Ulfat Kabir’s magic school

Many of you might be learning to sing, dance, drawing, but did you ever think of learning magic?

‘Magic'-the word itself is magical! When we talk about magic, scenes of cutting a live person into halves without injuring him/her or making somebody float in air come to mind. Not only kids, even the elders love to watch magic shows. Many also get interested in learning it. Well, here is a great opportunity for all those magic-lovers. You can now take basic courses on magic from Ulfat Kabir's Magic School.

The school is situated in Gulshan and has been offering tuition to students since last year. Besides the basic course they also offer other short and advanced courses for both children and adult. Magician Ulfat Kabir himself along with his wife Rukhsana Kabir and an assistant conduct the school. You could also satisfy your thirst for learning juggling from here.

Mr. Kabir is a member of The International Brotherhood of Magicians, U.S.A. and is the in-house magician of The Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel. He has performed several shows in countries like China, Oman, Hong Kong, U.S.A, Thailand, etc, and has 40 years of experience in performing magic.

The classes are taken on Saturday mornings and Tuesday afternoons. The course fee is affordable too at Taka 1500/- only. Can you imagine, you can actually bring a rabbit out of a hat! WOW!

By now you must be dying to join this fascinating course. You could contact the school at magicschool123@hotmail.com. The school has students who are either taking professional courses or learning it just for fun. They have students from various age groups. The magician couple wanted to spread the art of magic through out the country and that is why they established the school. So, what are you waiting for? Try something new in life. Join the courses and surprise your friends with those witty tricks. Ulfat Kabir's Magic School indeed is a good option to bring out your magical skills!

By Syeda Nafiza Ahmed

Our rising star

Siddiky’s talents

Today's Rising Star of the week is a 17-year-old boy who is multitalented. He is a student of Aga Khan School doing his A-levels.
Name: Shahmuddin Siddiky
Date of Birth: 11th February'87
School: Aga Khan School
Academics: O-levels: 6 A's and 2B's
AS results not available as yet
Achievements:
Reporter of school news paper - 2001
Member of charity club - 2002
Won the essay competition organized by Lions Club on 'Solidarity and Peace'-2002
President of drama club in AKS 2003
Member of oratory club - 2003
For a short document on "Externalities and over spilling effects", his project has been selected as the "Best business project of Business fair"-2003
Won the 7-UP caption writing contest-2004
Debates:
UN model summit (lead delegate of Cuba)-2003
Debate competition organized by the British Council-1st Runner Up
Participated in Mass Olympiad organized by Notre Dame College

RS: So you are in drama, public speaking, in community service, and also a writer. How do you manage to maintain your studies and other activities?
Ans: You missed one thing, I wrote for the RS (laughing). Coming to your question, I believe that balance is very important. I do some of my work during the free classes in school. My school does not give much homework. So, school does not act as a pressure on me. I can study according to my exams. In all, maintaining a good balance is what matters.

RS: So, how do you think it affects your studies-positively or negatively?
Ans: By debating or being involved in other things, it gives me an idea of the practical world. I get to learn a lot about global trend and current issues. This helps me to understand subjects like Economics better, and provides me with ample examples that give me good grades in exams. At the same time, textual knowledge helps me to comprehend better and apply those in other activities, specially debating. So definitely, it does help.

RS: When did you start in being involved so much in extra curricular activities?
Ans: In class 9-10

RS: That's just before your O's. Didn't it harm your studies?
Ans: Well, if one gets too bogged down, then it certainly does. As for me, it didn't because I could manage my time well.

RS: What are your futures plans?
Ans: I want to study law and become a barrister.

RS: Why is that?
Ans: A lot of my maternal relatives are lawyers. I find them charismatic, they seem well presented, and I can speak well (a shy tone). Hence, this profession allured me, and I decided to go for it.

RS: Does your family work as a resistance or a pulling force for you?
Ans: They definitely support me. They inspire me, listen to me, and give me the incentive to work hard. They are there to make me a better person.

RS: There are a lot others who have the potential but not the scope to do so good in life. What do you think about them?
Ans: I think if one has obstacles, they should try their best to work with his potential and freedom they have. Shahmuddin Siddiky is confident in his actions, skillful in handling his life, and has the ability to make good judgement- All that is needed to be a successful barrister, and live up to his dream.

By Maherin Ahmed

Book Review

My legendary girlfriend

It says on the cover, "A hilarious novel for anyone who has ever dumped, been dumped or lived in a dump" and let me tell you, it's not lying. Mike Gayle, the writer is a freelance journalist and 'My Legendary Girlfriend' is his first book. From his style, it seems that there is an intimate connection between the book and the writer, as if it could almost be an autobiographical narrative of the young author's own love life. Of course, to make such an assumption would be presumptuous, so continue reading it imagining whoever you like.

The story is about an English teacher, Will Kelly. He likes films, he likes staring at the ceiling and thinking, but he doesn't like teaching all that much. He's lazy, an armchair philosopher and obsessed with his ex-girlfriend, Aggi. Aggi, who breaks up with him on his birthday, seems to haunt him day and night, so much so that even years after the break-up, he can't seem to forget about her. Stuck in a dead-end job and living in a messy apartment all alone, he spends most of his time replaying memories of Aggi, whom he refers to as 'The One'. He's desperate to find if there can be 'An-Other One' and the candidates come in the form of a clingy Martina, the phone-friend Kate and the best friend Alice. And of course, there's the perfect Simon, his other best friend, who seems to have taken Will's share of luck with the ladies.

The book has a rhythm of its own; a pace that may seem a little too slow for the general liking but which the reader automatically slips into after the first few pages. What's great about this book is that it's very real_ and reflects personal issues like regret, self-deprecation and making a big deal out of things that may seem small to others but which are gigantic in proportions in our own eyes. The author's dry wit and sarcasm makes the book hilarious and also makes you wish you could actually speak like that in real life. 'My Legendary Girlfriend' is a good book to give to a heartbroken friend, so that s/he can see for him/herself how pointless it is to grieve over anyone who actually makes you do so, and have a few laughs between the pages.

By Maliha Bassam

Campus news

Annual Sports Day at Sir John Wilson School

On 13th July, Sir John Wilson School held its annual sports day in the sports hall of ISD School. As eager spectators
settled into their seats, the event began at 9:00 a.m. with the inauguration speech by SJW's principal, Ms. Ann Burghard.

Th Junior section then swung into action as nearly 300 students were put through their paces. Tiny playgroup and nursery students scampered off towards balloons, which were popped on the way to the finish line. KG1 and KG2 munched their way to the final tape in the Candy Race, while Class 1 demonstrated considerable skill balancing copybooks on their heads in the Balance Race. All students showed immense energy in the various sprinting heats and finals. Tired, but enormously satisfied, the Juniors set off home after the awards ceremony. Meanwhile, the big guys arrived to demonstrate their prowess.

The Senior sports was an altogether much more intense affair. Over 150 youngsters thundered down the sports hall with grit and determination as they fought for the medals. Fortunately, the sports hall walls are designed for speedy crash stops! The spectators enjoyed the intense concentration shown by the girls in the balloon blowing and marble balancing races, and by the hopping race. Near misses in the basketball throwing brought gasps from the crowd. The activities concluded with relay races.

After the excitement of a second awards ceremony, the staff were left to reflect on the success of the day. It had been hard work, but definitely worth it. The Sports committee, ably led by the PE coaches, had done a great job. They are already planning on how to improve upon it next year.

By RS Desk

Musing

The bliss of being in doldrums

Going to office isn't anything new for me because it's like doing the same dreary thing everyday, just like a repeat telecast!
That day, however, it was quite unusual.
I had barely passed the threshold when I was told to meet my boss immediately in his office. Perplexed, I got myself in his office. Over coffee he told me that one of our most important business clients was coming down all the way from Japan to meet us, and I was to take them out for dinner.
His words struck me like bullets. First of all I am not a gourmet and most importantly I'd had some very bad experiences with this. I tried to explain all this and even said we'd be risking losing the whole partnership. My pleas fell on deaf ears, and he said he couldn't find anyone better to rely on. I was sure that I'd ultimately lose my job.
That whole night I couldn't sleep thinking of the consequences.
"Tring, tring," the alarm clock started to ring making me aware of the beginning of my doomsday. I was all in a quandary over what to wear but at last got myself ready. I got off at the restaurant where I would be greeting them and saw the hell gate (the entrance) just in front of me.
I saw my business clients approaching me with big smiles on their faces. I greeted them nicely and took them inside. Shortly, we were seated and I was given the menu book to order. Unfortunately, to my utter horror I found out that the names of the dishes were written in Japanese language, which I could neither write nor read. It was like jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire! Not to show my disqualification in front of my clients, I ordered some random dishes and prayed my job would be safe.
Soon the food was brought and it was just as I feared. There was something red just like blood with some green thing scattered all over it! Then there was a whole boiled cabbage and a bowl full of some yellow liquid. My face started to get paler and paler until I didn't even have the guts to lift up my face to see my clients' expressions.
The following day I went office thinking it was going to be my last day there. Soon I was called by my boss and I started to prepare myself to face the bomb. Without any further discussion he just handed me a letter. I just didn't have the guts to inquire for anything and returned to my room.
I was sitting in my living room when suddenly it struck me that I should open the letter and read it. The moment I opened it the most amazing thing happened. It was my promotion letter! I ran towards the phone and rang my boss to ask for some explanation. He told me that my clients were so content about me that they wanted to give us more important projects and my boss thought that I really deserve a promotion.
Well this was the most weird as well as exciting thing that had ever happened to me.

By Afrida Mahbub