Home   |  Issues  |  The Daily Star Home | Volume 5, Issue 13, Tuesday March 25, 2008

 

 

CHECK IT OUT

…do it with style!

PERSONA Institute of Beauty and Lifestyle, a concern of Persona, is the pioneer academic institution on beauty and lifestyle in Bangladesh, aiming to produce quality professionals in makeover and salon management. Joining hands with Edexcel International, UK, an internationally recognized awarding body, Persona Institute of Beauty and Lifestyle will open-up the door for its students to get globally recognized certification in the near future.

Presently the institute offers both short term and long-term programs to match the current need. The courses are in Beauty Culture, Hair Cut and Styling ( 190 hrs); Professional Training in Hairdressing (6 months); Diploma in Beauty Therapy (12 months); Diploma in Salon Management (12 months).

The institute aims to spread a thorough understanding of business management, including the economics of salon, professional ethics, customer services etc., and thus enable their students to achieve professional competency to work all across the globe.

.......................................................................................................................... Latino night!

A Latin Festival, organized by the Latin Group of Bangladesh, is being planned for 28 March at the Radisson Hotel, and it is the third annual event held so far. In the past, the festival had been very successful and attracted people in hundreds.

Initially promoting music, dance and Latin cultural activities, the group has recently started a Latin Film program where Spanish and Latin American films are being shown. The last program was held recently at the Dutch Club and was very well attended.

The Latin Group of Bangladesh was formed four years ago by a group of Spanish-speaking residents of Bangladesh with the vision of promoting the Latin Culture to the community. The group consists of approximately forty members from different Latin countries such as Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Paraguay, Spain and others. The members are persons that have come to Bangladesh on missions, jobs, etc, and work for NGOs, Missions, embassies, etc. It is a non-profit completely volunteer organization and has undertaken programs to help the people of Bangladesh in many ways such as charity funds for schools, medicines, and special programs all focused on helping Bangladesh with as much as the group can provide. This gives the Latin Group an identity in the community and at the same time provides a forum for the promotion of the Latin culture to Bangladesh.

For further information call: 01711817227

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Pohela Boishakh with Andes


Photo Courtesy : Andes
TUMI je shurer agun lagiye dieley mor pranay” Tagore, is Aneela Haque's theme for her Pohela Boishakh fever collection for this Bengali new year.

Her latest collection comes in an array of bright colours that include red, orange, black, and white for men, women and children.

Red symbolizes “power of love” and orange, “a new beginning” whereas black and white always expresses sophistication, depth, peace and serenity. These all go with Tagore's romantic songs with the play of various notes that sets the fire of emotion in everyone's heart.

The collection caters to all ages launching its economical and practical collection as well. Address: ZN Tower, rd-8, hs-2, Gulshan-1 and Dhanmondi Rangs Anam Plaza, Satmasjid road.

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Pizza Corner’s offers


TO celebrate the Independence Day on 26th March, Pizza Corner, an international franchise and a part of Global Franchise Architects (GFA), offers a special set menu for their valued customers. The set menu contains one Medium Beef Pepperoni / Classic Hot Veg Pizza (Deep Pan) with one portion of Garlic Bread and two glasses of beverage (250ml). Customers can avail this offer at TK 550 only. The offer will be valid from 25th to 27th of March 2008, at all their outlets.

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Sound Check with Sony Ericsson


“SOUND CHECK" is an initiative taken by Sony Ericsson to promote original and talented band musicians of the country. This exclusive musical event helps uprising bands to acquire a platform to perform live in the most reputed restaurants and cafes of the city. So far, Sony Ericsson has hosted three "Sound Check" events and the fourth one will take place at Decagon Cafe on the 7th of March 2008. Performers at the event will include young, talented bands such as 'Nemesis' and 'Vibe'. Brand associates from Sony Ericsson will also be present at the event, who will reveal to the crowd the new trendy colours of the W200i Walkman phones, which has features that include Mega bass, 128 MB memory card- expandable up to 2 GB. Accessories include reflex headphones.

Sony Ericsson SHEBA will also be at the event to provide customer service. .......................................................................................................................... Deshal on Independence

DESHAL brings out their special, keeping the coming 26 March in mind. The spirit of nationalism is well presented on the designs that they have come up with. The price ranges from Tk 280-330, shalwar kamiz takas 850-1320, tops Tk 340-550, saris Tk 420-1200, children's wear 130-350 and various ornaments ranges from takas 20-180. Contacts: Deshal, House # 99, Road # 11, Block C, Banani, Dhaka.




Writer’s block


An obese woman's sleep disorder




Fahmeena Nahas



I had been reading about sleep apnoea for a while on the internet. I think about 50 percent people think they are afflicted with an illness when they hear or read about it. Likewise I thought I had sleep apnoea. The symptoms I read about matched mine. I asked a few doctors in my hometown but none of them had heard about it.

Last year I was in Singapore with my mother who went there for treatment. I took this opportunity to ask the doctor about it. He referred me a chest specialist. The doctor, after he went through the routine stuff, gave me a questionnaire to fill in. I had to answer questions like do I feel sleepy all the time, do I fall asleep when I am talking to people etc., etc. Apparently, all my answers were positive!

Next, he asked me to take a 'sleep test' or a polysomnography. He explained to me that a technician would come to my hotel room at night and connect me to a computer which would record my breathing pattern for the whole night.

Gosh, did I look a sight! There were innumerable wires sticking out from my body head to feet stuck with masking tape. The technician left promising to come back at 7 the next morning. The deep and fast sleeper that I am, I passed out like lightning. Later I went to the doctor's office and was pronounced with sleep apnoea. My average rate of waking up in my sleep was sixteen times an hour. I, actually, never wake up fully to realize it is happening. The hazards of sleep apnoea are a completely different story.

There are three remedies for the ailment. The first is to lose weight, the second to use a CPAP machine, and the third option is to have surgery. The doctor gave me his report in a sealed envelope and referred me to the technician who is also the agent for CPAP machines.

The machine consisted of a monitor and a mask hooked to it. I had to wear the mask and turn on the machine last thing at night. When I wore it, my mother couldn't stop laughing. I went to bed amidst all the laughter, hoping my sleep apnoea would disappear.

I woke up to find that I had taken off the mask in the night without really knowing I had done so. I did the same thing the next night. I couldn't decide whether I wanted such an expensive machine or not. How would it help me if I didn't keep it on! Finally, my mother helped me come to a decision and I opted against it for the time being.

Now, the envelope that the doctor had given me never got read till I got back home. It was a report of the test along with the doctor's recommendation. It started like this.... A forty seven year old obese woman....

The cheek of him! How dare he call me 47 when I don't feel like a day over 25? And obese.....He's very lucky I didn't open the letter whilst I was in Singapore or else I would have bashed up his nose for calling me obese. Hrrrmph! Obese indeed!

But, his calling me obese got me thinking. Was I really obese? Was I that fat? I had never realized it. I just couldn't accept it and I kept on asking everyone and checking my weight on my bathroom scales. Apparently, my scales showed that my weight was 4 kilograms lesser than the doctor's ones in Singapore. I was quite convinced that the doctor's ones were faulty instead of mine. I was so obsessed, my daughter quipped that I was behaving like an overweight teenager.

Jokes aside, I was hurt and traumatised that he had called me obese. Now how was I to get rid off all that weight? The next few months were spent in looking up various websites and reading various articles on diets and exercises. But, it is really very difficult to stick to any diet plan when there is so much food around. And I had always been rather partial to food. Then I thought what the hell....Life is too short to mull over a silly comment. And I reverted back to my eating programme. Ah....what bliss!

 

 

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