HUMOROUSLY YOURS
Heavy New Year
The legendary ball drops at New York City’s Time Square, the Sydney Opera House is all lit up from fireworks as are the Eiffel Tower and many other landmarks around the world, not to mention the countless non-descript ones.
The smog was the limit
Everyone knows you are the sharpest officer, but be prepared to put “Maj. (Retd.)” before your name once you hang up your uniform for good. Ok, maybe not. Since you stand out so much from the rest, you’ll advance further, to the rank of Lt. Col., tops. Ok? Now go, finish up your staff college and be happy with “PSC” at the end of your name and stop dreaming of adding an NDC (National Defense College) on your business card.
Have None, Will Travel
You want to now pack me up and send me to Timbuktu?” yells Dennis Palmer, sitting at the head of the table in the meeting room.
HUMOROUSLY YOURS / Every breath you take
Neither Pink Floyd nor the Pink Panther had anything to do with Bangladesh’s pink wash, but the good thing is that Bangladesh at least didn’t let India play for a good two days during the first test. In fact, the runs of our boys in the first innings were 0,1,8,1,6,0,0,0,4, which together was perhaps a cryptic message to Robi to once again pick up the team sponsorship.
To Cut or Not to Cut
When a cyclone is named Bulbul, chances are people, at least in Bangladesh, won’t take it seriously. And we are Bangladeshis—what freaks us out is not a number 9 signal, but the lowest number
Indecent Proposal
A bit more about “special” rooms from my column a few weeks ago, when Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) was in the news for the wrong reasons. It’s room 429, Nazrul Islam Hall.
The last and the ludicrous
Hats off to the Ministry of Public Administration for taking the bold step of introducing paternity leave. Better be clear though about the cap on the number of such leaves, else we will have a population explosion 2.0.
The Flight to Freedom
Like every child, I'm a fussy eater. So, when I finally finish eating after what seems an eternity, mom goes, “Everybody clap! Naveed has
The Rat of Brooklyn
I land at New York's John F Kenney Airport. Soon after, I am greeted by the sound of typical New York, or should I say, JFK Airport—an irritated, middle aged lady barking orders for people to line up as per their visa/immigration/nationality status.
Long Raining Reigns
Definitely many long nights of depression with the end of the long running Sultan Suleiman—one of the most popular shows on local TV. In fact, I had to make sure my weekly TV show, The Naveed Mahbub Show on ATN Bangla ...
Dip Flip
Being late in Dhaka due to traffic jam is the lamest of all excuses. For if there is anything predictable in Dhaka, it is the gnarling traffic jam. To make it on time for an appointment across town, all one has to do is start two days early.
So Long, Dinosaur…
While the world and even many in Bangladesh are going paperless, some are adamant about killing trees and sending snail mail by courier, which has a 50 percent rate of successful delivery.
The sky has fallen
The sky has fallen for the Tigers after South Africa. Add insult to injury, there is ensuing politics, I mean real street political politics—just to divert our attention from the whitewash in South Africa, Taskin Ahmed gets married.
The 4th Idiot
UST like when Usain Bolt and his cohorts dart off at the sound of the pistol, there are at least 10 anxious fellow countrymen of mine making a beeline for the front door at no less an impressive 0 to 60, their sprint triggered by the landing gear of the aircraft making contact with Runway 14 of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Not Egg-xactly Egg-static
OCTOBER 11 is World Obesity Day. October 13 is World Egg Day. October 14 is Global Hand Washing Day (makes sense, gotta wash the hands after handling eggs—there's salmonella). October 16 is World Food Day. At this rate, I would expect October 17 to be World Diarrhea Day…
Now Everyone Can Fly
At the check-in counter of Air Asia at Taipei Airport, I notice two things. One, the 7kg carry-on limit is for the TOTAL weight of both carry-on items and NOT for each, as I thought initially.
Who Deserves a Hat Trick?
The only good thing about the Donald Trump tragedy is that comedians are in business. In fact they (the comedians) have become lazy as Trump himself is delivering the jokes on a silver platter.