The week in re(ar)view

Light a candle for ZIA (the airport)
If you have not stocked up on your supply of candles better do so now. Recently Zia International Airport (ZIA) plunged into chaos as power was out for 2 hours leaving passengers stranded in flights unable to land on dark runways. The generators refused to kick in.

Our suggestion to ZIA was to buy all the candles that they could lay their hands on and light them up to guide planes down the runway. And we offered to sell them 5 taka candles at 500 each. The wick inside is sold separately.

Our alternate suggestion was to simply set on fire all the planes that are lying abandoned because:
a) no one wants to travel by Biman,
b) the planes don't work,
c) the planes are actually made of bamboo.
In another completely ridiculous news item, Bangla Motors has decided to set up shop right on the runway offering recycled (re: stolen) headlights for planes wanting to land.

Bangladeshi gets distinct distinction
Bangladesh won something but this time its not a dubious honour. It's just a little bit incredulous. Renowned environmentalist Dr Atiq Rahman has won this year's Champions of the Earth Award for the Asia Pacific region.

Dr Atiq's published a lot matter related to environment and development in Bangladesh mainly focusing on climate change. The annual prize rewards individuals from around the globe who have made a significant and recognised contribution globally, regionally and beyond, to the protection and sustainable management of the Earth's environment and natural resources.

But that is not the important matter here. We have published climate change articles ourselves. We have suggested how we can all turn on our air conditioners during summer and leave the windows open to combat global warming. It met critical acclaim from all three of our readers. So where's our prize?

All drizzle and no sizzle
The rain has been on for a few days straight last week. The sun went on vacation. It spelled misery for the country folk especially the poor who do not have automatic climate controlled cars to travel in.

The three-day Biswa Ijtema, ostensibly the second largest yearly congregation of the Muslims, on the bank of Turag River at Tongi was cut short on its inaugural day due to the terrible weather. At least three pilgrims died.

Locals loot bricks from ancient site
Nothing is too old or too sacred or too 'rubbishy'. Pundra Nagar is an archaeological site in Bogra and the locals figured a few 2000-year old bricks would possibly add a touch of elegance to their living rooms. So they stole them.

Several people were seen building concrete buildings in or around Pundra Nagar who seem to have paid well below the market rate of land in the area.

Builders were seen using bricks from thousand-year-old houses to build their own, which has damaged the structures of most of the buildings.

The fenced reserved site in Bogra could soon be listed as a world heritage site. Old bricks do not mature like old wine, they are more like old cheese. Moldy and crumbly.

Stop termination of RMG workers without reason
The Revolutionary Garment Workers Solidarity recently demanded an immediate halt to termination of workers without any reason.

Now the owners will be working on reasons. And the reasons would be something like this: “We don't like to pay for the cheap labour”.
Come back when you want to work for free.

A brand new BBQ zone
A portion of an underwater gas pipeline on the bed of River Turag went up in flames at Aminbazar in Savar as the lower part of a cargo vessel pierced through it.

Gas transmission in parts of the capital was disrupted following the accident. It was a great opportunity for the government to turn into a watery BBQ tourist spot.

The fire died down at around 1:00pm after the Titas Gas authorities turned off the supply of gas through the pipeline from Ashulia to Aminbazar.

By Gokhra and Mood Dude

Valentine notice

Valentine's Day is a celebration of love be it for your parents, siblings, friends and significant other, a Pokemon, a pet or even your favorite car. It's a day when we fork out huge sums of money to buy cards, candy and ridiculous trinkets helping corporate organizations become wealthier.

Of course, you could also express your love (even your hatred for this loving day) by sending in thoughts, poems, stories, drawings, scribbles and anything else on your mind to Rising Stars. You can also send in personal wishes to that particular someone for our special Valentines's Greetings section.

We're also interested in true stories. If you're part of an awesome twosome, (or in the mood to start one), send us in 50 words, your idea of the perfect proposal. The best 10 will be published in a special column.

So get your creative juices flowing this Valentine's season, and let's make February the hottest month of the year!

Simply mail them to our email address. Contributions must reach us by 10th February.

RS Desk

Send us all your love, hate, queries, news, contributions, etc to risingstars@thedailystar.net

Oops!
In the 17 January issue, there was a small mistake in the article 'Mohasthangarh: the Ancient Historic City of Myths'. Shiva is actually a Hindu God, and not a Goddess. He is the God of destruction, who can incinerate impurities. Shiva has a dualistic nature, being also associated with truth, goodness and beauty.
Shiva forms an integral part of the Hindu pantheon and is part of the Trimurti (trinity) of which Bramha (the creator) and Vishnu (the Preserver) are members. He is the husband of Durga/Parvati, in whose honour Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival for Bangalee Hindus, is annually held.
In the Shaivist sect, Shiva is seen as the supreme deity.
Other than this, the article was great! It's wonderful to see Adnan M.S. Fakir continuing his Celebrating Bangladesh Series. We truly have a beautiful country.
Alaka Halder

Re: Last weeks mailbox
Teresa wrote in the mailbox that the poetry published in RS is substandard. I' hate to disagree. While some of the material could be better, I still congratulate RS for publishing this and providing young poets a chance to voice their thoughts.

While I don't write poetry, I love to read. And I love to read them all. And RS provides a variety of different writing styles.
Suman C.

Conjoined TV pains
Shehtaz Huqs article on the 'alternative' Hindi serials was very interesting. It just goes ot show that people are gullible enough to swallow anything. No wonder marketing is such a highly competitive and well-paid profession.

The worst of the bunch was the TV series about conjoined twins who basically just hold hands. Now how lame can that be? Are the creators that brain-dead? Or maybe the different parts of their brains just hold hands sometimes and most times there is no connection.
Mahera Tasneem

Huh?
A husband stepped on one of those penny scales that tell you
your fortune and weight and dropped in a coin. "Listen to this," he said to his wife, showing her a small, white card.
"It says I'm energetic, bright, resourceful and a great lover."
"Yeah," his wife nodded, "and it has your weight wrong, too."

Duh!
The new father ran out of the delivery room and announced
to the rest of his family waiting for the news, "We had twins!"
The family was so excited, they immediately asked, "Who do they look like?"
The father paused, smiled and said, "Each other."

What?
As a doctor completed his examination of the patient he said,
"I can't find a cause for your complaint. Frankly, I think it's due to drinking."
The patient replied, "In that case, I'll come back when you're sober."

Less is nothing
I went to the bar the other night and told the 'keep, "A glass of your finest Less, please."
"'Less'? Never heard of it," he said.
"C'mon, sure you have."
"No, really, we don't stock it. What is it? Some kind of foreign beer?"
"I'm not sure," I replied. "It was my doctor who mentioned it. He said I should 'drink Less.'"

Oops
Eric is sitting at the bar staring morosely into his beer. Tom walks in and sits down. After trying to start a conversation several times and getting only distracted grunts he asks Eric what the problem is.
"Well," said Eric, "I ran afoul of one of those women's questions women ask. Now Im in deep trouble at home."
"What kind of question?, asked Tom.
"My wife asked me if I would still love her if when she was old, fat and ugly."
"That's easy," said Tom. "You just say 'Of course I will'".
"Yeah", said Eric, "That's what I did, except I said, 'Of course I DO....'"