I'm sorry, but this is about the environment

So now we're going to talk about the environment. Well, I will write, and you will probably not read, because I just said environment, and how often is that the beginning of a fun conversation?

“Hey, I would love to listen, and I really truly care about the ozone layer and everything, but I have to go and care about it in an air-conditioned room.”

Nice, kid. So do we all. This writer's oxygen happens to be at a comfortable 24°C at present. No one's going to preach here; we'll all just settle in for a long, comfortable ramble about karma and acid rain, and the ridiculous number of shoes you find if you run a net through a lake.

By the way, do you know how many gallons of water and mega-watts of energy it takes to produce one bottle of mineral water? Or how many little grey clouds of poison you release into the atmosphere in the course of one car ride to school? Well, neither do we, but presumably you should, so that you can OMG and gasp and then forget about it the next morning.

This writer has a theory about such selective amnesia. The theory states that karma is not particularly a female dog, as is generally acknowledged, but simply lazy. It's happy enough to collab with Divine Retribution and the rest of its jazz band to reverse the ill-gotten good fortunes of the sinful mouse and man. All that it requires is a couple of finger-snaps, maybe a tweak of the ear or two. But when it comes to causing whole billions to repent, it is far less inclined to get off its well-rounded rump.

As proof, acid rain pokes its head out of Scandinavia and sheds a couple of tears for its mother in Western Europe. Closer to home, the floods creep in a little higher every year. They are careful to avoid the kind gentlefolk in Dhaka city, who warmed them up enough in their Himalayan homes that they could venture all the way to Bangladesh to visit their friends' countrymen.

Yeah, you hear that noise? No, nothing to worry about, just karma snoring.

So you understand? You know why we forget? There's nothing to remind us. We chuck stuff on the roads; we don't have to walk through it. We chuck stuff in the lakes; we don't have to swim in it. We use up all the power, all we have to complain about is generator bills (oh wait, no, Baba's paying those). We gunk up all the rivers, we can drink mineral water instead. Destroy this planet and in a couple of years they'll find us a new one. The good life, eh? Who can we rant at but ourselves?

Tomorrow, this writer will probably come home and turn on the fan. Turn up the fan. Turn off the fan and turn on the A.C. Turn the water heater on. Run the shower to test the temperature. Leave it running to find shampoo. Get in and change from hot to cold to hot to cold. Forget to turn off the water heater. Drink half the glass of water served. Ask for another glass fifteen minutes later and drink three quarters. Leave the A.C. on while in another room. Leave the light on after returning to the A.C. room. Turn the T.V. on. Turn the computer on. Forget about the T.V. and use the computer. Get a call and forget about the T.V. and the computer and talk on the phone. Go back to the computer and T.V. with a notebook. Rip out a couple half-used pages.

Brush teeth with the tap running. Leave bathroom light on. Go to bed under a quilt because the A.C. is so cold.

Who shall I rant at but me?

This writer will not preach. This writer will offer no suggestions. This writer will only observe that we'll never stop singing our solos for long, because the only music we have to face is easy listening.

By Safieh

Ke Hote Chay Kotipoti?

MI chaaaiii!!!' is what every Bangladeshi must be screaming right now. After years of watching and loving the Indian version, it's only fair that we get our own shot at the jackpot. And that's exactly what Robi has brought us - the internationally acclaimed 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire?', now at home, complete with our own charismatic host.

For those who would like to know, the “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” game show originally started in UK around thirteen years ago. After becoming famous, it went on to become a franchise in several other European countries, before it eventually got around to Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan and more. The Indian version started in 2000, and soon gained a huge fan following. (Slumdog Millionaire, anyone?) What most people didn't know, though, is that a Bangla version of the show already exists, but just not in our country. “Ke Hote Chay Bangla'r Kotipoti?” is aired in Bangla in Kolkata and is hosted by the much-loved Sourav Ganguly.

Desh TV started airing the episodes of “Ke Hote Chay Kotipoti?” in our country from the ninth of this month. Even before the show started, it generated huge curiosity and speculation among the public. “What will the questions be like?” and “Will it really live up to standards?” were some of the questions on everybody's minds. Even though it's probably too early to tell, we can be optimistic that KHK will leave no doubts.

The set, the format and the famous Hot Seat are all true to the original. Asaduzzaman Noor makes for a fine host, chatty enough to hold the audience's interest, but playing mysterious at just the right moments too. It irritates and cracks people up in equal amounts as he addresses the computer as 'Shaheb', but even then he carries it off with a certain something.

After watching three episodes, the questions seem to consist of mostly easy-peasy questions with a few tearing-my-hair-out-of-my-head-WHAT-IS-THE-FREAKING-ANSWER!!!??? There are questions about books and questions about famous battles, and even one about shampoo! Home viewers also get a chance to win Tk 1 Lakh by answering a special on-screen question at the end of the show.

So, what do the people have to say about it? As one viewer rightly put it after watching the first episode, “People need two very important things in life - money and knowledge. This show lets us earn a bit of both.” Wise words indeed. But how exactly does the average Bangali get anywhere near the Hot Seat in the first place? Ah, well. The first thing to do would be to get out there and buy yourself a Robi SIM. Because they are the main sponsors, registration is restricted to Robi customers only. While this is annoying a whole lot of us, a good number of people are considering buying a Robi SIM just to participate in the show.

There will be around fifty episodes in the first season, so that gives us aspiring millionaires lots of time to brush up on our general knowledge. The Hot Seat awaits.

By TheAlien4mEarth

Topdrive BD Anti- Drugs Rally

A big problem plaguing the younger population of today is un-prescribed drug use and drug addiction. To address this problem and make a statement in their own way, the members of Topdrive BD, one of the newer automotive clubs in Dhaka, brought out a car rally aptly titled 'SAY NO TO DRUGS' on the 15th of July, 2011.

The club members started filling out the reserved spots in the Rifles Square parking lot by 4pm and the rally was off towards the old North South University campus in Banani. High end cars like BMW 730i, BMW 320i and sports cars like the Toyota Celica and MR-S made an appearance besides more run of the mill cars like the Lancer EX. The whole event was pulled off seamlessly due to the hard work of the Topdrive BD members in ensuring none of the participants took part in any reckless driving, thus preserving the spirit and cause of the event.

Topdrive BD president Mominul Asif would like to thank Asif Hasan (Director-Administration), Adnan Ahmed (Director-Operations), Naimul Abir (Marketing Manager), Shagor Fahad (Events Organiser) and all other Topdrive BD members for making this event a success. The organisers would also like to thank A1 Automobiles Club for their support and Channel-i and Radio Utsob for media coverage.

Head on over to www.topdrivebd.com if you want to follow the club, get more info on the club, future event updates, etc.

By Shaer Reaz