Diary of a football

UNDATED
Dear Diary,
Synthetic leather, foam, bladder, cotton and everything nice-no it's not the PowerPuff girls this time around. It's me the +Teamgeist Berlin. With only 14 curved panels, no stitches and a slick almost waterproof body to boast of I stood as the epitome of perfection at least until someone better came along! My design wasn't anything new, but accented in gold, with black and white details-you could already say I was different. Little did I know that from my humble but nevertheless promising beginning of Chonburi, Thailand, I was heading towards the most harrowing experience of my life.

9th July 2006
Dear Diary,
Before the game
So this is what I was made for-a one night stand only? Silly human beings. Right now I am resting in the safe hands of referee Mr. Horacio Elizondo, who for some reason unknown to me is in the midst of two groups of men wearing similar attires-probably subscribing to some clearance sale offers from Bongobazar! In the midst of Berlin's Olympiastadion, I hear a woman shrieking at the top of her voice. Is that a banshee? They call her Shakira and she looks like a human being- I mean there isn't much of her you could have missed. More interestingly, the crowd seems to be pleased with her cacophonous voice.

During the game
So that's what the most civilised inhabitants of Planet Earth do! I am dropped from the safe hands of Mr. Horacio Elizondo into the immaculate lush green pitch of Olympiastadion and in the next thing I know, I am reduced to the ignominy of kicks from dirty soccer boots! Even a Kookabura cricket ball, devoid of my grandeur, commands better respect from its users-it's treated with expensive willow. I deserve to be treated with hands at least -even if it's the Hand of God. But the only generosity I ever receive is in the form of occasional heads or the hands of Buffon and Barthez. Any fiendish assault on me is applauded- I am battered, bruised and injured but no one cares! I am being hunted down by 22 beasts while being incarcerated inside a sadistic cage.

Any modicum of beauty of the so called “beautiful game” disappeared however, courtesy of a beastly headbutt and to be honest I wasn't surprised after the treatment I received all night long!

After the game
A long painful night is finally coming to an end. My bladders are desperately out of air and I need emergency medication. But who cares about me? While Italian players are rejoicing with the golden trophy, I lie in one corner of the field, completely decimated and neglected. Even a Kookabura ball gets more respect from players after the game is over!
(All facts taken from Wikipedia)

By Nayeem Islamm

The week in Re(ar)view

For the love of space
Life has little value these days, definitely less value than space. We want space to build houses, to store things in. And we put lives in danger to utilise every available empty space. According to our physics, empty space is nothing. According to math, human life is thus less valuable than nothing.

How so? In Old Dhaka last week, a fire claimed 117 lives. Chemicals stored in a five-storey building had swelled the flames. There was available empty space where chemicals needed to be stored.

The affected families each get Tk 20,000. Maybe that's how much lives are valued at nowadays. Wonder what happens when inflation hits.

Leaning towers of pieces
Italy is famous for its leaning tower of Pisa. We are becoming infamous for all our leaning towers. Two buildings tilted in the capital on June 5. This is following a seven-storey building at Begunbari that tilted soon after a five-storey one in the same area collapsed on June 1 night killing 25 people.

The owner of the collapsed building did not take design approval or do proper piling on marshy land. His sketch on the back of the grocery list was enough. This is one of the 5,000 buildings identified by Rajuk as having been built without permission and design approval. Authorised officer of Rajuk Shafiqul Islam refused to answer why no legal action was taken against the building owner for so long.

No duty on import of textbook paper
The government for the first time decided to print all textbooks of classes I to III through an international tender for ensuring quality and to avoid the risk of missing the deadlines for distribution. It seems maybe students will finally get their books before they finish schooling.

The four-colour books will require higher quality paper than what the government usually supplies to printers for textbooks. That means local printers need to import the paper at 57 percent tax, a burden not mandatory for foreign bidders. To allow local printers to participate more easily, government has withdrawn tariff on imported textbook paper. Now if only we can start printing comics on those tax-free paper. So many children could be educated in mirth.

Dolphin oil
Dolphins have always entertained us by played tricks and saved us from sharks whenever we fell into oceans like we always do. And in return, we thank them by sucking the oil out of them, which incidentally leaves them quite dead. Fishermen are killing endangered Gangetic River Dolphins along Padma and Jamuna for their oil. Each kilogram of oil sells for Tk 400 to Tk 500. Each dolphin can produce 4 to 5 kgs.

The Padma has reached a greater depth at Yusufpur, fish are abundant at these points, and so dolphins also visit these places for food. They pour dolphin oil in the water and lay nets around that. The strong smell of the oil attracts fish to the net. Killing dolphins is a crime punishable with imprisonment under the wildlife act. What's really big news for most readers here is that we have dolphins in our country.

Status update back online
People across the country have heaved a collective sigh of relief as they can now go back to updating the Facebook statuses letting others know what others don't really want to know about. The ban was lifted June 5. But so far, nothing further is known about the youth who was reportedly arrested for uploading satiric images of some leading politicians.

By Mood Dude & Someone

RS Mailbox

Your love-hate connection with Rising Stars
Word on our last issue:
Shamsil Kamal: I hardly read any article other than the book review. Why is it that nowadays the only thing I find interesting is the book review and the stories of Rasul?

Zahra Mayeesha: Finally I can give my faithfully AWESOME review on RS. What is with the government banning Facebook? Anyway, that was an okay issue again. I didn't particularly feel for any of the articles. And you guys! Why the hell did you put that embarrassing comment in the paper? Sheesh. My friends were making fun of me about it, and They don't need any more reasons to! May we have some creative articles now please? Some with, I don't know, some particular flair? Not just reporting news and stuff....and no more comedy please. Have some more genres of writing in the RS again. Laughing is SO old news

El Kun: Awesome issue last Thursday. I liked the Cola review, and Osama actually boasted someone else's achievements other than Chelsea's. Cheers

Sameen Raina Rahman: The cover was good. Unfortunately, though, the rest of the issue was kind of...blah. The article on the government banning FB was really stupid.

Tasmia Tasin: The cover page was awesome,the anime review was great too and Sharier Khan`s comic Babu was hilarious.

Shaista Mohsin: My Thursdays do not start without reading Babu and Osama Rahman's articles; they rock! Osama Rahman's issue "Fashion Files" totally nailed all the girls with every detail. And this week's issue about worldwide stadiums was awesome! Sharier was my favorite from the very beginning.This week's sleeping beauty was cool especially with KATAAA LAGAAAA... Keep up the good work. You guys ROCK.

Rabiul Islam: Last week's issue had a blend of humor and fact. Zabir's was hilarious enough to laugh my lungs out. Doing cola was a bit informative. All time favorite Babu took me on a laughter ride after seeing the KAATA LAGAA.

From the RS Desk
We at Rising Stars are extremely shocked and saddened by the fire that claimed the lives of hundreds in Nimtoli, as well as the continuing nightmare of the Begunbari building collapse. We offer our deepest condolence to the victims and their families.

Send us your comments, feedback, and opinions to ds.risingstars@gmail.com. Log in to our Facebook fan page to join in on the behind-the-scenes fun.

Football matches will be screened at:
All event timings will follow the football match schedules

Cuppa Coffee Club
Address: Building 11, Road 46, Gulshan Circle 2
Tickets: Free entrance.

The Bench
Address: House 80, Road 23, Gulshan 1
Tickets: Prices vary according to matches; 70-75% of ticket price can be used as a food coupon.
(During knockout rounds, The Bench will be having special performances featuring live music, magic and stand up comedy)

Tea Bazaar
Address: Bashundhara Road, On top of American Burger.
Tickets: Entrance is free, but make sure to buy food!

Terra Bistro
Address: Platinum Suites, Road 11, Banani
Tickets: Tk. 310 (game time snacks included)