The week in re(ar)view

Bangladesh under water
Sonargaon Hotel probably wants to be a lone standing landmark symbolising Bangladesh when everything else is six feet under….water. It continues unauthorised extension of the premises encroaching upon Begunbari Canal area. This canal is the largest storm water retention spot in the city. The hotel is 100 percent government owned but curiously, the construction is taking place without any plan approval by RAJUK. Well, when the entire country is flooded, the tall and proud hotel can act as a direct port for ships and travellers to disembark right on the doorstep. Now that's called forward planning.

Excusing everything in the name of education
Shops like Dhanmondi Hawkers Market and especially Nilkhet operate under a sole electricity meter. Shopkeepers pay a fixed amount every month no matter what the usage. Guess you can't put too much of a price on education. And let's face it,

Hotfoot businesses
The most blacklisted business operation apparently is the VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) business that many use to provide cheap phone calls overseas. Every day there is a news item of more such businesses busted by the authorities.

Clean up Dhaka
Dhaka is cleaning up drastically. Illegal construction is being demolished left and right. Kawran bazaar was recently cleaned up with people running around to grab scrap metal.

Media gag
Guidelines have been formed to curb the media and its reporting on political events. It could apparently tarnish the countries image if people read about it. No cartoon, no caricatures. So from now on we will be running episodes of Barney the Dinosaur and his “Learn the Alphabets” song from now on in this column.

By Gokhra and Mood Dude

The golden rays of the sun are once again taking their leave, while their place is being taken by the darkness of the upcoming night. How many times have you gotten lost watching the sunset despairing over the thought that another day has just ended taking with it some worthwhile moments of laughter and joy? But you know what? The day you realize that after this sunset the sun yet again is going to smile back to you with another day, a new beginning and most importantly a new hope, you won't be feeling the same gloominess to experience another sunset ever again.

Looking back at the year left behind, we'll see those numerous meaningless giggles along with several heart-tearing tears. We cannot change what life delivers us, but at least we can decide how we welcome and also what to do with these unavoidable guests. I believe if we truly make up our mind that 'I deserve to be happy and I'm going to be happy' we can have a much better today. Thus, in order to 'live' every moment here are a few resolutions that I hope will bring a smile to your faces.

Respect yourself:
No one is perfect and so are not you. You need to accept both the good and bad sides of yourself and adore yourself as a great person. Holding a positive self-image will also help you to get over your shortcomings in the long run.

Be optimistic:
Work hard to reach your goal with determination and enthusiasm. If something goes wrong, instead of losing yourself in shock and depression try to find out the reason behind it. After all, failure is the pillar of success!

Accept the changes:
Often we try to hold back to old ways of life. A little change in the way your loved ones expresses their love for you, or even in the way your friends act sometimes lead to a feeling of insecurity. But remember this is a new year and things are going to be a little different anyway! Accept the changes as they come, and have faith on yourself and the people around you. Thinking out new things and trying out new ways will surely bring more adventure and fun to your life.

Purpose:
Believing you have a purpose in life will not only make you feel significant but will also make you realize that you can make a difference. And when you make a positive difference, however small or big it is, it will surely make this world a little better. The feeling is enough to bring a smile to your face and make it your day.

Appreciating simple blessings:
Instead of I wish I had that and did that, try to concentrate a little more on what you already have done and the things you did right. Look at how your younger siblings look up to you with unbelievable admiration in their eyes, how your loved ones are ever-so-ready to hug whenever you need one, and how many such tiny and yet significant accomplishments go unnoticed by you, but make a difference other peoples' lives. The fact that you exist is a blessing to more people than you know of. Is your life filled with blessings or what?

So my dear friends, whatever your new-year's resolution is this year, be positive and no one can stop you from getting your resolution fulfilled! Let your life fulfill with enjoyment, pride, affection and enthusiasm. Have a wonderful new year!

By Samiha Khan

Aristotle: To actualize its potential.

Buddha: If you ask this question, you deny your own chicken-nature.

George W. Bush: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road or not. The chicken is either with us or it is against us. There is no middle ground here.

Bill Clinton: I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. What do you mean by chicken? Could you define chicken, please?

Salvador Dali: The Fish!

Darwin: Chickens, over great periods of time, have been naturally selected in such a way that they are now genetically dispositioned to cross roads.

Einstein: Whether the chicken crossed the road or the road moved beneath the chicken depends upon your frame of reference.

Emerson: The chicken didn't cross the road; it transcended it.

Epicurus: For fun.

Bill Gates: I have just released the new Chicken Office 2000, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook.

Goethe: The eternal hen-principle made it do it.

Grandpa: In my day, we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Someone told us that the chicken had crossed the road, and that was good enough for us.

Hippocrates: Because of an excess of light pink gooey stuff in its pancreas.

David Hume: Out of custom and habit.

Saddam Hussein: This was an unprovoked act of rebellion and we were quite justified in dropping 50 tons of nerve gas on it.

Martin Luther King, Jr.: I envision a world where all chickens will be free to cross roads without having their motives called into question.

Alexander: To boldly go where no chicken has gone before.

John Lennon: Imagine all the chickens crossing roads in peace.

Karl Marx: It was a historical inevitability.

'oses: And God came down from the Heavens, and He said unto the Chicken, "Thou shalt cross the road." And the chicken crossed the road, and there was much rejoicing.

Richard M. Nixon: The chicken did not cross the road. I repeat, the chicken did NOT cross the road.

Plato: For the greater good.

The Sphinx: You tell me.

Oliver Stone: The question is not, "Why did the chicken cross the road?" Rather, it is, "Who was crossing the road at the same time, whom we overlooked in our haste to observe the chicken crossing?"

Mark Twain: The news of its crossing has been greatly exaggerated.

Voltaire: I may not agree with what the chicken did, but I will defend to the death its right to do it.

Stephen Spielberg: Either it was being chased by a dinosaur or an alien!
What's your answer?

By Efadul Huq

Under Ground
1. Daak by Yaatri: One of the best selling albums on the total music scenario of 2006, continuing the good form in early 2007. Not much is to be said about the album, as all of you have a copy of it by now.

2. Harano Podochchhap by Disciples: After the grand success of 'Light Years Ahead', bangla hip-hop is finding a good spot into the general listeners playlist.

3. Adhar-2 (Mixed): The sequel of 'Adhar' looks to be doing good, despite no big band names being on their cover. Balam from warfaze & Kamal from Aurthohin have two solo numbers though.

4. Myth (Self titled): This fushion band is doing reasonably good job at the market. All you Bangla & Ajob fans can give it a try. & others too.

5. Underground (Mixed): Another mixed album, full of star bands, still maintaing themselves in the top five.

Overall
1. Hok Kolorob by Arnob: It's been some time that this album has come out & it is doing such good business in competation with all the albums that keep coming out, doesn't leave me much to say with. Arnob rocks.

2. Ichchhe by Tahsan: Tahsan is no more in Black we all know. The brighten side of it, Tahsan is focusing sharp on his solo carrer. Ichchhe is at number 2 this week.

3. Variation 25.2 by Fuad: These songs are just re-mixes of the numbers of Variation-25. Two new tracks are added, 'shona bondhu' & 'bidrohi'. If you liked 'Suloty', you can try the new version.

4. Shono by Habib: Habib's first album of original songs are still going strong. A slight fall in the list is probably due to the release of 'Ichchhe' by his good friend Tahsan.

5. Bujhchho?! by Prayer Hall: This one is more like an Arnob & friends project. The music has a soulful depth to it, though the approach is probably a little none commercial compared to Hok Kolorob.

6. Jewel with the Stars (Mixed): Jewel of Miles have brought four of the biggest names of the alter-rock scenerio, namely Sumon, Russel(ex- aurthohin), Jon & Tahsan.

7. Ashar-Shrabon by DJ Rahat: I wonder how this guy finds certain ways of selling his album which no other musician find. This album has a track called 'Kopa shamsu Kopa', which I strongly believe will shortly become a major hit.

8. Faissa Gechhi by Hyder Husyn: This album has had a rather weird selling graph. What brought this album back to the top list?! I think, Huder Husyn is performing live these days.

9. Closeup-1 (Mixed): This is the season-2 of this talent hunt show. Some good singers have come out & this competation of songs are going well in the market.

10. Virus by Shafin Ahmed: After the good success of the Late Komol Dashgupta (who appears to be Shafin's father) memorial, Shafin is back with his original numbers in this album in his very signature style.

Source : Hollywood, Piano, Sings.
Courtesy of: www.tunesbd.com