Tête-à-tête

Hey People!
Wow! Lots of mail this week. I'm guessing this means that the GCE exams are ending. O level candidates, you have now officially completed the best days of your life. Take it from me…the coaching classes, the last minute sweating it out with the teachers, the study groups and the nail-biting suspense right before and through the exams…you'll look back on these moments with a sigh. I'm sure EVERY GCE candidate has heard the infamous saying "If the O' level is a tree, the A' level is a forest". So get ready for the real crunch now. As for A level graduates, welcome to the real world. Be prepared to un-learn and re-learn everything you've been taught throughout your school life.

Okay, now that I'm done scaring you…let's get down to business. Thanks to all those who've sent in their ideas…we're about two weeks away from starting to put those ideas into action, but in the meantime, please continue sending in your two bits. For the less informed, we're running a poll on "What changes would you like to see in the RS?"

Hmm…now I got a lot of mail from readers asking RS to go online. I just want to let them know that the RS has been available online for a couple of years now. Feel free to check us out at www.thedailystar.net

Now you can be on any part of the planet and still have your share of mad, deshi fun every Thursday.

Well, that's all the buzz from me this week. Till our next tête-à-tête, take care!

Send your polls, opinions, and queries to thegirlnextdoor1@hotmail.com
By The Girl Next Door

e - books
Project Gutenberg: the home of free e-books

Though the internet is filled with loads of free stuff, it's hard to find really good books. Most of the time, the only books that can be downloaded for free are either unnecessary, or incomplete. Moreover, they are so scattered out that finding a book will take ages in the vast 'information super highway'. But such toiling days may come to an end if you head for Project Guttenberg, a free non-profitable project dedicated to make available books for free in the internet. The project is the brainchild of Michael Hart, who in 1971 decided that it would be a really good idea if lots of famous and important texts were freely available to everyone in the world. Since then, he has been joined by hundreds of volunteers who share his vision.

Now, more than thirty years later, Project Gutenberg has the following figures: 203 New eBooks released during October 2002, 1975 New eBooks produced in 2002 (they were 1240 in 2001) for a total of 12503 Total Project Gutenberg eBooks (up to May 5, 2004). 119 eBooks have been posted so far by Project Gutenberg of Australia and the project has been expanding in many more countries along the globe. For it's great accomplishment, Project Gutenberg recently won the Stockholm Challenge Award in the category "Culture". Currently, about 600 volunteers are working in the project.

Project Gutenberg houses books of all genres and in many languages. You will find all kinds of books from short stories, novels, reference, books etc (I found some translated version of Bangla books). But recently published books are hard to find (mostly due to copyright problems). The process of Project Gutenberg is simple. First the volunteers or the directors choose a book, making sure that it has a copyright clearance. Then, a latest copy is digitized by either scanning or typing, which is proof-read by two volunteers. At last the book is posted in the project's website in text, html or pdf version. Thus the book is made available in the web and can be downloaded easily.

So, bookworms who are eager to read classic books and want them free, just head for <www.gutenberg.net> or <www.promo.net/pg/>. For a better search interface go to <http://open.palary.org/mazarin/>. Moreover, the project is also looking for more volunteers. If you're interested, you can also be a 'Gutenberger' and help the project to be successful.

By Cracker Jack

Never walk down the hall without a document in your hands. People with documents in their hands look like hardworking employees heading for important meetings. People with nothing in their hands look like they're heading for the cafeteria. People with a newspaper in their hand look like they're heading for the toilet. Above all, make sure you carry loads of stuff home with you at night, thus generating the false impression that you work longer hours than you do.

Use computers to look busy. Any time you use a computer, it looks like "work" to the casual observer. You can send and receive personal e-mail, calculate your finances and generally have a blast without doing anything remotely related to work. When you get caught by your boss -and you *will* get caught - your best defense is to claim you're teaching yourself to use new software, thus saving valuable training expenses.

Messy desk. Build huge piles of documents around your workspace. To the observer, last year's work looks the same as today's work; it's volume that counts. Pile them high and wide. If you know somebody is coming to your cubicle, bury the document you'll need halfway down in an existing stack and rummage for it when he/she arrives.

Voice Mail. Never answer your phone if you have voice mail. People don't call you just because they want to give you something for nothing they call because they want YOU to do work for THEM. That's no way to live. If your voice mailbox has a limit on the number of messages it can hold, make sure you reach that limit frequently. One way to do that is to never erase any incoming messages. If that takes too long, send yourself a few messages. Your callers will hear a recorded message that says, "Sorry, this mailbox is full" - a sure sign that you are a hardworking employee in high demand.

Looking Impatient and Annoyed. One should also always try to look impatient and annoyed to give your bosses the impression that you are always busy.

Appear to Work Late. Always leave the office late, especially when the boss is still around. You could read magazines and storybooks that you always wanted to read, but have no time until it is late before leaving.

Creative Sighing for Effect. Sigh loudly when there are many people around, giving the impression that you are very hard pressed.

Stacking Strategy. It is not enough to pile lots of documents on the table. Put lots of books on the floor etc. You can always borrow from library. Thick computer manuals are the best.

Build Vocabulary. Read up on some computer magazines and pick out all the jargon and new products. Use it freely when in conversation with bosses. Remember: They don't have to understand what you say, but you sure sound impressive.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: DON'T let your boss read this article by mistake!!!

Compiled By Meher Nigar

Poems

To my grandmother-

You know you are the light of my life
To me you're the sun that shines so bright.
I love you more and more everyday.
To be part of your life is all I pray.
I'm so sorry for those days that I,
Made you angry and want to cry.
I wish that I could make you see,
You're the only one so dear to me.
Do you remember the times you put me to bed?
All the lullabies you sang and the stories you said?
I cherish those moments, which with you I've spent.
I've had more fun than I ever would've dreamt
You're my nanna, my comrade, my pal
You're the best, you're one heck of a gal!

By Sumbal A. Momen

Jokes
Saving Bush

George W. Bush was out jogging one morning along the parkway when he tripped, fell over the bridge railing, and landed in the creek below. Before the Secret Service guys could get to him, 3 kids who were fishing pulled him out of the water. He was so grateful he offered the kids whatever they wanted. The first kid said, "I want to go to Disneyland." George W. said, "No problem. I'll take you there on Air Force One". The second kid said, "I want a new pair of Nike Air Jordan's." George W. said, "I'll get them for you and even have Michael sign them!”

The third kid said, "I want a motorised wheelchair with a built in TV and stereo headset!" George W. was a little perplexed by this and said, "But you don't look like you are handicapped." The kid replied, "I will be, after my dad finds out I saved you from drowning!"

By Sunny

Her Diary His Diary

HER DIARY
Wednesday night - I thought he was acting weird. We had made plans to meet at a cafe to have some coffee. I was shopping with my friends all day long, so I thought he was upset at the fact that I was a bit late, but he made no comment. Conversation wasn't flowing so I suggested that we go somewhere quiet so we could talk properly. He agreed but remained quiet and aloof.

I asked him what was wrong - he said, "Nothing."
I asked him if it was my fault that he was upset. He said it had nothing to do with me and not to worry.
On the way home I told him that I loved him, he simply smiled and kept driving.
I can't explain his behavior; I don't know why he didn't say, "I love you, too."

When we got home I felt as if I had lost him, as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore. He just sat there and watched TV; he seemed distant and absent. Finally I decided to go to bed. About 10 minutes later he came to bed.

I decided that I could not take it anymore, so I decided to confront him with the situation but he had fallen asleep. I started crying and cried until I too fell asleep.
I don't know what to do. I'm almost sure that his thoughts are with someone else. My life is a disaster.

HIS DIARY
Today PAKISTAN lost. DAMN IT!

Compiled By Desert Rose