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Oddly enough

Sheep are rugged individualists, chickens are smarter than dogs, cows are canny toolusers and pigs are masters of deceit. George Orwell surrenders.
New studies show that farmyard animals have a range of emotions and a sharp intelligence. Fish are renowned for having a three-second memory; however, evidence suggests they can be highly manipulative and cultured. Parrots, when shown two different objects, can use language to describe differences in their colour, shape and texture. Sheep can carry the mental image of another sheep or person for two years. Chickens feel intention and expectation and can tell people apart. Pigs may use a sophisticated form of consciousness to deceive other animals for greater personal reward. Elephants make graves by breaking branches to cover their dead colleagues. They have a large hippocampus, the part of the brain that stores mental maps. -observer.guardian.co.uk

Norwegian man watches tank flatten his car while he's still in it
Knut Okkenhaug had a startling brush with death when a naughty tank flattened his car. The accident took place on March 2, while he and his wife were driving home. The couple suddenly found themselves facing a Norwegian Leopard tank out on military exercises.

"We stopped the car after driving all the way out to the side, to where the snow is ploughed off, but the tank just continued towards us without stopping," Okkenhaug said.

"Then the tank drove up over the left side of the hood of the car and continued over the front window and roof, half a meter into the car. The tank driver clearly hadn't seen us. I leaned as far as I could into my wife while I felt the roof being pressed down into my left shoulder. Then my left cheekbone was pressed against the roof and I shrunk down as far as I could. It was quite cramped and looking back it is incredible that I survived. I said a bad word when I understood the tank wasn't going to stop, when it was over me I can't remember what I thought," he said. The 40-ton tank didn't stop until it had finished driving over the vehicle.

He was extracted with the help of a group of refugees. He said that he has some pain in the shoulder but is otherwise unhurt. Police said the incident would be investigated as a standard traffic accident. - aftenposten.no

Man requests a free pen, doesn't get it. Threatens to blow the store up with dynamite and tries to run over the store manager.
Explosive threats lead to a man hunt in Bonner Springs, Kansas. Police there say they are searching for the person that walked into a Thriftway Store and tried to get a pen for free. When he didn't succeed, he reportedly threatened to come back with dynamite and blow the store up. Police say the suspect then tried to run over the store manager in the parking lot. Nobody was hurt. -wdaftv4.com

Maryland citizens tired of living with Satan
The U-shaped street in Columbia was supposed to be named Satin Wood Drive, based on an obscure poem. But 30 years ago, somewhere between the developer's plans and the county's official map, a misplaced letter doomed the residents of Satan Wood Drive.

"You almost feel disliked," said Jamie Aycock, a resident. "Sometimes they look at me like I'm a devil worshipper." Residents have adopted a variety of coping mechanisms. A priest who lives on the street sprinkles holy water around his house each year. Another man obscures the name by giving it a French pronunciation. Others simply call it S Street.

Someday soon, they say, the evil name that has troubled them for so long will be driven out of the community. And when that day comes, there will be dancing and jubilation in the street. -winfieldcourier.com

Compiled by Ahmed Ashiful Haque

Shout out

Hey people!!
First, let me apologize for the absence of Shout in last week's RS, which I owe to a very silly mistake made by yours truly. While we're on the topic of errors, many of you when sending in your shouts, use contractions and shortened forms of words that are not acceptable in written English (example, '2' instead of 'to'). You do realize that your shouts are finally posted after going through a major facelift. We urge you to refrain from using this kind of lingo in your messages. Besides, shouts when fully written are so much warmer and hold a deeper meaning.

Before I start sounding like your favourite English teacher (sarcasm intended), let's move on to lighter topics…your shouts! Note: While reading today's messages I was reminded of the next Potter book, which is due soon can't wait for it! (I wonder what the twist is this time…read on for a clue) By the way, whenever you have a chance, be sure to drop your dear ones a line and tell them how special they are. Send in your shouts to shout13@gmail.com.

Hey Shoon,
Happy Birthday! Its your day, so we just wanted you to know that you are an amazingly special, smart, silly, sweet and stupid person, so don't you even think of spending this day without a treat.
Lots of love,
Farhana, Raya, Rohini, Sameer, Saif and Shoaib

For one and only Bubly (and also a bit for Ronald Weasley)
From the very depth of my heart I wish you a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY (3rd March). May you forget all your past sad memories and start your 14th birthday with that common grinning face. I have another thing to say: please forgive me for misbehaving with you and also for all those moments
when I hurt your feelings; I'm really ashamed :( .
I have another Happy Birthday greeting for Ronald Weasley ( 1st March, but I'm not quite sure he reads Rising Stars). Hope you live long, incase J.K. Rowling is planning to get you killed.
Again best wishes to Bubly.
From
Your best friend
Anika

Tontu,
You get angry when Raul misses a goal
Remember I was always there to condole.
You feel terrible when Neil is out of team
But remember I was always there to scream.
On your birthday I promise I will be always there for you
And it's not a joke, it's really true.
Jontu(mejho apu)

Hey Sam !!!!
Belated happy birthday dostooo (6th march)!!!Ok how's this for a surprise? Your name's on the Rising Stars…. your wish has finally come true !! LOL…any way just to let you know that we love you !!! You mean more to us than anything!! And we are so lucky to have you as our friend!!! Love you dostoo!! And once again happy birthday!!!
Love -Nazdiya, Sharlene, Abir, Saptak, Fariha, Nashra...

Wishing each of all my Pisces pals a very, very happy birthday... Shamayeel, Maishu, Rakhshanda, Aftad and Mehrabin-eat your hearts out!
-Acanthodian

Dearest Sil,
You know, I'm really sorry I couldn't come that day. Actually I received your mail a day later so it wasn't possible...oh, well, I felt a lot guilty about this but now that you say you didn't come too, I feel loads better! So, have a nice day dearest friend! Hope to meet you soon!
Yours,
Khalid

Hi, I'm searching for a lost friend. If you are from UODA (or know someone from it, preferably comp. engineering, yr. 3 or 4) and think you can help me, please contact @ searchstarship@yahoo.com

Hi Isban,
How are you? I am very sorry that we did not meet for 7 months. But you know I Love You, as you're my best friend, I miss you very much. Do you remember we met at Paul sir's coaching? Last year you were in SCHOLASTICA in March.
Where are you now? Please mail me at this address
rafsun_waynesteel@yahoo.com
Hey BRATS (with the squares)
Miss you all soooo much.
With lots of loves T from BRATS

By the Hitch-hiker
[ ATTENTION: This column is NOT responsible for any negative (or otherwise) outcome of the messages printed in it. Please do NOT abuse the column by using it to play pranks etc. Also, all personal information including email addresses and telephone numbers will be printed at the sender's expense and we do NOT take ANY responsibility for any inconvenience to anyone. ]

Jokes

Q: Hear about the terrorist that hijacked a 747 full of lawyers?
A: He threatened to release one every hour if his demands weren't met.

A man was just waking up from anesthesia after surgery, and his wife was sitting by his side. His eyes fluttered open and he said "You're beautiful" and then he fell asleep again. His wife had never heard him say that so she stayed by his side. A few minutes later his eyes fluttered open again and he said, "You're cute!" His wife was disappointed because instead of "beautiful" it was "cute." She asked, "What happened to 'beautiful'? "Well," he replied. 'The drugs are wearing off!"

Make it Off the Island
There were three people stranded on an island, a brunette, a redhead, and a blonde. The brunette looked over the water to the mainland and estimated about 20 miles to shore. So she announced, "I'm going to try to swim to shore." So she swam out five miles, and got really tired. She swam out ten miles from the island, and she was too tired to go on, so she drowned.

The second one, the redhead, said to herself, "I wonder if she made it. I guess it's better to try to get to the mainland than stay here and starve." So she attempts to swim out. The redhead had a lot more endurance than the brunette, as she swam out 10 miles before she even got tired. After 15 miles, she was too tired to go on, so she drowned.
So the blonde thought to herself, "I wonder if they made it! I think I'd better try to make it, too." So she swam out 5 miles, ten miles, fifteen miles, and finally nineteen miles from the island. The shore was just in sight, but she said, "I'm too tired to go on!" So she swam back.

Tête-à-tête

Thought of the week:
"The world is a book. Those who don't travel, read only a page."
-- St. Augustine

It's that time of the year again, folks. The United World College is once again accepting applications for scholarships for their prestigious two-year International Baccalaureate course, being offered at UWC campuses around the globe.

If you're a Bangladeshi National born after June 30, 1988, and have either at least 6 A's in your O levels, or an aggregate score of 75% or higher in your SSC's, you're eligible to apply for these scholarships. If you're still waiting for your results, and expect them within August 2005, then you can still try out, provided your Principal/Head Master is willing to certify, based on your school transcripts, that you are expected to achieve the abovementioned results.

So what are you waiting for? If you fit the bill, then hurry up and grab your application forms from the receptionist at
Petrochem (Bangladesh) Ltd
Priyo Prangon Tower (3rd floor)
19, Kemal Ataturk Avenue
Banani Commercial Area
Dhaka 1213

The offer is open for this month only. For further information on the United World College(s), check out www.uwc.org

I wish they had something like that in my time. I know I'd have loved to be studying at a foreign college, experiencing a new culture, and maybe even picking up a new language or three.

Moving on, I've visited a few online discussion forums, and from what I've seen, there are a lot of young people discussing the US Senate ban on juvenile executions. I want to know what the youth of BD think about it. Do you think it's right to execute someone under 18 years of age? Or do you believe in exemplary punishment for kids like the ones who took guns into school and created a massacre? Or do you not believe in capital punishment at all? Perhaps the biggest question here is: do you even care? I'll be waiting to find out.

Send your polls, opinions, suggestions to thegirlnextdoor1@hotmail.com or mail me at teteatete_tgnd@yahoo.com

Courtroom Quips things really said in court

Q: This myasthenia gravis -- does it affect your memory at all?
A: Yes.
Q: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
A: I forget.
Q: You forget. Can you give us an example of something that you've forgotten?
Q: How old is your son -- the one living with you.
A: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which.
Q: How long has he lived with you?
A: Forty-five years.
Q: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in the voodoo occult?
A: We both do.
Q: Voodoo?
A: We do.
Q: You do?
A: Yes, voodoo.
Q: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
Q: The youngest son, the twenty-year old, how old is he?
Q: Were you present when your picture was taken?
Q: Was it you or your younger brother who was killed in the war?
Q: How far apart were the vehicles at the time of the collision?
Q: She had three children, right?
A: Yes.
Q: How many were boys?
A: None.
Q: Were there any girls?
Q: You say the stairs went down to the basement?
A: Yes.
Q: And these stairs, did they go up also?
Q: Mr. Slatery, you went on a rather elaborate honeymoon, didn't you?
A: I went to Europe, sir.
Q: And you took your new wife?
Q: Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people?
A: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.
Q: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
A: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
Q: And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time?
A: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy.


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