The week in re(ar)view

Betting on busted buses
Some complain there are not enough buses. Others complain there are not enough roads. Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) on May 11 addressed one of those issues by launching 100 new CNG-run buses for city service. Hey, 50 percent of the complaints have been solved, right?

But BRTC bus depot officials are now complaining, albeit anonymously. They are not happy with the quality of the fibreglass-bodied buses. Could be cause the buses don't fare too well in our bumper car style driving.

These Dongfeng Motor Company buses from China cost Tk 29 crore excluding taxes. In 2006, 30 CNG-run buses from China were purchased through Progati Industries. Most of them now out of order now. Half of the total 50 BRTC's luxurious Volvo buses remain out of order. We are currently taking bets as to how long these buses survive.

Out of mind
Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has decided to cancel licenses of five landline operators, whose services it switched off in March for their involvement in illegal international call termination through VoIP technology.

The operators are RanksTel, Dhaka Phone, National Telecom, Peoples Tel, and WorldTel. If you've got annoying friends and family using those lines, now you can ignore them without making up fancy alien abduction related excuses.

These telephone companies were serving around six lakh clients. Now they serve none. It's almost like how Rome fell.

Using voice over internet protocol (VoIP), a section of telecom operators have been involved in international call termination, channelling at least Tk 1,500 crore a year away from the legal telephone call market.

Note to future entrepreneurs: if you don't pay the government and get caught, it was an illegal act.

Punning at Biman's expense
We UP-date our news items as Biman keeps going down. Get it? Get it? No? Anyways, last week once again a Dubai-bound Biman aircraft with 284 passengers on board hovered in the sky for three hours, dumped 15 tonnes of fuel in the air and managed to land safely at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on May 10.

This was the same plane that did the same dumping routine couple of days earlier. Maybe it's time they turned this tired old DC10 into an apartment complex.

Disposable life
Sharing a ride with unknown people? Some may ask what's there to lose? We say wallet, jewellery, clothes, life. Did we leave out anything?

On May 12, two muggers were arrested who mugged and killed ATN Bangla camera crew Shafiqul Islam Mithu and police Assistant Sub-inspector (ASI) Mizanur Rahman last week. Police have found 19 bodies so far which they connected to mugging.

Gangs of three to four muggers impersonate the driver and passengers and hunt for victims at key points like Farmgate, Jatrabari, Sayedabad, Gabtali, Mohakhali and Mirpur in late night.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner AKM Shahidul Hoque said, "Over 70 muggers in guise of drivers and passengers of small vehicles like cabs, microbus, private cars and auto-rickshaws are active in and on the outskirts of the city."

Last we checked walking is still good for your life.

By Mood Dude and Someone

Lovin' With Dr. Lovelove

The Love Doctor that makes Cupid cry for his mommy…to get his diaper changed.

Dear Doc,
I'm 16 and have a big problem. I have a few guy friends and they are like the coolest friends ever but after some days four of them confessed to me. I rejected them nicely. We are still friends but the thing is none of them are over me. They often tell me how much they love me and so on and the situation gets awkward. And now their friends are calling me or texting me, telling me to be their friend's GF. Honestly I don't want to be in a relationship with any of them. We are just friends. I don't know what to do now. They are really pressuring me. If I go into a relationship with any of them I'm pretty sure I will be killed by any of other friends' friends. And believe me I'm not joking! Please help me!
Heartbroken Witch

Dear Witch,
Your problem is highly relatable in the sense that the Doctor Himself has had to (and currently, continuously, is) fend of innumerable women away from the sheer dynamic attractiveness of Himself. The only difference being where you think it's an awkward endeavour, turning them down, and want to be relieved of it, I enjoy it immensely, because what better way to feel good but to see lesser mortals writhe in agony because they can't get the Lovlovin'?

Since you have BAFD (Being A Female Disorder), your brain circuits aren't at its peak and you fail to recognise the immense potential for fun in the situation you are in. But it's just a suggestion. You asked for a solution to what you deem is the problem, and the Grand Doctor, being the Grand Doctor that He is, surrounded in all his Grandness, will deliver and give you peace. I suggested the same solution to another one of My humble readers recently, who was also suffering from BAFD and had to bear the intense dilemma and indecision that came with it. You are sixteen, after all, and there's a lot of leeway for a lot of fun, and you should be having the time of your life. Go out with all of them, and when you've sucked the life and money out of them, become the worst girlfriend ever and force them to break-up with you. It's really quite simple. And if you're worried you won't get them back as friends, I assure you, there's nothing at all to worry about. A guy drools for a female friend, even if it's not a girlfriend because a) it looks cool to have a chick posting on his walls, or, at least, on his Top Friends in Facebook and b) they always have the hope that something will happen with the girl and she will eventually become his girlfriend. They are quite naïve. That's why I've always said, a single girl and a guy can never have a platonic relationship.

As for their friends, because THEY are breaking up with YOU, they will have nothing at all to complain about. You're responsibility-free. Have fun. You might get a few presents out of this as well. Cha-ching!

P.S.: Please, problem-submitters, brush up on your English. It's not fun to employ mediocre RS writers to do My work and clean the mess up.

Problems, inquiries, endorsements and KMAs:
dr.lovelove@live.com
Disclaimer: The writer's views are his own. Rising Stars does not necessarily endorse them.

By Dr. Lovelove

RS Mailbox

Word on our last issue:
Mahir Faisal Khan: I totally agree with Dr. Lovelove. It's a pain not being able to play GOW3. Angelina should buy PS3 for us.

El Kun: Awesome issue. Rasul's story was a fun read, the anime reviews were great and Musarrat's piece was mouth watering.
But best for last, Osama, dude, you're like Midas! Every word you write turns to gold! Nice cover - loved it! And great UCL final preview. And of course "Shakespeare sucks. Period." - Best! Hehe, rock on!

Mushfiq Redwanuz Zaman: That was absolutely amazing! People may complain that it was really big, but I would say bigger the better. What a way to celebrate a birthday!
Hats off to Osama, Musarrat's piece was good as well, but I think that "Ninja Robots" definitely deserved a spot in 'back then' by Ahsan Sajid. Overall it was AWESOME!

Zahra Mayeesha: This week's issue wasn't great; it was bordering on okay, I think. There were some awesome pieces but not all of them hit me. I really loved the Tesla article, and Rasul's one, that was creepy but cool. Loved the book reccomendations (especially Mussarat's - love you for badafying Twilight). Thanx Dr. Lovelove for not killing us with your overly-pretentious - um - 'awesomeness' but finally giving us something to actually care about.

Adeeba Rahman Risha - Honestly, Osama should be made president. His piece was awesome! Birthday Thoughts were good, especially Kokoro Chan's one. I miss some old writers like the Dark Lord and Hamdu Mia:( SN Rasul left me stunned once again. No shock there) and so did HU.All in all a great birthday issue.

Numaya Shahriar - just one thing to say- Musarrat rocks!

Rabiul Islam - Guys, Osama should be the President. At least he could serve the country with humour! A great cover! I can't help mentioning two lines: .”Forget the digital, picture the Metaphysical/Digitalize the nation, but the sacrifice shall be supreme. There will be no electricity for the first year, I really mean.” Just loved it!

Fammie Nashrah - Another rocking issue. Hope Lovelove keeps rocking it with his sarcasm. I hope there will be no mention of his Lady Lovelove in the next couple of issues. (don't want to burn anymore). S.N Rasul is the new addition in my RS ''like'' list.

Umama Akhtar Turna - Loved the RS birthday issue! The front page by Osama was just awesome! "Rage against the reads" caused a bit of rage in me for insulting my favourite writers. The Doctors issue was great too; he's always so great! Well, I haven't read all 16 pages yet, but I loved this week's issue...RS ROCKS!

Send all your love, hate, advice, suggestions and nano tales to dsrisingstars@gmail.com