where connectivity is such a major factor, data charges become a big

issue. the people at onaVo have figured out an ingenious way to extend your data usage while keeping the charges to a minimum.

onavo extend is an app that continuously runs in the background of your phone enabling it to compress and save data. this app sends all your mobile data traffic to onovo's server where it is compressed, cached and redirected back to you. this means you will not have to waste your data loading the same images or texts when you visit a website twice or multiple times

for that matter. they will already be stored on your phone's local memory. you need not worry about running out of memory though because you decide what percentage of your phone's storage the app uses.

so, what we have here is an opportunity, where you can actually feel like you’re getting something back from your service. If holding onto your mobile data feels like saving a flickering flame from a raging storm, onavo's revolutionary ideology will do just that and much, much more. asm foYsal

lone survivor is based on a non-fiction book written by Marcus luttrell, who was the only man to have survived the operation this movie is based on. peter Berg is the director and has based the film on the events of operation red wings, taking information from incident reports related to the mission. the movie stars Mark Wahlberg, along with taylor Kitsch and emile hirsch. Four navy seals on a covert mission to offset a high-level taliban operative in the hindu Kush region of afghanistan. It is a story about courage, friendship, dedication and bravery.

It is a typical all american action film with lots of guns and killing the bad guys. however, it does show how disciplined and organised the us navy

seals are and it is impressive how in-control these men are even in the most crucial and nerve-wracking situations. lone survivor manages to succeed in what it wanted to achieve; it gets the viewers to admire their toughness, bravery and abilities. It also makes you realise that even if they have no other choice but to make a tough decision, it doesn’t always turn out to be the right one. of course, the movie’s biggest spoiler is undoubtedly the title itself, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. some directors make the journey more worthwhile than the destination.

so, if you are chilling on a Wednesday night and have nothing to watch, lone survivor will be the perfect past-time for you. KYoKo BhuiYaN

there’S ALWAYS A SurvIvor

TMAG TU ESDAY, J U n E 24, 2014

teeNArAmA12 tmag

I was at Water Kingdom with my friends, when I saw the wave pool, became too excited and ran towards it. the ground was slippery so I slipped and fell majestically into the water. I’m not even a swimmer, so I thought I was going to drown.

I came back home from a date only to look in the mirror and notice food stuck in my teeth.

I got on a thriller ride at an amusement park and got so scared that I almost cried. My crush, who was next to me, had to hold my hand and tell me it was almost over.

I was at my friend’s place trying on her dresses in her room. I forgot to lock the door, so her brother barged in and we both let out a scream.

My four year-old sister once pulled on my shirt so hard my bra came off. this was at a family dinner, in front of all my relatives.

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Email your confession today to tmag.dt@dhakatribune.com

TMAG TELLs you To chooSe or LoSe

Got a sticky relationship ish? Let us help you make up your mind. Email your story today to tmag.dt@dhakatribune.com

My BOyFrIeND IS A reAl SWeeTHeArT; he’s generous, kind and takes me shopping. But the only problem is he’s very needy, he keeps calling me every hour, even at night when I’m sleeping. I’m so exhausted all the time that I can’t focus on anything else anymore. every time my phone rings, I feel like perhaps death would’ve been better than answering his phone call. he’s really nice, and takes me out and buys me all these nice clothes, jewelry and all the latest gadgets. My parents really like him and my friends think he’s really cool.

LoSehoney, if your relationship is solely based on your friends’ opinion about how cool your boyfriend is, then go ahead and spend a few more months of sleepless nights until you die out of exhaustion. If this relationship is not giving you any space whatsoever then break it off and cut it loose. relationships are built on trust, you know what else they’re built on? personal spaCe!

My BOyFrIeND AND I HAVe BeeN TOGeTHer FOr THe PAST THree yeArS NOW. We’ve grown distant over the past few weeks and we don’t talk as much and he doesn’t like sharing as much as he used to. I suspect that he’s cheating on me, should I break up with him or just ask him directly?

chooSeDon’t always jump to cheating, perhaps there’s something else going on. Give him a chance. If he’s been with you for three years then he’s worth something and he won’t cheat just like that. take him out for a nice meal and a drive if you can, and then ask him what’s going on.

He saysI feel like my girlfriend doesn’t open up enough. I share everything about myself, my childhood, past relationships and even family issues. she hardly shares any such thing herself. each day I learn something new about her and I cannot help but say, ‘’Why didn’t you tell me this before?’’ I’d like my girl to express herself and be more comfortable.

She saysI have always been a reserved person. I’m uber friendly, but it takes real time to get me to confess something very personal. particularly with my boyfriend, I keep a few things to myself because I feel insecure sharing these feelings, as they might be too embarrassing. I know it sometimes causes misunderstandings but it cannot be helped. a girl needs time.

He saysWhen we first started dating, I wouldn’t ever keep my phone down because I’d be too busy talking with her. now, it feels like we communicate less. there are no more long phone calls, chats or anything. sometimes this sudden decrease in time spent talking to her makes me feel really lonely. I’ve gotten used to talking to her all the time and I want those times back.

She saysat the beginning of our relationship, I was addicted to talking to my boyfriend all the time. after getting used to his existence in my life, the addiction just died down. It doesn’t mean I love him less, just that I was a little too infatuated at first. now, I’d like to spend more time doing other things. he understands when I have studying to do, but he expects me to dedicate all my free time to him. I need some space too.

The problem of poor communication

The problem of too much communication

Communication is essential for every relationship. Most relationship problems stem from poor communication. However, the need for too much communication – or, the resultant dependency on one another can actually be worse for the relationship. TMAG brings to you two scenarios in which the wrong kind of communication can harm a relationship

He says

She says