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The “cool” trip

Girls
Lipgloss
Cute purse (preferably designer)
Ironed hair with perfect side fringes
Killer smile
Bffs (best friends)
Camera

Boys
Heavy cologne
Converse shoes
Fauxhawk (almost a mohawk)
Charming smile with “genjam” attitude
“Bros” or “Dosto”
Flashy cell phones

NOW, go over the list and check if you meet the requirements. If you do then take a deep breath and you may enter the ice cream parlour. (If you don't, enter anyway)

Proceed to the seating arrangement preferably one where you can get a good view of the incoming crowd. Scan through the over priced menu and order your favourite flavour varying from Swiss chocolate to Ferrero Rocher (if the flavour that you want is out of stock please do not panic like it's a National Crisis). When your order arrives take your “sweet” time to finish your tiny one scoop ice cream.

After you are done eating, girls take out your digital camera and start to capture the moments of “sisterhood” (trust me you need those pictures to update your album on that social networking site). Boys, show off your flashy cell phones to your “dosto” although we all know who the main target of attraction is (duh!).

One more thing boys and girls, I know sometimes you find it rather amusing discussing the “story of your life” in high pitch voice or engaging yourselves in obscene activities but let's not forget ice cream parlours are family places.

In terms of technology we all like it Nano but girls keep in mind the same doesn't apply for your clothing (glitter on your eyelids and hair is also unnecessary) and boys you don't want your new jeans to sweep the floor so please pull it up.

Ice cream, chit-chat, show off, photo session all check. Now that we have successfully completed all the rituals we come to an end of our wonderful trip to the ice cream parlour. I guess you all had a good time and I hope the last 3 hours spent here has given you enough gossip to talk about over the weekend. I look forward to our next meeting till then take care.

PS: Don't forget to check out the modified cars parked outside. Very appealing!

By Fariba Rakhsanda


First fist fights

I have a healthy relationship with my brother. We frequently have some boxing matches, sumo wrestling bouts or we sometimes fight for the world heavyweight championship. So we remain in good shape throughout the year. My recollection of the first fistfight I've had involves my brother. But not everyone is blessed with such competent siblings. So many vent their frustration outside the house with other competent friends. I asked some classmates about their recollection. As we grow up the reasons seem very funny and sometimes the fights seem unnecessary, but remember we fought valiantly at that time and with all we had.

I'm starting with my friend, let's say 'T'. His first fight was fought over an eraser. I couldn't get whether the apple of discord, or in this case the eraser of discord, was his or his friend's. But judging by the mumblings and inaudible whispers, occasionally pronouncing such words as 'borrow' and 'give back' etc it might not belong to 'T'

'SK', my other friend, gave me a smile when I asked him. Only then I recognized a broken tooth which might be a souvenir of his frequent fisticuffs. But he couldn't specify the reason or the place of occurrence. I reckon his brain and memory are addled by all that fighting. It can happen.

Another friend 'A' had a 'friendly' fight'. He and his friend were just thumping each other on the back when one exerted a little more force than intended which got the other one mad and blah blah blah. In fact the guilty friends sit just two rows of bench apart from each other.

My classmate 'R' is a great sportsman but lacks sportsmanship. He had his first fight with a 12 year old when he was 9 at the playground. The unlucky one tripped him when R was going for the goal. Now can I call that courage or what?

Talking about courage, I have another classmate who has never been involved in a fight. But he did say to me “I never get involved in fights. I don't like to blacken my hand over mosquitoes. My subordinates do that for me. I just give them instructions.” I immediately checked the surroundings and saw only two of his “guards”. I gave the leader a respectful salam and quietly and quickly backed out.

I really wanted to ask another one about his experience but couldn't gather up the courage. His freakish glares and sulking and skulking in the dark and frowning and fuming about something always freak me out. With the encouragement of SK I did manage to ask him of his experience. But he gave me a cold look. I had to go to the bathroom to relieve myself immediately afterwards. I had a nightmare that night also.

Another friend had his first fight when he was in pre-school. Believe me, he fought over a girl. Guess what his name is: Romeo (with permission from him). Now he did make his parents naming come true.

By Jawad Mahmud


Real-life rising star



Just last week, the Daily Star celebrated the tenth anniversary of its 'Nation Builders of Tomorrow' awards ceremony, honouring a whopping 953 O and A level students for outstanding academic achievements. This year an amazing 53 Bangladeshi students ranked among the world's top scorers, in the June 2007-June 2008 academic session. Goes to show just how much our students can do with the right incentive.

Across the oceans, Aurik Sarker, a Bangladeshi seventh-grader at Walton Intermediate school, beat out more than 7,800 other students from Garden Grove Unified last month to earn the district's 2009 Spelling Bee championship. Aurik won the event after correctly spelling the deciding word "rendezvous." He, along with the other top 10 finishers from the district, qualified for the Orange County Spelling Competition, and although he didn't win there, it is still quite an achievement. He credits the coaches at his school, as well as his own hard work and the support of his parents for getting him this far. When asked about his future plans, he said ”I think I want to first go to Stanford or Harvard for college. After that, I think I want to be either a computer programmer or a computer engineer. I want to find a way to make computers work better and faster.”


Myth box
Flying lions?


The griffin is a mythical creature with the face, beak, talons and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion. At times, it is portrayed with a long snake-like tail. In some traditions, only the female has wings. Its nests are made of gold and its eggs resemble agates (semiprecious stones). The Gryphon myth originates somewhere in the Middle East. It is found depicted in ancient Babylonian, Assyrian, and Persian paintings and sculptures. It is believed the myths found life around 3,000 B.C. to be the Pharoah's companion in Ancient Egypt, and later became sacred guardians in Minoa (Ancient Greece). India was assigned as the native country of the Gryphon, and the people of that land made Gryphon talons and claws into drinking cups. Like the Unicorn and other species of myth, magical traits were assigned to the talons. While the Alicorn, or horn of the Unicorn, was said to be an aphrodisiac, the talon of a Gryphon was said to detect poison in a liquid when used as a drinking cup.

In symbolism, the griffin combines the symbolic qualities of both the lion and the eagle. It is the king of birds and lord of the air united with the king of beasts and lord of the earth. For this reason the griffin later represented Jesus Christ, specially his dual nature. Because of the griffin's strength and powers of sight, it was believed to guard hidden treasures and hide them in their nests with their young. Because of its association with the Holy Grail, one of the treasures most commonly guarded by griffins were emeralds. (The Holy Grail was carved from a single emerald.) Other popular treasures guarded by griffins were the Tree of Life, knowledge, and the roads to salvation. Greeks and Romans used griffin images to guard tombs.

Griffins are a symbol of the sun, wisdom, vengeance, strength, and salvation

By Nishita Aurnab
References: The Griffin's Guild and Myth Man

 

 

 



 
 

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